Kurt Johnson plans to spend a few days enjoying Thanksgiving with his family and neighbors, but come Monday the veteran Pro Stock driver plans to be back in the shop working the dyno and tweaking engines for 2010. Those are the plans he revealed while a guest Tuesday evening on Joe Castello’s WFO Radio show.

Earlier the same day, Johnson’s sponsor of 14 years, ACDelco, announced the end of their sponsorship program. The 39-time NHRA Pro Stock winner confirmed that he’s got his work cut out for him if he hopes to race.

They were once heated rivals in the Pro Street movement of the 1990s.

In the years that have passed, the animosity between Pat Musi and Tony Christian might have appeared to settle. Ask either one and they’ll tell you that is just wishful thinking.

The rivalry, which has been in mothballs, is on again and if the two of them have their way, this one will be settled on the drag strip, again.

After a decade long absence from the Sunshine State, the IHRA will make its long awaited return to Florida for the inaugural Palm Beach Nitro Jam January 29-30 at Palm Beach International Raceway.

Tickets for the two-day event will go on sale Friday at www.nitrojam.com.

Fans can beat the holiday rush and grab the best seats in the house or pick up the perfect gift for a loved one by logging on today.

Rodger Brogdon knew the start of the 2009 season would be a challenge. The Houston, Tex.-based Pro Stock driver was willing to make the sacrifices for a late season payoff.

Almost two weeks following the final race of the 2009 season, Brogdon is right where he wants to be, in contention for the 2010 championship.

“We’re excited by our performance since Indy and certainly looking forward to next year,” Brogdon said. “We’ve got a new Jerry Haas Pontiac coming and it’s a car that will include some Tommy Utt engineering. Tommy’s had some things he’s wanted to try chassis wise and with the new car being built specifically to fit me, we felt it was a perfect opportunity to put his ideas to work. Basically, if Tommy wants it, this car will have it.”

With the Christmas season rapidly approaching, those looking to get the perfect gift for the drag racing fan in the house doesn’t have to go far.
 
Maple Grove Raceway is once again offering gift certificates in $25 denominations. These certificates can be used toward the purchase of tickets for any Maple Grove event. They can also be applied toward race entry fees or track souvenirs.

NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock driver Kurt Johnson will appear on WFO Radio NHRA Tuesday with Joe Castello, 7 - 8 pm ET, 4 - 5 pm PT.

Second annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Champion John Force issued a warning last year during his acceptance speech.

“I’m coming back and I’m bringing Louie with me,” Force vowed.

Louie Force became the first official entrant into the third annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Showdown, an invitational only event which pits drag racing’s best storytellers head-to-head in a four week competition.

The fourteen-time champion NHRA Funny Car champion Force is not allowed to compete since rules prohibit participation following a win.

Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Steve Gasparrelli admits during his first round race at the NHRA Auto Club Finals that he didn’t have a clue what was going on when his Mustang flopper crashed suddenly and unexpectedly.

The West Covina, Ca.-based racer was along for the ride when his entry broke an oil line and abruptly turned right into the opposite lane taking out an ESPN2 camera before striking the guardwall and coming to a stop with the throttle hung open and the car upside down.

“When the car took off, it was just like a normal run and then all of a sudden the ass-end came around,” Gasparrelli explained. “I was out of the throttle as soon as it came around and I figured the car had broken something. I had never experienced a car turning right that quickly before.”

NHRA officials released its 2010 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series schedule today, which features 43 events, with a minimum of five races conducted in each of NHRA’s seven divisions.

The 2010 schedule also includes the addition of a new event May 15-17 at Tulsa Raceway Park in Tulsa, Okla. in the South Central Division.

NHRA Lucas Oil Series drivers in seven categories compete for valuable points leading to divisional and national championships and a share of the $561,000 purse.  The series also includes three sportsman-focused national events: the Jegs NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals in Belle Rose, La.; the Jegs NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals in Fontana, Calif.; and the Jegs NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus, Ohio.

It's been an outstanding run for both veteran NHRA Pro Stock driver Kurt Johnson and ACDelco, but after 14 race seasons, the sponsor-partnership that together produced 34 national-event victories, 10 top-five points finishes and a countless number of memorable moments, came to a close at the end of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle race season. It marks the conclusion of one of the longest-running sponsorships in NHRA Drag Racing, dating all the way back to 1996 when Johnson first competed in the Delco Freedom Batteries car.