NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Twenty years later, Texas Sportsman legend David Nickens returns to competition

It’s been 20 years since David Nickens’ name has appeared on a qualifying sheet at an NHRA national event, but the prolific Houston-based engine builder and 1991 world champion is back behind the wheel this weekend at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals in a car owned by Jim Whiteley.
17 Oct 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
David Nickens
It’s been 20 years since David Nickens’ name has appeared on a qualifying sheet at an NHRA national event, but the prolific Houston-based engine builder and 1991 world champion is back behind the wheel this weekend at the AAA Texas NHRA…
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The streak: A deep dive into DSR's 11-race domination of Funny Car racing

It’s been more than a year since any Funny Car driver outside of the Don Schumacher Racing stable has lifted an NHRA Wally in triumph, a team win streak that reached an astounding 11 straight. All four DSR drivers -- Matt Hagan, Jack Beckman, Tommy Johnson Jr., and Ron Capps -– have each contributed at least two wins to the amazing streak.
17 Oct 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Don Schumacher Racing
It’s been more than a year since any Funny Car driver outside of the Don Schumacher Racing stable has lifted an NHRA Wally in triumph at an NHRA national event, a team win streak that reached an astounding 11 straight with Tommy Johnson Jr.’s…
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Small-tire shootout cars make exhibition passes at AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals

Michael Hollis, Armando Andrade, Lee Ochs, and Daniel Large put on a Friday night exhibition for the NHRA fans and racers at the 2020 AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals
16 Oct 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Small-tire shootout cars make exhibition passes at AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals
  See the detailed results HERE To catch all the action of the …
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Building a team with Antron Brown and Brian Corradi

After 10 years of racing together, Antron Brown and crew chief Brian Corradi are in each other’s heads. They’re more than a team, they’re a brotherhood. Find out why that mattered so much at the 2020 Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil.
12 Oct 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Building a team with Antron Brown and Brian Corradi
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Second-generation Jr. Drag Racing Series driver Kolette Dicero has big future plans

Kolette Dicero, the daughter of A/Fuel dragster tuner and team owner Anthony Dicero, is currently driving in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League and she's already looking ahead to a future in "big cars."
12 Oct 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
dicero
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Jack Beckman, Erica Enders, and Alex Laughlin welcome Camping World to the NHRA

Drag racers received news that Camping World would become the NHRA’s professional series sponsor at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil, and they welcomed the new partnership with open arms
10 Oct 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Jack Beckman, Erica Enders, and Alex Laughlin welcome Camping World to the NHRA
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Doug Kalitta on WFO: Midwest Nationals, Camping World, and Eddie Van Halen

Doug Kalitta stopped by WFO Radio to discuss his Top Fuel win at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis. Kalitta talks about the battle for the Camping World Series championship, the rumors of Tony Stewart driving a Top Fuel dragster, and the passing of Eddie Van Halen.
10 Oct 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Doug Kalitta
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The three runs every drag racing fan was talking about after the Midwest Nationals

Kenny Delco, Leah Pruett, and Alexis DeJoria all walked away from momentous crashes and explosions at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil, and race fans were amazed
10 Oct 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
The three runs every drag racing fan was talking about after the Midwest Nationals
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On and off the track, Alex Laughlin fights every day to stay one step ahead of the competition

For Alex Laughlin it’s a toss-up; the battle to remain competitive in the cutthroat Pro Stock class, or the battle to stay on track in the midst of a global pandemic. Both tasks are extremely challenging, and both require undivided attention, yet Laughlin is managing to get along just fine for now.
09 Oct 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
alex
For Alex Laughlin it’s a toss-up; the battle to remain competitive in the cutthroat Pro Stock class, or the battle to stay on track in the midst of a global pandemic. Both tasks are extremely challenging, and both require undivided attention, yet…
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NHRA Member Track Spotlight: SRCA Dragstrip, Great Bend, Kan.

