NHRA POWERade championship drag racing has truly been taken to a higher level following a fantastic Inaugural edition of the Carolina Nationals held at Bruton Smith’s spectacular new ZMax Dragway near Charlotte, NC. The event which was held at the recently completed all new $60M facility raised the perception bar for drag racing in overall Motorsports as it played out to rave reviews by all who attended.

The splendor of the amazing facility was also complimented by some terrific action on the race track.

Tony Schumacher continued his absolutely numbing 2008 NHRA racing season by winning for the 7th straight event and the 12th time this season in Top Fuel. Schumacher’s victory, which came following a blistering final round effort (3.884 secs at 317.64 mph) allowed him to also eclipse Joe Amato’s all-time event winning record. It was his 53rd career win. Schumacher, driving his U.S. Army sponsored dragster has now won 28 straight rounds in Top Fuel (another record -- still counting!!).

Schumacher did spot the field some room during qualifying as he entered Sunday’s final eliminations in only the 9th position. However as has been the case in the past, his multi-talented team led by crew chief Alan Johnson, once again found their stride allowing Schumacher to advance to the final round rather easily with wins over David Grubnic, low qualifier Larry Dixon, and Hillary Will.

In the final Antron Brown, driver of the Matco Tools dragster did give Schumacher a handful however his 3.923 secs at 309.42 mph could not run down Schumacher’s aforementioned 3.884 secs and top speed of the meet of 317.64 mph.

Top Fuel class racing did include the very first NHRA event appearance for Tim Boychuk (from Edmonton). Boychuk, who had won the IHRA event in New Hampshire the weekend driving for team owner Barry Paton, ran a best of 4.056 secs at 286.74 mph which just missed qualifying.

Funny Car eliminator produced a terrific win for Jack Beckman’s Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger, his 3rd win of the season. Beckman combined some terrific driving with some great consistency to take the title over Cruz Pedregon’s Advance Auto Parts Toyota in the final round. Pedregon did move first in that match-up but his 4.162 secs at 302.08 mph was just nipped by Beckman’s 4.130 secs at 302.82 mph (a 1/1000th of a second win margin).

Beckman’s trek to victory lane including round wins over Jim Head, Del Worsham and Robert Hight. His win over Hight in the semi-final round came with a brilliant .002 RT which made his 4.150 secs run a winner over Hight’s much quicker 4.104 secs.

FC qualifying was paced by Canadian Frank Hawley who drove the R2B2/Rite Aide sponsored Dodge Charger to the quickest and fastest run of the event at 4.072 secs and 307.16 mph. Hawley was however upset in round one by Tony Pedregon when he spun the tires.

John Force, who name adorns the main grand stand at ZMax Dragway was a shocked DNQ at the event. Force, who also did not qualify at Indy 2 weeks before missed the 4.134 secs cut with a best run of 4.157 secs.

Canada’s Jeff Arend, making only his second start of the season as a new driver behind the wheel of the Kalitta Racing/DHL Toyota did qualify at Concord. Arend ran a 4.131 secs to get in the show but did lose out to Robert Hight in round one, 4.142 secs tp 4.196 secs.

Pro Stock produced a first time circuit winner with Maryland’s Justin Humphrey’s prevailing driving his RaceRedi Motorsports Pontiac GXP. Humphrey’s benefited from a big break in the final round when his scheduled opponent Kurt Johnson’s could not start his ACDelco sponsored Chevy.

Humphreys was however fully deserving of his victory as he out drove Rob Mansfield, Jim Yates and Jeg Coughlin in earlier rounds.

R/UP Kurt Johnson was credited with low ET for Pro Stock at the event running a 6.680 secs to earn the pole. Kurt’s legendary father Warren set top speed at 208.26 mph.

Recent NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals winner Steve Johnson scored in Pro Stock Motorcycle aboard his Snap-On Tools sponsored Suzuki. Johnson benefited from a final round red-light start (-.002) by Harley Davidson rider Eddie Krawiec. Krawiec wasted a superior 6.974 secs at 192.91 mph (top speed) compared to Johnson’s winning 7.029 secs at 191.46 mph.

Johnson’s entertaining victory lane celebration antics were preceded by round wins over Angie McBride, Wes Wells and Hector Arana.

Defending NHRA POWERade world champ Matt Smith was the quickest PSM at Concord hitting a terrific 6.952 secs to pace the program. Smith lost a very close 2nd round duel to Arana, when both riders recorded identical 7.032 secs elapsed times.

Defending Lucas Oil World Champions Frank Manzo and Bill Reichert prevailed in TAFC and TAD eliminators respectively.

Manzo won for the 78th time in his career when his final round 5.593 secs at 261.42 mph (top speed) clipped the cool new ’08 Mustang driven by Marc White.

Reichert’s event victory came after a marquee injected nitro versus supercharged alcohol final round with Canadian star driver Ken Perry. Reichert’s Michigan-based Rislone-sponsored machine prevailed 5.308 secs at 264.44 mph to Perry’s 5.352 secs at 265.44 mph.

Bill Reichert’s win came from the pole and he also was credited with low ET (5.246 secs) and top speed (273.39 mph) for the breed.