No. 1 qualifier Rick Hord powered to his first career victory on Sunday, Oct. 14, during the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service portion of the NHRA Carolina Nationals presented by WIX Filters at zMAX Dragway. This event had the quickest qualifying field in class history ranging from Hord’s 5.681/258.67 to Bob Rahaim’s 5.769/249.49.

Hord, who posted the second-quickest pass in the history of the class to qualify, went 5.706 at 257.68 mph in his ”Maximum Effort IV” turbocharged ’16 Corvette to knock off Sidnei Frigo in the final round, who slowed to a 5.952 at 253.75 in his ’69 Camaro. It was Hord’s second career final round.

“I thought we had a good chance,” Hord said. “In Dallas, we had the combination and we broke parts, and we really thought that was going to be our race. Here, we just tried for consistency and that worked real well for us. This is amazing.”

Hord defeated Bob Rahaim (who got loose at the start and clicked off), Justin Bond (5.728/256.70 to 5.744/258.96) and Michael Biehle (5.713/258.07 to 5.781/256.41) to advance to the final round, setting up Hord’s first ever matchup with Frigo in eliminations.

Frigo defeated Khalid alBalooshi (5.714/258.81 to 5.743/250.69), Rickie Smith (5.692/259.56 to 5.716/252.24) and Jeremy Ray (5.698/259.26 to 5.765/245.09) to reach the final.

In the first round Mike Janis (near lane) drove his Camaro to a 5.693/250.23 win over the 5.743/249.67 of “Stevie Fast” Jackson’s Camaro. Janis now holds a 24-point lead over defending champ Rickie Smith heading into the final event of the year.  (Chris Haverly photos)

The points are: 1. Mike Janis, 736; 2. Rickie Smith, 712; 3. (tie) Mike Castellana, 627; Steve Jackson, 627; 5. Chad Green, 578; 6. Jeremy Ray, 574; 7. Khalid alBalooshi, 548; 8. Rick Hord, 491; 9. Todd Tutterow, 484; 10. Jose Gonzalez, 435.

The E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series wraps up its 2018 season at the NHRA Toyota Nationals on Oct. 25-28 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.   [10/16/18]

Sean Bellemeur raced to the NHRA Lucas Oil Top Alcohol Funny Car World Championship then capped it off with the event win at the NHRA Carolina Nationals.

Bellemeur, Placentia, CA, clinched the championship on Saturday, Oct. 13, when he beat DJ Cox in his round two match up then knocked out Andy Bohl in the semifinals and Phil Burkart Jr. in the final round with a strong 5.403-second lap at 271.13 mph. Burkhart was out first then quickly lost traction as Bellemeur raced by for the win. The Championship is the second in Top Alcohol Funny Car for team owner Tony Bartone who won as a driver in 1996.

See the rest of the sportsman results at here.   (Ron Lewis photo)  [10/16/18]

Dom Lagana used his last event of his part-time season to set a career-best top-speed mark in his Magic Dry Absorbent Top Fuel dragster. After running his best pass of the year in Round 1 at Charlotte Lagana topped out at 329.58 mph in a close quarterfinal loss to reigning world champion Brittany Force.

"I'm so proud of all of the guys," Lagana said. "Everyone worked so hard this season. It's a shame it's the last race for us but we have something good to lick our chops about for next year.

"The Magic Dry car is great. Everything is in one piece. We had a good time and we are real excited for next year. I really can't say enough about the crew guys. They have done great. We've got something to build on, data to look at, and the car is gonna be even more awesome in 2019."  (Ron Lewis photo)   [10/16/18]

The 27th annual California Hot Rod Reunion will be held Oct. 19-21 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, CA, with more than 400 cars expected to participate.

Mendy Fry has already clinched her first Top Fuel championship in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Drag Racing Series, and Bobby Cottrell (shown) has a 92-point lead in Funny Car going into this final event.

Cottrell, who moved into the seat of Bucky Austin’s Funny Car a year ago, won the March Meet in Bakersfield and has seven overall wins in 2018, including a number of victories in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Drag Racing Series. He still has a bit of work to do to clinch the championship at the CHRR over Shawn Bowen, who was a three-time DRO AA/FC Challenge champion, now driving the Bartone & Lebor Camaro.

During the weekend, 12 categories will be contested, including Top Fuel, Funny Car, A/Fuel, supercharged Gassers, classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and more. (DRO file photo by Tim Marshall)   [10/16/18]

Santa Pod Raceway will unveil the latest addition to its roster of historic drag racing hardware when “Roarin’ Rat” takes the stand next month (Nov. 9-11) at the Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre.

The venerable 1957 Chevy was transformed into a high-riding, supercharged, ‘rat’-motored (big-block Chevrolet V8) dragstrip demon in 1978. Since then it has been featured twice on the cover of Custom Car magazine and has run low-10-second quarter miles at 130 mph. Just weeks ago, the scarlet machine joined the NSRA’s ‘Gasser Circus’ display at the Goodwood Revival. Following a succession of different owners, the hot rod has at last arrived at its spiritual UK home as a key acquisition destined for Santa Pod’s forthcoming museum project.

Also on display in Stand 660 in Hall 2 at the event will be Martin Hill’s “FireForce 5” jet dragster powered by a Pratt & Whitney J60 jet engine.   [10/16/18]