Night Before The 500, Kroger Speedfest and Drag racing hightlight the 2005 IRP season
Indianapolis Raceway Park is pleased to announce the racing schedule for the 2005 season. Among the highlights for the 2005 season are the 24th annual Kroger SpeedFest, 51st annual Mac Tools U. S. Nationals, a special return of USAC Thursday Night Thunder and the 60th annual Night Before the 500, USAC Midget series race on May 28th.

David Powers Motorsports Signs Rod Fuller for Top Fuel
Houston-based custom home builder David Powers will field a Top Fuel dragster driven by "Hot Rod" Fuller and tuned by Richard Hogan and Chris Russell in 2005. The group plans to compete at 14 or more races.

The hometown boys are still good buddies
Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Greg Anderson and Kevin Smalley played hockey for the Denfeld Hunters. Anderson and Smalley have both moved on and made an impact in their own sports. Anderson literally hit the road. Smalley hit the ice. He played for the UMD Bulldogs for 15 games from 1981-84. He is now wrapping up his first year as the boy's hockey coach at Denfeld. Anderson this week was named the Driver of the Year in motor sports. It's one of the most prestigious awards in racing. But once upon a time they used to "lace them up" together for the Hunters.

Barrett-Jackson Shatters Records on Saturday
Records, it is said, are meant to be broken. At the 34th annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale classic car auction Saturday, records weren't merely broken. They were shattered, obliterated and laid to waste in a remarkable bidding frenzy.

Gilbertson Announces Contest for a Fan to Drive a Nitro Funny Car
Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Autolite XP Spark Plugs/Prestone Antifreeze nitro Funny Car, is having a contest that will allow a lucky fan the chance to make a license test in his 'Jungle Jim' tribute nitro Funny Car.

Congratulations To The Division Champions
My one journey out of the house this winter consisted of a trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania and the 38th annual Division 1 award's banquet. As a long time D-1 guy it's always nice to get to join the racers from the Northeast and award the trophies to the best of the previous year. This year, in addition to the normal winners, the D-1 folks inducted two members into their Hall of Fame and that was one of the highlights of the evening.

The Mad Thrash
After Too Many Sleepless Nights, Our Front-Engined Dragster Is Finally Done, and It Ran 9.38 at 135 MPH to Beat All Comers at the eBay Motors Editors' Charity Challenge.

Young drag racer off to fast start
As the driver handpicked to replace the late Darrell Russell, Morgan Lucas desires as much as anyone to prove he was a deserving choice. So far, so good.

2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series television schedule unveiled
NHRA has unveiled its 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series television schedule, showcasing the fastest cars on the planet exclusively on ESPN2. One of the premier sports entertainment channels on cable, ESPN2 is available in more than 88 million households.

Dixon to tour USS Nimitz
After taking flight at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season-opener at Pomona (Calif.) Raceway, Feb. 10-13, two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion and three-time Winternationals winner Larry Dixon will head to San Diego to tour the famed aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz.

Woman design team drives new automobile ideas
Although Volvo's newest concept car was designed entirely by a team of seven women, the company is quick to point out it's not a car just for women -- it's a car designed by women, for everyone.

Numbers added to divisional designations for Irwindale Dragstrip Summit Series
The ultra-competitive Summit NHRA Drag Racing Series is back with seven Sunday races beginning on March 13 and concluding on August 14 that will determine the track's 2005 drag racing championships.

Gassers make run on drag strip
Drag strip supporters are pressuring Jackson County commissioners to sign over the lease of the White City track to the Hot Rod Gassers Association, even though the business might not have the deep pockets of other contenders.

Whack a Mole and You Can Buy a Seven-Second Super Stocker this Weekend
A huge congratulations goes out to Greg Anderson for being named the Speed Channel 'Driver of the Year' on Monday night. Along with John Force, who won it in 1996, Greg is only the second drag racer to be so honored and while that's good it begs the question, what about Shirley, 'Big Daddy' and lots of the other drag racing greats? Whatever, let's not worry about the past let's just take pride that one of our own is now recognized as the best driver in the country.

Phoenix testing continues the ramp-up to the season opener
Worsham is happy, pushing the safety envelope, and IRL meets Drag Racing.

Historic deal for Blakemore and Rose Racing
UK Funny Bike racer Tim Blakemore has become the first-ever UK drag bike racer to secure full factory backing. The Blakemore and Rose Racing ZX-12R operation is now an Official Team of Kawasaki Motors UK, enjoying all the benefits which come with the title. Press Officer Augy Harrison's official announcement is now showing on Eurodragster.com.

Malta Drag Racing Association calendar
If you fancy combining a holiday on a beautiful Mediterranean island with a race event on a state-of-the-art drag strip then the Maltese Drag Racing Association have just released their 2005 calendar of events at Hal-Far Raceway.

Murén returns - and how!
Swedish Pro Stock racer Jan Murén is returning to FIA European Championship competition in 2005 after spending a year out. Jan will be contesting the 2005 season in a Rick Jones Race Cars-built 2003 Pontiac Grand Am with Patterson Racing engine. Jan told Eurodragster.com all about his new ride and his plans for 2005.

Drag Racing Lists Updated!
The Drag Racing Lists have been updated with the final stats for the 2004 racing season. Check 'em out and find out where your favorite driver ranks! Thanks to Danny White and Phil Cottingham. We are hard at work on a brand new online solution that will allow updates within 24 HOURS! Hope to have that up within a month. For now, enjoy one of the last of the "old school" text file updates at draglist.com.

Veteran racers Benza and Martino team up for 2005
Northeast drag racing veterans Tom Martino and Bob Benza have joined forces for 2005 to field at least one Pro Stock car with Benza driving and Martino tuning their handmade powerplants. The duo has tentative plans to race at 15 national events.

Racing Memorabilia Auction Set for Feb. 10 at Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Historic artifacts from the roots of hot rodding will be auctioned on Thurs., Feb. 10, at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. Period jackets, uniforms and other clothing, nostalgic posters, trophies, vintage publications and photos, programs, magazines and much more are included in the 100 items to be auctioned.

