Dragway News

Solidifying its position as one of the premier drag racing facilities in the world, Bristol Dragway hosts a stellar slate of events during the upcoming 2013 season, including the flagship Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

With the start of school just behind them, Northeast State and Bristol Dragway want to puts students on the “fast track” during the Sept. 13 Taco Bell® Street Fights event. Northeast State Night gives students a break to hit the track instead of the books on Thursday night. One lucky person also will leave Thunder Valley with a new iPod Nano thanks to Northeast State.

Free racing, free tacos and the region’s meanest street-legal cars highlight Taco Bell® Night Thursday, Sept. 6 during Taco Bell® Street Fights at Bristol Dragway. Anyone who brings a Taco Bell® receipt to Street Fights on Thursday can challenge legendary Thunder Valley for free.

NHRA returns to Bristol Dragway, June 14-16, 2013, for what has become one of the most popular stops on the calendar, the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by the Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers on Father’s Day Weekend.

NHRA’s trademark stop at Bristol Dragway on Father’s Day weekend has proved to be the perfect time for the NHRA to visit Thunder Valley. With 8,000 horsepower machines and fan-friendly amenities, there is no better gift for any father.  

School is just around the corner and Northeast State and Bristol Dragway want to puts students on the “fast track” during the August 9 Taco Bell® Street Fights event.

Northeast State Night gives students one last chance to hit the track before they hit the books for the upcoming school year. One lucky person also will leave Thunder Valley with a new iPod Nano thanks to Northeast State.

Weather may have hampered Friday’s qualifying session for the AHDRA Thunder in the Valley Nationals, but riders more than made up for it during Saturday’s racing action.

In Screamin’ Eagle Top Fuel, Tommy Grimes of Pfafftown, N.C. defeated Doug Horne from Abderdeen, MD on a red-light. Horne went red by .009 sec. Grimes had a .051 reaction time and covered the track in 6.592 sec. at 212.56 mph. Horne ran a 6.413 elapsed time at 212.06 mph.

Bristol Dragway regular Carson Brown drove to victory in the 11-year-old age group during the NHRA Junior Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals presented by ViperizerRacing.com at his home track last weekend. Bristol Dragway Team 1 and Bristol Dragway Team 3 tied for third in the team championship.

Blountville’s Brown notched the victory in Thunder Valley when he stopped Autumn Greene, of Bradenton, Fla., in the 11-year-old class title round. Greene had the better reaction time, .021 to .067, but Brown was able to drive around her and win on an 8.928 (8.91) to 8.965 (8.90) count.

Fans have asked for it and now monster truck racing’s biggest name is roaring in to Bristol Motor Speedway. Bigfoot returns to crush cars and cause chaos during the July 28 Thompson Metal Monster Truck Madness presented by Beef O’ Brady’s Family Sports Restaurant.

Bristol Dragway regulars Steve Foley and Tim Griffith scored big in last weekend’s World Footbrake Challenge VI in Thunder Valley earning the win, and more importantly, the $10,000 checks that went along with it.

Griffith, from Cedar Bluff, Va., drove to the final round victory over Chris Plott of Winston-Salem, N.C. In the final round, Griffith had a .019 reaction time and a 6.726 elapsed time (6.70 dial-in) at 108.20 mph. Plott’s .050 R.T. and 5.803 E.T. (5.72 dial-in) at 110.39 mph put him just short of Griffith in the money round.

World Footbrake Challenge VI returns to Thunder Valley July 13-15 in what has become one of the racers’ favorite events. The best footbrake competitors in the country set their sights on Bristol Dragway in hopes of coming away with a little extra in their checking accounts.

The race features a purse structure that will reward the winner of each race day (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) with a hefty $10,000 prize. Bracket racing fans definitely will want to catch this event, as the many of the biggest names in the sport will be in attendance.

It was another hot weekend of racing on the track in Thunder Valley as Fun Ford Weekend came to a close with some spectacular final-round matchups.

Bristol’s Ben Knight came home as the big winner in the DER Bracket Racing Series last weekend in Thunder Valley. Knight swept the Motorcycle competition, taking home wins on both Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, Knight sped through the finish line in 6.251 seconds (6.22 dial-in) at 109.92 mph, giving him the win over his opponent David Elder of Dandridge. 

