One of drag racing’s top parts manufacturers is returning to the Pro
Modified Racing Association for 2008 as a special award sponsor.
 
Bear's Performance Products will be the posting Consistent Qualifier Bonus award at each PMRA event.
 
“The PMRA has proven to be an elite series and the teams are very
competitive, both in Canada and the US,” said Kevin Zimmer, Marketing
Manager of Bear's Performance Products. “They put on a great show and
have a solid organization. We are looking forward to another great year
with the PMRA."

Joe Baker won his
second JEGS ProMod Challenge race of the season Sunday at Houston Raceway Park
to maintain a firm grip on the JEGS championship points lead after two of 10
races on the 2008 schedule.

Driving the ProCare Rx Corvette borrowed from
fellow racer Roger Burgess, Baker repeated his unlikely Florida victory with a
much more dominant performance in Texas. He had the quickest elapsed time of all
three elimination rounds run on Sunday, including a pair of 5.9s in the
quarterfinals and semifinals, and dismissed Tony Pontieri in the finals with a
6.022 at 239.19 mph to Pontieri's 6.048 at 237.42 mph.

Roger Richards Photos

Del Worsham, Greg Anderson and Matt Smith round out winner's circle

Antron Brown became the first to win in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Antron
Brown capped off an historic Sunday afternoon at the 21st annual
O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil when he powered
his Matco Tools dragster past Larry Dixon U.S. Smokeless dragster to
become the first driver in NHRA history to win races in Pro Stock
Motorcycle and Top Fuel.

He followed Del Worsham (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt
Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) into the winner’s circle at the fourth of
24 races in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Sunday's final results from the 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring
Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park. The race is
the fourth of 24 in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Antron Brown, 4.605 seconds, 320.28 mph def. Larry Dixon, 4.621 seconds, 309.06 mph.

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following
the 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil at
Houston Raceway Park, the fourth of 24 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series 

Final round-by-round results from the 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA
Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park, the
fourth of 24 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Famed nitro tuner Richard Hogan has been hired to be the co-crew chief on the
8,000-horspower “Big Red” Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, driven by Doug Kalitta in
the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Hogan will join co-crew chief Jon
Oberhofer to equally share the tuning responsibilities on 335-mph race car that
runs out of the Kalitta Motorsports stable, owned by drag racing icon Connie
“the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta.

“It’s an honor to be given this opportunity at Kalitta Motorsports,” Hogan, a
resident of Ennis, Mont., said. “This organization is one of the best in the
history of drag racing. I’m very excited to see what the future holds for both
of us.”

NO. 1'S FROM FRIDAY HOLD UP AS SUN COMES OUT AT HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK ON SATURDAY

Alan Bradshaw, Cruz Pedregon, Kurt Johnson, Matt Smith top respective classes; Funny Car points leader Hight fails to qualify
 

Alan Bradshaw will open his quest to get into the Top 10 by facing No. 16 qualifier Urs Erbacher in the first round.

Led by Odessa, Tex.-native Alan Bradshaw, the four provisional No. 1
qualifiers from Friday night retained their top spots on Saturday as
qualifying was completed at the 21st annual O’Reilly NHRA Spring
Nationals presented by Pennzoil.

Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Kurt Johnson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro
Stock Motorcycle) rounded out the No. 1 qualifiers at the fourth of 24
races in the NHRA POWERade Series. The foursome will lead the field
into final eliminations beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Jim Epler is on the grounds of Houston Raceway Park this weekend on the sponsor side of the fence.

Next year the man who recorded the first Funny Car 300 mile per hour speed hopes to be mixing it up as a competitor.

“I’m sincerely hoping to be back out next year as a driver,” Epler said.

Epler is serving this weekend as the sponsorship rep for iLocate GPS
asset tracking and recovery systems, who signed an associate marketing
program with David Powers Motorsports for this weekend. He’s working
with his longtime friend Craig Southerland, formerly of Ford’s Easy
Care program on this venture.

Mike Green, crew chief on the FRAM Top Fuel dragster driven by Cory McClenathan,
was admitted to San Jacinto Methodist Hospital in Baytown, Texas, early Saturday
morning. Green drove himself to the hospital at 4 a.m. suffering pain from
possible diverticulitis, which he has suffered from in the past. Phil Shuler,
crew chief on the Rockstar Energy Drink Funny Car, will help the team in Green's
absence. Green is expected to return to the track some time today. UPDATED - 5:06 PM, EST