NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The re-education of Shawn Langdon: From Top Fuel to Funny Car and back

28 Jul 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Shawn Langdon
After a successful Jr. Drag Racing and Sportsman career, Shawn Langdon spent eight years learning how to drive a Top Fuel dragster, becoming not just an event-winning fuel dragster pilot but a championship-winning one.  In…
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Pro Stock racing in 2020 and beyond; The kids are alright

An influx of talented newcomers has helped breathe new life into the Pro Stock class. Here's a look at six second (and-third) generation racers who are already making an impact.
26 Jul 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
Koretsky
  NHRA is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Pro Stock class in 2020, and this season includes memorable tributes to the pioneers who helped create the foundation for the factory hot rod class. Built by Ronnie Sox and Bill Jenkins and…
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Justin Ashley looks back on great Summernationals outing, first final-round berth

Justin Ashley reached his first career Top Fuel final at the recent Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals, a final round last was rain-delayed and will complete at the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals. Ashley spoke via Skype with NHRA's Brian Lohnes about his great weekend.
24 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Justin Ashley
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Bob Tasca III vs. COVID-19

Bob Tasca III is on a mission to win a championship and help us all avoid the disease that caused him to miss the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals.
24 Jul 2020
David Kennedy
Feature
Bob Tasca III vs. COVID-19
Bob Tasca III is known for his tenacious energy, his passion for drag racing, and his inseparability from the Ford Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang Funny Car that bears his family’s name. When the 44-year-old announced that he’d been diagnosed with…
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Shop Talk: Lohnes and Reinhart play Wednesday Afternoon Quarterback

Brian Lohnes and Alan Reinhart reviewed some of the most interesting runs of the 2020 Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals, taking you inside the tech that makes the cars run and reviewing the difference between winning and losing in NHRA drag racing.
21 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Shop Talk
Brian Lohnes and Alan Reinhart reviewed some of the most interesting runs of the 2020 Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals, taking you inside the tech that makes the cars run and reviewing the difference between winning and losing in NHRA drag racing…
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Todd Paton relives past Indy glory with second-career Top Fuel round win

Todd Paton won his first NHRA national event at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis when he defeated an all-star line-up of Top Alcohol Funny Cars. A quarter-century later, he's still turning on win lights.
19 Jul 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
paton
In 1996, Todd Paton won his first NHRA national event title and it was a big one. Paton, then an up-and-coming Top Alcohol Funny Car racer, won the U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. He jokes that he “backed into” the win, but the…
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Embarrassed but not discouraged, Jeffrey Barker continues moving forward in Pro Mod class

Jeffrey Barker endured one of life’s most embarrassing moments when his Pro Mod Camaro spun out on the burnout during yesterday’s test session at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, but the former Top Sportsman champion is determined to move forward.
18 Jul 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
barker
  This won’t come as breaking news to anyone who follows NHRA drag racing, but Pro Mod cars are not easy to drive. Equal parts powerful and unpredictable, the 250-mph machines that make up the E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod series can…
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T.J. Zizzo; a part time racer who is fueled by a full-time mentality

No one in Top Fuel takes T.J. Zizzo and his Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team lightly, and there is a good resason for that; they come to win every week.
18 Jul 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
zizzo
During last weekend’s E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals, T.J. Zizzo found himself in an uncomfortable position during the opening round of Top Fuel eliminations. When opponent Cory McClenathan ran into a mechanical issue that prevented him from staging…
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Defending champ Stevie 'Fast' Jackson ready for 2020 Pro Mod's debut Indy

Stevie "Fast" Jackson, the reigning world champ in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Series presented by J&A Service, previewed his fleet of cars with NHRA's Brian Lohnes in advance of this weekend's season opener for the class at the Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals.
17 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Steve Jackson
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Bob Tasca III "back home" behind the wheel of his Funny Car after COVID-19 recovery

