GALLEN HEADLINES FRIDAY WINNERS AT SAN ANTONIO NITRO JAM

Gallen bests Prostalgia record to pick up fourth win of season

Litton, Bennett, Manners and Turner all visit victory lane

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (April 1, 2011) – It appears Nitro Jam’s newest rivalry has been born.

For the fourth time in the last five finals Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car competitors Peter Gallen and Mike McIntire met in the final of the eight-car Funny Car class and for the fourth time this season Gallen took home the win needing a new Nitro Jam best run to lay claim to his 11th career Ironman trophy Friday at the San Antonio Nitro Jam in Texas.

“Mike and those guys are a world class group and it is an honor to get a chance to race them for the win,” Gallen said. “Those guys are giving it their all so we knew we needed to match that intensity to take home this trophy. We also had to fight a rapidly cooling track which these guys did an awesome job of keeping up with. This was a big win for us and we look forward to seeing what we can do tomorrow.”

Gallen ran a Nitro Jam best 5.770 elapsed time at 252.10 miles per hour to pick up the win as the fastest Prostalgia car on the east coast continued his reign of dominance in the new class. Other pro winners from the opening night of the San Antonio Nitro Jam were Bruce Litton in Top Fuel, Michael Manners in Pro Fuel, Chris Bennett in Nostalgia Fuel Altered and Jay Turner in Nitro Harley.

And Gallen and the “Poverty Stricken” team needed every bit of that record run to get around McIntire who has been steadily been improving as the season has progressed. McIntire had the “McAttack” Camaro tuned for a great race, but couldn’t keep up with the Purple Vega’s blistering pace, running a 5.910, 235.11 in the runner-up finish.

“That was one hell of a lap we put down out there,” Gallen said. “We weren’t really trying anything too radical, these guys kept it pretty consistent from the first run, but it really hooked up and got after it. Tomorrow I think we will play it pretty conservative in the first round, but if we are able to avoid any incidents we will really go after this thing and try to back it up.”

Gallen needs to run within one percent of Friday’s numbers on Saturday to officially claim the new Nitro Jam Prostalgia elapsed time and speed records.

In Friday’s Prostalgia consolation rounds Jon Capps in the “Jungle Jim” Camaro got round Mark Sanders, Mike Smith defeated Greg Jacobsmeyer and John Dunn beat Rick Krafft.

Despite not getting the win, McIntire did produce the fastest lap of round one to reach the final. In the opening tilt McIntire posted a class-leading 5.893, 237.59 to advance to the final to face Gallen who edged Rick Krafft and the “Chicago Fire” team by a little over a hundredth of a second.

Another tremendous race during Friday’s San Antonio Nitro Jam opener was produced in Top Fuel as Bruce Litton won the battle of the “Lucas Oil” cars for the second time this season with a weekend-best 4.774, 301.41 to drive around Bobby Lagana Jr. Lagana ran a 4.923, 275.23 in the runner-up effort as his two-race win streak came to a halt.

“This track owes me one and that is the way I look at it every time we pull into the lanes,” said Litton, who suffered a major wreck at the track back in 2004. “This track got me once so it is always nice to even the score a little. The car ran great tonight and I just want to thank Lucas Oil for giving me this opportunity and for helping us be out here and have the success we have had.”

Another driver on a hot streak as of late is Chris Bennett in the “Pure Heaven” Fuel Altered. Bennett won his third straight and fifth of the season as he downed Jim Maroney in Friday’s Nostalgia Fuel Altered final. Bennett ran a 6.334, 210.77 in the winning run.

“It is awful to say, but the car has like ‘Pure Heaven’ out there,” Bennett said. “The thing is running great and we haven’t had to do much to it to accomplish that. We have that thing set up to put on a good show for the fans and in turn it has been rewarding us with a few trophies. It has certainly been a nice start to the year.”

Despite picking up the win, Bennett actually didn’t own the fastest lap of the night. That honor went to his final round opponent Jim Maroney in “Blind Faith” who ran a 6.328, 203.80 in the opening round to qualify first on the charts. Unfortunately Maroney wasn’t able to back up those numbers as his car suffered a few problems during the final round pass.

In the consolation pairing Jason Richey in the “Pure Hell” entry defeated Ron Maroney in “Nanook”.

One class that returned to Nitro Jam competition after a one-race hiatus was the stars of Nitro Jam’s Pro Fuel Dragster class. And in that return it was Michael Manners in the “Shredder” turning on the win light in a victory over Robin Samsel.

Manners ran a 5.456, 261.78 in the solo victory as Samsel’s car lost fire just after the burnout. Manners also had low ET of round one with a 5.481, 263.93 proving that he is back and on the hunt. In the Pro Fuel consolation round Bill Evans ran low ET of the night in a win over Cherissa Smallwood, a very quick 5.390, 271.90.

Wrapping up Friday’s action was the Nitro Harley division as Jay Turner rebounded from a poor opening round effort to pick up his second win of the year.

Turner received a free pass into the final when his opening round opponent didn’t show, but Turner wasn’t able to take advantage of the free test session as his bike sputtered off the line and lost power near halftrack.

But whatever was plaguing Turner did not carry over into the final as he fired off a solid 6.494, 202.61 in a victory over Randal Andras who had to shut it off early when his machine began to get out of shape a few hundred feet into the run.

In the consolation round Mike Scott defeated Steve Dorn.

