- Hagan Captures 50th NHRA Career Win in TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Funny Car at NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte
- Ashley, Hagan, Anderson and Herrera take Wins at Charlotte Four-Wide
- TOUGH FINAL ROUND PUTS DAMPER ON WEEKEND FOR JOHN FORCE IN CHARLOTTE NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS
- BO BUTNER WINS JHG MOUNTAIN MOTOR PRO STOCK SEASON OPENER
- AARON STANFIELD RUNNER-UP AT NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS AT ZMAX DRAGWAY
- JUSTIN ASHLEY WINS NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS AT ZMAX DRAGWAY
- Tony Schumacher Out Early After Jam-Packed Four-Wide Weekend in Charlotte
Scruggs Highlights Winners List And Owens, Auxier Set World Records in Virginia
Courtesy of ADRL
PETERSBURG, VA – The 2011 American Drag Racing League (ADRL) season has been the most frustrating of Jason Scruggs’ highlight-filled career. But that tune changed in a major way on Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park.
One of the pioneers and most successful drivers in the ADRL’s Pro Extreme class, Scruggs struggled like never before this season, but that only made his performance during the Speedtech U.S. Drags IV that much sweeter.
Scruggs wrapped up a thrilling weekend with a career-best 3.63 at 206.70 miles per hour, knocking off Mick Snyder in the finals of what immediately became one of the most memorable weekends of his career.
“We’ve won two championships and a lot of races, but we’ve never struggled this bad. After knowing how it felt to struggle that much, to win this race after all of that feels better than those championships,” Scruggs said. “It was the most exciting win I’ve ever had.”
Rain washes out Saturday, Nitro Jam to resume on Sunday
Courtesy of IHRA
MARTIN, MI – After a long, hard-fought battle with Mother Nature on Saturday Mother Nature finally won as IHRA officials were forced to pull the plug and will resume racing on Sunday with two full rounds of Nitro Jam beginning at
noon and a full menu of sportsman racing.
Passing storms produced heavy rains throughout the morning and afternoon and a few lighting strikes even damaged the tower, forcing IHRA officials to move the remainder of the Northern Nitro Jam to Sunday.
Gates will open at 8 a.m. with sportsman racing to get underway at 9 a.m. followed by two rounds of Nitro Jam beginning at noon. All tickets purchased on Saturday will be honored on Sunday.
The Northern Nitro Jam will conclude on Sunday with a full day of incredible racing
Taylor, Al-Naemi, Ulsch, Owens, Goforth, Davis, Knowles and Wilson lead after Day 1 in Virginia
Courtesy of ADRL
PETERSBURG, VA – Mahana Al-Naemi made sure the final pass on Friday at Virginia Motorsports Park was one to 
remember.
The Pro Nitrous standout delivered an incredible and possibly record-breaking run to end the third round of qualifying at the Speedtech U.S. Drags IV, going a blistering 3.784 at 198.15 miles per hour to send the crowd home buzzing.
Not only did it send the Al-Anabi Racing driver to the top qualifying spot, but it becomes a new class record if Al-Naemi can back it up tomorrow in his Rick Jones Race Cars Camaro.
“We knew we could do it, we just had to get the numbers right,” legendary crew chief Shannon Jenkins said. “The track was definitely there.”
Smallwood stuns in Pro Fuel final at Martin Nitro Jam
Courtesy of IHRA
MARTIN, MI – It is one of the oldest sayings in the books, but its wisdom always rings true. If at first you don’t 
succeed, well, let Cherissa Smallwood tell the rest.
“You just can’t give up. Whenever you think you have reached your breaking point or things just won’t go your way you just have to keep working at it. We are living proof of that tonight,” Smallwood said.
Smallwood, who has struggled through a tough year with zero round wins and nothing to show for her team’s effort entering this weekend’s event, stunned the Pro Fuel field Friday night with her first career IHRA Nitro Jam victory on opening night at the Northern Nitro Jam at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park.
Smallwood, behind the wheel of the popular “Nitro and Lace” dragster, bested Pro Fuel veteran Robin Samsel in Friday’s final, joining Peter Gallen (Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car), Jay Turner (Nitro Harley) and Ron Maroney (Fuel Altered) in victory lane during opening night of Nitro Jam’s season finale.
Cherissa Smallwood Wins First Pro Fuel Iron Man At Northern Nitro Jam 2011
Courtesy Nitro and Lace
Martin, MI – It’s taken more than a decade of trial and error for Cherrisa Smallwood’s Nitro and Lace Pro Fuel family 
owned dragster to earn their first winner’s circle appearance. All of their efforts finally became a reality during Friday nights eliminations at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan.
