It isn’t a streak that gets much attention but it is as impressive an accomplishment as the Agent has seen in a while.

Going back to the 2016 NHRA World Finals through the 2017 Carolina Nationals – a stretch of 20 races -- at least one Don Schumacher Racing Funny Car or Top Fuel team and sometimes both have been in the championship round for nitro cars. The only times no Schumacher team made a final round was this year at Sonoma and last week at Charlotte. That is the definition of domination. [09/20/17]

Leah Pritchett and her team led by crew chief Todd Okuhara and assistant Joe Barlam qualified third for the Carolina Nationals after starting the Countdown ranked third with four event titles, six No. 1 qualifying performances, and owning the NHRA Top Fuel elapsed time world record.

But in the first round, she was upset by No. 14-seed Wayne Newby, a part-time racer from Australia driving for the Rapasarda family. Newby's time of 3.827 seconds at 313.66 mph certainly was beatable, but Pritchett's dragster lost traction early in the run and finished with a time of 4.172 at 300.06.

"Timing is everything and our second first-round loss of the year wasn't how we expected to start the Countdown," Pritchett said. "It was nothing you'd want to write to Mom about."

She dropped from third to seventh and 65 points behind new leader Doug Kalitta, who won the Carolina Nationals for his first title of the season.

The Mopar/Pennzoil team will get a chance to overcome the hot, sunny conditions it faced last weekend near Charlotte. Unlike previous years, an uncommon forecast awaits at Reading, PA. A year ago Friday qualifying was rained out with temperatures in the 50s, but this weekend is predicted to be in the high 80s with clear skies.  (Chris Haverly photo)  [09/20/17]

The Dodge Nationals kicks off Thursday, Sept. 21, with a free second annual Mopar Mega Block Party from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. with DSR Dodge drivers including Pritchett attending to participate in a charity Home Run Derby and autograph session.

The event to celebrate Mopar's 80th anniversary will include a massive Mopar car show and displays that will allow fans to drive the popular Dodge Challenger SRT Demon simulators. The night will include a mega fireworks show sponsored by Pennzoil that will be followed by a free concert.  [09/20/17]

Multiple time NHRA Top Fuel champ Larry Dixon, who is one of the premier dragster drivers in the world, showed that like most professional drivers if it has wheels they can drive it. Dixon currently is driving Tony Bartone's alky flopper and doing quite well thank you. He went to the semifinals at Charlotte.   [09/20/17]

The OPTIMA Batteries Search for the Ultimate Street Car, will return in September for its fourth season on MAVTV Motorsports Network.

The premier episode will air at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 29, and be re-aired at 11 p.m. ET, the same night. That schedule will be the same each Friday evening for the duration of the 10-show series.

"Search for the Ultimate Street Car" is a year-long competition to determine the best street-legal performance car in America. OPTIMA Batteries developed the annual competition with two goals: 1) To showcase cars that use over-the-counter aftermarket products to improve performance and: 2) Give the car owners and drivers and sponsors a positive environment in which to socialize and display their vehicles and products.

The competition is open to six vehicle classes including one for pure electric cars and all vehicles must be registered and licensed and insured for street use. Each vehicle is tested for Design and Engineering; Road Rally; Speed-Stop; Autocross and Road Course capabilities.

Events are conducted at race tracks throughout the nation - among them Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI.

The 2017 OPTIMA Batteries "Search for the Ultimate Street Car" winners will be announced in conjunction with the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, in early November.   [09/20/17]