The season opener May 24-27 for the European Drag Racing series pulled in strong fields for the bulk of the championship classes with the level of competition suggesting 2019 could well be a banner year for the sport.

Maja Udtian’s RFM team had a major thrash to make the call for the FIA Top Fuel final, which unfortunately came to naught as reserve gear appeared when in pre-stage.

See who won Top Fuel and all the other classes at here.   (Ivan Sansom photo)   [06/11/19]

After Johnny Pluchino unexpectedly made his PDRA Extreme Pro Stock debut at the recent PDRA North-South Shootout in Maryland, the second-generation wheelman is eager to make his quarter-mile debut in the Mountain Motor Pro Stock exhibition at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, June 14-16 at Bristol Dragway.

Pluchino, the defending world champion and current points leader in PDRA Pro Outlaw 632, is set to drive the Strutmasters 2013 Ford Mustang previously driven by his father, 2016 PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion John Pluchino.

The younger Pluchino made a couple test runs in the car during the PDRA Virginia race in May, then was given the chance to enter Extreme Pro Stock competition at Maryland just hours before qualifying started. It wasn’t as quick of a decision as one might think, but Pluchino took his father up on the opportunity and qualified No. 4, gaining valuable seat time in the process.

The Mountain Motor Pro Stocks have already made two of their four exhibition appearances with the NHRA this year and after Bristol will make their final appearance at Epping, NH, on July 5-7.  (Tara Bowker photo)   [06/11/19]

The Agent hears from a usually reliable California source that the long-rumored new eighth-mile drag strip in the Los Angeles area is getting closer to reality. It would be nice to report some good news about a track for a change. More info as it becomes available.   [06/11/19]

Mother Nature has not been kind to the Detroit Dragway Reunion. Last year’s event was rained out, although a few hardcore racers took a run on the track.  (Richard Gebhart photo)

The Detroit Dragway Reunion, Part 2, is set for Saturday, June 15, at Michigan’s Milan Dragway. The event was originally scheduled for June 1, but as with much of the Midwest this year, water forced the postponement.

The 10th annual event will feature Nostalgia Funny Cars, a Stick Shift Shootout, and the Great Lakes Gassers along with several legendary Gasser drivers. Pro, Super Pro and Sportsman classes will also run.   [06/11/19]

The Agent noticed that only 9 of the 14 Top Fuel entrants at Topeka took part in the fourth qualifying session.

The Agent must ask if it isn’t time to change the qualifying at NHRA national events. Do we really need to put often-times short fields through two days and four rounds of qualifying? The smaller-budget teams can’t afford it and even some of the mega teams don’t have the sponsor money they once did. When the weather conditions are completely different on raceday, the data gained during qualifying is not that applicable. And for the fans, one day of qualifying and one day of racing might make the events easier to attend and more special.

As an example, Robert Hight qualified No. 9 at Topeka and still won in the final against No. 10 qualifier Jack Beckman. Just wondering.  [06/11/19]