NHRA and producers of the popular drag racing show Pinks®, Stephen Pullin and Jack Schaeffer, have agreed to create, develop and produce media properties including new racing competitions, new events and television programs.   The first project, NHRA Unleashed, will celebrate pure American horsepower in an interactive festival environment.

Pullin and Schaeffer’s Disrupt/ive Studios, and NHRA, will explore and develop innovative properties focused on wide open wheel-standing heads-up competition embracing the car enthusiast, the roots of NHRA.   NHRA Unleashed is the first of these properties, to be staged in 2010, in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio, and Gainesville, Fla.   A schedule of events is listed below.  The plan is to expand NHRA Unleashed to other premier drag racing facilities in the United States in 2011.

Pat Musi and Gary Densham are in the midst of what could be the closest War Stories Showdown battle of all time.

Gary Densham leads by a mere three votes in a battle that has see-sawed back and forth six times since Wednesday morning. The largest deficit has been a 14 vote lead by Densham last night at 8 PM. However, overnight voting has pulled the two closer together.

Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com believes in honoring drag racing’s milestones. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first official Pro Modified race sanctioned by the IHRA in March 1990.

Beginning Monday, January 11, we will honor the Top 20 Pro Modified drivers, two at a time.

Each week, Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com will select two drivers from a list compiled by a board of advisors knowledgeable on Pro Modified from the start.

This is the second major All-Time List Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com has undertaken. Three years ago, the popular electronic magazine listed the all-time Top 20 IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock drivers in celebration of the thirty year anniversary of that division.

Veteran motorsports industry insider Michael Knight has joined the expanding staff of Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com as a columnist.

Knight, a graduate of Temple University (1975), will bring his special style of motorsports commentary pertaining to the business aspects of drag racing to our faithful readers.  

“If you’ve ever listened to Michael’s radio show, you’ve probably heard his line that if you read good journalism, it will make you a better fan, and I think those words describe exactly our objective here at Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com,” said Bobby Bennett, publisher and editor. “When you look at the credentials he brings to the table, he’s another key addition to what I feel is the best team in drag race reporting.”

Hundreds of fans rang in the New Year in style enjoying the camaraderie of the John Force Racing Fan Cruise aboard the Carnival Elation cruise ship. Sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California fans enjoyed talking with all the drivers representing John Force Racing both in the scheduled Meet & Greets as well as casual meetings around the pool on the Lido Deck.

The entire stable of John Force Racing drivers was available throughout the cruise. On the first day at sea John Force, Mike Neff, Brittany Force and Courtney Force talked about the 2009 season as well as their goals and plans for 2010. Courtney and Brittany were repeatedly asked when they might move up to the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and both explained that school was their number one priority for now as well as continuing to develop their driving skills behind the wheel of their BrandSource backed Top Alcohol Dragsters.

AMSOIL will partner  with Popular Hot Rodding Magazine for the 2010 Engine Masters Challenge. The world’s most well-known engine building competition, the Engine Masters Challenge, selects the most prestigious engine builders from around the globe to participate in building the most powerful engine.  As title sponsor, AMSOIL lubricants will contribute greatly to the success of each engine.  This will be especially beneficial during the pre-event testing and tuning where engine wear occurs most.  AMSOIL participation ensures that all competitors who demand only the best in engine protection and power output are obliged.

The Southern California Drag Racing Series (SCEDA) is pleased to announce a marketing partnership with Calvert Racing Suspensions for the 2010 racing season. The SCEDA Series Stock - Super Stock Combo class will now be known as the Calvert Racing Suspension Stock – Super Stock Combo class effective at the series first event this year to be held at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, Calif., January 23rd and 24th.

SCEDA held an introductory running for Stock and Super Stock as one class at the series final event in 2009 to see if it would fit with their current bracket racing format.  The turnout was overwhelming, as nearly double the expected entries showed up to Fontana.  Due to the extreme interest, SCEDA decided to make the class a permanent addition in 2010.  Calvert Racing Suspensions noticed the excitement this new category created and decided to become the title rights sponsor.

The off-season has been one of uncertainty for Pro Stock driver Justin Humphreys.

Humphreys, who has competed in the NHRA Pro Stock ranks the past three seasons, was unsure of what direction he was headed going into 2010. Work had been done last year to develop plans for 2010, but those efforts had not proved fruitful.

“We had talked to the Doug Yates at Roush Yates Engines a few months ago and had a meeting with them. We thought we were going to move forward then, but it didn’t end up working out,” said Humphreys, who finished 17th in the point standings last year running a limited schedule. “We got to the point that we were debating on putting our own engine shop together and building our engines in-house. That wasn’t really something we wanted to get involved in.”

Master drag racing promoter Bill Doner pulled off a huge upset during the second round of the War Stories Showdown presented by Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com, as he knocked off the No. 1 seeded Billy Glidden.