Legendary Funny Car driver John Force and teammate Robert Hight will honor the legacy of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll during the 12th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, June 15-17. In conjunction with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and Lionel NASCAR Collectables, John Force Racing will once again feature Elvis on their one-of-a-kind 8,000 horsepower Ford Mustang Funny Cars. Each driver will be competing in a specially-designed Elvis 35th Anniversary Ford Mustang Funny Car for this one-time special weekend. A number of fan promotions surrounding this event are also in the works.

“I love Elvis and I am honored to be racing with him on the hood of my hound dog in Bristol. I always say I saw Elvis at 1,000 feet in Memphis and I really believe that. Elvis was such an amazing performer and an icon. I remember listening to his music growing up and heading to the race track. I still make sure my girls all know his songs,” said Force, one of the most recent inductees into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

WFO Radio NHRA Nitro featuring Courtney Force, Troy Coughlin Jr, Bristol Dragway GM Jerry Caldwell, and National Dragster Be a Member Winner Matt Ward. The NHRA's Alan Reinhart previews the Dollar General Summer Nationals from Heartland Park Topeka.

Dan Pastorini's name is familiar to both NFL and drag racing fans.

Pastorini became the first high profile former stick and ball sport athlete to take up quarter-mile as a Top Fuel driver when he competed in his first NHRA event in 1986. He was not just a sports figure trying to compete, Pastorini was good and in only his seventh race won an NHRA event.

But, for Pastorini, professional football was his best claim to fame.

Drafted as the third overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft, Pastorini excelled as a quarterback with his best season coming in 1978 when he threw for 2,473 yards and 16 touchdowns. He led the Oilers to the 1979 AFC championship game. He retired in 1983 after stints with the Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles.

The quickest naturally aspirated, electronic fuel injection Pro Stock run in the quarter-mile now belongs to Todd Hoerner.

Back on April 2, 2011, racing was the last thing on Top Fuel driver Mike Strasburg’s mind.

Strasburg originally was suspended for one year on April 2 and fined $2,500 for not complying with NHRA’s drug and alcohol testing policy at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas.

Strasburg, who resides in Lehi, Utah, fought NHRA over the sanctioning body suspending him for a year, and he won his appeal.

A three-person NHRA Review Panel modified the NHRA’s action against Strasburg, who was fined and suspended under its drug and alcohol testing policy. Strasburg was notified of the NHRA Review Panel’s decision in a letter dated July 6, 2011.

Coming out of a successful weekend for John Force Racing as a whole, Courtney Force looks to boost her top ten position in the points and go some rounds at Heartland Park Topeka for the 24th annual Dollar General NHRA Summernationals, May 18-20.

“I'm so excited going into the Topeka race this week and I'm confident in my Traxxas Ford Mustang and my team that we can perform well.  My car has been pretty consistent this entire season and coming off of a good weekend in Atlanta, I think we will have a competitive race car going into this weekend,” said Force.

Force qualified in the no. 9 spot in Atlanta for the 32nd annual NHRA Summit Racing Southern Nationals. She upset veteran Jack Beckman in the first round match-up and then gave teammate Robert Hight a run for his money in second round. Force was quickest off the line by .020 of a second over the 2009 champion. Although she lost, Courtney was pleased with her effort against her brother-in-law, who won by just .013 of a second.

Spencer Massey and his FRAM/Prestone Top Fuel Dragster team did the unthinkable two weeks ago near Atlanta.

They made a mistake.

Crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler closely observed the cars running ahead of them in the second round of the NHRA Southern Nationals at Commerce, Ga., and were confident their FRAM/Prestone dragster could conquer the hot, tricky track.

After the most successful Pacific Street Car Association event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in four years, MagnaFuel announced they are continuing their support of the popular drag racing sanction. MagnaFuel President Robbie Ward, who also races the 10.5 class at selected PSCA events, said based on the crowd numbers he’s seen this year, especially the recent MagnaFuel Las Vegas Nationals, it makes sense to continue their six-year relationship.
 
“We need to be where the people are and PSCA has shown us they can bring the fans and racers to their events,” Ward said. “In addition to being a sponsor and a racer, I’m a fan of drag racing and to see how many of my fellow fans came out to the race to watch some of the best racing in the country, it makes me comfortable to know we’re utilizing our assets in the right place with the PSCA.

It started with a small group of dedicated racers who believed in an idea, and this idea has grown and prospered.
 
