Author: Mike Haag

Courtesy of the NHRA SEATTLE – Robert Hight powered to the Funny Car No. 1 qualifying position Saturday at the 30th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) are also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the 16th of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Hight secured his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier after a 3.883-second pass at 329.34 mph in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevy Camaro SS during the fourth and final qualifying session on Saturday. He locked down his fourth…

Courtesy of the NHRA SEATTLE – Friday qualifying was led by Steve Torrence in the Top Fuel category at the 30th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Bo Butner (Pro Stock) were also provisional qualifying leaders in their respective categories at the 16th of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Points leader Torrence piloted his dragster to a 3.791-second run at 324.75 mph. He is seeking his third No. 1 qualifier of the season after coming off a win at the most recent event in Sonoma. “Really proud…

Courtesy of the NHRA KENT, Wash. – With five world championships and 58 wins to his credit, Jeg Coughlin Jr. is used to winning. The Pro Stock veteran has been close during the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, advancing to two finals, but the longtime standout is determined to break through. Looking for his first win since 2014 and wanting to grab some momentum heading into the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, Coughlin is locked in heading into this weekend’s NHRA Northwest Nationals at scenic Pacific Raceways. Things haven’t gone totally as planned this year in…

Courtesy of the Verizon IndyCar Series LEXINGTON, Ohio – One thing is certain following another successful test of the new Verizon IndyCar Series universal aero kit: Any misconception of drivers not earning their keep in the cockpit will be put to rest in 2018. The new aero kit – developed by chassis supplier Dallara and set to be used by all competitors next season following three years of manufacturer aero kit competition between Chevrolet and Honda – was put through the paces in the road course/street course/short oval configuration for the first time today at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Juan…

Courtesy of the NHRA KENT, Wash. – With just three races before the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship, Jim Campbell knows there is pressure. But you can be certain it won’t stop the Funny Car driver from smiling in his pursuit of the 10th and final spot in the loaded class. Campbell, who started the famed NHRA Western Swing with a semifinal appearance in Denver, sits just eight points behind veteran Cruz Pedregon in 11th heading into this weekend’s NHRA Northwest Nationals at scenic Pacific Raceways. But a flurry of talent, including standouts Del Worsham…

Courtesy of the NHRA KENT, Wash. – With each passing race, the magnitude of the situation grows a little bit bigger for Scott Palmer. But that appears to be just fine for the Top Fuel driver determined to make his first career appearance in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. A first-round win in Sonoma on Sunday over eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher in his 10,000-horsepower CatSpot/Marck Industries/Tommy Thompson Motorsports dragster kept Palmer in ninth and stretched his lead over 10th-place Troy Coughlin Jr. Heading to this weekend’s NHRA Northwest Nationals at scenic Pacific Raceways,…

Courtesy of the NHRA KENT, Wash. – There have been enough impressive performances during the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season to let Robert Hight know he is capable of winning races. The former Funny Car world champion has two No. 1 qualifiers and two runner-up finishes in his 10,000-horsepower Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS. The only things remaining for Hight is more consistency and race wins, something he believes can happen at the final stop of the famed NHRA Western Swing, the 30th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at scenic Pacific Raceways, Aug. 4-6. “Without a doubt, we…

Courtesy of the NHRA SONOMA, Calif. – J.R. Todd powered to his first career Funny Car victory Sunday at the 30th annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also victorious in their respective categories at the 15th of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Todd clinched the victory with a 4.049-second pass at 323.27 mph in his DHL Toyota Camry against Tim Wilkerson who went up in smoke in his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang…

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service LONG POND, Pa. – Barely more than three hours after the Pocono crowd greeted Kyle Busch with a chorus of boos during driver introductions, Kyle Busch made converts of the fans in the grandstands – at least a large portion of them – with a spectacular burnout after his long-awaited victory in the Overton’s 400. Benefitting from a splendid pit call by crew chief Adam Stevens, Busch charged through the field after his final stop and pulled away to beat runner-up Kevin Harvick to the finish line by a whopping 6.178 seconds, breaking…

Courtesy of the Verizon IndyCar Series LEXINGTON, Ohio – Josef Newgarden finally completed what he started at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, bursting into the Verizon IndyCar Series championship lead after winning the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in dominant fashion. Newgarden led 73 of 90 laps on the 2.258-mile permanent road course, taking the checkered flag 5.1556 seconds ahead of Team Penske teammate Will Power. It gave the Tennessean back-to-back wins, following his triumph July 16 at the Honda Indy Toronto. Newgarden also vaulted atop the season standings for the first time in his six-year Verizon IndyCar Series career. He…