After missing last weekend's season restart while recovering from COVID-19, Bob Tasca III will be back behind the wheel of his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang Funny Car at this weekend's Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals in Indianapolis.
17 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Bob Tasca
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Antron Brown looking forward to sharing the track with his kids at this week's Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals

Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champ chatted via Skype with NHRA's Brian Lohnes about last week's E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals and the upcoming Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals, where he will compete alongside his Jr. Dragster-racing kids for the first time.
16 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
antron
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Chad Green will compete in both Funny Car and Pro Mod this weekend in Indy

Chad Green will take on a unique challenge at this weekend's Lucas Oil NHRA Summernationals when he competes in both Funny Car and Pro Mod. He spoke to NHRA's Brian Lohnes recently about the weekend ahead.
15 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Chad Green
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No resting on their laurels for Mopar team after explosive final-round win in Indy

Matt Hagan scored the first Funny Car win of NHRA's season restart at the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals, but it was not cheap, as a supercharger explosion in the final round damaged the Dodge Charger body. Crew chief Dickie Venables explains the process.
13 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Matt Hagan
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New car and new format helps fuel Terry McMillen’s championship aspirations

Terry McMillen’s and his Amalie Top Fuel team are often described as underdogs and regarded as one of the class’ smaller independent squads, but their little guy status goes only so far.
12 Jul 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
mcmillen
Terry McMillen’s and his Amalie Top Fuel team are often described as underdogs and regarded as one of the class’ smaller independent squads, but their little guy status goes only so far. For one, McMillen kept his entire crew employed during the…
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High school diploma in hand, Mason McGaha ready to embark on his next chapter as an NHRA Pro Stock racer

Mason McGaha isn’t the first kid to get a new car after graduating high school, but in this instance, 18-year old McGaha’s new whip happens to be a 213-mph Pro Stock Camaro that is .a near twin to the one his father, Chris, has driven to eight wins in 11 final rounds since 2015
11 Jul 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
mcgaha
Mason McGaha isn’t the first kid to get a new car after graduating high school, but in this instance, 18-year old McGaha’s new whip happens to be a 213-mph Pro Stock Camaro that is a near twin to the one his father, Chris, has driven to eight wins…
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How to have a social-distanced watch party with your NHRA fan friends

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing returns to the small screen today with two qualifying shows on FS1, at 4:30 and 8 p.m. Eastern. Gather your family and connect online with your friends to share the racing excitement.
11 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
tv
You’ve been waiting a long time for this. On July 11 and 12, NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competition returns to FS1 and Fox broadcasting to bring you the side-by-side competition you’ve been craving—live from Indianapolis. Drag racing fans…
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Jonnie Lindberg 'honored' to substitute for Bob Tasca III at Indy restart race

Two-time NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car champion Jonnie Lindberg spoke recently to NHRA's Brian Lohnes via Skype to discuss his role as a substitute driver this weekend for Bob Tasca III, who tested positive for COVID-19.
10 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Jonnie Lindberg
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Kalitta team turns to professionals for disinfecting, decontaminating trailers

Kalitta Motorsports partnered with Clean Harbors disinfect and decontaminate its racecar haulers and support trailers prior to this weekend's event.
10 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Kalitta
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Erica Enders settles comfortably into role as mentor, but also committed to learning

As a driver, three-time and reigning Pro Stock champion Erica Enders is still very much on top of her game, but her role at Elite Performance goes well beyond that of just hired gun.
09 Jul 2020
Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor
Feature
erica
As a driver, three-time and reigning Pro Stock champion Erica Enders is still very much on top of her game, but her role at Elite Performance goes well beyond that of just hired gun. The Elite team has lately welcomed several new drivers to the Pro…
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Troy Coughlin Jr. excited about Pro Stock debut this weekend at Indy event