Friday’s opening night was brought to a close with a thrilling bout between the “Queen of Diamonds” and “Jersey Thunder” jet dragsters in addition to a showdown between the Grave Digger monster truck and the “Shockwave” jet semi, the “Airborne Express” wheelstander and many of the top sportsman drivers in the nation.

The San Antonio Nitro Jam will continue on Saturday with a huge finale as all of the classes run once more for a chance at victory. Gates open at 9 a.m. with sportsman racing throughout the afternoon followed by two more rounds of Nitro Jam beginning at 7 p.m.

SAN ANTONIO -- Friday's final results from the IHRA San Antonio Nitro Jam at San Antonio Raceway. The race is the fourth of 10 in the 2011 Nitro Jam Series:

TOP FUEL DRAGSTER DAY ONE

Bruce Litton, Indianapolis, Ind., 4.774 seconds, 301.41 mph def. Bobby Lagana Jr., Scarsdale, N.Y., 4.923 seconds, 275.23 mph.

PRO FUEL DRAGSTER DAY ONE

Michael Manners, Willis, Texas, dragster, 5.456, 261.78 def. Robin Samsel, Marion, Ind., dragster, broke.

PROSTALGIA FUNNY CAR DAY ONE

Peter Gallen, Broomall, Pa., '74 Vega, 5.770, 252.10 def. Mike McIntire, Chesterland, Ohio, '69 Camaro, 5.910, 235.11.

NITRO HARLEY DAY ONE

Jay Turner, Julian, N.C., 6.494, 202.61 def. Randal Andras, Amelia, La., 11.549, 80.26.

FUEL ALTERED DAY ONE

Chris Bennett, N. Las Vegas, Nev., '32 Bantam, 6.334, 210.77 def. Jim Maroney, Gilbert, Ariz. , '32 Bantam, broke.

SAN ANTONIO -- Final round-by-round results from the IHRA San Antonio Nitro Jam at San Antonio Raceway, the fourth of 10 events in the 2011 Nitro Jam Series:

TOP FUEL DRAGSTER DAY ONE:

ROUND ONE -- Bruce Litton, 4.941, 284.81 def. Bobby Lagana Jr., 5.674, 170.84;

FINAL -- B. Litton, 4.774, 301.41 def. B. Lagana Jr., 4.923, 275.23.

PRO FUEL DRAGSTER DAY ONE:

ROUND ONE -- Robin Samsel, Dragster, 5.727, 236.10 def. Cherissa Smallwood, Innovative, 6.328, 231.48; Michael Manners, Spitzer, 5.481, 263.93 def. Bill Evans, Spitzer, 5.789, 260.27;

CONSOLATION -- Evans, 5.390, 271.90 def. Smallwood, 9.053, 100.58;

FINAL -- Manners, 5.456, 261.78 def. Samsel, broke.

PROSTALGIA FUNNY CAR DAY ONE:

ROUND ONE -- Peter Gallen, Chevy Vega, 6.012, 246.58 def. Mark Sanders, Chevy Nova, 6.067, 238.85; Greg Jacobsmeyer, Dodge Challenger, 6.215, 220.80 def. Mike Smith, Ford Mustang, 6.415, 206.14; Mike McIntire, Chevy Camaro, 5.893, 237.59 def. Jon Capps, Camaro, 6.088, 209.99; Rick Krafft, Chevy Corvette, 6.038, 218.13 def. John Dunn, Plymouth Duster, 7.648, 132.24;

CONSOLATION -- Capps, 6.032, 235.97 def. Sanders, foul; Smith, 6.111, 214.29 def. Jacobsmeyer, 6.332, 219.60; Dunn, 7.923, 136.78 def. Krafft, 17.606, 77.27;

FINAL -- Gallen, 5.770, 252.10 def. McIntire, 5.910, 235.11.

NITRO HARLEY DAY ONE:

ROUND ONE -- Randal Andras, 6.776, 169.75 def. Mike Scott, 6.813, 188.84; Jay Turner, 13.050, 78.55 was unopposed;

CONSOLATION -- Scott, 6.995, 179.71 def. Dorn, 6.959, 192.06;

FINAL -- Turner, 6.494, 202.61 def. Andras, 11.549, 80.26.

FUEL ALTERED DAY ONE:

ROUND ONE -- Jim Maroney, 6.328, 203.80 def. Jason Richey, 6.406, 218.34; Chris Bennett, Austin Bantam, 6.369, 203.80 def. Ron W. Maroney, '-T Ford, 6.544, 219.51;

CONSOLATION -- Richey, 6.564, 211.64 def. R. Maroney, 6.541, 216.66;

FINAL -- Bennett, 6.334, 210.77 def. J. Maroney, broke.

GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES RESULTS FRIDAY FROM LAS VEGAS

BURGESS LEADS PRO MOD QUALIFYING AT SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS


LAS VEGAS – Roger Burgess raced to the qualifying lead Friday in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals.


Burgess covered the quarter-mile distance at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 5.956 seconds at 249.81 mph in his turbo-charged Pro Care Rx 1953 Corvette.


"The car has been running good," said Burgess, who switched from a supercharged combination from last year to a turbocharged tune up this season. "Even at the last race, it ran good, but it just didn't race good. We had some issues, but I think we've figured them out. Things are going to be a lot better from this point forward. Once we get this car sorted out, it's going to be a very consistent race car. My secret weapon here is (crew chief) Steve Petty. A lot of guys don't know who he is, but they are going to know who he is before the season is over, I can promise you that."


Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals winner and series points leader Khalid Balooshi was second in the 16-car lineup, posting a 5.986 at 238.09 in his nitrous-injected Speedtech ’68 Camaro.


Rickie Smith was third with a 6.004 at 238.81in his nitrous-injected ’68 Camaro and Jay Payne was fourth with a 6.005 at 239.14 in his supercharged FireIce ’68 Camaro.


The final Pro Mod qualifying session is set for 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and will be followed by the first round of eliminations at 3:30 p.m.


LAS VEGAS -- Results Friday after the first two of three rounds of qualifying for Get Screened America Pro Mod Series at the 12th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The final round of qualifying will be held Saturday followed by round one of eliminations. Eliminations will continue on Sunday.


Pro Modified -- 1. Roger Burgess, Chevy Corvette, 5.956, 249.81; 2. Khalid Balooshi, Chevy Camaro, 5.986, 238.09; 3. Rickie Smith, Camaro, 6.004, 238.81; 4. Jay Payne, Camaro, 6.005, 239.14; 5. Troy Coughlin, Pontiac GTO, 6.053, 244.60; 6. Kenny Lang, Camaro, 6.067, 240.94; 7. Danny Rowe, Camaro, 6.088, 239.14; 8. Scott Ray, Corvette, 6.109, 231.60; 9. Ed Hoover, Camaro, 6.115, 235.64; 10. Melanie Troxel, Camaro, 6.122, 240.77; 11. Brad Personett, Camaro, 6.164, 242.58; 12. Dennis Radford, Plymouth Duster, 6.195, 218.65; 13. Michael Gullqvist, Camaro, 6.208, 235.68; 14. Mike Knowles, Camaro, 6.221, 237.50; 15. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 6.234, 241.67; 16. Pete Farber, Daytona, 6.299, 226.24. Not Qualified: 17. Lee Frank, 7.182, 206.89; 18. Von Smith, 7.886, 122.43; 19. Donald Martin, 8.629, 124.60; 20. Raymond Commisso, 13.731, 86.31.

FULL THROTTLE SERIES RESULTS FRIDAY FROM LAS VEGAS

DIXON, C. PEDREGON AND EDWARDS ARE FRIDAY UALIFYING LEADERS AT THE SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS AT LAS VEGAS


LAS VEGAS – Defending Top Fuel world champion Larry Dixon raced to the qualifying lead Friday at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.


Cruz Pedregon and Mike Edwards also were qualifying leaders in their respective categories at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event.


Dixon, who claimed one of his 12 season victories here last year by defeating Cory McClenathan in the final round, posted a 3.904-second run at 312.78 mph in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to lead the qualifying order in the 7,000-horsepower category.


Teams in all three categories battled warmer than normal weather conditions with track temperatures reaching more than 130 degrees. Dixon, who was ninth after the first qualifying session, said he was proud of his team’s effort to rebound to the top on their second try in the tricky conditions.


“We’re fortunate that it stuck,” Dixon said. “A 3.90 in those conditions I thought was a great run. If we get cooler weather tomorrow that run might not even stay in the show. That’s how much the guys out here can pick it up. For today it was a great run by the team and it got us qualified.”


Dixon’s Al-Anabi Racing teammate Del Worsham, the current points leader who became the 15th driver in NHRA history to win in both nitro categories with his victory three weeks ago in Gainesville, Fla., was second with a 3.938 at 305.42. Antron Brown was third in his Matco Tools dragster with a 3.939 at 311.34.


In Funny Car, Pedregon just edged 15-time world champ John Force for the top spot with a performance of 4.145 at 306.19 in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry. Defending event winner Force was second with a 4.169 at 304.25 in his Castrol GTX High-Mileage Ford Mustang.


“It felt great,” Pedregon said of the run. “My confidence meter was about a zero going into that session because on the first run the car sounded weird and was acting weird. We’re about 70 degrees warmer than when we were No. 1 qualifier about a month ago in Pomona. We change everything except for the chassis and the body on the car to negotiate the run in these conditions. It’s a great track but the heat really loosens it up and makes you have to pull in a few horses. Happy would be an understatement. We’re on cloud nine. It’s just qualifying, but we were the best today.”


Three of Force’s fellow Ford Mustang drivers – Tim Wilkerson, Robert Hight and Bob Tasca – are third through fifth respectively. Series points leader Mike Neff is 16th in his Castrol GTX Mustang with a 5.280 at 142.04.


Edwards led Pro Stock with a 6.709 at 205.63 in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP. Edwards, who has a great record in hot conditions, was quickest in the first session and actually improved on that run when the track was warmer in the afternoon.


“I think we made such a good run the first session I think we were closer than everybody else,” Edwards said. “I think you’ll see it close up tomorrow. The track was very hot today. I was really impressed with how we kept up with the track today and improved on our run. I was really happy with all the decisions we made and we’re off to a good start. The gap will definitely get closer tomorrow because everybody will get it figured out.”


Rookie Vincent Nobile is second with a 6.736 at 205.44 in the Mountain View Tire Dodge Avenger and recent national record-setter Rodger Brogdon was third in his Racers Edge GXP with a 6.736 at 205.32. Series leader Jason Line, a winner of the first two races of the season, is eighth with a 6.749 at 205.01 in his Summit Racing GXP.


