Sunday, August 04, 2013
Saturday, August 03, 2013
NHRA NEWS: MELLO YELLO SERIES SATURDAY RESULTS FROM SEATTLE
LANGDON, BECKMAN AND EDWARDS QUALIFY NO. 1 AT O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS PRESENTED BY SUPER START BATTERIES AT PACIFIC RACEWAYS
KENT, Wash. – Coming off his class-best fourth win of the season last weekend, NHRA Top Fuel points leader Shawn Langdon continued his remarkable 2013 campaign by shattering the track E.T. record to earn the No. 1 qualifier position on Saturday at the 26th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Pacific Raceways near Seattle.
Jack Beckman (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also will lead their categories as the No. 1 qualifiers at the 16th of 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events in 2013. Sunday’s eliminations start at 11 a.m.
Langdon powered his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to a pass of 3.765 seconds at 320.58 mph to earn his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 10th of his career. David Grubnic ran an identical 3.765 at 317.57 during the second qualifying session on Saturday, but Langdon stayed in the top spot due to the faster speed.
Langdon, who won in Sonoma, Calif. last weekend and has been the points leader for the past three races, will meet Troy Buff in the opening round of eliminations.
“That 3.76 is basically what we were trying to run out of the box,” said Langdon, who is seeking his first Top Fuel win in Seattle. “It surprised me a little, but I didn’t talk about it with Brian [Husen, crew chief] or Alan [Johnson, tuner] before the run. I saw all these 3.80s and 3.81s in front of us and thought, ‘We’re doing pretty good if it runs 3.79,’ so it was definitely moving.”
After qualifying No. 1 in Sonoma, Grubnic, who remains in the hunt for the 10th position in the Countdown to the Championship, qualified No. 2 in his Candlewood Suites dragster. Four-time Seattle winner Tony Schumacher put his U.S. Army dragster in the third spot with a strong 3.768 at 319.29. Langdon’s Al-Anabi Racing teammate Khalid alBalooshi jumped to fourth with a run of 3.781 at 320.36.
Defending event winner Steve Torrence will face off with Spencer Massey in the opening round. Langdon also scored his first career national event win as a Sportsman driver at Pacific Raceways in 2002.
"I was getting my picture taken over by the winner's circle and just thought it’s crazy that I got my first national event Wally here 11 years ago," Langdon said. "I never would have thought I'd be in the position I'm in right now. I'm very fortunate."
Beckman, the defending Funny Car world champion, also broke the track E.T. record, powering his Valvoline/MTS Dodge Charger to a 4.049 at 303.64. It is the first No. 1 qualifier of the season for Beckman and the ninth of his career. Beckman, who won in Seattle in 2007, will meet Don Schumacher Racing teammate Johnny Gray in the first round of eliminations. Gray, driver of the Pitch Energy Charger, is currently second in points and has a class-best four wins in 2013.
“This is our first pole since Maple Grove last year, but we’ve been near the top of the pack nearly every race,” said Beckman, who has yet to win in 2013. “We’ve got a lot of ground to make up in the points, but we just want a trophy right now. We want to win a race so bad right now.”
Robert Hight qualified No. 2 in his Auto Club Ford Mustang, going 4.056 at 307.09, and Del Worsham moved to third with a run of 4.065 at 303.84 in his DHL Toyota Camry. Defending event champion Courtney Force qualified No. 8 in her Traxxas Mustang and will meet Alexis DeJoria in the opening round. Sonoma winner Ron Capps, who was second in points coming into this weekend, did not qualify in his NAPA Auto Parts Charger.
“That’s the nature of Funny Car,” Beckman said. “They’re that unpredictable. I think a Funny Car crew chief is the toughest job in all of motorsports. If you look at Funny Car, every team has slumps. It’s just that tough out there. We just have to try to keep winning rounds and hopefully we can put four together (on Sunday).”
In Pro Stock, points leader Edwards made his final qualifying run count, going 6.526 at 212.29, breaking both ends of the track record in his Interstate Batteries/I Am Second Chevy Camaro. It gives Edwards the No. 1 spot for a 12th time in 2013, closing in on the Pro Stock record of 16 No. 1 qualifiers currently held by Edwards (2009) and Greg Anderson (2004), and 53rd time in his career. Edwards, who was part of the final qualifying pair of the last session, will meet Deric Kramer in the first round of eliminations.