Third-generation racer Troy Coughlin Jr. will make making his official NHRA Pro Stock debut at this weekend's E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals. He chatted via Skype with NHRA's Brian Lohnes about the big weekend ahead.
09 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Troy Coughlin Jr.
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Hot rod history with Jack Beckman—Episode 9: A quintessential year in drag racing begins in 1959

Jack Beckman: NHRA Funny Car driver, drag racing instructor, car guy, and hot-rod historian. During this pause in racing action, Jack is taking us through his favorite moments in drag racing history.
08 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Watch Episode 9 of Hot rod history with Jack Beckman— A quintessential year in drag racing begins: 1959
  Episode 9 of my Hot Rod History series with #DodgeGarage is out! Check it out! 👇 Posted by…
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Hot rod history with Jack Beckman, a recap of drag racing: 1950-1959

Jack Beckman used the break in racing action to offer a master's class on drag racing's early years: 1950-1959. These TED-talk-like lectures will continue to cover the early-’60s, but for those who may have missed them we present them in one easy to find location.
08 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature, Gallery
10
In the early days of drag racing there were lots of cars, lots of would-be racers, and lots of open land. The one thing in short supply was the structure needed to bring early hot rodders together to turn them into drag racers. Wally Parks, and his…
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NHRA Shop Talk: Bench racin'

NHRA’s Brian Lohnes and Alan Reinhart previewed this weekend’s NHRA E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals and taking your questions! Storylines, interesting stuff, the behind the scenes scoops!
07 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Shop Talk
NHRA’s Brian Lohnes and Alan Reinhart previewed this weekend’s NHRA E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals and taking your questions! Storylines, interesting stuff, the behind the scenes scoops!  Previously on NHRA Shop Talk:…
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What NHRA drivers have been doing to prepare for those first runs at Indy

Drivers in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series have spent months on the sidelines leading up to this weekend’s Return to Racing at the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis, but many of them quickly adopted regimens and game plans to keep them race-ready.
07 Jul 2020
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Feature
Ron Capps
Drivers in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series have spent months on the sidelines leading up to this weekend’s Return to Racing at the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis, but many of them quickly adopted regimens and game plans to keep…
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Don Schumacher Racing prepping for four-car Top Fuel attack at Indy event

The crews at Don Schumacher Racing are hard at work preparing four Top Fuel cars for the upcoming E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis. In addition the cars of Antron Brown and Leah Pritchett, DSR will also field cars for Tony Schumacher and Cory McClenathan.
05 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Don Schumacher Racing
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Cruz Pedregon and the Snap-on team ready for NHRA return to racing in Indy

02 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
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Cruz Pedregon
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Matt Smith after time on the dyno: 'We should be pretty hateful this year'

Past Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Matt Smith visited with NHRA's Brian Lohnes via Skype to talk about his time on the dyno and what he thinks about the level of competition we'll see when racing resumes at the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals July 11-12 in Indianapolis.
01 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
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Matt Smith
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Top Fuel's Lex Joon is ready for back to back races in his Indy backyard

Dutch expatriate Top Fuel driver and current Indianapolis resident Lex Joon is excited about running back to back events at Lucas Oil Raceway beginning with the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals July 11-12.
01 Jul 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Lex Joon
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After two-year hiatus, Alexis DeJoria has to ride out another extended break

After a two-year personal hiatus, Alexis DeJoria was only two races into her comeback tour in her ROKit Phones/ABK Beer Toyota before COVID-19 hit, but they were two good outings. She spoke via Skype with Brian Lohnes to talk about her season and to look ahead at the return to racing.
30 Jun 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Alexis DeJoria
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Tasca Racing gears up, stockpiling parts and strategizing about crew safety

Bob Tasca III's Motorcraft Funny Car team is gearing up for the long stretch of racing ahead of us when the season resumes, and, as co-crew chief Jon Schaffer points out, it's more than stockpiling parts, as he discusses how the team plans to stay safe racing in a COVID-19 climate.
29 Jun 2020
Posted by NHRA.com staff
Feature
Bob Tasca
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