In advance of the event, Richard Petty’s 43 Jr. Plymouth Barracuda will be on display from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Friday at Griffin Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram.  Petty drag raced the Hemi-Barracuda during the 1965 season in protest of NASCAR rules that targeted the Hemi Plymouths.

On Saturday, March 31, Rockingham Dragway and Griffin Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-RAM celebrate the American Muscle Car with the 27th renewal of a “MOPARS at the Rock” event that includes a swap meet, show cars and a drag racing program featuring the “Bullet Bob” Reed Memorial Hemi Challenge.

In addition to an all-MOPAR Top ET and Footbrake combo bracket race in which Vick Helms of Catawba, S.C., will try to repeat as champion in his 1972 Plymouth Duster, there will be a Trophy Street race, separate shootouts for Chargers, Challengers and Vipers, the aforementioned Hemi Challenge for Dodge Super Stock cars and a new “Small Tire Shootout” on the eighth-mile course.

The car and truck show will feature 26 different classes including multiple Charger and Challenger categories.  In addition to Best in Class trophies, there will be an Editor’s Choice Award along with awards for Best of Show and Best Truck.

Returning to defend his title in the Hemi Challenge will be Tank Crosswhite of Glade Spring, Va., in the Crosswhite Brothers 1968 Hemi-powered Dodge Dart. Also expected back is defending Charger Shootout champ Brian Roberts of Charlotte, NC.

Among those expected to challenge Helms for the Combo ET title are reigning Rockingham Dragway champ Barry Nall and Rock veteran Art Laselle.  [03/26/18]

John Force Racing spent four days with the HBO sports journalism series ‘Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel’ over the past two weeks. The team will be featured on the Emmy winning show Tuesday, March 27, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Jon Frankel conducted the interviews both in their hometown of Yorba Linda, CA, and at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals held at Gainesville Raceway. Frankel (shown above with John Force) takes a detailed look at the family, their racing, and Force’s rags to riches story.  (photo courtesy JFR)  [03/26/18]

Wagler Motorsports Park, located in Lyons, IN, has joined Division 3, the NHRA North Central Division, as a NHRA member track.

Track owner Jeremy Wagler is also the owner of Wagler Competition Products, an industry leader in cylinder heads for diesel trucks. He will oversee track operations with the assistance of Total Venue Concepts.

The track will host research and development for testing Wagler Competition Products in a real world environment as well as four key events during the season including the 11thannual Ohio Crankshaft No Box Nationals.

“We plan on holding a select number of special events, as well as private test sessions for our customers and race teams,” said Wagler. “The truck and tractor pulling will be added as well for the coming season and the 2019 season will be looked at shortly.”  [03/26/18]

Street Outlaw Jeff Lutz and “The 57” will be at the Buffalo Motorama all weekend.

The Buffalo (NY) Convention Center will host the Buffalo Motorama on March 29-31. This marks the eighth year for the biggest and best indoor custom car and bike show in western New York state.

Bogi from All Girls Garage will be there with Montage, the all-woman-built 1957 Chevy truck built and debuted at the SEMA Show will be at the show all weekend and Kevdogg from Kindig-it Design and the Bitchin Rides TV show will be in attendance on Friday, March 30. [03/26/18]

Three drivers broke the 3-second barrier Thursday, Mar. 22, at Donald Long’s  Sweet 16 event at South Georgia Motorsports Park.

First in the Radial vs The World class was DeWayne Mills driving the “Golden Gorilla” Camaro turning in a 3.696 at over 212 mph. Then it was “Stevie Fast” Jackson at the wheel of “The Shadow” moving the numbers to 3.686 seconds at 202 mph. Mark Micke, driving Jason Carter’s 1978 Malibu, got the last word with a 3.677 at over 221 mph. [03/26/18]

The crash in real-time and then slow-mo.

Valerie Thompson crashed while attempting to break the world’s fastest motorcycle record at Australia’s Lake Gairdner World Speed Trials. After her streamlined bike went airborne and then crashed at 343.7 mph, Thompson walked away with only minor bumps and bruises.

Thompson is the only female driver in a two-wheeled vehicle over 300 mph and broke her own personal best record with a run of 328.467 piloting the Team 7 Streamliner a few days earlier. She holds eight land speed records on a variety of bikes ranging from Harley-Davidsons to BMWs and is a member of seven land-speed 200-mph clubs and one 300-mph club. [03/26/18]

Drivers participating in the Holley EFI Outlaw Street Car Reunion event at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, KY, April 18-22 are invited to take part in a free two-day test session. Slated for the Tuesday and Wednesday before OSCR officially gets under way, the test session is open to drivers in all categories who run Holley EFI and are willing to be filmed testing and working on their cars.

To be eligible, all you have to do is pre-register for the race and agree to be filmed discussing a feature of your Holley EFI system. To secure an invitation, please email Holley's Rick Anderson with your contact information and your combination. Pre-register for the event here – just click on "Event Info" and then on "Racer Registration." [03/26/18]

Hoosier Bill Glidden at the Gatornationals. (Steve Gruenwald photo)

Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis has announced it will light up the sky and drag strip for the first time Memorial Day weekend with the Inaugural Night of Thunder on Saturday, May 26.

The Inaugural Night of Thunder will feature some of the fastest Pro Mod racers in the world as they compete head-to-head in a winner-take-all showdown. Lucas Oil Raceway has partnered with Real Pro Mod Association to bring some of the biggest names such as Indiana native Billy Glidden and past champion Rickie Smith.

The event will kick off Saturday morning with a special bracket race featuring $2,500 to-win for both Pro and Super Pro categories. Field size is limited to the first 100 competitors in each category and advance registration is encouraged. Qualifying for the Pro Mod category will take place during the day and be capped off with a 16-car shootout beginning at 7 p.m.

In addition, the Night of Thunder will feature fan favorite jet cars as they light up the night’s sky and rocket their way down the quarter mile, only to be capped off with a memorable fireworks display.    [03/26/18]