Fallen Pro Mod racer Steve Engel's presence will be sorely missed on
the NHRA JEGS Pro Mod tour. Here's a sampling of the numerous tribute
stickers floating around the pits.

Engel was severely injured during qualifying for the 54th annual Mac
Tools U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend. He was airlifted to
Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and diagnosed with six broken
vertebrae, which were all repaired. He was in the throws of recovery
when he passed away at the age of 49. Engel is survived by his wife
Tonya and sons Stevie and Michael.

At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Racers for Christ Chaplain Larry Smiley will be
holding a special memorial service for Engel at the Racers for Christ
tent on the west side of the staging lanes at the Texas Motorplex. The
service is open to the public. 

Nearly 500 sportsman competitors from across the country have traveled to National Trail Raceway to compete at the Jegs NHRA
Northern SPORTSnationals this weekend. The SPORTSnationals series
concentrates its attention on the Sportsman ranks, while maintaining
the importance and thrills of a National event. Saturday’s action at
National Trail Raceway will include class eliminations in Stock and
Super Stock which features the popular Mopar Hemi Challenge. Also on
tap for Saturday is the Jegs Top Dragster Showdown.

Jason Coan of Greentown, Ind., came out on top in the battle of the ’32 Bantams as Coan took his Bantam down the track at 8.290 seconds, to lead the Comp Eliminator field.  Hot on his heels was defending Lucas Oil National Champion Frank Aragona Jr., out of Freehold, N.J., running an 8.292-second pass in the fellow Bantam Roadster.  Super Stock top qualifying time of the day went to Maryville, Tenn. resident Lee Sharp, driving his ’05 Cavalier to the line in 8.518 seconds.  Judy McCormack, of Oxford, Mich., took the top spot in Stock Eliminator, leading the class with her 11.770-second pass.

In other action, John Prime, from Thomastown, Conn., ran to a time of 6.799 seconds, at 201.58 mph, to lead the very fast Top Sportsman class.  Local favorite and Jegs sponsored racer Mike Coughlin of Delaware, Ohio, is keeping the Wally Trophy in sight by qualifying a close second.  In Top Dragster action, Tom Swigart of Xenia, Ohio powered his '32 Bantam to a 6.410-second run, while reaching speeds of greater then 200 mph.

The action continues tomorrow with qualifying and time trials scheduled for 8 a.m.  Special features include the Mopar Hemi Challenge at 1 p.m., the Jegs Top Dragster Showdown at 2 p.m., and the always exciting jet cars are scheduled for 3 and 6 p.m. 

The following are Friday's qualifying results from the NHRA Fourth annual JEGS Northern SPORTSnationals:

COMP ELIMINATOR

1) Jason Coan, Greentown, Ind., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.290 seconds, -0.590 (under index)

2) Frank Aragona Jr., Freehold, N.J., '32 Bantam, G/EA, 8.292, -0.588

3) Jeff Taylor, Floyds Knobs, Ind., '05 Grand Am, H/SMA, 8.977, -0.583

4) Todd Patterson, Augusta, Kan., '08 Cobalt, D/A, 7.778, -0.582

5) Robert Bailey, Wabash, Ind., dragster, A/ED, 6.646, -0.574

6) Lee Sharp, Maryville, Tenn., '08 G5, D/SMA, 8.451, -0.549

7) Rick Brown, Lebanon, Ohio, '00 S-10, B/TA, 8.333, -0.547

8) Nick Morgan, Newark, Ohio, '07 Stratus, B/AP, 7.353, -0.527

9) Gerry Russo, Saddle River, N.J., '04 Cavalier, C/SMA, 8.351, -0.509

10) Bill Yates, Johnstown, Ohio, dragster, A/ED, 6.718, -0.502

 

SUPER STOCK

1) Lee Sharp, Maryville, Tenn., '05 Cavalier, SS/CM, 8.518 seconds, -1.282 (under index)

2) Irvin Johns, Charlestown, Ind., '08 Cobalt, GT/CA, 9.504, -1.196

3) Larry Hodge, La Place, Ill., '86 Monte Carlo, SS/KA, 10.370, -1.180

4) Charlie Westcott, Parma, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.585, -1.165

