:::::: News ::::::

TRICK OR TREAT WITH GEORGE HOWARD

One lucky racer will walk away with $100,000 if he or she
wins the big race at Montgomery Motorsports Park’s first annual Halloween
Classic, to be held over the October 27 through 29 weekend at the central
Alabama drag strip. The winning purse, to be paid out on Saturday, is said to
be the largest to be given to a single drag race winner in the Classic’s
special racing category, reserved for street- and modified, full-bodied-type
cars.

THE NHRA ADDS NEW DIVISION TRACKS

The NHRA has announced that two dragstrips have joined its member track
network.  Cordova (Ill.) Dragway Park
and Eddyville (Iowa) Raceway Park will run under the NHRA flag
beginning in the 2007 racing season.

Cordova Dragway Park
is approximately 20 miles northeast of Davenport, Iowa, and is a quarter-mile facility. 
Eighth-mile Eddyville Raceway Park
is approximately 55 miles southeast of Des Moines, Iowa.  Scott Gardner and his wife, Laura, own
and operate Cordova Dragway Park,
and Gardner is
partners with Gerald Kramer and Jerry Anglese in Eddyville Raceway Park.

CONNOLLY'S NEW COBALT

Torco's CompetitionPlus.com obtained these photos of Dave Connolly's new Bevis Built Chevrolet Cobalt.

COUGHLIN COMPLETES BEST PRO SEASON

Troy Coughlin completed his first full season in the National Muscle Car
Association's Pro Street class as the championship runner-up, the best
professional-level result of his career. Coughlin recorded his fourth runner-up
finish of the seven-race season Sunday at the fifth annual Nitto Tires World
Finals to clinch the spot in the final points standings.
 
Although Coughlin once again fell victim to newly re-crowned Pro Street
champion Vinny Budano for the third time this year with a trophy on the line, he
was all smiles as he left Memphis Motorsports Park, vowing to return with a
vengeance in 2007.
 
"This was a blast," Coughlin said. "It was easily the most fun I've had
racing. Vinny got the job done but the progress we made from the start of the
year to right now has been incredible. It's all due to my crew and the support
of my family. We closed to within a few hundredths of him and I think that says
a lot."

EVAN KNOLL NOT SOLD ON PARITY IN NHRA PRO STOCK

img_4720.jpgSponsor extraordinaire and Pro Stock team owner Evan Knoll can’t help but
have concerns about his future in Pro Stock. In a recent interview, Knoll
alluded that the NHRA Pro Stock field might just be battling for a third place
finish at best. That has him carefully examining his future in the class.

 
“I have some concerns with three cars coming out of the Cagnazzi camp and
if you ask me, it’s hard enough to put two competitive cars out there much less
three. I have some concerns. We’ll see how that works out at the end of the
year.”
 
Knoll expects the Summit Pontiacs of Greg Anderson and Jason Line to drive
to the title virtually unchallenged.
 
“I have to give it to Anderson and Line, those guys are just badass,” Knoll
said. “When you look at who they have involved in the operation – Ken Black,
Greg Anderson and Jason Line – they are rightfully ahead of everyone. That’s a
package that’s equal to a Thanksgiving dinner, you just can’t beat it. The only
thing I have…and I’m in third place…and I’m not ashamed to say it is a turkey
leg and a giblet. I still want some dressing and potatoes.

NHRA PRO MODS NOT RETURNING TO VMP

The Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Richmond, the second-to-last race of
the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge, was rained out without a single car
ever going down the track. Now, it all comes down to one race, the final event
of the now nine-race season.
 
"This was an incredibly difficult
situation, very unfortunate for everyone," said series director Matthew Brammer.
"We didn't want to make everybody have to come back for the rain date next
weekend, and half the people couldn't make it anyway due to scheduling conflicts
and prior commitments. There's no guarantee what the weather will be next week,
so it was a no-win situation for everyone."
 
The solution? Double the
purse from top to bottom for the season-ending ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals
and settle everything there - one last race for everything.

NHRA TORCO NATIONALS RESCHEDULED

RAIN
POSTPONES TORCO RACING FUELS NHRA NATIONALS AT VMP UNTIL OCT.
13-15
 
racelogo.gifA steady soaking rain and chilling temperatures Saturday
and a wet weather forecast for the remainder of the weekend
have forced NHRA officials to postpone the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at
Virginia Motorsports Park until next weekend, Oct. 13-15.
 
The $1.6 million race, the
21st of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, marks the
first time NHRA has held an event at the quarter-mile drag strip near Richmond,
Va. since 2000. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), John Force (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin(
Pro Stock) earned victories here that season.

RAIN POSTPONES FRIDAY VMP QUALIFYING

FRIDAY QUALIFYING AT VMP CANCELED DUE TO
RAIN SHOWERS

Persistent rain showers forced NHRA
officials to cancel Friday's racing at the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at
Virginia Motorsports Park.The $1.6 million race, the 21st of 23 events in the
$50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, marks the first time NHRA has held
an event at the quarter-mile drag strip near Richmond, Va. since 2000. Larry
Dixon (Top Fuel), John Force (Funny Car) and Jeg Coughlin( Pro Stock) earned
victories here that season.
Weather permitting, two rounds of pro qualifying
will be held Saturday (noon and 3 p.m.) to set the 16-car fields in the three
pro categories for Sunday's 11 a.m. eliminations.

The value of tickets
purchased for Friday's racing can be applied to tickets for Saturday and Sunday
or next season's event.

A FRAZZLED FORCE

John Force seems always to
be in a tizzy.

For instance, at the U.S.
Nationals this Labor Day weekend, the rabid Indianapolis Colts fans heard
announcer Bob Frey (speaking on incorrect information given to him) say that
the paint job on the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang was a salute to the NFL’s Dallas
Cowboys. Frey later apologized over the PA system but not before entire
grandstands of Colts fans booed Force. Instead the scheme was a tribute to
event sponsor MAC Tools.

DSR DRIVERS TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS AT TI IN VEGAS OCT. 26

All nine Don Schumacher Racing drivers willparticipate in a special
fan autograph session on Thursday, Oct. 26, at theTI (Treasure Island) hotel
in Las Vegas in advance of the Las Vegas NHRA
Nationals at The Strip at Las
Vegas that weekend.

U.S. Army Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher and Skull
Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco
Race Fuels Top Fuel pilot Melanie Troxel - both
involved in a fierce battle
for the 2006 Top Fuel championship - will sign
from 5:30-6:00 p.m.

U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycle riders Angelle Sampey
and Antron Brown - also
in a fight for the class championship - will sign for
one hour between 6-8
p.m.

Pages