Mail Terminal Services continues to close in on its goal of 125,000
post cards being sent in one season to U.S. troops in war zones
overseas through its Mail From Home program promoted at each NHRA Full
Throttle Drag Racing Series event.

With 17 events of the 24 scheduled this season completed, MTS can now
boast that it has shipped 83,000 cards, signed by fans and MTS
employees during each NHRA event so far. The prestigious U.S. Nationals
in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend is expected to produce over 7,000
cards. Expectations are high that the program will reach its 125,000
goal by the completion of the 2009 NHRA series.

The National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) announced today it is moving its 2010 season-opening event at Houston Raceway Park to Mar. 12-13, 2010, from its original date in late-February.

“As always, our first consideration in making decisions is how they
will affect our racers and in this case we received significant
response from them with concerns over potential weather problems with
our original date,” National Guard ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling
said. “So, when Houston Raceway Park confirmed the date for its NHRA
event next year, it allowed us to do what’s best for our ADRL race
teams and fans, which is moving our ADRL Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza VI to
Mar. 12-13.”

As a guest on an Indianapolis radio show several years ago, Tony Schumacher talked about living just north of Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
 
"Those planes probably are pretty loud, aren't they?" the host asked.
 
"I can't hear a one of 'em," Schumacher joked, alluding to audio damage
from being around earsplitting, 7,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters.
 
Maybe he was teasing. Maybe he was half-joking. But that was idle
radio-show chatter, entertainment shtick. The truth is that drag racers
take ear-protection precautions seriously.

In case you missed it, a replay of The Race Reporters with Michael Knight is available online by clicking on this link.

LISTEN TO THE RACE REPORTERS

Ashley Force-Hood was the featured guest while the round-table discussion featured interesting commentary from AOL Sports’ Holly Cain, Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Jeff Wolf and CompetitionPlus.com’s Bobby Bennett.

Jack Roush was once a world championship Pro Stock team owner. Joe Gibbs won two world titles in the same class.

Richard Petty, David Pearson and Cotton Owens all drag raced in 1965
while protesting NASCAR rules banning the Chrysler Hemi and other
limited edition engines.

Rick Hendrick just loved to watch fast cars cover the quarter-mile.

“I’ve loved doing this ever since I was a kid,” said Hendrick, as he
relaxed after an eight second quarter-mile pass in a Pro Street-style
Camaro. Granted this was not your average run-of-the-mill NASCAR team
owner’s car. Hendrick was making test laps in a friend’s car, with the
assistance of veteran drag racing school instructor Roy Hill. Hendrick
was in a big block muscle car capable of boiling the slicks and pulling
a wheelie off the starting line.

Bo Butner, a NHRA Competition Eliminator driver and 2006 champion, raced for years without injury.
 
His luck ran out in June 5.
 
Nearly three months -- and a couple of surgeries later -- the Floyds
Knobs, Ind., resident is recovering from a freak accident in the pits
at Route 66 Raceway at Joliet, Ill. And he's overcoming a devastating
blow to his family business. 
 
Butner was injured not in his race car but rather in a golf cart, as he
delivered tickets for the United Association Nationals to a friend.

Carl Kirk sat in the shade, outside of the direct sunlight encompassing National Trail Raceway. The former
Rod Shop Dodge team member sat with his former teammate Eddie Eckard
taking in the action. Both are well past their drag racing years, Kirk,
70, Eckard, 80, but on last Friday, at the ADRL Ohio Drags, they shared hot
dogs, soft drinks and a few memories.

Those memories nearly flowed freely as they recollected moments while racing at the NHRA Springnationals and other events.

“Those were the good old days,” said Kirk, who raced a B/Altered and
A/Gas Mopar back in those days. “We raced until about 1972 when we
realized that we had to raise families.”

A new engine program, a new class, and a new organization for Pete Berner Racing have caused the team to make quite a few adjustments
and take on a few learning curves. This is right up Berner’s alley,
however. He’s known for taking on new challenges and innovation and
although he hasn’t quite mastered the eighth mile battlefield just yet,
he’s confident that he’s well on his way.

At this past weekend’s ADRL Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags III,
Berner held his own. He qualified third with a 4.143 at 172.65. In
round one he took out Mark Martino with another 4.143 to Martino’s
4.173. Round two paired Berner with longtime friend and competitor Dean
Goforth. Both drivers posted .02 lights, but Goforth’s 4.129 took out
Berner’s consistent, but losing effort of 4.147. Goforth went on to win
the event, capturing his first Minuteman.

IHRA President Aaron Polburn, at the recommendation of his track prep
staff, has endorsed VP's Lane Choice 6 Traction Compound for use
at all IHRA member tracks. “Our crew tested LC6 on back to back
weekends,” said Polburn, “and came away with an ecstatic thumbs up for
the product."

The IHRA track prep staff reported a key benefit of LC6 is more
consistent performance from daytime to nighttime temperatures. “This
stuff is really good—the track got to 148 degrees and it never gave a
hint of getting greasy or gooey. We've had all sorts of cars on the LC6
in the last two weeks—from 3 second Pro Mods and 200mph drag radial
cars to 12 second bracket cars.  All the drivers gave the track rave
reviews."

Beech Bend Raceway Park will have a distinct yellow-and-black flavor
this weekend with a host of JEGS.com-sponsored racecars set to compete
at the final North Central Division race of the season.

Div. 3 champion racers John and Mike Coughlin lead the Team JEGS
charge, with John fighting for wins in both Top Dragster and Super
Stock and Mike looking for glory in Top Sportsman. Third-generation
upstart Troy Coughlin Jr. will be competing in Super Comp, while
Norwalk winner Samantha Kenny will pilot the Super Comp rail of her
fiancé, five-time world champion drag racer Jeg Coughlin Jr., who will
be on hand to support his teammates.

"It's a family affair and it's going to be an awful lot of fun," John
said. "Beech Bend is one of my favorite tracks of all time and it'll be
even more special with the whole gang coming over. I'm excited to mix
it up with everyone."