5) Ronnie Terrell, Hebron, Ky., '85 Camaro, SS/JA, 10.149, -1.151

6) Charlie Bohannon, Valley Stn, Ky., '67 Corvette, SS/HA, 9.749, -1.151

7) Rich South, Pickerington, Ohio, '05 Sunfire, GT/EA, 9.802, -1.148

8) Charlie Westcott Jr., Parma, Mich., '68 Barracuda, SS/AH, 8.605, -1.145

9) Jerry Silveus, Van Buren, Ohio, '05 Cavalier, GT/DA, 9.671, -1.129

10) Jim Evanuik, N. Versailles, Pa., '02 ZX-2, GT/A, 9.174, -1.126

 

STOCK ELIMINATOR

1) Judy McCormack, Oxford, Mich., '03 Dakota, K/SA, 11.770 seconds, -1.180 (under index)

2) Greg Hill, Louisville, Ky., '71 Camaro, E/SA, 10.826, -1.174

3) Donnie Beeler, Elizabethtown, Ky., '67 Camaro, G/S, 11.028, -1.172

4) David Barton, Robesonia, Pa., '65 Coronet, A/SA, 10.128, -1.172

5) Bert Morgan, Charleston, Ill., '75 Buick Wgn, Q/SA, 12.934, -1.166

6) Bruce Witherspoon, Lansing, Mich., '90 Corvette, G/SA, 11.158, -1.142

7) Brett McFarland, Manchester, Ohio, '68 Camaro, A/S, 10.113, -1.137

8) Jim Marshall, Scottsville, N.Y., '80 Corvette, F/SA, 11.028, -1.122

9) Rick Winchester, Cincinnati, Ohio, '73 Camaro, H/SA, 11.328, -1.122

10) Terry Dye, Binghton, Mich., '91 Daytona, BF/S, 13.841, -1.109

TOP SPORTSMAN

1) John Prime, Thomastown, Conn., '68 Camaro, 6.799 seconds, 201.58 mph

2) Mike Coughlin, Delaware, Ohio, '06 Cobalt, 6.861, 204.32

3) Ronnie Davis, Suwanee, Ga., '63 Corvette, 6.869, 201.61

4) Billy Thoman, Mt Washington, Ky., '63 Corvette, 6.870, 201.82

5) Tom Stultz, Terre Haute, Ind., '92 Firebird, 6.878, 202.45

6) Ralph Crocker Sr., Waterford, Mich., '02 Cavalier, 6.892, 203.28

7) Belva Brinegar, Middletown, Ohio, '03 Mustang, 6.911, 201.67

8) Tommy Turner, Naples, Fla., '06 GTO, 6.922, 202.24

9) Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., '07 GTO, 6.971, 200.11

10) Jeff Brooks, Fredericksburg, Va., '51 Henry J, 6.980, 197.16

 

TOP DRAGSTER

1) Tom Swigart, Xenia, Ohio, '32 Bantam, 6.410 seconds, 212.63 mph

2) Edward Dudley, Fishers, Ind., dragster, 6.628, 205.44

3) Bob Cireddu, Perry, Ohio, dragster, 6.906, 188.89

4) Tom Koenen, North Bend, Ore., dragster, 6.931, 193.65

5) Billy Smith, Pickerington, Ohio, dragster, 6.932, 191.70

6) Dean McIlvain, New Carlisle, Ohio, dragster, 6.942, 193.85

7) Marco Abruzzi, Warren, Ohio, dragster, 6.947, 195.39

8) Wayne Hofmann, New Preston, Conn., dragster, 6.966, 192.96

9) Ed Alessi Jr, Bethpage, N.Y., dragster, 7.003, 191.57

10) Keith Raftery, Lake Charles, La., dragster, 7.018, 191.97

DIXON OUT TO END STREAK AS HIGHT, COUGHLIN, KRAWIEC LOW AFTER DAY 1 OF QUALIFYING

Larry Dixon’s up to bat with two strikes and a day to go.

At the past two events, Dixon’s qualified No. 1 on the strength of his
provisional nights of qualifying. And at the last two events, he didn’t
make it out of the second round on Sunday.

On Friday, Dixon yet again went low to claim the title of provisional
No. 1 qualifier – meaning he has a leg-up on the rest of the field
entering the final two rounds before race day Sunday at the O’Reilly
Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals presented by Castrol. Now
it’s up to him and his U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Top Fuel dragster crew to
break the streak.

Pro Modified racer Ray Vettel drifted out of the groove just shy of the
eighth-mile mark and made a move towards the left retaining wall about
200 feet later before crossing the centerline. His wild ride continued
as he moved towards the right wall, where he spun around and made contact with
the retaining wall again. He was transported to a local hospital for
evaluation. (Roger Richards sequence).

