Showing just why night-time drag racing is so cool, Dave Stoltz caught this terrific shot of Tim Wilkerson’s colorful Levi, Ray & Shoup paint illuminated by header flames during qualifying at Las Vegas. [11/06/19]

On Nov. 5, former RAF Wing Commander Andy Green hit the 501-mph mark during testing.  (Tom McCarthy photo)

DRO’s Tom McCarthy is in South Africa for a couple of weeks while the Bloodhound Project Super Sonic Car is doing some testing.

The world’s fastest race car, which is designed to achieve a top speed of 1,000 mph, is currently undergoing high speed testing (HST) on the Hakskeen Pan in South Africa. The race team arrived with the car in mid-October and by the end of November they intend to go as fast as 600 mph to assess all the car’s capabilities and systems in preparation for breaking the current land speed record of 763 mph next year.

On Friday, Nov. 1, the car achieved a top speed of 461 mph. The car was planned to make a return run of 500 mph, but that was cancelled due to increasing cross winds. Later in the day a full-on sandstorm hit, scrubbing all racing for the day, and giving the team a big cleanup job.

McCarthy will keep us informed with updates of the team’s progress.  [11/06/19]

D-A Lubricant Co. will not return to sponsor Jordan Vandergriff’s Top Fuel dragster next season.

“This was very unexpected. To find this out at the beginning of November puts us behind the eight-ball in trying to find a partner for Jordan in 2020,” said team owner Bob Vandergriff. “We will continue to field a car for Shawn Reed and Josh Hart while we actively pursue sponsorship for Jordan.”

Jordan will drive at the NHRA Finals in Pomona. (Ron Lewis photo) [11/06/19]

The Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association has officially wrapped up its 2019 drag racing season and named driver David Norris as the overall Pro Mod Elite series champion.

Norris drove a G-Force Race Cars 2018 Chevy Corvette-bodied Pro Mod door slammer. A Noonan Race Engines-headed Hemi built by Jeff Fowler of Fowler Engines huffs compressed air courtesy of a PSI Superchargers screw blower. While the combination is menacing, Norris prefers to keep the car itself on the subtle side and let its performance speak for itself. “The whole car in general is pretty amazing, we’ve been to ten events this year and four final rounds,” stated the driver who isn’t fond of flash or smack talk.

Despite his low-key attitude, Norris is a front runner in the Pro Mod ranks and was consistent enough throughout the 2019 NEOPMA season to come out ahead. Norris is joined by his tuner and crew chief, the Pro Street legend John Anderson, Jeff McDade who takes care of the engine, and Matt McDade is a jack of all trades. Doug Jones is also on hand to help out, as is Brad Caldwell.

“My wife packs the ‘chutes, makes all the arrangements, and is right up there with everything – she’s the one that really makes it all possible,” added Norris. Additional help from Jon and Jim Salemi at Resolution Racing Services, as well as assistance from Steve Graves at Quick Drive Racing, Mark Gissendaner at GIS Automotive who handles paint and body, and Hoosier tire supplier Brett Neupert at Precise Racing keep Norris’s program running smoothly.

The NEOPMA expects a bigger year than ever before with the new eighth-mile format and the addition of legendary drag racer and event promoter David Hance stepping up to help with the organization’s marketing and promotional responsibilities. A full schedule will be announced soon.  (NEOPMA photo)  [11/06/19]

(Ron Lewis file photo)

Duane Shields won the Top Alcohol Dragster class at the Dodge NHRA Nationals Presented by Pennzoil at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in front of his hometown fans. "It's been three and a half years since we won an NHRA national event. And this was the place to do it. Winning in front of my family and friends made the win even more special" Shields said. To top it off, he won the race in a brand new Chase Copeland dragster. "The crew worked tirelessly on the new car in order to have it ready in time for this weekend. Before the race we had no way to know how it would respond or knew its boundaries," Shields commented.

In the finals, Shields raced Julie Nataas and both had been in the 5.20-zone all through eliminations so it was a close match up. As the lights came down Nataas left the starting line -0.101 too soon. Duane, thinking he was late, left right behind Nataas while also leaving too quickly with a -.004 reaction time.

After Shields completed his run he realized he had won. "I was thinking I had lost because I was late off the starting line and then I heard she had red lit and we won. I was shocked!"

In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Sean Bellemeur dominated the day. He set Low ET at 5.409 seconds and Top Speed at 271.95 mph. He went on to drive his 2018 Camaro to a 5.447/269.78 defeat of Steve Gasparrelli’s troubled 7.196 at 134.63. This was Bellemeur’s seventh win in seven finals this season. He also won this race in 2018.  (Dave Stoltz photo)

Competition Eliminator: Cody Lane, Chevy Cobalt, .021 RT, 8.64 Index, 8.136, 152.62 def. Tony Mandella, Chevy Camaro, .060 RT, 8.48 Index, 8.033, 173.70.

Super Stock: Jason DeForrest, Chevy Cavalier, 9.081, 145.81 def. Matt Alvey, Pontiac Sunfire, Foul - Red Light.

Stock Eliminator: Craig Maddox, Dodge Challenger, 9.527, 136.11 def. Chris Knudsen, Chevy Camaro, Foul - Red Light.

Super Comp: Vernon Rowland, Dragster, 9.050, 159.46 def. Dan Fletcher, Dragster, 9.073, 152.07.

Super Gas: Ray Miller III, Chevy Camaro, .001 RT, 10.053, 163.18 def. Evan Kowalski, Chevy Corvette, .002 RT, 10.056, 159.51.  [11/06/19]