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

ON TROUBLESOME TRACK, FORCE SEEKING HSITORY

dsa_2427.jpgReturning to one of the few tracks on which he has struggled during a
remarkable 31-year NHRA driving career, the indomitable John Force
sends his 330 mile-an-hour Castrol GTX® High Mileage™ Ford Mustang
after another milestone this week at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway.
 
The 58-year-old icon, still battling back from injuries suffered in a
spectacular crash last September at the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas,
is poised to become the first driver in NHRA history to win 1,000
competitive rounds. 
 
All he has to do to make it happen is reach the winners' circle at the
ninth annual SummitRacing.com Nationals, the only event in the NHRA
POWERade Series in which he has made multiple appearances without at
least one victory.
 
In fact, the 14-time NHRA Funny Car Champion hasn't even reached the
finals at this particular event, the only race in which he has a losing
record (6-7).  It's also the event that last year brought to a end his
20 year qualifying streak at record 395 consecutive events.

CAGNAZZI'S JUST WAITING

Team
owner confirms he’s playing the waiting game on Connolly program …


The highly-anticipation sponsorship program which could bring Dave Connolly back to NHRA Pro Stock is in a holding pattern,
0722-03238.jpgaccording to team owner Victor Cagnazzi.

“We’ve felt we were close, but at this point we aren’t really sure how
close we are,” Cagnazzi said in a recent interview with Torco’s
CompetitionPlus.com. “The process seems like it’s been at 90-percent
for a month now.”

Connolly was poised to challenge fellow Cagnazzi Racing teammate Jeg
Coughlin, Jr. for the 2008 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock championship when
sponsor/team owner Evan Knoll suspended sponsorships before taking a
medical leave of absence due to injuries sustained in a non-racing
automobile crash.

TOLIVER ON THE BIG STAGE

Funny Car
veteran learning to be a player on a multi-car team …

toliver_350.jpgEven a seasoned veteran
can get “discovered”.


Last year, Jerry Toliver
spent much of the season playing drag racing’s version of the opening act as a
single-car nitro team. The benefits of multiple sources of information just
weren’t available.

Toliver has become part of
the headlining act by joining up with the traveling Don Schumacher Racing tour
and instead of showing off on a solo basis; he’s playing alongside teammates
such as Ron Capps, Gary Scelzi and Jack Beckman.

A larger stage doesn’t
guarantee one instant success, but the resources available sure don’t hurt.
Optimism is one of the great by-products of being on a multi-car team.

INTRODUCING THE NEW BIC LIGHTERS QUEEN OF DIAMONDS

hanna01copy.jpg

Hanna Motorsports has licensed a new ‘BIC Lighter’ “Queen of Diamonds” driver, Jill Canuso.  Over the past 2 months, Al andhanna10copy.jpg
Rich Hanna, and Ken Hall, have worked closely with Canuso, both at
Maryland International Raceway, and Atco Dragway, to learn the
processes involved in wielding the awesome 300 MPH jet dragster. 

“Jill has been a phenomenal student” said Al Hanna.  “She has much
experience in a multitude of professional race categories, and working
with her has been a pleasure.”

“Driving the ‘BIC Lighter’ “Queen Diamonds” is a dream come true for
me,” added Jill Canuso.  “I have driven all kinds of race cars, but the
acceleration and power of this machine is incredible, and all I can say
is I love this car and this team.”

D'APRILE'S NEW STAGE

Pro Modified journeyman Tommy D’Aprile arrived at San Antonio Raceway for the IHRA Texas Nationals just in time to see Mel

Image
Pro Modified racer Tommy D'Aprile gets a second chance at Pro Modified racing thanks to team owner Mel Bush.

Bush’s
radical bubble-top 1962 Chevrolet Bel-Air roll out of the trailer.
Instead of getting the joys of instant elation, he saw a dinged up ride
backing out slowly.

Apparently a few items came loose inside the trailer en route to the race.

“Nothing significant or nothing that hurt anything,” D’Aprile
explained. “It was nothing that a little red duct tape couldn’t fix.”

