- Fall Fling Advanced Product Design $15,000 Wednesday Paused Due to Weather
- Stanfield Leads Tough Field into St. Louis Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown at NHRA Midwest Nationals
- BRITTANY FORCE AND MONSTER ENERGY TEAM CONFIDENT HEADING TO NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
- AUSTIN PROCK AND MONTANA BRAND LOOK TO BUILD MOMENTUM AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
- ROBERT HIGHT AND AAA CHEVY ON A ROLL HEADING TO NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
- JOHN FORCE AND PEAK CHEVY LOOKING FOR AN UPSWING AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
- OPTIMISM AND DETERMINATION FUEL KING HEADED TO ST. LOUIS
Buddy Hull To Race in Support of Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas during Texas Fall Nationals
DALLAS – Top Fuel team owner and driver Buddy Hull will be racing to raise awareness and donations for the Down Syndrome Partnership 
of North Texas during the Stampede of Speed and the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex, October 6-15. The wildly popular driver on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series has a history of high-speed philanthropy and joining forces with the Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas is another effort by the big-hearted Texan to support those in need. Hull will be participating in several fan events and racing activities throughout the 10-day Stampede of Speed. The ultimate goal is to raise $50,000 for the organization through corporate and fan donations. Hull is confident that the support and funds will make an immediate difference.
“I met with the folks from Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas and I immediately knew we needed to get involved with them,” said Hull, who has also supported breast cancer charities as well as anti-bully initiatives. “This organization has been working with families and caregivers for almost two decades and I just really felt the need to get involved. Fans that make a donation through the Buddy Hull Racing Fund Raising landing page will get their name on my race car for the Stampede of Speed and I would love to see the car covered.”
SUCCESS IN ST. LOUIS LOOMS LARGE FOR JOSH HART
OCALA, FL – The NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway could be just the race and race track Josh Hart and the R+L 
Carriers team is looking for to accelerate their pursuit of their first NHRA Camping World Top Fuel world championship. Hart will be making his third appearance at the state-of-the-art multi-use facility located just across the river from downtown St. Louis. His previous two races saw the entrepreneur from Ocala, Florida, race to a semifinal and runner-up finish in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
“We have had some good races at St. Louis and if I can just avoid Steve Torrence, I feel like we could be a great shape this weekend,” joked Hart, about the only driver to have defeated him at the Midwest Nationals. “Two years ago we made a good run from the No. 10 spot and last year we qualified No. 2 and raced all the way to the final just like it says on paper. This year I want that fourth win light on Sunday.”
The Countdown has not been kind to Hart and the R+L Carriers team as two first round exits have seen the two-time Top Fuel national event winner slip to twelfth place, but with four races left in the playoffs and a reshuffling of the points leaders, the field is tightening up. Hart started the Countdown 121 points out of first and now after two races he has slipped to 218 points back. With two Countdown race wins, new point leader Doug Kalitta made up a 75-point deficit on the point leader to start the Countdown and now has a 63-point lead of the No. 2 driver, for a net improvement of 138 points. A strong move by Hart in St. Louis could easily propel him back into the mix with three races remaining including the season finale in Pomona with points and a half on the line.
2023 RAD Torque Systems Fall Fling Presented by Optima Batteries Pre-Race
Bristol, TN — The final stop on the 2023 Fling Race Series Tour is happening this week at the RAD Torque Systems Fall Fling presented by 
Optima Batteries. Bristol Dragway will host 425 of the best bracket racers in the country at this unique single entry event.
“With 677 entries at our 2022 Bristol event, we felt we needed to cap the field in order to deliver the experience our racers have come to expect,” said promoter Peter Biondo. “We decided to only accept 425 single entries to allow us to finish before the track gets too cold or humid at night. Our goal is to provide a safe racing surface and end each day at a reasonable hour.”
Rob’s Automotive Tuesday will host a track-operated test and tune run in conjunction with the American Race Cars/Race Tech 32-Car Dragster Shootout where the finalists will each win a chassis with the winner having choice of builder.