Josh Hernandez drove the Team Rage '68 Camaro to the provisional top
qualifying spot in the JEGS ProMod Challenge at the O'Reilly Super
Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals, and soundly set both ends of the
Texas Motorplex track record in the process.
 
The Houston-area resident delivered consistent sub-six second runs,
blasting to a 5.964/242.02 in the heat of the day and backing it up
with a 5.973/241.54 in the evening session.
 
"What can I say about this Oddy and Critchley horsepower," Hernandez
exclaimed. "Dave and Jim Oddy along with Troy Critchley have built such
an amazing machine, it runs fast in the heat and when it's cool - these
guys are geniuses!

One can easily draw the conclusion that this year’s visit to the Texas Motorplex is already better after just one day for Robert Hight than last year’s outing.

Last year, Hight missed the field and team leader John Force survived a near career-ending crash during eliminations on Sunday.

Tonight before a packed Texas Motorplex crowd, Hight made two
tremendous runs including a 4.06 second blast in the second session
that brought the NHRA fans to their feet. The run was the 2nd quickest
since the NHRA truncated the racing distance to 1000 feet following the
tragic loss of world champion Scott Kalitta. Hight also is the owner of
the quickest 1000 foot pass set during the Seattle event in July. His
excitement was evident at the top end of the race track immediately
after his run.

Del Worsham has been named the driver of the Alan Johnson Al-Anabi
Racing Funny Car effective at the conclusion of the 2008 NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing season.  In addition, Aaron Brooks has been named the
team’s crew chief, it was announced today.
           
After five years with Don Schumacher Racing, legendary NHRA crew chief
Alan Johnson will return to team ownership when Alan Johnson Al-Anabi
Racing debuts in 2009 as a two-car NHRA team with one entry in both Top
Fuel and Funny Car competition.  The driver and crew chief for the Top
Fuel car have not yet been finalized.  The location of the team’s shop
is yet to be determined.

The Flowmaster American Drag Racing League (ADRL) presented by the
National Guard announced Sep. 19, that effective immediately,
turbocharged and centrifugally supercharged engines will no longer be
permitted to compete in its Pro Nitrous category.

The rule change was already planned for the season-ending 4th annual
LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals Oct. 24-25, at the Texas Motorplex
in Ennis, Texas, ADRL Vice President of Competition Bubba Corzine said.
However, when Pennsylvania racer Andy Jensen twice covered the eighth
mile in a record-setting 3.87 seconds with his turbocharged 1968 Camaro
during the ADRL’s Hushpower Dragstock V at Rockingham (NC) Dragway this
past weekend, he felt an announcement had to come as soon as possible.

“The timing of this rule change is unique in that regardless of Andy
Jensen’s performance at Dragstock V—which was awesome, by the way, and
we congratulate him on his achievements—our intention for 2009 was to
return the Pro Nitrous class to an all-nitrous class anyway. Our points
chase for the 2009 Battle for the Belts actually starts on Saturday at
the last race this year, so the change was coming, regardless.”

For Hillary Will, speed clearly pays off.

On the basis of her semi-final finish in Charlotte, the third year
driver for Ken Black's Top Fuel dragster, climbed the ladder from
seventh to fifth in the point standings, 117 points behind leader Tony
Schumacher.

"The KB Racing, LLC dragster driver's seat is my favorite place on
Earth," Will, a 28-year old native of Fortuna, Calif., said. "Our car
has been running great and I see absolutely no reason for that to stop.
My crew chief, Jim Oberhofer, has got our car out there running numbers
that are capable of winning every time we get on the track. I'm really
excited about these last five events of the season. I think we have a
great chance of winning this weekend in Dallas and to keep moving up in
the points."

Will was the fastest-driving female in the quarter-mile and after the
recently completed NHRA Carolinas Nationals, she holds the honor in the
1,000-foot arena. She passed through the traps at a booming 315.12 mph.

Come hell or high water, Morgan Lucas intends to race his way to the winner's circle.

The driver of the Lucas Oil Stabilizer Top Fuel dragster team refuses
to allow his failure to score a position in the Countdown to 1 to serve
as an excuse for giving up on the season.

He's simply refusing to hang his head.

"We're taking the higher road and working on constantly improving,"
said Lucas. "We missed the Countdown, but we're not going to let it get
us down. We have a strong team and now with Jimmy Walsh on board, I
look forward to seeing things improve that much more."