Laurie Cannister and the Kalbones Racing Alcohol Funny Car team have put their racing plans on indefinite hold.

The team was in the final stages of preparing the Funny Car for a late-spring NHRA debut when team owners Kevin and Wendy Sims received a phone call informing them that longtime business partner and close friend, Mike Couch passed away March 6, due to complications of an illness. Couch was diagnosed with the undisclosed illness just a few short months ago.

Laurie Cannister and the Kalbones Racing Alcohol Funny Car team have put their racing plans on indefinite hold.

The team was in the final stages of preparing the Funny Car for a late-spring NHRA debut when team owners Kevin and Wendy Sims received a phone call informing them that longtime business partner and close friend, Mike Couch passed away March 6, due to complications of an illness. Couch was diagnosed with the undisclosed illness just a few short months ago.

Couch was known well among the IHRA Funny Car ranks for his years of racing with several drivers, including being instrumental in forming the most recent team for Kalbones Racing that went on to win the IHRA Alcohol Funny Car Championship in its first full year of competition.

In addition to his work with the race team, Couch was also responsible for many of the day-to-day business operations for team owners Kevin and Wendy Sims and their businesses back home at KW1, LLC.

Plans are for the team to return to competition once reorganization is completed.