Year in review, Part 2: The loss of a champion and the move to 1,000 feet
In a season in which old records were broken despite new rules that were in play and a year where new alliances were formed and old friends were lost, NHRA Drag Racing rose to meet challenges both old and new in a remarkable season of competition.
In the second of three installments of an annual NHRA.com feature, we take a look back at the year’s top headlines. Today: May through August. Among the news items were the loss of Scott Kalitta, the release of the 2009 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule and an event-purse increase in excess of $1.3 million, the move to 1,00-foot racing, the official opening of zMax Dragway, and Tony Schumacher’s milestone 50th career win.
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May 3: Frank Manzo shattered Tony Bartone’s record of 37 consecutive round-wins by increasing his total to 39 and counting with a win at
May 4: John Force celebrated his 59th birthday by becoming the first driver to win 1,000 competitive rounds in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series when he drove his Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang to a 4.862, 320.20 to beat Ron Capps in the first round in Madison.
May 4: Tim Wilkerson edged rookie Mike Neff in the
May 6: Johnny West was named crew chief on the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Jack Beckman, replacing Rick Cassel.
May 11: Holley announced that it will remain as title sponsor of the NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion for at least three more years.
May 14: NHRA Top Fuel driver Clay Millican, Funny Car racer Phil Burkart Jr., Pro Stock pilot Erica Enders, and NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield returned to the United States after spending seven days in Iraq on a Racing Heroes tour to meet U.S. troops serving overseas.
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May 14: NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster drivers Kate and Diana Harker were selected with 16 other young women drivers across multiple motorsports arenas for consideration for the Lyn St. James Project Podium Scholarship grant.
May 17: Top Fuel racer and former USAC champion Doug Kalitta won the NHRA driver’s portion of the NHRA Circle Track Challenge at Bristol Motor Speedway, a companion feature to the O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. 
May 18: After a long day of rain delays, Tony Schumacher, Melanie Troxel, and Dave Connolly were finally crowned winners of the eighth annual O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. Troxel became the second woman to score in Funny Car and the first to win in both nitro classes when she beat a fireballing Mike Neff in the final.
May 20: NHRA announced that Lucas Oil Products will be the title sponsor of the 2008 Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals at
May 23-25: NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series drivers were far from sitting out around the backyard barbecuing steaks. From
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May 23: Jim Yates and Richard Maskin, who teamed to win the 1996 NHRA Pro Stock world championship, announced they had partnered for the duration of the 2008 season.
May 25: In front of a NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 pre-race crowd of nearly 100,000, Mike Neff laid down one of the most impressive burnouts in recent memory on pit road.
May 27: After splitting with engine builder Richard Maskin earlier in the week, Justin Humphreys announced he would not be able to compete at the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals in
May 28:
May 28: Former NHRA Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon announced he would switch to a Toyota Solara body for the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.
May 29: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber
May 30: Top Fuel driver Clay Millican and
May 30: After sitting out the first part of the 2008 NHRA POWERade season, Joe Hartley returned to Top Fuel competition for the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.
JUNE
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June 1: Following historic wins by Ashley Force and Melanie Troxel, Hillary Will added her name to the short list of female Professional winners when she defeated Larry Dixon in the Top Fuel final at the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals. Funny Car legend John Force hoisted Wally number 126, and Ron Krisher picked up the sixth Pro Stock win of his career.
June 5: NHRA announced that it had retained Edelman, PRWeek’s 2007 Large Agency of the Year, to provide support and counsel with the implementation of its national public-relations campaign.
June 6: NHRA’s Publications Department announced the first in a series of special NHRA-themed books with the release of Wally Parks, Hot Rodding’s Hero, a biography on the late NHRA founder.
June 7: Based on input from members of the Sportsman Racer Advisory Council, the oildown penalty policy was modified for NHRA Sportsman categories during qualifying or eliminations at NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events.
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June 7: Led by an impressive victory by Super Gas racer Michael Sawyer and a runner-up finish by Top Alcohol Funny Car kingpin Frank Manzo, the Northeast Division team held on to win its third straight overall team title in the Jegs Allstars event, held during the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals.
June 8: Tony Pedregon bounced back from a fire during qualifying Saturday to win the 38th event of his career at the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals. Also posting his 38th national event win was Kurt Johnson in Pro Stock. Tony Schumacher extended his Top Fuel points lead, and fourth-year Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Chris Rivas won for the first time in his career.
June 10: Sidelined Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Peggy Llewellyn announced her plans to return to the NHRA POWERade tour, most likely at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals.
June 10: Funny Car and Pro Mod driver Mike Ashley announced he would abandon his driving aspirations in all classes to devote his time exclusively to his growing Lend
June 11: Steve Torrence, the 2005 NHRA Lucas Oil Top Alcohol Dragster champion, was named to replace Alan Bradshaw as driver of the Vis Viva Living Force Energy Top Fuel dragster owned by Dexter Tuttle, beginning at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.
