Mainstream America will soon discover what drag racing fans have known for decades. Shirley Muldowney was a great drag racer who just happened to be a woman. 

Thanks to a forthcoming documentary produced by FOX Sports, the Hall of Famer and four-time Top Fuel champion Muldowney will be profiled in what promises to be a presentation for the ages. Like her 1980 championship-winning Top Fuel car, the major production will be “Shirley.”

Five-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson and his KB Titan Racing team have announced a multi-year extension of their partnership with HendrickCars.com and Hendrick Automotive Group as the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season looms. Initially joining forces in 2021 for a few races, Anderson's collaboration with the Charlotte-based automotive group quickly proved fruitful. By the season's end, Anderson had solidified his status as the winningest driver in Pro Stock history aboard the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.

The partnership between Anderson and Hendrick Automotive Group, which commenced in the latter part of the 2021 season, has flourished over the past two years, marked by multiple victories and a commendable contention for the series championship. 

The 2024 professional drag racing season kicks off this weekend at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. on March 7-10, featuring the return of Drag Race Bracket Bonanza (DRBB). This year marks the first time DRBB will span the entire NHRA season, including the four-wide races in Las Vegas and Charlotte.

DRBB creator Werner expressed excitement about extending the game's run for the full season. 
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“Last year we got off to a great start with thousands of people playing during the U.S. Nationals and throughout the Countdown,” said Werner. “We are excited to have DRBB up and running for the full season. We will have some shorter series like The Majors, the Four-Wide Nationals Cup and the Countdown, as well as an overall season champion. Our goal is to create a fun and engaging game for anyone interested in following professional drag racing.”

It's hard for some to believe, but it's the truth. On Sunday in Bakersfield, CA., during the most prestigious nostalgia event, the March Meet, Cory Lee, a decorated veteran in drag racing, finally won his first national event. He did so as a driver behind the wheel of Gary Turner's Challenger Funny Car. 

"I've had, I think, two or three as a tuner, but this is my first as a tuner driver, so it's really exciting," Lee said. 

Lee was joined in the Famoso Dragstrip winner's circle by Tyler Hester (Top Fuel) and Lyle Greenberg (Fuel Altered).

If sportsmanship needed an object lesson, then it needed to look no further than the Pro Modified finals of the 5th annual Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Modified on Sunday in Bradenton, Fla.

With $100,000 of winner-take-all prize money on the line, heralded Northeast Outlaw Pro Modified Association champion Derek Ward returned the favor of sportsmanship to opponent Jim Halsey.Ward’s 3.625 seconds at 208.17 MPH run defeated Halsey’s 4.304-second pass at 126.09 MPH in front of an overflow crowd on the starting line. 

Also headlining the professional winners were Matt Giangrande (Mountain Motor Pro Stock) and “Quick Nick” Schroeder (Pro 10.5). 

Mark Micke, Bo Butner and Ron Green maintained their top qualifying positions through five qualifying sessions to head into the final eliminations of the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Modified as the No. 1 seeds. 

“It's gonna be awesome,” said Micke, who collected a $10,000 low qualifier bonus from Pilot Electric and Red Line Oil. “These are the baddest drivers on the planet. I told my guys, who are a bunch of young guys, they don't understand what we did. This is the pinnacle of anything I've ever done in racing. I've done a lot of shit and this is more impressive. I don't know what else to say. I was blown away.”

Racing the Good Vibrations Bakersfield March Meet at the legendary Famoso Dragstrip always has its challenges. At the 66th annual running of the historic event showcasing the pageantry of nostalgia racing, the challenges were not only on the track but also when Mother Nature tried to intervene. 

In the end, it was Tyler Hilton (Top Fuel), Shane Westerfield (Funny Car), and Mathew Leonard (Fuel Altered) claiming the top spots in their respective divisions.

Well, he does have a history of running quick and fast in Bradenton.

A month after dominating the U.S. Street Nationals from start to finish, Mark Micke continued his barrage of boost with the provisional pole position at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod. Other professional qualifying leaders include Bo Butner (Mountain Moto Pro Stock) and Ron Green (PRO 10.5 Challenge).

“I'm really confident – we threw that 3.59 in the heat. That was a style run,” said Micke, who mentioned having a staging snafu with Vergotz during Q3. “It lit a fire under my ass. If you have a bad run, it just motivates me harder. I got all the confidence in the world. I’ve learned that when you’re on a roll, you just ride it. I wish eliminations were tomorrow because I’m ready.”

CompetitionPlusTV will livestream the Don Garlits International Drag Racing Hall of Fame ceremonies on its YouTube channel and CompetitionPlus.com. The partnership with Masters Entertainment enters its fifth year of the drag racing mainstays working together to cover the illustrious event. 

Dave Dobson, vice president, producer, and director of Masters Entertainment, said his team looks forward to working with the CompetitionPlus.com team to present one of the most significant events drag racing offers. 

"We love working with CompetitionPlus; they are great partners," said Dave Dobson, Masters Entertainment. "We share a common interest in that we love drag racing. We also love the sport's history, which drives us to bring the best presentation of those who helped make it what it is today. Partnering with Competition Plus ensures we share this with some of drag racing's most passionate fans."