In a upwardly spiking movement that defies current trends in drag racing participation -- and the economy in general -- officials for the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series are reporting a record number of AA/Funny Cars at this weekends 18th California Hot Rod Reunion at Famoso Raceway, just north of Bakersfield.

When time trials for the vintage nitro-burning coupes begin on Saturday at 4 pm, as many as thirty-two machines will take to the track to will vie for a mere eight spots, with these quickest contestants participating in Sunday’s final showdown.  Indeed, qualifying for the last race this year in the NHRA Heritage Points Series promises to be ruthless, with a legion of fuel floppers duking it out in a field defined by quality as well as quantity. Among those entered: Heritage Series Points Leader, Garrett Bateman in the stout Plueger & Gyger Mustang; 2009 March Meet champ Bucky Austin and his vintage Northwest Hitter machine;  Kris Krabill in bicycle magnate Gary Turner’s Pedaler; Mark Sanders’ Mr. Explosive Nova, and AA/Funny Car’s mistress of the motorway, Mendy “Nitro Kitty” Fry.  In addition to those stalwarts, former NHRA Funny Car champ Cruz Pedregon will debut his just-finished Joe Pisano ‘77 Arrow tribute funny car.

Former IHRA Pro Stock champion turned NHRA Pro Stock regular Steve Spiess will race the final two events of 2009 with help from Billet Specialties, a company that specializes in custom wheels and hot rod accessories.

According to their website [www.billetspecialties.com], Billet Specialties carries over 600 accessory products and 90 plus wheel styles. Billet Specialties boasts a diverse product line and and one that's growing daily. Billet Specialties has produced wheels, interior, exterior and engine dress up accessories to enthusiasts since 1985.

Allen Johnson’s new Dodge Avenger is at the paint shop and once it emerges, the Pro Stock driver believes they will have a car capable of showcasing their horsepower.

“They plan to unveil it at the SEMA show,” said Johnson. “It’s a different look and I believe it will be a little better than the Stratus.”

Industry leader Lucas Oil Products has assumed title sponsorship of the popular Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge, the charity event that pits NASCAR pros against NHRA drivers to raise money for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project.

The fifth annual Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering will be staged Jan. 8-10 at the Olympic course on historic Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y. The brainchild of NASCAR legend Geoff Bodine, the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project is a collaborative effort between Bodine and Chassis Dynamics to make the best bobsleds in the world for U.S. athletes.

NMCA Pro Street racer Troy Coughlin enters this weekend's season-ending Nitto Tire World Finals at Memphis Motorsports Park with a chance to realize a dream that's been dancing through his head for three decades.

The task seems easy enough. All the 45-year-old Coughlin needs to do to secure the first national championship of his illustrious career is qualify his JEGS.com Pontiac GXP for the final event of the National Muscle Car Association's 2009 season.

With just two races remaining in the Pacific Street Car Association’s 2009 season, Randy Walker is rolling into Las Vegas with just one thing on his mind: maintaining his stranglehold on the Hughes Performance Pro Street points standings.

After dominating the category all season, Walker enters the PSCA Mickey Thompson Tires Fall Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a 270-point lead over second place Tim Henry. The lead is nearly insurmountable, but Walker and crew have no plans to ease into the end of the season.

The life of the Buell motorcycle in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle is seven years, at most. That is if a team or rider wants to compete on a platform that will grow more outdated with each subsequent season, unless the NHRA allows advancement of a brand no longer being manufactured.

The death watch on the Buell started today when Harley-Davidson announced the company was “dropping the line”.

According to a company press release, sluggish third quarter sales and the decision to focus all available resources toward the health of the Harley-Davidson brand led to the decision to cease manufacturing the Buell.

The electric bill at Billy Glidden’s Whiteland, Ind., shop is bound to be a little higher than usual next month and with good reason.

Glidden believes he and wife Shannon have logged nearly 18 – 22 hour days since leaving Rockingham last month in preparation for next weekend’s ADRL Len-Mar World Finals at the Texas Motorplex.

The defending ADRL Extreme 10.5 champion understands the challenge he faces in defending his title and believes this kind of effort in shop time and attention to detail is what it’s going to take if he hopes to have even a modicum of a chance.

Dave Hance characterizes Old Bridge Raceway Park, as a track that is a blue blood, dyed-in-wool quarter-mile facility. That’s why the veteran promoter of the ultra successful Shakedown at E’town figured that his efforts are best served by spoon-feeding his doorslammer-hungry customers a sampling of racing 660-foot in one, anything goes category.

“The fans will get to see professional doorslammer car racing to the eighth-mile and won’t know what to expect,” said Hance, also a participant in this weekend’s event. “We are happy to introduce eighth-mile to this crowd and we’re curious to see how they are going to respond to it.”

The threat of rain and cool conditions has prompted Shakedown At E'town race officials to postpone this weekend's event at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, until November 6 - 8, 2009.

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