IndyStar.com: NHRA
Indiana's leading news source for all the top stories, local news, sports and weather.
McClenathan moves up
First event of Countdown to 1 features changes from the NHRA regular season Cory McClenathan and Robert Hight shot up the playoff rankings by winning their first races Sunday at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C....
Force, Pedregon trying to get over their spat
Funny Car driver John Force is trying to forgive and forget a recent spat with Tony Pedregon. It’s just taking him a little time. The NHRA drivers were caught on camera screaming at each other after a race at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at...
Rivalries, tussle take center stage in NHRA eliminations
CLERMONT, Ind. — Tony Schumacher got a slice of race history, John Force got just what he needed and Tony Pedregon got mad Monday on an entertaining final day of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Schumacher tied NHRA...
Stewart visits racing friends in advance of charity event
CLERMONT, Ind. — On Monday, NASCAR star Tony Stewart made a rare appearance at a drag race. On Wednesday, two drag racers will repay the visit. NHRA Funny Car drivers Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon will put aside the disappointment of being...
First-round matchup means a lot
Crew chief Venables at center of race between Pedregon, Worsham CLERMONT, Ind. — Neither side portrayed it as a grudge match, but the first-round Funny Car matchup Monday at O’Reilly Raceway Park between Tony Pedregon and Del Worsham...
Rivalries, tussle take center stage in NHRA eliminations
CLERMONT, Ind. — Tony Schumacher got a slice of race history, John Force got just what he needed and Tony Pedregon got mad Monday on an entertaining final day of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Schumacher tied NHRA...
NHRA: Force team has big day
CLERMONT, Ind. — Even though his team is enjoying its best weekend of the year without Austin Coil being directly involved, an emotional John Force made clear Sunday morning that his longtime friend and crew chief is missed. Coil has been...
Bernsteins find sponsor
Copart Inc. will replace Budweiser CLERMONT, Ind. — In recent weeks, NHRA Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein had been weighing his options in the event his father, Kenny , was unable to find sponsorship to keep their team afloat next season....
Brown takes No. 1 spot in Top Fuel
CLERMONT, Ind. — Antron Brown raced to the No. 1 qualifying position in Top Fuel on Sunday in the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, taking the top spot for the seventh time this season with a run of 3.835 seconds at 319.22 mph. A two-time event winner in Pro...
Hines cashes in Pro Bike Battle; Force drivers top 4 in Funny Car
CLERMONT, Ind. — Andrew Hines picked up the first big paycheck of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, while John Force Racing enjoyed a banner day in qualifying Saturday at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny...
Pedregon brothers plan to maintain sibling rivalry
CLERMONT, Ind. — While Tony Pedregon has all but locked up a No. 1 seed in the NHRA’s championship Countdown, older brother and Funny Car teammate Cruz has a tenuous hold on the 10th and final spot. So what happens Monday if they go...
Brown's dominating Top Fuel season
CLERMONT, Ind. — A drag racer’s season is going well when a rival who has won the past five NHRA championships calls it “unbelievable.” That’s about how Antron Brown describes his year, too. The former Pro Stock...
Hight keeps title hopes in view
Top Funny Car qualifier knows this is final chance to save his season CLERMONT, Ind. — With his NHRA championship hopes hanging by a thread, Robert Hight showed he has some fight left in him by blasting to the top of the Funny Car charts in the...
Indy special to Schumacher
He got his start here in 1996 and has since captured 6 of his career 7 titles at track CLERMONT, Ind. — Tony Schumacher stands at the steps of history in this 55th Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in pursuit of a record-tying eighth Top Fuel crown in...
McCulloch deals with tough times
Capps’ crew chief beats cancer, but wife has Alzheimer’s CLERMONT, Ind. — Drag racing is a quarter-mile straight line. Life isn’t. Unexpected curves loom; nerves are tested. Ed McCulloch has driven both. The first half of his...
Funny Car event loses sponsor
Three times Ron Capps won what was long known as the Big Bud Shootout, the all-star event for top Funny Car drivers held annually at O’Reilly Raceway Park. He never looked at the $100,000 check. “It could have been $10 for all I...
Setting up the Countdown
Event beginning today at ORP is last before NHRA’s 6-race championship playoff O’Reilly Raceway Park roars to life today for the first of six days of almost non-stop drag racing in the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. The 55th running of the...
U.S. Nationals to be Countdown opener
The 2010 NHRA schedule announced Tuesday keeps the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals on its traditional Labor Day weekend date but changes the emphasis for drag racing’s premier event. Instead of being the final race of the regular season — as...
Dixon earns fourth Top Fuel victory
NORFOLK, Ohio — Larry Dixon earned his fourth Top Fuel victory of the season Sunday at the NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park and moved up to second in the point standings. Jack Beckman took the Funny Car title, Jason Line won the Pro...
Pedregon beats Force Hood at NHRA SuperNationals
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. — Tony Pedregon raced to his second straight Funny Car win, beating Ashley Force Hood in the final of the United Association NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. Top Fuel star Larry Dixon picked up his...
Force Hood lead Funny Car qualifying
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. — Ashley Force Hood topped Funny Car qualifying Friday in the United Association NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. Force Hood had a 4.071-second run at 303.37 mph in her Ford Mustang. Tony Schumacher,...
Lucas wins at NHRA Summer Nationals
COMMERCE, Ga. — After multiple rain delays, Morgan Lucas beat Spencer Massey in the Top Fuel final Sunday in the Summit Racing NHRA Summer Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won...
Massey gets his 1st No. 1 in Top Fuel qualifying
COMMERCE, Ga. — NHRA rookie Spencer Massey has taken his first No. 1 spot in Top Fuel qualifying, becoming the only driver to supplant one of the overnight leaders at the Summit Racing Southern Nationals. Massey laid down a 3.820-second pass at...
Schumacher races to Top Fuel win in Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Tony Schumacher raced to his second straight Top Fuel victory and third in a row in Las Vegas, beating Brandon Bernstein in the SummitRacing.com Nationals final Sunday with a 3.874-second run at 311.77 mph. “I didn’t do...
Ashley Force Hood wins second Funny Car race
BAYTOWN, Texas — Ashley Force Hood raced to her second career victory on a record-setting day at the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, beating her former drag racing instructor in the finals Sunday at Houston Raceway Park. The 26-year-old...
Brown leads Top Fuel qualifying
BAYTOWN, Texas — Antron Brown took the top spot in Top Fuel qualifying on Saturday in the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park. Cruz Pedregon, Jason Line and Andrew Hines also took the provisional No. 1 positions in...
Pedregons team up to win Funny Car titles
BROWNSBURG, Ind. — For all they accomplished separately in their drag racing careers, it pales in comparison to what the Pedregon brothers have done together.Competing against teams with more manpower and resources, Pedregon Racing has produced...
NHRA, ESPN stay together through 2016
POMONA, Calif. — The NHRA and ESPN have agreed to a five-year contact extension that will keep the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series on the air through 2016.As part of the multimedia rights agreement announced Thursday, the NHRA’s...
Rain washes out NHRA opener
POMONA, Calif. — Rain forced NHRA officials to postpone the first round of professional qualifying Thursday in the season-opening Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway.The first round of qualifying is now set for...
Steve Ballard's NHRA picks
1. Larry DixonCar: Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing dragsterComment: Two-time champion driver and eight-time champion crew chief-turned-team owner Johnson make for a winning combination.2. Tony SchumacherCar: U.S. Army dragsterComment: Winner of past...
