In an effort to maintain the reputation as the “The Fastest Track in Michigan” US 131 Motorsports Park, the home of the Northern Nitro Jam August 13-14, is continuing with recent upgrades.

Last fall at the end of Michigan’s racing season the concrete was extended from 500 feet to 1000 feet to allow it to slowly cure during the winter months.

Thankfully the weather cooperated and Michigan saw warmer than normal March temperatures. Penhall Corporation facilitated the grinding of the newly poured concrete and IHRA Track Specialist Jim Weinert polished the freshly ground racing surface.

Jim Whiteley and Sean O’Bannon each took home big wins this past weekend at Merle’s SIR Dragway and the NHRA Pacific Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series as they look to defend their Pacific Division Championships from 2009.

Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., qualified No. 1 and then marched through eliminations taking out Phoenix racer Mark Niver in his semifinal match up and then Shawn Cowie in the final of Top Alcohol Dragster.  Whiteley ran 5.415 seconds at 263.51 against Niver and a 5.525, 259.81 against Cowie, Delta, B.C., CAN. in the final.  Cowie covered the quarter-mile in 5.570 seconds at 258.32 mph.

Many figured that when Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith joined the powerhouse Don Schumacher Racing team last year, trophies, records and titles would soon follow.

It didn’t really work out that way, so Smith moved to Al-Anabi Racing for 2010. The hands-on Smith would have more of role in the way he ran – and he proved it with a dominant victory in the 4-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway.

Smith was the No. 1 qualifier and rolled through the three rounds of four-wide racing. In Monday’s final, he beat Hector Arana, Steve Johnson and a red-lighting Michael Phillips for his 11th NHRA win and his first since 2008.

Pro Stock champion Mike Edwards saw his No. 1 qualifying streak end at 12 in this weekend’s 4-Wide Nationals and zMax Dragway. So how did he respond?

Edwards cut a 0.009-second light at the start of the finals and pulled away to his third victory of the season in just four races.

Edwards, 52, isn’t exactly known for having the best reaction times, but he left Jason Line, Bob Yonke and Greg Stanfield at the starting line in Monday’s rain-delayed final.

“I must’ve been real shallow,” Edwards shrugged. “That should probably have red-lighted. Just real fortunate.”

John Force continued his resurgence and made history Monday by racing to victory at the rain-delayed NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

It was the second win of the season for the 60-year-old Funny Car icon, who increased his series points lead to 89 over his rivals. Force, a 14-time world champion who suffered career-threatening injuries in a spectacular crash in Sept. 2007 in Dallas and endured one of the worst competitive seasons of his storied career in 2009, has returned to his familiar position as a championship-challenger this season.

"This is a little taste of history,” Force said. "This was special, like beating the dragsters at Bristol (2000 Winston Showdown). Thanks to (zMAX Dragway owners) Bruton and Marcus Smith. They took the money and spent it to make this happen. The hardest part was racing Ron Capps. He is always tough and (Matt) Hagan, now that he has (co-crew chief) John Medlen there, will put the fear into you. My own daughter also leaves nothing on the table. I’m proud of Ashley. She’s learned the game. This track is so good that we took wing off of it. I don’t usually run big speed, but it did this weekend.”

Lining up four cars to drag race to the finish line was a spectacle fans came out to see in droves.

Husbands and wives, fathers, sons and daughters, and diehard NASCAR fans flocked to zMax Dragway to see what four-wide racing was all about.

For those at the track, the comments were almost all enthusiastic and positive.

Monday's final results from the inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway @ Concord. The race is the fourth of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series categories following the inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, the fourth of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -