Think John Force is ready for a weekend off? He’s not the only one. (Ron Lewis photo)

After four straight weekends of racing in hot, humid weather, the NHRA pros will get a weekend off before returning to the traveling circus at a (hopefully) cooler Epping, NH, on July 6-8.

See the NHRA professional race report from Norwalk at here.  The Pro Mod action is at here.  [06/27/18]

In the SAM Factory Stock Showdown at Summit Motorsports Park on June 24 Joseph Welch, Long Boat Key, FL, backed up his win from the previous week in a close final round against Mark Pawuk, Akron, OH. Welch took the win, clocking in at 8.107 seconds and 168.07 mph, with Pawuk having an impressive runner-up finish at 8.115 seconds and 168.58 mph. Both were in Dodge Challenger Drag Paks.

Megan Meyer at zMax Dragway earlier this season.  (Chris Haverly photos)

In other LODRS Division action, Megan Meyer, Olathe, KS, worked her way through the Top Alcohol Dragster field and ran 5.320 seconds at 277.94 mph in her final round victory over home state racer Troy Coughlin Jr., Delaware, OH, who clocked in at 5.369 seconds, 275.67 mph.

Ray Drew, Hales Corners, WI, faced off against Ulf Leanders, Viksjofors, Sweden, and posted an easy win as Leanders left early and triggered the red light. Drew coasted across the finish line in his ’14 Mustang for his first national event win.

COMP ELIMINATOR: David Rampy, Bantam, 7.260, 172.32 def. Jim Primozic Jr., Cobalt, 7.377, 182.16

SUPER STOCK: John DiBartolomeo, Chevy Camaro, 9.402, 141.71 def. Bob Marshall, Dodge Coronet, 9.432, 136.76

STOCK ELIMINATOR: Todd Hoven, Dodge Coronet, 10.085, 124.59 def. Dick Kincaid, Chevy II, 11.288, 114.28

SUPER COMP: Dan Fletcher, Dragster, 9.440, 119.39 def. Brian Folk, Dragster, Foul - Red Light

SUPER GAS: Tom Dimond, '27-T Ford, 9.882, 159.32 def. Joey Shipp, Olds Cutlass, 9.876, 160.84

TOP DRAGSTER: John Biagi, Dragster, 6.383, 208.01 def. Bobby Ray McMahan, Dragster, 6.198, 223.88

TOP SPORTSMAN: Dusty Meyer, Chevy S-10, 6.977, 194.16 def. Mark McDonald, Ford Mustang, 6.630, 206.80   [06/27/18]

This weekend (June 29-30), the racers of the Mid West Pro Mod Series will be at Topeka, KS, participating in Heartland Motorsports Park’s 30th anniversary celebration. The two-day event also will feature diesel drags, bracket racing and a big, trackside fireworks show on Saturday night.

“For the race last month in Tulsa I loaned out my Pro Mod car to my good friend Jim Sackuvich after he had a very unfortunate accident during testing there,” racer and series owner Keith Haney said. “Then early this month some last-minute business obligations popped up and I had to miss our race in St. Louis, too, which really killed me because I love that track. But that little break also gave me a good outlook on rules committees and other things to make the Mid-West Pro Mod Series a little bit better organization-wise.”

Haney will compete at Topeka with “Notorious” (shown), his nitrous-boosted 2016 Camaro Pro Mod that’s tuned by Brandon Switzer and co-crew chief Brandon Pesz. His Keith Haney Racing team also campaigns “Enigma,” a nearly identical-looking Camaro, in the MWPMS Radial vs. the World class, but no radial racing is on the ticket for Topeka.

With four of eight scheduled MWPMS events in the books, Ron Muenks holds the 2018 Pro Mod points lead. Not far behind, though, is Jonas Aleshire with Sackuvich, Todd Martin and Aaron Wells rounding out the top five. Haney, the defending class champion, fell out of the top 10 after missing the prior two events.  (Joe McHugh photo)  [06/27/18]

After taking the Super Street Summit Racing Queensland Championship in 2017, Richard Dawe is hoping to continue what has so far been a strong title defense this weekend at Australia’s Palmyra Dragway.

Round two of the 2018 installment of the three-round series will be held June 29-30 before it heads to Benaraby Raceway for the final round on Sept. 22.

