:::::: News ::::::

GILBERTSON'S NEW SPONSOR

AzulCar1LoRes.jpg
Jay Pennington, Managing Director of Extraodinario Brands, brand owner and
importers of Tradicion Azul Tequila, announced that Tradicion Azul will join
forces with Nitro Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson starting at this weekend's
O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Tex.
 

ENDERS TO RETURN

Pro Stock driver Erica Enders has taken control of her racing future by assuming
the responsibilities of vice president of marketing of Master Formula Xtreme
Polishes, Waxes, Cleaners, and Sealers. The agreement will allow Enders to resume her driving career in an
Allen Johnson-powered Dodge Stratus R/T.

Unlike traditional motorsports marketing programs that promise sales
results in exchange for up-front sponsorship dollars, Enders plans to
use her familiarity with race fans and the business community to
bolster the Southern California-based company's bottom line. As sales
of Master Formula products increase, a percentage of gross revenue will
be allocated to funding her on-track activities.

"We are delighted to associate ourselves with a proven
professional like Erica," said Clarence Larkins, CEO and Founder of Master
Formula. "After meeting with Erica and her father Gregg, along with their team
of business and marketing professionals, we're confident Enders Racing can help
us take our company to the next level very quickly.

GUENTHER RETURNS TO PMRA WITH A HOST OF CHANGES

guenther_01.jpgWith some weight reduction, a new transmission, and an updated engine
combination, the Guenther Racing team is hoping to make its mark on the 2008 Pro
Modified Racing Association tour Presented by Torco Racing Fuels
Ontario.
 
“We’ve made some changes,” said team driver Matt Guenther,
who drove the 1941 Willys-bodied Pro Modified to second place in the PMRA
standings last year. “We’ve been working all winter to refine several aspects of
the car, with the objective of reducing weight and improving the
aerodynamics.”
 
The team, which is owned and operated by Matt’s parents
Mike and Rhonda Guenther, has also opted to install a new Lenco four-speed
transmission with a Ram clutch, getting rid of the former Lenco drive
three-speed automatic.
 
The younger Guenther admitted there will be a bit of a
learning curve with the new transmission, which is coupled to a Sonny’s
737-cubic inch Chevrolet Nitrous Hemi, one of the few non-supercharged cars in
the PMRA.

MUSTANG CAT PARTNERS WITH DAVID POWERS MOTORSPORTS

A year after being the first Caterpillar dealer to support the NHRA dealer
recruitment program, Houston-based Mustang Cat has again partnered with David
Powers Motorsports. Hot Rod Fuller will race the Mustang Cat dragster during the
21st annual O’Reilly Spring Nationals, March 28-30, at Houston Raceway Park. Texas State Technical College Waco,
Mustang Cat’s Think Big partner, and Cat Global Petroleum also are involved at
the Houston NHRA event.

The relationship between David
Powers Motorsports, Caterpillar and the Cat Dealer Groups was designed as a
pilot program to increase technician recruiting. Many Caterpillar dealers are
experiencing a shortage of technicians. After successful events in several NHRA
markets during the 2007 season, DPM and Caterpillar inked a multiyear agreement
last August to participate in the NHRA dealer recruitment program. Mustang Cat
is the southeast Texas authorized sales, parts and service
dealer for Caterpillar construction equipment and engines.

“We’re excited to
have Mustang back on the car this year,” Fuller said. “They helped get things
started last spring, so we’re forever indebted to everyone at Mustang for making
this program work. Our goal is to go some rounds this year and redeem ourselves
after going out early last year. I’m looking forward to visiting everyone at the
dealership on Thursday afternoon.”

GRUBNIC REMEMBERS HOUSTON SHORTCOMING

Last year at the O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park in
Baytown, Tex., just east of Houston, native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of
the Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, made a semi-final showing in the Lone
Star state.