Qualifying continues Saturday with sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday’s eliminations begin at 11 a.m.


LAS VEGAS -- Results Friday after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 12th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, third of 22 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday's final eliminations.


Top Fuel -- 1. Larry Dixon, 3.904 seconds, 312.78 mph; 2. Del Worsham, 3.938, 305.42; 3. Antron Brown, 3.939, 311.34; 4. Spencer Massey, 3.945, 309.70; 5. David Grubnic, 3.947, 306.05; 6. Tony Schumacher, 3.962, 308.43; 7. Doug Kalitta, 3.968, 312.28; 8. Brandon Bernstein, 3.976, 303.09; 9. Terry McMillen, 3.982, 302.75; 10. Shawn Langdon, 3.989, 297.81; 11. Morgan Lucas, 4.017, 266.69; 12. Troy Buff, 4.032, 288.33. Not Qualified: 13. Bob Vandergriff, 4.033, 285.29; 14. Mike Strasburg, 4.068, 298.47; 15. Steve Torrence, 4.346, 257.78; 16. Ron August, 4.795, 160.52; 17. Steven Chrisman, 4.804, 162.20; 18. Steve Faria, 5.014, 148.14; 19. Terry Sainty, 6.561, 94.99.


Funny Car -- 1. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Solara, 4.145, 306.19; 2. John Force, Ford Mustang, 4.169, 304.25; 3. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.196, 295.21; 4. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.197, 304.87; 5. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.202, 294.63; 6. Tony Pedregon, Chevy Impala SS, 4.237, 296.83; 7. Paul Lee, Impala SS, 4.253, 293.60; 8. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 4.275, 283.73; 9. Jeff Arend, Solara, 4.329, 284.15; 10. Bob Bode, Impala SS, 4.372, 280.72; 11. Melanie Troxel, Solara, 4.404, 229.63; 12. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.412, 257.19. Not Qualified: 13. Ron Capps, 4.416, 271.73; 14. Brian Thiel, 4.442, 239.44; 15. Gary Densham, 4.972, 161.92; 16. Mike Neff, 5.280, 142.04; 17. Grant Downing, 5.500, 129.93; 18. Jim Head, 6.971, 93.03; 19. Johnny Gray, broke; 20. Terry Haddock, broke.


Pro Stock -- 1. Mike Edwards, Pontiac GXP, 6.709, 206.26; 2. Vincent Nobile, Dodge Avenger, 6.736, 205.44; 3. Rodger Brogdon, GXP, 6.736, 205.32; 4. Greg Anderson, GXP, 6.736, 204.35; 5. Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, 6.738, 204.85; 6. Ron Krisher, GXP, 6.745, 205.60; 7. Allen Johnson, Avenger, 6.747, 205.19; 8. Jason Line, GXP, 6.749, 205.01; 9. Warren Johnson, GXP, 6.750, 204.20; 10. Ronnie Humphrey, GXP, 6.753, 203.92; 11. Shane Gray, GXP, 6.755, 203.98; 12. Greg Stanfield, GXP, 6.766, 204.08. Not Qualified: 13. Kurt Johnson, 6.766, 203.98; 14. Larry Morgan, 6.771, 204.51; 15. Buddy Perkinson, 6.800, 202.52; 16. Richard Freeman, 6.805, 202.73; 17. V. Gaines, 8.087, 122.96.

Kindness transcends class at San Antonio Nitro Jam

Lagana crew comes to rescue of fellow racer


SAN ANTONIO, Texas (April 1, 2011) – Bobby Lagana Jr. and Mike McIntire have never met on the racetrack, but that didn’t stop Lagana from racing to McIntire’s side in his time of need.


Following last weekend’s Arizona Nitro Jam in Tucson, many of the top teams on the Nitro Jam tour began their trek back east to the San Antonio Nitro Jam this weekend in Texas. But while many of the teams made it to San Antonio Raceway earlier this week without a problem, McIntire and the “McAttack” Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car team weren’t so lucky.


Just a few miles across the Texas border in El Paso, McIntire’s race rig suffered a catastrophic failure and the team was left stranded still some 600 miles from their destination.


That is when Lagana and his race team stepped in.


Not knowing exactly who to call, McIntire called Top Fuel star Lagana who was already in San Antonio and asked for some advice. Not long after Lagana’s crewman Bob Szelag was on his way to El Paso to pick up McIntire’s race rig and bring it the nearly 18-hour trip back to San Antonio.


“It was an incredible act of kindness shown by the Lagana team. We didn’t really know what to do and they jumped to the rescue,” McIntire said. “Without hesitation they sent a truck all the way to El Paso to pick up the rig and then hauled it all the way back to the track. It just goes to show the caliber of people involved with Nitro Jam.”


McIntire, who had to fly back to Cleveland during the week and was not with the rig when it broke down, finally touched down in San Antonio on Thursday and found his rig there waiting for him – all because of the kindness shown by another race team.


“It was just natural. We saw another team in trouble and felt we had to do something,” Lagana said. “With the new Nitro Jam format it is all about family and putting on a show and we knew it was the right thing to do to help another race team and help the series. We would have done it for anybody.”


