News & Dirt
| Get on the Torco's CompetitionPlus.com news update list... |
Funny Car Foxhunt Jet Car Nationals comes to dramatic close
(5-30-2006) - The Funny Car Foxhunt Jet Car Nationals slipped into the history books shortly before 5AM Sunday morning, with a new slate of winners on the Memorial Day Weekend. Ron Barnhill of Frederickstown, Ohio drove into the Winner's Circle in Bar's Leaks Top, coming ahead of Elyria native John Gregory in the battle of the Ford Mustangs.
Joe Novak, Sr. said one thing while his son prepared for the final round against Steve Smith of Elyria: "It would be nice for Junior to get a win at Norwalk. It's been two years." Moments later, Joe Novak Jr. of Toledo secured the win and a huge smile from Dad. This is what drag racing is all about: Senior and Junior side by side with one cheering on the other.
Splatt Modified is shaping up to be a wild ride for Wellington native Rick Baehr. Reaching his third final in as many meets, Baehr cannot get that win light to turn on in the final round. Aaron McCaulla of Tiffin advanced through Modified and landed in the Winner's Circle by way of a -.004 red light for Baehr.
In Stop Leak Street, Doug Richards of North Olmsted defeated Norwalk native Jeremy Murray in a battle of the Classic hot rod versus the sport compact; rear wheel vs. front wheel, but both young up and comer drag racers. Richards nailed the tree and won the battle of break outs.
Repair It Stock witnessed another victory for Cleveland native Perry Paugh, who bested Nathan Schultze of Woodville in the final.
Bar’s Leaks $50 Grand Slam Points Meet May 27, 2006
Bar’s Leaks Top
W: Ron Barnhill, Frederickstown, .014, 5.47, 5.488, 128.24 miles an hour
RU: John Gregory, Elyria, -.006, 6.63, 6.662, 102.53 miles an hour
Splatt Modified
W: Aaron McCaulla, Tiffin, .037, 6.76, 6.762, 102.38 miles an hour
RU: Rick Baehr, Wellington, Ohio, -.004, 6.80, 7.164, 77.72 miles an hour
Wiseco Cycletech Superbike
W: Joe Novak, Jr., Toledo, Ohio, .065, 5.89, 5.881, 115.03 miles an hour
RU: Steve Smith, Elyria, -.020, 6.24, 6.245, 114.00 miles an hour
Stop Leak Street
W: Doug Richards, North Olmsted, .013, 8.83, 8.813, 72.90 miles an hour
RU: Jeremy Murray, Norwalk, .062, 9.50, 9.462, 72.23 miles an hour
Repair It Stock
W: Perry Paugh, Cleveland, Ohio, .042, 6.14, 6.278, 105.82 miles an hour
RU: Nathan Schultze, Woodville, Ohio .040, 12.80, 12.977, 54.89 miles an hour
Never Forget
(5-29-2006) - At Memorial Day ceremonies across the country Americans paused to remember those who have fought and died for their country, and to honor the thousands of young men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our way of life.
Many at this past weekend's NHRA event at Heartland Park Topeka had these brave people in their thoughts, and one was John Force. Force had his team's three Ford Mustangs adorned with a message dedicated to the memory of U.S. Army Sgt. Bryan Allen Brewster.
Brewster, 24, son of Louis Brewster, sports editor of the San Bernardino Sun and Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in Ontario, Calif., and wife Linda, was killed May 5, along with nine others when a helicopter crashed into a remote area of eastern Afghanistan. Bryan Brewster was a member of the 10th Aviation Brigade Mountain Division and was in his fourth tour of duty.
Two funds have been established in honor of Sgt. Bryan Brewster. Donations may be made to an endowment in Brewster's name at Chaffey College and a scholarship fund for Fontana High School students.
Contributions may be sent to the Chaffey College Foundation, c/o Bryan Brewster Endowment, 5885 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737-3002. Bank of America is handling a scholarship fund that will support Fontana High School graduates. Donations may be made to the Bryan Brewster Foundation at Bank of America, 1686 Arrow Blvd., Fontana CA 92335. The account number is 0244843014.
Driver loses drag race team in non-racing accident; Pauley Crashes Rig Outside Madison, GA
(5-29-2006) - En route to the IHRA Divisional Race in Douglas Ga, Ed Pauley misses a near head-on collision with a tractor trailer towing one half of a double wide on US 441 near Madison, Ga. Pauley from Shelby, NC, former IHRA Hot Rod World Champion, competes in Hot Rod and Top Dragster on the IHRA circuit. Normally accompanied by his family, Pauley was traveling alone southbound when he swerved out of his lane to avoid a mailman who abruptly stopped in front of him only to meet up with a tractor trailer traveling in the North-bound lane. Rather than colliding head on, Pauley hit the gas and drove to the left leaving the road. Unfortunately, the tractor trailer could not stop and jackknifed, hitting Pauley’s motor home and enclosed trailer.
The trailer and contents including a ’78 Chevette drag car and a ’01 Horton rear engine dragster were totally lost. However, no one at the scene was injured. Pauley was devastated by the crash, but was very thankful no one was hurt.
“I am just so grateful my wife and kids weren’t with me. They always go, but they had school, so I just went by myself. I can’t imagine what would have happened to them if they had been with me.” Pauley said.
