Cory McClenathan powered his FRAM dragster to a performance better than both ends of the current Top Fuel track record at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis Thursday during the second day of testing for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the world's most prestigious drag race.

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series teams are utilizing the open test session to prepare for the first of six races in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, which begins Sept. 1-6 at the historic multipurpose motorsports facility.  The event will be showcased during 10 hours of coverage by ESPN2 HD.

McClenathan, who finished second in the regular season standings, covered the race distance in 3.790 seconds at 324.28 mph to lead all cars participating in the test. Tony Schumacher holds the current track E.T. record at 3.819 seconds and Antron Brown is the track speed record holder at 319.11 mph.

Larry Dixon has been steadfast in his drag-racing fundamentals: think only about the next round, race your own potential, never underestimate your opponent. He's not one to predict or look too far ahead.
 
But he also doesn't dodge questions. Considering his responses in this week's NHRA Countdown teleconference, the top-seeded Top Fuel driver has all the confidence this performance success will carry through the six-race showdown that starts next week at Indianapolis with the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
 
His dragster-driving rivals might gulp in apprehension if they heard the Al-Anabi Dragster driver say that comparing this nine-victory season with his championship runs in 2002 and 2003, "So far it's better."

In January of this year, Justin Humphreys announced he had formed a partnership with Roush Yates Engines to run a 2010 Ford Mustang in the Pro Stock class this season.

While the two parties have yet to hit the racetrack in competition, the day they will is getting closer and closer.

“We have been out testing it (the 2010 Ford Mustang) twice so far,” Humphreys revealed late Thursday. “We’ve pretty much got the car sorted out and now we’re just trying to get the motor end sorted out. It is not up to where we expected or thought it would be, but hopefully by next week they (Roush Yates Engines) will have some pretty good news.”

Roush Yates Engines is based in Mooresville, N.C. They supply engines for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Nationwide and the Camping World Truck Series as well as ARCA RE/MAX, the Grand-AM Rolex Series and the FIA GT3. This year, Roush Yates Engines, also known as the Roush Yates Performance Group, entered into the NHRA arena with Humphreys.

There’s no doubt that 2010 has been a year unlike any other for Pete Berner. With Summit Racing Equipment coming on board with major sponsorship, 2010 held much promise for the two-time IHRA Pro Stock World Champ.  Not only that, but after IHRA dropped the class, Berner was central in keeping quarter-mile Pro Stock racing alive by starting up the newly founded Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association. The fledgling organization was immediately well-received and has enjoyed three successful events so far, with two more coming up in October.

Despite all the positive things happening around Pete Berner Racing, the team has struggled this year, with one of the worst win-loss records in recent years. Although he’s been to two finals, Berner has yet to score a win and has seen more first and second round losses than he’s accustomed to.

Berner’s struggles this season certainly can’t be attributed to a lack of effort. With Jerry Janota and Mike Slaviero masterminding Berner’s engine program, the team has gained a tremendous amount of power and extended their efforts in putting that power to the ground. However a host of unusual and unforeseen problems have accompanied their efforts, often throwing R&D for a loop.

John Coughlin didn’t win two North Central Division Top Dragster championships in the last three years by sitting back and allowing the competition to catch up and with that philosophy in mind he has made the bold decision to debut a brand new race car at this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky. When qualifying begins on Friday, Coughlin will be in a new dragster built by Tommy Phillips of TnT Supercars in Mesquite, Texas. The new dragster features the same familiar JEGS Mail Order colors as its predecessor, but underneath the yellow and black colors, there are some significant differences.
 
“The car looks really great,” said Coughlin. “I was very excited the first time I saw it. The car features a slightly longer wheelbase than our last dragster which should allow it to handle more horsepower. The chassis isn’t painted except for a layer of clear coat, to protect the steel tubing. This car also has a more contemporary cockpit and a lot of black chrome, which gives it a very professional look. Overall, the craftsmanship on this car is first-rate.”

NHRA Pro Stock driver Jason Line is used to scorching the quarter-mile with six-second passes in his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP. So why was he smiling after a recent low 11-second pass?
           
The 2006 NHRA Pro Stock champion laid down an 11.03-second, 124.40 mph pass in his 4,500 pound 1968 Chevy Biscayne station wagon. Jason bought the wagon as a project vehicle in 2009, gave it a frame-off restoration via Street Customs and Restorations in Mooresville, North Carolina, and stuffed a 557 cubic inch big block under the hood.      

Former NHRA Pro Stock World Champions Greg Anderson and Jason Line and six-time former IHRA Pro Stock champ Rickie Smith were among six pro drivers taking advantage of a break in the schedule to test their Pro Stock and Pro Modifed races cars this week on Rockingham Dragway’s high traction racing surface.
 
Anderson, who has finished first or second in NHRA Pro Stock points for seven straight seasons, was sorting out his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP in anticipation of another title run during the NHRA’s Countdown to 1 playoffs that begin Labor Day weekend at Indianapolis, Ind.

NHRA announced its 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule today, featuring 22 national events. The most significant change to the schedule is the move of the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway to the fall where it will become one of the six-races that comprise the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship. The Phoenix event, which also will feature the Pro Stock Motorcycle class for the first time, will be held Oct. 14-16.

NHRA also announced that New England Dragway will join the NHRA member track network in 2011.  NHRA is currently working with the track on facility improvements with the goal to bring an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event to New England Dragway as soon as possible.  Given the location of the facility, and NHRA’s well known desire to bring a national event to New England and near the metropolitan Boston market, it promises to be one of the most popular spots on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series tour.

NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car champion Robert Hight will kick off his title defense by campaigning a commemorative Auto Club Ford Mustang celebrating his first Full Throttle championship at the 56th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Labor Day weekend. The black and blue Ford Mustang will be adorned with the traditional Auto Club logos but the Mustang will also feature Hight’s Full Throttle world championship trophy as well as the verbiage “Robert Hight 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car CHAMPION” on the sides and hood.

“I remember seeing and working on John’s championship cars so to have my own Full Throttle championship funny car is pretty neat. I have to thank Auto Club and Tom McKernan as well as all our sponsors like Castrol, Ford, Mac Tools and BrandSource for making my championship possible. This is also more than just my car. This is a representation of all the hard work my crew chief Jimmy Prock and my crew guys put into making a great run in the Countdown last year,” said Hight, the No. 2 seed in the 2010 Countdown.

As a tribute to its over 4,500 franchisees, the Snap-on Funny Car, driven by Cruz Pedregon, will feature a special wrap recognizing Snap-on franchisees.  The Snap-on Franchise Funny Car will race Sept. 3-6 at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

“Our franchisees are the backbone of our business so we thought this was a great way to recognize them for all they do for Snap-on,” said Alicia Smales, vice president of marketing for Snap-on Tools. “Since each of our franchisees owns their own business, we felt it was only fitting that we put this special Snap-on wrap on the car of another small business owner, Cruz Pedregon.”