The Sunflower Rod Custom Association (SRCA) Dragstrip, was the site of the National Hot Rod Association’s very first Nationals race in 1955. Sixty-five years later, it’s still going strong, hosting local events, NHRA Division 5 races, and even Hot Rod Magazine Drag Week
09 Oct 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
NHRA Member Track Spotlight: SRCA Dragstrip, Great Bend, Kan. from 1955
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'Please don't let this hurt'; Leah Pruett recounts her wild Midwest Nationals crash

NHRA Camping World Top Fuel championship contender Leah Pruett crashed heavily at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil after an apparent chassis failure. She recounts in detail the accident and talks about her Top Fuel championship hopes.
09 Oct 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Leah Pruett
NHRA Camping World Top Fuel championship contender Leah Pruett entered the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil in second place in the points standings, but suffered a  setback in round two when her dragster crashed…
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Onboard safety features kept Leah Pruett from harm in wild St. Louis crash

Mopar Top Fuel racer Leah Pruett walked away from one of the wilder incidents in recent memory when her dragster's chassis folded and she took flight in round two of the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals. Her team walks us through the safety features that kept her out of harm's way.
07 Oct 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Leah Pruett
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WFO Radio podcast: Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals recap

Join WFO Radio's Joe Castello and NHRA's Alan Reinhart as they recap the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil from World Wide Technology Raceway.
06 Oct 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
WFO
WFO Radio's Joe Castello and NHRA's Alan Reinhart recap the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil.  
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Will this be the weekend Paul Lee hoists his first Funny Car Wally?

The 2020 Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil brought Paul Lee's first number one qualifier in NHRA Funny Car racing, might it also bring his first win?
04 Oct 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Paul Lee
"That's what we're open for," said Paul Lee after his round one win. "We just want to make four good runs today. Like we've been making, so, you know, we gotta give ourselves a chance to win, which means going down the track and not beating…
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Zizzo Racing adamant about competing in Top Fuel at Midwest Nationals

Team owner Tony Zizzo was motivated to see his Rust-Oleum team race even after undergoing a brain surgery. “We're going to St. Louis,” he proclaimed.
03 Oct 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Zizzo Racing at 2020 NHRA Midwest Nationals
After the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals in September, team owner and father of T.J., Tony Zizzo, was scheduled for brain surgery to remove a longtime tumor. Racing the team’s Rust-Oleum Rocket Top Fuel dragster was put on hold. That is,…
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Alex Laughlin talks redemption, haters, and what it takes to win in Pro Stock

Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Pro Stock winner Alex Laughlin talked about his emotional victory at Gainesville Raceway one year after experiencing the heartbreak of a broken car in the final round.
02 Oct 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Alex Laughlin
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Larry Larson plans first quarter-mile passes with his No-Prep Cadillac ATS-V at the Midwest Nationals

Larson wants to give NHRA fans a first-hand look at what his ProLine-powered Cadillac ATS-V can really do during the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil.
02 Oct 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Larry Larson plans first quarter-mile passes with his Cadillac ATS-V at the Midwest Nationals
It's time to see what Larry Larson's No Prep Kings Cadillac ATS-V is really capable of, and NHRA fans will get to witness it up-close and personal at the World Wide Technology Raceway this weekend. Larson's name will be familiar to NHRA…
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Points leader Matt Smith's entire team is in high gear entering final stretch

Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Matt Smith joined NHRA's Brian Lohnes via Skype to talk about the incredible success of his Matt Smith Racing operation with wins by himself in Gainesville and Scotty Pollacheck in Indy and wife's Angie's strong-running bike.
01 Oct 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Matt Smith
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The story behind the NAPA team's comeback victory at the Gatornationals

As soon as his NAPA Funny Car exploded beneath driver Ron Capps in the semifinals of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, crew chief Rahn Tobler knew what he needed to do to continue their quest to win the event.
30 Sep 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Ron Capps
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Torrence family will bring dominance back home for AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals

It’s been a dominant stretch for the Torrence family at Texas Motorplex, and the father-son Top Fuel duo hope to keep it going at the upcoming 35th annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals, Oct. 14-18.
29 Sep 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Steve Torrence
It’s been a dominant stretch for the Torrence family at Texas Motorplex, the family’s home track in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, and the successful father-son Top Fuel duo hope to keep it going in 2020. They will have an opportunity for…
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Cobra Jet Sunday match race—This round goes to the supercharged V8

In 2020 Ford Performance is leveraging the NHRA’s quarter-mile laboratory to prove out what its high-performance vehicles [gas and electric] are capable of.
27 Sep 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Cobra Jet Sunday match race—This round goes to the supercharged V8
To catch all the action of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Sept. 25-27 in person you can buy your tickets…
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Cobra Jet 1400 tech talk with its two test pilots: Pat McCue and Bob Tasca III

