Officials with Houston Raceway Park have announced a "$5 December to Remember" Ticket Payment Plan for drag racing fans planning on attending the 23rd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, which take place April 9-11.

During the month of December, race fans can purchase and print online, tickets for an initial $5 payment, per order, with a valid credit card. The balance of the ticket order will then be paid in three equal monthly installments leading up to the race.

"We want to extend to our fans during this Holiday season a great opportunity to give the gift of Full Throttle Drag Racing at Houston Raceway Park," said HRP General Manager Seth Angel. "This flexible payment plan spreads the cost of your Spring National ticket over a three-month period, making the purchase of event tickets easier to handle.

There’s no question Gordie Bonin left his mark on drag racing.

From 1972-81, the colorful Funny Car driver from Red Deer Alberta won his share of national events and he was constantly setting the miles-per-hour record, which prompted other drivers to give him the nickname “240 Gordie.”

These days, the 61-year-old Bonin no longer has his foot on the gas pedal as he just taking it easy.

“I wasn't doing anything (in terms of racing), I just go to a few races just to hang with old friends,” said Bonin, who is living in Deer Park, Wash., just north of Spokane. “I go to national events in Seattle, Las Vegas, Joliet, and Pomona  when I can; and hang with my old friends -  (John) Force, Cory Mac, Todd Okuhara, Cory's crew chief; the Pedregons; to name a few. These days it's all about visiting pals, on and off the track. I'm blessed to have had fans that have turned into good friends over the years; so there's always someone to visit with.

In the week leading up to the third annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories we will re-publish some of the finest moments from last two years competition. You'll hear some of the finest stories laid down in competition. The program works like this: 16 figures within the drag racing community are voted on by the readers of CompetitionPlus.com to determine who they feel could tell the best story. From that voting, an NHRA professional elimination ladder pairs the contestants and they battle it out until one is left.

Today's story comes from "Waterbed" Fred Miller, former marquee Blue Max crewman, a quarter-finalist in  last year's War Stories Showdown.

Mother Nature and the people of Southern California cooperated to make the 12th annual John Force Racing Holiday Car Show one of the biggest in the events history. Ominous clouds made brief appearances over the 14-time champion’s shop but a comfortable breeze was the only weather variance all day as thousands of toys were dropped off making a mountain of memories for children this Christmas season. From 10 a.m. until well after 4 p.m. today toys, stuffed animals and games poured into the John Force Racing shop as fans filled the streets. Tens of thousands of people wandered through one of the largest collections of vintage cars, trucks and street rods.

In addition to the hundreds of car club vehicles a number of specialty vehicles were on display including the Force Borthers “Nightstalker,” Funny Car which returned to competition this year in a one-off event at Norwalk, Ohio, plus Jay Leno’s 1955 Buick Roadmaster custom, a $2 million Bugatti Veyron, a collection of “monster rods” built from Peterbilt trucks and an historic Amphicar designed for road or water.

Sheikh Khalid Al Thani came into Round 2 of the Arabian Drag Racing League at the Qatar Race Club with nothing less than high expectations; and looking to put the Al-Anabi Racing Pro Extreme ’68 Camaro in the winner’s circle – regardless of the fact that it was only his second race at the controls of the near 4,000 horsepower hot rod.

“We had made such great gains in testing,” said Sheikh Khalid. “I knew a victory wasn’t out of the question; it wasn’t too much to expect.”

On Saturday, December 5th at the Auto Club Exhibit in the Los Angeles Convention Center’s Kentia Hall 2009 NHRA Funny Car World Champion Robert Hight along with teammates 14-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion John Force, Ashley Force Hood and Mike Neff signed autographs. The NHRA Funny Car foursome were the guests of the Automobile Club of Southern California. Robert Hight’s Ford Mustang is sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California and all John Force Racing teams carry the Auto Club logos.

In the week leading up to the third annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories we will re-publish some of the finest moments from last two years competition. You'll hear some of the finest stories laid down in competition. The program works like this: 16 figures within the drag racing community are voted on by the readers of CompetitionPlus.com to determine who they feel could tell the best story. From that voting, an NHRA professional elimination ladder pairs the contestants and they battle it out until one is left.

Today's story comes from Shirley Muldowney, a quarter-finalist in  last year's War Stories Showdown.

Originally published March 2003

We all take for granted that Pro Stock has been a simple formula. Today, those that participate in the class carry a common weight of 2,350 pounds in a two-door American made coupe no older than five years old with the source of motivation coming from an engine that displaces 500-cubic inches. Sounds pretty simple, huh? It has always been the nature of man to start with things in a difficult fashion and make it easier as knowledge and technology permit. Such was the case with NHRA Pro Stock as it took them nearly a decade to make the drag racing equivalent to NASCAR an easy proposition.

When the NHRA announced that they would be changing to a "mountain motor" format for the 1982 season, they were the last of the three major sanctioning bodies to abandon the small block Pro Stocks. The AHRA, whose rules had initially mirrored those of the NHRA inevitably allowed small blocks the use of nitrous oxide as they converted over to the mountain motor format a year prior to the NHRA's decision to abandon ship.

Although there is no racing, the month of December is still a busy one for Summit Racing teammates Greg Anderson and Jason Line, as they balance the demands of the holiday season with preparations for the upcoming campaign.  Since returning from Pomona two weeks ago where they capped off another solid season with their eighth win of the year, the KB Racing stable mates have been working non-stop in their shop in Mooresville, NC, looking to gain an edge on their competition.

However, on Tuesday, December 8, the two Pro Stock standouts will take time from their busy schedules to lend a hand to those in need, taking part in the 20th annual Stocks for Tots, signing autographs from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in downtown Mooresville.

In the week leading up to the third annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories we will re-publish some of the finest moments from last two years competition. You'll hear some of the finest stories laid down in competition. The program works like this: 16 figures within the drag racing community are voted on by the readers of CompetitionPlus.com to determine who they feel could tell the best story. From that voting, an NHRA professional elimination ladder pairs the contestants and they battle it out until one is left.

Today's story comes from Pat Musi, the iconic Pro Street pioneer and last year's runner-up War Stories Showdown. This story advanced Musi to the quarter-finals.