NHRA Pro Stock champion
aims for win No. 53 in Phoenix

There’s usually no
second-guessing in the winner’s circle. That’s why Greg Anderson knew bringing
out his new Pontiac GXP at the season-opening NHRA Winternationals in Pomona,
California two weeks ago was the best decision.

Never mind the fact
Anderson had a less than satisfactory period of time to cultivate the new
Pontiac, he couldn’t be stopped on Sunday in Pomona.

"We had doubts
whether we should bring the new GXP to Pomona or not because we didn't feel we
had enough time to prepare a new car," Anderson confirmed. "We had a
great test session at Las Vegas at the Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown and we
learned a lot of stuff about it. Obviously it's going to be a great hot rod.
It's already looking fantastic and it should only get better. My hat's off to
the boys at Pontiac - they built that beast.

Mick Snyder and the Snyder
Motorsports Top Alcohol Funny Car Team is gearing up for the 2008 season and
they are proud to announce that Lucas Oil, Jeg’s, The Winning Team and Spitzer
Enterprises will be on board.  In what has been a whirlwind off-season full of
surprises, the Team has been busy trying to prepare for what they hope will be
their most successful season yet.

Since entering the Top Alcohol Funny
Car class full time in 2004, the Team has earned 3 Division 3 Top Alcohol Funny
Car Championships and 3 Top 10 finishes.  In an up and down season last year,
the Team finished 2nd in the Division 3 championship chase and earned
its 3rd straight Spitzer Low Qualifier Series
Championship.

TASCA EXCITED FOR ROUND TWO OF
RACING THIS WEEKEND AT FIREBIRD

Bob Tasca III can’t wait
for this weekend. The freshman Funny Car driver gained his license at Firebird
International Raceway just three weeks ago.

In Tasca’s world, three weeks
can be a lifetime – especially when you qualify for your first event, win your first
round of competition and sit fifth in the NHRA POWERade point standings.

“I’m excited to get back
to Phoenix, particularly with the tune-up we
have in the race car coming out of Pomona,
“ said Tasca. “We learned a lot at our test in Phoenix and we have high expectations for the
weekend.”

The three week journey for
Tasca, from licensed to unlicensed, Phoenix to Pomona and back to Pomona, has provided
a pressure cooker situation at times for the Motorcraft-sponsored driver and his
newly assembled crew led by Mike Kloeber.

“There’s no question that
first event had everyone on overload,” said Tasca. “We went into the event a
little uncertain on our tune-up, but now the team and my crew chiefs have a
chance to make decisions off of those solid runs.

More runs will only make the new Ford Boss 500 Nitro Engine Better

The Ford Boss 500 engine made its competition debut two weeks ago at
the NHRA POWERade season-opener at Pomona in Mike Neff’s Old Spice
Funny Car Mustang. Crew chief John Medlen says he was very encouraged
by what the new engine showed.

“We were extremely pleased with the overall package,” said Medlen. “The
durability appears to be up.  The performance is certainly there.  I
think one of our biggest wrestling matches [that] weekend was getting a
grasp on the power.  The power level is up.  So, we’re very pleased so
far.”

At this point in the game, Medlen says they’ll improve the Ford Boss 500’s performance as they gain experience.

Winning should never make a driver nervous, especially a three-time
world champion. But winning the NHRA Winternationals two weeks ago left
Tony Schumacher feeling a bit nervous.

The kind of success Schumacher experienced in the Pomona season-opener
gave cause for concern. Quite simply, Schumacher is largely considered
to be a late bloomer in the championship chase.

“I began to think that this is not typical of how we begin a season,”
he said with a chuckle. “We usually start slow. Suddenly, the tables
were turned. I really didn’t know how to deal with that.”

Schumacher has a unique tradition going on. If he loses in the first or
second round (at least in the last three seasons), he usually thunders
to a championship ten months later.

Championship Drag Racing is headed to the upstate of South Carolina in 2009.

Union County Motorsports Association President Mike Petrie announced
that a suitable investor had been procured to not only purchase the
failed Broad River Drag Strip project, but also complete the racing
facility in preparation for the 2009 drag racing season. The strip will
be promoted under the IHRA sanction.

Curtis Teems, a businessman from Greer, South Carolina with experience
in oval track promotion, was introduced during a press conference on
Monday evening.

Teems originally tried to purchase the property from the founding
owners of the Broad River Drag Strip project, but when negotiations
stalemated, he and the Union County Motorsports Association began
looking for property elsewhere in the county.

A suitable location for a new drag strip was located and in the midst
of negotiations for the new site, the Broad River group reportedly
decided to sell.

The Pro Modified Racing Association Presented by Torco Racing Fuels
Ontario is pleased to once again have the support of Gulfway Insurance.
 
“The PMRA is a great series, and we’re pleased to be able to contribute
to its growth,” stated Gulfway’s Mel Eaves. “Pro Modified racing is
very popular and Gulfway is glad to be on board.”
 
Gulfway will be providing bonus money for Best Reaction Time and Round Winner at all 2008 PMRA events.
 
Eaves is no stranger to racing. Gulfway is a leader in specialized auto
insurance, focusing on motor racing. Eaves, who has competed in several
types of racing, knows and understands the issues when it comes to
insurance for the motorsport industry. His racing career spans several
decades of off-road racing, road racing, and, for the past several
years, drag racing. Starting in Super Gas, Eaves worked up to Top
Sportsman and Pro Modified, along with campaigning a Nitro Coupe from
his Florida base.

A source indicates that a conglomeration of companies spearheaded by
the leaders of Jegs Mail order are committed to keeping the NHRA Pro
Modified series intact for at least the 2008 season.

While Jegs
Mail Order's PR Director Scott Woodruff wouldn't confirm they have
taken the lead in the effort, he did say that his company loves the
entertainment value the class brings to the NHRA series.

J.R. Todd has only raced Firebird
Raceway twice but to determine that it’s not at the top of his favorites list.
Thus far Todd has a DNQ and a first round loss to his credit during the NHRA Checker
Schuck’s Kragen Nationals.

Todd does see a silver
lining in this otherwise dark cloud – pre-season testing.

“Yeah, we haven’t had the
best luck at Phoenix,
but with our results from our preseason testing there, this year might have a different
outcome for us,” said the five-time NHRA Top Fuel winner.  “It’s kind of a tricky track with the way the
groove is laid out, so now I know what to expect once we get back there this
weekend.  It’s my new team with Morgan
Lucas Racing and based on the way we ran there in preseason testing, we stand a
good shot this weekend.”

The last time Gary Scelzi made runs at Firebird Raceway, he left
with a less than confident feeling. Three weeks later, he's a changed
man. Credit a strong Pomona showing for his renewed enthusiasm.

"I'm really excited about going to Phoenix," said Scelzi, who landed in the
quarterfinals in Pomona and is tied in fifth place in the standings with three
other drivers. "I felt that we could have done damage in Pomona. It was
unfortunate that we broke a Heim joint (in his second round against John Force)
that is connected to the barrel valve. But it's one of those things; it's
something that just never breaks. So, we'll write that off as one that got
away.