A new engine program, a new class, and a new organization for Pete Berner Racing have caused the team to make quite a few adjustments
and take on a few learning curves. This is right up Berner’s alley,
however. He’s known for taking on new challenges and innovation and
although he hasn’t quite mastered the eighth mile battlefield just yet,
he’s confident that he’s well on his way.

At this past weekend’s ADRL Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags III,
Berner held his own. He qualified third with a 4.143 at 172.65. In
round one he took out Mark Martino with another 4.143 to Martino’s
4.173. Round two paired Berner with longtime friend and competitor Dean
Goforth. Both drivers posted .02 lights, but Goforth’s 4.129 took out
Berner’s consistent, but losing effort of 4.147. Goforth went on to win
the event, capturing his first Minuteman.

IHRA President Aaron Polburn, at the recommendation of his track prep
staff, has endorsed VP's Lane Choice 6 Traction Compound for use
at all IHRA member tracks. “Our crew tested LC6 on back to back
weekends,” said Polburn, “and came away with an ecstatic thumbs up for
the product."

The IHRA track prep staff reported a key benefit of LC6 is more
consistent performance from daytime to nighttime temperatures. “This
stuff is really good—the track got to 148 degrees and it never gave a
hint of getting greasy or gooey. We've had all sorts of cars on the LC6
in the last two weeks—from 3 second Pro Mods and 200mph drag radial
cars to 12 second bracket cars.  All the drivers gave the track rave
reviews."

Beech Bend Raceway Park will have a distinct yellow-and-black flavor
this weekend with a host of JEGS.com-sponsored racecars set to compete
at the final North Central Division race of the season.

Div. 3 champion racers John and Mike Coughlin lead the Team JEGS
charge, with John fighting for wins in both Top Dragster and Super
Stock and Mike looking for glory in Top Sportsman. Third-generation
upstart Troy Coughlin Jr. will be competing in Super Comp, while
Norwalk winner Samantha Kenny will pilot the Super Comp rail of her
fiancé, five-time world champion drag racer Jeg Coughlin Jr., who will
be on hand to support his teammates.

"It's a family affair and it's going to be an awful lot of fun," John
said. "Beech Bend is one of my favorite tracks of all time and it'll be
even more special with the whole gang coming over. I'm excited to mix
it up with everyone."

Rick Stivers was on a tear at the beginning of the Pro Mod season, scoring one runner-up finish out of two completed events and qualifying
hard for a key spot in his third race until a mechanical failure put a
crashing stop to his charge for the top. His dramatic crash in St.
Louis will long be remembered by those present as one of the miracles
of safety in racing. Stivers walked away from the incident, shaken up
and bruised but otherwise un-injured, and now, after fully recovering
from being shaken and stirred, the feisty horse farmer and HVAC
entrepreneur is ready to make a charge to be in the top eight in Get
Screened America Pro Mod Challenge points and earn the right to compete
in the $35,000 MATCO Tools Pro Mod Clash.
 
Stivers will get behind the wheel for the first time since his accident
on Monday as his team owner and tuner Brad Anderson calls the shots in
testing at the same track where Stivers hit the wall: Gateway
International Raceway in Madison, Ill.
 

Pro Mod drivers invited to the MAC Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals for the
Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx
are anxiously preparing for what promises to be one of the most
exciting marathons of Pro Mod racing. Each of the 24 available
invitations was quickly accepted, assuring a full field of champions
and record holders, along with a few surprises and an exciting
international flavor.
 
Headlining the field are the nitrous warriors from the Al Anabi camp,
including current points leader Burton Auxier, last year's U.S.
Nationals champion Mike Castellana, and 2003 Indy winner and 2001 World
Champion Rickie Smith. Smith and Castellana along with 2005 Indy
champ/2006 World Champion Jay Payne are hoping to do something no one
has yet been able to accomplish - win the Pro Mod Challenge at Indy
twice.

Tony Schumacher and Ashley Force Hood were the quickest in their
respective categories during testing Wednesday at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.

NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car teams utilized the test session in
preparation for the 55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by
Lucas Oil, the world’s most prestigious drag race. The tradition-rich
race, which will be held Sept. 2-7 and will be showcased during more
than 10 hours of coverage on ESPN2 HD, is the final regular season race
in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series before the top 10 fields
in each pro category are set for NHRA’s six-race championship playoff,
the Countdown to 1.

Schumacher powered his U.S. Army dragster to the quickest time in Top
Fuel with a 3.833 second effort. Schumacher, who will be trying to tie
drag racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits as the Mac Tools U.S.
Nationals all-time Top Fuel wins leader next weekend, feels confident
about his chances at the historic track. Schumacher has seven Mac Tools
U.S. Nationals victories, including the last three.

The widely popular cable TV show "Pinks All Out" goes nitro.  For the
first time in the shows history they will feature exhibition runs by
Top Fuel dragsters and Nitro Funny Cars. Auto Club Famoso Raceway
manager, Blake Bowser announced this special aspect to the show that
will tape on Saturday, September 12, 2009. The event itself will start
on Friday, the 11th.

There's nothing like a change in divisions to ignite your drag racing career.

Joe Dunne knows all about that.

For the past three years, Dunne was trying to forge a name for himself while competing in the NHRA's Top Sportsman Class.

This season, he changed gears and began competing in the Outlaw Pro Mod
events and even tried his hand in Pro Street competition.

And, he seems to be making headlines on a weekly basis.

Nitro teams planning to test at the annual O’Reilly Raceway Park
pre-Indy test session apparently caught the facility by surprise
because when they arrived the track was not set up to record 1,000 foot
times.

The NHRA has conducted organized tests at the facility since 2003.

Dickie Venables and Kurt Elliott have landed at least for one day. Venables and Elliott have been spotted working with Del Worsham on the Alan Johnson Racing, Al Anabi Funny Car during the NHRA’s pre-Indy test session at O’Reilly Raceway Park.

Venables walked away from Tony Pedregon's operation just days before the Brainerd event when he couldn't see eye to eye with Pedregon over the dismissal of Elliott.

We'll bring you more updates from testing as they become available.

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