A 2009 schedule encompassing more than 50 individual events conducted
over 96 days of racing and featuring such diverse attractions as the
38th annual IHRA Nitro Jam Spring Nationals, the ADRL’s Dragstock VI
Pro Mod challenge and the 18th annual AHDRA Screamin’ Eagle Eastern
Finals was announced Monday by Rockingham Dragway owner Steve Earwood.

“These are complex times,” Earwood said, “but people still need hobbies
and diversions and they still need to be entertained.  We think this
schedule addresses both of those areas.

“It includes a lot of racer-oriented events like the Outlaw Street
Drags Test and Tune will be a regular Saturday feature beginning Jan.
17th but it also has a balance with spectator events like the IHRA
Spring Nationals and World Finals, Dragstock and four races in the
Mickey Thompson Tires MiRock Superbike Series.”

John Zappia took his Striker Monaro Top Doorslammer to a win in the
ENZED Nightfire meeting last weekend at Willowbank International
Raceway, in a flawless display of Top Doorslammer drag racing. After
top qualifying on the Friday night with a sizzling 5.987, and resetting
the ANDRA speed record with a massive 247.66mph, Zap was set to test
the resolve and tuning ability of his competitors. But it was the West Aussie that dominated the weekend's racing.

"We are thrilled with the win", said a jubilant Zappia this week, "It
would have been easy to think we did it easy, but the amount of work
that goes into this car prior to arriving at the track for racing is
substantial. 25 years of racing experience counts at this level, and my
desire to win and be the best is pretty high".

Zap faced off against "Wild Willy" racer Sean Mifsud in Round 1, but
another "five" from the Champ was hard to beat as Zap powered Zap's Rat
to a 5.987et @ 247.39mph power run against Mifsud's 6.283et @ 228.89mph.

THE ENERGY CRISIS OF THE MID-70S FORCED THE NHRA INTO
ACTION ...


Don
Schumacher was still an active Funny Car driver when the energy crisis
of the mid-70s hit the United States with the force of a Category 5
hurricane. Thirty-five years later the owner of a multi-car drag racing
operation has a front-row seat for a crisis of another nature.

Schumacher admitted his age and single-minded interest in racing kept
him from taking the energy crisis too seriously, but now, as a seasoned
race team owner, the nation’s economic situation, which bears some
similarities to that long-ago energy crisis, has his full attention.

“In the early ‘70s, I was young and carefree to the point that I
couldn’t say I truthfully identified enough with the energy crisis,”
Schumacher admitted. “We found ways to get around it and continue to
get on down the road.”

Battle of the Titans Match Scheduled for January 12, 2009 …

Next Monday could produce one of the most voted on War Stories competitions in the history of the special event.

Gary Scelzi and John Force, two incredible story tellers, are on a
collision course during the semi-finals of the second annual
CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Showdown.

CompetitionPlus.com has learned that NHRA's official nitro supplier
VP Racing Fuels has effectively dropped the cost of a 400-pound of 100%
nitromethane to $970 a drum. This represents a nearly $500 decrease in
the price.

"Good news -- due to a dramatic reversal in the
nitromethane market, the price of VP's nitro will be reduced," VP's
Steve Burns said in a prepared statement issued to the various race
teams.

Kalitta Motorsports, a legendary professional drag racing team founded
and owned by drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta and
based in Ypsilanti, Mich., just minutes from the Detroit city limits,
will compete in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series with one
full-time entry, the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car driven by Jeff Arend.
Also in 2009, Kalitta Motorsports will celebrate 50 years of drag
racing by Connie as he commemorates the golden landmark as a driver, tuner, and owner.

Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante will serve as co-crew chiefs on the
nitro-fueled DHL Funny Car in 2009, replacing Glenn Mikres who was
relieved of his duties as crew chief of the DHL car after the
conclusion of last season. Arend joined Kalitta Motorsports last season
to assume the driving duties of the DHL entry after the tragic death of
Scott Kalitta as the result of injuries he suffered in a high-speed
racing accident in June in New Jersey.

Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta, Connie’s nephew, will compete in the
2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in the Top Fuel class on a
part-time, race-by-race basis as the team searches for full-time
primary sponsor. Doug’s Top Fuel entry will be helmed by crew chief Jim
Oberhofer and assistant crew chief Troy Fasching. Doug, a two-time Top
Fuel championship runner-up and 30-time NHRA national event winner, and
Kalitta Motorsports were notified last December that longtime backer
Mac Tools would not return as the dragster’s primary sponsor in 2009,
but will remain with Kalitta Motorsports as an associate sponsor.

J.R. Todd confirmed with CompetitionPlus.com on Monday afternoon
that he was released from his employment from Morgan Lucas Racing as
well as his crew. The former NHRA Rookie of the Year joins the growing
list of drivers unemployed headed into the 2009 season.

"We were
notified this afternoon and my pay ends in two weeks," Todd said. "The
talent pool of quality drivers is pretty deep now.

Two new venues and the addition of an extra event are among the
highlights for the 2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series schedule,
it was announced today by NHRA officials.

The 2009 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will feature eight
points-earning events and four non-points affiliate events. In 2009,
the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will crown year-end points
champions in 14 categories. The Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series year-end
points champions in each of the 14 classes will receive a gold Wally
trophy; Champion’s jacket and hat; and a cash award.

NHRA developed the Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series in 2007 to help
preserve NHRA's rich history and tradition while providing racing
opportunities for those enthusiasts who prefer nostalgia drag racing
competition.

On the heels of the recent unpublicized Pro Stock spec tire rule, the
NHRA has introducws a new rule for the Pro Stock Motorcycle division.
Apparently the Harley-Davidson teams have gained approval for a new
engine configuration granting the V-Rod bikes four valves per cylinder.

Eliminations continue for the second annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Showdown, a competition which places sixteen of drag racing's personalities head-to-head in storytelling competition. Over the next four days, you will be presented with the first round strories of each respective contestants. They are paired on an NHRA eliminations ladder seeded by reader vote last week.

Today's competition features the No. 10 seeded Pat Musi squaring off with the No. 2 qualified "Waterbed" Fred Miller. The second match up will be the No. 3 ranked Don Garlits matching up with No. 6 Kenny Nowling.