The fences still remain, as do dilapidated buildings, a reminder that a once proud drag strip occupied the land.

To the drag racing community, Spartanburg Dragway was just another drag strip that fell victim to a new neighborhood where the neighbors created a community around the strip and then realized that drag strips are loud.

Dick Krieger is the Southern California Drag Racing Association (SCEDA) 2009 Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels non-electronics series champion.

Krieger, 69, of Henderson, Nev., considers the SCEDA championship as another feather in the cap of a successful racing career.

Krieger began drag racing in 1964 at Niagara Falls Drag Strip located in upstate New York with a 1957 hard-top, two-door Chevrolet. After winning many races with the car he moved from New York to San Diego in 1968 and started building an Econo dragster. The former junior fuel car that he purchased with a 118-inch wheelbase, powered by a small block Chevy with Chevy 2 headers turned upside down and a one-gallon gas can for the carburetor scoop.

There is nothing quite like racing in southern Florida – especially during the month of January.

While most of the country is digging out from under buckets of snow or trying to stay warm amid treacherous temperatures, the people of south Florida enjoy mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine during the winter months.

So what better way to start the year than with a double dose of south Florida sun and fun with a pair of sportsman races promising to give drivers a well earned vacation as well as four days of track time and two shots at the 2010 Tournament of Champions.

It's nitro and tire smoke this Saturday on the Sammy and Bob Show on ESPN Radio 97.5 in Houston at 10 AM till 12 PM.

Beginning at 8 a.m. (EST) on Friday, Dec. 4, American Drag Racing League and Arabian Drag Racing League President and CEO Kenny Nowling will be tweeting real time results and commentary covering the hot racing action happening at Qatar Race Club in Doha, Qatar via Twitter for the leagues’ stateside fans.

Twitter followers will receive insider information straight from Nowling about the leagues’ stars and cars, details and results from each run, and weather and racing condition updates as the event unfolds.  Fans familiar with Nowling know that his personal insight and unique perspective should make the coverage truly special and one of a kind!

NHRA drivers wanted the Eject Helmet Removal System [Eject] and after a period of research, the sanctioning body agreed the device designed for safer helmet removal in the event of a crash was a good idea. Effective 2010, all NHRA drivers in the professional and alcohol ranks will be required to equip their helmets with the Eject system.

Bob Vandergriff Jr., Chairman for the newly formed NHRA Driver’s Committee, confirmed that his group pushed for the mandatory implementation of the Eject system.

“You have to credit Larry Dixon because he’s the one responsible for bringing it to our attention on the Driver’s Committee,” said Vandergriff. “He brought it to us as another option to increase the safety aspect of what we do.

An Extreme Pro Stock final round appearance at the season-opening ADRL LenMar World Finals was enough inspiration for Scott Hintz. The Hintz Motorsports team has committed to a full schedule with the ADRL in 2010.

“We were only able to attend the final National Guard ADRL race of the season in 2009, but we were very impressed with the ADRL organization and really enjoyed ourselves,” the Odessa, Texas-based driver said. “Our team is comprised of three generations of family members and close friends and we feel the ADRL family atmosphere is a perfect fit for us.”

Tim Tindle is an accomplished drag racer, having finished in the top ten amongst point earners on the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Modified tour. During the offseason, he’s keeping his skills sharpened by bracket racing a Mullis Race Cars dragster.

The Santa Rosa, Fla.-based driver has exemplified his natural driving in the fast doorslammers ranks but last weekend during the Emerald Coast Dragway Thanksgiving Wally Nationals in Holt, Fla., Tindle surprised himself.

Eight years ago, four-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. helped carry the Olympic flame to the Salt Lake City Winter Games. In 2010, he plans to help his friends with USA Bobsledding mine some precious metal at the Winter Games in Vancouver as part of the rising team's boisterous support group.

"We're heading up to Vancouver to watch these guys and girls win some medals," Coughlin said. "The team has been doing really well and everyone expects them to have a great showing so we want to add our support and be a part of it all."

LenMar Motorsports, Gaylen Smith and Mark Eddins, have built a name participating in the ADRL drag racing series.

In 2010, LenMar will expand its reach into the liquid quarter-mile with primary sponsorship of driver Randy Benson and his Fool Addiction drag boat. As a result, the boat will be renamed Texas Bounty Hunter H20 and compete on the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.