Pro Extreme racer Cody Barklage walked away from a fiery crash during the second qualifying session at the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags on Friday afternoon.

“I’m alright, just starting to get a little bit of a headache,” said Barklage, the younger of two brothers racing this weekend in the Pro Extreme division. “My neck is a bit sore but that’s to be expected.”

Barklage left the starting line in what could be categorized as a typical Pro Extreme run, when the car inexplicable and without warning shot from the left lane and directly into the right lane concrete barrier. The force of the impact ignited a major alcohol fire which engulfed both the car and the track.

Jim Halsey understands what it’s like to be on the cusp of drag racing history. The veteran Pro Nitrous racer from Havre De Grace, Md., was the first to drive a nitrous doorslammer into the five-second zone during the 2008 season.

Halsey is on the verge of another doorslammer milestone and if all goes well this weekend, he could become the first to drive a nitrous car over 200 miles per hour in 660-feet.

His first shot in qualifying, yielded a 196.76 mile per hour blast, which coupled with a 3.895 elapsed time put him atop the provisional field at the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags in Valdosta, Ga.

Attending an ADRL event in 2010 was on Brad Anderson's list of things to do, if he had the time.

This weekend in Valdosta, Ga., it was the right time for the Top Alcohol drag racing icon, who has made a good living manufacturing parts for many of the cars who race in the ADRL’s Pro Extreme division.

“The time was right,” said Anderson, as he stood in the Pro Extreme pits taking in the action. “There are a lot of good cars out here.”

Announcement scheduled regarding new speed-limiting rules

The American Hot Rod Association announced today that all nitro classes competing at 2010 Reunion Tour events will be contested at the traditional standard 1320-foot quarter-mile distance. It was also announced that following the season-opening San Antonio event May 22-23, all Reunion Tour events will run both Top Fuel and Funny Car classes subject to forthcoming rules implemented to increase safety while reducing speeds and expense.

Troy Moe, AHRA CEO, explained the resurgent sanctioning body's position as true to the traditions of drag racing and sensitive to the voices of the drivers as well as fans of the sport.

Cory McClenathan, driver of the FRAM Top Fuel Dragster in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, will be a guest on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain this Sunday, April 25.

NHRA has rescheduled the conclusion of the NHRA Arizona Nationals for most competitors in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series to Monday, July 19, following the 23rd annual Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, scheduled for July 16-18. In addition, NHRA announced multiple locations for the rescheduling of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional event, originally set for Feb. 26-28 at Firebird Int'l Raceway in Phoenix.

SFI announced late last night that 3.2A/5 suits made prior to 2009 by Impact Racing have been decertified effectively immediately.

As a result, and per NHRA’s Rule Book, those products are no longer allowed for use at NHRA sanctioned events.

nhra.com photo

Kenney Goodell, a longtime nitro-racing veteran from the Northwest,, died April 21, seven days after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 64.

For the second year in a row Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car driver and Orange County resident Ashley Force Hood is asking her fans and fans of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series to help her Stamp Out Hunger. This year Force Hood has ramped up her participation and produced a video starring her two cats, Simba and Gizmo, drag racing down a track constructed of canned food that will be donated. Additionally, Force Hood is scheduled to host representatives of the Stamp Out Hunger program at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway outside St, Louis on April 30th.

On Saturday, May 8, Force Hood is asking everyone to join forces with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) to Stamp Out Hunger across America in order to provide assistance to the rapidly increasing number of Americans who are struggling with hunger.

Full Throttle NHRA Drag Racers Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Shawn Langdon will be out of their element this weekend, yet feel right at home.

Coughlin, who races Pro Stock and Langdon, a Top Fuel racer, are scheduled to compete in this weekend K&N Filters Spring Fling 20's presented by Sparco, which runs Thursday through Sunday at Bristol Dragway.

“Everyone's talking about this race and it's the type of big money event that will draw every big-name bracket racer in the country,” said Langdon, also a three-time NHRA sportsman world champion. “'m looking at it as more of a fun type weekend where I can get back to my roots and see all my old friends, but I'm sure going to try and win while I'm there.”