Rockingham Dragway is among the most historic, revered venues in
American motor sports. It seems fitting that one of the most
hotly-contested seasons in IHRA history will come to a conclusion at
Steve Earwood’s quarter-mile strip in south-central North Carolina.
It’s also fitting that this season’s final race will be one of the
richest in drag racing history as over $2 million will be up for grabs
at the World Finals.

Undefeated on the dragstrip, Tony Schumacher was voted third-quarter Driver Of The Year 2008.

Schumacher won every NHRA POWERade Series event in the third
quarter, which ended Sept. 14. That included his 53rd victory, breaking
a tie for all-time Top Fuel wins with Joe Amato. It was his seventh
straight win and 12th of the year.

The 39-year-old known as "the Sarge" continues to lead the points standings.

"It's an honor to be singled out for this award," said U.S.
Army Top Fuel driver Schumacher. "Of course, I wouldn't be in the
position that I'm in right now if I didn't have the best team that's
ever been assembled in the history of the NHRA."

Barry Schmoyer, president of the Driver Of The Year
Foundation, said, "You have to salute a driver who was so consistent, a
consistent winner that is."

As another way for Motorcraft and Quick Lane
to raise awareness and funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
(JDRF), the two brands have placed the helmet and fire suit worn by Bob Tasca
III during the U.S. Nationals up for auction on eBay, and will donate all
proceeds earned from the auction to JDRF.

“With how much attention our
online design contest for Indy received, we wanted to keep that momentum going
by placing the suit and helmet that Bob wore during that weekend up for auction
to raise even more funds for JDRF,” said Al Giombetti, executive director, Ford
Customer Service Division. “With just a couple of days left on the auction,
we’re hoping that fans will help bid whatever they can to raise as much as
possible for JDRF.”

The NHRA's Countdown to 1 playoffs are all about timing and the way things are going for reigning series champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., the timing is perfect for his JEGS.com race team.

Coming off a runner-up finish Sunday in Dallas that vaulted him back
into the points lead for the first time since April, Coughlin is on an
incredible streak at the moment. It's the kind of run that wins
championships, and no one would know that better than Coughlin himself,
who has four world titles and 53 national event wins to his credit.

Reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion and current
points leader, Matt Smith is hoping that all of his tire issues from
Dallas are gone as he heads to Memphis Motorsports Park this weekend.

Smith alleges that he got a bad batch of tires in Texas. 

Smith,
who is normally among the quickest in 60 foot times, said he diagnosed
the problem but there was no time to remedy the situation in Dallas.

IHRA Pro Stock star pursuing NHRA Pro Stock aspirations full-time ...

Rob
Mansfield is leaving his longtime IHRA Pro Stock team owner Dingman
Racing in an attempt to pursue his NHRA aspirations with Wilson
Manifolds. 

Wilson Manifold partners Keith Wilson and Scott
Revell are pushing hard to put Mansfield behind the wheel of a third KB
Racing Pro Stock machine for the 2009 season.  Mansfield has already
demonstrated his abilities with two impressive appearances at the Indy
Nationals and again during the Southern Nationals at Concord, NC.

 When U.S. Army Top Fuel driver Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher glanced at the sports section of his local newspaper on Monday, he could not help but crack a smile at what he saw.

“Low and behold, there’s a big story on the front page about the New
England Patriots having their 21-game regular season winning streak
snapped by the Miami Dolphins,” he offered. “Needless to say, I could
immediately relate to how that team must be feeling.”

Of course, it’s been said time heals all wounds and Schumacher has
already moved well beyond the disappointment of seeing his seven-race
winning streak leveled by J.R. Todd at the Texas Motorplex last weekend.

The wait is almost over for the exciting season finale of the most
diverse Pro Modified organization anywhere. September 27 marks the
final stop on the 2008 tour, which will take place at Maryland
International Raceway, just outside Budds Creek, MD.

Point leader, Jeff Blasi, hopes to put a period on a stellar season at
the upcoming MIR meet. What started with Blasi’s first career Northeast
Outlaw win at Cecil County last July has turned into a solidly
consistent year for the New Jersey racer. Blasi drove his Mike
Hodges-built, Pat Musi-powered 63 Corvette to a win over the blown
Corvette of Bruce Mullins.

Blasi’s opposition will be fierce as the series meets at MIR on
September 27. Steve Cossis, who's fresh off an 1/8 mile win at Atco,
hopes for continued success at MIR this Saturday. Fred Scriba, Gary
Courtier, Marc Hayes, Milt Decker – not to mention Matt Deistch – who’s
currently second in points are just a few of the tough nitrous racers
who’s likely to attend the MIR event. Reports have surfaced that Team
Shafiroff with talented driver, Vinny Budano, are also planning to tow
their championship-winning Camaro to compete in this final event of the
season.

The invitations for the JEGS ProMod Challenge event that will take
place Oct. 10-12 during the NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia
Motorsports Park includes many of the top Pro Modified racers in the
country.

Past champions Josh Hernandez, Jay Payne, and Rickie Smith are arguably
the biggest stars on the roster, but a hungry group of JEGS ProMod
Challenge regulars as well as current IHRA points leader Kenny Lang are
sure to challenge for the trophy.

"The interest from drivers wishing to participate in this race was as
high as the U.S. Nationals," series organizers Troy Coughlin said. "It
was very tough to meet the NHRA requirement of just 20 entries, but we
did the best we could do. It's awesome to have so much interest in our
series, although it's tough to turn people away. Hopefully, moving
forward, we won’t have that problem. It's something we're working on
very hard.

Tickets for the NHRA Softball Classic are now for sale by calling Ticketmaster, 213-480-3232, or logging on to www.ie66ers.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The NHRA Softball Classic will be held Nov. 12 at Arrowhead
Credit Union Park in San Bernardino, Calif., home of the Inland Empire
66ers, the Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The first
attempt at the game, at the Reading Phillies' stadium in Pennsylvania, was rained out.