Premiere pre-Gatornationals test at South Georgia Motorsports Park expected to yield national event atmosphere
 
A
multitude of professional and sportsman racers will converge on South
Georgia Motorsports Park [SGMP], March 6 – 8, 2008, for the 9th annual
CSR Eastern Spring Test Nationals presented by Torco’s
CompetitionPlus.com. This traditional event has become a staple of high
performance which caters to a race-hungry southern Georgia drag racing
demographic. The event traditionally opened only one day for spectators
and attracted thousands of spectators.
 
The 2008 version of ESTN promises to be the largest ever. Instead of
fans being allowed entry only for the traditional “Chicago Style”
eliminations on Saturday, the gates will be open for Friday night
testing under the lights.

Tim
Wilkerson had an abysmal 2007 season, finishing a distant 15th in the
points and only making four semifinal round appearances in 23 races. 
That’s all behind him now, and if his Winternationals performance is
any indication, this highly motivated and very popular independent
driver could be a serious contender this season.

Okay, so he lost in the first round at Pomona, just as he did last
year.  But, not only did he run harder this year, last year his season
went decidedly downhill after the Winternationals, but this year it
could be heading in the other direction.

“The (switch) to 90% is going to help us,” Wilkerson said.  “The parts
look a lot better, and thanks to NHRA for that.  That was a needed
change for this team, I can tell you that right now.”

Whether there are 9 - or 19 Top Doorslammers like there will be at Western
Sydney International Dragway this Friday and Saturday for the Summernationals,
one can always be rest assured that Ben and Victor Bray will be right in the
thick of it, in the world's fastest Sedan based vehicles.

Add an imposing
black Funny Car into the Top Alcohol mix, team Bray are ready to have at Sydney
in a big way this weekend!

"This will be the second outing at WSID for
ANDRA Top Doorslammer, and with only eight cars out of 19 going through to day 2
eliminations everyone will be trying to get a handle on the Sydney racing
surface early during qualifying," said Victor.

Open-wheel racing champion Michael Andretti, NASCAR legend Buddy Baker and
perennial drag-racing king John Force will lead a class of seven racing greats
into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America when the organization stages its
annual induction ceremony on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, at the Fillmore
Detroit.

These three, along with sports-car ace Richie Ginther,
motorcycle hero Wayne Rainey, versatile competitor Paul Goldsmith and pioneering
aerobatic pilot Betty Skelton will join 167 racers already enshrined in the
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

"On land and in the sky, the Class
of 2008 represents race wins and championships in every series in America and
beyond," says Ron Watson, president of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of
America.

Wally Parks must be looking down, proud of the Museum that bears his name.  With
one of the most ambitious schedules of events and exhibits in its history, the
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of
Southern California, expands on its mission of preserving and protecting the
history of the performance car movement in Southern California. Among the
highlights during its 10th anniversary year are:

-- Sat., Mar. 1: Museum
board member Steve Gibbs and Dusty McWilliams will host a special seminar,
"Rebuilding the Rattler." Gibbs and McWilliams will work on the legendary Top
Fuel dragster in the "Wally's Garage" section of the Museum while Mike Kuhl of
the Kuhl & Olson team will provide commentary.  Sponsored by
A&EDesign.com, American Shine Products, Classic Industries, Pyrotec E3,
GoJaks (Zendex Tool Corp.), Grand Products and Injen Technologies, the $20
seminar provides a unique look inside the world of automotive restorations.  The
ticket price includes Museum admission and refreshments.

Last Thursday in Pomona, Napa Auto Parts Dodge driver Ron Capps suffered a minor eye problem
that prompted a visit to an ophthalmologist on Friday morning.  “I got something in my eye, but the problem’s
been solved,” Capps told us.  “It
happened a couple of times last year. 
Just clutch dust pieces, something like that.  Ya know, I’d get on a plane to fly home and
suddenly I’d feel something in there. 
It’s not fun, but it was never serious.”

Capps acknowledged that he
was up most of the night Thursday because of the irritation, and further
admitted that the eye had been slightly scratched, but there was no cause for
concern, as everything was fine by the next day.

Qualifying in Pomona is just scratching the surface

Glidden
and the engineers at Mickey Thompson have been burning the midnight oil
in developing many different combinations of tire for introduction to
Pro Stock as well as several other quick doorslammer venues.

Billy
Glidden considers himself a realist. Because of that, qualifying 11th
for Sunday’s final eliminations didn’t elicit a celebration.

‘It’s pretty exciting but once qualifying is over, you have to focus on
eliminations,” Glidden said. “You can’t lay on that too long. I’m used
to going and winning rounds. This is a different deal.”

The following are the pre-entries received for the 9th annual CSR Eastern Spring Test Nationals presented by Torco's CompetitionPlus.com hosted by South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga. 

Part of Gary Densham says to keep racing and the logical side says it’s
time to take a break. Is he really making the Pomona weekend his last?

Those questions were raised after Densham put his Chevrolet Impala into the sand laast Friday during the NHRA Winternationals.

"Hey
I screwed up, and this may be our last race anyway, so if you’re going
to screw it up I guess this is the time to do it,” Densham proclaimed
over the PA system in a post-run interview with announcer Alan Reinhart.

Has  Densham experienced second thoughts?