The accident held up traffic for more than four hours Friday morning as crews worked to clean up the scene. Other racers were in line in traffic, including Bill and Bo Upton who first learned of the accident as they saw the ’78 Chevette being towed on a roll-back down the road beside them. They quickly made some phone calls and walked the mile to the scene to check on Pauley. Soon after, word spread. A call was put in to Pauley’s engine builder, Scott Duggins, owner of PAR race engines in Spartanburg, SC, who immediately stopped work, cleaned out his stacker trailer and rushed with Brian Neal and Jody Putnam to Madison, Ga. They called themselves the recovery team. They came with plastic totes, tools, saws and a generous heart to help load up the wreckage and salvage what pieces and parts were left.
“I don’t know what I would have done with out them. I was overwhelmed at the time and I didn’t even know how to go about picking up the pieces. Then all my friends just started showing up to help. I want to personally thank J.J. Brock and his sister Carrie, Jimmy Raper and Danielle, and Casey Sims. Also Scott Duggins, Jody Putnam, Brian Neal, Steve Furr and Jeff Edmonds. I can’t tell you what it means to have such good friends. I consider my racing friends just like family,” Pauley said.
“I lost what took me and my dad 22 years to build. We’ll lick our wounds and start rebuilding as best we can. It will just take a while,” Pauley added.
NHRA DRIVERS RESPOND TO PETTY COMMENTS
(5-28-2006) - National Hot Rod Association drivers travel in a straight line. And they had some straight talk for NASCAR legend Richard Petty from the O'Reilly Spring Nationals at Topeka, where women qualified No. 1 in two of the three professional classes Saturday.
In the NHRA, where Shirley Muldowney beat the boys as a three-time Top Fuel champion and Angelle Sampey has earned three Pro Stock Motorcycle titles, gender is not a hot topic.
Petty this past week had said of auto racing, "I just don't think it's a sport for women. And so far, it's proved out. It's really not. It's good for them to come in. It gives us a lot of publicity. It gives them publicity. But as far as being a real true racer, making a living out of it, it's kind of tough."
Erica Enders, the 22-year-old Texas A&M student, leads the Pro Stock field for Sunday's eliminations. After becoming the first female in her class to set low elapsed time through four rounds of qualifying Saturday, she said, "I was a Petty fan -- until yesterday.
"But there are some people that are stuck in the old day and that are chauvinistic and I think it just goes to show, I don’t know, their ignorance," Enders, driver of the Slammers Ultimate Milk Chevy Cobalt, said, "because we're out here trying just as hard. And you know when given the opportunity, like Melanie and myself, Hillary Will, Angelle Sampey, and Karen Stoffer, and Danica, I think when given the opportunity we can definitely prove ourselves. I think gender plays absolutely no role in what we do."
In addition to Top Fuel rookie Hillary Will and bike competitor and two-time winner Karen Stoffer, Enders was referring to Melanie Troxel. The Top Fuel points leader, Troxel has led the standings all season long and has reached six final rounds in seven events this year in her Skull Shine/Torco Dragster. She was the first in the class to advance to the final round in the opening five events of a season.
Troxel, too, said she thought Petty's opinion was outdated.
"Well, you know, he’s certainly entitled to his opinion, and with all due respect to him, I think he grew up in a different time and a different place," the 33-year-old Don Schumacher Racing headliner said. "And I don't really think that his opinions are necessarily relevant in this day and age.
"I think the reason we haven't seen a lot of women being incredibly successful in motorsports is just because there aren't a lot of women involved," Troxel said. "Certainly his views that it's not a good career for women to be involved in . . . I think women are proving him wrong in that every day. He's entitled to his opinion – what can I say?"
Robert Hight was top qualifier in the Funny Car class, and he echoed Enders and Troxel in refuting Petty's claim.
"I don’t think that all. In fact, you know what? If Ashley Force had been in the Funny Car that I'm driving this weekend, she'd have been No. 1. I'm in a great car and I'm lucky and that's all there is to it," he said, alluding to his John Force-owned Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang.
"Every competitor is the same. A girl can do it just as good as I can," Hight said.
Hight is the son-in-law of John Force -- the most winning active driver in all of motorsports with 119 career victories, second on the all-time list to Petty. Hight was NHRA's Rookie of the Year in 2005.
Drag racing has led the way in diversity, and it did so more than 30 years ago.
The NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class alone has three female riders in Sampey, Stoffer, and Connie Cohen. In addition, women have won at least 35 races in the sportsman ranks of NHRA, and the International Hot Rod Association has had no fewer than 12 female competitors.
Race is not an issue in drag racing, either. Hispanic brothers Cruz and Tony Pedregon both have won a Funny Car championship. The sport also has prominent African-Americans and has had full-time Japanese and Mexican competitors. - Susan Wade
Torco Race Fuels and Pro Nitro to be available for all IHRA eMax Drag Races in Canada
(5-29-2006) - Torco Race Fuels will have their trucks on site during the upcoming IHRA Canadian Nationals in Grand Bend, Ontario, Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton, Alberta and Canadian Nationals in Toronto, Ontario.
The trucks will carry a full line of Torco Race Fuels performance products as well as their popular Pro Nitro nitromethane.
More information can be obtained by calling 1-800-67-TORCO or by visiting their website at http://www.torco.com/.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
 |
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
We have lost a member of our family
(5-25-2006) - Greg Guarinello, editor of Torco's CompetitionPlus.com sister publication VtwinPlus.com, died at 2:45 PM this afternoon at his New Jersey home. The cause of death is believed to have been either a heart attack or an anuerysm.
Guarinello, 53, leaves behind his wife Pat and two step-children.
Publisher Bobby Bennett, Jr., said the news came as a total shock.
