Current IHRA Funny Car point leader and CompetitionPlus.com editor
Bobby Bennett join the likes of European Top Fuel racer Urs Urbacher,
Funny Car racer Robert Hight, Pro Stock racer V. Gaines and High School
Horsepower instructor Charles Womack.

Cannister has reached the finals in all but one IHRA Alcohol Funny Car
national event thus far in 2008 and holds a commanding lead for the
championship. She is a past IHRA Pro Outlaw world champion.

He may not be the first to achieve the feat, but he’d like to be the fourth.

Pro
Stock driver Allen Johnson heads into this weekend’s Fram-Autolite
Nationals in Sonoma, CA. with the opportunity to be the one of an  
elite number of drivers who has reached the finals in all three stops
of the famed NHRA Western Swing.

Only Greg Anderson has done it before in the Pro Stock ranks, sweeping
the series in 2004. Johnson lost in the finals of the NHRA Mopar Mile
High Nationals in Denver, Co. two weeks ago.

“It would be a real accomplishment to go to the finals at all three
stops on the Western Swing,” said Johnson. “Not too many Pro Stock
drivers have ever done that. It would be great to add my name to that
list, hopefully with a finals win this time as the result.”

Charles Carpenter has some catching up to do.

The Pro Modified icon, who was one of the founding fathers of the class
behind the wheel of his 1955 Chevrolet doorslammers, sits in 17th place
in the American Drag Racing League’s Pro Nitrous division.

Carpenter has only four races in which to accrue enough points to climb
into the top eight and earn a berth into the championship determining
Battle for the Belts, October 24, in Dallas, Texas.

He fired the first salvo towards that goal by reaching the final round
earlier this month at the ADRL Independence Drags in Radford, Va.

“Our goal is to keep our consistency up, and go as many rounds as
possible,” said Carpenter. “If we can go rounds over the course of the
next couple races, we may be able to crack the top 8 and compete for a
championship at the end of the year. That’s our ultimate goal.”

Pinks All Out comes to Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ on Saturday,
July 26. 450 racers will be battling each other for the final 16 spots
and the $10,000 grand prize. Exhibition runs beginning at 2 pm will
feature the top Outlaw 10.5 and Drag Radial Turbo Teams east of the
Mississippi including Shakedown at E’town 10.5 record holder Tim Lynch,
Joe Newsham, Jerry Morgano, Ray Johnson, Craig Pio, Terris Hicks, Larry
Wood, Donald Hastings, Yanni Papakosmas, Ralph Voorhees, Tim Essick,
Chris Little, Alex Vrettos, Brett Hull, Tim Johnson, Paul Major.

Coming off successful Fourth of July weekend events held in Michigan,
Texas and North Carolina, 1320x.com is ready to bring its brand of fast
cars and rock & roll to its next venue, Lebanon Valley Dragway in
West Lebanon, NY, on the weekend of August 16-17.

Nate Pritchett, vice president of 1320x said, “Our Fourth of July races
were action packed and we’re really looking forward to taking our
celebration of the American muscle car to New York’s finest facility.
Everyone who left our inaugural events left happy and appreciated what
we’re trying to accomplish.”

Lebanon Valley Dragway is conveniently located on Highway 20 outside of
Albany in Columbia County. The 1320x event will continue in the same
format as their other events, with a live band playing to a packed
house on Sunday and racing taking place in four 1320x categories. The
H&H Trailers Outlaw 10.5 class features a $10,000 to win purse for
the fastest 16 10.5 cars on the property. A $5,000 to win purse
highlights the Outlaw Drag Radial class, while the Manufacturer’s Cup
class is designed for an American-made vehicle. It’s this class that
allows the spectators a say in who wins or loses. Fans will pick their
four best choices for cars in each of four manufacturer’s classes, with
eliminations for the 16 set to run on Sunday. A Grudge class rounds out
the standard 1320x line-up.

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Frank Gugliotta said he owes an awful lot to team owner Bob Yoak, the man who gave him his first chance.

Frank Gugliotta knew the question was coming so when it was asked he paused and answered as forthcoming as one could.

The veteran IHRA Pro Stock racer from Mt. Airy, Md., was on the
receiving end of concerns about the Pro Stock boycott staged at the
IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals earlier this month.

Only one Pro Stock racer showed at the event and it wasn’t Gugliotta.
Those who sat out, he admitted, taught him all he needed to know about
the teams he battles with at least ten times a year on the IHRA tour.

“I’ve said this to several people … I’ve always been friends with these
people and I’ve always respected them, but after the level of
dedication to one another I have a great level of respect for the teams
out here,” Gugliotta said. “I look at all of them in a different way
now. There’s truly a bond between each one of us out here.

After a national search, NHRA has hired
Glen Gray, formerly of Delphi Corp. and its electronics and safety
division, for the newly created position of vice president of technical
operations. He will report directly to Graham Light, NHRA senior vice
president-racing operations.

Gray has spent 25 years working with Delphi in a number of engineering capacities. Most recently, he was motorsports engineering manager, leading a Delphi
team of software, mechanical, and electrical engineers in the
development of complex electronics products used in motorsports
worldwide. In addition, he supported motorsports safety initiatives in
several race series through the use of electronics and crash sled
testing.

Dale
Creasy Jr. has started the ling road to recovery. Though the details of
his accident and injuries have been well-documented, what Creasy wants
to bring to the forefront is the large outpouring of well-wishes,
thoughts and prayers of the entire IHRA racing community.

“It
really has been overwhelming and means more to me than anyone could
ever know,” Creasy said. “There have been so many cards, so many
emails, so many phone calls…this has really helped my spirits.”

Creasy
was released from the Edmonton hospital Saturday, July 19. He is now at
his home in Beecher, Ill. where he has started the rehabilitation
process.

His body will take some time to heal, but Creasy’s mind
is ready to go when it comes to drag racing. In fact, Creasy will be in
attendance at the Torco Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park
in Martin, Mich. Aug. 1-3.

Dan Davis, who will retire as director of Ford Racing Technology on
Aug. 1 after 11 years at the post, was honored with the first Women in
the Winner’s Circle Foundation’s “Leadership Award” in a surprise
announcement at the foundation’s annual luncheon at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway today.

Foundation founder Lyn St. James presented Davis with the award, which
honors individuals or organizations that have taken extraordinary
measures and shown outstanding initiative in promoting diversity within
the racing industry.

According to St. James, Davis was selected to be the first honoree for
his work in developing Ford’s unique Women’s Driver Development
Program, the first time an auto manufacturer created a program to
identify and develop young, female talent.

“We selected Dan as our first honoree months ago, well before his
retirement announcement,” said St. James.  “I’m just thrilled he was
able to be here today to be honored for all he has done.”