Front-motored Top Fuel team owner/driver Jimmy Young has been the champion for AA/FD racing for years appears, through sheer will and determination, to have made a Midwest-based nitro-burning AA/FD series a viable option for Midwest promoters.

For the first time in many years he was able to convince a couple of Midwest track operators to book a real AA/FD race. Through his efforts in 2019 track promotors booked AA/FD races (real racing!) at drag strips in Illinois and Michigan. Plus, the NHRA Heritage series for AA/FD has scheduled races at Bowling Green, KY, and Tulsa. Young delivered 11 AA/FDs for a qualified eight-car field at the Northern Nationals at U.S. 131.

With Chris Graves’ Funny Car Chaos series and a potential half-dozen AA/FD race dates for Young’s grou,p if you want to race or watch AA/FC or AA/FD there will be plenty of opportunity in 2019 and 2020. If Young can convince his group to attend the Heritage race at Tulsa to join whatever West Coast Heritage Top Fuel teams make the trip east plus the Oklahoma/Texas teams -- there could be 16-20 AA/FD at the event.

Tulsa track owners Keith Haney and Todd Martin want to have a national event race at that historic facility but there is not an IHRA anymore and NHRA could never put a national event back at the track. So, why couldn’t the pair of hard-core racers use their track, money and influence and hold the Midwest equivalent of the Bakersfield March Meet at Tulsa featuring Nostalgia Nitro and Pro Mod/Outlaw Street classes? With the reducing of the World Series of Drag Racing from a real national event style race to just an exhibition event, the Midwest racers and fans are ready for something special. -- Jeff Burk (jeffburk@dragracingonline.com)  [08/21/19]

Mendy Fry won her second NHRA Hot Rod Heritage event in a row in Top Fuel at Spokane. Jeff Arend came very close but lost in the Funny Car final. Bobby Cottrell (far lane) was up on the wheel and took a slight starting line advantage and would hang on for the holeshot victory of 5.81/252.95 to cover a quicker 5.78/250.28 for Arend.

See all the Spokane results at here. Fry and Arend hold the points leads going into Tulsa on Sept. 20-21.  (Brian Losness photo)   [08/21/19]

Leaving the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway with a 179-points lead, Robert Hight and the Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car team will only need to qualify at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals to secure the No. 1 position in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

It would be the first time in his 15-year career that Hight has won the regular season championship and the fifth time a John Force Racing driver has secured the title. Team namesake John Force held the No. 1 spot going into the Countdown in 2010 and 2014, former driver Mike Neff in 2011 and Courtney Force in 2018.

“I’ve never gone into the Countdown No. 1. You know, its 30 points, and once the Countdown starts, every point is going to matter. We’re going to go up there every single qualifying run and try to get three points or the little points,” Hight said. “I lost the Championship in 2007 by 19 points so to go into the Countdown No. 1, it's ours to lose, I guess. If you don’t mess up, it’s yours so I’m proud of my guys for that.”  (Ron Lewis photo)  [08/21/19]

Erica Enders wanted her first win of 2019 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd, MN, but she ended up with her second runner-up of the year and left Brainerd with a significant confidence boost.

“I’ve got a good racecar underneath me and the guys on the team have gained some confidence,” Enders said. “Hearing the confidence in their voice gives me confidence and it allows us to have a little bit of our old swagger back. We had the same motor all weekend in my car and hopefully we’re onto something. We just lost a really awesome drag race in the final round.”

The win went to No. 1 qualifier Jason Line, when his 6.597 beat Enders’ 6.604 at 207.59 by a mere 20 inches in a thrilling duel.

The 2014 and 2015 Pro Stock champion moved into seventh place in the points, with just the U.S. Nationals to improve her position.

“We definitely got it back, and we’ve got a good racecar at a great time,” said Enders, who has 23 career wins and 48 final-round appearances. “I’m glad to have things start to go our way, I’m driving well and it’s all coming at a good time.”  (Charlie Anderson photo)   [08/21/19]

The Victory Nostalgia Super Stock racers will be at St. Louis. Here is 2018 series champion Jim Hagenhoff showing his “Muscle.”  (Dennis Mothershed photo)

Phil Painter brings his Monster Muscle Car Weekend, a celebration of the All-American Classic, to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway on Sept. 13-14 after a successful 2018 outing. In addition to drag racing the weekend consists of a car show, a swap meet, manufacturers’ midway and more.

For the second year, the world-class drag strip is the home of the Demon & Hellcat Nationals. Last year’s race saw records fall and rivalries ignited and there is every indication this year will be as exciting as the rookie outing.   [08/21/19]