“We made a really good run that time,” said Edwards, who has two wins at Pacific Raceways. “I just have to give hats off to my guys. You never know what’s going to happen with two sessions. We were real conservative with the first run. We made some adjustments and made a really nice run. This Camaro is just running great.”
Rickie Jones, who ran 6.532 at 211.49 in his Elite Motorsports Camaro, was bumped to the second spot as a result of Edwards’ track record, narrowly missing his first career No. 1 qualifier. The No. 2 position is still Jones’ best qualifying spot in his Pro Stock career.
Defending world champion Allen Johnson qualified No. 3 in his Team Mopar Dodge Avenger, running 6.533 at 211.69. Shane Gray, Vincent Nobile and Jason Line also clinched positions in the Countdown to the Championship during qualifying.
“Conditions were good for both runs (on Saturday),” Edwards said. “My guys are doing a tremendous job and hopefully (Sunday) we can have a good, long day.”
KENT, Wash. -- Sunday's first-round pairings for eliminations for the 26th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Pacific Raceways, the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel -- 1. Shawn Langdon, 3.765 seconds, 320.58 mph vs. 16. Troy Buff, 3.910, 304.05; 2. David Grubnic, 3.765, 317.57 vs. 15. Brandon Bernstein, 3.884, 313.51; 3. Tony Schumacher, 3.768, 319.29 vs. 14. T.J. Zizzo, 3.851, 317.19; 4. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.781, 320.36 vs. 13. Brittany Force, 3.846, 297.81; 5. Morgan Lucas, 3.790, 320.51 vs. 12. Doug Kalitta, 3.837, 312.64; 6. Antron Brown, 3.799, 315.42 vs. 11. Bob Vandergriff, 3.835, 313.44; 7. Clay Millican, 3.811, 316.90 vs. 10. Tommy Johnson Jr., 3.833, 311.41; 8. Steve Torrence, 3.812, 319.07 vs. 9. Spencer Massey, 3.813, 320.13.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Terry McMillen, 3.940, 309.27; 18. Ron Smith, 4.277, 261.17.
Funny Car -- 1. Jack Beckman, Dodge Charger, 4.049, 303.64 vs. 16. Johnny Gray, Charger, 4.719, 175.82; 2. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.056, 307.09 vs. 15. John Hale, Chevy Impala, 4.539, 263.56; 3. Del Worsham, Toyota Camry, 4.065, 303.84 vs. 14. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.218, 284.75; 4. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.067, 303.78 vs. 13. Todd Lesenko, Charger, 4.149, 291.76; 5. John Force, Mustang, 4.072, 304.32 vs. 12. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.113, 294.69; 6. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.077, 306.33 vs. 11. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.105, 293.03; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.083, 302.35 vs. 10. Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.100, 307.93; 8. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.085, 304.74 vs. 9. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.099, 297.88.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Ron Capps, 5.058, 247.38; 18. Terry Haddock, 6.797, 110.77.
Pro Stock -- 1. Mike Edwards, Chevy Camaro, 6.526, 212.29 vs. 16. Deric Kramer, Dodge Avenger, 6.623, 208.42; 2. Rickie Jones, Camaro, 6.532, 211.49 vs. 15. Matt Hartford, Avenger, 6.620, 209.98; 3. Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.533, 211.69 vs. 14. JR Carr, Ford Mustang, 6.614, 208.04; 4. V. Gaines, Avenger, 6.543, 211.49 vs. 13. Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.611, 210.57; 5. Jeg Coughlin, Avenger, 6.560, 210.70 vs. 12. Steve Kent, Camaro, 6.606, 209.36; 6. Vincent Nobile, Avenger, 6.561, 210.18 vs. 11. Chris McGaha, Avenger, 6.595, 209.17; 7. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.563, 210.57 vs. 10. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.592, 210.01; 8. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.566, 211.10 vs. 9.Larry Morgan, Mustang, 6.578, 209.65.
