Pat Musi did it.

The veteran doorslammer pilot is the first driver to wheel a nitrous-injected doorslammer over 200 miles per hour in the eighth-mile during a national event.

Musi, who qualified eighth at the recently completed NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ, ran 201.58 on a pass which eventually yielded a 240.89 in the quarter-mile. The historic run came during the final GSA Pro Modified qualifying session.

VP Racing Fuels will be serving up the octane for what promises to be among the largest drag racing events in North Texas.

The inaugural TEXA$ 250K, an event scheduled for Halloween weekend at Dallas Raceway, will deliver a potential $250,000 for the winner.
 
The event begins on October 28 and runs through October 31, 2010 includes a 64-car shootout worth $10,000 to the winner with another $10,000 on the line Friday.  If 500 or more cars are entered Saturday, they’ll be racing to win a $250,000 prize. Sunday’s action will include the chance to win $5000 plus contingency from a number of companies that have stepped up, including Mickey Thompson Tires, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Advanced Product Design and others.

Mark Taliaferro and Tony Bartone took home the wins for this weekend’s NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Texas Sportsman Challenge event at Houston Raceway Park.  Taliaferro, Odessa, Texas, scored in Top Alcohol Dragster while Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., was victorious in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Taliaferro qualified No. 2 and worked his way through the field beating Kristen Wootton, Magnolia, Texas, and David Broundkowski of Cypress, Texas, in rounds 1 & 2.  Taliaferro saved his best run of eliminations for the final where he  ran 5.376 seconds at 268.49 mph over Chase Copeland, Gainesville, Texas, who clocked in at 6.107 seconds, 170.54 mph.  Copeland knocked off Malcolm Wahle, Claremore, Okla., and no. 1 qualifier Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, on his way to the final.

In the final results from Route 66 Raceway and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Jim Whiteley, Grand Junction, Colo., and Steve Harker, Gainesville, Ga., took home the wins in Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car respectively.

Whiteley, worked his way through the field and ran 5.339 seconds at 266.85 mph in his final round victory over Marty Thacker, Robinson, Ill., who clocked in at 5.415 seconds, 263.67 mph.  Whiteley is coming off a big win last weekend at Route 66 Raceway and the NHRA JEGS Allstars and won earlier this year in Tucson, Ariz.

Harker faced off in a close race against Andy Bohl, Racine, Wis., and posted a winning run of 5.676 seconds, 253.80 mph in his '06 Monte Carlo.  Bohl drove to a 5.678 second, 251.95 mph lap for his runner up finish.  The win marks Harker's second of the year in three final round appearances winning at the Lucas Oil divisional in Gainesville, Fla., and advancing to the final round in Bradenton, Fla.

Edelbrock announced this morning that Industrial Opportunity Partners ("IOP"), a Chicago-based private equity firm, has made an investment in Edelbrock.

"This new partnership comes at a time in the automotive industry that puts Edelbrock in a prime position to capitalize on the ever-strengthening economy", stated Edelbrock Chairman, Vic Edelbrock. "We've weathered the economic storm and constraints of the fragile banking system over the past eighteen months, never losing sight of our commitment to innovation and quality for our customers. The investment from IOP will allow us to continue to expand this focus on developing new and exciting products, such as our supercharger line, across a wide range of applications."

Melanie Troxel will pull double duty at this weekend's 10th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals as she plans to race her Roger Burgess-owned ProCare Rx Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car and a brand-new In-N-Out Burger '67 Camaro Pro Mod entry.

Aside from having two different chances to earn a trophy, Troxel and Burgess are hoping a busy weekend at Bristol Dragway will yield long-term results for the team.

"We want to put our best foot forward for In-N-Out Burger when we run the Funny Car out on the west coast and there are some things the guys have discovered that they want to try out under real racing conditions," Troxel said. "And, you know me, I'm never going to say 'no' at a chance to drive the Funny Car. It needs to run better than it has and we're working hard to make sure we're up to speed.

Neither the elements or the competitors were any match for Larry Dixon at the 41st annual NHRA SuperNationals.

The veteran Top Fuel driver won his second race in a row by defeating Antron Brown in the finals Monday morning at the rain-delayed event in Englishtown, N.J.

Dixon clocked a 3.824-second time in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to zip past a tire-smoking Antron Brown who slowed to 6.314 seconds at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

On the strength of a stellar reaction time, .027 to Del Worsham's .104, Bob Tasca, III piloted his Fordparts.com Shelby Mustang to the third win of his short Funny Car career, his first in 2010. It is also the first win for the team since Bob lost his grandfather, Bob Tasca, Sr. during the off-season.

“It's hard to even put words together right now,” said a very tearful Tasca. “This is a special place for my family and for my grandfather. These are the moments you dream about when you are a kid laying in bed and watching Force win and Pedregon win.

The Tasca name has long been associated with Ford and racing. Bob is a third generation Tasca carrying the Ford nameplate to the starting line. It was Tasca's grandfather who coined the phrase, “win on Sunday sell on Monday”.

Larry Dixon raced to his sixth Top Fuel victory of the season Monday afternoon at the rain-delayed NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Bob Tasca, Mike Edwards and Michael Phillips also were winners at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

Dixon posted a performance of 3.824 seconds at 320.05 mph in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to take his 54th career victory by defeating Antron Brown, who finished runner-up at this event for the second straight time as his Matco Tools dragster lost traction near mid-track.

A long weekend came to a perfect ending for Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Michael Phillips.

Phillips, who earned his first career No. 1 qualifying spot in 15 years of competing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, ran the table from the pole position beating Steve Johnson in the finals on a hole shot Monday morning in the rain-delayed NHRA SuperNationals.

Phillips clocked a 6.911-second time at 194.32 mph, while Johnson came in with a career-best 6.886-second effort at 194.63 mph at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. Phillips won the race at the starting line with a .012 light, compared to a .057 launch for Johnson.