Renegade Shootout Series Debuts This Season
Division 4 divisional series track owners wanted a program sportsman racers could rally around. They think they have one in their new Renegade Shootout Series.

Martin Motivates Motor City
Harold Martin has a message for his fellow drivers, as well as for professional athletes in general -- the youth of America needs you.

Bruce Litton gears up for 2005 season with powerhouse Lucas Oil/Torco Race Fuels marketing alliance
IHRA Hooters Top Fuel dragster driver Bruce Litton will never be accused of lacking a potent marketing arsenal when it comes to the 2005 championship assault. Litton, 49, and an enclosed trailer dealership owner by trade, not only returns with his formidable program with Lucas Oil, but will also boast a blockbuster major associate deal with Torco Race Fuels.

Janis Wins 2004 IHRA Professional Driver Of The Year Award
Mike Janis enjoyed a surprising evening at the 34th annual Hooters/IHRA Awards Banquet held January 14-15 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Janis collected his 2004 IHRA Pro Modified Championship trophy and also received a surprise honor.

Roy Hill Readies '66 Mustang Pro Mod
Taking advantage of a 100 pound weigh break afforded to pre-1970 cars, veteran driver Roy Hill has built a 1966 Mustang Fastback for competition on the AMS/TLR Pro Mod circuit. The Mustang was built by Jerry Haas in his Fenton, MO shop.

Brand New Look Summit SuperSeries to race for World Championship in 2005
Summit Racing Equipment and IHRA officials were happy with the 2004 Summit SuperSeries program. However, they knew it could be better. That is why Summit and the IHRA decided to make a number of fundamental changes to the popular sportsman racing program for the '05 season.

European Top Fuel Bike 2004 review
While the rest of the world's fuel bike scene is becoming increasingly dominated by Fuel Harleys, the real threats to Larry McBride's long reign at the top of the multicylinder nitro scooter class look likely to come from Europe. Following on in the footsteps of Brian Johnson's and Stefan Reisten's world level performances during the eighties and early nineties, the strength in depth of European inline fuel bikes is stronger than in North America and Australia, and there are at least a couple of runners who are strong bets to burst through the five second barrier in the very near future.

U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycle Team Dips Below Seven Second Mark in Testing
The U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycle team, with drivers Angelle Sampey and Antron Brown, broke the magical seven second mark in pre-season testing here Monday at Gainesville Raceway. Sampey, who is a three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, recorded a 6.989-second pass at 189.70 mph, before Brown posted a 6.995-second jaunt at 190.35 mph.

Zantrex-3(TM) Selects Fred Miller as Manager of Sports Marketing
Zoller(TM) Laboratories, the maker of Zantrex-3, the nation's leading weight loss supplement, announced today it has selected Fred Miller as manager of sports marketing. Miller, an International Drag Racing Hall of Fame member, will manage the Kalitta Motorsports National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Top Fuel car sponsored by Zantrex-3. Additionally, legendary Top Fuel racer Shirley Muldowney will support the car as the team and sponsor relations representative.

At 330 mph, Brut is the essence of winning
Following an extended hiatus, Brut, "The Essence of Man", returns to competitive drag racing. Marketed by Idelle Labs, Ltd., a division of leading personal care company, Helen of Troy, Brut has become the primary sponsor of a Ron Capps-driven nitro Funny Car fielded by perennial championship-contender Don Schumacher Racing.

2005 season starting to take shape at Lancaster
Despite the snow on the ground the 2005 racing season is just around the corner in Western New York. With opening weekend just a little more than three months away, Jim Reid and his staff have been hard at work putting together the racing schedule for the upcoming season.

Winternationals A Popular Past-Time
If there are any doubts regarding the over-riding and growing popularity of Queensland drag racing then the phenomenal response to Willowbank Raceway's signature Event, the Winternationals should dispel any misconceptions.

TOMMY JOHNSON JR. Q&A
Tommy Johnson Jr. has been ready to strap into the drivers seat of his Skoal RacingSM Chevy Funny Car since the conclusion of the 2004 NHRA season last November after he clocked a career-best run at the season-finale in Pomona, Calif.

Tommy Johnson Jr. Q&A
Tommy Johnson Jr. has been ready to strap into the driver's seat of his Skoal Racing Chevy Funny Car since the conclusion of the 2004 NHRA season last November after he clocked a career-best run at the season-finale in Pomona, Calif. After going into driver's hibernation for two months, the five-time NHRA winner began preseason testing last weekend in Las Vegas where he recorded the fastest speed of his career (326.89 mph).

Last-chance preseason test session Feb. 4-6 at The Strip
Some of the biggest names in professional drag racing will return to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Feb. 4-6 to squeeze in one final test session before the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series begins at Pomona, Calif., Feb. 10-13. The event is open to the public and admission fees include pit access.

Drag Racer Takes Drivers' Award
In drag racing, a sport where winning is measured in thousandths of a second and margins of victory are inches, pro stock driver Greg Anderson stood out last year with a remarkable pattern of consistency. For winning 15 times in 23 National Hot Rod Assn. events -- and clinching the Powerade title earlier than any other driver ever had in a professional category -- Anderson was selected Speed Channel driver of the year for 2004.

NASCAR Goes Shopping in Big Markets
Having revved up interest in stock-car racing with last year's overhaul of the points system, NASCAR Chairman Brian France has his sights set on cultivating millions more fans at home and abroad. And he's looking to New York, the country's biggest media market -- as well as Canada and Mexico -- to provide the prospective converts who he envisions tuning in to NASCAR races on Sundays, scooping up souvenir merchandise and, in time, cheering for Hispanic drivers as they duel alongside superstars Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Burk's Blast - Selling the Sizzle
It has kind of crept up on me, but recent conversations with some of the major NHRA sponsors and their guys have led me to the conclusion that the current NHRA and IHRA management teams are hell-bent on not only changing the overall way drag racing is presented to their spectators, but are actually trying to change the demographics of the spectators that attend their premier events.

AHDRA returns to action
The All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) is nearing its 2005 season kickoff at Gainesville Raceway on March 5th and 6th.