After an extremely long week, McIntire rolled his car out of the race rig for the first time Friday morning and is ready for a big weekend of racing this Friday and Saturday at San Antonio Raceway. Coming off of his career best weekend in Tucson last week, McIntire brings a ton of momentum into Texas looking for his first win of the season. The only problem lies in what happens when the race is finally over Saturday night.


“We aren’t really worrying about that right now, but we aren’t quite sure what the next move is,” McIntire said. “Hopefully we can erase some of this bad luck with a good weekend and then worry about how to get home later.”

NHRA Launches 60th Anniversary Sweepstakes

Grand Prize will be a Brand New 2012 Ford Focus Titanium Five-Door


GLENDORA, Calif. (April 1, 2011) – NHRA’s season-long celebration of its 60th anniversary took another step forward today with the announcement that it had partnered with Ford to give away a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium five-door.


NHRA has put its fans at the center of virtually every decision during this historic 60th Anniversary season – from bringing in Legends and legendary cars to every race, to asking fans to select the greatest of NHRA’s 60 Greatest Moments – and the “NHRA 60th Anniversary Sweepstakes”* is yet another illustration of NHRA putting its fans first.


Beginning at midnight ET on April 1, 2011 and running through Nov. 30, 2011, residents of the United States/Washington, D.C. who are at least 18 years old can enter the Sweepstakes, and one lucky NHRA fan will be selected as the winner of the Grand Prize: a 2012 Ford Focus Titanium.


“The theme throughout this 60th anniversary season has been to utilize the rich tradition of NHRA to enhance the fan experience,” said Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president, sales and marketing. “So when the opportunity came to partner with Ford, an NHRA Official sponsor and a company with deep roots in drag racing and in the American culture, it was a perfect fit. We are thrilled to be giving one of our loyal fans a brand new Ford Focus Titanium.”


There will additionally be 60 “First Prize” and 200 “Second Prize” winners selected, and those winners will receive two full event tickets to the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Series race of their choice (First Prize) or a limited-edition 60th Anniversary NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series t-shirt (Second Prize).


Fans can enter the “60th Anniversary Sweepstakes” via NHRA.com or at the track – there will be kiosks in front of the NitroMall and conventional paper sign-ups in front of the Full Throttle display.


The “NHRA 60th Anniversary Sweepstakes” is the just one of the highlights of NHRA’s year-long 60th anniversary celebration. In addition to presenting John Force and Larry Dixon and the nitro-fueled thunder of their modern-day machines at each of the 22 events on the 2011 schedule, throughout the season NHRA is showcasing the sport’s rich history with vintage car shows, Cacklefests, tribute-car races and meet-and-greets with the legends of drag racing.


The virtual tour through the first 60 years of NHRA drag racing extends beyond the track to the desktops, laptops and handheld devices of NHRA fans via the NHRA Facebook page. Throughout the 2011 season, NHRA will be enlisting the expertise of the fans of the NHRA Facebook page to help determine the greatest moments from the first 60 years of NHRA drag racing.


Race fans can frequent NHRA.com or simply ‘like’ the NHRA Facebook page to receive updated news regarding details of the many 60th-themed ticket promotions being offered, and specific activities planned for each of the remaining 19 events on the 2011 schedule.


* No Purchase Necessary. Sweepstakes ends 11/30/11. Must be 18 or older and a resident of the 50 US or DC. Sweepstakes subject to Official Rules available at www.nhra.com. Void Where Prohibited.

BRAD PERSONETT READY TO BEGIN TITLE HUNT AS GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES HEADS TO LAS VEGAS

LAS VEGAS – What is the definition of a successful season? That is a question that has mystified many athletes throughout time and in all forms of competition.

That is the question that’s on the mind of driver Brad Personett as the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series makes its second stop of the 2011 season at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, April 1-3.

Do you measure success by wins? Personett had two wins last season, one in Las Vegas and the other at the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Do you measure it by success in the late stages of the season? Personett’s two wins, along with a runner-up finish in Norwalk and a No. 1 qualifier in Charlotte, N.C., all came within the final four races of the season. Do you measure it in speed? Personett’s ’68 Camaro had the top speed at all but two events in the 10-race season schedule and set the national speed record at 255.39 mph at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

But many drivers, including Personett, feel that the highest measure of success is whether you’re holding that championship trophy at the end of the season. For Personett, a third-place finish in 2010 was just good enough to give him a taste of what he really wanted: An NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series world title.

“We started out rough last year and before we knew it, the season was over,” Personett said. “The teams we run against are so competitive that if anybody gets a leg up, they can walk away with it. Every round counts in this series and you can’t give any away. I feel good about where our car is at this year, but I wish we were a little further than we are. There is no room for error if you want to win the championship.”

With such a highly competitive class this season, Personett knows that there will be many new and old contenders fighting for that world championship at every round of every race this season.

“You could be No. 1 qualifier and go up against the No. 16 car and they could beat you,” he said. “Joe Baker, Mike Knowles, any of those guys are competitive and someone you wouldn’t want to line up against. There is no one in the whole lineup that you can take for granted. You have to be on your A-game every time you go to the starting line.”

As the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series makes its first of two stops this season at Las Vegas, Personett expects some close racing and exciting action.

“You may not see the performance you saw at Gainesville, but the weather in Las Vegas, along with the air, can change all the time,” Personett said. “I mean, you’ve got to be ready for any hiccups or crazy weather conditions. We only have 10-races in the season. You need to come with your guns loaded and be prepared. No more being under prepared. You can’t have any bumps in the road.”

