Pro Stock racer Larry Morgan should have known when he won on the slot machine Saturday night that Lady Luck had something in store for him at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals.

Morgan was waiting on his wife to return from their room, before they headed out to a Vegas show, and before she stepped out of the elevator, Morgan’s $1 investment turned into a $1,200 payday.

“I felt relaxed at that point and believed that maybe this was going to be my weekend,” Morgan said. “I’m not allowed to do that and she took half of that money right then. I got to keep the rest.”

But how many could identify his accomplices? Let's see . . . James Ward, Richard Mauzy, Jeff Weddle, Cody Ulsch, Brian Mobley . . . Oh, and special gang members Brian Weddle, Mike Weddle, J.C. Gloyd, Jim Gloyd, Drew Smith, and Robbie Long.
 
Nah -- we're not talking about the notorious gangster John Dillinger. This is John "Pops" Dillinger. The others were key witnesses and collaborators Sunday as show-stealer Chuck Ulsch stormed into Orlando Speed World Dragway, roughed up the Mickey Thompson Outlaw 10.5 class with a World Street Nationals victory, and made off with more than $10,000.
 
Ulsch, who has made Gil Mobley Motorsports' '02 Camaro just about the Most Wanted ride in street-legal racing, swiped top-qualifier honors, as well, with a 6.450-second elapsed time at 224.62 mph. That stuffed another $1,000 in his pocket. Ulsch raked in an additional $1,000 for the "Celan Sweep Award," for he also set low E.T. with his qualifying time.

A spectacular season of racing in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare RX ended Sunday with Jay Payne winning the final event of the 2009 season at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The event, the 10th of 10 on the 2009 NHRA Pro Mod calendar, put the finishing touches on a record-setting season that saw the all-time Pro Mod record book undergo a complete re-write.

Payne ended the season, the ninth year of NHRA Pro Mod competition, with a final-round win over Brad Personett, who red-lighted after a lengthy burn-down. It was Payne's second straight win in the series, coming three weeks after his  victory at the super-quick Richmond event.

What began as an exhibition in 2001 has become a full-fledged series for 2010, it was announced today by NHRA.  Made possible by funding from Pro Care Rx and its current Get Screened America initiative, the 2010 NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will compete at 10 NHRA Full Throttle Series events and be televised on a tape-delay basis on ESPN2.

“We have been conducting Pro Mod exhibitions for quite some time,” said Tom Compton, president, NHRA.  “Clearly they bring entertainment value to our fans and we believe now is the time to highlight this popular form of drag racing.  Now, competitors can race for the coveted Wally trophy and an NHRA world championship title.”

Final round-by-round results from the Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 23rd of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Sunday's final results from the Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the 23rd of 24 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Robert Hight raced to his third victory of the season Sunday at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals and is on the verge of winning his first Funny Car world championship crown.

Spencer Massey, Larry Morgan and Andrew Hines also were winners of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race is the fifth of six events in the Countdown to 1, NHRA’s championship playoffs.

Hight beat second place driver and teammate Ashley Force Hood in the first round of eliminations and then pulled out a very close final round victory over Jack Beckman to take a 105-point lead in the standings.

“It’s amazing what a win can do and get that confidence back,” said Hight, who powered his Auto Club Ford Mustang to a performance of 4.125 seconds at 304.46 to edge Beckman’s Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger at the finish line, which trailed with a 4.154 at 303.16. It was Hight's 14th career victory and his second at this track.

Ask any racer, and those that are honest will admit that while drag racing may be addictive, winning makes it even more so.  Guys like Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson, who has a house full of NHRA national event trophies interspersed with the occasional POWERade Series championship gold, know what it’s like to win.  With winning comes losing.  It’s just the natural order of things.  But, it’s how you handle those losses that will ultimately determine your reputation.  Throwing your helmet, for example, is not the way you ingratiate yourself to your fans and sponsors.

Anderson has had, by almost any standards, a very good season in 2009.  He’s won some races – and that’s more than a lot of other drivers can say – but he’s lost some, too.

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the 23rd of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -

Talented motorsports photographer Chris Simmons captured the violence of Brad Brand's broken windshield during Sunday's first round action at the World Street Nationals in Orlando, Fla.

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