In recognition of his Summit Racing Queensland Championships title win, Dawe was awarded a prestigious copper ANDRA Xmas Tree trophy in what was only his first full season of racing. For the 2018 Series he is once again contesting his street-registered ’82 XE Falcon known as ‘Nugget’, which runs a 393 Cleveland powerplant.

“I have only been racing a short time so winning the 2017 Summit Racing Queensland Championship was certainly unexpected, but very exciting,” said Dawe, who thanks Mal Everett from Mal’s Mechanical Bundaberg for his support of his racing.  (Rogue Snapper Photography)  [06/27/18]

Larry Dixon’s “NitroX2” two-seat dragster was unveiled at the 2017 SEMA Show. (DRO file photo)

After running the note yesterday about Larry Dixon participating in the World Series of Drag Racing the Agent heard about an incident involving Dixon.

The three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion and team owner built a two-seat, legit Top Fuel nitro dragster and for a reported $10,000 you too can take a ride in said Top Fuel car. The NHRA has banned the car and suspended Larry Dixon's competition license over a problem with certification.

Last weekend at the IHRA-sanctioned U.S. 131 Dragway located in Martin, MI, Dixon had a client who wanted that E-Ticket ride. However, that unnamed person got a real “real world” Top Fuel nitro experience when he experienced an engine explosion and fire while on his ride. According to sources with direct knowledge, even though the passenger got a little burned, he suffered no injury and reportedly liked the ride so much he wants to go again.

DRO checked and was told that the IHRA was contacted prior to the incident and assured the track operator, Jason Peterson, that the track’s insurance policy covered the two-seat Top Fuel car.

The Agent is happy that there was no serious injury -- or massive lawsuits for Dixon, the track operator and IHRA parent company that would be sure to follow.     [06/27/18]

The NHRA eliminations show on FS1 from Norwalk, OH, on Sunday, June 24, had 712,000 viewers with a rating of 0.46.   [06/27/18]

HOT ROD has announced that it will crown the 2018 “Fastest Street Car in America” during the 14th annual HOT ROD Drag Week Powered by Dodge and brought to you by Gear Vendors Under/Overdrive September 9-14.

HOT ROD Drag Week is more than just clocking the fastest time on the strip; it puts competitors to a grueling test over the five days of drag racing, requiring racers to drive their vehicles on a specified route from city to city, upward of 1,000 miles. During the competition, drivers provide photographic evidence to prove they have adhered to the prescribed route.

“HOT ROD Drag Week is a bucket list event for drag racers,” says Jonathan Mill, GM of the HOT ROD Network. “These drivers test their drag cars for reliability throughout 1,000-plus miles on the road and for sheer performance on a new track every day. Not all the teams will make it and not every vehicle survives, but it’s a risk everyone is willing to take for supreme bragging rights and the journey of a lifetime.”

HOT ROD Drag Week™ 2018 RACING SCHEDULE

(Daily end times as stated or until complete. All times listed are in Eastern Time.)

Day 1 Racing – Monday, Sept. 10 – Atlanta Dragway (Commerce, GA)

Gates open at 8 a.m., tech from 8 a.m., and test ’n’ tune from noon to 5 p.m.

Day 2 Racing – Tuesday, Sept. 11 – Darlington Dragway (Darlington, SC)

Gates open at 7:30 a.m., racing hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Day 3 Racing – Wednesday, Sept. 12 – zMAX Dragway (Concord, NC)

Gates open at 7:30 a.m., racing hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Day 4 Racing – Thursday, Sept. 13 – Bristol Dragway (Bristol, TN)

Gates open at 7:30 a.m., racing hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Day 5 Racing (Finals) – Friday, Sept. 14 – Atlanta Dragway (Commerce, GA)

Gates open at 7:30 a.m., racing hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by awards   [06/27/18]

Hooker Headers has expanded their vast line of performance exhaust systems, which now includes RacingHeart Headers. Available in both chrome-plated mild steel and polished 304 stainless steel, RacingHeart Headers' down-swept configuration is ideal for big-block Chevy-powered dragsters. These three-step headers feature 2.125-2.250-2.375-inch stepped primary tubes and 4.500-inch collectors with merge spears to maximize exhaust flow and velocity for horsepower and torque gains across a broad rpm range. Sturdy 3/8-inch flanges provide strength and sealing, and bungs for evac systems (and even the evac tubes and plugs themselves) are included.  [06/27/18]