Tall order for Carbon By Design
It is not a fact widely-known by US race fans, but a significant number of Top Fuel Dragster and Pro Mod teams in the USA use carbon fibre injector hats produced by Carbon By Design, a company in England which is owned by a Swede. Just recently CBD owner Knut Söderquist received an order from a US Funny Car team for three of his 'tall' Top Fuel Dragster injectors. Knut told Eurodragster.com about the unusual order.

Summit Series & Junior Drags race dates announced
Irwindale Dragstrip will this season play host to two NHRA Drag Racing championship series on its quick 660 foot, eighth-mile facility.

Scelzi posts sixth-quick pass of test weekend, gives tests an A+
Gary Scelzi posted the sixth quickest pass of the weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during pre-season testing for the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, a 4.766-second ET at 326.71 mph.

NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Anderson named 2004 SPEED Channel Driver of the Year
NHRA Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson was named the 2004 SPEED Channel Driver Of The Year today, marking the second time that the most prestigious individual honor in American motorsports has been presented to an NHRA drag racer.

Racing to get to the race
WARRNAMBOOL drag racing veteran Tony Van Ginneken stayed up into the early hours of yesterday morning fine-tuning his car before winning the A bracket at the weekend's drag racing event. After making it to the strip late, Mr Van Ginneken ensured his hard work paid off by flying into yesterday afternoon's Warrnambool and District Drag Racing Association final and the first over the line.

Quick Times Racing News
Bob Gettys of Computer Magic Online has put up a new message board for fans of the late drag racing periodical.

NMRA Signs Several New Sponsors
NMRA reports that several sponsors have signed up for multi year sponsorship deals.

Northern Force
The recent uniting of Canada's Bob Elliott with Sipple Motorsports of Kentucky to campaign a Top Fuel Dragster for 2005 is a true international effort in the world of professional drag racing.

TV's mean rides set for Speedorama
It's cold in Toronto, but things should heat up next weekend when California comes north to Speedorama. The annual custom and performance car show rolls next Friday through Sunday with 200 cars and trucks. This year's celebrity vehicles come from the high-pressure, build-to-deadline Discovery Channel shows Monster Garage and Pimp My Ride.

Bob Plumer's Drag Racing Photos
Bob Plumer of Drag Racing Memories has put up a Smugmug page to show off his dozens and dozens of drag racing pics. More photos added each week.

2005 Torco Pro Stock mountain motor competition promises to be quickest in three decades
A 6.383 elapsed time at 218 miles per hour appeared on the scoreboards at Gainesville Raceway this month and it only confirmed what many mountain motor Pro Stock aficionados have known all along -- this is going to be the the season that many will talk about for a long time.

Viva Las Vegas
Las Vegas Blasts Off with Nitro Testing and more.

Shubert & Herbert AA/FD Recreation
In September of 2004, Ron 'Big Yohns' Johnson commissioned a one-of-a-kind brass model of his Shubert/Herbert dragster. This page will follow the progress of the builder, Roger 'Riceman' Lee. He has built numerous models of race cars in the past, but possibly not one which is as well documented as this project.

Hight set for first run
Unless you are a hard-core drag racing fan, and even that might not be enough, the name Robert Hight will not capture your attention. Better learn his name. It will be one to remember for some time.

New Funny Car Has Stevens Smiling
Australian Drag Racing hero Brett Stevens has come away from the Western Sydney International Dragway Top Fuel/Top Alcohol race meet with a smile on his face after piloting his immaculately presented Kitten Top Alcohol Funny Car to a Personal Best time and entering the magical 5 second zone for the quarter mile for the first time.

Quarter-mile and running extra hard
On June 19, 2001, four months after the initial proposal to San Bernardino County officials, California Speedway president Bill Miller and NHRA founder Parks announced plans for a quarter-mile strip in the main parking lot. The new strip would be less than three miles from the legendary Fontana Dragstrip, now buried by part of the Heritage subdivision. Four years later, the drag strip designed initially to keep illegal racers off the street has grown up. Thanks to a recent renovation project that cost nearly a half-million dollars, track manager Dave Danish will embark on the most ambitious season ever, beginning today.

Ribbon cut on drag strip in Guam
A bright full moon in a clear night sky, the smell of burning fuel and the sound of engines roaring -- is there a better way for a racing fan to spend a Saturday night? About 5,000 turned out for the opening of 76 Circle K Drag Strip. Guam Racing Federation President Henry Simpson, along with other guests and dignitaries, spoke before a crowd of drag racers and spectators before a special ribbon-cutting ceremony last night at the Guam International Raceway in Yigo.

GM Racing selects Ladwig to drive Pro FWD Chevy Cobalt
Two-time NHRA Sport Compact Hot Rod champion Marty Ladwig has been selected by GM Racing to be the new driver of its 2005 Ecotec-powered Chevy Cobalt Pro FWD entry.

Hight takes the wheel at Force Racing
Finally acknowledging one of the worst kept secrets in drag racing, John Force confirmed Thursday that his son-in-law, former crewmember Robert Hight, will bid for rookie-of-the-year honors in this year's NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at the wheel of the Automobile Club of Southern California Ford Mustang.

Visual Velocity
The nostalgia drag racing photos on this site were taken in the late 1960's, throughout the 1970's and into the early 1980's, mainly at the long-gone, but fondly remembered, Castlereagh Dragway in Sydney. Some of them were also taken at the old Surfers Paradise track and at Adelaide. The nostalgia hot rod photos were taken during the 1970's at the Street Rod Nationals at Narrandera and Albury.

Echoes of "The Voice of Drag Racing": How The ’65 Super Stock Nationals Still Haunts Jon Lundberg
The infamous PA announcement at the 1965 Super Stock Nationals that precipitated a near riot reminded me of an interview I conducted with Jon Lundberg back in 1978, only 13 years after the event. It was The Voice of Drag Racing on the microphone that fateful night at York U.S. 30 — and Lundberg has paid the price ever since.

