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Keeping NHRA Fans Up to Date

Follow our coverage through our newly designed news and videos sections. Don't forget to follow our social media posts.

Top Sportsman champ Sandy Wilkins talks nitrous racing and his 'new' teammate

Reigning NHRA Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers champ Sandy Wilkins, who kicked off his title defense with a victory at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, talked via Skype with NHRA's Biran Lohnes about his championship, his season, and his racing history.
25 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Sandy Wilkins
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Topeka '93: How Chuck Etchells picked John Force's pocket for a $25,000 payday

With a $25,000 reward on the line from Castrol GTX for the first four-second Funny Car run, supremely confident Castrol-backed John Force announced that he'd contribute half of the money, thinking he'd be first. He was wrong. Watch how this all plays out.
24 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Nitro Time Machine
Chuck Etchells
  Etchells races to Funny Car's first four Reprinted from the Oct. 15, 1993 issue of National DRAGSTER TOPEKA, Kan. -- Chuck Etchells' Kendall GT-1 Dodge Daytona was in the first pair of Funny Cars that opened…
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NHRA announces postponement of four Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events

In consideration of the COVID-19 global pandemic, NHRA officials have announced that four Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events scheduled in the month of May have been postponed.  
24 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
News
Lucas Oil
In consideration of the COVID-19 global pandemic, NHRA officials have announced the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events scheduled at Maple Grove Raceway on May 22-24, Atlanta Dragway on May 15-17, Route 66 Raceway on May 29-31, and Alamo City…
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In-N-Out Burger’s Connection to NHRA Drag Racing—Explained

Once upon a time, every burger served at a famous Southern California dragstrip was cooked the In-N-Out Burger way
24 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Melanie Troxel driving an In-N-Out Burger sponsored Top Fuel dragster at Seattle in 1999 7
The old Irwindale Raceway (19651977)—not to be confused with the current Irwindale Event Center (1999-to today)—never seemed to get the big headlines like some of its SoCal neighbors. But there is one area where it clearly excelled; the track was…
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Show Us Your Shop! Alan Reinhart takes on on a tour of Wild West Engineering

Alan Reinhart, "the Voice of NHRA" announcer at Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national events, takes us for a tour through his Wild West Engineering shop in Tucson, Ariz., showing off his hot rods and his machine shop and fabrication equipment.
24 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Alan Reinhart
What's going on at your shop or garage? Are you building a new hot rod, tinkering with parts, or just want to show us where you do you hot rod dreaming and scheming? Send us a video and we'll share it with the drag racing world.  You can…
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Funny Car's Bob Tasca III: "We're ready" for return to racing

NHRA on FOX lead announcer Brian Lohnes checked in with Funny Car driver Bob Tasca III about how he and his family and his dealership, Tasca Ford, are adapting during the racing break, and his thoughts about a return to action with his Motorcraft Ford.
24 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Bob Tasca
 
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Remembering Barbara Hamilton

NHRA Drag Racing is known for many things, but the success of female race drivers and barrier-breakers in our sport is second to none in motorsports. On Thursday we lost one of the keystones of that legacy, Barbara Hamilton.
24 Apr 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
DRAGSTER Insider
Barbara Hamilton
NHRA Drag Racing is known for many things, but the success of female race drivers and barrier-breakers in our sport is second to none in motorsports, and yesterday we lost one of the keystones of that legacy, Barbara Hamilton. While other…
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New feature: Lohnes Calls Life. Today, Clay Millican and the great animal rescue

Some everyday-life moments just need an expert like NHRA on FOX announcer Brian Lohnes to call the action.
23 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Clay Millican
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Pioneering NHRA female racer Barbara Hamilton passes away

Pioneering NHRA female racer Barbara Hamilton, the first woman licensed by NHRA to drive a supercharged vehicle, died April 23.
23 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
News
Barbara Hamilton
Pioneering NHRA female racer Barbara Hamilton died April 23. She was 78. Hamilton’s place in NHRA history was assured when she became the first woman licensed by NHRA to drive a supercharged vehicle in 1964. Hamilton often said she wasn’t…
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Bruno Massel putting in the simulator work ahead of return to Pro Stock action

As he prepares for his Pro Stock comeback later this year, former Comp world champ and NHRA on FOX pit reporter Bruno Massel shoed off his new driving simulator (borrowed from Jeg Coughlin Jr.) to Brian Lohnes on a recent Skype call.
23 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Bruno Massel
 
