The FCA company through its Dodge brand has become much more involved with drag racing over the past few years with its Drag Pak Challengers in Factory Stock and new Hellcat Funny Cars coming for all the DSR drivers.  (FCA photos)  [07/25/18]

NHRA officials have announced the 24-race 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

A special highlight on the 2019 tour will be the 50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway March 14-17. To commemorate this momentous occasion, some of NHRA’s most beloved figures will come together to celebrate, marking the culmination of the yearlong NHRA Legends Tour.

All locations on the series schedule are confirmed for the 2019 season and only a few stops are changing dates. The NHRA SpringNationals in Houston move up one weekend to take place April 12-14. Also moving up on the schedule, the Virginia NHRA Nationals will commence May 17-19 in Richmond, Va. Conversely, the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kan. moved to June 7-9. The AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis are shifting down the calendar and will take place Sept. 27-29.   [07/25/18]

Yikes, what’s the body count this season? Let’s see, this was Epping, so it is…?  (Ron Lewis photo)

A trip back to Brownsburg, IN, to pick up the El Guapo body made for a busy week for Cruz Pedregon's team leading up to this weekend's Sonoma Nationals.

"That was a trip we didn't plan on having to make, but we're getting everything back together and proving the resilience of this team," Cruz said. "We're coming off some strong runs and a round one win in Denver with our El Veijito (older person) body after blowing the new El Chicano body off during qualifying last Friday (at Denver). In spite of a tough start to last weekend and a quick trip home to get another body, you'll see the team rocking and rolling when we hit Sonoma Raceway."

Crew Chief Aaron Brooks said, "You'll see this team come out swinging this weekend…just look at how they rallied to get the Snap-on Toyota back on the track after that boomer last Friday. That takes perseverance for a team to recover and get us a first-round win Sunday and a close race in the next round, and you'll see that kind of determination from every one of our team members every weekend. Drag racing is one of the most exciting sports on earth, and we're working to keep it safe and fun with the NHRA, a great driver like Cruz and this motivated team."   [07/25/18]

Jennifer Caputo-Armstrong raced to the fourth round in her first weekend of racing in the NHRA Summit Series Pro class at Auto Club Drag way in Fontana, CA. In the Saturday race, her first ever Summit Series race, Jennifer advanced to the second round in her Liquid Glow Racing Magnuson supercharged 426ci Arrington Performance powered 2007 Dodge Magnum.

Another weekend of firsts for me,” said Jennifer. “My very first NHRA race and I collected my first NHRA points. There’s always room for improvement and this weekend I learned how hard it is to give up the stripe. At the last moment I knew I wasn’t gonna beat the car I was racing but instead of lifting I stayed in the throttle and it cost me the race. Good part is I now know how this scenario feels. The next time I’m in that predicament I’ll be better equipped to make the proper judgment.”   (Richard Kratz photo) [07/25/18]

Tyler Speer in "Shockwave" posted his first Top Fuel Hydro victory at the John Haas Memorial in June on "Lake Lucas" in Wheatland, MO. (Kenny Shaw photo)

Tyler Speer from Woodstock, GA, is chasing a first of its kind double championship, leading the points in both the Top Fuel Hydro and Pro Outlaw divisions of the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.

The next step will come at the 8th annual Diamond Drag Boat Nationals, Aug. 31-Sept. 2 on "Lake Lucas" in Wheatland, MO.

The Fastest Man on Water will take aim at a third straight Top Fuel Hydro win at Wheatland, where he scored his first back in June, aboard Robert Montgomery's "Shockwave" in just Speer's seventh career Top Fuel start. He went 233.44 miles-per-hour with an elapsed time of 3.252 seconds, records at the 875-foot course length.

Speer already was established in the Pro Modified and Pro Outlaw divisions when he got his Top Fuel license at Wheatland in 2016. He went on to win the Pro Modified championship that year. Originally, it was the team's intent only to run Pro Outlaw a full season in 2018 and campaign the Top Fuel boat only in selected events.

But that plan has changed after the wins vaulted him into the points lead there as well. Speer has a 67-point advantage over Jarrett Silvey in Lou Osman's "Speed Sport."

"We're kind of running on some older technology," Speer said. "For us to do what we're doing now, and running the times that we're running without any major issues, it's pretty incredible."

After Wheatland, remaining events for the series (www.lucasoildragboats.com) are the Thunder on the River, Oct. 13-14 in Parker, AZ, and the Lucas Oil World Finals, Nov. 2-4 in Chandler, AZ. [07/25/18]

For the next two races Brittany Force will be racing with a new look as she and her Monster Energy team have teamed up with PEAK Coolant and Motor Oil for the event this weekend in Sonoma and the following race in Seattle. Peak is the main sponsor of her father, John Force’s Funny Car.

“Our team has been struggling,” the reigning Top Fuel champion said. “We can’t seem to go rounds. It’s definitely tough leaving Denver with a first-round loss. One thing I’ve learned from Alan Johnson is right now we’re getting ready for the Countdown. As long as we stay in that top 10, that’s the most important thing. And then we have to be ready and bring it when the Countdown begins, and then we have six races in the Countdown to move up as high as we can. That’s what we did last year. When we do go rounds and bring home another win, it will make all these rough days worth it.” [07/25/18]

Now in its 6th Generation, Kooks Headers and Exhaust introduces new options to awaken the power of the Camaro. New components begin with the Connection-Back Exhaust System, which includes a 3-inch X-pipe, and allows customers who have formerly purchased Kooks headers and connections to complete their system. This creates an easy-to-install system for those with an ever-growing project. Kooks Headers and Exhaust also introduced the Camaro SS and Camaro ZL1 Street Screamer kit with the aggressive bullet-style mufflers, in place of the standard-option oval mufflers. If you want that all-out-race sound, a muffler-delete option is now also available. Camaro long-tube headers come in either 2-inch x 3-inch or 1 7/8-inch x 3-inch. While connections are available in three styles: High-flow race catalytic converters, GREENCATS and non-catalytic-converter connections—designed for racing applications. This complete 3-inch exhaust system includes either black- or polished-finished tips to match the look of your Camaro. Exhaust tips are available in dual or quad, but a customer must confirm their rear valance allows for the correct tips. All components are built using handcrafted, 304 stainless steel. [07/25/18]