Baze gets arrested by Politically Correct Sheriffs
I regret to say that this will be my last Totally Bazemore column for Competitionplus.com. It's been a lot of fun for me to share some of my experiences and my views on our sport with the fans and readers of Competitionplus, but the events at the end of last year have caused me to question the wisdom of sharing my views from within the sport.

TAD Champions Depart Over Rule Change, Parity at Issue
When lined up side-by-side, however, all machines are not created equal. Especially not when you pair an injected nitro dragster with a blown alcohol dragster.

Snowmobile Drag Race At Mud Lake
The first of five snowmobile events at Ski Anthony Lakes takes place Saturday, Jan. 22. This is the Third Annual Ski Anthony Lakes' Snowmobile Drag Race at Mud Lake.

Quest for drag-racing title begins
The quest for a National Hot Rod Association Powerade Drag Racing Series title begins in earnest this weekend.

UK Fuel Altered circus is go
The UK's new Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association will enter the lists at Santa Pod Raceway's Easter Thunderball in March after the Motor Sports Association largely approved the Association's 2005 construction and safety rules. Series organiser Lawrie Gatehouse gave Eurodragster.com the latest.

Full runs expected at NHRA testing
Racecar drivers -- drag racers in particular -- generally approach testing as a necessary evil. Drag-racing test sessions rarely involve full-track passes because crew chiefs and drivers typically attempt to improve a car's performance on a specific portion of the quarter-mile racing surface. Tommy Johnson Jr., however, said he can't wait for this weekend's three-day NHRA 'Nitro Blast-off' test session at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Starship Corvette
Adored beyond reason for too long, America's Sports Car finally deserves its celebrity. It's now a stylish, smooth-handling rocket.

RaceLegal program halted by fund woes
The RaceLegal drag racing meet scheduled for Friday night at Qualcomm Stadium has been canceled because organizers have yet to come up with a funding plan to replace the state grant that ran out at the end of 2004.

Carrier Boyz Racing 2005 Super Stock preview
Most fans of NHRA Championship Drag Racing are familiar with the Carrier Boyz Racing FRAM AirHog Top Fuel Dragster driven by Cory McClenathan but, stealing a line from announcer and NHRA historian Bob Frey, 'did you know' that Carrier Boyz Racing fields a second car?

Top Drag Bike Performers of 2004
2004's exciting season of motorcycle drag racing saw thrilling championship chases and record-setting performances in every major sanctioning body. We saw the quickest bike on the planet get quicker, Harleys steal the spotlight in Pro Stock, and the new wave of "no-bar" racers take its performance to a new level.

Look Out for Bugs on your TV Screen
More and more, it seems, marketers believe all roads lead to Hollywood. Volkswagen is set to announce today that it has signed a long-term deal with NBC Universal providing the automaker with opportunities for product placement and promotions tied to a number of entertainment programs and events.

NASCAR changes its qualifying procedures
NASCAR revamped its qualifying procedures on Thursday, guaranteeing a spot in a Nextel Cup race to the top 35 drivers in the points standings. Show of hands: who thinks Glendora is watching this closely?

Taking the Garage Along for the Ride
Tired of towing your car or SUV behind your motorhome? Get ready for RVs that contain their own garages...

Robert Patrick Makes IHRA Pro Stock History in Bradenton
It seems like only yesterday that the top runners in the IHRA's Torco Race Fuels Pro Stock class were pushing their late-model mounts towards the 6.40s. Now, seemingly overnight, another page has been turned in the class record book. During a test session at Florida's Bradenton Motorsport Park, Robert Patrick wheeled his Purvis Ford/Easy Care Ford Mustang to an incredible pass of 6.38 at 218.39 mph.

Competition Plus Photo Gallery - Bradenton Testing - Jan. 17-22, 2005
The follks at CP offer up several pages of photos from pre-season testing at Bradenton, Florida.

Anderson's 6.60 at 208 mph moonshot is Tuesday's tops
Just up the Florida turnpike from NASA's Cape Canaveral, Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson took a moon flight of his own Tuesday when he blasted down Gainesville Raceway in 6.608 seconds at 208.23 mph. It was the quickest and fastest quarter-mile pass ever recorded in a Pro Stock car, although it won't reset any national records as it didn't take place during an NHRA national event.

ExxonMobil Fuels Marketing Extends Sponsorship of Dr. Larry Rose
ExxonMobil Fuels Marketing today announced that it will continue to help propel one of Houston's top drag racers down the quarter-mile track at Houston Raceway Park by extending its association with local NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) drag racer Dr. Larry Rose through the 2007 drag racing season.

Jim Marlett's 2005 Nostalgia Drag Racing Schedule
The best overall nostalgia drag racing schedule on the Internet.

HISTORIC DUST DEVILS DRAG RACING CLUB LAUNCHES 51ST SEASON
The Dust Devils, recognized by 'The Guinness Book Of Records' as the world's oldest and continually operated drag racing club, officially kicked off their historic 51st season at their drag strip at the Inyokern, California Airport last Sunday January 16th. A very healthy car count combined with unseasonably spring like weather, nearing 70 degrees, created good track conditions and very competitive racing.

Force, Bernstein, and Parks named AARWBA 'Newsmaker' finalists
John Force, 13 times the NHRA Funny Car Champion, was one of three drag racing giants among the12 nominees for the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association's 'Newsmaker of the Half-Century Award,' the cornerstone of the organization's 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Gary Gardella to compete in new Chevy Cobalt
Chevrolet will bolster its sport-compact drag racing roster in 2005 with the addition of perennial powerhouse Gary Gardella. The Gardella Racing team will compete in the NHRA HOT ROD and NDRA Pro 4 Cylinder classes this year in an Ecotec-powered Chevy Cobalt and will receive factory and technical support from GM Racing.

Jeg's donate NHRA engine for Cancer research
Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin will be live on stage Friday, Jan. 28, at the world-renowned Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., when the Jeg's Foundation Racing for Cancer Research program receives the entire proceeds from the sale of this year's Jeg's Engine Masters Challenge winning powerplant.

