NHRA: Off Season News and Discussion

[a152004]

Enders lands a full-time ride with Cunningham Motorsports
http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34343.htm

Popular Pro Stock racer Erica Enders will compete full time in the 2009 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series behind the wheel of Jim and Gloria Cunningham's Mastercam Ford Mustang. With technical support from Ford Racing, Enders will begin the season in the same car she drove when she filled in for Cunningham earlier this year at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

"After personally seeing Erica's incredible fan base and how she conducted herself with the fans and in the car at Indy, we asked her to drive for Jim next year and she agreed to race with us," said Cunningham Motorsports crew chief Marcus Bowen. "She did an outstanding job driving our car and produced four outstanding runs. We are pleased to have her driving the car and marketing Cunningham Motorsports and Ford."

After several meetings with Brian Wolfe, the director of Ford Racing, and Doug Hervey, the operations manager of Ford Racing North America, as well as several others from within the Ford Racing Technology group, the Cunningham's have agreed to fully fund the program until appropriate corporate funding can be found.

The plan is to take the current A500 Pro Stock cylinder block and E460 cylinder head and make some much needed revisions to the current tooling used to cast these parts in an effort to drastically improve their current powerplant. In addition to this project, Ford Racing has approved engine block and cylinder head development of its Ford motor. The new combination is currently being tested internally at Ford Racing Technology and could be available to Cunningham Motorsports in late 2009.

In addition to the engine development program, decorated chassis builder Don Ness has been contracted to design a 2010 Ford Mustang Pro Stock body. In support of Ness's work, Ford aero engineers have already scheduled multiple wind tunnel sessions to bring the Mustang body to appropriate levels for Pro Stock competition. Cunningham Motorsports plans to take delivery of the first 2010 Mustang in the spring of 2009.

The 25-year-old Enders already is the most successful female racer in class history with the most races entered, the most final-round showings, the most low qualifier awards, and the most elimination round wins. No female racer has ever won a Pro Stock race.

Enders is perhaps best known for the Disney Channel movie "Right On Track," which chronicles her and her sister Courtney's time in the Junior Dragster ranks. It remains one of the most viewed movies in Disney Channel history.

Will be interesting to see how she goes this time
Now NHRA  can  have female drivers win in all 4 pro classes on the smae day.

Top Fuel to require shutoff device for 2009

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34342.htm

NHRA Technical Services has announced that Top Fuel cars will be required to use the Electrimotion Safety Shutoff Controller in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. 

With this announcement, NHRA continues in its ongoing efforts to improve safety in drag racing. Nitro Funny Cars have been required to use the device beginning at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals in October.

The Electrimotion Safety Shutoff Controller was designed by Dave Leahy of Electrimotion, a company based in Delaware, Ohio, that specializes in electronic control systems. The controller senses manifold burst panel failure and simultaneously activates the fuel shutoff, shuts off ignition, and deploys parachutes.

Use of the shutoff device will be mandatory for both Top Fuel and Funny Cars at the season-opening Kragen O'Reilly Winternationals at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Feb. 5-9, 2009.

http://nhra.com/

[a152004]

Massey named driver of Don Prudhomme/U.S. Smokeless dragster

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34383.htm

Don Prudhomme Racing has announced that Spencer Massey has been selected as driver of the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Top Fuel dragster for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

Snake Racing originally signed Massey, 26, in October with plans for him to pilot a new, second Top Fuel dragster to begin the 2010 NHRA season. Massey's driving debut for Snake Racing will now be accelerated as it was announced earlier today that former driver Larry Dixon had bought out the remainder of his employment contract from Don Prudhomme Racing.

Massey, who won the 2008 Top Fuel championship in his first full season of IHRA competition, will immediately become an NHRA Top Fuel world championship contender as crew chiefs Don Bender and Todd Smith look to improve on the U.S. Smokeless Racing team's second-place finish in 2008.

"I am very honored to be a part of the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Top Fuel team and Snake Racing," said Massey. "Driving for a legend like Don Prudhomme is something that I have always dreamed of, and I am looking forward to working with everyone on the team.  Donnie Bender and Todd Smith have a winning combination that I feel is very capable of bringing home the NHRA Full Throttle championship next season, and I can't wait to be a part of it."