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Ford debuts 1,400hp electric Mustang Cobra Jet

James Watt is smiling down on us all. The inventor of the concept of horsepower, and the man for whom the unit of power watt is named, he was interested in muscle in all its forms. Clearly, so is Ford Motor Company.
23 Apr 2020
David Kennedy
News
7
Ford has just revealed a concept car it calls the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400. It’s an all-electric drag car that features a 1,400hp electric powertrain to propel the car to low-8-second e.t.’s at more than 170 mph. The battery-powered Cobra Jet 1400…
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Cold Hard Art's Tom Patsis is creating automotive art from spare parts

Using old parts and supreme welding skills, Tom Patsis creates automotive works of art out of the Don Schumacher Racing shop for his business, Cold Hard Art.
22 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Tom Patsis
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Wild Wednesday: Check out this NHRA Thrills and Spills TV show from 2009

We're throwing it back to 2009 with this Thrills and Spills TV Show featuring some of the biggest explosions and crashes in NHRA Drag Racing as well as commentary from the racers that walked away.
22 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
NHRA Thrills and Spills
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Weekend Update with Brian Lohnes recaps the news of the week ahead and past

NHRA on FOX lead announcer Brian Lohnes takes a look at the stories of the last week and takes a look ahead at what's on deck this week.
21 Apr 2020
Brian Lohnes, NHRA on FOX announcer
Weekend Update
Weekend Update
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Brad Plourd: Have talent, will travel

Brad Plourd has won 21 national event titles in five different categories, but those statistics don’t begin to explain the depth of his resourcefulness and ability to quickly adapt to new surroundings.
21 Apr 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
Brad Plourd has driven many different race cars during his career but his current ride in Harry Schwartz’s supercharged AA/AM ’23-T is by far his most ambitious. So far, he’s driven the low-six-second car to a pair of Comp eliminator wins, in Indy and Gainesville. 8
Conventional wisdom dictates that the more versatile an individual is the more opportunities he or she will earn in life. In other words, it’s never a bad idea to keep one’s toolbox fully stocked. One racer who’s taken that advice to heart is…
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How you can transform a stock Mustang GT into a 10-second dragstrip monster

NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor Kevin McKenna wanted a car that was capable of 10-second elapsed times on the dragstrip and would be an effective weekly bracket racer, but it also needed to be suitable for daily driving. Was that too much to ask? Apparently not.
21 Apr 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Racing Technology
We wanted a car that was capable of 10-second elapsed times, that was consistent enough to be an effective weekly bracket racer but also suitable for daily driving. Is that too much to ask? Apparently not. 9
Many of us still romanticize about the so-called “good old days” of hot rodding in the 1960s and ’70s when vintage muscle cars ruled America’s dragstrips and streets. But the truth is, those days still exist, and in many ways, things are better than…
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Photo feature: A focus on Burnouts

It doesn’t matter which class you run, there’s a very strong bet that a tire-warming burnout is part of your pre-run ritual. While there’s a definite performance-related benefit to the smokey spectacular, it’s also become an integral part of the drag racing show.
21 Apr 2020
NHRA National Dragster staff
Gallery
Two of Funny Car's finest, John Force and Kenny Bernstein, put on a show for the fans at the 1987 Southern Nationals 18
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Grinding it Out: Tips to finding the best cam for your application

It’s often said the camshaft is the brain of the engine because it dictates the opening and closing of the valves, thus controlling the flow of air/fuel mixture to the cylinders. That’s the simple explanation, but there’s more to the story.
20 Apr 2020
Evan J. Smith, National Dragster Contributor
Racing Technology
The proper camshaft can lead to wheels-up, winning performance. 14
It’s often said the camshaft is the brain of the engine, but do you know why? It’s because the cam dictates the opening and closing of the valves, thus controlling the flow of air/fuel mixture to the cylinders. That’s the simple answer, but there’s…
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WATCH! 2019 Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals presented by Pennzoil—See the highlights and bonus photos

It was all about nitro racing at the 2019 Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals Presented by Pennzoil. Relive the race highlights in the video link below.
20 Apr 2020
David Kennedy
Gallery
13
The 32 second running of the Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals Presented by Pennzoil brought with it the perfect conditions for nitro racing. John Force and Brittany Force came into race day as the number one qualifiers in Funny Car and Top…
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Scott Palmer has been busy juggling multiple racing projects for 2020 season