Chris Rivas To Ride Mohegan Sun Pro Stock Motorcycle
Team co-owners Jessey Fenton (a land developer and general contractor of Gardnerville, NV) and Brian Bozsum (a marketing director and tribal member of the Mohegan Tribe of Fresno, CA) have partnered together to bring another powerhouse Buell Pro Stock Bike team into the NHRA for the 2005 season.

Richie Stevens Joins Don Schumacher Racing and Team Mopar
Don Schumacher announced today the addition of Richie Stevens Jr. to his factory-backed Mopar Pro Stock team for the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Stevens joins Jeg Coughlin Jr. as the second Pro Stock driver for Don Schumacher Racing in the Team Mopar HEMI-powered Pro Stock Dodge Stratus, tuned by Bob Glidden.

MPH ANNOUNCES 2005 "QUICK 8 BIKE SHOOT OUT"
Based on the success and popularity of last year's Quick 8 Bike Shoot out, MPH announced the schedule, classes, total purse and rules for the 2005 MPH Quick 8 Bike Shoot Out to be run at Dragway 42 in West Salem Ohio.

Enders 6.62 rocks Florida as others begin testing
Incoming rookie Erica Enders has been running the wheels off her Cagnazzi Racing Chevy in Florida in anticipation of the coming season. Monday, her ninth consecutive day at Gainesville Raceway, she posted her best pass ever, a jaw-dropping 6.620 at 207.47 mph.

AARWBA salutes 2004 winners
The American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) began celebrations for its 50th anniversary tonight in Pomona.

Stilwell gets strong early start on drag racing career
In his short racing career, 15-year-old Nathanael Stilwell has been a runner-up four times in his bid for a championship. However, he made up for it last year as he won, not one, but two events.

Pioneers of Hot Rodding - Roadsters.com
Back in 1998, the year of the fiftieth anniversary of racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Hot Rod Magazine, and NASCAR, I began compiling a special section on this site to honor some of the people and aftermarket companies that have been with us for a long time. It's good to see that these companies have survived in a competitive marketplace in a changing world.

Bartlett on 2005 and beyond
Eurodragster.com caught up with European Championship promoter Keith Bartlett at this weekend's Autosport International industry show. Keith had plenty to tell us about the European Championship round in Bahrain, the future of the Championship in Europe, whether or not Pro Modified becomes an FIA Championship class, and developments at the legendary Santa Pod Raceway of which he is CEO.

Jeg Coughlin Jr looks to 2005
Statistically speaking, the 2004 season was not a great one for Jeg's Pro Stock driver Jeg Coughlin simply because former two-time NHRA POWERade champ did not win a Pro Stock race for the first time since making his professional debut in 1997. However, in this case, the statistics don't tell the whole story as Coughlin is actually pleased with his 2004 campaign and is even more excited about returning to action in 2005.

Bill Stephens: Pawuk gets backing for '05 run
Just two months ago, Mark Pawuk was within inches of walking away from the sport. Then a strange thing happened. Pawuk learned that a lot of people wanted him to race.

Either Kurt or I Will Win the Championship
With only a few weeks before the opening of the season, Warren Johnson is one of the few Pro Stock drivers who hasn't made much noise during the off-season. While a lot of the other teams, new and old, have been testing in Florida, the 'Professor' of Pro Stock has been holding class in his laboratory in Georgia. "'We're making progress and expect to be running right near the top this year," Warren told me. And when I asked him what his realistic expectations are for 2005, without missing a beat he said, "Well I can tell you this, either Kurt or I will win the championship."

Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame names newest inductees
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series veteran Terry Labonte and long time drag racing veteran Lee Shepherd will be the next inductees into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 14, at Texas Motor Speedway during the Samsung/RadioShack NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race weekend.

IRP releases tentative 2005 Weekly Drag Racing schedule
Indianapolis Raceway Park has released the tentative 2005 weekly drag racing schedule, it was announced today.

TC businessman tries drag racing event again
Roy James loves drag racing. The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday gives him a chance to celebrate his love for the sport in a unique way. For the second consecutive year, the Texas City businessman will put on the Martin Luther King Shootout at Houston Motorsports Park in Houston.

Night a chance for rev heads to let loose
SMOKIN' rubber is the sole reason why Tamworth Drag Racing Association members will gather at Oakburn Park Raceway tonight. For the first time, the association will stage a burn-out competition under lights.

Top Pro Stock stars eye Houston's Pontiac SuperBowl
The best Pro Stock drag racers in the world will once again descend on Houston Raceway Park in Baytown on Saturday, Feb. 5, for the 13th annual Pontiac Pro Stock SuperBowl. The traditional big money race caps preseason testing for the National Hot Rod Association's brightest stars, who begin the 2005 POWERade Drag Racing Series just days after the event in Pomona, Calif.

Tartaglia New Crew Chief for U.S. Army Pro Stock Bike Team
Steve Tartaglia will take over the crew chief responsibilities for the U.S. Army Pro Stock Bike team in 2005, it was announced today. Tartaglia, who is a New Jersey native, was the assistant to crew chief, Mark Peiser, last season. Peiser resigned his position on Thursday.

What Lies Ahead in 2005?
Jok Nicholson feels like there are some great things ahead for 2005 and bracket racing in general.

The Oddy Boys
Look at many successful Pro racing efforts and you'll often see the hubby's wife standing squarely beside him. And maybe the kids, too. So it is with Jim Oddy, successful and legendary engine builder who has fielded a whole series of Pro Modified Corvettes and other fast-goers. His two sons, Dave and Dan --- 26-year-old twins --- are right there with him, doing every racing chore.

Beadlock Design Improved Both Safety and Performance in 2004
The first full season of Pro Stock cars racing with the 16-inch beadlock wheel has been completed, and after the 2004 pre-competition concerns over the new design, the numbers indicate that both the safety and performance of the vehicles improved.

NHRA Drivers and Teams Respond for America's Combat Wounded
American soldiers at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) recuperating from wounds received in Iraq and Afghanistan were treated to a Santa's bag of NHRA Drag Racing holiday cheer following a spirited offering from numerous race teams and drivers.

