John Randell, 12, lives in Henderson and races in the Short Line
Express Market/Chevron Jr. Dragster Series at The Strip at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway. Less than one year ago, the Mannion Middle School
student was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Randell turned his medical setback into an opportunity to help others
by founding Diabetes Education Awareness, LLC. His goal this spring was
to raise $1,500 in donations so that he can send three children to a
diabetes education camp (Camp Buck, at the Grizzly Creek Ranch near
Reno) in August for one week.  His foundation’s mission was to pay all
expenses, including airfare, for the three candidates.

He reached
his goal this weekend of raising $1,500 in donations to send three
children to a diabetes education camp (Camp Buck, at the Grizzly Creek
Ranch near Reno) Saturday night at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway. Randell collected money for his cause at a display beneath
the grandstands at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's 3/8-mile paved oval.  One
anonymous female donor dropped off $600 for the cause.

Lucas Oil Top Dragster entry bests large field at Toronto Motorsports Park Victoria Day Challenge
 
T.J.
Schippling won the first Quick 32 Sportsman Series presented by NAPA
Auto Parts at the Cayuga Dragway of Toronto Motorsports Park over the
Victoria Day Weekend Challenge.
 
“It’s been a great weekend,” said the Shakespeare, Ontario racer. “We
kept the same game plan for the weekend, and the track was great.”
 
Driving his Top Dragster Schippling ran a 7.418-second, 171.01-mph pass
in the final to win over Jeff Gabel of Stratford, Ontario in his 1975
Duster Top Sportsman, who posted a 7.657-second, 175.483-mph clocking.
Schippling was dialed in with a 7.38-second index and Gabel was running
with a 7.62-second index.

It was Ike Maier’s day.
 
The Tottenham, Ontario racer qualified his 1963 Corvette Pro Modified
number one for the PMRA season opener, and stayed on top during the
weekend to win his first PMRA event.
 
“We finally won something,” said Maier after his win. “But I have to thank the team. I just get in and drive.”

Top Alcohol Funny Car ace Frank Manzo scored his 100th divisional event
win this weekend at the 3rd Annual B'laster Cavalcade of Stars
presented by Budweiser, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing
Series at Summit Motorsports Park.  The Morganville, N.J., racer also
has 79 NHRA national event wins on his resume.  Ken Perry of Richmond
Hill, Va., joined Manzo in the winner's circle after wheeling his Top
Alcohol Dragster to the win.  The NHRA North Central division race
featured more than 500 cars racing in 11 categories.

Due to an abbreviated qualifying schedule because of rain, Manzo only
had one shot at qualifying and was racing today from the No. 4 slot. 
In the semis he beat No. 1 qualifier Andy Bohl of Racine, Wis.  Manzo
ran 5.521 seconds at 262.79 mph to Bohl's 5.599-second, 258.12 mph
lap.  In the final, Manzo had a single because his opponent, Terry
Monroe, Beaver, Pa., had damaged his motor in his semifinal round win
and was unable to make the call to the final.

Perry had qualified in the No. 3 position and in the final he took on
the class's top qualifier, Mike Kosky of Cuddy, Pa.  Perry blasted a
5.312-second, 260.36 mph pass to Kosky's 5.461-second, 226.01 mph
effort to take the win.

The winners in both the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car
categories at the Texas Sportsman Challenge, a round of the NHRA Lucas
Oil Drag Racing Series at Houston Raceway Park, took on the No. 1
qualifiers in the final round.  Todd Odom, Lake Dallas, Texas, took his
dragster to the win while Corpus Christi, Texas's Steve Burke won in
Funny Car.

Odom who started the day from the No. 3 slot squared off against
Claremore, Okla., resident Malcolm Wahle in the final.  Odom blasted a
5.294-second, 269.08 mph pass to Wahle's 5.358-second, 255.15 mph
effort.

Burke was the second-place qualifier in Funny Car and in the final he
took on Tony Bartone of Long Island City, N.Y.  Burke's 5.700-second,
249.76 mph lap was more than enough as Bartone red-lighted.

The teams of the Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx may compete on the track, but this weekend in

Rowena
Bailey, Executive Director of the Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald
House, receives a contribution in the honor of fallen racer Steve Engel
totaling more than $5,700 from Get Screened America Pro Mod Challenge
Series Director Matthew Brammer. (Credit: Roger Richards)

Bristol they collaborated to give back to the local community and remember one of their own.
 
Steve Engel, who died as a result of injuries sustained in a racing
accident in Indianapolis last season, celebrated his 2008 Thunder
Valley Nationals win as his first - and only - win in the Challenge. As
a way to honor his legacy as defending champion, fans and Pro Mod
Challenge team members gave donations at this year’s race to the
Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House in Engel’s name.
 
Rowina Bailey, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House,
attended the final day of racing and was given the collections totaling
more than  $5,700 during the Winner's Circle ceremonies at the event. 
 

His 2009 season headed in the wrong direction after a disastrous start
at the ADRL’s Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza V in Houston, but Charles
Carpenter’s year is beginning to turn around thanks to support at
nearly every turn from fans, friends, and manufacturers.

One source of that support is MagnaFuel, manufacturer of
high-performance fuel systems for a wide range of racing applications.
Carpenter has been utilizing their ProStar 500 fuel pump and other
components for the past several seasons, and MagnaFuel has stepped up
to become a major associate sponsor of Charles Carpenter Racing and
Carpenter’s iconic ’55 Chevy.

“MagnaFuel is a growing company, and we couldn’t think of a better way
to supplement that growth than getting involved with a legend like
Charles,” said MagnaFuel general manager Robbie Ward. “He has been
doing this forever, and with great success. He knows his way around
these engines and the fuel systems in particular, and we look forward
to watching his continued success as he works his way back onto the
track.”

On May 15, 2009, the Professional Racers Owners Organization (PRO) will
unveil its first online promotion, the Great Helmet Auction.

The auction features autographed helmets, most worn during NHRA Drag
Racing competition by stars of the sport, including Jack Beckman,
Brandon Bernstein, Kenny Bernstein, Antron Brown, Ron Capps, V. Gaines,
Mike Edwards, John Force, Ashley Force Hood, Matt Hagan, Robert Hight,
Allen Johnson, Warren Johnson, Doug Kalitta, Ron Krisher, Cory
McClenathan, Mike Neff, Tony Schumacher, Bob Vandergriff Jr., and Tim
Wilkerson.

Larry Dixon became the sixth driver in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing
history to win 500 rounds in competition.

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car points leader Ron Capps advanced to the quarterfinal round at the NHRA Thunder
Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway after defeating Bob Bode in the
opening face-off. He maintains his No. 1 status in the standings, and
is now 57 markers ahead of today's winner, Del Worsham.

Driving the NAPA Adaptive One Brakes Dodge Funny Car for the first and
only time this season before he returns to his usual mount, the NAPA
AUTO PARTS Dodge, Capps took the win over Bode with a 4.217-second lap
at 251.16 mph, despite dropping a cylinder which caused engine damage,
an oildown and a lengthy clean-up of the track surface. 

With repairs effected and without lane choice, Capps faced Tony
Pedregon in the second round. Capps was first off the line with a .045
reaction time (.000 is perfect) to Pedregon's .108, but the NAPA Dodge
was soon up in smoke and It was Pedregon's win at the finish line, with
a 4.143/300.26 to Capps' 4.503/262.90.