"There's no doubt about it...Greg Guarinello was the driving force behind VtwinPlus.com," Bennett said. "This was his third year as editor of the magazine and each month it got better and better. His energy was contagious when it came to promoting the magazine.
"The day he took over running the day-to-day operations of VtwinPlus.com, that e-zine became his passion. He loved motorcycles with everything he had in himself. At this time, I just don't know what to say other than I have lost a dear friend and one of the best editors in the Harley-Davidson and custom bike market."
Details have not been released concerning funeral arrangements at this time. Please remember the Guarinello family in your prayers.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Froscher, Wade Recognized By American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc.
(5-27-2006) - Torco's Competition Plus and regular contributors Teague Froscher and Susan Wade were recognized by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (AARWBA) at their annual breakfast at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Froscher won two third-place cash prizes from The Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the AARWBA's annual writing contest. He finished second to father Norm Frosher in the Online Feature Writing category for his article “Big Daddy Speaks.” (Norm Froscher's entry was for an article in StockCarRacing.com, although he has covered the NHRA's Gatornationals for years.)
Teague Froscher also took a third-place cash prize in Online Technical Writing for his article "Shaping Up For Success," which also appeared in Competition Plus. Longtime drag-racing scribe Kay Presto took first place in the category for her article “Computers – Reading Race Car Performance,” for Carsandcompetition.com.
Wade won five writing awards and accompanying cash prizes in the organization's contest, including two articles that appeared on Competition Plus. One was for Online Technical Writing ("Millican To Ride Mono-Rail"), the other for Online Column Writing ("Look What They've Done To My Whit"). The other honors were for drag-racing articles that appeared in Drag Racing Action and National Speed Sport News.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
AARWBA HONORS WALLY PARKS
(5-27-2006) -- Wally Parks, the oldest living patriarch of a modern motorsports organization, was honored Saturday with the Bob Russo Founder's Award by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (AARWBA).
Parks, 93, founder of the National Hot Rod Association and the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, was cited for his profound interest, tireless efforts, and undying dedication to auto racing that Russo exemplified throughout his career. Russo died Sept. 18, 1999, at age 71.
Parks is a longtime member of AARWBA and a former journalist.
The announcement was made at AARWBA’s annual breakfast at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is presented annually to a member who has worked diligently to further the organization in its goals to represent the media who cover the sport of motor racing throughout the United States
Russo was the initiator in organizing AARWBA. In 1955, he felt there was a definite need for such a group to help in its coverage of all forms of auto racing. Often at that time communication between the track promoters and the media was limited.
Russo brought together several of the leading motor racing writers of that era August 16, 1955, and AARWBA was formed. It since has become the largest organization of its sort in the United States. Russo, a motorsports journalist and historian, later was the Publicity Director of the National Hot Rod Association.
Parks created the Museum to keep alive the history of hot rodding, drag racing, and other forms of motor sport.
When it comes to the history of American motorsports, names that immediately stand out include Bill France Sr., Tony Hulman and, of course, Wally Parks. One could argue that drag racing was born in Goltry, Oklahoma, in 1913, with the birth of Parks, a true visionary who in 1951 founded one of the most successful and influential sanctioning bodies in all of motorsports, the National Hot Rod Association.
Today, Parks still is extremely active, especially as chairman of the museum that bears his name, the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California. Located in Pomona, California, the Museum produces two wildly successful national Hot Rod Reunions, one at Bowling Green, Kentucky, and one at akersfield, California, as part of its “Living Museum” focus.
“The initial idea for an NHRA Museum was mine, way back in the early 1980s. I gathered a small group, including Bob Russo, Dick Wells, and Dean Batchelor, to discuss the prospects of our having a museum to assemble and preserve the NHRA’s background and its history. We produced several ‘concepts’ and even considered having a museum at Indianapolis Raceway Park, which NHRA had recently purchased.
"But, without funding, no action was taken at that time. It was Steve Gibbs who much later proposed the formation of the NHRA’s Historical Services, which was started in a building across Fairplex Avenue from the NHRA Pomona Raceway. We were later offered a lease opportunity at the Fairplex, and we chose a run-down 1930s building, which we totally renovated, as a home for the NHRA Motorsports Museum.”
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Remember - the speed limit is 15 MPH in the pits!
(5-26-2006) - Unusually, the big accident of the day wasn’t on the track at Heartland Park Topeka, it was in the pits. The incident took place on the first day of the 18th annual O'Reilly Summer Nationals.
According to witnesses, Dan Carter, a Super Street racer who is currently No. 3 in Division 3 standings, was driving through the pits when his Camaro collided with the AMX of Super Gas competitor Jeff Franklin.
The accident sent one driver to a local hospital with minor injuries. Unfortunately, both cars were extensively damaged and had to be hauled from the scene. Neither driver was available for comment on the situation.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
QUALIFYING NO. 1: A HINDRANCE OR HELP?
No Funny Car or Top Fuel Driver Has Won a Race This Year from the Pole
(5-25-2006) – Is there really a tangible advantage to starting an NHRA national event from the No. 1 qualifying position? If there is, it has not manifested itself thus far in the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Entering this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Summer Nationals at Heartland Park-Topeka, the No. 1 qualifiers in the Funny Car and Top Fuel categories were 0-for-the-season. That’s no wins from the No. 1 position in eight races.
In fact, John Force, driver of the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, is the only No. 1 in either of the sport’s top two categories to make it as far as the final round. He did that at Gainesville, Fla., before losing to points leader Ron Capps.
Records from the last 10 NHRA seasons show that Funny Car and Top Fuel drivers advance as far as the final round little more than a third of the time after starting from No. 1: 35.7 per cent of the time in Funny Car and 36.6 per cent in Top Fuel.