With the organization of the Pro Modified Racing Association late in 2004, the first event was held at the Cayuga Dragway of Toronto Motorsports Park during the May holiday weekend in 2005. Carl Spiering of Jordan Station, Ontario, won the final round of that first race over Al Billes of Barrie, Ontario.
 
And since that night eight years ago, the Victoria Day Weekend Challenge at Cayuga has traditionally opened the PMRA season. For 2012 this tradition continues as the fast and popular Pro Modifieds take to the track May 18-20 for the first of seven PMRA race this season.

For NHRA racers, the ability to drive is necessary to performing well on the track. How well they drive a golf ball, however, is up for debate. During the Ninth Annual Bristol Dragway Celebrity Golf Benefit presented by Alpha Natural Resources on June 14, racers will trade their steering wheels for golf clubs to support Speedway Children’s Charities.

Held at the Country Club of Bristol, the event gives each team of four the chance to partner with an NHRA celebrity for an afternoon on the links. Alpha Natural Resources returns to support the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities and this popular event among drivers and participants.

“Speedway Children’s Charities continues to have a very positive impact on Bristol and surrounding communities,” said Rick Nida, Manager of External Communications.  “Alpha is pleased to partner with them again in raising funds to help children in need lead more productive lives.”

Five-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. and his JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge Avenger race team are hoping this weekend's 24th annual Dollar General NHRA Summernationals at Heartland Park Topeka will kick off a successful summer that will ultimately earn them a berth in the 2012 playoffs.

"One of the primary goals when we started this race team was to run well enough in the regular season to get a spot in the Countdown to the Championship," Coughlin said. "That remains our top priority. We have 10 races left before the cutoff, including Topeka, so every event is important."

Coughlin has tasted success in Topeka in the past, winning the event outright in 2000, his first championship season in the Pro Stock category. He'll be looking to duplicate that feat this time through, although just going a few rounds on Sunday would be a nice pick-me-up for his race team.

Bill Bader Jr., son of legendary race promoter and former IHRA President Bill Bader, runs Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, home to an NHRA national event, a regional/divisional race, and as many major independent shows as any track in the country. Bader Jr. is as smooth as they come, all business, and a total pro – just like his dad. "Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals" rolls off his tongue faster than most people could say "Norwalk," his track workers aren't track workers – they're "team members" – and this weekend's Division 3 Lucas Oil Series event isn't a points meet; it's the B'laster Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser. The Pro Sportsman Association's Todd Veney caught up with Bader Jr., 44, to get his thoughts on what it takes to make a racetrack work, why he switched from IHRA to NHRA, and how he drew a turn-away crowd for a divisional race.

Time is running out to vote in the “Our Everyday Heroes” Race Car Design Contest. Just two weeks remain before the Top 10 advance to the “finals,” where driver Bob Tasca III and a panel of judges will choose which child of the many with type 1 diabetes (T1D) around the country will see his or her design on the 8,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shelby Mustang Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Series race in Norwalk, Ohio July 6-8, 2012.

For the fifth consecutive year, Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) has partnered with JDRF to host a race car design contest. This year’s theme is a patriotic one that honors Everyday Heroes—from those who serve the United States in the military, fire, or police forces to children who soldier on every day with a disease that has no known cause or cure.

Ed Hoover has returned to his roots.

The Pro Modified pioneer from Columbia, SC., made a name for himself running the smaller venues as a Quick Eight racer long before the volatile doorslammer division became a professional category. On any given Sunday afternoon, Hoover and his pick-up truck towing an enclosed trailer would roll through the gates of venues such as Shuffletown Dragway located outside of Charlotte and Orangeburg.

Then he became a professional drag racer and the series grew to the point where Shuffletown gave way to Rockingham and Orangeburg was replaced with Darlington.

The duallie and enclosed trailer gave way to an 18-wheeler. His independent operation was purchased by successful construction magnate Paul Trussell.

The days are getting hotter as June approaches, and so is the performance of Steve Torrence and his Torrence Racing/Capco Contractors Inc. Top Fuel dragster team.

The first-year team enjoyed his finest NHRA Full Throttle Series race two weeks ago when he dominated on a hot Atlanta Raceway track and came away with his first professional victory.  So the forecast for 85-degree temperatures for the Dollar General NHRA Summernationals at Topeka, Kansas, Friday through Sunday, aren’t that troubling.

“The car performed well in the heat.  It was absolutely flying,” said Torrence, “and it will hot in Topeka, so that definitely bolsters our confidence.  We know Richard Hogan, our crew chief, has a good handle on the tune-up in hot weather conditions and on hot tracks.