June 15: On a rare off weekend from the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Pro Stock driver Jeg Coughlin scored a $25,000 victory at the Jegs U.S. Open Bracket Championships at O’Reilly Raceway Park at
June 15: After sitting out most of the season, Top Fuel racer Doug Foley announced his return to the class for the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.
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June 17: Kenny Bernstein confirmed that crew chief Jimmy Walsh had resigned from the Monster Energy Funny Car team and that Rick Cassel would take over tuning responsibilities.
June 21: Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, 46, died from multiple injuries suffered after his car went out of control and crashed in a high-speed racing accident at
June 22: The mood was understandably somber and the winner’s circle celebration subdued as Tony Schumacher, Tim Wilkerson, Greg Anderson, and Chip Ellis were crowned champions at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.
June 24: Still recovering from a crash earlier in the season, Kenny Koretsky put Richie Stevens Jr. in the seat of his Nitro Fish/Indicom Electric Pro Stock Pontiac GXP for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.
June 27: While still conducting its investigation into the tragic accident that took the life of Scott Kalitta, NHRA announced some of its initial findings and subsequent steps being taken to continue its efforts to make the sport safer.
June 28: Allen Johnson won the NHRA K&N Horsepower Challenge title when he bested Greg Anderson in the final of the special race-within-a-race bonus event for Pro Stock competitors contested during the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. Johnson earned $50,000.
June 29: Five months after losing his teenage sons in a traffic accident, Doug Herbert scored an emotional first Top Fuel win of the season at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, and 18-year Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran Hector Arana, twice a runner-up in his 149 starts, finally collected his first victory. They were joined in the winner’s circle by Tony Pedregon (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock).
JULY
July 2: NHRA announced that beginning at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, Top Fuel and Funny Car races would compete to 1,000 feet instead of the traditional 1,320 feet as an interim step while NHRA continued to analyze and determine whether changes should be made to build upon the sport’s long-standing safety record.
July 2: Five-time NHRA POWERade Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher was nominated for the ESPY Best Driver award and Funny Car racer Ashley Force for the ESPY Hummer Like Nothing Else award.
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July 9: NHRA released its 24-event 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule. In addition, officials announced an event-purse increase in excess of $1.3 million.
July 9: Pro Stock Motorcycle fan-favorite Peggy Llewellyn announced she would return to competition at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals aboard a second Rocklin Motorsports Buell as a teammate of Matt Guidera.
July 10: The NHRA Technical Department announced that incident data recorders will be required for all Pro Stock teams.
July 10: Veteran nitro tuner Jimmy Walsh rejoined Tuttle Motorsports. Walsh previously worked for team owner Dexter Tuttle in 2006 before accepting a position with Kenny Bernstein’s Funny Car team early in 2007.
July 10: NHRA announced that beginning in
July 11: NHRA announced the members of its safety task force, created to investigate, analyze, and determine ways to implement the initiatives outlined by NHRA to continue to enhance safety.
July 12:
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July 13: At the 29th running of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) and Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) scored hard-earned wins at the first event where nitro racing was contested to 1,000 feet. Greg Anderson scored in Pro Stock, and Matt Smith defended his Pro Stock Motorcycle crown. 
July 17: Top Fuel pilot Brandon Bernstein flew with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, pulling 9.2 Gs during his ride in an F-16.
July 17: On the heels of the disappointing announcement July 16 by NOPI Motorsports regarding the cancellation of the remainder of the NOPI Drag Racing Series season, NHRA outlined the classes in which sport compact racers can compete in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Summit Racing Series.
July 20: Tony Bartone scored his first Pro victory in his 119th start in Funny Car at the Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals. Tony Schumacher kept alive his bid to become the sixth Pro driver to sweep the Western Swing, and Jason Line triumphed in Pro Stock.
July 22: NHRA announced that racing in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series classes of Top Fuel and Funny Car would continue to be contested over a 1,000-foot course for the duration of the 2008 season.
July 22: It was announced that NHRA POWERade drivers would compete against each other Aug. 14 in the NHRA Softball Classic, a special softball game that will benefit the Drag Racing Association of Women.
July 24: After a national search, NHRA hired Glen Gray, formerly of Delphi Corp. and its electronics and safety division, for the newly created position of vice president of technical operations.
July 24: In yet another indication of its increasing strength in the highly competitive sports marketplace, NHRA announced that its NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series ratings on ESPN2 are up 30 percent and household impressions are up 34 percent.
July 26: Rocky Mountain Raceways boasted two individual champions — Jake Jones (age 11) and Chance Parker (15) — and collected the team championship at this year’s NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League Western Conference Finals presented by JR Race Car.
July 27: Tony Schumacher won the Top Fuel title at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals, his fifth win in the last six NHRA national events and a sweep of the Western Swing. He was joined in the winner’s circle by Robert Hight (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock ), and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
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July 27: Ralph Truppi, who during his longtime partnership with Tommy Kling built engines since the 1960s for many top Division 1 Super Stock and Stock entries, died after a long illness.