In addition to Personett, other pre-race favorites in the category are defending world champion Von Smith, Gatornationals winner and current points leader Khalid Balooshi, and 2010 Charlotte winner Melanie Troxel.

Featuring the world’s fastest and most unique doorslammer cars with an extremely diverse collection of vehicles, including ’63 Corvettes, ’68 Camaros, ’67 Mustangs, ’68 Firebirds as well as late model cars, the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series offers something for every kind of hot-rodding enthusiast.

The SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals will also be part of the 60th anniversary celebration of NHRA. Legendary Drag Racing team owner Roland Leong will be on hand to sign autographs, meet fans, and participate in the festivities.

• SCHEDULE: Get Screened America qualifying sessions are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on April 1 and at 12:30 p.m. on April 2. The first round of Pro Mod eliminations begins on April 2 at 3:30 p.m. Pro Mod eliminations resume on April 3.

• TICKETS: Tickets are available for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. Please call Las Vegas Motor Speedway at (800) 644-4444 or visit www.LVMS.com to purchase tickets online.

• ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise 30-minutes of racing highlights from the Get Screened America Pro Mod Series portion of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals on Saturday, April 9 at 4 p.m. (ET).

• ON THE WEB: Get live timing, scoring, multimedia and the latest news updates from every NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series event on the Internet at www.nhra.com. Visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

NHRA GET SCREENED AMERICA PRO MOD SERIES POINT STANDINGS

UPDATED 3/13/2010 (Following the first of 10 races; victories in parentheses)

1. Khalid Balooshi, Doha, Qatar, Speedtech ’68 Camaro (1) 93
2. Danny Rowe, Laguna Hills, Ca.,’68 Camaro 71
3. Rickie Smith, King, N.C., ‘68 Camaro 59
4. Kenny Lang, Manitoba, Canada, Kenny Lang Racing ’53 Corvette 57
5. Roger Burgess, Duluth, Ga., ’53 Corvette 47
6t. Brad Personett, Elkhart, Ind., ’68 Camaro 45
6t. Ed Hoover, Gilbert, S.C., ’68 Camaro 45
8. Ray Commisso, Toronto, Ont., ’68 Camaro 44
9. Michael Gullquist, Hasselby, Sweden, ’68 Camaro 35
10t. Von Smith, Oak Ridge, Tenn., Barwa/Al-Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro 33
10t. Mike Janis, Lancaster, N.Y., ’10 Ford Mustang 33
10t. Tim Tindle, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.,’67 Mustang 33

Sheldon's Snoopy

 
Drag Racing Pictures: Sheldon's Snoopy by Danny White. The Snoopy Jaquar funny car of Sheldon Konblett was very unique even in the wide open era of the late sixties. Konblett, founder of the famed Service Center, had moderate success with the popular machine.

Super Chevy Show Kick-Off Cruise will lead from Ocala, Florida o Palm Beach for Series Opener

Cruisers will journey from National Parts Depot headquarters to Palm Beach Intl. Raceway


KANSAS CITY, Mo (March 30, 2011) – To commence the 2011 Super Chevy Show Series presented by GM Performance Division, cruise participants will begin their trip at one of the largest classic car restoration parts companies in the U.S., National Parts Depot based in Ocala, Fla.


National Parts Depot ships from four fully-stocked warehouses, delivering the parts you need to most of the U.S. in just 1-3 business days. The company is fast and offers lower costs than most of their competitors. National Parts Depot is a top-quality supplier of parts and accessories for the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevelle, El Camino and Malibu, but also services the Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am market, as well as Ford's Thunderbird, Mustang and Truck models. The company is based in Ocala, Fla., but also has additional warehouses in California, Michigan and North Carolina.


Participants are encouraged to meet at Nationals Part Depot headquarters starting at 8:00a.m. When cruisers arrive there will be coffee and donuts available to them. The company will also open the doors to their own unique collection of original and restored cars for cruise participants to enjoy.


The cruise will depart at 10:00a.m. and is approximately four hours of driving time, not including gas stops or the lunch break.


Derek Putnam, Project Manager for National Parts Depot, will be coordinating this event. Putnam says,


"We will provide maps of the cruise route and have a short drivers meeting detailing the cruise before we leave. The map will also highlight our two planned gas stops and our lunch stop. Lunch will be around 1:00p.m. at Five Guys Burgers and Fries."


All cruise participants will have the opportunity for one-on-one conversation with the magazine editors at the start of the cruise in Ocala, during the lunch break at Five Guys Burgers and Fries or when it reaches PBIR in the late afternoon.


Jim Campisano, editor of Super Chevy Magazine, will be participating in the cruise as well as the magazine's online editor, Patrick Hill. Hill will also be taking photos, video blogs for the magazine site and updating live blogs during the cruise to Palm Beach International Raceway.


National Parts Depot will also have a Midway display booth set up on-site all weekend and Derek Putnam will be there to answer any questions when he's not participating in the drag race.


"At our display we will have our latest 2011 Camaro and Chevelle catalogs available, as well as a few of our newest offerings and some of our staple restoration and performance items," adds Putnam.


Please visit their website at www.nationalpartsdepot.com.


