- HENDRICKCARS.COM TAKES CENTER STAGE AT ZMAX
- FES LIGHTING RENEWS KALITTA MOTORSPORTS CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP AS PRIMARY AND ASSOCIATE PARTNER
- JEGS NHRA SPORTSNATIONALS GETS EXCITING NEW LOCATION AS PART OF HUGE DOUBLEHEADER AT SOUTH GEORGIA MOTORSPORTS PARK
- Drag Illustrated Unveils Groundbreaking Pound-for-Pound Pro Mod Rankings Powered by AI Innovation
- Pro Stock Motorcycle Rising Star Richard Gadson to Host Guests from Big Brothers Big Sisters at Select NHRA National Events
- SOUNDGEAR JOINS TEAM KALITTA FAMILY OF CORPORATE PARTNERS
- TOP FUEL TURNS 1,000: FULL OF HISTORIC MOMENTS, ZMAX DRAGWAY TO HOST ANOTHER AT AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS
HENDRICKCARS.COM TAKES CENTER STAGE AT ZMAX
Backs World Champions in All Three Pro Classes at 15th 4-Wide Nationals
BROWNSBURG, IN – As a result of a further expansion of its partnership with John Force Racing, HendrickCars.com will be the primary 
sponsor of drag racing World Champions in all three professional categories next week during the 15th renewal of the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at ZMax Dragway.
Already the principal sponsor of six-time and reigning NHRA Pro Stock Champion Greg Anderson’s Chevrolet and, for the last two years, the Charlotte sponsor of two-time Top Fuel World Champion Brittany Force’s dragster, HendrickCars.com also will be the primary next week on the JFR Chevrolet SS driven by 2012 Funny Car World Champion “Fast Jack” Beckman.
In addition to taking a star turn at the Charlotte events, HendrickCars.com has a season-long presence with JFR as an associate sponsor on Beckman’s Chevy and as a major associate on Brittany’s dragster and the national record-holding Chevy of reigning Funny Car World Champion Austin Prock. Continue reading
FES LIGHTING RENEWS KALITTA MOTORSPORTS CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP AS PRIMARY AND ASSOCIATE PARTNER
YPSILANTI, MI – Future Energy Solutions (FES) Lighting, a national “Lighting-As-A-Service” provider, extended its Kalitta Motorsports 
agreement as a primary partner on Shawn Langdon’s Top Fuel dragster, the team announced today. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series resumes April 25-27 at the American Rebel Light NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte.
FES will be the primary partner on Langdon’s car at next week’s race and a full-season associate partner on the Top Fuel dragsters driven by Langdon and Doug Kalitta. FES completed the lighting upgrades at both Kalitta Motorsports and Kalitta Air. Now, they are working on projects for multiple Kalitta Motorsports partners around the country.
“We are thrilled to have completed the lighting upgrades at Kalitta Air and Kalitta Motorsports,” FES Acting Chief Executive Officer Marcus Brodin said. “Both are realizing the energy and maintenance savings FES’ zero upfront cost Lighting-As-A-Service model provides. We’re now working with Kalitta partners to generate the same cost and maintenance savings Kalitta is already enjoying. We are quite happy with this program and look forward to making additional impact with more companies in the future.” Continue reading
JEGS NHRA SPORTSNATIONALS GETS EXCITING NEW LOCATION AS PART OF HUGE DOUBLEHEADER AT SOUTH GEORGIA MOTORSPORTS PARK
VALDOSTA, GA – NHRA and JEGS are thrilled to announce a multi-year extension of one of the biggest events of the year on the NHRA 
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series circuit, the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals, as well as an exciting new destination in 2025 for one of the biggest sportsman races.
The 2025 JEGS SPEEDweek doubleheader event will head to its new home at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga., as the JEGS SPORTSnationals takes place July 9-10. It is the lead-in to the adrenaline-packed JEGS SPEEDweek that also runs July 11-12 and features a Lucas Oil competition doubleheader that spans four action-packed days.
Racing at SGMP provides exciting new possibilities for the tradition-rich JEGS SPORTSnationals, which promises to deliver a spectacular drag racing spectacle and furthering the strong partnership between JEGS and NHRA. Continue reading
Drag Illustrated Unveils Groundbreaking Pound-for-Pound Pro Mod Rankings Powered by AI Innovation
FT. WORTH, TX – Drag Illustrated is shaking up drag racing with the debut of the Drag Illustrated Pound-for-Pound Pro Mod Rankings, a 
Top 20 showdown that crowns the fiercest drivers across NHRA, PDRA, DI Winter Series, MWDRS, and beyond. Powered by advanced artificial intelligence from xAI and blended with the grit of Pro Mod’s sharpest insiders, this bigger, bolder list is built to spark debates, celebrate stars, and keep the sport roaring 365 days a year.
Unveiled today, the inaugural Top 20 packs a punch—Ken Quartuccio, Mike Stavrinos, Melanie Salemi, and Steve Jackson lead a stacked field, now joined by names like Erica Enders and Ty Tutterow. Fueled by xAI’s Grok, the system crunches race data—wins, reaction times, and more—while a soon-to-be-named panel adds the human edge that makes Pro Mod tick. It’s a formula that speaks to gearheads and new fans alike, showing who rules the eighth-mile, quarter-mile, and every track in between.
