Words by Ian Tocher / Photos by Chris Haverly and Richard Muir

Several more racers clinched spots in the Countdown to the Championship. Those now in are: Top Fuel - Doug Kalitta, Antron Brown and Shawn Langdon; Funny Car - Robert Hight and John Force; Pro Stock – Erica Enders-Stevens, Allen Johnson, Jason Line, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Dave Connolly; and Pro Stock Motorcycle – Andrew Hines, Eddie Krawiec, and Hector Arana Jr.

Lizzy Musi, the 23-year-old daughter of doorslammer drag racing legend Pat Musi, earned her career-first win Saturday night, July 26, in the inaugural Professional Drag Racers Association U.S. Drags at Virginia Motorsports Park near Richmond. Musi beat points leader Jason Harris in the Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous final, ending Harris's undefeated streak from all four PDRA races previously held this year.

Also picking up pro class wins were Brandon Snider in the NAS Racing Pro Extreme class, Cary Goforth with his third Aruba.com Extreme Pro Stock victory of the season, Kevin Rivenbark in Precision Turbo/Proline Pro Boost, and veteran rider Billy Vose with his first PDRA win in Pro Extreme Motorcycle.

Sportsman class victories went to Bruce Thrift in Magnafuel Top Sportsman, Derrik Sholar in STT Safety Equipment Top Dragster, and Preston Tanner and David Roloff in Huddleston Performance Pro Jr. Dragster and Top Jr. Dragster, respectively.