NHRA will now offer four qualifying sessions at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Performance on May 17-19, thus decreasing the number of the three-session events on the schedule to six. The NHRA reduced the number of qualifying sessions to three at select events following the pandemic-raged 2020 season. 

The four qualifying sessions adds an extra run on Friday, where race fans will also witness the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday. Friday’s qualifying sessions are scheduled for 2:30 and 5 p.m. CT with the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, at 11:40 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. CT. Eliminations begin at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, May 19.

Drag racing has lost a friend.

The Famoso Dragstrip social media confirmed today the passing of John Bowser. Bowser had been fighting an illness. He was 81. 

"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of John Bowser’s passing. John, the beloved president of Famoso Dragstrip, was a pillar of the racing community and loved by many," the post read.

There's a lot to be said for being content in life, and there's even more to be said for being content in drag racing. 

Make no mistake about it: Tayler Chomiski is precisely where he wants to be in drag racing. Comp Eliminator is definitely his playground. 

"I had big dreams and tried to put some proposals together a few years ago to step up, but the way Pro Stock has changed, my dad and I couldn't build the engines or have the resources to be able to do it," Tayler said. "It's just a really hard game. So what we're doing now, we're competitive, we're having fun. This is the best racing, probably you can rival any era of Comp. 

PEAK Antifreeze knows a good thing when they see it. And as thousands of race fans will attest, Drag Race Bracket Bonanza (DRBB), the first dynamic bracket competition for drag racing fans, is definitely a good thing. 

This being said, PEAK Antifreeze, one of the country’s most prominent motorsports sponsors and a leader in the antifreeze and coolant industry, has been named the presenting sponsor for DRBB during the Route 66 Nationals. 

PEAK will be prominently branded across all Drag Race Bracket Bonanza social media platforms as well as their website leading up to and during the Route 66 Nationals, which takes place May 19-21 at Chicago’s Route 66 Raceway, 

Even the most seasoned of teams can get a sweet tooth.

At the upcoming Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals, May 17-19 at Route 66 Raceway outside of Chicago, that penchant for candy will be on full display as Jim Dunn Racing and rookie Funny Car driver Buddy Hull will debut the new-look Sweet Classics nitro Funny Car. In addition to on-track activation, Hull will make a pre-race appearance at a local Menards on Thursday night.

Smokies Garage has made a hobby out of specializing in custom race vehicles, hot rods, and motorcycles, which makes it a no-brainer for their name to be on the title rights of the PDRA American Doorslammer Challenge, May 23-25 at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. This event marks the third of eight points-earning races on the 2024 Red Line Oil PDRA Drag Racing Series schedule. 
 
“Mike Clark and the Smokies Garage team have become a special part of the PDRA family over the last few seasons,” said Will Smith, marketing director, PDRA. “The Smokies Garage team always rolls into the track with one of the nicest setups in the pits. They’re a family-based group dedicated to performing well but also looking good and having fun while they’re at it, which fits right in at the PDRA. We appreciate Mike and his group supporting the series and the American Doorslammer Challenge.”

This is the story of a man who, every time he went to the dragstrip, was like a kid in a candy store, and his wife ended up with the same sweet tooth. They also made acquaintance in stacking at an NHRA national event and became partners in the two-car NHRA Competition Eliminator team. 

The story of Andrew Moeck, his wife Melissa Murphy, and driver Allen Wilson is both entertaining and inspirational. 

Murphy, a freshman drag racer and driver of a B/Dragster Automatic entry, said her husband is her 52-year-old child, and his youthful enthusiasm created this story. 

For NHRA, their Become A Racer program is about making the path to becoming a drag racer easier. 

NHRA’s “Become a Racer” program extends an accessible and affordable path for individuals to engage with drag racing at NHRA Member Tracks across North America. The Street Legal program emphasizes safety and legality and encourages participants of all skill levels to experience the thrill of competitive drag racing in a controlled setting. The initiative reflects NHRA’s ongoing commitment to combat illegal street racing while fostering a welcoming environment for aspiring racers.

Despite her destructive efforts, Mother Nature couldn't manage to tip the scales in her favor at the NMRA/Red Line Oil NMCA Race for the Rings & Saturday Thrill Festival, May 3-5, 2024 at World Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis.  
 
The racing went on as planned with an added showcase of jet cars, high-jumping FMX Motocross, BIGFOOT monster truck, a car show and a manufacturers’ midway..
 
“After we were hit with the storm on Saturday, we concentrated on clean-up efforts so that we could produce this event as promised for our racers and race fans,” said Rollie Miller, General Manager and National Event Director for NMCA and NMRA. “Our NMCA Starting Line Team, TVC Track Prep Team and Brad Cannon of World Wide Technology Raceway were at the track late after the rain passed to dry the track and they were back well before dawn to prep the racing surface in time for an 8:30 a.m. start on Sunday. That led to some of the most amazing racing we have seen so far this season.”

The Laris Motorsports Insurance NHRA Cajun Nationals finally got around Mother Nature to crown champions on Sunday afternoon at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, LA. 

With the original March date rained out and moved to May, the event lost a day to rain when Friday's schedule was washed out. 

Chase Williams (Comp), Trevor Boyd (Super Stock) and Jimmy Hildalgo (Stock) headlined the champions.