Fighting the Weather at HangoverFest
Even thought the weather predictors called for freezing rain changing to snow and a Winter Storm Warning was issued, diehard race fans came in droves to the 4th Annual HangoverFest New Year's Day at Cordova Dragway Park.

Kaase Racing Engines to Sponsor IHRA Pro Stock Tuning Challenge
IHRA and Kaase Racing Engines have announced the formation of the Kaase IHRA Pro Stock Tuning Challenge to reward Torco Race Fuels Pro Stock competitors for their consistency during qualifying at national events in 2005.

Race Tech sponsors free entry and free car program for IHRA Division 2 racers
IHRA and Race Tech Race Cars have announced that racers competing in IHRA�s Division 2 Heat Wave on the Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour will have a special program to look forward to in 2005. Race Tech Race Cars will sponsor the Race Tech �Free Ride� program, which will award every Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour event winner in Division 2 this season free car and driver entry for every Division 2 event in 2006. Race Tech will also give away a free car to one lucky Division 2 racer at the end of the season.

SignOnSanDiego Pit Passes
San Diego area drag racing news including updates on Ron Capps, Jim Epler, and the RaceLegal Drags at Qualcomm Stadium.

Snowmobile Drag Racing Series to open season in Litchfield
The Minnesota Snowmobile Drag Racing Series opens the 2005 season with a stop on Litchfield's Lake Ripley this Sunday.

4th annual NMRA Nitto Tire Spring Ford Nationals set to explode into sunny Florida
It's that time of year again - Spring Break! And everyone is ready for some serious heads-up Ford drag racing. Racers from cold and snowy parts of the country are looking forward to the warm weather and college girls in bikini tops that always come with the Bradenton race.

Farewell to Quick Times Racing News
Becky White and Quick Times Racing News bid farewell to the sport of drag racing after nearly 25 years of traveling up and down the nation's highways, providing coverage to the sport's otherwise forgotten little guys. In typical no holds barred fashion, Becky explains why she's leaving and the lessons she's learned over the past quarter century. Draglist.com is proud to reprint Becky's final Quick Times Racing News editorial.

Johansson on Grand Am purchase
The latest European team to acquire a race car from the USA is Sweden's Anders Johansson Pro Stock Racing, who have purchased Greg Anderson's record-breaking 2004 Grand Am from Ken Black Racing. Team co-owner Anders Johansson has given Eurodragster.com a brief run-down on Magnus Hansson's new drive.

Spotlight on Chris Carlile, 2004 Atlanta Dragway Racer of the Year
The 2004 Atlanta Dragway / NHRA Summit Racing Series Sportsman Champion, Chris Carlile, didn’t know drag racing existed until after he turned 16. But he's been a fast learner.

Cruz Pedregon Wraps Up Chili Bowl Adventure
Cruz Pedregon was in familiar colors, those of Advance Auto Parts. But he wasn't in familiar surroundings. It didn't matter, as the Southern California resident enjoyed his first ever Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway on Saturday.

GM Racing Sport Compact Team To Hit The Track in Puerto Rico
Looking to build on the foundation of a record-setting 2004 season in the NHRA Summit Sport Compact Series, the GM Racing factory team begins preparations for the upcoming campaign with an exhibition appearance at Carolina Raceway Park in Carolina, Puerto Rico, on Jan. 29-Feb. 2.

New Paint Scheme for U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster/Pro Stock Bikes
There will be new paint schemes for the U.S. Army Top Fueler and Pro Stock Bikes. Plus some info on Angelle and crew changes.

Top Drag Racing Stars Eye Houston Event
The best Pro Stock drag racers in the world will once again descend on Houston Raceway Park in Baytown on Saturday, Feb. 5, for the 13th annual Pontiac Pro Stock SuperBowl. The traditional big money race caps preseason testing for the National Hot Rod Association's brightest stars, who begin the 2005 POWERade Drag Racing Series the following week in Pomona, Calif.

And He Did It On Two Wheels
Dave Hill is the 2004 Summit Racing Series Motorcycle Champion. Dave beat some of the best bike and snowmobile racers in the country at Pomona to climax a racing career that spans almost twenty years and has always included motorcycles.

Stotz sells Shootout Blackbird
Four-time AMA/Prostar Streetbike Shootout champion Kent Stotz has announced that his record-breaking Honda Blackbird has been sold to the well-established team of Jamie Sneddon and DynoSpeed Development (DSD) in England.

George Jetson, Meet the Sequel
General Motors' latest hydrogen car prototype, called the Sequel, will be unveiled today at a press preview of the North American International Auto Show here. It is a car unlike any other and a glimpse of a possible, very different, automotive future. Most important, it runs on a hydrogen fuel cell, so its only tailpipe emission is water vapor, not the smog-forming pollutants and greenhouse gases that come out of gasoline-powered cars. So why do environmental groups see the Sequel not as a panacea for cars' environmental shortcomings but as G.M.'s latest Trojan horse?

Chrysler Reviving Dodge Charger, a Studied Attempt to Be Retro-Cool
The Dodge Charger is coming back, but the General Lee is not. Or at least not until the movie version of the 1980's TV show 'The Dukes of Hazzard' is released this summer.

Low-Drag Trucks: Aerodynamic Improvements & Flow Control System Boost Fuel Efficiency In Heavy Trucks
Flow control techniques and aerodynamic improvements developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology could save the U.S. trucking industry hundreds of millions of gallons of fuel per year.

Lakeland Rider Makes His Mark
Donnie Huffman, 42, of Lakeland, is continuing his success as a top rider in motorcycle drag racing around the country for the Harley-Davidson of Lakeland Florida Racing Team.

Popular Hot Rodding magazine to sponsor MSD True Street class
Popular Hot Rodding has joined up with the PRO-Edelbrock Drag Racing Series to become the official presenting sponsor of the MSD True Street class. Beginning with the 2005 season, the category will be officially re-named MSD True Street presented by Popular Hot Rodding. In addition to the presenting sponsorship, Popular Hot Rodding will be providing coverage of the MSD True Street class in the pages of PHR.

