It was a scene of pure joy and celebration.

In the pits grown men cried and others wandered aimlessly trying to find the next person to pull in for a celebratory hug. It was a year’s worth of emotion all spilled out at once and it all took place at Rockingham Dragway Friday evening.

In what had become one of the most anticipated races in IHRA history sportsman drivers were finally able relax and celebrate their accomplishments Friday as the IHRA closed the books on the 2009 racing season with the crowning of seven sportsman world champions Friday at Rockingham Dragway.

From a weekend filled with constant rain and thunderstorms in October to near perfect conditions on Friday sportsman drivers couldn’t have asked for a better day to finish the ’09 Tournament of Champions and even more great weather is in the forecast for the Spring Nitro Jam Saturday and Sunday at “The Rock.”

Roush Yates Engines is continuing to pave the way for racers at all levels by providing the latest in engine technology that is both affordable and performance driven. Roush Yates’ newest addition to their impressive line of powerful engines will be used in drag racing. Sandy Wilkins of Raleigh, NC has recently joined the Roush Yates Performance Engine Group as the Drag Racing Program Manager.

Mr. Wilkins has over 26 years experience in the racing industry and knows what it takes to get a racer in the winner’s circle. He has experience in NASCAR, Pro Cup, and Late Model racing but decided to focus solely on drag racing when he started his own business in 2006. A drag racer himself, Wilkins has multiple wins in IRHA National events and is a former champion in NHRA.

John Force understands the importance of knowing where you are at all times on the track. This knowledge could have made all of the difference between the No. 1 qualifying position, and well, not being No. 1.

Force ran a lofty 4.103 elapsed time at 307.23 miles per hour to put a lot of daylight between he and his teammates as well as No. 2 qualified Ron Capps.

From the first time veteran Pro Stock Bike rider Craig Treble threw a leg over the new 1755 Suzuki at Don Schumacher Racing, he knew he had a bike capable of running really fast. Friday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, his intuitions proved correct.

On a day when the dark clouds confirmed an ominous weather forecast, Treble was a ray of sunshine for the Suzuki fans.

Tony Schumacher needed a turnaround in a bad way. With his one shot qualifying effort on Friday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals, he got the marching orders he needed.

“That was an outstanding run by the U.S. Army team,” said Schumacher. “The car left great and we shot right through the shake zone and on down there. I didn’t know the number, but I felt like it was a pretty good lap.”

The Fastest Track in Michigan will be host to the second stop on the MMPSA’s inaugural tour as Mountain Motor Pro Stocks head to US 131 Motorsports Park for the NAPA 2010 Thunder Nationals, May 7th and 8th.

The Thunder Nationals have a storied history at US 131, spanning decades. This year’s event will feature the MMPSA, but also showcase alcohol dragsters, the Chi-Town Hustler, Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars, and the Queen of Diamonds Jet Dragster.

“We are pleased to see that the MMPSA chose US 131 Motorsports Park as one of their races this year,” US 131 Motorsports Park’s General Manager Jason Peterson said.  “Pro Stocks have been at this track for many years and the professionalism and dedication they bring, both on the track and off, make them a real crowd pleaser. We are delighted to once again host racers like Pete Berner, Bob Bertsch and Dean and Cary Goforth and many others who raced in the IHRA series.”

John Force held on to the provisional top spot in Funny Car as rain washed out most of Friday qualifying at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway.

Danny Rowe continues his hot start to the year as he secured the No. 1 qualifying position during action in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series on Friday.  Rowe comes off his win at Houston and posted a 5.955-second run at 244.69 mph to nab the top spot.

If he retains the No. 1 qualifying position going into eliminations it would be the first one of his NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series career.

European road racing had its wake-up call last July. Formula One driver Felipe Massa suffered a serious head injury from a rear-suspension spring that popped loose from Rubens Barrichello's car and struck him in the helmet as he was traveling about 170 mph in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. That incident happened six days after Henry Surtees died from injuries in an accident at a Formula Two race at England's Brands Hatch course. Surtees was struck on the head by a wheel that had come off another car.
 
For drag racing, the alarm sounded six years ago -- Sunday, June 27, 2004, at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis, with the death of Top Fuel racer Darrell Russell. Cut down in his prime, his life blunted by a broken piece of his dragster, Russell died so suddenly and so incongruously from the way he lived.
 
Always smiling, always unflappable, Russell was the epitome of happiness. He genuinely was joyful, and that radiated from him. No one would have guessed such an alarmingly violent, ugly act ever would be associated with the polite, handsome, clean-cut Texan. This was the same unassuming man who in 2001 capped his acceptance of the Auto Club Road to the Future Award by saying, "I love you, Julie" to his wife in a boyishly innocent touch of sweetness.

Ford fanatics now have one more reason to head to Thunder Valley for this weekend’s Thompson Metal Services Blue Oval Bash… the chance to be on television. Bristol Dragway officials today announced that Masters Entertainment Group will be at the event on Saturday filming racing action, car show participants and the exciting Battle of the Ford Jet Cars.

On-track action will be used for upcoming episodes of Inside Drag Racing TV which airs on Sunday mornings at 11:30 a.m. and Monday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Network. The car show footage will be shown during the “Mother’s Car Show” program, also on FSN, on Sundays at 11 a.m.