Author Archive: Darr Hawthorne
Another One Bites The Dust: R.I.P. Auto Club Dragway
(Words and Photos by Darr Hawthorne) – In a terse Facebook page proclamation on Friday December 3, 2021, Auto Club Speedway management declared, “After careful consideration on the best...
Ron Capps, Leah Pruett, Greg Stanfield And Matt Smith Close Out Hot Racing Action At Too Hot Pomona Winternationals!
(Photos by Mike & Jeff Burghardt) – If I told you it was hot at the annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, it was hotter for the drivers and...
The NHRA Winternationals, Leah Pruett, Blake Alexander Greg Anderson & Matt Smith Leading Friday Qualifying At Pomona!
(Photos by Jeff and Mike Burghardt) – Leah Pruett is on track for her first No. 1 qualifier of 2021 in Top Fuel, taking the provisional top spot in qualifying on Friday during the 61st annual...
Antron Brown, Bob Tasca III, Greg Anderson & Scotty Pollacheck Win 40th And Final Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals!
(Photos by Mike Burghardt and Jeff Burghardt) — Antron Brown couldn’t have dreamed of a better way to close out the famed Atlanta Dragway on Sunday, becoming the winningest Top Fuel driver at...
64 Funny Cars, Make That 70 Funny Cars At The Texas Motorplex For Funny Car Chaos!
(Photos by Randy Anderson and Dave Stoltz • Words by Darr Hawthorne) – As a teenager, funny cars have been that major draw keeping me coming back to the drags. Today’s Big Show cars...
Long Lost Film Of ’66 Winternationals Found! Sunday Eliminations With Packed Pomona Grandstands!
(Film and Words by Darr Hawthorne ) In 1965 Santa brought me a new 16mm Bolex film camera, rather than using my dad’s cameras any-longer. The first opportunity I had to use it was on the...
Second Gen GMC Canyon And Colorado Truck; Making A Secure Space With Goose-Gear!
(Words and photos by Darr Hawthorne) – When I purchased a new pickup, I thought there’d be room for everything, cameras, suitcase, ice chest, etc. Well, in the end of 2019 a brand-new GMC...
Steve Torrence, Matt Hagan, Erica Enders and Matt Smith Clinch NHRA World Finals In Vegas!
(Photos by Mike & Jeff Burghardt and Timothy Heather – Words courtesy of NHRA Communications) – All four points leaders in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series finished the job on...
B. Torrence, Capps, Anderson & Krawiec Lead Qualifying For NHRA Finals At Vegas!
(Photos by Mike & Jeff Burghardt and Timothy Heather – Words courtesy of NHRA Communications) – Billy and Steve Torrence powered to the top two spots in Top Fuel on Saturday during...
2020 NHRA Rookie Of The Year; Justin Ashley
Photos by Mike & Jeff Burghardt, Words Courtesy of Justin Ashley Racing/Elon Werner – In one of the most unusual years in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history Top Fuel racer...
Billy Torrence, Matt Hagan, Jason Line & Ryan Oehler Win Restart Of NHRA Mello Yello Series In INDY!
(Photos by Mike Burghardt) — Billy Torrence powered his Capco dragster to the Top Fuel win on Sunday as the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series raced for the first time since February at the E3...
Qualifying For The E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway – Mello Yello Drag Racing Returns!
(Photos by Mike Burghardt) — The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series returned to action for the first time since February, and Funny Car’s Tommy Johnson Jr. picked up where he left off,...
So You’re Craving Nitro, Right? Here Comes The National Day Of Nitro!
So many of us crave the drag strip while much of the country is still on lockdown. There is a glimmer of hope with Arizona, Mississippi, Idaho, Florida and recently Washington State easing...