Pat McCue and Bob Tasca III talk about the world’s quickest electric-powered-door-car, the Ford Performance Cobra Jet 1400, in the staging lanes of the 2020 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
27 Sep 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Cobra Jet 1400 tech talk with its two test pilots
To catch all the action of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Sept. 25-27 in person you can buy your tickets…
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Ryan Oehler willing to go the extra mile (or 200) to ensure Gainesville success

For the first time in his career, Ryan Oehler is in contention for the Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle championship and he’s determined to do everything possible to make that a reality. That mentality helps explain why Oeher and his crew would load their spare bike into the back of a pick up truck on Saturday night and make a 220 mile round trip drive to Orlando Speed World Dragway just to break in a couple of Mickey Thompson tires.
27 Sep 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
oehler
For the first time in his career, Ryan Oehler is in contention for the Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle championship and he’s determined to do everything possible to make that a reality. That mentality helps explain why Oeher and his crew would load…
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A championship contender? Matt Hartford certainly believes he is

Following his runner-up finish at the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals, Matt Hartford feels he’s very much in the running for the 2020 Mello Yello Pro Stock world championship.
26 Sep 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
hartford
The math is daunting; 162 points in five races, but Matt Hartford still firmly believes he can win the 2020 Mello Yello Pro Stock championship. Hartford’s endless optimism is fueled in large part by his recent run to the final round of the Denso…
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Gas vs electric Cobra Jet Mustangs at Gatornationals, testing Ford’s latest technology—See who won!

In 2020 Ford Performance is leveraging the NHRA’s quarter-mile laboratory to prove out what its high-performance vehicles [gas and electric] are capable of.
26 Sep 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 at 2020 NHRA Gatornationals
At the 2020 Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals, Funny Car competitors (and old friends) Bob Tasca III and Tony Pedregon match raced electric and supercharged V8 Ford Mustang Cobra Jets. The all-electric Cobra Jet 1400 (which actually makes…
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Nostalgia Pro Stock cars run at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals—Watch'em now!

A pair of Southeast Nostalgia Pro Stock Series cars put on an exhibition at the 2020 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, and you can watch their Friday run, right here.
25 Sep 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Southeast Nostalgia Pro Stock Series cars run at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
  To catch all the action of the 2020  Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Sept. 25-27 in person you…
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Factory Stock racer Mark Pawuk on Ford vs. Dodge vs. Chevy, wheelstands, and racing in Gainesville

Mark Pawuk’s Drag Pak Dodge Challenger is second in points in the SAMTech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown, and in this Skype interview with Brian Lohnes he explains how this isn’t the first time he’s tangled with the Stanfield family
24 Sep 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
News, Feature
Factory Stock racer Mark Pawuk on Ford vs. Dodge vs. Chevy, wheelstands, and racing in Gainesville
To catch all the action of the 2020  Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Sept. 25-27 in person you can buy your…
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Top Fuel Harley midseason review: It's been all-Andras, all the time

The teams of the Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley Series are one race beyond their midpoint, having completed five of their eight races following the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals, but it’s been pretty much all Randal Andras, all the time.
23 Sep 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Randal Andras
The teams of the Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley Series are one race beyond their midpoint, having completed five of their eight races following the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals, but it’s been pretty much all Randal Andras all the time,…
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When horsepower beat a holeshot to put Erica Enders in the winner's circle at the 2019 NHRA Midwest Nationals

After demolishing a transmission and suffering a heart-breaking loss at the 2019 U.S. Nationals, Erica Enders was back in the Pro Stock winner's circle for the first time in 2019 at the NHRA Midwest Nationals. 
22 Sep 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Erica Enders
To catch all the action of the 2020 Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil Oct. 2-4…
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Jonathan Gray thrilled to be in Pro Mod title hunt approaching St. Louis stop

Jonathan Gray plans to enjoy every moment of being in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service championship mix during the rest of the 2020 season. But he’s not going to let the moment overwhelm him.
22 Sep 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Jonathan Gray
Jonathan Gray plans to enjoy every moment of being in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service championship mix during the rest of the 2020 season. But he’s not going to let the moment overwhelm him. Gray is…
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