NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series stars to participate in free autograph
session and fan fest at Fremont Street Experience Oct. 30

2007 NHRA Pro Mod Rookie of the year Tim Tindle is looking to score his
first victory of the 2008 Jegs Promod Challenge Series this weekend at
the third annual NHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park
in Richmond.

He is still chasing that elusive victory in a season that has turned
around from hard luck and close calls.  Despite these setbacks, the
Tindle Racing Team remains determined to reach the winner's circle
before the season ends.

Engine builder Jon Kaase placed first and also third in the 2008 Engine
Masters’ Challenge, held at the University of North Western Ohio,
October 1-3.

Kaase, whose name is synonymous with Pro Stock engine-building
success—his engines have been victorious in fourteen years of IHRA and
NHRA championships, won this year’s competition with a 403 CID Ford
Cleveland engine and also claimed third place while debuting their new
434 CID Boss engine.

Frank Hawley’s NHRA Drag Racing School recently completed its very
first Super Classes in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the four days and a
total of two complete classes, the school licensed twenty-five new
drivers in either Super Comp or Super Gas categories.

“Chris Blair (VP of Racing Operations at LVMS) and his staff really
made it a pleasure for all involved,” Frank Hawley explained. “I think
our staff was just as excited as our drivers to be at the top notch
facility. We knew going in that it should be a fabulous location to
hold our classes and our stay there met and even exceeded those
expectations.”

During the school’s two classes that were held near the end of
September, more than one-hundred seventy-eight runs were made by the
students. The classes consisted of more than forty people and most were
drivers seeking to acquire their competition license. Some attended
class purely for the classroom portion known as the Reaction Time
Clinic.

The final event of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing NHRA divisional series –
the Gambler Showdown Presented by Short Line Express Markets at The
Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- traditionally is one of the most
spectacular Sportsman drag racing events of the season.  With more than
970 entrants, a stellar field of Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars
and NHRA national points titles decided at The Strip at LVMS, the Nov.
7-9 event is a true showcase of grassroots drag racing. This year, the
event will be even more spectacular with the addition of the WHRA Top
Fuel Motorcycle Finals.

A one-day auto racing educational photography seminar will be conducted
Oct. 24 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The seminar offers photo
enthusiasts an opportunity to create racing pictures from restricted
areas at the 1.5-mile superspeedway (where the NASCAR Craftsman Truck
Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events
are held), and 3/8-mile asphalt Bullring where the NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series competes. Seminar tutorial sessions begin with
basic photographic techniques and include detailed technical
instruction in actual trackside racing environments, low-light
automobile photography, equipment requirements, plus valuable
information regarding copyright and getting published.

Seminar instructor David Allio is the chief track photographer at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway and has been a working professional motorsports
photographer since 1974. During his 34-year award-winning career, Allio
photographs have appeared in the pages and on the cover of nearly every
sports publication in the world. In March, 2008, his photograph of race
winner Carl Edwards led the Sports Illustrated coverage of the NASCAR
Sprint Cup race at LVMS. Recent publication credits outside of the
mainstream motorsports media also include ESPN Magazine, The Sporting
News, and USA Today – and the book "ESPN Ultimate NASCAR 100 Defining
Moments in Stock Car Racing History."

Following a total renovation, a new Palm Beach International Raceway
has emerged. This striking transformation is now well under way, and
the completion of an all-new road course, currently awaiting FIA
approval, has transformed the look and feel of the facility.

Following an in depth review of both the on track and off track
performances of the Brett Stevens Racing team after the launch of the
2008/2009 ANDRA Championship series, team boss Brett Stevens has the
following statement to make in relation to his Top Doorslammer drivers.

“One of the most critical aspects in Drag Racing is ensuring the safety
of all people involved in what is one of the most dangerous sports you
can compete in,” Stevens said.

“When operating the world’s largest professional Drag Racing team, this
position becomes even more significant as we have more lives at
potential risk and therefore require that specific safety measures are
upheld above and beyond those normally necessary.”

There have been the highs – her first category victory at Bristol, Tenn., in May, her first No. 1 qualifying effort at Chicago/Joliet in June, and her march to the semifinals in the fabled U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.

As the 22nd event – the Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports
Park, Friday through Sunday in Dinwiddie, outside Richmond –
approaches, the four-time Top Fuel winner and 15-time finalist would
like to add to her accomplishments before the curtain falls in Pomona,
Calif., November 16.

Hernandez in control, but title chase still wide open

With a 59-point cushion in the current JEGS ProMod Challenge championship point standings, reigning series champion Josh Hernandez
has a comfortable but not insurmountable lead heading into this
weekend's third annual Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports
Park.
 
In all, seven racers remain mathematically alive in the chase for the
2008 JEGS ProMod Challenge title as the tour hits its ninth of 10
events. Following Hernandez in the rankings is Tony Pontieri, former
series champion Jay Payne, Danny Rowe, Kirk Kuhns, Joe Baker, and Ray
Commisso.