Rain Washes Out Final Qualifying Session at Amalie Oil North American Nationals

Bruce Litton (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Nitro Funny Car), Mike
Castellana (Pro Modified), Paul Noakes (Alcohol Funny Car) and Pete
Berner (Pro Stock) claim #1 qualifier positions with an assist from
Hurricane Hanna

The
remnants of Hurricane Hanna moved into New England Saturday afternoon,
setting the fields for the Amaile Oil North American Nationals.

IHRA moved the first Saturday qualifying session up to 1pm in an effort
to avoid a complete washout of all Saturday professional qualifying,
one day after adding both nitro classes to the Friday evening
qualifying dance card. All pro drivers got at least two qualifying hits.

The remnants of Hurricane Gustav arrived somewhere between 4 and 6 a.m. today, thoroughly wetting
down New England Dragway and the surrounding area.

The rain has stopped and track drying is under way. Race officials have
not given us a firm estimate yet, but around noon appears
likely if the weather holds off.

Once (If) things get started, you can take the published schedule for today and throw away everything except the part that says
"Schedule subject to change."

If you think you've ever performed the longest, smokey burnout to the
edge of burnout heaven, think again. Until you have pulled off what this
Buick driver did, you haven't been to the edge as evidenced by this
YouTube video.

Pete Berner Claims Pro Stock Points Lead with Track Record Friday

Sets
New England Dragway speed record in evening qualifying session; Bruce
Litton (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Nitro Funny Car), Mike Castellana (Pro
Modified) and Neal Parker (Alcohol Funny Car) also take provisional
poles at IHRA Amalie Oil North American Nationals

Friday evening provisional qualifying usually does not mean much where
the points races are concerned. But Friday at New England Dragway in
Epping, N.H., Pete Berner (Crete, Ill.) used one of IHRA’s unique bonus
programs to move to the front of the Pro Stock pack.

Program to end at conclusion of 2008 …

CompetitionPlus.com confirmed with Top Fuel driver Bob Vandergriff Jr.
that his team will not be sponsored by United Parcel Service [UPS] in
2009.

This announcement ends a three-year association between the two.

Justin Humphreys will be back in his familiar, family-operated RaceRedi
Motorsports Pontiac GXP for the inaugural Carolina Nationals at the spectacular
new zMAX Dragway next week in Concord, N.C.
– with assistance from another drag racing Johnson family.

Humphreys made the announcement Friday as he
and his crew were installing a General Motors power plant supplied by veteran
driver/engine builder Warren Johnson. Humphreys has been driving a Dodge from
Don Schumacher that was powered by Allen and Roy Johnson motors for the last 10
races. 

“We definitely want to thank Roy and Allen Johnson and Don Schumacher for
allowing us to use their equipment and compete,” Humphreys said.  “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with
them and their crew chief, Mark Ingersoll. 
They are all great people and we have a lot of respect for
them.

Tim Wilkerson never imagined an antiquated chassis could be considered
a performance advantage, or that his fellow racers
would consider it to
be an issue.

The unlikely became likely in 2008.

In a rash of sweeping changes intended to promote better chassis
safety, the NHRA's rule makers determined all Funny Cars would weigh
more for 2008, to accommodate the required additional bracing in the
chassis. The 100-pound addition raised the minimum weight for the
floppers to 2,550 pounds.

The drivers running older chassis found themselves at an advantage
which equated to stronger performances. The experience of racing with a
heavier car gave them a data edge.

When you win Indy doors of opportunity open up.

When you win it twice, really big doors open.

For Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Steve Johnson,
he’s parlaying the success into a NASCAR appearance this weekend in Richmond,
Va. He’s grabbing all the gusto he can.

After driving his way to six world championships and tuning his son
Scott Jr. to one, Scotty Cannon has reached his fill. The doorslammer
icon from Lyman, SC, has decided to sell or lease his entire operation
effective immediate. This operation includes a brand new motor home and
trailer as well as the championship-winning 1968 Firebird.

“We have put the word out that we are in search of a sponsor and have
had no results in getting anything going,” Cannon admitted. “The
economy has taken its toll on our efforts and I just cannot continue to
run the car without a major sponsor. If it had not been for Richard and
Thomas Patterson we would not have been able to compete at all this
season.”

Trying to win a championship yet prepare for the inevitable dogs on Tony Schumacher …

Tony Schumacher spent much of his time during the NHRA U.S. Nationals
weekend fielding questions about the impending departure of crew chief
Alan Johnson.

Johnson announced on Saturday in Indianapolis that he intends to leave
the U.S. Army team in pursuit of a new role as team owner with backing
from Al-Anabi Motorsports.

Six races are left in the 2008 season and for now, that’s Schumacher’s focus.

“I’ve said it a million times    I said it before this weekend, I wake
up in the morning and I believe in God and I have a beautiful family,
and that’s what my focus is 99 percent of the time,” Schumacher said.
"Alan leaving a race team is not going to make me any less of a father
or a husband. I’ll still come home and enjoy life.”