Youngsters put the foot down for street car race
Dylan Evett brings new meaning to the term 'boy racer'. The six-year-old is the first driver to sign up for the 2HOT2 Handle waterfront street race in Wellington at Easter weekend.

Accountant takes stock of winnings
Long before Stephanie DiMino got her driver's license, she was tearing up the competition as a Quarter Midgets race driver. Last year, the 23-year-old Collegeville accountant dominated drag racing's Nostalgic Super Stock class, winning the National Street Car Association's national championship in her 1966 Chevy Impala.

Bill Stephens: Cory Mac's hoping for more than bridesmaid
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a bridesmaid four times, ask Cory McClenathan.

Coker Racing - The Greenskeeper Front Engine Dragster
This Father & Son race team based out of Carmel, IN, has been drag racing front engine dragsters since 1968. Their current effort has Troy handling the driving duties and Mike doing the tuning.

Chet Gibbs' 1963 "Jayhawker" Plymouth: Still Making Time In An Original Funny Car
In the history of drag racing, Chrysler's creation of the Funny Car in 1965 is considered a major milestone. This handful of radically altered Dodge and Plymouth B-Bodies was outlawed by NHRA almost immediately, and the lucky teams who did receive them attended a few big events, but mostly went barnstorming across the country on the match race circuit.

Fladheaders Online: Techno Source for the 1932 thru 1953 Flathead Ford
Legacy website dedicated to preserve for all the vast knowledge base collected from over 60 Years of experimenting, modifying, and just plain improving the Ford Flathead V8 from 1932 thru 1953.

Inside Interviews by Dwight Drum
One-on-one question and answer interview with Paul Gast.

NHRA Summit Sport Compact Series News: What's New For 2005
The latest new-car news and updates from NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series teams, including Pro RWD, Pro FWD, Modified, Hot Rod, All Motor, Sport FWD, Sport RWD, and Brackets.

Paul Newman Uninjured in Daytona Car Fire
Academy Award-winning actor Paul Newman escaped injury Saturday when the race car he was testing caught fire following a spin at Daytona International Speedway.

Papafilippou on Oddy purchase
One of the big stories of the off-season so far has been the sale of Jim and Dave Oddy's record-breaking Corvette Pro Mod to Greek racer Filippos Papafilippou. Fil gave Eurodragster.com the low-down on the latest of his large stable of race cars.

DragRaceCanada announces "Canadian Drag Racer of the Year" awards program
DragRaceCanada.com, Canada's premier all drag racing website, in it's ongoing effort to recognize and support the Canadian drag racing scene has announced the 2004 'Canadian Drag Racer of the Year' awards program.

Roberta "Bobbi" Liberman funeral tonight
RIP, Bobbi. I hope there are some drag racers or fans near Springfield, Oregeon, who can represent our sport as we say goodbye to Bobbi tonight.

Bob Elliott teams with 'Doc' Sipple for 2005
Two drag racing veterans preparing for 2005 IHRA campaign
Bob Elliott, one of Canada's most prominent drag racers, has partnered with the John 'Doc' Sipple Top Fuel Dragster team to run at major International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) events.

Evan Knoll Announces 2005 IHRA Hooters Top Fuel Tour
Evan Knoll is excited about his freshman Top Fuel season on the IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series tour. The 44-year old President of Torco Race Fuels looks forward to running as many as nine national events on the twelve-race schedule.

Old race cars
Eric Zahler has taken some neat old drag racing photos and turned them into some interesting art.

Baca Motorsports Unveils 2005 Top Fuel Dragster
The father-son Top Fuel team of Dennis and David Baca, aka Baca Motorsports, unveiled the 2005 Murf McKinney-built dragster David Baca will drive on the 23-race 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Clinton's Stewart hits top of drag racing world
When he was a kid, Larry Stewart Jr.'s biggest thrill came on those days when his father would pick him up at school on his way to a weekend hot rod race. The younger Stewart, now 36, is the one providing the thrills these days, and it'll be hard to top what he pulled off in 2004.

Gwynn remains a leading figure
Despite a career-ending crash which left him handicapped, drag racer Darrell Gwynn remains one of the most enduring and most popular competitors in all of auto racing.

PETE BRIGGS RACING ANNOUNCES RIDER FOR 2005
Pete Briggs Racing is pleased to announce Scott Valetti will be handling the driving for the team in the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing series.

Euro-Nitro: The Skinny on the 2004 Super Twin Championship Series
The European Fuel Dragbike scene is arguably the strongest in the world, with continent wide championships for Super Twin and Top Fuel multicylinder categories in place for over a decade.

CMKX Racing Working With the American Red Cross to Help Tsunami Victims
The CMKXtreme Racing team is working with associate sponsor, Vincent Ferrone, owner of V.F. Trucking Company, and the American Red Cross to aid victims of the recent Tsunami disaster. Ferrone and business associate, Marty Ginsberg, are coordinating the relief efforts and working closely with the Red Cross to make sure that the contributions they collect are distributed to where they are needed the most.

Arend to Participate in 'Softball Game in the Snow'
CMKXtreme Machine Funny Car driver, Jeff Arend, will be a participant at this weekends 26th annual Softball Game in the Snow and Dance held in Joliet, Ill, with proceeds to benefit the Wish Upon a Star Foundation.

Carrier Boyz Racing Unveil 2005 FRAM AirHog Dragster
Today, from their shop in Bristol, Tenn., Carrier Boyz Racing team owners Andy and Mark Carrier unveiled the rendering of the Carrier Boyz Racing 2005 FRAM AirHog Top Fuel Dragster driven by Cory McClenathan.

"Green" B100 Dragster hits the sevens
The Bentz racing team runs the Lucas-Cummins Diesel Dragster -- a dragster powered by a twin turbo, 5.9-liter Cummins Diesel engine running B100 biodiesel. The engine is modified and enhanced for drag racing (producing nearly 950 hp vs. the stock 215 hp), but is at base the same platform you get in a Dodge Ram truck.