“We felt like we let the win in Houston slip through our fingers last year,”
Grubnic, a 45-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. “Our car was certainly
one of the best there last year, but we just barely missed a chance at getting
the win (Grubnic was defeated by Joe Hartley, 4.661 seconds, 307.72 mph to 4.623
sec., 316.15 mph, in the semifinals).

DAVID POWERS MOTORSPORTS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ILOCATE GPS

Sekurus Inc. and its iLocate GPS brand were named an associate partner of David
Powers Motorsports, team owner David Powers announced today. The iLocate GPS
logo will be located on the Matco Tools dragster driven by Antron Brown
beginning at the O’Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park.

 

The iLocate/DPM partnership
provides an opportunity for Sekurus representatives to invite key accounts in
race markets to the NHRA events for hospitality entertainment at the team’s Iron
Eagle Club hospitality area, as well as the opportunity for iLocate
representatives to speak with other race team sponsors about
business-to-business networking in the pit area. In addition to the networking
opportunities for iLocate products at the track, Sekurus representatives also
will make a nationwide push with iLocate products for promotions with the David
Powers Motorsports race team, including show car and driver appearances at car
dealerships, trade shows, and conventions throughout the U.S.

 

In 2007, iLocate National Sales
Manager Michael Southerland connected with former NHRA Funny Car driver Jim
Epler to explore possibilities for Sekurus Inc. They developed the sponsorship
model that attracted Sekurus and its iLocate GPS brand to become a first-time
NHRA sponsor. Epler, the first Funny Car driver to exceed the 300-mph barrier,
will work with Southerland and focus on national motorsports
accounts.

SANTA POD - EASTER RECAP

In all my almost forty years of attending races, I have never known
such arctic conditions that befell the season opener at Santa Pod
Raceway. Dedicated nitro starved fans arrived regardless of weather
predictions and struggled in muddy fields, some even succumbing to
hypothermia overnight as temperatures dipped well below freezing. How
race teams managed to even start motors let alone get down track on the
two days that did not suffer rain, sleet and snow is beyond me.
Everyone at the racetrack over that weekend needs an endurance medal
and help in thawing out. Many teams decided the weather too adverse and
wisely sat out or went home to keep warm whilst the slightly depleted
fields managed to complete the eliminations between show showers on
Easter Monday.

JEG, SR. - "BACK IN THE DAY"

In 1979, Jeg Coughlin Sr. was riding high in the drag racing world. He had a
top-10 race car and was vying for the trophy at every event he attended. But the
founder of JEGS High Performance hit a big hurdle, literally, at his home
racetrack of National Trail Raceway in Columbus,
Ohio
, when his parachutes failed to deploy
after a 250-mph pass and he ended up crashing into the top-end catch net. It was
a harrowing accident, but one Coughlin immediately emerged from completely
unscathed.

 

His JEGS racer wasn't so
fortunate, however, as the severe damage caused by the incident reduced his car
to a twisted bit of wreckage that was deemed undrivable by Coughlin and
crew.

BERNSTEIN SEEKING THIRD

Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team have won the
O’Reilly Spring Nationals twice, 2004 and 2006.  The only Top Fuel
driver to be a three-peat winner of the event is team owner and father,
Kenny.

When the Bernsteins return to their home state of Texas March 28-30,
they will be looking to collect career trophy No. 18 for Brandon.

“We have a new chassis that we debuted at the last race at Gainesville,
Fla.,” said the second-generation driver.  “We were runner-up at that
event and ran good, competitive numbers.  We are coming into this event
with some momentum, and hopefully we will have a strong showing.”

SCHUMACHER'S EARLY MOMENTUM

Momentum is very important to Tony Schumacher right now. Off to his
best start since the 2004 season, he’s looking to maintain the edge
this weekend during the O’Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway
Park.

Schumacher leads second-place Larry Dixon by 52 points thanks to two victories out of three events thus far in 2008.

“We’re pleased that we’ve started off the way we have,” said the
five-time world champion. “This is so different than in recent years
when we’ve struggled early but rallied late.”

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