8/03/13 Drag Racing News
| News |
| Elgin woman killed in skydiving accident, 'chased after her dreams' Chicago Tribune She began drag-racing after a few years of skydiving, then returned to skydiving again. "She chased after her dreams, traveled all over the country and all over ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| IRG Sports + Entertainment buys Tucson drag strip Drag Racing Online Magazine IRG Sports + Entertainment™ (IRG) has acquired Southwestern International Raceway (SWIR), formerly Merle's SIR Dragway, located in Tucson, Arizona. See all stories on this topic » | |||
| NHRA RACING Kilgore News Herald Courtesy photo from TORRENCE / CAPCO RACING With only three races remaining until the top 10 teams in each NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Pro Stock Racer Erica Enders Back on Track Hot Rod Magazine (blog) Erica Enders Keith Haney. We are seeing more and more reason to crown the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) with the title of America's best drag racing. See all stories on this topic » |
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| Change text size for the story Sault Star The car came to Renaud empty but he rebuilt the engine with help from the senior Renaud, along with drag racing friends and mechanics. The Millettes, Richard ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Blogs |
| :::Drag Racing Online::: Agent 1320 - 08/02/13 IRG Sports + Entertainment™ (IRG) has acquired Southwestern International Raceway (SWIR), formerly Merle's SIR Dragway, located in Tucson, Arizona. Agent 1320 | ||
Racin & Rockin Radio: Tom Chastang on August 5!
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Join us on Monday night, August 5, as we visit with Top Fuel racer Tom Chastang -- the Wheeler Dealer! Plus John Bockelman does "JB's Take" and our Racer of the Week!
MONDAYS, 8-9 PM Eastern Time (7-8 Central, 6-7 Mountain, 5-6 Pacific)
REPLAY: 1 AM Eastern Time (Midnight Central, 11 PM Mountain, 10 PM Pacific)
Then all week long after the initial show!
LISTEN ON THE INTERNET:
http://racersreunion.com/play/
JOIN OUR LIVE CHAT during the show:
http://drag.racersreunion.com/chat
RECORDED ARCHIVES OF RECENT SHOWS!
http://racersreunionradio.com/category/archives/racin-rockin/
Producers: Barb Santucci, Bud De Boer
Friday, August 02, 2013
NHRA NEWS: RAIN POSTPONES O'REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS QUALIFYING UNTIL SATURDAY
O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS QUALIFYING POSTPONED UNTIL SATURDAY DUE TO PERSISTENT RAIN SHOWERS
KENT, Wash. — Persistent rain showers forced NHRA officials to cancel qualifying on Friday for the 26th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries at Pacific Raceways. Qualifying will resume on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Rain showers moved into the area Friday afternoon before Pro Stock, Funny Car and Top Fuel qualifying sessions began. Gates will open at 8 a.m. Qualifying rounds are set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. for Sunday's final eliminations at 11 a.m.
Families are encouraged to take advantage of a special ticket promotion for the remainder of the event: Children 12 and younger will receive free general admission with a paid adult all weekend. Fans can also bring an empty Mello Yello® bottle or can to Pacific Raceways box office and SAVE $8 on one adult single day NHRA race ticket. For tickets, visit www.NHRATIX.com or call 800-884-NHRA (6472). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.
Lagana Brothers Looking to Make History Again in Martin
Dom Lagana hopes to eclipse team barrier at IHRA Northern Nitro Jam
MARTIN, Mich. (August 2, 2013) – The year was 2003.
Clay Millican was still king of the IHRA Top Fuel world and there was little anyone could do about it. Millican won 10 out of 12 races that year on his way to a runaway victory in the championship over Bruce Litton, his third of six titles in a row.
Bobby and Dom Lagana following their first career win at Grand Bend in 2006
But buried among Millican's gaudy stats and impressive accomplishments was another major feat by another, lesser funded team that would prove a turning point in the career of two brothers. That year Bobby and Dom Lagana eclipsed the two biggest barriers in the world of drag racing and they did it all at one race – the 2003 Northern Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park.
For a struggling team barely able to make the field from one race to another, the four second barrier at 300 miles per hour was a bar that had eluded the severely underfunded team for some time. The Lagana brothers watched it happen race after race, year after year among their peers, but the numbers eluded them.