Mike Edwards defeated Greeneville’s Allen Johnson by .0000 sec., a virtual tie, in one of the closest finishes in NHRA history during the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals Sunday evening at Bristol Dragway.

Although the victory is Edwards’ fourth straight Pro Stock triumph in Thunder Valley, it did not come easy. To advance to the final round, Edwards outlasted Larry Morgan, Jeg Coughlin and Erica Enders. Edwards faced Johnson, who easily had the best performing car of the weekend, in a pressure-packed match.

Allen Johnson drove his Pro Stock machine to the top spot, and a new track record, during Friday evening’s qualifying sessions at the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. If the speed holds through Saturday’s action, it will be his third-straight number one at his home track.

For Blake Alexander, this weekend’s Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals is much more than just a homecoming. The 23-year-old will drive a nitro-powered Funny Car in his Bristol professional debut, the crescendo of a childhood dream.

While it marks the first time he has raced through Thunder Valley with 8,000 horsepower under his right foot, it will not be his first trip down the legendary drag strip. Many years ago, the Smith Mountain Lake, Va. native began his racing career in Bristol behind the wheel of a Junior Dragster.

It is good to be on top. Robert Hight knows this first-hand, and he finds himself on top of the mountain as the NHRA heads to Bristol Dragway for the June 15-17 Ford Thunder Valley Nationals presented by the Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers.

NHRA’s 2009 Funny Car Champion heads to Thunder Valley as the defending event champion and the current Funny Car points leader. After a stellar start to the season, Hight looks to add another Bristol win to his already-impressive resume.

It is no secret the June 15-17 Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals are a hit with fans of all ages. Now, however, kids have another great reason to head to Bristol Dragway to share the nitro-burning excitement with their dad on Father’s Day…free admission.

In celebration of Father’s Day, Sunday’s junior tickets (Ages 12 and under) will be free with the purchase of an adult admission ticket.

While many fans dream of the opportunity to access the playing field before or after a sporting event, they rarely are given the chance to do so. On Sunday, June 17, however, NHRA and Bristol Dragway will allow race fans to hit the track before and after Sunday’s elimination rounds at the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals.

After an overwhelming response from race fans last season, Bristol Dragway will continue its revolutionary Thunder Valley 101 with a few new additions to aid fans during the Father’s Day Weekend Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Thunder Valley 101 was developed in 2011 as a way for new fans to learn more about the complexities of NHRA championship drag racing. While the sport seems simple on the surface, the Thunder Valley 101 program is designed to provide added information for all fans to help make their experience at Bristol Dragway even better. 

Todd Whited and Chris Johnson claimed Super Pro victories during the final weekend of DER Bracket Racing competition prior to the June 15-17 Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Whited, of Richlands, Va., drove to the win over Trevor Denton from Bristol, Va on Saturday. In what was an extremely close match, Whited’s winning run used a .018 reaction time, coupled with a 5.482 elapsed time (5.48 dial-in) at 125.69 mph. Denton came up just inches short, combining a .016 R.T. and a 4.885 E.T. (4.88 dial-in) at 140.37 mph.

The United States Air Force, a group known for speed and muscle, plays host to area race fans during the May 31 Taco Bell Street Fights at Bristol Dragway, another entity known for speed and muscle. During the evening, there will be several special opportunities for spectators to experience the power of the Air Force.

Thanks to Taco Bell®, May 24 may be the perfect chance to race for anyone who has been tempted to test their ride during Taco Bell® Street Fights at Bristol Dragway.

For those who have yearned to take on drag racing’s most historic track, anyone with a Taco Bell receipt will be able to race for $5 on Taco Bell® Night on May 24.

Online competitor registration is now open for the NHRA Junior Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals.

Those ready to register should visit this link to complete the process. 

Thunder Valley hosts the future of drag racing during the NHRA Junior Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Finals July 23-28.

For NHRA racers, the ability to drive is necessary to performing well on the track. How well they drive a golf ball, however, is up for debate. During the Ninth Annual Bristol Dragway Celebrity Golf Benefit presented by Alpha Natural Resources on June 14, racers will trade their steering wheels for golf clubs to support Speedway Children’s Charities.

