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Mike Neff can cross one goal off his to-do list: advancing to the NHRA's Countdown to 1. Can his first victory -- and perhaps even a Funny Car title -- be too far behind?

Kalitta Motorsports will honor the memory of Scott Kalitta by reactivating the DHL Funny Car for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indy. Driver Jeff Arend just hopes to do the Kalitta family proud, writes Bill Stephens.

Points leaders in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will take a back seat to the drivers scrambling to make the Countdown to 10 this weekend at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, writes Bill Stephens.

The Western Swing is often crucial to title hopes in the NHRA. Add shorter races for Top Fuel and Funny Car as well as tight battles in Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle and there's more drama than ever, writes Bill Stephens.

Tony Pedregon is having a pretty good season, with three victories so far. Sure, there were a couple of car explosions and he's nearly seven rounds of racing out of first place, but the Funny Car champion knows things tend to even out, writes Bill Stephens.

For a sport still in mourning over the death of Scott Kalitta, the NHRA event at Norwalk, Ohio, put the focus back on the track. And what a memorable event it was, writes Bill Stephens.

The NHRA revealed a series of measures it is enacting to address key safety areas following Scott Kalitta's crash.

Scott Kalitta didn't race Funny Cars as a hobby. It was what drove him. And it ended up costing him his life, writes Bill Stephens.

What keeps old-timers Kenny Bernstein, Frank Hawley and Mark Oswald entrenched in the high-adrenaline world of 8,000-horsepower Funny Cars? Hey, it beats playing golf, writes Bill Stephens.

Del Worsham is hoping he didn't peak too soon in 2008. Worsham won the Funny Car title at Houston in March, but he's limping in at 13th in the standings after four DNQs and three first-round defeats, writes Bill Stephens.

Jerry Toliver was a power player in the Funny Car ranks not so long ago. With his first-round win behind him and good sponsorship in tow, Don Schumacher Racing's third driver may be about to hit his stride, writes Bill Stephens.

Brace yourselves, drag racing fans. The stretch run to the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship begins this week at Heartland Park Topeka, writes Bill Stephens.

The exploits of first-time female winners have been the hot topic in racing recently. Next up? Top Fuel driver Hillary Will is poised to break through, writes Bill Stephens.

John Force isn't just the NHRA's most prolific winner on the track, he's one of the best talent evaluators off it. That's why his Funny Car team is so often on top, writes Bill Stephens.

Tim Wilkerson campaigns as a single-car owner/driver in the NHRA's Funny Car class. His second win of the season at Gateway on Sunday shows he's ready to run with the "big dogs," writes Bill Stephens.

Ashley Force's victory in the Southern Nationals was one for the history books as she became the first woman to win a national event in a Funny Car. For her it was a relief. For her legendary father it was the fulfillment of a dream, writes Bill Stephens.