TOP FUEL POINTS LEADER DOUG KALITTA LOOKS TO STAY RED-HOT IN ST. LOUIS AT NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS
ST. LOUIS – Before the NHRA Countdown to the Championship started, Doug Kalitta’s last Top Fuel victory came in 2020 at World Wide 
Technology Raceway, the site of this weekend’s 12th annual NHRA Midwest Nationals.
Since then, the fan-favorite driver has been perfect in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series action, winning a pair of playoff races as he competes for that elusive first world championship in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools/Toyota dragster. Kalitta had waited nearly three years between wins, dating back to his 2020 triumph in St. Louis, before getting his 50th career win two weeks ago and adding another on Sunday in Charlotte.
Heading into St. Louis, where Kalitta has always thrived, the veteran also has the points lead for the first time in three years. A fifth victory at World Wide Technology Raceway – which would tie him with Antron Brown for the most in NHRA Top Fuel history at the popular track – would keep him perfect in this brilliant postseason run and cap off this string of three consecutive race weekends in dominant fashion.
Summit Motorsports Park’s Inaugural Mopar Event Excites from Start to Finish
Norwalk, OH – With ambition and anticipation, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio staged its Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge 
Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance, Sept. 22-24, 2023 and by all accounts, it was an extraordinary event.
Produced and presented by Summit Motorsports Park with Mopar enthusiasts in mind, it featured three days of racing, a Fun Field Car Show, swap meet, car corral, manufacturers’ midway, concert by Trainwreck Country Band and fireworks.
“We couldn’t be happier with our Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance,” said Bill Bader Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park. “Our team spent several months organizing this event, and we all wanted it to be successful, and we are all very grateful that it was. We had a tremendous turnout, and we look forward to an even bigger event next year. The planning starts now.”
22nd Annual Red Line Synthetic Oil NMCA World Finals Presented by Chevrolet Performance
Indianapolis, ON – The Red Line Synthetic Oil NMCA Drag Racing Series wrapped up a successful 2023 campaign with the crowning of 
world champions during the 22nd annual NMCA World Street Finals presented by Chevrolet Performance. Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park has been the site of many historic drag racing moments, and that now includes both the event winners and series champions that were crowned on Sunday evening.
Ty Tutterow, of Mocksville, N.C. has been in command of the championship battle in VP Racing Lubricants Pro Mod for most of the season and he put a tidy bow on his season by winning his third event. Tutterow, a winner in Orlando and Norwalk, stopped Mike DiDomenico, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, 3.661 to a slowing 5.568. Tutterow, the son of Pro Mod legend Todd Tutterow, defeated Bob Glenn, Ed Marx, and low qualifier David Monday on his way to the final round.
In Holley EFI Factory Super Car A.J. Berge of Bayshore, N.Y., drove his ’21 Dodge Challenger to a 7.680 in the final round to stop Jonathan Allegrucci, Scott Township, Pa., who trailed with a 7.732 in his Cobra Jet Mustang. In addition to the FSC purse, Berge takes home an addition $10,000 thanks to the Dodge bonus! Allegrucci may have lost the final, but he scored enough points to pass Tony Scott for the season championship. The Factory Super Car class features a modern twist on classic muscle cars with intense competition between supercharged Chevy, Dodge, and Ford entries.
JOSIE BROOKS WINS PRO BIKE & SLED SERIES EVENT AT EMPIRE DRAGWAY
Suzuki GSXR Pro Bike rider leads from first qualifying run
LEICESTER, NY – Josie Brooks rode into the winner’s circle at the Pro Bike and Sled Series (PBSS) event on Saturday, at Empire Dragway in 
Leicester, NY. Brooks, from Arkona, ON led the field of first-rate participants after qualifying run number one, with a 4.78 second pass, at 147.01 mph on the eighth-mile drag strip.
“Our team had a fantastic day running the PBSS race this weekend at Empire Dragway. Many thanks to Bruce Mehlenbacher and Jerry Scaccia and their officials. Everyone was really terrific and the facility is amazing” commented Josie Brooks. “This bike is new to us this season and we couldn’t be more pleased with its performance. My thanks to Dan and Jaymie for keeping me and the bike on track,” Brooks added.
