Does that paint scheme look familiar? Here is Richard Freeman driving a Pro Stock back in 2012. (Ron Lewis photo)

Richard Freeman, owner of Elite Motorsports, will be rejoining the driver ranks at Topeka in the seat of a Pro Stock. Freeman’s Oklahoma shop put an engine in former driver V Gaines’ 2009 GXP car and he will be in the driver’s seat after a three-year absence from driving. Joining Elite teammates Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr., Freeman’s entry brings the total in Pro Stock to 17. (There are 18 each in Top Fuel and Funny Car.)

Freeman plans to build a Mustang to join the Camaro-dominated ranks of Pro Stock later in the year. He also plans to bring out a couple of Pro Mod cars this season.     [05/18/18]

Jose Gonzalez qualified No. 1 at his second career NHRA Pro Mod race and followed that up with a victory at the most recent event in Charlotte. That has Gonzalez, a standout for years in various racing organizations, fourth in points heading to Topeka for the Pro Mod portion of this weekend’s NHRA Heartland Nationals.

After qualifying 15th in his debut race at the season-opener in Gainesville, Gonzalez has made steady strides over the past two events, running an impressive 5.696 at 257.78 mph to take the No. 1 spot in Houston. From there, he headed to his first four-wide race in Charlotte, where Gonzalez was cool under pressure, beating a loaded lineup in the final quad that included “Stevie Fast” Jackson and three-time world champion Rickie Smith. Gonzalez has been stellar in his driving, but he gave credit to crew chief Steve Petty, who tuned Troy Coughlin to three championships, and his team.

"After qualifying first in Houston, we found something out with the car and we can't feel better with the way we've started," Gonzalez said. "It's been a dream come true. We've been able to pinpoint and fine-tune the combination we've had, and there's so much data that's it's all coming together really well. That helps you feel a lot more comfortable in the car."

There are 28 Pro Mods on the entry list for Topeka.  (Ron Lewis photo)   [05/18/18]

Deric Kramer got noticed for his big burnouts in 2017.  (Ron Lewis photo)

Kansas racer Will Hatcher will make his Pro Stock debut at the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties in the American Ethanol 2017 Dodge Dart that Deric Kramer drove last season. Hatcher was the 2017 Div. 5 LODRS Comp champion. He got his Pro Stock license in 2012. [05/18/18]

Top Dragster competitor Mike Coughlin.  (file photo)

Memorial Day weekend is on the horizon and that means the third annual JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, KY, with a purse of more than $108,000.

The racing action begins on Friday, May 25, at 8 a.m. as the racers take to the track for qualifying runs. Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, Super Street, and Super Comp along with Top Dragster, Top Sportsman and Comp Eliminator will take to the track during the day. Both the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster categories will compete in a 32-car field to optimize the competition for racers and fans alike at the marquee sportsman racing event. Also new for the 2018 event is the Sportsman Motorcycle category.

The racing continues on Saturday with bonus C-Tech Fast Four Shootout races in Comp, Racing RV’s Top Dragster, and Top Sportsman. The hotly-contested K&N Super Shootouts will take place in the three Super-eliminator categories: Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street. The fans will also be treated to heads-up, wheelstanding class racing in Stock and Super Stock, which takes place on Saturday and will feature the Hemi Shootout for ’68 Hemi Barracudas and ’68 Dodge Darts.

Eliminations for all classes will be held on Sunday with national points at stake in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series including Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman, and Top Dragster categories, while Lucas Oil Divisional points will be awarded in Super Street and Sportsman Motorcycle.   [05/18/18]

The Agent’s reading takes in all sorts of automotive news and here’s a good item for our Friday get-together. New license plate technology being put to the test in California could benefit drivers but not be too helpful to car thieves. Among their myriad high-tech features, the plates can flash the word “stolen” in lieu of a registration number to quickly notify authorities.

The digital plates go by the name of Tag 2 Connect and will also be able to display information about traffic congestion, update drivers about road conditions and provide warnings about accidents. In addition to those features, drivers will have the ability to connect a smart wallet to the plates to pay for parking and registration fees using a smartphone app.  [05/18/18]