According to one man, answers are needed.

It was answers which saved John Force's life following his horrific crash at the Texas Motorplex, two years ago. It was answers that saved Bob Tasca's life Saturday afternoon at the NHRA Carolina's Nationals, just one week ago. Answers to why Eric Medlen died while testing his Funny Car at Gainesville.

At first glance there are a lot of names that stand out entering the 2009 version of the Elite 8 Pro Stock Shootout.

Drivers such as Frank Gugliotta, John Montecalvo and Pete Berner top that list, while even some lesser known drivers such as rookie Mark Martino, Elite Motorsports headman Richard Freeman, most recent race winner Bob Bertsch and surprise standout Cary Goforth can make a case for why they should be considered a favorite entering the $40,000 shootout this weekend at the IHRA President’s Cup Nationals at Maryland International Raceway.

The road has been both smooth and rocky at times, but for IHRA Pro Stock racer Robert Patrick, plans to run the quarter-mile stretch at Maryland International Raceway [MIR] one last time with a mountain motor.

This weekend’s IHRA President’s Cup Nationals in Budds Creek, Md., represents the final event in which the former world champion from Fredericksburg, Va., will race a mountain motor Pro Stocker in the quarter-mile.

Twice on Friday during the NHRA Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas, Eddie Krawiec lined up opposite Hector Arana and twice he had the quicker bike. The reward is six bonus points courtesy of NHRA's new qualifying point system.

“It's good to go out there and run with him. I think the weather came to our setup. It benefited me.”

Weather or not, running quickest in both rounds of qualifying was according to Krawiec, “Huge.

Mike Edwards continues to prove he has the stoutest engines among the Pro Stock contingent. Edwards turned in back to back 6.599 and 6.597-second runs in the two qualifying sessions for the O'Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex.

Edwards picked up the maximum qualifying points, six, while his competition, led by Jason Line and Jegs Coughlin picked up the dregs.

No one gets eliminated, however Larry Dixon agrees the new qualifying points have morphed qualifying into another form of racing.

“No question about it,” said Dixon. “If your competitors take those 12 points from you – that's a half a round of racing. You have to be conscious of it and you need to know what's going on and grab some if you can.”

Running well, qualifying well and finishing well were all on Robert Hight's to do list back in January. Fortunately, he's getting around to doing all three at just the right time, even if it is at the last moment.

“People have been joking with me saying , 'You've sandbagged all year.' That's not the approach we took, trust me. I would have loved to have had this a lot sooner. But, we're definitely going to take it now that we've got it.”

All the elements are in Ennis, Texas for Swiss Top Fuel driver Urs Erbacher: "nice weather, nice people, good track." Oh -- and a goal to "win the Wally, be the first European" to do so. The four-time European (FIA) champion rejoins the NHRA circuit in the state where he made a spectacular first-round appearance earlier this season. At Houston, against Larry Dixon in the opposite lane, Erbacher rode out a huge explosion that threw shrapnel higher than the three-story tower and was unhurt as he stopped the car safely. He's back in the Wayne Dupuy-tuned Midland Oil/SCS Procurement Services/Johnny Bang's Bang & Bump Shop Dragster, but it naturally is a rebuilt car with new sections of the chassis.

When it comes to winning races, signing autographs and living the life of a celebrity, Top Fuel driver Bruce Litton is just fine with the attention he receives on the weekends.

After all, with a lucrative sponsor in Lucas Oil and a job that allows him to drive over 300 miles per hour and get paid doing it, what is not to like about living the life of a professional race car driver?

But that is not what drives Bruce Litton.

What drives Litton is something that runs much deeper than just racing, it goes beyond all of the fame and fortunate associated with being one of the best Top Fuel drivers in the sport today.

Landing on the bump spot might sound troublesome to most drivers, and it is to Pro Stock's Matt Hartford, too. He wants to make good use of the two qualifying sessions left to him Saturday, for 17 cars are vying for just 16 positions during the NHRA Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas, located outside of Dallas.
 
However, his performance was pretty memorable, considering that he learned only at 12:45 Monday afternoon that he would be racing Kenny Koretsky's NitroFish Ultimate Gear Dodge this weekend.