Massey will also become a leading candidate for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, which honors the top-performing rookie Professional driver among NHRA's four Professional categories. Former drivers to earn this award under the development and guidance of team owner Prudhomme include two-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Dixon (1995) and 25-time national event winner Ron Capps (1997), thus certifying Prudhomme's ability to identify young, talented drivers. 

"We knew when we signed Spencer that he had all the tools to get the job done," said Prudhomme. "Now he is just going to get his opportunity to prove it sooner than we had expected. Our U.S. Smokeless team is one of the best out there, and with Donnie and Todd coming back for their fourth season together, I am sure that they will give Spencer a great car to drive and put him in a position to be successful."   

Massey also competed in the 2008 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Top Alcohol Dragster class, posting a second-place finish in Division 4 and a ninth-place national finish. 

"We greatly value our over 20-year relationship with Don Prudhomme Racing and appreciate all the efforts of not only Donnie and Todd in 2008 but the entire team. We look forward to working closely with Spencer in 2009 and wish him continued success as he begins his inaugural NHRA season," said Tom LoBosco, vice president of U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co.

Massey will begin making plans to relocate to Brownsburg, Ind., site of Don Prudhomme Racing's race shop, where he can work alongside Bender, Smith, and the U.S. Smokeless Racing team in preparation for the upcoming 2009 NHRA season. 

Massey's first full season of NHRA Top Fuel competition, Prudhomme's 14th as a team owner and 47th overall, will begin at the Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals in Pomona.

At this stage Dave Grubnic is on the sidelines for next year
Ken Black is almost certain that his Top Fuel Dragster driven by Hillary will is going to be parked next year as well.
Also at this stage David Powers will park his Top Fuel Dragster next year driven by "Hot" Rod Fuller after major sponsor Cat told the team that they would not be back for 09
All is in place for Larry Dixon to be announced as the  driver for Alan Johnson's  new team
Some are saying that  the NHRA might only have 8 car Top Fuel fields next year.


As always more info from
http://nhra.com/

[a152004]

Well it is finally official


Yep, it's Dixon. Johnson officially taps two-time former champ as his driver

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34451.htm

Ending months of speculation, two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon has been named the driver of the Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel dragster, effective immediately. Jason McCulloch will be the team's Top Fuel crew chief.

Dixon, who won the NHRA title in 2002 and '03, joined Don Prudhomme Racing in 1988 as a crew member and worked his way into the cockpit after earning his Top Fuel license in 1994. He was named NHRA Rookie of the Year in 1995.

The Indianapolis resident has recorded 43 NHRA wins in 83 final rounds and is third on the NHRA's all-time Top Fuel winners list. He finished second in the 2008 NHRA Countdown to the Championship, and in 2007 he finished fourth.

"I'm very excited and looking forward to this opportunity and a new chapter in my career," Dixon said. "I had a great time in my 20 years at Prudhomme Racing, and I am thankful for the opportunities I had in that time. Now I'm ready to start this new chapter in my life; it's a wonderful opportunity, and I feel very blessed to have the ability to take care of my family for the long haul.

"It's a new team, and everybody will be in a new position. It could take us a while to gel as a team, but everyone on this team has won at least one championship in previous ventures so I'd like to think we can hit the ground running." 

McCulloch, 37, comes to Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing after six seasons with Don Schumacher Racing where he was the assistant crew chief on the Army Top Fuel dragster driven by Tony Schumacher. McCulloch's father, Ed, drove for Larry Minor in the 1980s, and Jason McCulloch was a crew member on that team. Dixon's first drag racing job also was with that team. The driver and crew chief of the Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Top Fuel dragster have been friends for more than 20 years

This opportunity is great for everyone involved," Jason McCulloch said. "I am the crew chief, but we'll still have Alan looking over everything. We have a very experienced crew; everyone on this top fuel team has at least five years of drag racing experience, and seven of the eight guys also worked together at Schumacher Racing.

