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

THE NEW IHRA.COM

Thu, 2007-11-01 12:53

Live Nation Motor Sports, promoters and producers of the International
Hot Rod Association announced today the two-phase rollout of the new
series’ web sites: NitroJam.com, StreetWarriorz.com, ThunderJam.com,
ProAm.ihracom, and SuperSeries.ihracom. The new and improved sites will
be fan and competitor friendly sites, with much improved navigation,
and they are set to rollout with phase one on November 2, 2007.

SURGERY WON'T IMPEDE FORCE'S PROGRESS

Wed, 2007-10-31 18:49
j_force.jpgWith casts now on both feet, John Force won’t be breaking any speed records this
week when the 2008 NHRA POWERade drag racing season races to close with the 43rd
running of the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
 
 The 14-time NHRA Funny Car Champion underwent additional scheduled surgery
Tuesday at Kerlan-Jobe Medical Center in Los Angeles where doctors inserted a
pin in his right foot to support a broken bone discovered after he had flown
home to Yorba Linda, Calif., following 27 days in a Dallas, Texas, hospital. 
Doctors also cleaned and repaired a troublesome nail bed on the middle finger of
his right hand.
 
 The new cast will further restrict Force’s mobility.  The 125-time tour
winner was able to use a walker to get to and from the starting line during last
week’s ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals, but, with a new boot cast on the right foot,
he will be confined to a wheelchair or his the cab of his Ford truck this
week.
 
 Nevertheless, it is just a temporary setback for the 14-time Auto Racing
all-America selection, who plans to be back in the cockpit of his Castrol GTX
High Mileage Ford Mustang in time for pre-season testing in January.

TROXEL'S FINAL TF RACE

Wed, 2007-10-31 14:45

0718-05306D_200.jpgMelanie Troxel has
traveled many roads during her Top Fuel driving career, but this weekend a
career that has spanned since 2000 and encompassed 82 starts with four victories
out of 15 final rounds will come to an end. She’s headed to Funny Car in 2008
to drive under the Gotham City Racing umbrella.

That’s why Troxel would
love to win this weekend in her final race behind the wheel of the Evan Knoll-donated Vietnam Veterans/POW-MIA tribute dragster.

“That would be the
ultimate way to go out on top in my last race in Top Fuel,” said Troxel.  “As a team, that is something we would really
enjoy to be able to finish our season and our time together.  As many of you know, I’m moving over to Evan
Knoll’s Funny Car team and our present team will be going on with a different
driver.  I’m excited for them because I
know how incredible this car is running. 
This is a serious championship contending team.  I’m honored to be a part of the team and
really enjoyed working with this group of guys.

EXPANDED POMONA COVERAGE

Wed, 2007-10-31 12:29

Television coverage of the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals from Auto Club Raceway at Pomona on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD has been expanded.

ORLANDO PHOTO GALLERY

Wed, 2007-10-31 11:39

Did you miss the Orlando World Street Nationals? Check out our photo gallery from this blockbuster event.

PHOTO GALLERY 

WHEN SKATEBOARDING CROSSES DRAG RACING

Wed, 2007-10-31 11:36

Professional skateboarder Nick Dompierre has made a name for himself on
half-pipes around the globe. He's also become a favorite of drag racing fans as
he often sports a JEGS T-shirt in competition. It turns out the pride of New
Bedford, Mass., is an avid drag racer when not performing his incredible aerial
maneuvers, powering his nitrous-aided 1987 Camaro with a 383 small block through
9.7-second passes at 140 mph.

O'BANNON RE-SIGNS PATRON

Wed, 2007-10-31 11:00
dejoria_headshot.jpgFormer five-time NHRA World Champion team owner Jack O'Bannon announced today
that his two-car NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car team will continue to carry Tequila
Patrón as the team's primary sponsor in 2008.  Current drivers Sean O'Bannon and
Alexis De Joria will once again be at the controls of the 250 mph Dodge
Chargers.
 
This
season marked the first year for Jack O'Bannon Racing in the Top Alcohol Funny
Car ranks.  After winning five NHRA World Championships with Rick Santos as his
driver in Top Alcohol Dragster and finishing second nationally last season with
son Sean behind the wheel, the team made the 'full' switch to the Funny Car
ranks this year.  The team started the year with intentions of running one car
in both categories, but opted to go with a two-car Funny Car team after the
season's first event.
 
"I
am extremely pleased to know that the great people at Patrón Spirits will
continue on with us next year," said O'Bannon.  "This team has come a long way
this year and we look at the Pomona race as the first race of our new year. 
This is a winning combination and the cars will see the winner's circle next
year."

ESPN ZONE GATHERING TODAY

Wed, 2007-10-31 09:19

Event to Kickoff Final NHRA Race Weekend of the Season

WHAT: Two of the top drivers in the world of motorsports, Greg
Anderson and Craig Treble will greet fans at ESPN Zone on October 31
for a Q&A and autograph session.  Fans are invited to come out to
ESPN Zone on Halloween to see their favorite drivers up close and ask
them all of their burning NHRA questions.  The event will kickoff a
great weekend of racing at the Automobile Club of Southern California
Finals which will wrap up the 2007 season.
Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson, currently in first place, has finished
in the top three in the POWERade Series for five consecutive seasons
and won back-to-back-to-back championships from 2003-05.  Craig Treble,
Pro Stock Motorcycle driver, has finished in the top 10 for seven
consecutive years and currently sits in fifth place.

RON CAPPS - A SLIM CHANCE

Wed, 2007-10-31 05:55

R_Capps.jpgRon Capps needs some high-speed wings and a prayer to win his first
Funny Car championship at the final event of the 2007 NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series this weekend, the Automobile Club of Southern
California NHRA Finals at Pomona Raceway, the last phase of the new
Countdown to One playoffs.

After he (No. 4 in points) and two of the other drivers in the top four
made first-round exits at last weekend's Las Vegas event, No. 1 Tony
Pedregon advanced to victory. That provided Pedregon with a nearly
insurmountable 91-point lead over second-place Gary Scelzi, and a
113-point margin over fourth-place Ron Capps.

If Capps, who will finish the 2007 season driving the Brut Revolution
Dodge Charger R/T for Don Schumacher Racing, has any chance of earning
his first Funny Car championship, the 8000-horsepower Brut Dodge he
drives will have to sprout a pair of wings to fly him down the
quarter-mile and set a national record this weekend for 20 bonus
points, as well as win the event. A prayer to keep Pedregon from even
qualifying will help.

THE WOLF HOWLS AGAIN

Tue, 2007-10-30 21:43

11-19-06-jeffwolf_2.jpg
You know him as the hard-hitting columnist for the Las Vegas
Review-Journal, but this evening Jeff Wolf returns to his hard-hitting
monthly column on Torco's CompetitionPlus.com. A staunch opponent of
the Clowndown ... er, Countdown, could he have a change of heart. He
also doles out a few Academy Awards from Las Vegas and offers insight
on a few other subjects. This one is worth checking out.

STRAIGHT AHEAD WITH JEFF WOLF 

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