Today's video classic comes from the 1985 IHRA Winter Nationals in
Darlington, SC, when early ESPN drag race coverage (before NHRA was on
the network) did a profile on a true drag racing legend - Tom "the
Mongoose" McEwen. This is a pretty neat  clip dating back to the Coors
Corvette days.

Del Worsham, owner/driver/tuner of the Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Funny Car, and Dexter Tuttle,
owner/tuner of the Top Fuel Dragster that will be driven by Alan
Bradshaw during the 2008 NHRA POWERade season, have announced they will
work together in '08, forming a racing alliance.  The combined effort
will feature a mutual pit area, shared resources, and combined tuning
approaches, all of which are designed to provide each team
significantly more information and assets as they compete in two
different classes.

Worsham has owned and operated a two-car organization since 2000, with
Jeff Arend most recently driving the blue version of the Checker,
Schuck's, Kragen Funny Car.   Although CSK Auto is moving forward into
its 12th consecutive season sponsoring Worsham, the "Official Auto
Parts Retailer" of the NHRA has announced it will focus its sponsor
resources and backing on just Worsham's red car in '08.  Tuttle, who
led driver J.R. Todd to five race victories over the past two years,
has named Bradshaw to drive his Top Fuel machine next season, and the
team expects to attend at least 15 races, though they will continue to
pursue additional sponsor funding.

Our good friend Lee McKinney, who is stationed over in Iraq, sent us
this interesting picture. It appears Santa has a few extra security
issues when delivering the yuletide cheer.

SETBACK
AFTER SETBACK CAN’T DETER EDWARDS

NHRA POWERade Pro
Stock driver Mike Edwards wields a vicious axe on the starting line when it
comes to starting line reaction times. If you’re the least bit hesitant off the
line, he’ll chop down the Christmas tree and leave you wondering what
happened.

Recently Edwards
was wielding an ax, but not the kind that yields better reactions. In fact, the
former Sportsman world champion turned professional championship contender, was
swinging the real deal – knocking down hundreds of trees that succumbed to a
vicious ice storm that paralyzed parts of the Midwest including his hometown of
Coweta, Oklahoma.

Edwards, his wife
Lisa and his parents own forty acres of wooded land some thirty miles southeast
of Tulsa. Their house is located deep in those woods which meant there were lots
of fallen trees and debris to clear out of the driveway.

Back in November, Kenny Koretsky told Torco's CompetitionPlus.com
that he'd wrapped up filming for a  History Channel documentary based
on his 2005 Dallas crash with Bruce Allen.  That show is scheduled to
air Friday, December 29 at 9 PM.

The horrific crash will be profiled on an episode of Shockwave along
with a helicopter pilot who survived a nose-first crash and another
pilot, who ejected from a burning fighter plane only to parachute
directly into the fire. 

"I have to tell
you that I was impressed with the set,” Koretsky said. “This is an exciting deal.”

Faith and a supportive team inspired
Bruce Litton to win his first-ever IHRA Top Fuel
championship

Bruce Litton couldn’t have felt any lower than he did in
September of 2006. The veteran IHRA Top Fuel racer had just suffered
his second major crash in as many seasons, yet this time he was badly
injured.

Litton’s mishap during the IHRA North American Nationals in Epping, NH,
left him nursing injuries serious enough to suspend his racing
activities.

Litton’s subsequent wounds served as a reminder to just how fortunate
he had been to escape with minor scratches following his accident
during the 2004 season-opener in San Antonio, Texas.

Veteran 500-inch
Pro Stock racer still seeking deal to run 2008

Here’s a point that NHRA
Pro Stock racer Richie Stevens wants to make. Don’t count me out for returning
in 2008.

Stevens isn’t the only one
saying that, either. Reportedly an 11^th hour bid to bring back
longtime associate backer Valspar is in the works. That campaign is being
spearheaded by Valspar team member Randy Tinsley.

“We’ve met with them
through Randy and they didn’t shoot us down, in fact they asked to see a
proposal,” Stevens said. “They want to see some artwork. We’re trying. I’m
hoping a call will come for Christmas.”

Mike Edwards and his program “A Team on a Mission,” continues to
offer the perfect gift to kids around the country. With the support of fellow
racers, business executives, the racing industry, and team owners, joined
forces to raise more than $90,000 in helping send a kid to a Young Life camp.
To date, in only three short years, the “A Team on a Mission” has raised more than $200,000 in
support of kids. 

“This is a gift that will have a lasting impact on
many young kids around the country,” said Edwards. “By working with the racing
family, we are giving hope to many kids that need it the most and letting them
know that people care about their future.”

The "A Team on a Mission" program is set up as a simple
donation format. Edwards and a few of his fellow Pro Stock racers donate the
amount needed to send a kid to a Young Life camp for every round of competition
that he wins during the NHRA POWERade schedule. Fans, racers, and businesses,
can either match Edwards’ contribution to the program, or develop their own
style of donation, which can include a single donation, a set amount per event,
or whatever way they would like.

Allen Johnson just sent us these new pictures of his latest Pro Stock Dodge Stratus.

Last season,
the Evan
Knoll Top Fuel dragster driven by Clay Millican ran two salutes – one
to his oldest daughter Betsy and the rock group RATT and their Back for
More tour.

This year will bring forth
two more. For at least 19 races, Millican will drive the black-themed Torco
Race Fuels flagship, but in at least five events during the 2008 season, he’ll
change the skin on the dragster and promote SinFuel Choppers product line.