The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series is in town this weekend for it’s double header at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kan. Chad Voges, Jeff Strickland, and J.R. Baxter celebrated with their teams in the winner circle Friday night following their final round victories, ending the first half of the double header.
 
Voges, racing out of St. Peters, Mo., lined up against former Lucas Oil World Champion and current NHRA host on FOX, Bruno Massel, Elmhurst, Ill. Massel cut the better light but Voges was able to chase him down for the competitive victory in the Comp Eliminator final round; posting a winning run of 7.601 seconds, 162.27 mph. Bruno Massel came in a close second at 6.950 seconds, 197.91 mph.

Bo knows how to do No. 1 qualifier, regardless of which steering wheel he turns. 

After three sessions of Super Stock qualifying, Bo Butner, the fan favorite drag racer from Floyd's Knob, Ind., added to his bulging resume with yet another superior performance.

Butner drove Bill Skillman's FSS/C Mustang to the top of the 37-car Super Stock qualifying with an 8.647 elapsed time, -1.003 under the index.

In a season that has seen him score two NHRA national event wins and two regional victories, Shawn Cowie added to his stellar 2017 campaign by setting the e.t. and speed records with his Norm Grimes-tuned Mundie’s Towing Top Alcohol Dragster during the Division 6 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in Woodburn, Ore., July 14-16. The record run, a stunning 5.165 at 280.54 mph during a first-round bye, shattered the 5.178 mark that Jim Whiteley had set at the 2012 Auto Club NHRA Finals.

CompetitionPlus Sportsman's J.T. Gonzalez caught up with Cowie to talk about his stunning record-setting run, his chances of winning a world championship this year, and the people who have gotten him to this point in his racing career.

Top Alcohol and Funny Car standouts Josh Hart and Phil Burkart celebrated in winner’s circle with their teams Saturday at New England Dragway following their final round victories in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
 
After beating out Rich McPhillips and Duane Shields in rounds one and two, Hart, Ocala, Fla., squared off against New Hampshire driver Dan Page of Hampstead in the Top Alcohol Dragster final round. The Florida runner blocked out the home crowd as he scored the hole shot victory racing to 5.322 seconds, 271.08 mph vs. Page, 5.296 seconds, 275.62 mph.
 

David Rampy, Dan Fletcher and Kevin Helms all added to their win counts while Bradley Johnson, Brad Basgall and Randy Cruickshank each captured their first NHRA National event win at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.
 
Rampy bagged his 96th national event win as he ran down Jessie Oman who got the jump in the Comp Eliminator final round.  Oman took the early lead by .025 seconds but Rampy’s ‘32 roadster had the power at the top end to take the win in 7.720 seconds at 166.46 mph.

You may know the voice.

The sweet, to-the-point storyteller behind decades of motorsports television programing ranging from drag racing to truck and tractor pulls to car shows and everything in between.

You may know the face.

No wonder Mark McDonald is fond of Route 66 Raceway.

Two weeks ago, during the Fallen Patriots NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by K&N Filters, he became the 29th drag racer in series history to score a double-up victory with his Top Sportsman triumph in both national event and Jegs All-Stars competition. 

“Route 66 is becoming my favorite track, I reached my first Top Sportsman Final here last season that kicked off this journey to be the Division 3 All-Star, to come back here win the All Stars for our organization and sponsors as well as the Team Championship on Saturday would have been just enough for me, but have the opportunity to close out and win the National, well that is just something that I never dreamed," McDonald explained.

Dan Fletcher became just the third NHRA racer to earn 100 national event victories when he recently claimed the Super Street title at the Fallen Patriots NHRA Route 66 Nationals.  With the win, Fletcher joins John Force (148 wins) and Frank Manzo (105) as the only drivers in history to hit the century mark.  In assessing his achievement, Fletcher singled out VP Racing Fuels as a recurring theme through each of his wins.

This weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series All-American Hot Rod Showdown at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill., has been rescheduled due to a multiple-day excessive heat advisory for the St. Louis area. The event has been rescheduled for October 20-22.
 
Additional details for the new event will be released soon. The $20-per-car load coupons and ticket vouchers, originally valid for July 21-22,  will be honored on October 21-22.