“Numbers cut through the noise,” said Wes Buck, Drag Illustrated Founder and Editorial Director. “NHRA’s best, PDRA’s finest, our Winter Series killers—folks want to know who’s No. 1. These Top 20 rankings make it dead simple for casual fans to get why Pro Mod’s the wildest game in racing, like Alabama vs. Notre Dame. Our hardcore crowd? They’ll be arguing this list over beers all year.” Continue reading
Pro Stock Motorcycle Rising Star Richard Gadson to Host Guests from Big Brothers Big Sisters at Select NHRA National Events
PHILADELPHIA – Pro Stock Motorcycle championship contender Richard Gadson, rider of the RevZilla Vance & Hines Suzuki, will be 
hosting representatives from the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization along with their “Littles” at six NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series national events beginning with next weekend’s NHRA American Rebel Light Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. As a young man being raised by a single parent Big Brothers Big Sisters was an integral part of Gadson’s early support system. The native of the Philadelphia area brought a group from Big Brothers Big Sisters to the NHRA Reading Nationals in 2024 and this season he wants to expand the program.
“My father passed away when I was just 6 years old,” said Gadson. “My mom did everything she could to provide for me and my siblings, which took a lot of sacrifice. Being an inner-city Philadelphia youth, it posed challenges for a single parent. To help her by giving us a better shot at life, my mom signed my sister and I up for mentors through BBBS of America.”
“Last year I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing, not even my Vance & Hines teammates,” said Gadson, who was a finalist for NHRA Rookie of the Year in 2024. “I arranged for the tickets and gave about 10 people a tour of our pits and talked about how Big Brothers changed my life. It was cool to give back and during the offseason Elon Werner (president of Werner Communications) reached out about helping me make this a bigger deal. I am excited to share something I love, NHRA drag racing, with some kids who maybe wouldn’t otherwise get this experience.” Continue reading
SOUNDGEAR JOINS TEAM KALITTA FAMILY OF CORPORATE PARTNERS
YPSILANTI, MI – Kalitta Motorsports announced today that SoundGear has joined the team as its official hearing protection partner. The 
partnership kicks off as the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series resumes April 25-27 at the American Rebel Light NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte.
SoundGear will have major associate branding on Doug Kalitta’s Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster, Shawn Langdon’s Kalitta Air Careers Top Fuel Dragster (Langdon’s car will be the Future Energy Solutions dragster in Charlotte.) and J.R. Todd’s DHL GR Supra Funny Car at next week’s NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte and the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Aug. 15-17, 2025. SoundGear guests will enjoy the Kalitta Motorsports VIP hospitality area at both races, and its executives will attend the Kalitta Motorsports Business-to-Business summit in late June.
SoundGear represents the latest advancements in hearing protection and enhancement products. Their technology is ideal for safe listening in loud environments including motorsports, construction and many more. SoundGear products are manufactured by Starkey, global leader in hearing technology and premier provider in hearing health care headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minn. Continue reading
TOP FUEL TURNS 1,000: FULL OF HISTORIC MOMENTS, ZMAX DRAGWAY TO HOST ANOTHER AT AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS
Weekend-long celebration will feature autograph session with milestone winners, Garlits cackle car, special trophy and much more
CONCORD, NC – As the originator of four-wide drag racing, zMAX Dragway has been synonymous with historical moments in the NHRA 
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, dating back to the first race at the Bellagio of Dragstrips in 2008.
Four-wide racing became reality in 2010 and 15 years later, zMAX Dragway will play host to another significant moment when the 1,000th Top Fuel race in NHRA history takes place at the American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals on April 25-27.
Top Fuel first appeared at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals, with the legendary Don Garlits winning the first race. Six-plus decades and hundreds of races later, a magical moment will take place at zMAX Dragway during one of motorsports’ most unique spectacles.
Here’s a look at some memorable Top Fuel moments over the years at zMAX: Continue reading
NEW IMAGE BUILDING SERVICES JOINS TEAM KALITTA FAMILY OF CORPORATE PARTNERS
YPSILANTI, MI — New Image Building Services joins Kalitta Motorsports this year as its newest corporate partner, the team announced 
today. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series resumes April 25-27 at the American Rebel Beer NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Charlotte.
New Image will be an associate sponsor on Shawn Langdon’s Kalitta Air Careers Top Fuel dragster at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, June 27–29, 2025. In addition, New Image clients and guests will enjoy the Team Kalitta trackside hospitality area during the race weekend, and New Image executives will attend Team Kalitta’s annual Business-to-Business Summit prior to the Norwalk race weekend.
“Kalitta Motorsports represents speed, precision and excellence—qualities we value deeply at New Image Building Services,” New Image President Jim Wallace shared. “Our team operates with the same mindset as a race team: highly coordinated, highly trained and committed to delivering peak performance under pressure. We’re proud to support a Michigan-based organization with a world-class reputation, and we’re excited to bring that championship spirit to our clients, our culture and our brand.” Continue reading
This Week at MBE
Driver Mod Activated: Marcus Birt to Wheel Black Mamba at Throwdown in T-Town
TULSA, OK — When Keith Haney Racing rolls into the Throwdown in T-Town on May 9-10 at Osage Casino & Hotel Tulsa Raceway Park, it 
won’t be Keith Haney himself behind the wheel of the Black Mamba Pro Mod — it’ll be none other than powerhouse driver Marcus Birt.
Haney, Founder, competitor and Two-Time Pro Mod Champion of the Summit Racing Mid-West Drag Racing Series (MWDRS) presented by J&A Service, is stepping aside for a worthy reason: attending his daughter’s graduation as she earns her Master’s degree.
“I want to be there to support her — she’s done such a great job,” Haney said. “But don’t think for a second we’re backing down from competition. Marcus is a badass driver, and I know he’ll drive the wheels off the Black Mamba.”
Birt, no stranger to the Pro Mod spotlight, is set to shake up the MWDRS field with his return to nitrous-powered competition. Known for piloting his iconic nitrous Corvette nicknamed John Gotti. Marcus has been as quick as 3.55 at 208 MPH on a radial tire and has run low 3.60s in Pro Mod trim. He’s excited to get back in the seat — especially one with this much bite. Continue reading
