:::::: News ::::::

IHRA POINTS AFTER TORONTO

Point standings (top 10) for IHRA professional categories following the IHRA
Canadian Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park, the sixth of 11 events in the 
2006 eMax Drag Racing Series -

KAREN RAFFA JOINS AHDRA STAFF

The All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) President Craig Tharpe today
announced the hiring of Karen Raffa of Corrales, NM, to administer the
organization's contingency awards program. In addition, Raffa will handle
advertising sales for Speed Magazine, the organization's official
publication, which is published ten times each year.

"We are extremely pleased to have added Karen to our growing staff," said
Tharpe from his offices in Pfafftown, NC. "She brings a wealth of experience to
this position, and is extremely well thought of throughout the entire
high-performance aftermarket industry. The addition of Karen to our staff is
just one more move in our efforts to become the industry leader. As the All
Harley Drag Racing Association continues expanding those efforts, we're
convinced Karen will help us reach the next level."

MASSEY CLINCHES NHRA D-4 TAD TITLE

NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster rookie Spencer Massey scored a runner-up finish and
clinched the Division 4 Championship at this past weekend's O'Reilly Fall
Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at the Texas Motorplex just south of
Dallas.  Not only did Massey runner-up the main event, but scored a runner-up
from last weekend's rained-out Houston Raceway Park divisional, which put the
championship out of reach for his closest rival, Lee Callaway.
 
Massey, 24, of nearby Ft. Worth, Texas, qualified
his A/Fuel Dragster sixth in the field with a 5.443 second elapsed time at
265.64 mph.  In Friday's second qualifying session, Massey took on Dave Heitzman
in the rain-delayed Houston final.  Massey took the starting line advantage, but
slowed in the heat to a 5.603 at 261.22 mph that was not enough to hold off
Heitzman's 5.552 at 247.88 mph.  Despite not getting the win from that event,
the final round appearance clinched the Division 4 Championship for
Massey.

SECOND-GENERATION HARKER EARNS TAD LICENSE

Aussie NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Steve Harker, originally from Brisbane, Aus., stayed after the event for his
daughter, Kate, to finish her Top Alcohol Dragster license.  With two sessions
at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School under her belt, Kate got behind the wheel
of Tom Conway's A/Fuel Dragster.  After making a half pass to get used to the
car, Kate made passes of 5.51 and 5.355 to complete her Top Alcohol Dragster
license.

TOUGH TIME FOR THE PRICES

Bart and Donna Price are faced
with the extreme challenge of keeping their Greg Stanfield-driven Pro Stocker in
the field for 23-races a season. Nothing could have prepared them for the
challenge they faced in the last two weeks when Donna experienced heart problems
and was sent into surgery twice.

Donna’s defibrillator lead shorted out
and that sent them to the hospital for repair. During the surgical procedure,
the unit is actually fastened to the heart. Once the surgeons were convinced
they had it working properly again, it failed. She was rushed into emergency
surgery where a new defibrillator was installed. Her resolve was challenged with
two heart surgeries in as many days.

BECKMAN LEARNING THE ROPES

dsd_5092.jpg

Jack Beckman admits he still has a lot
to learn in his quest to become a front-running Funny Car driver. He’s
quickly learning that driving 320 miles per hour in a Top Fuel Dragster
can be less demanding than a 314 mph blast in a clutch dust-filled
Funny Car cockpit.

Beckman knew there would be a difference between the two but never imagined the nuances would be as different as day and night.

FINAL ROUND RESULTS FROM TORONTO

Monday's final results from the IHRA Canadian Nationals at Toronto
Motorsports Park. The race is part of the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:

 

topfuel_final.jpg


Top Fuel --
Clay Millican, 5.233 seconds, 217.77 mph def. Doug Foley, 8.970 seconds, 66.55 mph.

DAVIS WINS IN 16TH 2006 FINAL

The Power Glide Pro Mods took on the Quick 8 Outlaws in the
battle of the
Power Glides. When the smoke had cleared Ronnie Davis had ran a 4.21, 173.66 in
qualifying and went on to win the race beating Jeff Tyson by a 4.29 to a 4.35
margin.That marked Davis’s 16th final round of 2006 drawing closer to last
season’s 17 final personal best. Davis
is reportedly going for 20 this year and at this pace he'll make it. Davis is also leading the
NHRA Div.2 Top Sportsman division.

EXCLUSIVE - FOLEY CRASH SEQUENCE

SCARY MOMENT

foley_cover.jpgTorco's CompetitionPlus.com's ace photog Chris Simmons had a front row seat on the top end Doug Foley's final round crash. Foley was transported by ambulance to West Haldimand General Hospital in
nearby Hagersville, Ontario, for testing and observation following a crash
during the Top Fuel final round of the IHRA Canadian Nationals. Foley was
conscious and talking.

 

TORONTO COMPLETED ON MONDAY

Millican Takes Bitter-Sweet Win
at Toronto Motorsports Park

 

 

foley33.jpg

 


Foley Conscious and
Talking After Final Round Crash

millican.jpgClay Millican moved back to the top of
the IHRA Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Top Fuel championship points
standings with a victory over Doug Foley in the final round at the IHRA Canadian
Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park. But the victory celebration was
short-lived as Millican’s concern following the race was on the well-being of
his friend and competitor.

In the final round Foley lost traction at
half-track, slid into the left lane and collided with the wall. His car bounced
back into the lane and drifted over into the right wall before coming to a stop.
Foley was conscious after the crash, but was transported to West Haldimand
General Hospital in Hagersville, Ontario, for further evaluation.

“I’ve
made the final at all three Canadian races this year, but today, to be honest
with you, I’d just assume I didn’t have this one,” said Millican. “I don’t want
to win the championship this way; I don’t want to win a race this
way.

“Besides everything today, this is definitely one of the most
exciting chases IHRA’s ever had in Top Fuel. We have the same kind of chase we
had my very first year racing Top Fuel when I lost the championship by seven
points. Going into first round today I was behind by seven points, and I thought
about that year, and how important every point is,” added Millican.

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