Then, in August 2003, the two brothers traveled to U.S. 131 Motorsports Park once again just hoping to make the field and what they came away with was a moment that still stands as the greatest moment in the nearly two decade-long career of older brother Bobby. Bobby Lagana went 300 miles per hour in less than five seconds.
"Out of all of the stuff we have accomplished, out of everything we have ever done in our careers, that was the greatest thing by far. When you reflect on the greatest times in our career, that was the moment that truly meant we had arrived," Lagana said. "All of those years where we were half a second slower than everyone else and didn't qualify, our dream was just to get to four seconds. We dreamed about it, we strived for it, but it is such a hard thing to accomplish. When we did it that weekend, it was a moment I will never forget. It was the pinnacle of everything we had ever done."
Dom will be driving the "Nitro Ninja" Top Fuel machine at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park
For two brothers from New York, that moment meant they had arrived on the Top Fuel scene.
And while victory would elude the team for another three years, when Bobby finally did win his first Ironman trophy in 2006, he points to that moment at Martin, Michigan in 2003 as the turning point in his career.
"After eclipsing that barrier, it really opened a lot of doors for us. We started gradually improving, getting better equipment and getting a lot of help from the other teams including Clay's team," Lagana said. "After we hit that mark, it gave us new goals to strive for including getting to our first final and ultimately our first win."
That first win came at the Grand Bend Motorplex in 2006 over none other than Clay Millican.
Now Lagana and the Twilight Zone racing team will head back to Martin, Michigan for the 2013 CarSafe Northern Nitro Jam presented by Perry Harley Davidson August 9-10, exactly 10 years to the day when Lagana eclipsed the four second barrier in 2003.
Only this time Bobby's brother Dom will be the one behind the wheel of the newly-designed "Nitro Ninja" 8,000 horsepower Top Fuel machine. Bobby drove the car at the last two races, winning twice in Edmonton in early July.
So why make the driver switch for Martin?
To make history, Bobby says.
Bobby Lagana Jr. at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in 2003
"Exactly 10 years ago we broke the four second barrier and since then we have hovered in the upper fours. This weekend in Martin, we want to set a new mark for our team – the 4.5 second barrier," Lagana said. "That is the run that has eluded us lately. We have been running a lot of really fast 1,000 foot times in Dom's car and who knows, with the right conditions and a little magic, maybe we can set a new mark for our team in Michigan.
"We love going to U.S. 131. We go there two or three times a year and we really enjoy racing on that track. When we get there we will make some hits and get it dialed in, but if the conditions are right we will try for the homerun."
To date Dom's best quarter-mile pass is 4.62 seconds at 323 mph, while Bobby's best is a 6.63 at 324. Bobby admitted that he had run a 4.59 once driving for another team, but he wants to reach that mark with his own team and he wants to do it this weekend.
"Getting to 4.59 is a lot like getting from five flat to 4.99. It is a number that is a major benchmark and it will take everything coming together for us to do it, but we have a car capable of getting it done," Bobby said. "Dom is driving because, let's face it, the 50 pound weight difference is huge and we can definitely get a little more performance out of a lighter guy."
If Dom and Bobby Lagana can get it done, it will be among the best passes in IHRA history. The current IHRA quarter-mile record is held by Clay Millican at 4.484 seconds set at Rockingham Dragway in October of 2005. The speed record is also owned by Millican at 328.14 mph set at Maryland International Raceway in 2007.
"Martin is like our home track and we would love nothing more than to set our new mark there," Lagana said. "We have accomplished so much over the years, but it all dates back to that day in 2003. What it would mean to us to do it again this weekend would be fantastic."
The Laganas will be battling Bruce Litton, another famous name from IHRA's past, in a 320 mph match race. Earlier this year Dom edged Litton in a match race at Englishtown and the two will be looking to continue that rivalry in Michigan.
The 2013 CarSafe Northern Nitro Jam presented by Perry Harley-Davidson is set for August 9-10 at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan. It will feature two big nights of racing with everything from Top Fuel Dragsters and Nitro Funny Cars to jets, nitro bikes, Fuel Altereds and much more.