The No. 1 starters in Pro Stock fair somewhat better. In the factory hot rod class, No. 1 has gone to the final round 93 times in the 213 races contested since the tour was expanded to 22 events in 1997. That’s 43.6 per cent of the time.
The last time a Funny Car driver won wire-to-wire in the POWERade Series was last August when Eric Medlen took the Castrol SYNTEC Ford Mustang to the winners’ circle at Brainerd, Minn. Before that? It was Medlen, again, at Seattle, Wash.
The last No. 1 qualifier to win in Top Fuel was Tony Schumacher in last October’s race in Joliet, Ill. Greg Anderson started the 2006 season by winning from No. 1 in Pro Stock at Pomona, Calif.
However, such victories no longer are commonplace – if ever they were.
Since the start of the 1997 season, No. 1 qualifiers in the Funny Car class have won just 22.5 per cent of the races (48 of 213). In Top Fuel, the number is 25.4 per cent (54 of 213) and in Pro Stock, the category widely considered to be the most competitive, the number is 26.7 per cent (57 of 213).
So much for having a fast car.
Force’s numbers, for the sake of comparison, are a little better than the average. When the 13-time series champion has qualified No. 1, which he’s done 129 times in his career, he has gone on to win the race 42.6 per cent of the time. Over the research period (1997-2006), he has won 45.7 per cent of the events in which he has started from the No. 1 position (27 of 59).
Interestingly, only nine Funny Car drivers have won wire-to-wire over that 10-year span. Other than Force, they are Whit Bazemore (7 times), Tony Pedregon (7), Cruz Pedregon (4), Robert Hight and Eric Medlen (2 each) and Jerry Toliver, Gary Scelzi and Del Worsham (one time each).
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
NSCA Coverage now online
(5-26-2006) - We have just posted the coverage of the NSCA event at Cecil County, Md. View the coverage at NSCA- Maryland.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Snake and Miller Part Ways at the end of 2006 season
(5-25-2006) – Having enjoyed one of the longest running sponsorships in the history of NHRA Drag Racing, Don Prudhomme Racing announced today that Miller Brewing Company will not return as the primary sponsor of two-time NHRA Top Fuel Champion driver Larry Dixon and Don Prudhomme Racing’s Miller Lite dragster upon the conclusion of the 2006 season.
Don Prudhomme’s Snake Racing team is currently exploring potential primary sponsorship partners for the 2007 NHRA season and beyond.
“Our time with Miller has been very productive and enjoyable and I would like to thank everyone at Miller, from the folks in Milwaukee to the many distributors that have supported Larry and our team through the years,” said Team Owner and President, Don Prudhomme. “Snake Racing has always prided itself in representing our sponsors in a professional, responsible and successful way, both on and off the race track. I believe we have done an excellent job on behalf of Miller Brewing Company, not only in our numerous race wins and championships, but in helping increase excitement, visibility and product sales for Miller over the past decade.”
Jackie Woodward, Miller’s vice president of programming, media and marketing assets, said this was a difficult but necessary decision as the company strives to make the most effective use of its marketing expenditures.
“We want to thank Don Prudhomme, Larry Dixon and the entire Prudhomme Racing team for being such great partners and brand representatives over the past 11 years,” Woodward said. “It’s been an honor to be associated with them – including NHRA Top Fuel championships in 2002 and 2003 -- and we look forward to celebrating several successes on the track together during the rest of this season.”
The 11-year partnership between Miller Brewing Company and Don Prudhomme Racing began in 1995 with great success as Dixon burst on to the scene, winning four races including the prestigious U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, en route to NHRA Rookie of the Year honors. Dixon also became only the third rookie in history to win the lucrative $100,000 Budweiser Shootout, while setting national elapsed time records and recording a third-place finish in the season point standings in his inaugural campaign.
Since that time, Dixon has become one of the most successful and popular drivers to ever compete in the NHRA POWERade Series. In addition to his back-to-back world championships in 2002 and 2003, Dixon has collected an impressive total of 38 Top Fuel victories to rank No. 3 all-time and owns the most race wins among active Top Fuel drivers. He has earned a total of three U.S. Nationals titles (1995, 2001 and 2005), which is widely recognized as NHRA’s most significant race. Impressively, the veteran driver has never finished outside of the top-10 point standings at any point of his career.
Dixon is also on the verge of achieving even more NHRA milestones. He is just one victory shy of tying Kenny Bernstein for the second-most Top Fuel wins in NHRA history, while needing 14 more wins to tie Joe Amato for the most career wins in the Top Fuel category.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
NHRA UPHOLDS TV EVIDENCE, PHILLIPS CREDITED WITH SECOND ROUND VICTORY AT COLUMBUS
(5-25-2006) - Pro Stock Motorcycle competitor Michael Phillips of Baton Rouge, LA has been informed by NHRA Sr. VP Graham Light that he has been awarded the on-paper-only second round win over Matt Smith of King, NC at last weekend’s Pontiac Performance Nationals in Columbus. Along with the appropriate semifinal round purse Phillips will also receive the commensurate number of points, but as he told us, “I would’ve rather won on the track ‘cause that might’ve been my weekend.”
A stop-action shot of Phillips’s Suzuki appearing to be clearly ahead of Smith’s Buell at the finish line first appeared on the espn2 telecast of the event on Sunday evening, with stills of the run having been posted here on Torco’s Competitionplus.com since then. Needless to say, those shots resulted in a lot of talk, and also got Phillips’s attention.
