Two of Competition Eliminator's more seasoned drivers gained an experience they hoped would never come during the second round of the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals.

Clark Smiley lost control of his BB/Altered Grand Am as he chased down Keith Hall's C/Super Modified entry. He caught Hall and posted a 7.190 before his entry abruptly turned left and went into the other lane. Smiley made impact with Hall before crashing into the retaining wall. 

Both cars came to a stop in the shutdown area, where the drivers emerged from their race cars under their own power.

Sometimes, rumors take a while to become reality. Today, the longrunning rumor suggesting Jeg Coughlin Jr will return to NHRA Pro Stock became a reality thanks to a joint venture with SCAG Power Equipment and Elite Motorsports. 

Coughlin will be breaking in a new Camaro five-time champion Erica Enders is expected to race in 2024. Having the accomplished drag racer Coughlin, who is also considered one of Enders’ mentors, is a feather in the cap for the Wynnewood, Oklahoma-based team. 

“Our friends at SCAG Power Equipment helped make this a reality along with all of our supportive partners involved in our program,” said Elite Motorsports owner Richard Freeman. “Getting runs on the new RJ Race Cars Pro Stock Camaro before the end of the season was something we wanted to do, and having Jeg Jr. driving the car in real competition is about as good as it gets. Who knows, maybe the planets will align and Jeg Jr. can return full-time in a cat’s-eye-gold SCAG Power Equipment hot rod in 2024.”

For the second consecutive year, Tyler Hilton reigned supreme in Top Fuel in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series as he held off Jim Murphy on the final day of the season to capture his second Top Fuel crown. 

"It feels real good," Hilton admitted. "Just to be able to do so well this year. We won three races in a row. We were on a pretty good streak right there. So, to be able to finish it off with that championship really made it worth it.

"We work so hard. All those wins. It's just so much work on these nitro cars, and it's nice to have it pay off for you in the end." 

Doctors have not given injured Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Angie Smith a timetable for her return to competition, but husband Matt Smith said, “Right now, we’re trying to have her maybe come back at Vegas.” That is the next race on the schedule, the Oct. 27-30 Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “She wants to just come back and hang out, not ride, but my goal is to try to have her come back for Pomona and hang out and show everybody and then go to the banquet. So we'll see how things go,” he said.

Aunt Martha would have been proud. 

That's precisely what Competition Eliminator racer Chase Williams was shooting for when he rolled through the gates for the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. He wanted to win for her. 

On Saturday evening, Williams won $100,000, more money than any NHRA Competition Eliminator racer has put in their pocket when he secured the Rooftec Competition Eliminator D4 Bonus Fund championship, edging series founder and driving force Rodger Brogdon, who finished second. 

Competition Plus’ Water-Cooler Topics From The Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex.

Pete Wittenberg may have come up short of capturing his third March Meet title just twenty-four hours earlier on Saturday, falling to Jim Murphy in the final round. However, the driver of the Circuit Breaker Top Fuel dragster came back and went all the way on Sunday, using a slew of low 5.70 runs in eliminations to take home his first win at the season-ending race, the Wally Parks NHRA Nostalgia Nationals in Bakersfield, Ca.

"We hurt some parts but other than that we had a great time," Wittenberg said. “We overcame some hurdles. This win is outstanding, it couldn't have gone any better.

”I got to thank my wife. Five days I'm up here. We have twins, they're two years old. I think I'm going to put the trophy in the twin's room. My guys, they've taken their time away to help us out and get this done. To win is excellent."

History no longer has to wait for Erica Enders.

The Pro Stock superstar has now won the most national events by a woman in NHRA history at 47.

That became a fact when Enders took the coveted title at the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Dallas Sunday.

In this sport, timing is everything.

From reaction times to elapsed times, timing things just right can be the difference between wins, losses, and even championships.

For Leah Pruett, sitting atop the championship standings in the Top Fuel category is not a new feat, but doing so in the waning stages of the season is. Now she hopes she can use that timing to propel her team to a first championship in the sport’s premier class.

One thing is certain: You can never count out Matt Hagan.

With much of the focus early in the Countdown to the Championship falling squarely on the battle between Robert Hight and a resurgent Bob Tasca III, the three-time Funny Car world champion was ready to remind the world that he is far from out of this thing.

Hagan returned to the thick of the playoff hunt two weeks ago with a thrilling victory at the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, then backed that up with a second straight victory Sunday at the Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex to take over the Funny Car points lead with two races remaining.