Last
year's crowd for the ADRL national event at Summit Motorsports Park was
impressive, especially after three rain delays, but the 2nd annual ADRL
Gatorz Ohio Drags this weekend (Aug. 22-23), is expected to draw a
record-setting number of fans to the 45-year-old, drag-racing facility
in Norwalk, Ohio.

Last year, the inaugural visit of the
Flowmaster American Drag Racing League (ADRL) presented by the National
Guard to Summit Motorsports Park had “the makings of a magical event,”
according to track president Bill Bader Jr., but seven inches of rain
the week before and three rain delays on raceday put a slight damper on
things.

“By rights that event should have got crushed,” Bader said. “But it
didn’t. In fact, we still had more than 20,000 people in the stands at
one point and to get that kind of turnout with that kind of forecast is
really a testimony to what the ADRL does.”

Following is an update on the condition of Michael Knudsen, the clutch
technician on the DSR Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team:
 
Michael Knudsen sustained first- and second-degree burns to his lower
legs and left hand last Thursday, Aug. 14, at Maple Grove Raceway when
several propane tanks used for a portable track concession stand were
knocked over and a gas line ruptured. Knudsen reached to turn off a
valve on one of the tanks when a pilot light on a gas grill is believed
to have ignited the propane escaping from the ruptured line.

Call it a miracle, call it what you want, but call it a masterpiece …

Bobby Bennett Photos

"This
state-of the-art facility is another testament to Speedway Motorsport’s
commitment to race fans, racers and motor sports fans everywhere." - Marcus Smith

If
anyone really doubted Bruton Smith could pull off the miracle of
putting together the greatest drag strip in the world in less than
seven months, those doubts have been laid to rest.

He did it.

Bruton Smith took drag strip construction to the next level, a level that is likely to stand for years.

As a handful of media members and dignitaries sat on neatly positioned
chairs in what is expected to be the left lane of drag strip No. 2, the
Pro Stockers of Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Dave Connolly did burn outs
slicing through the ceremonial ribbon, replacing the more traditional
ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Four lanes of quarter-mile concrete await the first side-by-side-by-side-by-side three second nitro run.

Bruton Smith and son Marcus Smith chat prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Maybe it's because Billy Meyer will forever be, first and foremost, a
racer. Maybe it's because he knows he can do more. Maybe it's simply
because he cares about the racers more than the bottom line.

The reason isn't important. What matters is that Meyer – owner and
president of the all-concrete quarter-mile Texas Motorplex – continues
to make safety improvements to the track in preparation for the 23rd
annual O'Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals to be held
Sept. 18-21.

One of the biggest additions to the track will be an extended run-off area after the finish line.

"Even though we have one of the longest tracks and sand trap areas in
the sport, we decided after the Scott Kalitta accident (at Englishtown,
N.J. in June) that we should extend our safety area as much as possible
just because you never know," Meyer said. "Right now our sand trap is
about the length of a football field and we are extending our so it
will be three times as long. The walls are going to not only be taller
than the height on the track, but the walls also are going to continue
to narrow down to be able to funnel a car into a safe zone eliminating
the chance that a car hits anything.

Paul Athey, owner of Red Eagle Racing, and Tommy Gray, owner of
Undertaker Racing, will partner for the balance of the 2008 racing
season. With this partnership, Gray’s popular Undertaker Camaro will
carry the  Mohegan Sun logos for the remainder of the 2008 racing
season.

The addition of Gray brings the Mohegan Sun team to a total of three
Pro Modified cars, a Top Dragster car, a Top Sportsman car, a Hot Rod
car, and an ET dragster.

With the deal, the Mohegan Sun logos will be displayed on the quarter panels of Tommy Gray’s Pro Mod car.

For the first time in 2008 Brittany and Courtney Force will enter an
event together, the 54th annual Mac Tools US Nationals in Indianapolis,
in the Top Alcohol Dragster class. The youngest daughters of 14-time
champion John Force have competed together for two seasons in Super
Comp before moving up to Top Alcohol Dragster this year.

Prior to the Mac Tools US Nationals Brittany and Courtney had shared
driving duties as each managed a full-time college schedule.

“Having both Brittany and Courtney race at the Mac Tools US Nationals
just seemed like the right thing to do. This season has been about
teaching my girls how to handle the Top Alcohol Dragster. They have
been alternating races but the US Nationals is the biggest race of the
season and how do you decide which daughter gets to race at Indy. The
simplest thing was to let them both race so that is what we decided to
do. I am excited we’ll all be racing together that weekend,” said the
proud father.

The "King of Quake" Bob Motz was testing on Saturday August 16 at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park for the first time since his horrific fire last year at Kanawha Valley Motorsports Park last year. Bob ran his Kenwoth to the 850' - 900' mark and coasted through the quarter-mile with a  7.42 elapsed time at 184 miles per hour.

Motz is still continuing rehabilitation.

Drag racing's newest multi-car team, R2B2 Racing, makes its official
debut at the sport's most prestigious race, the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, with five
vehicles in three classes: two Funny Cars, two Pro Mods, and, new for this race,
a Pro Stock Motorcycle, ridden by fan favorite Peggy Llewellyn.

The Funny Cars are driven by Bristol
winner Melanie Troxel and Frank Hawley, a finalist at the most recent event,
in Reading, Pa., in his first start for new sponsor Rite
Aid Pharmacy. Troxel's team is, in a way, the defending U.S. Nationals champion;
former driver Mike Ashley defeated Robert Hight in the 2007 Funny Car final,
when the team was known as Gotham City Racing.

Bobby Bennett Photos

Clint Bowyer isn't planning to go drag racing, but certainly gives the experience a thumbs up review.

When NASCAR regular Clint Bowyer released the clutch on Dave Connolly’s
Pro Stock Chevrolet Cobalt he experienced an ultimate rush that inspired him.

“We don’t have hot rods, these guys do,” Bowyer admitted after the burnout.

With Bowyer looking on, a somewhat disheveled Kenny Wallace, his head "spinning" said, “It takes a special person to drive one of these.”

 Moments earlier, Wallace had launched in four-time world champion Jeggie Coughlin’s ride.

IHRA could have multiple distances in 2009 …

The 2009 IHRA schedule hasn’t been released, yet it’s bound to create talk in the months to come.

IHRA President Aaron Polburn told CompetitionPlus.com that he’s
exploring all options for next year including the implementation of
1,000-foot drag racing.

“You’ll see 1,000-foot racing soon, but not this year,” said Polburn.
“It’s looking like we may have a variety of ways to go drag racing in
2009.”

Polburn told CompetitionPlus.com the IHRA has studied extensively the pros and cons of 1,000-foot drag racing.