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Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/#!/SuperChevyShow

Today's Drag Racing News

News

Wesbank sponsors drag-racing meet - by Staff Reporter New Era The giant financial institution has extended a hand of goodwill to the Namibia Motor Sport Federation (NMSF) in the shape of a handsome sponsorship of N$30000, for the staging of drag racing. President of the NMSF and veteran vasbyt 4x4 rider, ... See all stories on this topic »

San Antonio Nitro Jam returns to San Antonio Raceway San Antonio Express By Mike Haag/Special to the Express-News MARION – Some of the loudest and fastest drag racing cars in the country will light up the night sky this weekend when the International Hot Rod Association San Antonio Nitro Jam returns to San Antonio Raceway ... See all stories on this topic »

Firsts keep coming for Enders Las Vegas Review - Journal She already is the first to advance to a final round and the first to win a top qualifying position in the professional drag racing category. The 27-year-old Houston native added to her credits three weeks ago when she set an NHRA Pro Stock speed ... See all stories on this topic »

Drag yourself to a fun Rodders event The Bay of Plenty Times Firmly established as one of the most popular events on the drag racing calendar, the Nostalgia drags has evolved in just seven years to boast a turnout of 167 cars a year ago. The Bay Rodders hold the event at Fram Autolite Dragway, Meremere as part ... See all stories on this topic » The Bay of Plenty Times

Event Info Alli Sports He knew that nearby was an NHRA drag-racing track with the same name (Thunder Valley), but within a few short years of the founding of the motocross track, four-strokes took over motocross completely, leaving a sound of thunder every time the gate ... See all stories on this topic »

Metro revs up for Speed Sport car show Riverview ThisWeek Drag racing champion Ashley Force Hood has had it happen a couple of times in her career, and she says the training she received over her years as a pro driver helped her stay calm in the face of disaster. There are videos on YouTube of her maintaining ... See all stories on this topic »

DieHard Race Week Start-Up, Las Vegas NHRA.com I'm not sure if drag racing has ever been contemplated from such an angle. But these are the questions I am asking myself as the National Hot Rod Association rolls into the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas, for the SummitRacing.com NHRA ... See all stories on this topic » NHRA.com

Dan Aitken Jr Hoping to Keep Quick 32 Sportsman Series Momentum from Last ... WhoWon.com by Bruce F. Mehlenbacher BELLE RIVER, Ontario -- Dan Aitken Jr is taking a simple approach to his Quick 32 Sportsman Series drag racing this season. Driving in the Top Sportsman class of the Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts, ... See all stories on this topic »

Lighten up Londoner By Clay Powell Ruby the Drag Racing Queen wasn't happy with the bad weather I forecasted in last week's column. "You are such a pessimist, Clay," she scolded me at the Black Pearl pub. "People don't want to read depressing news like that! ... See all stories on this topic »

Blogs

Shift 2 DLC unveiled, includes Legends car pack and drag racing | N4G A car pack, entitled Legends, will be released covering a range of splendid historic cars including the Alfa Romeo GTA 1600 and Ford Capri RS3100, along with a drag racing mode and an additional mode known as Standing Mile. ... N4G: xbox360 news feed - http://n4g.com/

Web

Electric car drag racing: "You can be environmentally correct and ... Oregon Field Guide: Electric Drag Racing. Go out to the drag strip for some racing gone green – without a drop of gas. This video is mysteriously trending ... ecotrope.opb.org/.../electric-car-drag-racing-you-can-be-envir...

Dordan Motorsports anxious to race in Quick 32 Sportsman Series drag racing

New team to debut Top Dragster entry for Series third season

SHAKESPEARE, ONTARIO (March 31, 2011) -- After watching from the sidelines for many years, Dan Gueguen is going to participate in his favorite sport, drag racing.

"I've always been a fan, and have gone to many NHRA and IHRA races," noted Gueguen, who will field the Dordan Motorsports Top Dragster in Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts racing this season. "Now the opportunity has come along, and we're getting anxious."

The Top Dragster will be driven by Dan's son Travis, who is also anxious to get racing. Gueguen, who has an extensive background in snowmobile racing, explained that Travis and Quick 32 Sportsman Series racer Spencer Hyde are friends, former schoolmates and played hockey together, and with the help and guidance of the Hyde family, are now ready to race down the quarter mile.

"Travis has the same bug as I have," he said about the racing urge. "Travis went to Frank Hawley's Drag Racing school to get ready for the year."

The Gueguen car is a Chrome-Worx Performance Products – Signature Series product with an American Race Cars chassis. Presently the car is running a 598-cubic inch Advanced Product Design (APD) engine using a Nitrous Oxide Systems setup with a Barry Grant fuel system. An Abruzzi Racing Transmissions Real Deal Powerglide sits behind the engine. 

While Dan Gueguen will head up the effort as crew chief, family members Sue Gueguen, Duane Gueguen, Troy Gueguen, along with Dave Snodgrass will round out the crew. The team is sponsored by Dordan Mechanical Inc. 

Gueguen added that Quick 32 Sportsman Series racer and friend Kevin Wicke, along with the Hyde family, have been a big help with the car, and he also wanted to thank Carl Spiering of Engine Research & Development (ERD) for his assistance and involvement.

Gueguen is hoping for some shakedown laps with the new car before the season opener at the Cayuga Dragway of Toronto Motorsports Park May 20-22 for the Victoria Day Weekend Challenge.

