Don Marshall, half of the famed King & Marshall Top Fuel and Funny Car team of the late 1960s and 1970s, died May 18 in Jacksonville, Fla. With partner and driver Jimmy King, the New England-based duo fielded fuel dragsters through the early 1970s before switching to Funny Car for the remainder of the decade. They were inducted into the New England Hot Rod Hall of Fame in 2006.

Jeff Arend, driver of the DHL Funny Car, made his second final-round appearance of the 2010 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in Sunday’s final eliminations of the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kan.

Arend, a 47-year old native Canadian and resident of San Dimas, Calif., battled against reigning NHRA Funny Car world champion Robert Hight in the final round. The two fan favorites put on a great side-by-side drag race for the fans all of the way down the 1,000-ft. track. At the finish-line stripe, Hight just barely nosed out Arend to get a very close win, 4.150 seconds, 300.80 mph to 4.104 sec., 303.50 mph.

Arend also raced to a runner-up finish in Houston last month. The trip to the flopper final in Topeka was the fifth chance that Arend has had to “run for the money.” He has two career victories in the NHRA Funny Car class, the most recent coming in Memphis, Tenn., last fall.

Terry McMillen, in his first full-time season competing in NHRA’s Top Fuel ranks, was winless in eight previous first round appearances.

The streak ended Sunday at Topeka. McMillen, the No. 11 qualifier, upset No. 6 qualifier Steve Torrence, in the first round. McMillen ran a 3.917-second pass to get past Torrence who clocked in at 3.994 seconds.

Jim Head appeared to be gaining an advantage in his semi-final run against Jeff Arend during the NHRA Summernationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

That all changed at half-track when the blower exploded on Head’s engine. The violent explosion blew the body off Head’s Funny Car and shredded it into pieces.

Head’s problems magnified as he had flames blowing in his face from the damaged engine and could not stop the car. The car eventually stopped just past the finish line as it coasted into Arend’s lane and rammed into the back of Arend’s wheelie bar and body. Fortunately, neither driver was hurt in the incident.

Robert Hight continued on his impressive three race hot streak and  dominated the Funny Car field to get his third win in as many races during the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.  Tony Schumacher took home the win in Top Fuel and Mike Edwards secured a victory in Pro Stock.

In the final round of Funny Car, Hight in his Auto Club Ford Mustang, was able to hold off the DHL Toyota Camry driven by Jeff Arend for his 17th career victory during his 4.104-second, 303.50 mph pass to the losing effort of 4.150-seconds at 300.80 mph by Arend.  Hight started the day as the No. 1 qualifier and used to his advantage as he defeated a tough field of competitors including rival Ron Capps.  With the win Hight, the 2009 Full Throttle Series World Funny Car Champion, closes within 49 points of current points leader and his team owner John Force.

Final round-by-round results from the 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at Heartland Park Topeka, the ninth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Sunday's final results from the 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at Heartland Park Topeka. The race is the ninth of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at Heartland Park Topeka, the ninth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.  Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Together they account for 11 world championships and over 75 national event victories. On Saturday evening during the ADRL U.S. Drags III in Richmond, Va., they met in the final round for what some could categorize as the ultimate doorslammer race.

Shannon Jenkins, the most successful nitrous doorslammer racer in drag racing history, lined up alongside of Rickie Smith, a doorslammer legend in both legal and outlaw drag racing.

Jenkins beat Smith in a clash of the titans.