Race fans know there is no bad seat in the house during the Father’s Day Weekend Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. Those looking to take in the action from a different angle, however, may want to try one of two hospitality options available for the thrilling, nitro-fueled excitement.

For those die-hard fans who want to feel the rush of standing mere feet away from the earth-shaking machines as they blast off from Bristol Dragway’s starting line, a trip to the Thunder Valley Club is a must. Others may choose to take in the action high above the track in the plush Bruton’s Suite.

Bristol Dragway and the Taco Bell® Street Fights have a simple question for race fans. Where do you eat your tacos?

As part of a new promotion, race fans can submit photos of themselves eating Taco Bell® food for a chance to win a catered party for 10 people at the Street Fights season finale. Creative photos are encouraged, as the best will be selected each week for special prizes.

While Mother Nature claimed victory at the DER Bracket Racing Series event at Bristol Dragway on Saturday, sunny skies graced Thunder Valley for Sunday’s action and Christi Johnson took home the win in Super Pro.

Maryville’s Johnson defeated Vance Houston of Newland, N.C. in the final round, posting a .009 reaction time and a 4.862 elapsed time (4.85 dial-in) at 141.09 on the winning pass. Houston had a losing .012 R.T. and 4.847 E.T. (4.83 dial-in) at 142.31 mph.

Smoke will rise from Thunder Valley during the Thursday, May 3 Taco Bell® Street Fights event at Bristol Dragway, but there will be no cause for alarm as the popular Burnout Competition returns with abundant tire smoke.

Vehicles of all shapes and sizes are invited to take part in this exciting contest to show which machine can produce the biggest and thickest cloud of tire-melting smoke in Thunder Valley. Fans should expect the unexpected to happen as drivers push their cars to the limit in this crowd-pleasing event.

Thanks to a group of students at East Tennessee State University, College Night at Taco Bell® Street Fights on Thursday, April 26 will be the perfect evening to take a break from study time and learn about reaction time.

At the beginning of the semester, students from the Motorsports Operations program at ETSU were tasked with developing and executing promotions for a Bristol Dragway event. They chose to continue the College Night theme from years past with a couple of additions.

Jason Scruggs’ first time racing in Bristol ended up being just as memorable as he had hoped.

The two-time Pro Extreme world champion felt right at home as the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) made its debut at historic Bristol Dragway, running a 3.649 at 206.57 miles per hour to take the top qualifying spot at the ADRL Springs Drags III.

Tim Griffith kicked his DER Bracket Racing season off by issuing a strong warning to his competitors at Bristol Dragway by pulling off a Pro category sweep last weekend in Thunder Valley.

Griffith, of Richlands, Va., drove to Saturday’s win over Kingsport’s Donald Gilbert, with a .025 reaction time and a 6.709 elapsed time (6.67 dial-in) at 104.51 mph. Gilbert’s runner-up effort had a .075 R.T. and a break out 6.528 E.T. (6.53 dial-in) at 103.46 mph.

During the April 12 Taco Bell® Street Fights presented by ZROCK 99.3 at Bristol Dragway only one thing stands between several ladies and a new piece of jewelry… a big pit of sand.

Thanks to the Ladies’ Night Diamond Dig one lucky lady will uncover a shiny, new piece of jewelry. 

During the April 5 Taco Bell® Street Fights presented by ZROCK 99.3 event in Thunder Valley, spectators and racers will be looking upward. No, the sky isn’t falling, but cash will be floating from the top of the Bristol Dragway control tower.

Bristol Dragway officials today announced Taco Bell® as the title sponsor for Street Fights, the ever-popular street-legal drag racing series.

Entering its 12^th season in Thunder Valley, Taco Bell® Street Fights presented by ZROCK 99.3 is the place for anyone with a need for speed to take racing to the track. Any street-legal vehicle can participate at Street Fights and there are no limitations on skill, as long as the racer has a valid driver’s license.

NHRA announced today that the always-entertaining NHRA Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harley-Davidson exhibitions will be featured at two NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events in 2012. One of those events, the wildly-popular Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, June 15-17.