“When I hit fourth gear I kind of heard his bike fading a little,” Phillips said. “But then, after we made the turnoff neither one of us knew who won until his guys got down there and said he got the light.
“I usually leave the race track on Sunday evening, but something just told me to stay there and watch the show. Me and my brother were sittin’ there, and when that came up I said to myself, Oh, no, here we go again, and with the same bike (in reference to Smith’s later overturned “victory” at Indy last year).
“You know, they were definitely having troubles with the lights all weekend. When we came up to the starting line we both put our top lights on, and then he moved in and lit the second light. When he did that my light also came on, and I hadn’t moved. It kinda stunned me, so I jumped on the throttle. It hadn’t even hit the two-step when the light went green. It took the clutch right out of my hand. Actually, my light would have been a whole lot better if the lights hadn’t been messed up.
“I tried to call NHRA Sunday night, but of course, nobody answered ‘cause they weren’t there. After that Graham called my dad and told him they were going to give me the win and the money.”
According to several sources, Light was not aware of the apparent finish line timing malfunction until Monday morning, but then took immediate steps to rectify the situation as much as he could. Sources close to Phillips’ family indicate that Light expressed his regrets about the situation during his call to
Michael’s father.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
NHRA BEGINS TO ADDRESS TIMING PROBLEMS
(5-25-20060 - Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com learned late Wednesday evening from reliable sources that Bob Brockmeyer of Compulink was on the grounds of Heartland Park Topeka and was, according to one source, scheduled to “work through the night” checking out all of the timing equipment. This is an effort to avoid a repetition of the problems and controversy that occurred at the
last two NHRA POWERade Series races in Ohio and Georgia. However,
other sources suggest that Brockmeyer will not stay at the track beyond Friday afternoon due to other obligations.
Late Wednesday afternoon work had spread through the pits that NHRA Sr. VP Graham Light has scheduled a meeting of all team owners, drivers and crew chiefs to discuss the recent timing issues. That will take place Friday afternoon in the pits.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Capps doesn't mind back-to-back races
(5-24-2006) - NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car points leader Ron Capps is a racing junkie. He'd be happy racing every
weekend if he could. So, he's not complaining about having to race the
Brut/Torco Dodge Charger R/T this weekend in the O'Reilly NHRA Summer
Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka immediately after having raced in
Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday.
"Having a back-to-back week in Columbus and Topeka is nice," says Capps, who leads John Force in the rankings by 91 points after eight events. "It's
exhilarating to go right back to racing. It's what I love to do.
"It's a lot of fun right now, because it's so competitive," adds Capps,
who's had two first-round losses in the last two events. "You get those
juices flowing and you're in the heat of the battle and everyone is running
so well.
"This class is so tough right now. Just when you get depressed because
something happens like it did in Columbus when I lost on a holeshot, (John)
Force, the No. 2 guy (in points), goes out the same session. It gives you a
little bit of glimmer."
Capps and crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch still anticipate hotter conditions
to appear, which haven't. "It's Memorial Day and Topeka is a great track,"
says Capps. "We keep saying that we're going to see these warm and humid
conditions, which we thought would show up in Atlanta, which they didn't.
Then we thought they'd show up in Columbus, which they didn't. So, the
weather is playing tricks on us.
"I'm not having a hard time sleeping on Saturday night, but I don't envy the
crew chiefs because they're the ones making the calls. They're looking at
the weather report during the week and then, lo and behold, they get to the
track and it's completely the opposite of what it should be."
Is there concern in the Brut/Torco Dodge team about the first-round losses?
"Those losses were within a couple of thousandths (of a second)," Capps
explains. "Both were close races, so we didn't beat ourselves. And that's
what's gotten us to where we are now.
"If we can hang on to the points like this and just keep doing our deal,
we'll be fine."
Capps' Topeka record includes a win in 1998 and a runner-up finish in 2000.
He's way ahead of his 2005 record at this stage of the season. After losing
in the semifinals to John Force in 2005, he left Topeka sixth in the point
standings. No matter what happens this weekend, he will leave no worse than
second.
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Columbus Gallery Posted
(5-24-2006) - Miss our NHRA Columbus Photo Gallery? We have one posted - Columbus Gallery
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
VtwinPlus.com Announces A Return To Its Roots; Five race eliminator series to be run at fabled Atco Raceway
(5-24-2006) - When VTwinPlus.com’s editor, Greg Guarinello entered into the venue of two-wheeled competition his first race was at the venerable Atco Raceway in Atco, NJ, the birthplace of organized motorcycle drag racing. His first exposure to the sights, sounds and smells of the 1973 US Nationals hooked him completely.
These were the days of innovation, when a double-engine Top Fuel bike might have a pair of Shovelheads,Triumphs, BSAs, Nortons or even a combination of any of the above between the spindly frame tubes that passed as state-of-the-art chassis of the day.
This was pre-wheeliebars, open-face helmets with goggles, roller starters and burn-out board days. A time where up to 600 motorcycles would arrive in the back of pick-ups or for the lucky ones inside an extended maxi-van. A time when you could go from camp to camp to get some assistance reading plugs or borrow a jet for your S&S carb. A time where everyone went to the Maple Inn at the end of the day for a couple of icy cold adult beverages and to wind down before heading down to Olga’s for dinner and some prize-winning cheesecake.
This was before egos grew as large as the race haulers. Back when everyone had a nickname and so did their bikes. Back when horsepower was developed and not bought. Back when you could walk around the pits for hours without seeing the same combination of parts and paintwork. Back when racers had personalities and had no idea what corporate speak was.
