For a racer who has won two NHRA national championships and has scored seven Top 10 finishes combined in Stock and Super Comp during the last four years, you would think Austin Williams is all business when it comes to racing. Surprisingly to some, while he admits to always wanting to do well each year and has winning a JEGS Allstars title and a U.S. Nationals victory on his to-do list, the most important thing for him in his racing career is to fun.

“Racing is fun for me, and I don't want it to become not fun. At that point you're racing for the wrong reasons, and you’re probably going to have the wrong results as well,” said the defending Super Comp national champion. “I’m really competitive, but at the same time it’s a fun weekend with friends rather than it being an event where I need to win in order to be able to eat.”

The 2018 NMRA Drag Racing season, presented by Keystone Automotive, debuted with beautiful weather, thousands of spectators, and all of the hot, record-breaking racing that one could want. QA1 True Street took center stage at Bradenton Motorsports Park this weekend, with a record 152 cars entering True Street. At the conclusion of the hotly contested, 16-car eliminator that is the JLT Performance Spring Break Shootout, True Street winner Randy Seward doubled up his wins by successfully defeating True Street runner up Jeff Bloem with an 8.80 to Bloem’s 9.48 elapsed time.

The quickest cars on the property belong to the VP Racing Fuels Street Outlaw class, and we saw Andy Manson, Charlie Cooper, and 2017 class champion Manny Buginga all laying down staggeringly quick times. Manson took the pole and would charge into the final against Buginga, who gave it his best shot by leaving first, but was passed by Manson who took the win with a 4.31 to Buginga’s off-pace 4.78.

Jackie Fricke, Flemington, N.J., and Annie Whitley, Grand Junction, Colo., took home the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively at this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at No Problem Raceway, Belle Rose, La.

Fricke worked her way through the field beating Terry Schmidt in round one and No. 1 qualifier Megan Meyer in round two for a chance to take on Duane Shields in the final.  Fricke then ran  5.309 seconds at 272.28 mph in her final round victory over Shields, Boulder City, Nev., who clocked in at 5.341, 272.25 mph.

In the final results from Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Pacific Division Opener, Shawn Cowie, Surry, B.C., and Shane Westerfield, Anaheim, Calif., took home the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Cowie worked his way through the field and ran 5.261 seconds at 277.26 mph in his final round victory over Joey Severance, Woodburn, Ore., who clocked in at 5.666 seconds, and 226.13 mph.

Westerfield faced off against Nick Januik, Las Vegas, Nev., and posted a winning run of 5.440 seconds, 272.23 mph in his ’16 Camaro. Januik drove to a 5.600 second, 264.49 mph lap for his runner up finish.

All motorsports competitors know that a fire suppression system is perhaps the most critical system in a racing vehicle. This new instruction video from Stroud Safety provides information on the components of the system, proper bottle mounting, tubing routing, and optimal nozzle positioning. There are also helpful instructions on the proper methods of cutting, flaring, and bending tubing. Information is included for maintenance of the system and additional tips to help you achieve a reliable, professional installation. 

Check out the Stroud Safety YouTube channel for many other helpful instruction videos. 

The JEGS NHRA Super Quick Series will celebrate its 30th season in 2018 with a 7-race schedule set to cross the NHRA North Central Division. The series will open at Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis on April 7-8 and concludes at the NHRA Fall Classic National Open at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis on October 13-14. New this year will be two double header events at Gateway Motorsports Park and Kil-Kare Dragway with a winner to be crowned each day.

Justin Lamb, Jody Lang, and Paul Nero marched to victory and celebrated with their teams in winner’s circle this past weekend at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Ariz.

Lamb, Henderson, Nev., continued the title defense of his 2017 Lucas Oil Super Stock World Championship with a victory over local driver Mike Cotten of Cave Creek. Cotten took a late start and broke out attempting to catch Lamb running 10.025 seconds, 130.99 mph. Lamb notched a victory pass of 8.513 seconds, 149.02 mph.

Shawn Cowie and Shane Westerfield each took home big wins at the season-opening 58th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Cowie and Westerfield were joined by a pair of first time winners in Steve Will and Paul Mitsos, and six other champions who took home the NHRA Wally trophy.

Cowie took out reigning NHRA Lucas Oil Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion Joey Severance and former world champion Chris Demke in rounds one and two, then faced off with Garrett Bateman, Albany, Ore., in the final.  Bateman had the early lead but smoked the tires early in the run and could only watch as Cowie, Surrey, B.C., shot passed to a 5.333 second, 277.03 mph run for his 11th NHRA national event win.