NHRA celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2011 by saluting its heroes and its history, but there was a whole lot of other news-making going on through the 12 months, from race wins to broken records, new sponsorships and new teams. Here's a month-by-month headline recap of the 2011 season.

JANUARY

Jan. 5: O’Reilly Auto Parts named title-rights sponsor of Seattle, Chicago events

Jan. 6: Al-Anabi names Husen as Worsham Top Fuel crew chief

Jan. 6: NHRA to move Tech Department to Indianapolis

Jan. 9: Lucas Oil Products acquires naming rights to NHRA-owned Indianapolis facility

Jan. 11: Service Central Racing partners with DSR, Gray on new Funny Car

Jan. 19: NHRA announces plans to improve fan experience at Full Throttle events

Jan. 21: Enders coming back home to Cagnazzi Racing for 2011 season

Jan. 24: NASCAR’s Busch to make NHRA Pro debut at Gatornationals

Jan. 24: NHRA creates new program for 2011 Super Stock, Stock class eliminations

Jan. 25: Force Hood expecting first child, will sit out 2011; Neff back behind wheel

Jan. 26: Special activities to highlight Pomona launch of NHRA 60th Anniversary season

Jan. 27: NHRA unveils its 60 Greatest Moments; fans to determine greatest moment

Jan. 27: Collier named GM of Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis

Jan. 31: Candlewood Suites joins Kalitta Motorsports in IHG’s first NHRA sponsorship

FEBRUARY

Feb. 3: NHRA Unleashed expands to seven events, including in Midwest, on West Coast

Feb. 5: Uni-Select to be Reading sponsor, official auto-parts store of Atlanta Dragway

Feb. 5: Summit Racing, Genuine Hotrod Hardware to sponsor Humphrey again

Feb. 8: Lincoln Technical Institute named official technical school of NHRA

Feb. 9: Prudhomme named one of the coolest athletes in Southern California in Los Angeles Times story

Feb. 10: Tri-Cities Ford Dealers announce sponsorship of NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals

Feb. 11: Rislone Fuel Injector Cleaner to back Dunn’s Funny Car

Feb. 12: Worsham earns Top Fuel license

Feb. 15: NHRA announces special free hard-card program as part of 60th Anniversary celebration

Feb. 16: Aaron’s partners with Don Schumacher Racing

Feb. 19: Racer magazine readers name Force 2010 Racer of the Year

Feb. 21: Vandergriff to run full 2011 season for C&J Energy Services

Feb. 24: Visit Myrtle Beach named sponsor of NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

Feb. 27: Season-opening wins go to Lucas, Hight, Line in Pomona

MARCH

March 2: Peterson promoted to vice president of racing administration

March 4: Parts Plus to sponsor NHRA Top Fuel driver Millican for 12 races

March 10: Legendary racers Garlits, Gwynn renew rivalry in Match Races for a Cause at Gatornationals

March 11: Record book takes a beating in Gainesville

March 12: Gainesville Raceway dragstrip named 301 Bernstein Way in honor of Bernstein’s milestone speed

March 13: NHRA dedicates section of grandstand at Gainesville Raceway in honor of Garlits

March 13: Line doubles, Worsham wins in Top Fuel at Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals

March 17: Rampy grabs 75th NHRA national win at JEGS SPORTSnationals

March 21: NHRA extends marketing partnership with American Honda

March 22: IHG’s Candlewood Suites named preferred hotel of NHRA

March 22: K&N partners with NHRA, Ford for 2011 K&N Horsepower Challenge

APRIL

April 1: NHRA launches 60th Anniversary sweepstakes

April 3: Hight takes points lead with Vegas win; Brown, Edwards also score

April 8: Coughlin brothers announce new Pro Stock engine business

April 12: New Tree implemented for VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

April 14: NHRA Classics logo T-shirts available at select Target, Walmart stores

April 17: Worsham, Beckman, Anderson prevail in Charlotte

April 19: Mopar becomes title-rights sponsor for Jr. League Western Conference Finals

April 27: Aerospace Components named title sponsor for NHRA Unleashed

April 28: Richards joins DSR, will tune Capps’ Funny Car

MAY

May 1: Nobile scores first; Worsham, Arend, Hines also win Houston titles

May 2: “Snake,” “Mongoose” feature film moving forward

May 4: White named NHRA director of engineering

May 15: NHRA, Red Cross raise more than $10,000 for tornado-stricken Southeast area

May 15: Brown, Beckman, Line, Tonglet take Atlanta victories

May 17: Former Top Fuel racer James Warren, voted to NHRA Top 50 list, dies

May 22: Massey, Hight, Gray collect victories in Topeka

May 29: Worsham entertains Coca-Cola 600 fans with pre-race burnout

May 31: Big crowds, excitement greet JFR at Indy 500 weekend

JUNE

June 1: Bahrain Int’l Circuit latest to join NHRA Worldwide network

June 2: Castrol extends sponsorship with 15-time champion Force

June 5: Massey, Neff, Johnson, Smith capture SuperNationals victories

June 10: DiGiorno pizza to support Fuller’s 2011 return to NHRA events

June 10: NHRA Harley-Davidson Racing Nitro Exhibition added to Bristol

June 19: Dixon, Hight, Edwards crowned champions in Bristol

June 20: Enders wins fan vote, earns final spot in K&N Horsepower Challenge

June 22: NHRA, Summit announce long-term extension of Norwalk title rights

June 25: Anderson wins fourth K&N Horsepower Challenge

June 26: Points leaders Worsham, Neff lead Norwalk winners

June 28: Force, Anderson nominated for Best Driver ESPY award

JULY

July 9: Division 4 claims sixth JEGS Allstars team championship

July 10: Neff nets Ford’s 200th Funny Car win; Worsham, Anderson, Tonglet also score in Chicago

