Last June, Castrol Global Lubricants announced an exciting new
partnership signed with FIFA to be a Primary sponsor for the 2010 and
2014 World Cup soccer championships.
 
As part of that program, Castrol also announced its renewed commitment
to its global motorsports activities, the cornerstone of its
technological leadership strategy in global lubricants.
 
This global motorsports strategy, activated in multiple racing venues
around the world with many of Castrol's key strategic business
partners, will continue to be showcased in North America through the
company’s 24-year relationship with John Force Racing, Inc. 

Gary Densham celebrates his pass this evening, which is the quickest and fastest in Australia (Credit - Malcolm Burgess)

Gary Densham has kicked off round one of the ENZED
International Nightfire New Year Series in the best way possible
tonight – running Australia’s quickest and fastest ever Nitro Funny Car
pass when he crossed the quarter mile in 4.86 seconds at 309.7mph
(approx 495.52kph).

The result is the first Nitro Funny Car ‘four second’ pass to be run
not only in Australia but also outside of North America, and also tops
the speed ladder as the first pass in Australia by a Nitro Funny Car to
come in at over 300 miles per hour.

Willowbank Raceway will be full of action tonight and tomorrow for round one of the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series,
featuring the Nitro Funny Cars USA vs AUS showdown as well as Top
Doorslammer, Top Alcohol and Pro Stock Motorcycle action from the
Australian professional ranks.

With the professional racing action set to kick off from 5.00pm
tonight, US Nitro Funny Car legend Gary Densham was at the track today
with Australian rookie Mark Sheehan, with the pair sounding each other
out before their first runs tonight.

“I have been involved in Nitro Funny Cars since just after they started
back in the 1960s, and this is my 11th trip to Australia with my first
trip at Christmas time of 1974, and I just really love coming back
here,” said Densham.

Second round kicks off Friday morning with blockbuster match …

WAR STORIES HOMEPAGE

It was the greatest race that never happened and luckily for John Force it didn’t.

“I would have been crying so much that I couldn’t have raced,” said Force, a 14-time NHRA Funny Car Champion.

Force crosses paths on Friday with his quarterfinals opponent Shirley
Muldowney in the second annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories. This
unique contest pits sixteen drag racing figures in a head-to-head
competition to determine who can tell the best drag racing story.
Readers vote on the stories and the winners advance in competition
while paired on an NHRA professional eliminations ladder.

Canadian Team Purchases Mark Thomas Operation …

Kon Rodz Racing will expand in 2009 with the purchase of the two-car Alcohol Funny Car operation of Mark Thomas.

“This acquisition has rejuvenated and excited our Kon Rodz Team and I
personally am extremely excited about our team's future for next year,”
said team owner Spiro Kontos.

Drag racing is peopled with characters.  Without them the sport would be just another form of motorsports.  It’s the individuality
of those who drive, spin wrenches, regale us with humor over the PA
system and even shoot photos that keeps the quarter mile a refreshing
place to be.  Bill Crites, gone at a too-young 68, was one of those.

A long time employee of the National Hot Rod Association as a graphic
artist and part-time photographer, Crites – and few knew him by his
first name – was known by his fellow employees and friends more for his
personality than for his visible contributions to the sport.  This
isn’t to downplay those contributions, but when it came to
behind-the-scenes contributors, they didn’t come any further behind
those scenes than Bill.

SPEED has reached an agreement with Feld Motor Sports, Inc., to extend
its broadcast rights deal for the International Hot Rod Association
(IHRA) Nitro Jam series.

Australian Drag Racing’s favourite daughter, Debbie Reed, has added to her trophy cabinet by taking out the Top Alcohol bracket at Western Sydney International Dragway’s Boxing Day USA Showdown over the weekend (26th-28th December).

With this, she has also shot to the top of the National Championship
table becoming the first female in history to lead the professional
category.

The win is Debbie’s second in her Top Alcohol Dragster with the first
at the 2006 East Coast Nationals, however victory was just as sweet
second time around for the popular Queenslander.

Five nitro funny cars, 13 Top Doorslammers, nine Top Alcohol funny cars
and dragsters, five Pro Stock Motorcycles and 152 sportsman racers will
celebrate the beginning of 2009 in high octane style at Willowbank
Raceway this Friday and Saturday, January 2 and 3, for round one of the
ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series.

USA
Nitro Funny Car legend Gary Densham will be on hand alongside the
Australian stars of the sport to salute the New Year in their unique
way, with Densham and four Aussie Nitro Funny Cars set for a USA vs AUS
Showdown over the two days.

The Event will also host ANDRA Championship rounds for the Top
Doorslammer, Pro Stock Motorcycle and Top Alcohol categories, with the
Top Alcohol racers set for an extra challenge with their last
competitive hit-out taking place just two days ago in Sydney – handing
them a race against time to be ready for Friday’s qualifying.

The HangoverFest is a winter wonderland of drag racing at Cordova
Dragway Park, Cordova, Illinois and is on Thursday, January 1, 2009.
Cordova Dragway Park is one of very few race tracks in the northern
United States to race in the middle of the winter.

For the most part all out race cars are not the norm as mostly those
with street cars, trucks and motorcycles race and it’s a great chance
to see friends and wish them a great new year on what is traditionally
a day when people sit around at home. In addition, there will be a free
gift to the first 500 through the gates plus free aspirin for those who
might have partaken too much on New Year's Eve.