In the final round, Brooks, running 4.82 seconds at 141.83 mph, on her 1640 cc 1997 Suzuki GSXR 1100, defeated a red-lighting Bill Pippard from Ransomville, NY, running 5.07 seconds at 132.31 mph on his 2003 1507 cc Suzuki Hayabusa. “Not bad after a thirteen-year hiatus,” said a pleased Pippard.
Hagan, Pruett Advance in NHRA Carolina Nationals to Semifinals, Both Set in Top 4 in NHRA “Countdown” Championship Points
CONCORD, NC – Drag racing is the fastest motorsport in the world with 335 miles per hour speeds. But it is also one of the closest in 
motorsports with victories by inches.
For the second consecutive week in the NHRA Camping World drag racing series, Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett looked to be on the path to victory lane Sunday in the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. But, for the second consecutive week, both racers were on the wrong end of the battles by inches.
Hagan, who posted a track record Friday in qualifying with a 3.825, drove his Johnson Horsepower Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat to sensational times throughout the weekend including a 3.828, 3.841 and 3.868 in the opening round victory against John Smith. He defeated Tim Wilkerson in the second round before taking on Bob Tasca III in the semifinal.
In that matchup, Hagan cut a tremendous 0.054 starting line light and held the advantage in the first 800 feet before losing by inches (0.006 seconds) at the finish line with a 3.953 to Tasca’s 3.935. Despite the loss, Hagan advanced to the No. 3 position in the NHRA Championship “Countdown” Funny Car points standings with the next event set for Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in NHRA Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill.
Caruso Races to Quarterfinals to Stay in Championship Hunt
CHARLOTTE, NC – For the second Countdown race in a row 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year Camrie Caruso and the Tequila Comisario 
Chevrolet Camaro produced a strong qualifying effort and backed it up on race day. Caruso and her KB Titan powered Pro Stock team came off the trailer on Friday at her home track, zMAX Dragway, and posted the second quickest pass of the first qualifying session. It was a blistering 6.525 second run at 210.18 mph and it held up in the No. 2 spot through two more rounds on Saturday.
Heading into race day Caruso had lane choice over veteran driver Chris McGaha and the second year pro did not take any chances. When the Christmas Tree flashed Caruso crushed the tree with a .023 reaction time launching her Tequila Comisario Camaro out in front of McGaha’s Camaro and the third generation drag racer never trailed in the race. Her winning time of 6.597 seconds easily outdistanced McGaha’s 6.639 second pass.
In the quarterfinals Caruso drew KB Titan Racing teammate Deric Kramer. Kramer got off the starting line first and that was enough of an advantage to hold off a charging Caruso at the finish line. Caruso had a solid .049 reaction time, but Kramer’s .024 second reaction proved to be the difference. The elapsed times at the finish line went Caruso’s way 6.580 to 6.596 seconds but the young driver was relegated to only two rounds of racing today.
Shawn Langdon, Kalitta Air Careers Top Fuel Dragster, Loses to Teammate in Round 2
Charlotte, NC – Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 9 qualifier at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals; Langdon made his best 
qualifying attempt in the Saturday-afternoon session when he made a 3.719-second pass at 330.39 mph.
Eliminations: Langdon defeated Tony Schumacher before losing to his teammate, Doug Kalitta, in the second round.
Unofficial Point Standings: Langdon jumped a spot in points; he leaves Charlotte in 10th place in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings. He trails ninth-place Austin Prock by 29 points and leads 11th-place Tony Schumacher by 12 points.
Langdon on Charlotte: “The weekend was good overall; we were able to make up a little bit of ground in points, and we’re in the top 10 now so we hope we can keep moving forward and stay in the top 10. We still have a long way to go, but we’re doing whatever we can to make the Kalitta Air Careers car run better and more consistently like it did last weekend in Reading. Even if we made the best run we could have made, we wouldn’t have had anything for Doug’s 3.74 in the second round. We’ll move on to St. Louis and give it another shot for Kalitta Air, Revchem, Toyota and Future Energy Solutions.”
