Race Weekend Central

Off the Wall With: Fast Jack Beckman

Nhra 2015 Charlotte Jack Beckman Wally

(Photo: Toni Montgomery, Frontstretch)

Welcome to Off the Wall With…, where we ask your favorite drivers five questions that are… well, off the wall! We’ll check in with a different driver each week to get a peek into life outside the racecar. This week, we put 2012 NHRA Funny Car champ Fast Jack Beckman in the hot seat. What’s …

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Nitro Shots: The Junior Road to the Championship

Nhra J.r. Todd Junior Dragster Photo Courtesy J.r. Todd And Kalitta Motorsports

(Photo courtesy of JR Todd)

Stock car racers have quarter midgets, open-wheelers have go-karts and aspiring young drag racers have Junior Dragsters. The cars are scaled down versions of a Top Fuel dragster, and competitors as young as 5 race them in the NHRA’s Jr. Drag Racing League, a league that has 3,000 participants according to the NHRA. It’s family …

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Nitro Shots: Drag Racing, Home of the True Gearheads

Nhra 2015 Spencer Massey Car Shot Courtesy Nhra Media

(Photo courtesy NHRA Media)

You can make a pretty good argument for the idea that drag racing fans are the true gearheads of the motorsports world. NASCAR fans absolutely feel manufacturer loyalty; some will even switch long-standing driver loyalties because their guy went from Chevy to Ford. But it’s something different for drag racing fans. Something more than just …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: American Pride a Shot in the Arm for IndyCar

Indycar 2015 Barber Josef Newgarden And Firehawk Credit Chris Jones

(Photo: Chris Jones)

American driver Josef Newgarden drove to his first career victory at Barber Motorsports Park last weekend with fellow American Graham Rahal in hot pursuit in second. It was a stellar closing segment as Rahal dashed furiously through the field, getting by Scott Dixon on the final lap and set to reeling in Newgarden, who was …

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Ashley Force Hood Named VP of John Force Racing, Inc.

Nhra 2015 Ashley Force Hood Family Courtesy Jfr

(Photo Courtesy: John Force Racing)

In an effort to streamline corporate operations and cut costs, John Force Racing, Inc. CEO John Force announced that Ashley Force Hood would be taking on the role of Vice-President of John Force Racing, Inc. She previously served as President of John Force Entertainment, but the two companies will now be consolidated into a single …

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Nitro Shots: The NASCAR Snipe Hunt

Nhra 2015 Shane Gray In Black Gray Motorsports Car Courtesy Gray Motorsports

(Photo Courtesy: WinLight Communications/Gray Motorsports)

The discussion began in our Open-Wheel Wednesday roundtable chat, but on further thought, it has some bearing on NHRA too. It was put forth that the rain delay for NASCAR last weekend, in spite of providing a perfect window for the IndyCar race, did not actually garner a lot of crossover traffic. Matt Stallknecht pointed …

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Off the Wall With: Alexis DeJoria

2014 Nhra Las Vegas Alexis Dejoria By Pink Car Credit Gary Nastase

(Credit: Gary Nastase)

Welcome to Off the Wall With…, where we ask your favorite drivers the same five questions that are… well, off the wall! We’ll check in with a different driver each week to get a peek into life outside the racecar. This week, NHRA Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria has the inside scoop. What’s fun besides …

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Nitro Shots: What a Rush!

Zmax Dragway Carolina Nationals Jr Todd 2014 Mike Neff 080

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

JR Todd, our featured driver in Nitro Shots this week, celebrated his one year anniversary driving a Top Fuel dragster for Kalitta Motorsports this past weekend, having started with the team at Las Vegas last year. So what does a guy who goes over 300 mph in under four seconds do to celebrate? Something that’s …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Dale Harrigle, Bridgestone Motorsports’ Chief Engineer & Manager of Race Tire Development

Indycar 2015 Nola Francesco Dracone On Track Credit Bret Kelley

Photo: Bret Kelley

The Verizon IndyCar Series heads to a new venue this week in NOLA Motorsports Park. New venues can mean a lot of unknowns, but teams this weekend can go in knowing that the tires should not be one of them. A quick talk with the powers that be tells us why that side of the …

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IndyCar Preview: 2015 Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana

Indycar 2015 Nola Sign Credit Chris Owens

Photo: Chris Owens.

NOLA Motorsports Park is a brand new venue for the Verizon IndyCar Series, so that means there will be many unknowns for teams this weekend, particularly as they are still learning and adjusting to their new aero kits. One thing that actually won’t be a question mark, however, is the Firestone tire that will be …

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Nitro Shots: You’ve Made the Bonus Round!

Nhra 2014 4 Wides Erica Enders Stevens Media Center

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

This weekend in Las Vegas, drivers in NHRA’s Pro Stock category will compete in a special bonus event, the K&N Horsepower Challenge. (Think All-Star Race.) So what’s on the line? A nice check to the tune of $50,000 for the winner and, of course, bragging rights. The two Saturday qualifying rounds will also serve as …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: Bunny Ears & Razor Blades

Indycar 2015 Chevrolet Aero Kit For Road And Street Top View Courtesy Indycar Media

Photo Credit: IndyCar Media

Clearly one of the biggest storylines to follow for the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series is the new aero kits that have been introduced. Both manufacturers, Honda and Chevy, were tasked with developing the kits, which are made up of aerodynamic bits and pieces that can be added to the car in any combination a team …

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