Now even the most wishful among us realize that we can’t return to those days but we can return to the venue where many of these great memories were created, Atco Raceway. Beginning this June, VTwinPlus.com in conjunction with Atco Raceway, will host the VTwinPlus.com Eliminator Series.
This one dial-in, gas only class will be open to any H-D powered motorcycle as per the rules posted on VTwinPlus.com. The series will consist of five events (one per month) and all bikes will compete in eliminations. All riders will be awarded points and a point fund will be distributed at the final event.
Contingency sponsors have signed on and more will be added as time goes along. Currently signed are: Ace It! Spray polish, Horsepower Heaven race DVDs, Powertye tie-down straps, Deltran battery tenders, Spectro Oil, Design Engineering, Inc. heat shield wrap and stainless tie-wraps and Star Racing $100 Star Bucks gift certificates.
Chris Rasile of Fast Lane Cycles in Stamford, CT will serve as Race Director for the five race series with assistance from VTwinPlus.com’s Editor, Greg Guarinello.
The Schedule is as follows:
June 25, July 23, August 27, September 17 and October 22.
All rules, safety procedures and contingency news can be seen onhttp://www.vtwinplus.com/vtpelimseriess.htm.
VtwinPlus.com is a sister publication to Torco's CompetitionPlus.com and is one of three electronic magazines managed by eZine Media.
Click to visit our sponsor's website
New Columns and Blogs Uploaded
(5-23-2006) - Torco's CompetitionPlus.com Senior Editor Jon Asher has provided the latest installment of his popular Up Front commentary. Jack Beckman has a new blog and NHRA POWERade Pro Stock runner Greg Stanfield makes his debut.
Up Front - "Decision Making Run Amuck?"
Beckman's Blog - Here I am again
Stanfield's Grandstand - Welcome to the Ballgame
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Dyar Has the Right Medicine to Score First Nitro Coupe Win
(5-23-2006) - Bryan Dyar of Hillsboro, Alabama calls his racing operation "Medicine Man Racing" and is sponsored by a drug store. Whether it was that or his home field advantage, he scored his first Nitro Coupe win in the inaugural Super Chevy Show at Huntsville Dragway May 20-21. Race fans packed the Huntsville stands both days despite an early guest appearance by summer. The three-day event even included a special match race by members of the Middle Tennessee Avalanche Club, whose 6,000 pound behemoths lumbered down the Huntsville strip before Friday's Test and Tune session.
Used to racing in the Alabama heat and humidity, Dyar was the most
consistent car in the class, claiming the Trim Parts Low Qualifier prize
with a 4.211/174.55 mph shot on Saturday at the legendary 1/8th mile track.
He stayed around that mark all weekend, speeding up to a 4.167 shot in the
semis when cloud cover briefly cooled the track. In the finals against
fellow Alabamian Jerry Rhodes of Southside, AL. Dyar gave up two hundredths
to Rhodes and his '63 Corvette Nitro Coupe on the starting line, but his '53
Studebaker stayed on a rail as he turned in a 4.213 (172.35mph) to Rhodes'
4.372 (168.04).
In addition to the Super Chevy menu of Mr. Gasket Bracket One (Electronics),
Bracket Two (Footbrake) and D.O.T. (street legal) bracket classes, George
Howard threw in three heads up classes, 7.0, 6.0 and 5.50 (bracket results
below).
After a week off, the Super Chevy Show continues its 26th Annual Tour with a
stop at Atlanta Dragway June 3-4.
Nitro Coupe Qualifying - Saturday 5/20 (Event qualified and raced 1/8 mile)
1 Bryan Dyar, Hillsboro, AL '53 Studebaker 4.211 174.55
2 Jerry Rhodes, Southside, AL '63 Vette 4.244 170.58
3 Larry Sinke. Wellmann, Ontario, Canada '67 Nova 4.278
169.43
4 Bruce Boland, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada '33 Willy's
4.312 170.07
5 Bill Doucet, Lawtell, LA '63 Vette 4.443 171.95
6 Tony "Sandman" Williams, Millington, TN '69 Camaro
4.456 168.86
7 Toney Russell, Ardmore, AL '55 Nomad 4.857 124.55
Nitro Coupe Eliminations - Sunday 5/21 (1/8 mile)
Semi - Finals R/T ET MPH
Jerry Rhodes def. .140 4.204 173.48
Larry Sinke .137 4.270 157.89 (car broke rear end)
Bryan Dyar def. .051 4.167 175.64
Bruce Boland .062 4.281 169.68
Finals R/T ET MPH
Bryan Dyar def. .090 4.213 172.35
Jerry Rhodes .069 4.372 168.04
Low E.T. for season---------- 6.249 Randy Adler (Pomona)
Top M.P.H. for season------ 225.56 mph - Trevor Lowe (Pomona)
Bracket Racing Series Eliminations Sunday 5/21 (all races 1/8 mile)
Mr. Gasket Bracket One Pro Eliminator
Winner - Chris Tolar, Shelbyville, TN, '67 Camaro
Bracket Two Eliminator
Winner -
Matt Self, Lawrenceburg, TN, '74 Nova .
DOT
Winner - Bubba Boyd, Harvest, AL, '79 Malibu
Jr. Dragster
Winner - Carlton Douglas, Greenbrier, TN
TREMEC TRANSMISSION BONUS RACE (Sat. 5/20)
Winner - Russ Almand, Spring Hill, TN
Heads -Up Classes (1/8 mile)
7.0 - Jerome Terry, Trinity, AL, '68 Chevy II
6.0 - George Bolton, Trinity, AL, '95 Olds
5.50 - Mike Davis, Ardmore, AL, Chevy II .
