If at first you don’t succeed, try again.

That’s the mantra that defending War Stories Showdown runner-up Pat Musi was singing headed into this year’s competition. He’s halfway towards fulfilling his objective, and showing no signs of slowing down.

Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com, through the assistance of a key group of Pro Modified historians and enthusiasts, have compiled a list of the Top 20 all-time drivers based on their contribution to the class, historic achievements, statistics and fan appeal.

Starting on Friday, January 08, 2010, the electronic magazine began revealing those names on the list, and will announce two drivers per week, until the No. 1 driver is unveiled on Saturday, Mar. 13, during the ADRL Dragpalooza in Houston, Texas.

Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com narrowed the list from hundreds of drivers down to 19. Today, we reveal No. 19 on the list.

How should Super Chevy Show fans kick off the 30th anniversary season in 2010? By cruising, of course.

The 2010 Super Chevy Show series kicks off with the season opener at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 20-21. Cruisers from Los Angeles, however, will start the celebration a day earlier with the Original Parts Group "Cruise to Vegas" event on March 19.

Between 50-100 hot rods and specialty vehicles are expected to be joined by fans, vendors, sponsors and racers in a massive caravan that will travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to help kick off the official opening of the 30th anniversary season of the Super Chevy Show series.

For the next four weeks, CompetitionPlus.com will conduct its third annual War Stories Showdown. The veterans of yarn spinning are paired for what promises to be a series destined to produce the finest behind-the-scenes stories.

Here are the rules –

With his American-based team busy running below the national record back in the States, Sheikh Khalid Al Thani had a need for speed that required his attention back in Qatar.

Al Thani, also rookie Pro Extreme driver, concluded qualifying for Round 4 of the Arabian Drag Racing League as the No. 1 qualifier headed into tomorrow’s elimination rounds..

Led by 12-time NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion Frank “Ace” Manzo and chassis specialist Tim McAmis, Al Thani drove his way to the No. 1 spot with a 3.710-second, 207.59mph pass in Thursday’s final session.

As a result of a joint nationwide campaign between Valvoline® and NAPA AUTO PARTS to promote Valvoline's Engine Guarantee program, Jack Beckman will make his first of eight appearances around the country this year at the Gallatin, Tenn., NAPA store on January 18.

As part of the promotion, NAPA stores were asked in 2009 to dress up their stores with Valvoline logos and product and send in photographs of their displays. Each of the eight best displays won the opportunity to hold an in-store autograph session with Jack Beckman, driver of the Valvoline/MTS Dodge Funny Car in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

The Valvoline/MTS Dodge will be on display at the NAPA Auto and Truck Parts of Gallatin, 204 N. Locust Ave., in Gallatin, Tenn., while Beckman signs autographs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (local time).

Building on a successful 18-year relationship, Snap-on Tools announced today that it will be expanding its partnership with NHRA legend Cruz Pedregon.   In 2010, Snap-on will serve as the primary sponsor for Cruz’s NHRA Funny Car team.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Cruz Pedregon,” said Alicia Smales, vice president of marketing for Snap-on Tools.  “Cruz has been an outstanding ambassador for
Snap-on for the past 18 years and we look forward to another great season in 2010.  Whenever Cruz appears at a Snap-on function with our franchisees and customers, the feedback is phenomenal.  While expanding our relationship with Cruz, we will also continue our sponsorship of Cruz’s brother Tony and his Funny Car team.  We are excited to help both Cruz and Tony race for the Funny Car championship this year.”

NHRA officials, along with INEX, the international sanctioning body of Legend Cars manufactured by U.S. Legend Cars International (formerly 600 Racing, Inc.), announced the addition of rules allowing the Legend Cars to compete at NHRA member tracks across the country.

Over 5,000 Legend Cars, a Yamaha motorcycle-engine based small coupe or sedan bodied race cars, have been manufactured by U.S. Legend Cars International, a subsidiary of Speedway Motorsports, Inc.  The affordable vehicle, mostly found on short tracks around the country, will now have the opportunity to compete at NHRA’s 140 member tracks across the country.

With each passing season, the role Steve Gibbs plays in the drag racing world becomes more important. After 40 years, the veteran official is still an influential figure in the sport.

The 70-year-old served as the competition director for the NHRA from 1972-97, before being appointed to the post of vice-president of the NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, Calif. Additionally, Gibbs is a consultant to the NHRA. Gibbs also serves as a member of the Museum Board of Directors and of the NHRA Competition Committee.

If those tasks weren’t enough to keep Gibbs busy, he also virtually singlehandedly was responsible for starting an NHRA-sanctioned circuit for nostalgia racers, the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series.

Where did all the tracks go?

“I'm going where the weather's warm and the tracks are hot. It's a whole other thing out West. Compared to that, this is minor league.” - Beau Bridges as Connie Kalitta in the 1983 film, “Heart Like a Wheel.”
 
Yes, for drag racers, Southern California in the 1960s and '70s was truly the land of milk, honey and racing, with some two dozen drag strips built between 1950 and 1980. The crown jewels being Lions Dragstrip in Long Beach, Calif., Irwindale Raceway and the crème de la crème, Orange County International Raceway in Irvine.