A solid source within the NHRA has told CompetitionPlus.com that Top Dragster and Top Sportsman will be part of the sportsman line-up at select national events in 2010. Reportedly the NHRA is high on the idea of sportsman racing at 200 miles per hour and the introduction of the two classes will run be on a schedule similar to one currently employed by Super Street, a race in each division. Top Sportsman has been contested for the last few seasons at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga., on an exhibition, invitation-only basis.

Sources have told CompetitionPlus.com that the Dodge Avenger Pro Stock body is in the final stages and chassis builders could take deliver of the newest Mopar by September 1. Reportedly, the design plug was completed at Don Ness' shop months ago and then shipped to Mopar where the manufacturer completed some details before entrusting the production to Five Star.

A source close to the situation tells CompetitionPlus.com that the K&N Horsepower Challenge, once dead for 2010, has apparently been revived and will be announced soon.

Consider this to be the rumor that just keep circulating and circulating. The word floating around NHRA will drop Memphis in 2010, making a pre-emptive strike because of uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the track, and add a second Charlotte race in its place.  They will also alter the West Coast Swing schedule, going back to the old slate of races, with Denver first, Sonoma second and Seattle third.

Since its inception the ADRL has offered open testing prior to each one of their events. From Noon until 5:30 PM, drivers were rotated in classes enabling them shakedown runs before the first and only qualifying session for the day. Increasing car counts and carnage may force the ADRL into scrapping the open testing and instead start qualifying earlier. Their plans are said to expand to two sessions on Friday and complete qualifying with a 10 AM session on Saturday. Reportedly the goal is to have the event wrapped up by 9 PM on Saturdays.

A source from within the NHRA tells CompetitionPlus.com that the sanctioning body will be announcing two new sponsors to drag racing in the weeks to come. Reportedly there will be an announcement this week and another next. At a time when the economy is in the dumps, this will come as welcomed news.

There’s a rumor making the rounds which suggests facility owner ISC would like to replace the drag strip property with a new hotel while the original builders of Route 66 Raceway [Chicago] would like to build a new drag strip in the general vicinity of the Joliet area. Original owners, Raceway Associates, a group which includes Pro Stock racer Steve Speiss, have reportedly wanted to build a drag strip in the area for the last couple of years.

Sources indicate the K&N Horsepower Challenge for Pro Stock car will not be renewed for next season. This departure will leave Pro Stock Motorcycle division as the only NHRA Full Throttle category with a special race-within-a-race event.

CompetitionPlus.com was told by a reliable source that the program is salvageable but will require effort on the NHRA’s behalf. If that cooperation comes forth, we are told the sponsor would love to sweeten the pot further. We are told the ball is in the NHRA’s court now.

CompetitionPlus.com has learned through a reliable source that a second and possibly third nitro car could participate next year in the ADRL's Pro Extreme division thanks to former nitro Funny Car racer Tim Grose. Reportedly a former IHRA Pro Modified world champion will slide one of Grose's supercharged, double overhead cam engine between the frame rails and tip the can 50%. From what we hear this program will feature fire from the pipes, long smokey burnouts and best of all, dry hops.

When Harley-Davidson introduced their new four valves per cylinder engine many expected the Suzukis to leapfrog the Buell combination and provide somewhat of a challenge to the dominating Screamin’ Eagle team. The source of their optimism was the development of the new Suzuki engine. However, CompetitionPlus.com has learned that no timetable exists for the debut of the new Suzuki engine because the current power level is below what they are running with their present program.