CLICK HERE for schedules, ticket links and more information on the CarSafe Northern Nitro Jam presented by Perry Harley-Davidson at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park.
8/02/13 Drag Racing News
| News |
| Bracket Drag Racing Series & CRA Superbike Racing, Brainerd ... Brainerd Daily Dispatch Kaleidoscope 5K Fun Run & Walk For Hope, Baxter, 9:20 a.m.. RACING. Bracket Drag Racing Series & CRA Superbike Racing, Brainerd International Raceway. See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Publish drag racing results Quad City Times I race at the Cordova Dragway Park weekly and have for the past 30 years or so. I look forward to seeing the weekly results with all the important numbers, ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| LOUIS BREWSTER ON MOTORSPORTS: NHRA reviewing ... Inland Valley Daily Bulletin The NHRA will conclude its annual Western Swing Sunday in Seattle, but a pair of events that transpired last week in Sonoma will keep interest in drag racing at ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Still no Erica – But that's not keeping her from racing Examiner.com Said Erica about her venture into Pro Mod drag racing: "I'm going into it with an ... Courtney Force in ESPN Body Issue: Good for drag racing? Advertisement. See all stories on this topic » |
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| Pro spotlight on Hidden Valley OzRacingWrap The next ANDRA Drag Racing Series event will be a historic occasion when Top ... "While the venue is a Territory Government asset all drag racing events are ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| CMDRA invades local strip Medicine Hat News Medicine Hat Drag Racing Association president Dave Toth speeds down the ... is expected to compete in Canadian Motorcycle Drag Racing Association races, ... See all stories on this topic » |
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| Langdon seeks top seed, Albalooshi eyes playoff berth Gulf Times The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing regular season is drawing to a close with just three races remaining until the Countdown to the Championship NHRA ... See all stories on this topic » |
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| Courtney Force returns to site of first victory in Seattle Motorsport.com It may be a year later, but as NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series star Courtney Force returns to Pacific Raceways near Seattle, the memory of her first Funny ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Winterburn having fun in pursuit of series success The Queensland Times ... Winterburn will lead the local racers to Willowbank Raceway tomorrow for the penultimate round of the 2013 JP Racing Eighth Mile Drag Racing Series. See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Gray brings momentum and confidence into Seattle NHRA.com To secure a victory, Gray will have to hold off a tough field of factory hot rods as he and all the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series drivers look for wins at the ... See all stories on this topic » |
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Thursday, August 01, 2013
8/01/13 Drag Racing News
| News |
| Drag Racing: Bracket and Superbike racing on tap at BIR Brainerd Daily Dispatch With only two weekends left on the schedule, the point standings for the Bracket Drag Racing Series are starting to get interesting. This weekend at Brainerd ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| ATV dirt drag racing returns to town Newsexaminer Thirteen years had passed since Wolfe Brothers Racing first brought their touring brand of ATV and motorcycle dirt drag racing to Connersville. Tuesday night ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Ford's Out of Drag Racing Sponsorship After 2014–What Do You ... Hot Rod Magazine (blog) You could say Ford started drag racing. Whether it was the old bangers at the lakes, or flathead Fords at places like Santa Ana and Pomona, Ford has been in all ... See all stories on this topic » |
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| Dave Ferrato signs on for ad sales with DRO Drag Racing Online Magazine Advertising and marketing veteran Dave Ferrato has signed on to have his company, Action Sports Marketing LLC, handle advertising sales for the Racing Net ... See all stories on this topic » |
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| Atlanta Motor Speedway's Friday Night Drags Week 14 News and ... 41 NBC News ... one of the most critical steps to winning a season points championship on Friday during double points night at the speedway's grassroots drag racing series. See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Gurule 'Rules' Leader and Times Gurule crossed the finished line and became the 2013 ATV Drag Racing ... After the drag racing was over and throughout the night, he raced with the big boys ... See all stories on this topic » | |||
| Blogs |
| BangShift Question Of The Day: Who Had The Best Drag Racing ... Chad Reynolds After watching the video of Warren Johnson and Scott Geoffrion's epic burndown, along with Garlits and Carbone, it got us thinking about racing rivalries and ... BangShift.com | ||
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