"Our objective is to make sure we learn about the car," he said. "We've got a steep learning curve ahead of us, but this is going to be a great opportunity for Travis and the rest of the family to get together with a great group of people."

Show Man

 
Drag Racing Pictures: Show Man by Danny White. Steve Tansy was a car show promoter by day and funny car racer on the the side. Tansy had raced a Vega Panel until it was destroyed in a crash. Steve replaced the unique machine with this more conventional Cuda.

Today's Drag Racing News

News

Greg Biffle wins new crown FOXSports.com Tuesday at zMax Dragway in Charlotte, Biffle and his NASCAR Sprint Cup teammates took on 15-time NHRA champion John Force in a drag racing showdown. Force, Biffle, Matt Kenseth and David Ragan lined up for a four-wide elimination battle at the drag ... See all stories on this topic » FOXSports.com

Drag racing roots run deep Las Vegas Review - Journal Driver Jesus Molina, shown in an early dragster, is surrounded by several more Southern Nevada drag racing enthusiasts before a race on Vegas Drive in 1956. Despite the sport's history here, the NHRA didn't bring its pro tour to Las Vegas until 2000. ... See all stories on this topic »

Force of nature: A day in the life of the NHRA's biggest star USA Today By Chuck Burton, AP NHRA driver John Force, top, races against NASCAR drivers (from second from top) Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and David Ragan during their drag racing exhibition. By Chuck Burton, AP NHRA driver John Force, top, races against NASCAR ... See all stories on this topic » USA Today

Aaron's to provide Dream Machine for Brown Drag Racing Online Magazine (illustration courtesy Don Schumacher Racing) [03/30/11] Drag racing history made as MAV-TV pays for ADRL broadcast rights! For most of motor racing's history a television network has only paid for the rights to broadcast a race or race series, ... See all stories on this topic » Drag Racing Online Magazine

IN THE COCKPIT: Greg Anderson, Florida SPEEDtv.com (Summit Racing) Two weeks after we launched the 2011 season in Pomona, NHRA fans on the East Coast got their first taste of Full Throttle Drag Racing this past weekend at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida. To be honest, after dealing with some ... See all stories on this topic » SPEEDtv.com

Pedregon Racing, iconic STP, Armor All brands team up in new NHRA sponsorship NHRA.com Pedregon, the 2003 and 2007 NHRA Full Throttle Nitro Funny Car Champion, will drive the car and display the iconic STP and Armor All brands in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series. During the 2011 season, STP will be designated as the primary ... See all stories on this topic » NHRA.com

Racer fills his need for speed Sioux City Journal Harry thought he started drag racing – maybe not always legally – as soon as he got his driver's license, sometime around 1964 at regional tracks. After his 1967 Hawarden High School graduation, he set racing to one side when he entered the US Army. ... See all stories on this topic »

Web

YouTube - SHIFT 2 Unleashed Drag Racing Mode DLC Preview It is a video hiding in Movie file in SHIFT 2 PC version, which show you a upcoming DLC game mode with new tracks and cars~ www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H4IV1Qvk1k

IHRA Pro Am Tour coming to MIR next weekend, April 8-10! Lots of PRO MOD ACTION!

Dan Aitken Jr hoping to keep Quick 32 Sportsman Series momentum from last year's success

Top Sportsman racer poised for new drag racing season with Mustang

 
BELLE RIVER, ONTARIO (March 30, 2011) -- Dan Aitken Jr is taking a simple approach to his Quick 32 Sportsman Series drag racing this season.

If it's not broken, leave it alone.

Driving in the Top Sportsman class of the Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA Auto Parts, Aitken placed fourth in the Championship Point Award Series in 2010, and won the final two events last year. 

He said the D Boone Sr/Jr Racing team plan to prep the car in the same fashion for the upcoming season, and is hoping for more success.

"Everything about the car is the same as last year," he said. "The biggest thing for us is to build off last year."

The 1995 Mustang Top Sportsman entry is powered by a Holbrook Racing Engines 619-cubic inch BBF and sits between the rails of a Tim McAmis Race Cars chassis. The engine is hooked up to a Reid Powerglide by Powerglide Services and Budd Gilbert, and is fed with a MagnaFuel Racing Fuel Systems unit. Aitken added that an Edelbrock Direct Port Nitrous Systems is installed on the car and waiting in the wings if the team feels it is necessary.

Dan Aitken Sr is the crew chief on the team, which includes Monique, Xandre, and Mea Aitken, and Michelle, Adam and Maddie Beck. 

Sponsorship for the Mustang team comes from Waddick Fuels, Roffelsen Jewellers Ltd., Howell Welding and Tank Mfg Inc., and Dependable Truck & Tank Ltd. 

Aitken, who has raced for three years, said the level of competition in the Quick 32 Sportsman Series has increased, and that is the reason for the proposed nitrous setup. He added that qualifying is very important in the series. The team struggled going rounds during the first few races, but came on strong in the latter part, and he wants to be able to continue on that note.

"Qualifying is the big thing.  You have to qualify if you want to race," he said. "We finished well last year and would like to be able to keep the momentum. We'd like to go more rounds and be more consistent."

Aitken added he plans to run the entire Quick 32 Sportsman Series season for 2011, which starts with the Victoria Day Weekend Challenge May 20-22 at the Cayuga Dragway of Toronto Motorsports Park.