U.S. 131 Dragway officials have announced a 5-year agreement naming VP
Racing Fuels as Official Fuel of US 131 Motorsports Park, beginning in
2009.   As part of the agreement, VP will be US 131’s exclusive
supplier of race fuels including VP110, C12 and M1 Methanol in bulk,
while VP’s Q16, C14, C16, M5 Methanol and other popular blends will be
available in pails or drums. 
 
“We’re excited to partner with VP Racing Fuels, given its long-standing
reputation for quality fuels, trackside service and technical support,”
said Jason Peterson, General Manager of US 131. “We’re confident our
racers will be delighted with the increased horsepower, extra torque
and unsurpassed consistency of VP’s fuels.”

Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels is pleased to announce
their support of ORSCA as a sponsor of the Outlaw 10.5 Racing Class.
Through the Mickey Thompson “Buy Now” Bonus Program, Mickey Thompson
will offer a $5000 award to the 2009 Outlaw 10.5 Class Championship
team just for using Mickey Thompson racing tires and displaying the
“Buy Now” Program decal on their vehicles.

Crane Cams closed its doors after 56 years in business and laid off
employees, this according to a report on News-JournalOnline.com, the
website for the Daytona Beach, Fla., newspaper.

According to the report, county and state officials were working with
Crane Cams and its New Jersey-based parent company, Mikronite
Technologies, to keep the company in business.

“We were trying to help them through this transition,” Rick Michael,
Volusia County economic development director told News-JournalOnline.
“They were considering a transfer of ownership. We were not expecting
any closure.”

Jerry Toliver needed just one look over his shoulder to invoke a lot of memories.

Just outside of the nitro pit area at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Az.,
lays Firebird Lake, a 1.1-mile drag boat strip. The calm waters serve
as a reminder as to how the veteran Funny Car driver ended up in drag
racing.

A violent crash at Puddingstone Lake in San Dimas, Ca., in October of
1995 ended his boating career. Two years later he was drag racing on
asphalt behind the wheel of a nitro Funny Car.

Bob Gilbertson's publicist Bob Doerrer has conveyed that yesterday the Funny Car racer's wife passed away after a brief illness. There is no word as of this time regarding arrangements.

The staff of CompetitionPlus.com sends their deepest condolences to the Gilbertson family and friends. 

Automotive aftermarket icon Vic Edelbrock recently visited Pat Musi
and in an exclusive video brainstorming session, CompetitionPlus.com,
through the tireless efforts of videographer Jimmy Biggs, gives you a
glimpse into the future of what is to come from Pat Musi Race Engines
and Edelbrock.

They also have an informative conversation about electronic fuel injection in drag racing.
The movers and shakers into drag racing horsepower have created a 12-minute video worth watching.

Billy Gibson claimed the Carolina Outlaw Doorslammer championship
before rain washed out the remainder of the fifth annual ROCK Batteries
Spring Blast at Rockingham Dragway, a prelude to the start of both the
IHRA and ADRL seasons.

Gibson, from Chaptico, Md., drove his supercharged Willys Pro Modified
through the eighth mile timers in 3.962 seconds at 186.02 miles per
hour on Saturday to earn “king of the hill” honors in the doorslammer
class.

When you hear the thunder just know the lightning isn’t far behind and don't say they were not warned.

Antron Brown delivered a subtle hint in preseason testing at the
National Time Trials at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Az., when he laid
down the quickest elapsed time.

Cue thunder clap number one.

He came back two weekends later and delivered a No. 1 qualifying effort
and the quickest elapsed time in the history of 1,000-foot drag racing,
a run that was later disallowed over faulty NHRA clocks.