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.

Attitude's CompetitionPlus.com has received these sneak peek renderings of the new two car Pro Stock team for Johnny and Shane Gray. The father and son duo will run a pair of Pontiac GXP's powered by engines from their new Gray Motorsports in-house engine program headed by Joe Hornick.

DSR Funny Car driver Ron Capps jumped to the top of the testing at Palm Beach International Raceway with a 4.09, 306 elapsed time. Each of his quick runs were abandoned at a little over 800 feet. DSR teammate Matt Hagan also ran a 4.09 but was a few thousandths short of the quickest run. Jack Beckman had a 4.10 while Kalitta Motorsports driver Jeff Arend had a 4.15 best.

Coming into the halfway point of the 2009/2010 Arabian Drag Racing League season, the Barwa Racing Pro Extreme Team, led by veteran crew chief Howard Moon and driver Von Smith, know that its time to make a move, and keep their hopes at a second consecutive Arabian Drag Racing League Pro Extreme world championship alive.

With an ever-positive outlook and unquestionable ability, Moon, Howard and the Barwa-backed team are anxious to get back onto the eighth-mile proving grounds at the Qatar Race Club and do what they do best – win.

During the recently completed Round 3 of competition in the ADRL, the first of a three-race stretch of races on back to back weekends, Smith found himself on the wrong side of a holeshot against fellow American driver Alex Hossler and in the second-place spot on the podium; most definitely an unusual position for the 2008/2009 champion.