Wednesday, Feb. 13:

Frank Hawley -- 1982 and 1983 NHRA Funny Car champion and proprietor of Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School -- was testing at The Strip today in order to earn his NHRA Funny Car license.

Frank made his initial moderate runs and then went 4.875 sec./318.62 mph (his first-ever 300-mph pass) in Mike Ashley's Funny Car.  He then drove Melanie Troxel's Funny Car (also owned by Mike Ashley) and ran 4.901 sec./325.61 mph to earn his NHRA Nitro Funny Car license (again).

Hawley is expected to compete in a limited number of NHRA events in 2008.