“I have so many people to thank for everything they have done for us” said Smallwood, “my dad and my family are on top of the list. We’ve lived all of the highs and lows together and sometimes you just wonder if your ever going to get to experience a very hard earned win.
“The next group of people that we have to thank are all the teams within the Nitro Jam family. So many of the other teams, including Bill Evans and Robin Samsel have gone over and above to help us when we were in a bind, words cannot say how grateful we are.
Walker bringing the heat to the Nightfire Nationals
BOISE, ID – On the heels of resetting the West Coast Outlaw Pro Modified Association’s record for elapsed time by a 
nitrous car with a 6.175 at a career-best 227.23 MPH in his brand new 1974 El Camino, Randy Walker is ready to bring the heat to Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho for the 40th annual Pepsi Nightfire Nationals.
“The runs we made in Sonoma, CA a couple weeks ago were our first full passes on the new car, and we set both series and personal records, so we can’t complain about that,” Walker said. “There is a ton left in her though. We ended up finding a problem that plagued the car’s performance all weekend, and it eventually damaged the engine badly enough that we had to bow out of eliminations before first round. We’ve addressed the issue and look forward to racing at the Nightfire Nationals at full strength.”
GM Performance Parts Announces High-Flow, CNC-Ported LS3 Cylinder Head
Courtesy of GMPP
GRAND BLANC, MI – GM Performance Parts’ (GMPP) has released a high-flow, CNC-ported version of the LS3 cylinder 
head. It flows more than 350 cfm at 0.600-inch lift (intake side) at 28 inches of water restriction – or nearly 10 percent more than the stock casting – to promote greater power across the rpm band and maximize the advantage of additional performance parts, such as a “larger” camshaft and high-flow intake manifold.
The new head carries part number 88958758 and an MSRP of $700. It is available now through GMPP dealers and retailers, including through the GM Performance Parts Web site: gmperformanceparts.com. CNC porting is a precision machining process that enlarges and optimizes the shape of the intake and exhaust ports to enhance airflow. And while a horsepower increase can be realized by installing only the heads, they are more effective when matched with complementing camshaft, valvetrain, intake and exhaust components.
Broken Connector Ends Maddern Racing’s Weekend Early in Seattle
Courtesy of Maddern Racing
Kent, WA – At the conclusion of qualifying for the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Kent, Wasington, the Maddern 
Racing Top Alcohol Dragster remained in the pole position. Their stellar performance of a 5.246 seconds at over 272 miles per hour is recorded as the second fastest pass ever in a blown alcohol dragster.
It is the 12th time that the Peen Rite/Clean Boost partnered team has earned the #1 qualifying position. They were deemed as the team to beat in eliminations.
“It was an abrupt ending in the semi finals” noted Demke, “the car was so consistent and lady luck was seemingly in our favor.
“The car launched and knew I caught the tree just ahead of Megan, and then the engine just quit. After further evaluation, we discovered a broken engine power connector and our weekend was over”.
PSCA Pro Street Points Leader Headed To The 40th Annual “Night Fire Nationals”
Courtesy of Maggio Matorsports
Photos Courtesy of PSCA
Boise, ID – The Maggio Motorsports is competing this weekend at the 40th running of the famed ‘Night Fire Nationals” 
at Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho. Driver and team owner Mike Maggio is excited about the chance to compete at this historic race and put on a great show for the 1000s of fans that annually attend this event!!
Fresh off their wire to wire win at the last West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod race in Sonoma, California, The MagCo Drilling/Lucas Oil Sponsored 70.5 Camaro has a couple fresh bullets thanks to the hard work of Maggio’s crew led by Kirk Kuhns, Wade Maggio, Martin Charles, Renee’ Parker, Bob Springs & Josh Rowley. The team has gone through quite a few parts and pieces during the last two outings, but when you’re “Loaded for Bear” each and every pass, that’s the price you sometimes have to pay….
Mike Coughlin’s ’71 Vega nearing completion
Courtesy of Jegs
Coughlin hired Woody’s Hot Rodz of Bright, Ind., to rebuild and enhance a 1971 Chevy Vega GT, and the build is almost complete.
“With the LSX-454 engine we’ve put in it right out of the JEGS catalog, it would probably make a pretty quick race car,” Coughlin said. “But the closest this car will get to the starting line of a drag strip is the parking lot. Don’t get me wrong, I plan on driving this car.”
The Vega was a light-bodied car assembled in Ohio that screamed for big horsepower from the time it rolled off the factory floor. Coughlin said he’s seen photos as the build has progressed, and can’t wait to see the final product.