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Davis wins Auto Pro Modifieds event
(5-23-2006) - Ronnie Davis brought in his Automatic Pro Mod circuit and put on a fine event at South Georgia Motorsports Park. Ten cars attempted to qualify for the eight car field. The King qualified in the number two position behind Russ Crump’s fine 4.33, but in eliminations, everything went his way. Davis set low et of round one with a 4.378 170.15.
In round two, Davis beat Tom Stringer’s flamed Camaro with an improving 4.366 at 169.89. Stringer trailed with a respectable 4.45 161. In the other semifinal, Joe Baker’s Neon beat Crump’s Vette with a 4.37 161 when Crump got out of shape and had to lift. In the final, Davis ran a 4.36 169 to beat Baker’s 4.39. These cars put on a great show.
Nostalgia cars also were a prime feature at this weekend’s event. Ed Fargo put together a great Southern Slingshots and funny car exhibition in preparation for the big Southern Nostalgia Shootout to be held October 27-29 at SGMP. Mark Adams ran his altered, and Denny Fenstermaker had his original restored fueler on display. Rick Lucas brought out his soon to be restored Monza funny car for all to see. Several members of the South Georgia Classic Car Club brought out their muscle cars on Saturday. Tammy Fargo had the best dragster time on the eighth mile at 5.063 135.41 in her blown small-block Chevy front-engined dragster. David Workman also ran his beautiful rat-powered dragster on Friday, but he damaged the engine and was reduced to display duty on Saturday. Red Coleman ran his Super Cuda funny car and Bill Brown brought his Snowman Vega funny for several attempts at the SGMP track. Both ran in the 5s and put on a good show. Be sure to come back to SGMP this October for the biggest nostalgia event in the South. Headlining the event is Big Daddy Don Garlits.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Brogdon has successful Red River Outing
(5-23-2006) - Rodger Brogdon’s RoofTec Race team today worked their way towards yet another final round performance in 2006, at the LODRS event contested here this weekend. While the final round results didn’t see the team in the winner’s circle at the conclusion of the event, Rodger was happy with the overall results.
“I knew I had a great reaction time when I let the clutch out, but when it launched, she got all of the starting line. It carried the front end out well past the 60-foot cone, and when it finally set the front end back down, it was just a touch to the right of the groove. Easing it back into the center of the groove cost us some valuable time, and it showed at the stripe coming up just inches short, I thought I had him reeled in.”
Stats from the final round show that the race between the reigning division 4 champ, Brogdon, and the reigning division 5 champ, Michael Johnson, was everything it could possibly be between two championship contenders. Brogdon was better off the line with a .035 to .072 reaction time advantage, but Johnson car prevailed at the strip with a 60 under, lap in comparison to Rodgers 55 under shot. Crunching all of the performance numbers, Johnson’s F/SMA prevailed by a scant eight thousandths at the finish line stripe, mere inches as the two cars hit the finish line at over 150 miles an hour.
Said Rodger after the race “While we always hate to lose a final round decision, we couldn’t have lost this weekend to any better people. Michael and his parents Cordis and Mary Johnson are some of the best people in the sport. It isn’t often that you give your final round competitor a hug and wish them the best before you climb into your respective cars.”
Next stop on the tour for the RoofTec team will be the LODRS event in Rusk, TX, as the team will miss the NHRA national events in Topeka and Joliet. Best friend and crew chief Pete Smallwood’s daughter graduates the weekend of the Topeka event and Rodger is staying home to attend the ceremonies. Brogdon has also relinquished his Jeg’s AllStars berth at the Joliet, IL event to allow time for the team to prepare for the soon to be delivered Chevy Cobalt AA/SM coming from the EasTexas Race Cars shop. Like Rodger said, “This new car is going to be quick and fast, and we want to be ready to really get after the points chase for the balance of the season. Taking some time now to prepare can only help make the rest of the season go smoother.”
Those words and that plan are certainly not the words the rest of the Comp field wanted to hear. The battle for the 2006 Lucas Oil Comp Eliminator championship is going to be interesting, very interesting.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Graham Light Responds
(5-22-2006) - In the wake of a trouble-plagued weekend of drag racing at the NHRA Pontiac Performance Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Graham Light sat down for an exclusive interview with Susan Wade of 1320 TV.com.
The video of their in-depth conversation can be found in the Featured Videos section of www.1320tv.com, or accessed by clicking on the following link:
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Jeggie to return to Pro Stock?
(5-22-2006) - Jeg Coughlin, Jr. is contemplating a return to professional drag racing competition as early as this fall. Coughlin told the Columbus Dispatch that he was burned out at the end of the 2004 season.
Coughlin admitted that he's in discussions to form his own team for 2007. If things come together, he could return later this year as a ramp up to the program.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Rolling O Store to pass on Topeka
(5-22-2006) - Donnie Faulkner confirmed that the Rolling O Store will be absent from the NHRA Nationals in Topeka. Instead the popular Oakley trailer will be at the Indianapolis 500. If you happened to be at that event, the Rolling O Store will be located at the corner of Crawfordsville Rd and Georgetown.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
Click to visit our sponsor's website
NSCA rocks Cecil County Dragway
(5-22-2006) - Our ace photographer Chris Simmons made his way to the NSCA event in Cecil County, Maryland. NSCA - Photo Gallery
KABOOM - Parts attrition reigns supreme in Columbus
(5-22-2006) - Parts fail sometimes as evidenced by the Cory McClenathan (Top) and Doug Herbert explosions on Sunday's final eliminations in Columbus. (Motel6 Vision Photos/ESPN2)
BERNSTEIN POWERS BUDWEISER DRAGSTER TO 10TH WIN IN 11 FINAL CAREER ROUNDS
(5-22-2006) - Second-generation driver Brandon Bernstein improved to 10-1 in Top Fuel finals with his victory Sunday at the 42nd annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals presented by Summit Racing.
