Final round-by-round results from the 22nd annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Memphis Motorsports Park, the 21st of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

It was an accident which looked worse than the outcome, but had the potential to be devastating. The first Funny Car pair, a duel between veteran Ron Capps and Daniel Wilkerson, sucked the breath our of everyone in attendance at the NHRA Midsouth Nationals as Wilkerson veered across the centerline directly into the opposing wall.

Wilkerson knew he was going to hit the wall. He tightened his grip and held on the body separated from the chassis, nearly going over the wall.

“That was the hardest hit I have ever felt,” said the younger Wilkerson, who was able to climb from the remnants of the chassis under his own power. “I never want to hit anything that hard again.”

Former NHRA Pro Stock and Sport Compact racer Shaun Carlson died on Oct. 4. He was 35.  He had been diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, also known as Sudden Unexpected Death Syndrome (SUDS), a genetic disease that is characterized by abnormal electrocardiogram findings and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, but it is unknown whether that contributed to his death.

NHRA VP of Operations Graham Light and his staff will reevaluate the sanctioning body’s testing policy at the end of the season and determine whether adjustments will need to be made or if there is a need for one at all.

The NHRA banned testing at their national event facilities in 2008 after a nitro shortage and in 2009, limited the amount of testing a nitro team could make to four days. A test was anytime a nitro car ran outside of an NHRA Full Throttle event.

Questions regarding clarifications in the testing policy and race teams criticizing and pushing loopholes will send the NHRA back to the teams following the 2009 season to gauge interest in continuing the testing limitations for 2010.

Light believes for the most part, the policy has served its purpose but cautions the testing limits were never intended to be of benefit to sanctioning body.

In 2005, the inaugural year for the National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL), series president and CEO Kenny

Nowling knew he would have a tough time convincing racers based mostly in the Southeast and with no mathematical chance at a championship to make the long tow west to Kennedale, Texas, for the fledgling outfit’s season ender. So, he came up with the Speedtech Battle for the Belts, a unique playoff concept set this year for Oct. 23, opening day of the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, just south of Dallas.

During Saturday’s opening Pro Stock qualifying session at the NHRA Midsouth Nationals, Jeg Coughlin Jr. rolled to a stop in the Memphis Motorsports

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Park, the hood scoop on his Chevrolet Cobalt heavily damaged from an engine explosion.

Conspiracy theorists on message boards quickly went to work suggesting improprieties for the Jegs Mail Order team. The facts proved otherwise.

After a thorough inspection of the car’s engine, it was determined that a damaged rear stand rod failed on the hood scoop and jammed into the carburetor. The jammed carburetor caused the number six cylinder in the engine to go lean forcing the remaining seven to go rich.

Atco Raceway’s June NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event was forced to complete this weekend due to unfavorable weather conditions.  With two events on the divisional calendar, the track was able to give the fans a jam packed weekend with double the excitement. The Top Alcohol classes are now in the books which completes the first event.  New Jersey residents Richard Bourke of Old Tappan and Frank Manzo of Morganville, went rounds and picked up the wins.

Bourke was able to seize his first Top Alcohol Dragster win after a slow start to the season.  The No.3 qualifier laid down a 5.335 second, 266.69 mph pass which defeated the top qualifier John Finke of Selkirk, N.Y.  Finke has a sizable lead in division points and is likely to earn another Northeast championship.

The Top Alcohol Funny Car category was once again overpowered by Lucas Oil sponsored Manzo.  This marks his six divisional victory of the year and puts an exclamation point on his perfect season by receiving the most points possible on his score card. Manzo made his way out of the top qualifying position and posted a 5.558 second, 262.44 mph pass in the final.

The Connie Kalitta Roast for Charity went a long way to helping a worthwhile cause.

The roast, comprised of various Kalitta associates grilling the five-decade veteran drag racing icon, generated a $30,000 donation to Racers for Christ.

“It was cool to present them with that check,” said Jim Oberhofer, team manager for Kalitta Motorsports. “We exceeded our expectations. We wanted to get RFC at least $20,000.”

Persistent rain showers forced the NHRA to postpone the Midsouth Nationals in Memphis, Tenn., until Monday morning at 10 AM. Sportsman eliminations begin at 9:30.