One has to understand, nothing can really dampen the enthusiasm of
D’Aprile, the up-and-coming driver who first burst onto the fast
doorslammer scene in 2006 as the driver of Quain Stott’s Corvette
honoring the U.S. Military fighting abroad.

WORSHAM BRINGING HOT STREAK TO LAS VEGAS

There's probably no better time to head to Las Vegas than when you're on a
certifiable hot streak.  Whether it's drawing to an inside straight, putting a
pile of chips on that one lucky number, watching 7-7-7 come up on a slot
machine, or finding your drag racing stride after two and a half years of
frustration, the payoffs in Sin City can be large, and Del Worsham is headed to
the Nevada desert looking to cash in.
After having won 18 races in five years (2001-2005), capped off by his
memorable victory at the '05 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Worsham seemingly lost
his map to the Winner's Circle, and the exasperation born of his winless skein
was made worse when he led off each of the last two seasons with a pair of
back-to-back DNQs.  Less than two weeks ago, Worsham finally erased a losing
streak that was one of the most confusing and frustrating in the sport, by
dominating four rounds of racing in Houston, and all of those negative thoughts
were relegated to the dusty files of ancient history.  Worsham now shifts his
sights to Las Vegas, where he has never won.
"Our team has won at The Strip but it was our blue car when Phil Burkart
was driving, so I haven't had the pleasure," Worsham said.  "The Strip is one of
the best, and most major-league tracks on the tour, and it's definitely at the
top of my list for places I'd like to add to the scrapbook, but I've never
approached a race in my life looking all the way ahead to think about winning.
 Houston was just like every other race we've ever won; we went there trying to
do our best and hoping to go rounds.  Some weekends, it just all comes together
and you get rewarded.  Some weekends, you run even better and it doesn't happen.
 You just never know."

RON CORRENTI PASSES

Ron Correnti, who raced everything from door cars to gas dragsters to nitro Funny Cars, died April 5. He was 65.

TWO DHL CARS IN VEGAS

For NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series fans, the familiar bright yellow
and red colors of DHL have been associated with the nitro-fueled DHL
Toyota Solara Funny Car, driven by Scott Kalitta, for over a year now.
At this weekend's, April 10-13, annual running of the SummitRacing.com
NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, those
well-recognized colors will also adorn the 330-plus-mph Top Fuel
dragster driven by native Australian and Team Kalitta pilot Dave
Grubnic.

"What an honor it is for me and our team to represent such a great
company and a great partner of Kalitta Motorsports in Las Vegas,"
Grubnic, a 45-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. "DHL's
commitment to our team and to the sport of NHRA drag racing is evolving
and strengthening. It's very gratifying for us to be able to share in
that dedication and excitement."

THE NEW STINGRAY?

Image
The
1967 - 1968 Camaros and Firebirds have replaced the 1963 Corvette
Stingray as the most-used body style in Pro Modified in 2008. The
reasoning is to fit a larger tire. However, in this picture, Ed Hoover
basketballs a set during the first round in San Antonio. (Roger Richards)

This
season marks the tenth anniversary of former Pro Modified icon Johnny
Rocca’s infamous exchange with the IHRA’s technical department. Rocca
was showing his disdain for the plethora of 1963 Corvettes in Pro
Modified.

Rocca’s conversation went something like this, “I want to build a 1963 Corvette, what colors are available?”

Rocca, who built a name with his radical, fender-skirted 1949 Mercury,
might be happy that only two 1963 Corvettes were in attendance for the
IHRA Texas Nationals. He would likely make another call soon.

SERIOUS LOOT FOR JEGS PROMOD SERIES

Officials
with the JEGS ProMod Challenge will reward a race day purse of $32,000 for each
of the 10 national events on the 2008 schedule, which totals a whopping $320,000
in race winnings for the year. This is in addition to the $1,000 per race Ohio
Crankshaft Low Qualifier money, a $10,000 bonus to the racer with the most No. 1
qualifying efforts, a yet-to-be-announced $50,000 winner-take-all shootout
event, and a season-ending championship payout.

The race day purse will
be distributed according to final results with the winner taking $10,000, the
runner-up $5,000, semifinalists $2,500 apiece, quarterfinalists $1,500 each, and
eight first-round losers scoring $750 per person.

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