Drag racing fans will get a double shot of nitro at zMAX Dragway in
2010 as the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns for two dates
at the Bellagio of drag strips.

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. officials announced today that the
premier drag racing facility will host two NHRA events next year. The
first will be held March 25-28 and the third annual NHRA Carolinas
Nationals is scheduled for Sept. 16-19. The addition of a second date
makes zMAX Dragway one of only three drag strips to host two NHRA Full
Throttle Drag Racing Series events.

"Bringing the NHRA back in March will be a terrific boost to the area
economy and an incredible kickoff to the 2010 event season for Lowe's
Motor Speedway," said Bruton Smith, chairman and chief executive
officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. "This will give hungry race fans
a double shot of the world's best drag racing at the world's finest
drag racing facility."

Ian Tocher/ADRL

Bubba
Corzine believes the same incident that caused so much controversy
between Extreme 10.5 racers Kenny Doak and Jason Wilson is likely to
happen again between other drivers this season.

That’s what the ADRL’s Competition Director told CompetitionPlus.com
Monday afternoon when asked about the incident in the shutdown area at
National Trail Raceway where the Mustang driven by Wilson snagged
Doak’s Chevelle’s wheelie bar with his parachute which reportedly
blossomed with a gust of wind as he turned off the track. Doak’s
Chevelle was unable to return to competition due to damage incurred as
a result of the incident.

Wilson contends that he was merely following a track official’s
instruction when the incident, unbeknownst to him, transpired. And,
according to a witness, Wilson was motioned forward with his parachute
tangled in Doak’s wheelie bars.

From
a completely revamped sportsman championship system to the redesign of
other thrilling sportsman programs, it is clear that sportsman racing
within the confines of the International Hot Rod Association is booming
like never before.

Of all the changes, however, the one that has produced the most
immediate results is the decision to include the two quickest and
fastest sportsman categories as a part of the professional rounds at
all IHRA Nitro Jam national events.

So before you get a chance to see 320 mile per hour dragsters and 240
mph doorslammers, you get to see some of the quickest and fastest
sportsman drivers on the planet running in Top Sportsman and Top
Dragster.

Frank Manzo put a cap on a perfect decade of racing at this weekend’s
Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway as he captured the Top
Alcohol Funny Car crown for the tenth year in a row.  Manzo,
Morganville, N.J., used a holeshot starting line advantage in holding
off the hard charging Marc White, Glendale Hts., Ill., in his Lucas Oil
Monte Carlo Funny Car with a pass of 5.604 seconds at 257.04 mph to
White’s 5.593, 257.04.

In the Top Alcohol Dragster class it was Duane Shields, Boulder City,
Nev., picking up his third national event win of the year as he out ran
defending event champion Mike Lewis with a 5.333 second 259.91 mph lap
down the quarter mile.   Shields qualified sixth and ran a string of
5.30’s and a 5.20 on his way to the win.

It
is a date that struck the lives of every citizen in the United States
and will always be remembered with sorrow. In the years since that
terrible day, memories have faded and lives have gone on, but as a
nation it is a date that will forever live in infamy.

In an effort to honor those who gave everything during that tragic day,
the team at the International Hot Rod Association and New England
Dragway would like to take the opportunity to thank the men and women
who continue to unselfishly give of themselves day in and day out and
help keep this great nation safe during “Freedom Friday” on Friday,
September 11th at the IHRA Amalie Oil North American Nationals
presented by Dodge at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.

CompetitionPlus.com has a page on FACEBOOK and by becoming a fan of our e-zine you can get daily updates on the latest breaking news.

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CompetitionPlus.com Publisher/Editor Bobby Bennett Featured Among Roundtable Journalists ...

Ashley
Force Hood, one of America’s most popular drivers and a top contender
for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship,
will be the Newsmaker of the Week on The Race Reporters radio show,
Wednesday, August 26, 7 p.m. EDT, on www.PowerUpChannel.com .

Force Hood has one win this season and is third in points. Driving the
Castrol GTX Ford Mustang for the team owned by her father, 14-time
titlist John Force, she has advanced to six final rounds. She earned
her fifth No. 1 qualifying spot of the season last weekend at Maple
Grove Raceway despite a major engine explosion that meant Force had to
race a backup Mustang. Last year, Ashley became the first female driver
to win an NHRA Funny Car event, when she defeated her father at Atlanta
Dragway. She was NHRA’s top rookie in 2007.

John Force was the Newsmaker guest on the debut episode of The Race Reporters last June.  

Nick Jackson understands that a 1941 Willys is not exactly a prototypical car when it comes to ADRL Extreme 10.5 competition. And, he’s okay with that.

As long as he can play the game, have fun, and maintain a reasonable amount of competitiveness, he’s a happy camper.

“I love the Willys body style and I also prefer the small block
Chevrolet engine combination,” said Jackson. “I figured
that there's no way I could even have a slight chance of competing with
the faster guys with the little small block so I figured the best
chance I had to at least qualify and be part of the program was to put
in some small tires and see if I could get them worked out.”

Jimmy Hoberg walked to the starting line at National Trail Raceway  Saturday afternoon during the ADRL Ohio Drags in Columbus, Ohio. This time last year, that simple
action, for the track's regular starter, would have been a non-story.

On this day just walking was an accomplishment. Walking at National Trail Raceway was the icing on the cake.

“It was great,” said Hoberg, choking back the tears and apologizing for getting emotional.

Hoberg was driving in Columbus two weeks before Christmas when a
reckless driver ran a red-light, t-boning his work truck while
traveling at an estimated 120 miles per hour. Hoberg was the fourth car
through the intersection.

Via ESPN2

After a sideways run down a weeping racetrack Warren Johnson sounded off, loudly.

In an interview with Gary Gerould of ESPN2, Johnson let loose his two
cents worth and then some.  Gerould asked Johnson about the Maple Grove
track surface and that opened the flood gates.

“This has been a long time problem,” Johnson said to Gerould during
Sunday evening’s broadcast. “It’s probably manifested itself worse in
the last few years simply from the fact the NHRA hasn’t been paying due
diligence to what they should be doing instead of just scalping the
spectators.