The $1.5 million race is the eighth of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Complete Coverage from Columbus
Troxel Fined again after Saturday engine explosion
(5-22-2006) -- The NHRA on Saturday night fined Top Fuel points leader Melanie Troxel $1,500 for the engine explosion near the finish line during her fourth and final qualifying pass. She qualified fifth and lost to Cory McClenathan in the second round. She had earned a final-round berth in six of the previous seven races this year and seven of the previous eight, dating back to last November's NHRA Finals at Pomona, California.
"She has been one tough customer," McClenathan said.
She has. She remains the only Top Fuel driver who hasn't lost in the first round.
Here we go again?
(5-22-2006) - As you can see in this picture of the television screen, the second round win for Matt Smith remains questionable. This angle clearly shows Michael Philips aheadat the stripe. Based on the timing figures Philips snagged a .041 starting line advantage, but Smith had a .043 performance advantage. With all the timing snafus over the weekend, who knows?
(Photo credit: ESPN2)
RELATED STORY - Columbus Timing
RELATED STORY - Commerce Timing
NHRA Points after Columbus
Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 42nd annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals presented by Summit Racing at National Trail Raceway, the eighth of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel
1. Melanie Troxel, 690; 2. Doug Kalitta, 536; 3. Brandon Bernstein, 515; 4. David Grubnic, 506; 5. Larry Dixon, 477; 6. Rod Fuller, 472; 7. Morgan Lucas, 426; 8. Tony Schumacher, 411; 9. Cory McClenathan, 386; 10. Doug Herbert, 348.
Funny Car
1. Ron Capps, 666; 2. John Force, 575; 3. Eric Medlen, 482; 4. Robert Hight, 474; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 446; 6. Tony Pedregon, 434; 7. Del Worsham, 428; 8. Whit Bazemore, 412; 9. Cruz Pedregon, 402; 10. Phil Burkart, 354.
Pro Stock
1. Greg Anderson, 557; 2. Jason Line, 527; 3. Jim Yates, 509; 4. Erica Enders, 460; 5. Mike Edwards, 446; 6. Larry Morgan, 423; 7. Greg Stanfield, 419; 8. Dave Connolly, 392; 9. Warren Johnson, 368; 10. Kurt Johnson, 359.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Angelle Sampey, 378; 2. Andrew Hines, 342; 3. Antron Brown, 304; 4. Chip Ellis, 222; 5. Karen Stoffer, 215; 6. Matt Smith, 194; 7. (tie) Geno Scali, 187; GT Tonglet, 187; 9. Ryan Schnitz, 174; 10. Shawn Gann, 172.
Goodyear addresses Bernstein tire incident
(5-22-2006) – In a report released today Goodyear Tire revealed the results of an examination of the tire from Brandon Bernstein’s Top Fuel Dragster that was involved in an incident at Atlanta Dragway. The Goodyear research Division performed the detailed scientific examination of the Bernstein tire.
The investigation concluded that: 1) The structural integrity of the tire was intact except for one area that was definitely punctured while the tire was under operational pressure. 2) An unknown foreign object impacted the tire. 3) Every other piece of the tire that could be examined was structurally intact.
Don't call us, we'll call you; Drag racer on phone as hotel's robbery goes down
(5-20-2006) – Troy Critchley, driver of the AMS Staff Leasing Corvette, began his race weekend in a very unusual set of circumstances. On Thursday evening Critchley was en route to his hotel for the ADRL Memphis event when he needed to call the hotel directly for directions. In the middle of the phone conversation, Critchley overhead some disturbing conversation between the desk clerk and someone else. To Critchley’s surprise, once he arrived at the hotel he learned while he was receiving directions, the desk clerk was being robbed of all the cash that was on-hand in the hotel.
Schumacher Tops Among Record-setting Provisional No. 1 Qualifiers; Hight, Connolly and Hines Also Top Respective Qualifying Fields
(5-20-2006) -- Back-to-back Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher posted a 4.476-second pass at 331.53 mph Friday night to highlight a record-setting opening day of Pro qualifying at the 42nd annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals presented by Summit Racing.
Seven of eight National Trail Raceway records fell by the wayside in the opening two sessions of the $1.5 million race, the eighth of 23 events on the NHRA POWERade Series circuit.
The track record elapsed times of Funny Car's Robert Hight (4.715), Pro Stock's Dave Connolly (6.693), and Pro Stock Motorcycle's Andrew Hines (7.038) placed them atop their respective fields, although they had to share the spotlight with Gary Scelzi (329.58 mph), Jason Line (206.16), and Chip Ellis (193.46), who all set NTR speed records under nearly ideal conditions.
Schumacher's run was a true crowd-pleaser as the U.S. Army rail lit up the night sky with a perfect header flame pattern all the way down the track. When his E.T. and speed hit the scoreboard, the capacity crowd erupted.
"I didn't think that run would be as good as it was but we'll certainly take it given how we've been struggling lately," Schumacher said. "The key will be to put together two runs tomorrow so we have a good feeling going into race day."
Been away from your computer for a while ? Visit our News Archive .