Swiss Jaw Breaker
IHRA Pro Mod racer Tom Carter's Jaw Breaker '63 Corvette is on its way to the land of chocolate after its purchase by Swiss Pro Mod racer Marcus Hilt, replacing his Trouble Racing '55 Bel Air which was damaged beyond repair in a top end collision at Hockenheim in August 2004.

Eureka Police Department receives traffic grant
Racers speed off down the second-oldest track in the United States, the Samoa Drag Strip. This year the Eureka Police Department will hold 12 legal drag-racing events at the track thanks to a grant awarded to EPD. Raffles will be held and the winners will have the opportunity to legally race against a police officer.

Detroit Dragway Memories
Oh boy, what memories I have of the strip. I was there from 1975 till it closed. I will never forget Saturday nite funny cars!!! Detroit Tiger, Motown Shaker, Color Me Gone. Even the big guys would show up once a summer Snake, Burgin, McKewen. I have posted a few pics from the day.

2005 Nitro Blast-off at Jan. 21-23 at The Strip at LVMS
Some of the biggest names in professional drag racing will converge on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Jan. 21-23 for the annual Nitro Blast-off. This three-day test session for NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series affords pro teams an opportunity to fine-tune their cars and motorcycles prior to the Feb. 10-13 season-opener at Pomona, Calif.

Jack Daniel's Racing Nitro Harleys Dominate Drag Nationals
The Jack Daniel's Racing team, headed by team boss Brett Stevens, finished a successful weekend with a one-two finish in the Top Fuel Bike category at the iTel Australian Drag Racing Nationals in Brisbane.

Seven-time champ Gadson the latest big-time player to join Pro Stock Bike
Pro Stock Bike team owner Harry Lartigue has teamed with seven-time world champion rider Rickey Gadson to pilot his Lucas Oil Suzuki in 2005. Gadson is a former factory rider for Kawasaki who has earned world titles on the AMA/Prostar tour in five different categories -- Top Gas, Pro Comp, Streetbike Shootout, 600cc Supersport, and Pro Superbike. He also has experience as a stuntman and motorcycle test pilot.

Irwindale Dragstrip Thursday Night Thunder NHRA Street Legal events back on January 6
'We're back!' after a short holiday layoff, Irwindale Dragstrip's popular 'Test and Tune' sessions are back on line on Thursday nights. Open to anyone with a driver's license and a street-legal automobile, these weekly events have become 'The place to be' on Thursdays with all manner of cool racing machines and a like number of hotshoe drag drivers looking for ever lower ET's and ever higher trap speeds.

2005 Mustang and Fords Event and Show Schedules
The event and show season is upon us! Check out one of the most complete listings of Mustang and Ford shows in the US and Canada. We'll see you there!

Baca Top Fueller heads for Netherlands
David Baca's 2003 Top Fuel Dragster is headed for its new home in the Netherlands after its recent purchase by Dutch racer Lex Joon. Team Manager Gerda Dijkstra tells Eurodragster.com that things didn't go smoothly but that with the help of David and his team and sponsor MPM Oil the dragster is now crated up and on its way.

IHRA completes most successful PRI Show ever
With the conclusion of the PRI Show in Indianapolis, Indiana, IHRA President Aaron Polburn has deemed the weekend an unqualified success.

Gran Turismo 4 Video Game Adds Drag Racing
Just like any GT title, one of the main aspects of the game is tuning your car. With tons of tuning options, you can turn your car into a well balanced race car, or an overpowered dragster. Another new addition to the tuning aspect of GT4 is Nitrous Oxide Systems (NOS). While it is only particularly useful in Drag races, it's still a blast to see and use in any of the many race modes.

The Horsepower Heaven 2004 New Years Eve Photo/Video SPECTACULAR
Welcome to our annual celebration of drag racing (and related) photography.
We have a few videos, for how long will depend on the traffic.

Foley team adds Cooper
Doug Foley and Tim Lewis are not sitting back and enjoying their success. After a rookie campaign that saw Foley take home three IHRA Top Fuel Iron Men and finish third in the 2004 points standings, the team announced that it will add a second entry into the Top Fuel division for 2005, driven by second-year driver Rick Cooper. The team also announced a major associate sponsorship with Torco Racing Fuels recently for the second car. Torco also is an associate sponsor with the team’s #1 entry.

Paul Wasilewski presents Drag Photos, Inc.
Drag racing photographs reproduced from my original negatives, using today's technology and Fuji Film photo archive paper. Photos originally taken form 1966 to 1972 at New England Dragway, Epping New Hampshire, Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey and Gainesville, Florida.

Tog goes Super Gas
Back in October I had the chance to drive a Super Gasser belonging to UK Super Gas racer Nev Mottershead. I had a lot of fun in far-from-ideal conditions, making my first-ever transbrake launch on the first pass and having the Tree jump out in front of me on the second pass! From my experiences I have written a feature about what it is like to drive a Super Gasser. The feature comes in four chapters, including one long chapter describing the thoughts, feelings and sensations involved in driving a race car. The piece is illustrated and also includes two video clips.

NHRA founder reflects on struggles, success
We are pleased to interview Wally Parks, the single driving force behind the formation of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) back in 1951. Presently, the NHRA boasts 85,000 members worldwide and sanctions more than 4,000 events annually. Parks will celebrate his 92nd birthday Jan. 23, but you’d never know his age by interacting with him.

Funny Car's free-for-all battles in 2004 should carry over to New Year
The face of NHRA drag racing for the last decade and a half has been John Force, the Funny Car fan favorite from Yorba Linda, Calif., who has collected 14 of the last 15 championships. But after regaining the title from former teammate Tony Pedregon in 2004 with his 13th career crown, Force should know that his current rivals are closer than ever to ending his reign.

Classic Funny Car Connection's Top Ten List of Blown Nitro Classic Funny Cars for 2004
Let me start off by saying that when I started this list, I figured it would be a no brainer list that wouldn't be hard to put together. How wrong I was. I pulled together all the statistics I could find on these cars, from all over the internet. After compiling all of the information I could find, I averaged out the elapsed times, mile per hour, win/loss record where available, number of events attended, and the breakage stats. Using these stats, I compiled the list.