We will take a long weekend to celebrate July 4th and will return on Monday. Stay safe, everyone!  [07/03/19]

The Dragparts.com Blown Alcohol Thunder Pro Comp Series has produced three different winners so far in the first four main events of 2019. Pete Ortiz in the “Outcast” Funny Car took the first two victories of the season at both Woodburn Dragstrip and Firebird Raceway over Wes Garvin. Brent Jones, also racing a funny car won the main event at Spokane County Raceway over Canadian Dave Kroeker.

Garvin (shown) continued the shutout of dragsters in the class with a big win this past weekend over Jones at Renegade Raceway competing in a roadster.

In the "B" finals, the winners include: Alvan Behar in Woodburn, Kroeker in Boise, Rich Bailey in Spokane and Kroeker in Yakima.

The series will take the month of July off before heading to Billings, MT, on Aug. 3, Spokane on Aug. 16-17 and then the series wraps up the season in Medford, OR, on Sept. 28.   (photo courtesy Renegade Raceway) [07/03/19]

Three-time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Larry Dixon will serve as the Grand Marshal at the 23rd Annual Musco Lighting Night of Fire, Friday and Saturday, July 5 and 6 at Eddyville Raceway Park, Oskaloosa, Iowa.

In addition to serving as Grand Marshal, Dixon will bring his “fastest ride in drag racing” Top Fuel Dragster to the Night of Fire where one lucky person will win the opportunity to take a once in a lifetime ride in the two-seat dragster driven by Dixon.

Included in this year’s show are fuel altered, nitro front-engine dragster, jet cars and the Super Shifters. Plus, for the first time ever; No Prep Kings and Drag Week star Larry Larson will bring his brand-new radical Cadillac to race local No-Prep racer Bruce Micetich in a no-holes bared match up. [07/03/19]

Rookie of the Year candidate Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist dragster team are making their way to the NHRA New England Nationals, the 13th event on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season schedule, looking to build on their progress.

After back-to-back early exits that pushed the third-generation driver to 10th in the NHRA points standings, Prock and his team stayed in Norwalk, OH, to test before the off weekend.

“That early exit in Norwalk was tough. We were fourth best of that session and had a good light, so it was hard to go out in the first-round again. But we decided to stay and get some testing in. We made four passes and picked up early numbers and ran quicker than we have been, so I think things are looking good,” said Prock. “Mike Green and Ronnie Thompson tried a few different ways of doing things and we learned a lot. I think our team as a whole is as strong as it’s ever been. We’re going to take this weekend to regroup and we’ll be back and ready for the next one.”  (Ron Lewis photo) [07/03/19]

John Schnatter, former CEO of Papa John’s Pizza has stepped in to personally fund some of Pritchett’s races this season.  (Ron Lewis photo)

Since the start of the 2019 season, the NHRA New England Nationals has been an open event on Leah Pritchett’s schedule. She is unfunded at this race and will not compete at New England Dragway this weekend. Pritchett and her team will return to the track at the next event on the NHRA schedule, the Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals Presented by Pennzoil, where they will continue their quest to contend for the 2019 Top Fuel championship.

“There’s never any good time for bad news, but unfortunately, our Top Fuel team will not be racing in Epping this weekend. We started the year knowing we could potentially miss a small handful of races due to a shortage of funds, but through the hard work of so many, we haven’t missed one yet, until now,” Pritchett said.

“We're a championship contending team, and as much as it pains us to have to sit this one out, we know it is a necessary decision as we prepare to hit the Western Swing hard with everything we’ve got. We appreciate everyone’s continued support and look forward more than ever to returning to racing in Denver and continuing the points battle.”  [07/03/19]

The man credited with being the mastermind behind the Ford Mustang and then later the savior of Chrysler back in the 1980s, Lido Anthony “Lee” Iacocca, has died. He passed away Tuesday, July 2, at his home in Bel Air, CA.

He served as president of Ford Motor Co. and then chairman and CEO of Chrysler.

In a statement Chrysler, now FCA, said, “Lee gave us a mindset that still drives us today – one that is characterized by hard work, dedication and grit.”   [07/03/19]