Nothing makes for a sicker feeling within the drag racing community
than the theft of equipment. Kenny Koretsky’s Werner Enterprises team
was hit on Saturday following qualifying. One of the team’s $15,000
clutch units was stolen.

J.R.
Todd may be bucking for rookie of the year honors, but he passed on a valuable
bit of information to new teammate Steve Torrence, who was making his Top Fuel
debut this past weekend at VMP. “If you want to be on television, you have to do something
spectacular.”

Torrence took his advice. On the heels of a 4.656 elapsed
time, the defending Top Alcohol Dragster champion pulled the parachute release
lever only to have the ‘chutes blossom and then fly away from the car, sail over
the retaining wall and land in the grass beyond.Torrence stood on the
brakes to slow the car, and it came to a stop just short of the sand. The
interesting part of the scenario is that Torrance had no idea what had
transpired behind him.

The track conditions drew the ire of at least three of
the four Pro Stock drivers in the left lane during the quarterfinals.
The fourth has admittedly had so many problems during weekend that he
couldn’t say if track prep had anything thing to do with his run.

Jim Yates was the first driver down behind the fuel cars and recorded
the only victory with an off-and-on-the-throttle 7.685, 189.63 to
defeat Jeg Coughlin, Jr., who shook the tires in the right lane and
lifted.

Three almost-identical runs resulted in the cars of Larry Morgan, Mike
Edwards, and Dave Connolly each shaking the tires and making abrupt
right turns.

LINE MOVES CLOSER TO CLINCHING FIRST
POWERADE PRO STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP; McClenathan and Medlen also earn
victories at Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals

Jason Line raced to his fourth Pro Stock victory of the season Sunday
at the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals and moved closer to securing
his first NHRA POWERade world championship title. Cory McClenathan and
Eric Medlen also were winners at the $1.6 million race at Virginia
Motorsports Park, the 21st of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Sunday's final results from the Inaugural Torco Racing Fuels NHRA
Nationals at Virginia Motorprorts Park. The $1.5 million race is the
21st of 23 in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Cory McClenathan, 4.644 seconds, 304.74 mph def. Rod Fuller, 5.926 seconds, 262.49 mph.

Final round-by-round results from the Inaugural Torco Racing Fuels
NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorprorts Park, the 21st of 23 events in
the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following
the Inaugural Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorprorts
Park, the 21st of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series -

Elton Spain, of Washington, N.C., won the 21st round of the NHRA POWERade Fan Nationals. Spain, a 46-year-old construction worker and 30-year NHRA POWERade Series fan, defeated hundreds of area fans to claim the POWERade Fan Nationals victory, driving realistic POWERade Funny Car simulators. With the victory, Spain will have the opportunity to race for the ultimate title of 2006 POWERade Fan Nationals Series champion in November at the 42nd Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.

Melanie Troxel, driver of the Skull Shine/Knoll
Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel
dragster in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series, will appear on Fox &
Friends on the Fox News Channel at 7:35 a.m. on
Monday, Oct. 16, while in New
York City to attend the Women's Sports
Foundation dinner that evening. She is
a finalist for Sportswoman of the
Year.

RAIN DELAYS KENNEDALE EVENT UNTIL 2007