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SEARCH FATHER'S MEMORIES LEADS TO 2010 FC CAMARO RENDERING

Perry Wyatt, Jr., has conducted a 10 year internet search for photos of his father's Super Camaro AA/Funny Car, but has met with only limited success. Perry also had thoughts of acquiring the original Wolverine Chassis to restore the car, but the former John Denski machine has been sold to another collector and remains financially out of reach. So, instead of giving up on his dream of keeping the Super Camaro in the memories of drag racing fans, Perry took another pathway. He contacted racing artist Steve Shuck to render a version of the Super Camaro, not as the original '69 Camaro, but as a swoopy new 2010 Camaro.

SZABO FALLS SHORT IN BID TO WIN FOURTH UNLEASHED EVENT

The final NHRA Unleashed presented by Lucas Oil of 2010 took to Gainesville Raceway over the weekend with Keith Szabo falling just short in his bid to win all unleasedlucasfour Aerospace Components Limited Street category races this season.

Szabo knew that coming into the NHRA Unleashed presented by Lucas Oil Gainesville Raceway event he would be facing a tough field of racers and this would be the most challenging race of the season to win.  He was able to make it to the final round where he faced Carlton Thompson and fell just short as Thompson ran a 4.594 second pass at 160.52 mph to the losing run of Szabo’s at 5.480 seconds at 94.85 mph.

BROTHERS SHARE HIGHS, LOWS OF DRAG RACING

Top Fuel drag racer Dom Lagana never has won it all, but he has seen it all.
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At age 25, he's not a "briefcase driver," no buttoned-down corporate marionette. He's a get-your-hands-dirty, work-until-everything-gets-done, go-hungry-but-go-fast kind of kid. He's a second-generation racer, but nobody ever handed anything to him -- except maybe a disaster or two here and there.
 
But at Las Vegas, a city with so much sensory overload even without 7,000-horsepower dragsters and so much "Doesn't-that-beat-everything?!" kind of behavior the rule rather than exception, Dom Lagana made people take notice. In an environment numb or callous to outrageous performances, he startled everyone Oct. 31 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

AMALIE OIL TO MCMILLEN: WE WANT TWO MORE YEARS

It was one of the more positive news items which slipped under the radar on Saturday afternoon during the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. But for first year
 mcmillenfull-time NHRA Top Fuel racer Terry McMillen the moment was front and center.

McMillen could only smile when executives of the Amalie Oil company announced to his team huddled within their hauler their intentions to extend his contract two more years.

"Terry and his team have always exceeded our expectations,” confirmed Denny Madden, Sr. Vice President, Amalie Oil. “This year they raised the bar to a whole new level and Amalie is excited to partner with Terry through the 2012 season. We're proud of our 12 year relationship with them and look forward to many more."

COUGHLIN FINALLY GETS HIS VEGA

After years of wishing, multi-time drag racing champion Mike Coughlin is one step closer to the hot rod of his dreams.
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Coughlin located a 1971 Vega GT in Michigan, and has commissioned Woody's Hot Rodz of Bright, Ind., to fix it up and give it the yellow-and-black JEGS.com touch.

"I've always been into the smaller Chevy cars," Coughlin said. "My first car was actually a Chevy Monza and the Vega GTs have always been a favorite of mine, especially when I was growing up and first getting into cars.

ONE BUDGET TF TEAM CAMPAIGNS FOR ANOTHER

Last Sunday at the NHRA Full Throttle Series’ event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Dom Lagana did what many people thought was impossible: he zizzoand his family-owned team nearly beat seven-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher in the class finals and beat current points leader and two-time champ Larry Dixon to get there.
 
In recognition of their achievement, NHRA and Full Throttle have nominated Lagana and his team for the Full Throttle Hardworking Crew Award, an award voted on by the fans. There are four nominees in each of the four NHRA Pro classes and the winning team will be announced at the Auto Club Raceway this weekend in Pomona, Calif. as part of the 2010 season finale.

CARNAGE ON THE WATER

 

GET INTO THE NHRA'S HOT ROD JUNCTION FOR FREE

Fans raved so much about the wildly popular “Golden Corral” car show at the 50th anniversary Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals in February that NHRA has decided to replicate the show at the upcoming 46th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals, Nov. 11-14, at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Dubbed “Hot Rod Junction,” this car show will have a few new wrinkles – most notably the winning cars from this year’s Wally Parks Museum “Twilight Cruise Nights” – as well as many of the same ones that made the Golden Corral so successful: It will be in the same location, adjacent to the main entry gate, and it will once again include some of the all-time classic hot rods, such as Tommy Ivo’s ‘Barnstormer’ AA/FD, Chris Karamesines’ ‘Chizler’ AA/FD and Roland Leong’s “Hawaiian” dragster that was driven by Mike Snively and Don Prudhomme.

“It’s a real treat for the fans, a chance to see and enjoy the history of the sport, from world-record-setting Top Fuel dragsters from the golden age of drag racing to hot rods to street rods to some of the Bonneville cars,” said NHRA Museum Board Member and retired NHRA vice president Steve Gibbs, who added that many of the cars’ owners and original drivers will be there to chat with fans and sign autographs. “We’re going to have a real wide variety of cars … it’s Hot Rod Junction.”

PROBLEM CHILD DOMINATES FIREBIRD'S TOP FUEL HYDROS

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DEMKE WINS NHRA DIV. LODRS 7 EVENT

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Chris Demke kept his title hopes alive with a win this weekend at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Short Line Express Market Gamblers Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  Demke qualified No. 1 in Top Alcohol Dragster, ran 5.30’s throughout eliminations, then took out No. 2 qualifier Alan Bradshaw, Odessa, Texas, in the final with a 5.339 second pass at 268.97 mph.

Demke, Sunland, Calif., trails 4-time and reigning national champion Bill Reichert, Owosso, Mich., in the point’s battle going into next weekend’s final event of the season, the Automobile Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.  Reichert failed to qualify for the eight car field this weekend.  Demke must reach the finals next weekend to over take Reichert who is sure to be in Pomona looking to block Demke and retain his title.

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