Blown Pro Mod racer Scott Filkins emerged uninjured after a second session qualifying accident.

Filkins crashed his 2006 Pontiac GTO into the right guard wall just
past the finish line. He crawled out of the car and walked away under
his own power.

Watch the video.

Bobby Martindale, 65, of Glen Allen, Va.,
suffered fatal injuries in a high-speed racing accident Saturday during
the NHRA Southeast Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race.  Preliminary
reports are that his Top Alcohol Funny Car experienced engine failure
and continued down the racetrack at a high rate of speed.

SCOTT CANNON JR. THUNDERS TO QUICKEST & FASTEST ABSOLUTE DOORSLAMMER PASS; HALSEY RUNS FIRST NITROUS “FIVE”

No performance barrier was safe from the assault of over 100 ferocious doorslammers during qualifying at the 6th annual Al Anabi Shakedown at E’town presented by Speedtech Nitrous in Englishtown, N.J.

On two occasions the performance barriers for doorslammers, regardless
of classification, and of the nitrous-injected variety created drag
racing history.

ADRL
VP of Competition “Bubba” Corzine expects the ADRL’s new test-n-tune
schedule will make Friday afternoon more predictable and less stressful
for ADRL race teams.

Nobody likes waiting in line only
to be told time’s up before it’s their turn at the front.
Unfortunately, that’s happened during Friday-afternoon’s test-n-tune
sessions at the last couple of national events staged by the Flowmaster
American Drag Racing League (ADRL) presented by the National Guard. The
staging lanes have been crowded with racers from all four ADRL pro
classes when the inevitable cut-off finally comes in order to start the
opening round of qualifying on time.

So, ADRL Vice President of Competition “Bubba” Corzine is instituting a
change for the 4th annual LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals
scheduled for Oct. 24-25 at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. He
expects the change will speed up the process and reduce the number of
teams affected when the lanes close to testing.

At
its annual National Event Track Operators meeting on Tuesday, September
30, the  President of the International Hot Rod Association Aaron
Polburn recognized Rockingham Dragway owner Steve Earwood as its
“Promoter of the Year ” for 2008.

On presenting the award, Polburn said, “as a former track owner and
promoter of indoor motorsports events, promotions and press relations
are very close to me. I realize the constant effort it takes to
publicize our business.  Earwood is certainly deserving of this award
that recognizes his success at promoting our events”.

Team Mopar® motorsports coverage “with an attitude” will premiere next
week on MavTV, courtesy of SpeedFreaks®. The first half-hour of
SpeedFreaks’ new “reality” motorsports program is scheduled to air on
the MavTV cable and satellite network (U.S., Canada and the U.K.) on
Monday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m., prior to the kick-off of Monday Night
Football (check local cable or satellite provider for MavTV in your
area). Immediately following the MavTV network debut, the entire
SpeedFreaks “webisode” will be exclusively available for download at
www.MavTV.com on the SpeedFreaks page.

A new Mopar-centric SpeedFreaks webisode will launch each Monday at 8
p.m. for five consecutive weeks starting with the inaugural MavTV
network broadcast. The SpeedFreaks trio of Kenny Sargent, Crash Gladys
and Statt Mann Caruthers will document Team Mopar drivers both at and
away from the track to give fans a unique “peak behind the curtains”
look at the life of a Mopar-powered race car driver.

If ever a racer saved his best for last, Ronnie Gardner's performance at Thursday's Big Dog shoot-out would be hard to top. Held
monthly at Piedmont Dragway, the October 2 event was the season-ending
gathering, and also the decider of the Big Dog Championship. Ronnie
Gardner arrived at the Julian, NC facility with a 42 point lead over
Jason Harris, a 2-time event winner in this his rookie season with the
series. After qualifying, Gardner's point lead was extended to 48, but
still hadn't clinched the championship. Harris could still
mathematically pull off a tremendous upset, if he won the event and if
Gardner lost in round one.

The first three races of the six-event NHRA Countdown to 1 championship playoffs have produced three different winners in

The
victory at Memphis gave Mike Edwards his sixth multi-win season, and
with a top-10 finish already in the bank, the 1981 NHRA Modified
champion is now working toward his fifth career top-five finish.

the
Pro Stock category and added some extra spice to the 2008 POWERade
title chase. The three Pontiac GXP drivers that have shaken things up
in the factory hot rod category, Justin Humphreys, Greg Stanfield and
Mike Edwards, have the front runners looking back over their shoulders
and straining to see what might be coming next.

Mike Edwards is the series' most recent Pro Stock winner. The strong,
consistent performance of Edwards' Penhall/Young Life Pontiac at the
21st annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals has breathed new life into the
native Oklahoman's championship hopes. The victory at Memphis gave
Edwards his sixth multi-win season, and with a top-10 finish already in
the bank, the 1981 NHRA Modified champion is now working toward his
fifth career top-five finish.

The Aero Jet Nitro Funny Car Finals will be held October 25th 2008 at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler Arizona. This event
will feature over 16 Blown Nitro Funny Cars from the Nitro Funny Car
Association competing in a Chicago Style format for a record purse of
$42,000.00, and a 16 car field of Blown Alcohol Funny Cars from the
California Independent Funny Car Association. There will also be a
field of A Fuel Front Engine Dragsters and Jet Cars to round out this
historic show.

Big Daddy Don Garlits will appear at the traditional event ...

Henderson, North Carolina will once again open its streets for classic hot rods, muscle cars, nostalgia drag machines, and restored
antiques, during the weekend of October 17 - 19, 2008. The seventh
annual East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame gathering is hosted by the
Vance Country Tourism Board and under the guidance of Director/Promoter
Nancy Wilson.

The event has grown in size and stature to become one of the east
coast’s premier attractions for the performance enthusiast. It’s a
three day gathering that will draw an estimated 1,700 entries, some for
Show & Shine and others from drag racing’s golden years.

East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame gathering turns the main avenue and
surrounding side streets of downtown Henderson into a giant pedestrian
mall as one vehicle after another stands proud for all to see.