July 24: Worsham, Neff first to clinch Countdown playoff berths

July 24: Force gets on the board in Denver; Massey, Edwards, Stoffer also get mile-high wins

July 30: Force claims NHRA record 139th No. 1 qualifying position

July 31: Brown, Capps double up for DSR; Anderson, Tonglet also score in Sonoma

AUGUST

Aug. 7: Worsham, Wilkerson, Line collect Seattle victories

Aug. 9: Lucas Oil to support legend Karamesines

Aug. 11: NHRA, Lucas Oil Raceway donate Indy tickets to area first responders

Aug. 16: Jacob John Hood born to Ashley Force Hood and husband Danny

Aug. 21: Gray nets first Pro win; Brown, Anderson, Tonglet also victorious in Brainerd

Aug. 24: Versatile drag racer McCulloch inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

Aug. 30: UMB Bank introduces affinity-card program as part of sponsorship with NHRA

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 2: Muldowney receives Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation Pioneer Award

Sept. 3: NHRA dedicates Indy Top Eliminator Club grandstand in honor of Shirley Muldowney

Sept. 4: Worsham, Neff lock up top nitro playoff seeds

Sept. 4: Historic Lucas Oil Raceway dragstrip named Bob Glidden Drive

Sept. 5: Brown, Neff, Anderson, Arana collect Indy gold

Sept. 5: NHRA remembers 9/11 at Mac Tools U.S. Nationals

Sept. 7: Complete Motorola NHRA Live Timing unveiled

Sept. 8: NHRA announces 2012 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule

Sept. 16: Hagan makes history with first three-second Funny Car pass

Sept. 18: Hagan caps dominant weekend with victory; Brown, Johnson, Krawiec also score

Sept. 21: DeJoria debuts new Tequila Patrón Funny Car at star-studded event in Dallas

Sept. 25: Vandergriff’s first Top Fuel win highlights Dallas finals

Sept. 25: Bernstein, Force members of 2012 International Motorsports Hall of Fame class

Sept. 29: Force honored as Great Sports Legend

OCTOBER

Oct. 3: Line wins, resets record; Massey, Hight, Arana also score in Reading

Oct. 5: TBC Retail Group, Big O Tires brand become title sponsor of fall Las Vegas event

Oct. 12: NHRA Originals vintage T-shirts on sale now in Target stores nationwide

Oct. 16: Rookies Nobile, Arana continue to amaze; Dixon, Beckman also score in Phoenix

Oct. 17: Force to be honored, Ultimate Force Car Show added to Finals

Oct. 21: 20th anniversary California Hot Rod Reunion takes place

Oct. 29: Balooshi clinches Get Screened America Pro Mod championship

Oct. 30: Worsham, Capps, Edwards, Krawiec win on drama-filled day in Vegas

Oct. 30: Line clinches second NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock championship

Oct. 31: NHRA, Summit Racing Equipment announce extension of title-rights sponsorships in Las Vegas, Atlanta

NOVEMBER

Nov. 1: Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champ Coughlin to return with new Mopar

Nov. 2: Nitro Generation introduced at NHRA Breakfast at SEMA Show

Nov. 7: NHRA, Summit Racing Equipment extend sponsorship of NHRA Summit Racing Series

Nov. 8: Scott, Doug Kalitta inducted into Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame

Nov. 9: Stewart era as official NHRA starter comes to a close

Nov. 13: NHRA dedicates Auto Club Raceway at Pomona Top Eliminator Club grandstand in honor of Force

Nov. 13: Force’s improbable 15th Funny Car title is fans’ choice for NHRA’s greatest moment

Nov. 13: Worsham, Hagan, Krawiec clinch 2011 NHRA Full Throttle championships

Nov. 13: NHRA Summit national champions crowned

Nov. 13: Ford wins 2011 NHRA Manufacturers Cup

Nov. 13: Worsham, Hagan celebrate titles with finale wins; Stanfield, Hines also score

Nov. 15: Bernstein retires from NHRA Drag Racing

Nov. 21: 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel champion Worsham retires

Nov. 29: Brooks, Centorbi will tune GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster

Nov. 30: Snap-on extends sponsorship of Cruz Pedregon, Snap-on Funny Car

Nov. 30: Worsham joins Kalitta Motorsports as Tequila Patrón Funny Car crew chief

DECEMBER

Dec. 2: First issue of Destination Force graphic novel available

Dec. 4: DeGennaro joins JFR, Venables set to return

Dec. 9: NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series 2012 schedule announced

Dec. 11: GEICO renews with Morgan Lucas Racing through 2014

Dec. 12: Alan Johnson Racing, Dixon agree to ‘mutual separation’

Dec. 13: Langdon joins Al-Anabi Racing team

Dec 14: NHRA Pro Mod champ alBalooshi named Al-Anabi Top Fuel driver

Dec. 19: Hometown fans celebrate Hagan's Funny Car championship

Dec. 21: Fans break through 300,000 mark on NHRA’s Facebook page

Dec. 22: Virginian wins Ford Focus in NHRA 60th Anniversary Sweepstakes