Four-time NHRA champion Gary Scelzi is the all-around winningest driver at
Gateway International Raceway, with three Top
Fuel victories (2000, 1999, 1998)
and one Funny Car title (2004). He also holds the Funny Car elapsed-time track
record of 4.724 seconds, set in 2004. He's also been low qualifier at Gateway
five times!

So, you can understand why the driver of the Mopar/Oakley
Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is looking forward to this weekend's NHRA Midwest
Nationals, the seventh round of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. After
a tough start to the 2008 season, in which his best results were two
quarterfinal finishes, "Wild Thing" is aching to get to a track where he's
enjoyed past rewards.

"I think now the timing is absolutely perfect to go
to Gateway," said Scelzi, of the track located just over the bridge from St.
Louis, Mo., in Madison, Ill. "With the beginning of the season that we've had,
we need to go to a place that I've had success at.

Cory Mac is enjoying one of his finest seasons to date. (Roger Richards)

Cory McClenathan will roll into Gateway International Raceway for the
NHRA Midwest Nationals this weekend ranked fourth in the point
standings with one of the most consistent race cars on the NHRA tour.
 
McClenathan made his only final-round appearance of last season at
Gateway, in Madison, Ill., just over the bridge from St. Louis. He lost
to Melanie Troxel, but a lot has changed since he last visited this
track.
 
"Obviously, last we year we had some success and did well there," said
McClenathan, who joined Don Schumacher Racing this season. "I got beat
in the final, but I thought we had the best car there pretty much all
race day. But, at this point in time, it’s a whole different place, a
whole different car, a different crew chief, a different crew,
everything. I'm much more comfortable now than I was last year."
 
McClenathan qualified No. 1 at last weekend's race in Atlanta, his
first top spot of the season and 31st of his career. He advanced to the
quarterfinals for the second time this season, but lost on a holeshot
advantage to eventual race winner Antron Brown.

ABC’s popular morning show, Good Morning America, will once again
feature the NHRA POWERade Series during a segment expected to air at
7:45 a.m. ET Thursday morning.

With gas prices reaching $4 a gallon and fuel efficiency on everyone’s
mind, Good Morning America will be shooting on location at a gas
station in Indianapolis to focus on the issue and they’ll be utilizing
the crew of the second-place Matco Tools team as their expert mechanics.

Spencer Massey got a reprieve from NHRA officials regarding additional Top Fuel licensing

Spencer Massey is now a licensed NHRA Top Fuel driver too. (Roger Richards)

runs. As soon as the NHRA processes his application, he’ll be a licensed NHRA Top Fuel driver.

Massey has been making a lot of noise on the IHRA side with two
national event wins in as many races behind the wheel of Mitch King’s
dragster. The car wasn’t legal for this weekend because of the
mandatory back-half specifications weren’t in place.

Seventeen-year old Zach Beard is counting down the days until he turns
18. The son of famed nitro tuner Lee Beard will then get his
opportunity to race in the Top Alcohol Dragster division.

Beard recently procured his Top Alcohol Dragster license.

“Hopefully after this weekend Dunkin Donuts will make a decision to
stay in racing,” Beard explained. “We will hit some divisional events
and hopefully be racing at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

Beard will be racing in the Top Alcohol Dragster to gain seat time
until he makes the transition to Top Fuel. When the Dunkin Donuts
program was announced last month, Beard was scheduled to drive.

“It’s been a little frustrating,” Beard said of the delay in getting to drive the car. “I don’t really like to spectate.”

Monaco Las Vegas will be host a pre-race kick-off party for the
inaugural Speed Spectacular on Thursday, May 1, from 4-8 p.m. at its
showroom at 7445 Dean Martin Dr. in Las Vegas.  The free party will
feature hot rods, race cars, Monaco’s luxury motor coaches and a
barbeque.  Included in the race car display at Monaco’s showroom will
be the legendary Pisano & Matsubara Vega nitro Funny Car and Mendy
Fry’s Future Flash Dodge Charger.

“Vintage drag racing participants spend a great deal of time, money and
energy preparing for – and competing in – a sport that is strictly a
hobby,” said Daryl Rogers, co-owner of Monaco Las Vegas.  “Our motto,
‘Driving Your Dream’ is exactly what these racers are doing. Monaco Las
Vegas’ pre-race celebration simply is an opportunity for the racers,
enthusiasts and coach owners to relax and enjoy their hobby away from
the track.”

The inaugural Las Vegas Speed Spectacular will include nostalgia drag
racing featuring the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series.  The
traveling NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series was created to preserve the rich
history and tradition of drag racing and will contest nostalgia drag
racing classes, including: nostalgia nitro-burning Funny Cars, A/Gas,
B/Gas, C/Gas, D/Gas, Hot Rod and three Nostalgia Eliminator classes.  A
pair of Fuel Altereds also will battle in heads-up,
first-man-to-the-finish-line-wins match racing.

Ohio State
University's Comprehensive Cancer Center
-- Arthur
G. James Cancer
Hospital and Richard J.
Solove Research Institute recognized the fifth anniversary of the JEGS
Foundation "Racing for Cancer Research" program on April 29th by presenting a
certificate of appreciation to the Coughlin family.

The JEGS Foundation
"Racing for Cancer Research" program directly benefits the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute by
raising money for cancer research, educating the racing community and public
at-large on the disease, providing an avenue for people to get involved in the
fight against cancer, and helping with patient care.

Together in partnership with San Francisco’s KFRC
106.9 FM, CBS 5 and product sponsors Intro Wheels, Global West Suspension, Billy
Built, BF Goodrich, Grant Driving Accessories, Steele Rubber Products, PPG Paint
and Troy’s Body
& Paint, Goodguys will give away a Vintage 1965 Mustang this season.  The
car will be given away at the 19th Autumn Get-Together, November 8 & 9 at
the Pleasanton Fairgrounds, in Pleasanton, CA
this fall. Semi finalists will be chosen at all four 2008 Goodguys events held
at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds. Additional finalists and qualifiers will be
chosen throughout the year by registering on KFRC’s website www.kfrc.com.

Sometimes a malfunction can make a driver look like a genius. NHRA Southern Nationals Top Fuel

A troublesome brake led to lightning quick reactions for two-time winner Antron Brown. (Roger Richards)

champion
Antron Brown can relate. All weekend, the Matco Tools-sponsored driver
fought problems with his hand brake and the more he fought, the better
his reaction times got.

Nothing defies the traditional definition of breakage more than a hole
shot victory over the point leader and former U.S. Army teammate Tony
Schumacher.

“My car just kept rolling on me,” said Brown, the former Pro Stock
Motorcycle standout. “I just kept pulling the lever back and I kept
rolling a little bit.  I was popping up with some good reaction times
this weekend so it made me look like I was doing good.  I was hurt in
the ET a little bit but I went into the final round knowing that we
were racing Alan Johnson and Tony Schumacher with that great US Army
race team over there. 

“They’re five-time world champs and you've just got to give it
everything you've got, so as soon as I saw that thing just flicker
yellow I just hit the pedal as quick as I could.”