Homestate Illinois based Funny Car racer Tim Wilkerson breaks through finally winning much overdue first career NHRA Fuel title. Driving John Costanza-owned JCIT Pontiac Firebird Wilkerson out duels John Force in tire smoking final. It is first time this season that Force’s Castrol Team has not won the class....

Pontiac racers go on a rampage at Route 66 Nationals winning four eliminators. In addition to Wilkerson’s win in FC, Warren Johnson takes his Firebird to another win in Pro Stock. Larry Pritchett earns Competition eliminator title driving D/SM ‘97 Grand-Am and Michael Beachy wins in Super Stock with ‘82 Firebird....

Funny Car round one sees Jerry Toliver endure a nasty top end fire as his Stone Cold WWF Pontiac lights up during loss to Del Worsham. Toliver rides out inferno and gets stopped safely. He is taken to hospital for smoke inhalation but is later released. Stone Cold Pontiac body now heated blob.....

Federal Mogul Funny Car final is bizarre as NHRA officials allegedly "forget" to inform Bob Newberry to pull up and fire his car. Opponent John Lawson does his burnout and has already backed to starting line before Newberry even starts his car. Newberry does "short hop" burnout, stages and then proceeds to wack Lawson in the final anyways. Newberry has some choice words as to the competency of NHRA officials following the victory.....

Tommy Johnson makes first NHRA Top Fuel appearance in quite some time driving with Fram Super Grip colours. Johnson runs decent 4.769 secs but is a DNQ. His Top Fuel class showing was a one race affair with Fram sponsorship as Johnson had previously been announced as replacement driver for Cruz Pedregon in Joe Gibbs’s Interstate Batteries/Hot Rod Magazine car. Johnson will debut driving that car at Columbus...

Scott Kalitta also makes his circuit return in Top Fuel at Fram Route 66 Nationals. Kalitta who won back to back Winston titles in 1994-95 hardly looked rusty as he ran strong in qualifying. Kalitta, driving his father’s dragster, loses in round one as does his cousin Doug Kalitta who had been the event’s low qualifier (4.543 secs)....

Randy Anderson looks great during his one race stint driving Joe Gibbs Interstate Funny Car at Chicago. Anderson qualifies 5th with a 4.986 secs and makes semifinals before narrowly losing to John Force in a tight 5.003 secs to 5.006 secs battle.....

California’s Bob Panella has great event in Pro Stock Truck. On Saturday he prevails in Holley Dominator Duel driving his Chevy S-10 beating Jerry Haas in the final round. Then on Sunday he wins Fram Route 66 Nationals stopping Dale Eaton in final round. The "double up" pays extra bonus money from NHRA so Panella leaves premises much richer....

Federal Mogul Dragster class attracts an impressive 23 entries at Joliet. Dave Hirata qualifies on pole for the first time in his career driving his injected nitro car (5.456 secs) but loses in round one. Rob Wendland, driving conventional supercharged alcohol burning In-And-Out-Burger car wins for the first time in his career when scheduled final round opponent Michael Gunderson has supercharger backfire during burnout.

Competition eliminator round two sees Jules Schonberger spin out his H/A Pontiac Grand Prix just in front of Doug Stewart’s B/ED. Incident is wild to watch. Schonberger collects guardwall but is unhurt. Stewart coasts to finish line after great driving job to avoid Schonberger....