RELATED STORY - NOPI CANCELS EVENTS

The
NHRA issued the following statement upon learning NOPI cancelled two
western events on their schedule. Last season, the NHRA turned over
their sport compact program to NOPI.

Don Schumacher has had his fill of the nitromethane controversy and as far as he’s concerned, he’s moving on with life.

He’s seen the comments by VP Race Fuels that alleges he’s holding the
sport hostage and most recently in an interview with Graham Light
published in CompetitionPlus.com where the NHRA’s Vice President stated
Schumacher's decision to sell to those drivers testing at facilites
outside the NHRA schedule might result in problems down the road.

“None of that is my fault, nor is it my responsibility,” Schumacher
said. “It has always been NHRA and VP Race Fuels’ responsibility to
maintain enough supply in the country for the sport. I think it’s a
shame to eliminate testing which the teams need. Those are decisions
the NHRA makes and I have no power over their decisions. I’m a large
team owner and I’m concerned, but they are not my problems.”

Effective immediately, NOPI Motorsports is forced to cancel two
upcoming NOPI Events located in Colorado (Drag Race and Car Show)
previously set for June 21st and 22nd as well as the Utah event (Drag
Race, Drift and Car Show) previously set for July 18th and 19th of
2008. NOPI Motorsports has faced extreme weather at their past 8
events, which has affected NOPI events in a great way. Each event the
NOPI staff has pushed through these adversities to accommodate all of
its sponsors, racers and fans in the best way possible given the
circumstances. Many times events have been postponed and made up at a
future event due to weather shutting down tracks and making it unsafe
to run on.

Funny Car points leader, Tim Wilkerson will appear on SPEED TV’s popular, “Wind
Tunnel with Dave Despain” this Sunday, June 15 at 9:00 pm ET. 

Wilkerson, backed by long time sponsor, Levi, Ray & Shoup (LRS) is one of
the few remaining independent teams on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing circuit and
is enjoying his career-best season, having earned two wins and four No. 1
qualifying positions.  He currently holds the top spot in POWERade Championship
points, U.S. Smokeless Showdown points and Full Throttle Pit Crew Championship
points. 

CompetitionPlus.com talked to Jessie Harris yesterday for an update on her nitro aspirations.

The
former jet car racer turned Top Fuel licensee Harris wanted to convey
to the readers of CompetitionPlus.com that she's still working forward,
but unfortunately nothing has come together as of today.

CompetitionPlus.com has learned through multiple sources that Torco
Race Fuel's Chief Financial Officer Latrell Preston left the company on
Wednesday, June 12.

Carl
Spiering and his Eaton Cutler-Hammer Pro Modified Corvette were
featured this week at the Global Petroleum Show (GPS) 2008 at Stampede
Park in Calgary, Alberta , the world's largest oil and gas event.
 
Spiering, one of Canada’s top drag racing personalities, spent the week
in the Eaton booth meeting customers, distributors, employees and
guests of the show that saw over 60,000 visitors from 53 countries.
 

The Flowmaster American Drag Racing League (ADRL) presented by the
National Guard announced that its 2nd annual Shelor.com Spring Drags
have been postponed from June 20-21 to Oct. 3-4 at Tulsa Raceway Park
in Oklahoma. Although new tickets reflecting the October dates will be
printed and distributed, all previously distributed tickets will be
honored.

“Unfortunately, this is the second time I’ve had to make this
announcement,” ADRL President Kenny Nowling said, referring to the
previous postponement of the event’s originally scheduled April dates
to June due to severe flooding at the facility. “But short- and
long-term weather forecasts are calling for even more rain and we know
from experience that would ruin any attempt to put on the type of event
the ADRL is known for. As disappointing as it may be, it’s only fair to
our race teams and fans to make this decision now and save them the
time, trouble and expense of traveling for nothing.”

At the center of the pulse of Los Angeles'
entertainment heartbeat, the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City will be
the site where 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series world champions
will be crowned. The 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Awards
Ceremony will be held Monday, Nov. 17, 2008.

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony will feature a
pre-event cocktail reception at 5 p.m., formal sit-down banquet at 6
p.m., and an after party. The voice of NHRA, veteran announcer Bob
Frey, will serve as emcee during the evening.

Force has three decades of memories from Englishtown. (Roger Richards)

Sometimes the things you love the most serve up the biggest
disappointments.  Take John Force and Old Bridge Township Raceway Park,
site of this week's 39th annual NHRA Lucas Oil Supernationals.
 
Force fell in love with the track more than 30 years ago, back when the
late Vinnie Napp became one of the first promoters to take a chance on
a fast-talking Funny Car driver with big dreams supported by a very
thin resume.
 
Unfortunately, that love rarely has been returned.  
 
In 26 appearances in the Supernationals, Force has won just four
times.  Okay, so that's twice as often as as anyone else in the Funny
Car division.