Held in mid-September since its inception in 1985, the race moves to an
important date this year: It is the final event at which teams can earn
points toward the Countdown to 8. Maple Grove Raceway has a long
history of record performances, including the first side-by-side
four-second and 300-mph Top Fuel passes. 

NHRA’s version of a weeklong campout, this event is a popular stop due
to the area’s recreational opportunities. Avid fishers often spend the
days before the event trolling the area’s many lakes for walleye, bass,
and northern pike, and a huge onsite campground provides nightly
camaraderie for race goers who sit around fires discussing the day’s
action. A 700-foot concrete launchpad, one of the longest on the tour,
helps boost performances as teams compete for positions in the final
two events in the important Countdown to 8 cutoff.

Keep up with this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals by reading our
behind-the-scenes event notebook. We bring you the stories behind the numbers
and win-lights throughout the course of the weekend. Tune in daily for the
latest news from the pits.

The IHRA tour rolls into the beautiful New England region for drag racing's only major visit to the area. This event was normally contested in September, but with a revamped schedule hundreds this event promises to be a challenge for tuners.

The IHRA tour rolls into the beautiful New England region for drag racing's only major visit to the area. This event was normally contested in September, but with a revamped schedule hundreds this event promises to be a challenge for tuners.

Keep up with this weekend's IHRA North American Nationals by reading our
behind-the-scenes event notebook. We bring you the stories behind the numbers
and win-lights throughout the course of the weekend. Tune in daily for the
latest news from the pits.

Keep up with this weekend's IHRA North American Nationals by reading our
behind-the-scenes event notebook. We bring you the stories behind the numbers
and win-lights throughout the course of the weekend. Tune in daily for the
latest news from the pits.

Nestled in beautiful Western Michigan is one of the most popular venues on the Knoll Gas Nitro Jam tour. The beautiful Knoll Gas Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan provides a wealth of beauty and a great place to witness the high horsepower IHRA drag racing can offer. Keep up with the results on our Same Day Coverage page.

The Swedish round of the FIA
European Drag Racing Championship managed to get in the only complete non
washed out event of the tour so far this season and even this suffered rain and
thunder storms making hard work for the track crews. But cool air helped the
event secure a new European Top Fuel record and numerous track bests. On the
woeful side there was one Pro Stock crash and two Pro bikes managed to scrape
the guard rail all with, thankfully, no casualties.

In FIA Top Fuel, Britain’s
Andy Carter in the Lucas Oil machine recorded a new European record with his
4.732 that also led the field of ten entries by almost a tenth. Of the eight
qualifiers only two remained outside the four second zone with Sweden’s Jöran
Persåker sitting on the bump with a 5.074, a fact that made it Europe’ quickest
ever bump spot.

Round one pitted Norway against Sweden with Thomas Nataas
experiencing a small fire in the lights on his winning 4.916/303 as Micke
Kǻgered pitched the blower belt off at three quarter track slowing to a
6.244/139. Finland’s Tommi
Haapanen ran his best ever with a winning 4.890/294 as Switzerland’s
Urs Erbacher lost the blower belt at one hundred feet out. Finland’s ski jumping Champion Janne Ahonen ran
a great 4.881 in qualifying but experienced problems starting and came to stage
too late after ignoring short burnout instructions and was told to shut off
allowing Holland’s
Lex Joon to record an easy solo of 6.445/131 to take the win. Andy Carter also
had problems starting but did manage in time then zipped off a 4.740/308 to
oust any chance from Jöran Persǻker’s 5.057/263 to end the round.

Keep up with this weekend's IHRA Torco Northern Nationals by reading our
behind-the-scenes event notebook. We bring you the stories behind the numbers
and win-lights throughout the course of the weekend. Tune in daily for the
latest news from the pits.