In the near twenty year history of Pro Modified drag racing, there has never been anything like this weekend's Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge at the NHRA Virginia Nationals. The stands were full and the fans stood and cheered as records were broken, re-broken, and broken yet again. Side-by-side runs in the 5.80's, nitrous cars blasting into uncharted territory, and a turbo-charged monster that sucked the wind from the sails of every other car with a 253.28 mph blast. In the end, Jay Payne defended his event title and won the Warrior and Mike Knowles who failed to even qualify walked away with an NHRA Wally.
 
In the three rounds of qualifying, the times improved with nearly every pass. At the end of round one, Roger Burgess was on top with a 5.936. In round two, Rick Stivers drove his Trane-backed Dodge Stratus to a 5.906 to hold the provisional top position overnight. By Saturday afternoon, the atmospheric racing conditions had improved remarkably, giving the final round of qualifying a boost that led to a flurry of record-setting times.
 

Terry Haddock is finished drag racing this season. One of his most successful seasons on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing has come to a halting conclusion not because he’s out of parts or operating capital.

Haddock is headed home because that’s where the NHRA is sending him.

Haddock was deemed to be in violation of a safety rule, one which mandates a valve cover restraint device must be in place. On Haddock’s engine, he uses titanium valve covers and the device is hinged and also prevents the launching of spark plugs from the engine.

Haddock explained, as he fought off the effects of pneumonia, “We were on our way up to the lanes to run this morning when we noticed one of the restraints had broken. We were in a panic just to make it to the line and we didn’t want there to be a second bye run in the first round. My guys asked me what to do and I told them to put one of those strong zip ties on it until we could make it back.”

Pro Stock driver Mike Edwards went wire-to-wire at the NHRA Virginia Nationals, earning the maximum 150 points, to all but clinch his first career NHRA Full Throttle Series world championship.

The other winners at the 22nd of 24 races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series were Del Worsham (Funny Car) and Brandon Bernstein (Top Fuel).

The NHRA Virginia Nationals is the fourth race in NHRA’s six-race playoff, the Countdown to 1. The playoff concludes with races in Las Vegas (Oct. 29-Nov. 1) and Pomona, Calif. (Nov. 12-15).

Edwards qualified No. 1, earned the maximum 12 per-session qualifying bonus points, and the 20-point bonus for setting the national record (6.509 seconds) to become the first driver to record the maximum 150 points at a single race.

Team owner John Force made a crew chief switch leading up to Richmond in an effort to strength his team’s chances of moving up in the points. For the rest of the season Ford Drive One crew chief John Medlen will be working with Force’s crew chief brain trust Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly. Mike Neff will once again take the reins of his Mustang as crew chief and driver. Earlier this year Neff raced to the final in Phoenix pulling double duty.

Final round-by-round results from the Fourth annual Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, the 22nd of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the Fourth annual Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, the 22nd of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -

Sunday's final results from the Fourth annual Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park. The race is the 22nd of 24 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

Larry Dixon is facing a prime opportunity.

As the fastest Top Fuel qualifier for the Virginia NHRA Nationals he gets a bye in the first round as there are only 15 dragsters in competition on Sunday.

With the bye, Dixon can throw caution to the wind and shoot for a national record.

“You know qualifying low here is a big deal with 15 cars entered,” confirmed Dixon. “You know, low qualifier gets a bye run and that's 20 points right there. We're gonna go up there and we still have an opportunity, along with a few other cars to set a record and a national record is worth a round of points.”

Dixon closed the gap between himself and Top Fuel points leader Tony Schumacher with his fourth straight No. 1 qualifier.

With each passing run the pacing got quicker, the tension stronger and the times quicker and quicker and quicker. The final round of Pro Stock qualifying for the NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park was turning into a real nail-biter and Mike Edwards had the last set of fingernails in the session.

As weather conditions went from good to better to best, Jack Beckman and a gaggle of other drivers watched in amazement as the Pro Stock ranks ripped through the air to quicker and quicker times. When it came his turn, Beckman turned up the wick to claim the pole spot in the NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

The bar was already high, thanks to Matt Hagan's third round neck choking 4.051 seconds, 309.49 mile per hour pass. Beckman answered the call with his own lung evacuating 4.044 second pass right after team mate Ron Capps went 4.046. When Tim Wilkerson couldn't deliver an 04 and Ashley Force Hood fell short with an 06, the top three spots were occupied by Beckman, Capps and Hagan – all three Schumacher Racing drivers.