by Thomas Pope Thu, 2021-05-27 09:25
Imagine if there was a race -- but not enough competitors for the race to occur.
That, in a nutshell, is what happened with Top Fuel Harley at last weekend’s NHRA Mopar Xpress Lane SpringNationals in Baytown, Texas.
Only six competitors showed up, and by the time rain washed out all but the final pair of Top Fuel dragsters in the opening round Sunday morning, the Harley contingent of half a dozen teams were preparing to hit the road. The remainder of the classes completed the event Monday.
by Thomas Pope Wed, 2021-05-26 07:05
NASCAR’s Wood Brothers team may be the only racing operation that has bled Ford blue longer than the Tasca family of Rhode Island.
Those long-time ties certainly didn’t hurt when Bob Tasca III made repeated pitches to upper management to resume sponsorship in drag racing after it pulled out in 2014. And Tasca essentially put everything on the line when he made his bid for Ford backing: We’ll run up front — or else.
Tasca’s promotional prowess looks especially prescient since Jim Farley was elevated to Ford Motor Company’s CEO and president in October 2020. The latter’s promotion from within meant that racing had a major supporter in the highest place in the company, and Tasca was able to make the most of his family ties.
by Susan Wade Wed, 2021-05-26 06:47
Funny Car racer Bobby Bode surprised even himself last October 24, when he debuted here as an Arizona State University freshman majoring in business administration.
At the time, so many aspects of his life were new experiences: late-night math exams via computer, for example, not to mention trying to juggle his need to study and his desire to concentrate on his racing career.
“It’s pretty hard,” he said of trying to hit the books after hitting the throttle of an 11,000-horsepower Funny Car. (Take that, campus cruisers at Tempe!)