Race fans at Maple Grove Raceway have become familiar with colorful
Nitro Fish cars that have run fast down the quartermile over the years.
 
The business owned by Pennsylvania’s own Kenny Koretsky, himself an
accomplished drag racer, has made its mark in the racing world with its
line of racing apparel featuring a ferocious looking fish that doesn’t
play nice with the competition.

Denmark's Andersen Racing Top Fuel Dragster team has existed for three years, during which time they have conquered two out of three
possible FIA European Championships. Besides that, the team leads this
year's FIA European Top Fuel Dragster Championship having made it to
the finals in the first three races this year.

From their many victories and Championships, the team's big dream has
been to be the first Danish Top Fuel team to race in Top Fuel in the
USA, and despite financial crises all over the world 2009 will be the
year that this dream comes true, as the team has now closed sufficient
deals to be able to confirm that Andersen Racing will be racing in the
USA later this year. More specifically, Andersen Racing will be
contesting the last two NHRA races of the season at The Strip at Las
Vegas on 29th October to 1st November and at Pomona on 12th-15th
November.

Mother Nature had a hand in the opening day of qualifying at the Summer
Showdown presented by Matco Tools, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag
Racing Series at Cordova Dragway Park. And it was a soggy hand that
kept the event from getting under way until 6 p.m.; a far cry from the
scheduled 10 a.m. start.  In the end, only one round of qualifying was
completed in Super Stock, Stock and Sportsman Motorcycle presented by
Harley Davidson, and time trials in Super Comp, Super Gas and Super
Street.

The good news is that Moline resident Jeff Stealy qualified his ’86
Camaro in the No. 2 spot in Stock Eliminator, just behind Sam Hamod,
Hobart, Ind., behind the wheel of his ’90 Firebird.  The top qualifier
in Super Stock was Justin Jenkins, Beatrice, Ind., wheeling his ’09
Cobalt.  In Sportsman Motorcycle, Ken Neissen, Brooklyn Park, Minn.,
topped the field with Davenport racer Tom Klemme just off the pace in
second place.  Kurt Clark, another Davenport resident, finished the day
in the No. 4 slot.

The rumor is true. Carl Weisinger is offering FREE car and driver entry
for this year's World Street Nationals to any racer that entered the 2007 or 2008 World Street Nationals in Orlando, Fla.

Orlando track operator Carl Weisinger said, "It's pretty simple really.
We need to say thank you to the racers in a way that isn't just words
on a piece of paper or a post on a message board. Not having to pay the
$150 entry fee could make the difference for a racer who otherwise
might have to sit out the race."

Everyone has heard the comparisons made between rookie Del Cox Jr. and former world champion Spencer Massey.

Sure
they both came up through the junior dragster ranks, sure Cox is having
an eerily similar rookie season and sure Cox is having a breakout year
coming up through the Mitch King farm system, but at some point Cox has
to make his own mark in the drag racing world.

And it appears he did just that in Martin.

In
fact, something quite spectacular happened to the 27-year-old out of
Downey, California at last weekend’s IHRA Northern Nationals – he came
into his own.

In the history of the NHRA’s highly popular Pro Stock division, there
have been a total of 633 national events contested.   During that time,
four current drivers from the same area of the state of Minnesota have
combined to score an amazing one third of the victories (211); while
appearing in over half of all final rounds (350).
 
Currently leading the North Star state contingent are Summit Racing
teammates Greg Anderson from Duluth and Wright-born Jason Line, who
have combined to win a class-leading 76 national events over the last
eight years. This follows in the footsteps of the highly successful
father-and-son duo of Warren and Kurt Johnson from nearby Virginia, who
paced the Pro Stock field for much of the 80’s & 90’s.
 
As they prepared to return to their home state for the Lucas Oil
Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, Anderson and Line took
time to talk about their formative years in the Land of 10,000 Lakes,
as well as their prospects for this weekend’s event.
 

With news helicopters buzzing overhead, traffic backed up for miles
on two Interstates and the largest-ever, Friday-night crowd in Gateway
International Raceway’s history, the National Guard ADRL put on a
spectacular show Aug. 7, with the opening round of qualifying for its
ADRL Hardee’s Gateway Drags II.

“This is unbelievable,” declared National Guard ADRL President and CEO
Kenny Nowling as he gazed at thousands upon thousands of enthusiastic
National Guard ADRL fans. “I’ve been coming here since I was just a
little kid and to see this track like this makes me feel good on so
many levels.”

Jason
Scruggs’ Pro Extreme race cars have all the makings of a fictional
character in a slasher flick. In one episode the slasher kills everyone
that crosses their path and at the end of the movie, meets a definitive
demise only to return for a more gruesome sequel.
 
That’s a comparable scenario to a Scruggs race car. One weekend, it’s
spraying oil under the tires and crashing head-on into the retaining
wall. The next race the competition is scratching their heads as the
car returns equally as potent.

When it comes to Memphis Motorsports Park you can't always believe what
you hear. However, you should be able to believe what you read.

Recently circulated rumors have the track closing down in the very near
future after a sale to Gulf Coast Entertainment, LLC. With the closing
on the deal postponed for the third time – the new date is in September
of this year – track staff are already planning next years events.

The rumors may have surfaced following a story in the St. Louis
Business Journal on July 30. While the story focused on the reduced
second quarter profits generated by Dover Motorsports Inc. facilities,
which includes Memphis Motorsports Park.

Cale Aronson has pushed his Ford Escort as far as he could. Waiting in
the wings is a new 2010 Mustang which promises to take the second-generation Pro Stock racer to the next level.

Aronson, the son of former AHRA Pro Stock champion Chuck Aronson, plans
to take delivery in the fall of the Jerry Haas Race Cars-built, Jon
Kaase-powered Ford. A stealthy 820-cubic inches will be under the hood.