July 29: Top Fuel owner/driver Morgan hired tuner Jimmy Walsh.
July 30: Robert Hight threw out the first pitch prior to the Los Angeles Dodgers versus San Francisco Giants game at Dodger Stadium. John Force Racing also announced Hight would run a commemorative Dodgers 50th Anniversary paint scheme at the final two NHRA events of the season.
July 30:
July 31: Kalitta Motorsports team owner Connie Kalitta announced that he would bring son Scott’s DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car back into racing action with Jeff Arend as driver for the remainder of the 2008 season beginning with the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
AUGUST
Aug. 3: Daniel Wilkerson defeated Ashley Force to win the 31st annual ACDelco Night Under Fire at
Aug. 4: Veteran nitro tuner Nick Boninfante Jr. is named co-crew chief on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster driven by 30-time NHRA national event champion Doug Kalitta for Kalitta Motorsports, beginning at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd.
Aug. 9: Top Fuel driver Clay Millican and partner Mark Pickens announced they would debut their new Top Fuel team in time for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals with veteran tuner Lance Larsen serving as the team’s crew chief.
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Aug. 10: Tony Schumacher won his milestone 50th Top Fuel title and ninth of the season when he defeated teammate Cory McClenathan in the final round of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Schumacher was joined in the Brainerd winner’s circle by Tony Pedregon, Kurt Johnson, and Matt Smith.
Aug. 13: Fourteen-time NHRA POWERade Funny Car world champion John Force was one of seven inductees into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of
Aug. 17: Tony Schumacher defeated Larry Dixon to score a class-record-tying fifth straight victory in Top Fuel and run his unbeaten streak at the 1,000-foot distance to 20 straight rounds with a victory at the 24th annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals. Matt Smith scored his second straight final-round victory over Angelle Sampey in Pro Stock Motorcycle, and Jack Beckman and Jeg Coughlin each earned their second wins of the season in Funny Car and Pro Stock, respectively.
Aug. 19: Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Craig Treble announced he will ride for Don Schumacher Racing through the remainder of the 2008 season after leaving Harry Lartigue’s Team Tigue following Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in
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Aug. 20: Defending Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin and his Cagnazzi Racing teammate, Dave Connolly, used their race cars Wednesday morning to officially open zMax Dragway in
Aug. 25: Halie Schmidt was hired as community relations manager for NHRA after spending several years at public relations agencies working with clients such as Toyota, Yamaha, and Mattel Hot Wheels on various automotive and motorsports initiatives.
Aug. 25: The KB Racing team of Greg Anderson and Jason Line announced it would field a third Pro Stocker at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, run by the team’s induction specialist, Wilson Manifolds of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and driven by Robbie Mansfield, an employee of Wilson Manifolds.
Aug. 26: NHRA announced that it had modified the top end at O’Reilly Raceway Park at
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Aug. 27: Valerie Thompson, a two-time Bonneville land speed record holder who has spent the last two years in the All Harley Drag Racing Association’s V-Rod Destroyer class, announced she would make her Pro Stock Motorcycle debut at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Aug. 29: For their ongoing dedication and commitment to NHRA Drag Racing in the Professional and Sportsman ranks, Forrest and Charlotte Lucas were honored at a trackside presentation held prior to the first Funny Car qualifying session Friday at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. NHRA President Tom Compton led the on-track presentation dedicating the west grandstand suite complex at O’Reilly Raceway Park at
Aug. 29: Charlie Westcott Jr. drove his War Fish Barracuda to the SS/AH class title at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, winning the NHRA Mopar Hemi Challenge for the third time in the last four years. Wescott defeated Bucky Hess in the final, 8.65 to 8.86.
Aug. 29: The 54th running of the world’s most prestigious drag race, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, was once again the centerpiece of significantly enhanced media coverage in major national media outlets, including USA Today, National Speed Sport News, and RACER magazine.
Aug. 30: The most decorated Top Fuel crew chief in NHRA history, Alan Johnson, announced he will field a two-car team in 2009 through a partnership with Qatar-based Al-Anabi Racing. A seven-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, Johnson has tuned Tony Schumacher to the last four Top Fuel titles and the current points lead.
Aug. 30: For the fifth straight year, a Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod claimed the $25,000 top prize in the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle as Eddie Krawiec earned his first victory in NHRA competition with a final-round victory over his Vance & Hines teammate Andrew Hines, who fouled.
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Aug. 31: Cruz Pedregon defeated Tim Wilkerson in the final to claim his first U.S. Smokeless Showdown title and the $100,000 that goes with it. Appearing in the bonus event for the 10th time, Pedregon beat his brother Tony and Del Worsham to advance to his fifth Showdown final.
Aug. 31: With two winners on Sunday, the home team from Firebird Raceway earned its fifth overall team title at NHRA’s Northwest Division Summit Racing Series Finals in
