On June 10, 2009, Chrysler completed the sale of  assets to Italian manufacturer Fiat. For factory-backed, Mopar

Photo by Roger Richards

Pro Stock racer Allen Johnson, the change in ownership shouldn’t affect his program.

In fact, he believes the company’s dedication to racing should help his cause.

That doesn’t mean he’ll be racing one of those classic Fiat Topolinos. It does mean there’s a strong likelihood that he’ll have the eagerly awaited Dodge Avenger to test and run in competition just in time for the Countdown to the Championship.

After a devastating Bradenton crash with their 10.5 Outlaw Mustang at
the NMRA season opener, the Conrad Scarry, Kenny Seager and crew beat
all odds and were back at the recently completed NMRA event in Milan,
Mich. Amazingly the team only missed the event in Atco, N.J., and
returned with an even better hot rod.

The NMRA returned to action this past weekend at fabled Milan Dragway
in Milan, Michigan, just a short drive southwest of Detroit, and

John Leslie has been working towards this victory for nine years.  He’s
enlisted the help of NMRA Mean Street crew chief Jeff Gillam to go
along with the assistance of engine builder Rich Groh, and earned his
first-ever NMRA win in Michigan.

right
in Ford’s backyard.  The decision had been made prior to the even tot
turn it into a two-day race, and by the looks of things, both fans and
racers alike enjoyed the switch from the norm.  Aeromotive sponsored
the event, and as a result, had the shop’s twin-turbo, Modular-powered
Comp Eliminator Shelby Mustang on the premises making test passes. 
They also brought out their innovative dragster powered by a GT500
Mustang engine, complete with zoomie headers.  The fans packed the
stands all weekend long, and the racers didn’t disappoint – killer
racing, wild wheelstands, and first-time winners all came together to
make this a great weekend of Ford drag racing.

For the second consecutive year Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster driver Brandon Bernstein will be a celebrity judge at the Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant on June 20th.

Over 130 of the hottest Hooters Girls from around the world will be competing for the Miss Hooters International title.

Three-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson will take the top
spot for the 2009 NHRA K&N Horsepower Challenge, which will be contested
next weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. This Pro
Stock bonus event will feature eight of the top drivers in the class
who have earned the most qualifying points within the past year. The
winner of the famed bonus event earns $50,000, with the runner-up
pocketing $10,000. The two semifinalists receive $3,000 each, and the
four first-round finishers each earn $2,500. Below are the first-round
pairings for the 2009 K&N Horsepower Challenge:

Lance Larsen, crew chief, has been sleeping a lot better lately. He says that’s a byproduct of a good running hot rod.

Lately that’s the best way to describe the Mark Pickens
Enterprises/Motorvation dragster driven by Clay Millican. On the
strength of a runner-up and a semi-final finish, the five-time IHRA
champion turned NHRA regular has pulled into the top ten of points.

“There have been several little things,” Larsen said, taking time from
studying his computer graphs. “Our car has ran pretty good all year. It
just hasn’t left the starting line. We found some maintenance issues
that we were doing incorrectly.”

Timing means everything in drag racing and for Jerry Eckman timing has worked against him and worked in his favor. The former Pro Stock racer has moved on from the negatives but the most positive experience came at Englishtown 22 years ago when he and former team owner Bill Orndorff won the Pro Stock title at the 1987 NHRA Summernationals at Raceway Park.

Winning the Pro Stock title at Englishtown for the Rodger Brogdon crewman remains one of the highlights of his career.

Out of money and out of luck, the team was on the last leg of a racing effort and down to their last ounce of hope when Eckman drove the team’s Camaro to the winner’s circle. Had they lost early their season could have been finished.

The Motorcraft/Quick Lane association with Bob Tasca Racing represents an

(L-R) Brett Wheatley, Director of Marketing, Ford Customer Service Division, Bob Tasca, Darryl Hazel, President of Ford Customer Service Division and Senior Vice President of Ford Motor Company

entirely new methodology which leans heavily on new media to achieve long established goals.

Darryl Hazel, President of Ford Customer Service Division and Senior Vice President of Ford Motor Company, visited Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., to make a hands on appraisal of the program.

“I'm really impressed,” said Hazel, when asked about what he had seen so far. “The guys have done of a great job. The fan involvement, the level of interest; you look at the people who are here at the races are the type of people who buy are cars and buy are parts. It's exactly what we should be doing.”

Following
the final round performance by Castrol GTX driver Ashley Force Hood at
the 40th annual United Association NHRA Super Nationals the entire John
Force Racing driver roster spent Monday with Castrol/BP executives and
employees at the Wayne, New Jersey headquarters. Force Hood was joined
by 14-time champion and father John Force, Robert Hight, Mike Neff,
Brittany Force and Courtney Force. The group spent the morning talking
with marketing executives about the upcoming 25th anniversary of John
Force Racing and Castrol which will commence with the 2010 NHRA Full
Throttle Drag Racing series.