NHRA Power Rankings: Matt Hagan still quick, fast despite slow start to 2020
Matt Hagan and Dickie Venables still have a great Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat despite not doing much winning to start the 2020 Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing season.
The standings don't reflect how strong the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driven by Matt Hagan and tuned by Dickie Venables has performed over the last six Mello Yello NHRA events. Hagan earned his…
NHRA Power Rankings: Nobody quicker in Top Fuel than Brittany Force, David Grubnic
The average elapsed time of the Monster Energy team now comes with more consistency
Brittany Force earned the 19th No. 1 qualifier of her career to open the 2020 Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing Series season. That became a calling card of her 2019 campaign, the first with crew chief David Grubnic turning the knobs on the Monster…
NHRA Power Rankings: Champions top charts in Pomona
Steve Torrence, Robert Hight, Erica Enders and Andrew Hines finish on top of NHRA Power Rankings.
One of the wildest days in Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing Series history ended with relatively expected champions. That didn’t take away from any of the drama, but it did confirm a lot of what we’ve learned over the last nine months: Namely, what…
NHRA Power Rankings: Matt Hagan hung around for one last shot in Pomona
Hagan and crew chief Dickie Venables have an opportunity to make history at Auto Club Raceway
Remember Matt Hagan? He won at the second race of the season, in Phoenix, something of a tradition for the driver of the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. He won again in Epping, reminding the Funny Car category he and crew chief Dickie…
NHRA Power Rankings: Good things on the horizon for Jordan Vandergriff
Jordan Vandergriff will be a winner in the future after coming up short at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals.
John Adams once wrote, “we cannot insure success, but we can deserve it.”
Jack Beckman once told me that and $3 gets you a small coffee at Starbucks. …
NHRA Power Rankings: David Grubnic, Brittany Force on right path in first season together
David Grubnic joined John Force Racing to win his first championship. He left Clay Millican to tune Brittany Force, a former world champion in Top Fuel, to a second title. That was the goal. It remains the goal.
Grubnic and the Advance Auto…
NHRA Power Rankings: It pays to have great drivers
Diminish greatness behind the wheel [or handlebars] in Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing at your own peril
Enzo Ferrari once said racing is 50 percent car and 50 percent driver. He built cars for famously long races, so the ratio may be adjusted for Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing – right until horsepower isn’t enough to win the drag race. Suddenly, it’s…
NHRA Power Rankings: Jason Line leads Pro Stock in more ways than one
Pro Stock racer leads NHRA Power Rankings for the first time in 2019 following wild Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals.
Jason Line took over the NHRA Power Rankings lead for the first time in 2019 following his 50th Pro Stock victory at the Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil. His win, the second of the season for the former world champion,…
NHRA Power Rankings: Doug Kalitta can beat Steve Torrence with a little luck
Doug Kalitta finally crossed a huge milestone off his list. He just needs some good fortune to earn his first title.
Charles Barkley never won an NBA title. He played from 1985 to 2000, reached the playoffs 13 times, earned one MVP and made 11 All-NBA teams.
Michael Jordan won six NBA titles. He played from 1985 to 2003, reached the playoffs 13 times,…
NHRA Power Rankings: Ron Capps is starting to make it feel a lot like 2016
NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver looks poised for run to second world championship
Ron Capps appeared in his second-straight final and, this time, there was no kiss of death from John Force. The NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat ended up in the winner’s circle for the third time in 2019 thanks in no small part to a little…
NHRA Power Rankings: Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Erica Enders just need luck to go their way
Two of the best racers in Pro Stock haven’t had any luck on race day.
Erica Enders last won in April of 2018 and the driver of the Melling Chevy Camaro owns just two wins since the start of the 2016 season. That does not diminish her driving ability. She, by all measures, is one of the four best drivers in the Pro…
NHRA Power Rankings: Billy Torrence keeps things interesting with his NHRA Sonoma Nationals win
Things are going to be very uncomfortable for Top Fuel teams still fighting for top 10 spots with three races to go.
Billy Torrence trails 10th place racer Austin Prock by 31 points with three races go to before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship begins. Torrence did not set out to make the six-race playoffs and will only race twice, at the Lucas Oil NHRA…
NHRA Power Rankings: What the last six races can tell us about Greg Anderson, Tommy Johnson Jr. and the Countdown to the Championship
Greg Anderson and Tommy Johnson Jr. earned long-awaited Wallys at Bandimere Speedway. Can they chase down titles in 2019?
Tommy Johnson Jr. and Greg Anderson will argue over who left Bandimere Speedway happiest until Friday afternoon when they get back into their cars and strap their helmets on. Johnson, who already won earlier this season, is now the proud owner of a…
NHRA Power Rankings: Scott Palmer makes renewed NHRA Countdown bid
The Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals will be stressful for the bottom of the Top Fuel table
Scott Palmer reached his second Top Fuel final at the NHRA New England Nationals. He came up short against Steve Torrence for the second time in his career, but it remained an incredible points day for the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent Top Fuel team.…
NHRA Power Rankings: Is Deric Kramer poised for a championship chase?
