NHRA’s event at St. Louis is as tragic as they come. One of drag racing’s brightest new stars and true gentlemen, Darrell Russell, was fatally injured during a freak second round incident while racing along side Scott Kalitta. Russell’s Top Fuel dragster suffered a massive explosion right after the finish line following a losing run of 4.611 secs at 322.73 mph. The car turned around and then slid to a rather innocent looking stop without any apparent heavy impact with the guardwall. Russell, is extricated by NHRA safety personal and is rushed to hospital but to no avail. Speculation as to the exact cause of death is under heavy investigation by NHRA officials with no determination as of yet.

Darrell Russell, from Texas, was 35-years old and leaves behind his wife Julie. Darrell was selected by team owner Joe Amato as his driving successor after Amato retired at the end of the 2000 season. Russell's accomplishments while driving in the Top Alcohol Dragster were highly impressive, including three NHRA Division 4 championships and a win at the U.S. Nationals in 1997. Russell won his first start as a Pro driver, only the third driver in history to do that, at Pomona‘s Winternationals in 2001. Russell went on to become NHRA Rookie of the Year that same season. In total Darrell collected 6 NHRA national event wins in Top Fuel, including the recent Pontiac Excitement Nationals at Columbus, Ohio, 2 weeks before. Darrell had entered Sunday’s final eliminations at St. Louis on the pole after setting a track record 4.511 secs in qualifying. DragRaceCanada on behalf of all Canadian drag racing fans, offers it’s sincere sympathies to the family, friends and team associates of Darrell Russell.

Racing action did continue at the event although under obvious distressed circumstances. Doug Kalitta won his second event of the 2004 season when he beat his racing stable mate David Grubnic to the stripe in the Top Fuel final. Kalitta recorded a 4.535 secs at 326.87 mph victory in the Mac Tools dragster, and with that took over the overall points lead in NHRA POWERade Top Fuel racing.

Gary Scelzi earned his 27th career win but only his second in Funny Car when he wheeled the Oakley/Hemi Dodge Stratus to victory. Scelzi’s run to the winner’s circle was impressive as it included both low ET 4.724 secs and top speed at 330.23 mph. In fact Scelzi’s 330.23 mph was top speed of the entire meet -- eclipsing the 328.94 mph set by Scott Kalitta in Top Fuel.

Scelzi’s final round victim was John Force. Force’s runner-up effort did however put him first overall in NHRA POWERade FC points -- 3 points ahead of Del Worsham as the NHRA tour reached it’s 2004 season half-way mark.

After that surprising first round loss at Englishtown the previous weekend, Greg Anderson got back to his winning ways in Pro Stock. The driver of the Vegas General Construction Pontiac outran the Chevy Cavalier driven by Steve Johns in the final round -- 6.726 secs to 6.779 secs. Anderson and Johns had been the top two performing cars at the event. Anderson set low ET at 6.702 secs while Johns had top speed at 206.07 mph.

In Pro Stock Bike, Alabama’s Steve Johnson earned his much overdue first career win riding his K&N Filters-sponsored Suzuki. Johnson used a major league holeshot in the final round to defeat Craig Treble. Johnson combined at .025 RT with a run of 7.220 secs at 183.34 mph to hold back Treble’s much quicker but losing 7.129 secs at 186.28 mph. The victory for the popular rider came in what was his 7th career NHRA PSB final round.

The AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod series was in action at St. Louis and that feature produced a first time winner with California’s Danny Rowe prevailing. Rowe, who placed runner-up to Canadian Al Billes at the AMS Pro Mod event at Englishtown one week earlier outdistanced the fan favourite Dr. Moon’s “Rage” Mustang driven by Von Smith in the final round. Rowe’s Infinet-sponsored Corvette won a 6.209 secs to 6.240 secs decision.

Pro Mod qualifying was paced by New York’s Mike Janis who established a new AMS series ET record at 6.169 secs driving the Eaton-Automotive Corvette. Hometown racer Zack Barklage rode his supercharged Pro Mod Pontiac to top speed at 231.87 mph. That marked the fourth time this season that Barklage has set top speed in AMS Pro Mod series action.