Top Fuel racer Scott Palmer joined NHRA’s Brian Lohnes via Skype to talk about what he’s been up to during the racing break and his plans to "hit the ground running" when racing resumes with projects that include involvement not just in Top Fuel but in Pro Mod and drag boats as well.
20 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Scott Palmer
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Bottom-end 'divers' have one of the toughest jobs on any racing team crew

It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. That phrase certainly could have been coined for bottom-end specialists, known as “divers” for their propensity to dive underneath the race car, on the NHRA Mello Yello tour. on the NHRA Mello Yello tour.
19 Apr 2020
NHRA National Dragster staff
Feature
NHRA
It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. That phrase certainly could have been coined for bottom-end specialists. Known as “divers” for their propensity to dive underneath the race car, they can effectively drain the oil, unfasten the oil…
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Jimmy Prock and team tuning up for return to Gainesville and season restart

Jimmy Prock, the crew chief for defending NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car champ Robert Hight, talks about what the season ahead might look for and what conditions the teams will face.
18 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Jimmy Prock
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Cattle, crops keeping Matt Hagan busy, but hope of return to racing is growing, too

Funny Car racer Matt Hagan joined NHRA’s Brian Lohnes via Skype to talk about his daily routine on his 2,700-acre cattle and farming ranch, where he tends to 1,400 head of cattle and plant crops, and his eagerness to get back to racing his Mopar Dodge Charger.
17 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Matt Hagan
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Houston 1988: A real thrill for Eddie Hill and NHRA's first four-second passes

If the world hadn't all changed for us in March, we'd be in Houston this weekend for the Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals Presented By Pennzoil. Since it did and we're not, here's a look back at the first national event held at Houston Park, with Eddie Hill's dramatic win and a lot of other performance home runs.
17 Apr 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Best of the Dragster Insider
Eddie Hill
Eddie Hill won the 1988 Supernationals in front of his home-state fans in Houston, and while it certainly wasn't easy, it was very thrilling. What if Bobby Thompson had run out of baseball bats…
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Drive-through food pantry on NHRA dragstrip in Pomona draws huge turnout

The Sowing Seeds for Life of La Verne [Calif.] event held Wednesday on the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona dragstrip was a huge success as more than 2,100 cars lined up on the fabled dragstrip at the Pomona Fairplex.
16 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
News
Pomona
The Sowing Seeds for Life of La Verne [Calif.] event held Wednesday on the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona dragstrip was a huge success as more than 2,100 cars lined up on the fabled dragstrip at the Pomona Fairplex for a drive-up food pantry…
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Drag Racing Vs.COVID-19: Buffalo Turbine offers its track-drying technology for large-scale disinfection

Long before we’d ever heard the term COVID-19, NHRA partners were poised to fight it with tremendous engineering and manufacturing capabilities
16 Apr 2020
David Kennedy
News, Racing Technology
Buffalo Turbine Spraying United States Capitol
Buffalo Turbine, the official track blower of NHRA, is a critical part of our track-preparation process. Its technology cleans and dries quarter-mile surfaces for racing’s quickest cars. But the same technology used to direct massive amounts of air…
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New free issue of NHRA National Dragster offers enhanced interactive experience

The latest issue of NHRA National Dragster magazine, being offered in digital format only and free to the racing community during the COVID-19 pandemic, is the most interactive issue in the magazine’s 60-plus-year history.
16 Apr 2020
NHRA National Dragster staff
News
ND cover
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Drag Racing Vs.COVID-19: Toyota’s rapid-prototyping facilities helping hospitals

Long before we’d ever heard the term COVID-19, NHRA partners were poised to fight it with tremendous engineering and manufacturing capabilities
16 Apr 2020
David Kennedy
News, Racing Technology
3
Literally overnight, we saw additive-manufacturing labs (3D printing shops) that make drag racing parts, shift those capacities into making face shield…
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Even from home, the work continues for Paul Lee Racing's Donnie Bender

With shops around the nation closed due to "stay at home" orders, NHRA crew chiefs like Donnie Bender, of Paul Lee’s Global Electronics Technology Funny Car, are working from their home shops to get ready for a return to racing. John Kernan reports.
16 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Paul Lee
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Watch NHRA Rewind: 2019 Gatornationals with Millican, Hines, and Jackson

Clay Millican, Andrew Hines, and Stevie "Fast" Jackson provided live commentary alongside NHRA's Brian Lohnes on NHRA Rewind Live from the 2019 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Click the headline above to watch.
16 Apr 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
NHRA Rewind
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