American Ethanol Pro Stock driver Deric Kramer continues to climb the NHRA Power Rankings
Deric Kramer earned his first win of 2019 at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals by defeating Erica Enders. His American Ethanol Pro Stock Chevy Camaro is better now than it was when he hoisted the Wally in Chicago. He has improved his NHRA Power Ranking…
NHRA Power Rankings: Aggression pays off for Bob Tasca III and Mike Salinas
The two racers have more in common than sharing the winner’s circle in Bristol
You can’t measure competitive drive. It also isn’t very much fun to try. So, I’ll share three of my favorite Bob Tasca III stories to try to paint a picture of how much the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Wally means to him.
The first time I…
NHRA Power Rankings: Is Billy Torrence going to make the Countdown to the Championship?
Billy Torrence is making things very uncomfortable for the Top Fuel class
Billy Torrence won the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals. It was a great story. That win, his second career win and second…
NHRA Power Rankings: Erica Enders, Andrew Hines take over top spots following Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Multi-time champions Erica Enders and Andrew Hines lead NHRA Power Rankings after a great weekend of racing at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals.
Erica Enders is one of the reasons I wanted to create something like NHRA Power Rankings. She has two wins since I started working at the National Hot Rod Association, far from the nine-win peak that carried her to a second-straight Pro Stock title…
NHRA Power Rankings: Bo Butner wins again, highlights great K.B. Racing weekend
Bo Butner won for the fourth time in five races but remains a few points short of passing Jeg Coughlin Jr. for the NHRA Power Rankings lead.
Pro Stock returned to the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing circuit and no team looked better than K.B. Racing. Jason Line put his Summit Chevrolet on the pole, Bo Butner won the race and Greg Anderson took runner up. That dominance may not last, but…
NHRA Power Rankings: Doug Kalitta, Tim Wilkerson, Andrew Hines have reason for optimism after Arby's NHRA Southern Nationals
Steve Torrence, Robert Hight and Eddie Krawiec lead the NHRA Power Rankings following the Arby's NHRA Southern Nationals.
Doug Kalitta lost in the first round at the Arby’s NHRA Southern Nationals. His 4.208-second pass hurt his overall success rate and, more importantly to the Mac Tools team, ended his weekend three rounds early. But his NHRA Power Ranking went up and…
NHRA Power Rankings: Tim Wilkerson, Mike Salinas, Jerry Savoie biggest movers
Steve Torrence, Robert Hight, Eddie Krawiec lead NHRA Power Rankings following NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
Two of the three NHRA Power Rankings leaders won at the NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte and the other runnered up. So, no, the leaders did not change as we get ready for a quick turnaround before the Arby’s NHRA Southern…
NHRA Power Rankings Explained: Getting to know the newest drag racing stat
NHRA on FOX broadcasters Brian Lohnes and Tony Pedregon joined National Dragster Associate Editor Jake Sundstrom in the Wally Parks Studio via Skype to discuss NHRA Power Rankings ahead of the NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.
NHRA Power Rankings debuted alongside the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona as a way to measure race teams via a host of drag racing statistics. To help bring fans up to speed, NHRA on FOX broadcasters Tony Pedregon and Brian Lohnes joined…
Power Rankings: Robert Hight flexes again following SpringNationals victory
Robert Hight and Steve Torrence remain atop the NHRA Power Rankings five races into 2019.
The more things change, the more they stay the same … sort of. The most interesting thing about the NHRA season depends on who you ask. Robert Hight and Jimmy Prock’s dominance ranks among the biggest talking points, as does Steve Torrence’s drought…
NHRA Power Rankings: Leaders hold position after Las Vegas Four Wide
Steve Torrence, Robert Hight, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Eddie Krawiec remain on top four races into 2019
Two of the first six races of the season are four-wide affairs and one of them is at elevation. We just wrapped up the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, which is held at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The elevation? Nearly 2,000…
Power Rankings: Jeg Coughlin, Eddie Krawiec new leaders in Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle
Steve Torrence, Robert Hight dominate Top Fuel and Funny Car following Gatornationals while Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Eddie Krawiec take the lead in naturally aspirated classes.
The 2019 season passed the 1/8th mark at the 50th annual Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals and brought some things into tighter focus. Steve Torrence went without a Wally for the third consecutive race but continues to lead the Top Fuel Power Rankings…
Robert Hight, Steve Torrence, Erica Enders lead NHRA Power Rankings following NHRA Arizona Nationals
Robert Hight takes over Funny Car NHRA Power Rankings lead following the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals while Steve Torrence and Erica Enders retain their spots atop the Top Fuel and Pro Stock leaderboards.
There’s a new Power Rankings leader in Funny Car after the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals [breathe]. Steve Torrence and Erica Enders retained their spots atop the Top Fuel and Pro Stock categories despite first and semifinal…
Steve Torrence, Tommy Johnson Jr., Erica Enders top first Power Rankings update of 2019
Strength of 2018 Countdown to the Championship runs combined with solid Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals keep racers at top of table.
I know – they didn’t win the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. We already have a stat for winning a race. It’s called wins. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s take a quick look at the first Power Rankings update of the season. You can see the…