Scott Wimmer talks about staying motivated each week.

NHRA Media Photoby Phil Burgess, National DRAGSTER Editor
Tony Schumacher won Top Fuel at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals for a class-record-tying eighth time, Ashley Force Hood became just the third female Pro winner at Indy by scoring in Funny Car, Pro Stock victor Jeg Coughlin won The Big Go for the fourth time, and Hector Arana scored his first Indy win by capturing Pro Stock Motorcycle to seal an amazing day of racing at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.

With all of the last-second Countdown to 1 shuffling – which extended all the way into the semifinals – heated emotions, and renewed rivalries, this year's 55th annual Big Go will go into the history books as one of the most dramatic in history, going into the history books with the likes of the legendary 1967, 1982, 1996, and 2004 events. The world's oldest, biggest, richest, and most prestigious drag race lived up to its reputation in spades, and then some. It was that good.

Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge and sixth in points in the standings, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. (Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images forHAMPTON, GA -- Kasey Kahne saved his best for last Sunday night and won the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

A huge crowd, well over 100,000 and what most were calling the biggest crowd in many years at this track, was treated to great racing on a Labor Day Weekend.

In the last 50 laps alone, Juan Pablo Montoya led as did Kevin Harvick. A caution with less than 20 laps remaining set the stage for a final shootout.

Kahne, who figured he had a faster car on short runs, took the lead when the race was restarted with 11 laps to go and ran away from Harvick, who was second, and Montoya, who finished third. It was Kahne's second win this season. He put the Petty Enterprises/Gillette Budweiser Dodge in Victory Lane this summer at Infineon Raceway.

Mark Martin talks about wisdom and age in NASCAR

Jeg Coughlin - NHRA at Indy

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Matt Kenseth

NHRA Media
As NHRA celebrates the 55th anniversary of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the world’s most prestigious drag race is set to provide its traditional offering of the very best in speed and high performance for countless thousands of hot rodding enthusiasts. More than 1,000 competitors in 12 different racing categories will perform in front of the standing-room only crowd during the much-anticipated Labor Day classic.

The Super Bowl of drag racing takes place at revered O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Sept. 2-7. It is the 18th of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series for 2009 and will be showcased nationwide on ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD, which will televise more than 10 hours of coverage of drag racing’s marquee spectacle.

Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 60 CitiFinancial Ford, celebrates his win with the Montreal fans after taking the checkered flag in Sunday's NASCAR Nationwide Series Napa Auto Parts 200 (Photo Credit: Elsa/Getty Images)By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

MONTREAL — Swear out a warrant.

On second thought, break out the champagne.

Carl Edwards’ grand larceny Sunday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve ended with a back flip and a celebration, not a jail term.

With a pass for the lead on the final corner of the final lap of the Nationwide Series NAPA Auto Parts 200, Edwards capitalized on the only mistake Marcos Ambrose made all day to win his first road-course race in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions.

Running on rain tires after a mandatory change for the entire field on Lap 61, Edwards hounded Ambrose for both laps of a green-white-checkered-flag finish and made the winning pass after Ambrose’s car got airborne over the curbing and lost momentum in the final turn of Lap 76.

Kyle Busch

by Candida Benson, NHRA.com
Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock), and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) scored top honors during the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, the 17th of 18 events in the regular season.