Day 2 at NHRA Thunder Valley Mello Yello Nationals

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

Steve Torrence talks smack to other drivers

Steve Torrence laughs during the Saturday NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals during some down time.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/torrence-swipes-no-qualifying-spot-in-top-fuel/article_2b3b7c4e-53dd-11e7-a8b5-bf39092c7d28.html

Leah Pritchett, Pro Fuel, talks about her season so far

Leah Pritchett, Pro Fuel, talks about her season so far as a NHRA Pro Fuel driver during the Thunder Valley Nationals on Friday.



Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/gregory-pritchett-staying-cool-in-top-fuel-feud-with-torrence/article_b3bc97b6-53b9-11e7-89ff-9f762b782a63.html

Matt Hagan - Country Boy that Races

Matt Hagan, Funny Car,  during a qualify run on Friday at Thunder Valley Dragway during the NHRA & Mello Yello Thunder Valley Nationals.



photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/hagan-hoping-to-pay-back-father-with-a-thunder-valley/article_691849ac-53ab-11e7-b6d8-f393487cf6de.html

Racing Radiation Therapist

Lauren Freer is racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Bristol Dragway this weekend.  Freer is a Radiation Therapist during the week and Top Dragster and Super Gas driver on the weekend.


www.tricities.com/sports/article_2321d0ae-f8e5-11e3-af5f-...

Drag Racing Farmer wants to Win At Bristol

Drag Racer Matt Hagan wins a kayak race against local media during an event at the Bristol Dragway on Wednesday.  Hagan is the 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion and was in Bristol to promote the upcoming NHRA Nationals and his team.

http://www.tricities.com/sports/article_35091f94-ec5a-11e3-8469-0017a43b2370.html

NOPI Nationals come to Bristol Dragway

Jaine Bickford, 2.5 yrs. old, drinks from her sippy cup while looking at herself in the 32" wheels of Ronnie Talbott's show truck on Saturday at the Bristol Dragway for the NOPI Nationals.

http://www.tricities.com/news/article_9b8c3274-e908-11e3-9086-001a4bcf6878.html

John Force is a force in NHRA

BHC 061813 Spring Nationals 1, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

John Force talks prior to getting into his Funny Car on Sunday at Bristol Dragway.

Spring Nationals @ Bristol Dragway

BHC 061713 Spring Nationals 14, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

John Force give his daughter Courtney Force some words of wisdom as she prepares to race during the Funny Car Field on Sunday. She did race against her father and lost.

John Force wins Spring Nationals

BHC 061713 Spring Nationals 01, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Funny Car driver John Force holds up the Trophy for winning the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Funny Car field on Sunday at Bristol Dragway.

NHRA Jr. Drags in town

BHC 0728 jrDrags 03, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

17 yr. old Bailey McCorkle sports her lucky glasses from under her helmet and is from Indiana and is racing this weekend in Bristol at the NHRA jr. drags.

Johnson is the fastest in his class so far

BHC 0616 DragsFri 10, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Allen Johnson watches other cars qualify during the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

The Force family is quick

BHC 0616 DragsFri 16, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

John Force talks with daughter Courtney Force before their run in the Funny Car class during the Ford Thunder Valley Nationals.

Let the good times roll

BHC 0615 NHRA Golf 01, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Driver Allen Johnson works on his putting at the Bristol Country Club on Thursday during the Speedway Children's Charities golf tourney.

Drag Racers in town for Thunder Valley Nationals

BHC 0615 NHRA Golf 04, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Driver Leah Pruitt pauses to autograph a racing helmet that will be auctioned off for Speedway Children's Charities during a golf tourney on Thursday at Bristol Country Club. Pruitt is in town for the Thunder Valley Nationals.

ADRL Tour at Bristol Motor Speedway

BHC 0422 ADRL Races 01, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Local driver Brian Schrader smokes his tires while getting ready to run on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway during the ADRL 2012 Tour.

Street Fights kicks off at Bristol Dragway

BHC 0401 StreetFights 05, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

This Fairlane 500 waits in staging lanes to race during the opening day of Street Fights at the Bristol Dragway on Saturday.

It's a Jet, a car, a TRAIN

BHC 0923 JetCar 02, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

KC Jones stands with the Jet Car he owns at Bristol Dragway. He owns the Chattanooga Choo Choo and the Cannonball Express. Saturday is the show and the jet cars will run at 6:30 and 8:30 on Saturday during the Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem

Clarke uses racing to get message out

Rad 01, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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Bristol, Va., native Sharon Clarke is the program manager for Race Against Drugs, a Daytona-based group that tries to steer kids toward racing.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Jr. Drags going full speed at Bristol Dragway

BHC 0730 JrDrags 03, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

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PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Cars wait in the staging lanes during the NHRA Junior Dragster League Eastern conference Finals at Bristol Dragway on Thursday. The event has brought hundreds of drivers and families to the area for the week long event that has finals on Saturday. Drivers come from surrounding states and even from Ireland and England to compete.