There's that moment when know-how and Mother Nature connect, and sparks fly. Matt Hagan was the beneficiary of that love affair as his Johnson's Horsepowered Garage-sponsored Dodge Hellcat thundered to a zMAX Dragway track record of 3.825 seconds at 333.49 miles per hour. 

Hagan, credited with the first three-second Funny Car run during the 1000-foot era, put another feather in his cap with the quickest run of the season to this point. 

"Obviously [crewchief] Dickie Venables is always pushing, and I think it was such a big confidence booster for us after making that run, knowing that, okay, we can go .82," Hagan said. "In testing, we were trying to run .88 and then .85 and now a .82. So the capability, the know-how, the parts, the pieces, the knowledge, everything is there. It's just having the track conditions and the weather to do so. 

A back-up car has never looked so appealing. 

At least, that is how Doug Kalitta could see it. After crashing his primary dragster at last weekend's Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, when a slick inexplicably exploded, taking the Mac Tools dragster out of competition, Kalitta returned to his backup dragster and went on to win the first round of the Countdown. 

Last weekend, he won career race No. 50. Friday at the Betway NHRA Nationals hosted by zMAX Dragway, he scored the No. 1 qualifying spot, at least provisionally, with a standout performance of 3.665 at 331.61 miles per hour.

The first day of the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals was a record-setting affair as Matt Hagan laid down a new zMAX Dragway track elapsed time record. The event marks the 17th race on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and the second race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Also claiming top spots were Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Point standings (top 10) following the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, the 17th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series -

Final round-by-round results from the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway, the 17th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

That’s gonna leave a mark. And for Tony Stewart Racing, they hope to keep making a positive mark for the Tennessee-based Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage (JHG) as they have announced an extended partnership with Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. In a multi-year agreement, JHG will serve as the primary sponsor for a minimum of six events on the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car driven by three-time champion Matt Hagan.

It’s been almost 47 years since large displacement Pro Stock legends Harold Denton and Roy Hill rolled to starting for the first-ever sanctioned Mountain Motor Pro Stock final round during the IHRA Winternationals in Darlington, SC. The two raced for a first-place prize of $5,000.

Never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined their unique style of factory hot rod racing would one day compete for a top prize of $25,000. But that’s what will happen March 1-3, 2024, during the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Modified at Bradenton Motorsports Park. 

“Pro Mod and Mountain Motor Pro Stock just go together,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated founder and WSOPM promoter. “It’s hard not to be a fan of this class with its massive, naturally aspirated engines, hood scoops, and clutches. Plus, the people involved with Mountain Motor Pro Stock are truly special, and the class just continues to grow. The second annual Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational will be the perfect complement to the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod.”

​The 2023 NHRA season has been a case in adversity for eight-time Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher.

However, Schumacher, who pilots the Maynard family/Scag Power Equipment dragster never lost faith in his team.

Schumacher’s patience and never-give-up attitude was rewarded last weekend at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pa.

Mike Bucher proudly displays his faith and has pointed out that it guides him in decision-making regularly. But this time, it was a struggle.

On the one hand, he wanted to drive the Leverich Family Top Fuel dragster during the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals. On the other, Wednesday marked the first anniversary of daughter Abigail passing away following a battle with Leukemia.

The second-generation drag racer's passion kept pushing him to travel to Concord, NC, while his heart inspired him to stay home close to family.

By nature, third-generation Top Fuel drag racer Krista Baldwin is as giddy as any nitro pilot has ever been. But, these days, she's got a little extra giddy-up.

Baldwin has been named Scott Palmer's substitute driver for the upcoming NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex in October. The appointment couldn't come at a better time for Baldwin, who has been burning the midnight oil in search of a new chassis for her Top Fuel operation. 

Baldwin will drive Palmer's Professional Bull Riders-sponsored entry.