NHRA, photos by Roger Richards Fri, 2021-06-11 16:00
Matt Hagan’s impressive string of success at New England Dragway continued on Friday, as the defending Funny Car world champion rolled to the provisional No. 1 spot at the TascaParts.com NHRA New England Nationals presented by Bandero Premium Tequila.
Billy Torrence (Top Fuel) and Mason McGaha (Pro Stock) are also provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the sixth race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
It’s not unreasonable for the majority of people to watch a Top Fuel Harley rider make a quarter-mile blast and think, “Are you crazy?”
Hanging on to the handlebars of a two-wheeled missile -- one that covers the distance in a blink over six seconds and as much as 240 miles an hour -- simply isn’t for everyone.
So what makes these dudes tick? Do these beasts they ride truly scare them at times or their pilots immune to fear? Are there moments riders wished they were anywhere other than on the seat of that bike?
CompetitionPlus.com picked the brains of four such competitors on those topics last weekend at the AHDRA’s Nitro Summer Nationals at Rockingham (N.C.) Dragway.
Applications are now available for SEMA Battle of the Builders, the coveted competition that unites and recognizes SEMA Show vehicle builders. Open exclusively to those with a car or truck displayed at the annual trade show taking place in November, the competition celebrates and honors top builders for reaching what many consider to be the pinnacle of automotive events. The competition, now in its eighth year, tells the stories behind the builds, and it provides builders with additional exposure and a chance to be recognized and named as the industry’s top builder.
With vehicle space available only to qualified exhibitors, SEMA Show vehicle builders represent an elite group of individuals who have the distinction of superior craftsmanship and proven excellence. Exhibitors are highly selective on the vehicles and builders they choose to showcase their products, capture attention, and drive traffic to their booths.
Alexis DeJoria and her ROKiT Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Camry Funny Car team have been on the cusp of success numerous times this season. This weekend they will be bringing a new look to the track running a Bandero Premium Tequila branded Toyota Camry Funny Car as part of the TascaParts.com NHRA New England Nationals presented by Bandero Premium Tequila. DeJoria has family ties to the area surrounding New England Dragway and the opportunity to get involved at the sponsorship level and run a specialty Funny Car was too good to pass up.
“New England Dragway and Epping hold a special place in my heart,” said DeJoria. “I love the race track and the passion the fans have for drag racing. For myself and my sister Michaeline we are proud to pair up with NHRA and sponsor this event with our premium tequila company Bandero Tequila. I have had a lot of success in Epping and we want to keep that positive momentum moving forward.”
Buddy Hull’s progression up the NHRA ranks has led him to be competing in Top Fuel driving for Terry Haddock Racing.
“Terry and I our friends before this endeavor and we have been working on a special project over the last year, which has brought us closer together, “Hull said. “Through our relationship and working for Terry as a crew member Terry presented an opportunity to Buddy that full filled his lifelong dream. The opportunity to license and drive his Top Fuel Dragster. I am forever thankful for my relationship with Terry and the opportunity he has given me. Terry is the best teacher I’ve ever had.”
Hull made his Top Fuel debut at the Lucas Oil Southern Nationals in Atlanta, qualifying No. 15 and falling to Steve Torrence in round one on May 2.
Don Schumacher Racing plans to promote its in-house manufacturing brands at this weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, NH.
Drivers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan will run special paint schemes this weekend promoting the DSM Precision Manufacturing and DSR Performance, respectively.
As the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is ramping up its summer schedule Justin Ashley Racing added the perfect marketing partner to his team with the addition of BBQ Nation as an associate sponsor. BBQ Nation, founded in the summer of 2008, offers a wide variety of spices, rubs, accessories and grilling tips to grill masters and consumers.
Their products can be found on back decks and kitchens all across the United States as well as in Menards stores beginning next month. The partnership includes branding on the Smart Sanitizer Top Fuel dragster powered by Strutmasters.com as well as social media promotion and activation at events throughout the seas
While the exact years of drag racing's golden age are subject to endless debate, there's no doubt that the peak era for independent drag rags spanned the 1965 and '66 seasons — especially for writers, photographers, cartoonists, publishers, and ad salesmen based in southern California. This March, Drag World became the third national weekly produced in the Los Angeles area, joining long-established Drag News (since 1955) and fledgling Drag Sport Illustrated (1963).
Slick, independent magazines Drag Racing and Modern Rod also called L.A. home. Pete Millar published his satirical monthly comic book, Drag CARtoons, here. Newsstand heavies Petersen Publishing Co. and Argus Publishers Inc. were headquartered a few miles apart. While neither Hot Rod, Car Craft, nor
by John Doig, CompetitionPlus Australia Tue, 2021-06-08 08:07
The most prestigious event on the Australian drag racing calendar, the Gulf Western Oil Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway, June 10-13, has attracted three Top Fuel entries. Veteran Phil Read chasing his first Winters crown since 2006, Phil Lamattina who claimed victory in 2007 and 2009 and Peter Xiberras on the hunt for his first win at the Winternationals.
Read, driving the same car he steered to victory in 2006 will go into the meeting nominal favorite after scoring a gritty win over Xiberras when they met at Sydney Dragway last month.
Xiberras is in career-best form scoring three wins that day and posted a personal best and new track record of 3.79 sec. before losing to Read in the final.
Matt Hagan’s impressive string of success at New England Dragway continued on Friday, as the defending Funny Car world champion rolled to the provisional No. 1 spot at the TascaParts.com NHRA New England Nationals presented by Bandero Premium Tequila.
It’s not unreasonable for the majority of people to watch a Top Fuel Harley rider make a quarter-mile blast and think, “Are you crazy?”
Applications are now available for SEMA Battle of the Builders, the coveted competition that unites and recognizes SEMA Show vehicle builders. Open exclusively to those with a car or truck displayed at the annual trade show taking place in November, the competition celebrates and honors top builders for reaching what many consider to be the pinnacle of automotive events. The competition, now in its eighth year, tells the stories behind the builds, and it provides builders with additional exposure and a chance to be recognized and named as the industry’s top builder.
Don Schumacher Racing plans to promote its in-house manufacturing brands at this weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, NH.
As the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is ramping up its summer schedule Justin Ashley Racing added the perfect marketing partner to his team with the addition of BBQ Nation as an associate sponsor. BBQ Nation, founded in the summer of 2008, offers a wide variety of spices, rubs, accessories and grilling tips to grill masters and consumers.
