By Mike Haag BAYTOWN, Texas – Drag racers have always said that the first victory is always the sweetest one. NHRA Pro Stock driver Bo Butner definitely found that to be true on Sunday at the 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. Butner, driving his Jim Butner’s Auto Chevy Camaro, completed a pass of 6.550 seconds at 212.26 mph in the final round to defeat No. 1 qualifier Jeg Coughlin Jr., who went the distance in his JEGS.com / Elite Performance Chevy Camaro in at 6.562 at 212.03 mph. With the victory, the 42-year old driver and 15-time…
Author: Mike Haag
Mike Haag
Mike Haag has covered motorsports in San Antonio and South Texas for more than 39 years. In addition to covering motorsports for the San Antonio Express-News for nearly 28 years, Mike also has co-hosted TrackSmack with Dawn Murphy for 19 race seasons. In addition to being a writer, Mike taught high school English and Journalism for 30 years before retiring in May, 2020.
By Mike Haag BAYTOWN, Texas – Leah Pritchett has quickly become a dominant force on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel circuit this season. Pritchett, who drives the Papa John’s dragster for Don Schumacher Racing, rolled to her third victory of the season after she outraced Texan Steve Torrence in the final round on Sunday at the 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. The 28-year-old Southern Californian, who lives near Indianapolis, had a winning run clocked at 3.781 seconds, 321.96 mph. Torrence crossed the stripe in 3.787 at 322.11 mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. …
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Josef Newgarden added to the growing bank of fond memories he is accumulating at Barber Motorsports Park, driving to victory today in the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama presented by America’s First. Newgarden’s win by 1.0495 seconds over Scott Dixon is his second on the 2.3-mile, 17-turn permanent road course and comes two years after he secured his first career Verizon IndyCar Series victory at the same track. It also is the 26-year-old American’s first win since joining Team Penske, which took three of the top four finishing positions in the 90-lap race. HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX…
Courtesy of the NHRA BAYTOWN, Texas – Leah Pritchett piloted her Papa John’s dragster to the Top Fuel victory Sunday at the 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Bo Butner (Pro Stock) were also winners in their respective categories at the fifth event of 24 on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Pritchett raced a 3.781-second pass at 321.96 mph to defeat Steve Torrence who ran a 3.787 at 322.11 in his Capco Contractors dragster. This is Pritchett’s fourth career victory and third of the season. “Our goal was to…
BRISTOL, Tenn. – A photographic look at the NASCAR racing action on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. All photos courtesy of NASCAR and Getty Images.
By Mike Haag BAYTOWN, Texas – If drag racing fans ever wondered why NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel driver Antron Brown always has a smile on his face, there is a good reason. It’s because he is loving life as a drag racer and cherishing every moment. “I never take one day for granted,” Brown said. “The good Lord puts you on this Earth and you don’t know how many days are guaranteed. So what I do is that I tend to enjoy every moment. If they ain’t putting you underneath the ground, then it ain’t a…
By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. – Erik Jones found the ideal way to atone from a mistake in Saturday’s Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but it took a bump-and-run for Jones to complete his comeback at the .533-mile short track. Recovering from a Lap 230 pit road speeding penalty that sent him to the back of the field, Jones worked his way to the front through a series of quick cautions and muscled Ryan Blaney out of the way to take the lead on Lap 280 of 300. Jones held the top spot the…
BAYTOWN, Texas – Courtney Force secured the Funny Car No. 1 qualifier Saturday at the 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. Clay Millican (Top Fuel) and Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) were also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the fifth event of 24 on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Defending race winner, Force, set both ends of the track record with a pass of 3.851-seconds at 330.23 mph in her Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro during Friday’s qualifying to earn her 12th career No. 1 qualifier. “It definitely feels good to…
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Something about Will Power, Team Penske and Barber Motorsports Park go well together in Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying. Power negotiated the 2.3-mile, 17-turn permanent road course in 1 minute, 6.9614 seconds (123.653 mph) in the Firestone Fast Six, the climactic round of knockout qualifying. It earned the 36-year-old Australian the Verizon P1 Award and his fourth pole position at the track for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by America’s First. HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA: Qualifying results Power, in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, edged a pair of teammates and past…
BAYTOWN, Texas – Driver quotes and reaction regarding the racing action this weekend at the NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway. Top Fuel: Antron Brown – “It’s always great to get back to Houston. That’s where I won my first Top Fuel race and a place where we’ve been pretty good. We’ve won there a couple of times and made the final a few other times, so hopefully this year we can get back there and win it again. We’ve had a pretty good start to the year and our goal is just to continue going rounds. The weather can…