"Our goal is to return to the level of excellence we all became accustomed to in our Army Team days. When we get there, we hope to have similar results. We definitely have our work cut out for us because everything we have and are getting is new. We are truly building this team from the ground up. It's exciting; it's a once in a lifetime experience."

"To think that I started my career at the same place and time as Jason, and now we're together as driver and crew chief of a top fuel team is amazing," Dixon said. "We never imagined this would happen, but I'm looking forward to being able to give him his first win as a crew chief, hopefully sooner rather than later."

After more than five years with Don Schumacher Racing, legendary NHRA crew chief Alan Johnson returns to team ownership when Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing debuts in 2009 as a two-car NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series team with one entry in both Top Fuel and Funny Car competition. In September, Del Worsham and Aaron Brooks were named the team's Funny Car driver and crew chief, respectively.

Johnson is widely considered one of the most innovative and successful crew chiefs in NHRA Top Fuel racing. During his just-concluded tenure with Schumacher Racing, he led driver Tony Schumacher to five consecutive Top Fuel titles. On the way to this year's championship, Johnson and Schumacher's Top Fuel dragster set records for consecutive wins (7), wins in a season (15), and consecutive round wins (31). In addition, Johnson won NHRA Top Fuel championships with driver Gary Scelzi in 1997, '98 and 2000.

"When I started thinking about who I wanted in the Top Fuel cockpit back in the fall, Larry Dixon was among the first drivers I considered," Johnson said. "A two-time champion is a great asset, but I knew there would be obstacles for Larry to overcome to make it happen. It's nice that Larry and Don were able to work things out between them so that Larry could take advantage of this opportunity. I appreciate Don Prudhomme's willingness to work with Larry, and we certainly wish him well with his new driver.

"I have worked with Jason for the last five seasons, and I know he is capable of great things. He is definitely ready to step into the crew chief position, and I know Jason and Larry will work well together. With any new team, it can take some time for the crew chief to earn the driver's confidence, but the fact that this driver and crew chief have been friends for 20 years should accelerate that process."

Johnson's 2006 championship will be forever remembered for "The Run;" a national record-setting run on the final pass at the last race of the season that gave Johnson's team the title. The memorable 4.428 second pass is regarded as the greatest single run in NHRA history by many drag racing historians.

After the Schumacher-driven U.S. Army dragster struggled in the first nine events of the 2003 season, Don Schumacher hired Johnson as the team's crew chief. The hire immediately paid off as Johnson guided the Army dragster to a win in his first event. Schumacher earned the Top Fuel trophy four times in 2003 en route to a third-place finish in points. Johnson and Schumacher earned NHRA Top Fuel titles in each of the next five seasons.

Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing is a partnership between Alan Johnson and His Highness Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani. The team will be a two-car NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Team fielding entries in Top Fuel and Funny Car competition. At the forefront of this partnership is Al Thani's goal to promote the domestic and international awareness of motorsports in the nation of Qatar.

[a152004]

Smith will ride for DSR; Treble, Ellis are released

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34452.htm

Don Schumacher has confirmed that Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith will join Don Schumacher Racing to ride a DSR TL-1000 Suzuki sponsored by Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear and XXX Racing Fuels in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Schumacher also confirmed that he has released riders Chip Ellis and Craig Treble, who rode to two national event victories under the DSR banner in 2008.

The DSR Hayabusa engine development program, a joint effort entered into between DSR and Suzuki in 2008, continues, with introduction of the new engine slated for the 2009 season. A second motorcycle may be entered in the PSM class during the season as a test vehicle, while longtime DSR motorcycle tuner Steve Tartaglia will be the crew chief.

Smith, 36, of King, N.C., is the 2007 Pro Stock Motorcycle champion, claiming four wins in nine national rounds that year. He came close to claiming his second straight PSM crown in 2008 after leading the standings for the last six of seven events in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. A mechanical problem in the final event of the season dropped him to a third-place finish for the year. He is the son of NHRA Pro Stock racer Rickie Smith, has 10 career national-event wins in 20 final rounds, and was low qualifier 14 times since joining the class on a limited basis in 2003. He became a full-time competitor in the class in 2005.

"We are privileged to add Matt Smith to our DSR family for 2009," said team owner Schumacher. "He has proven to be an outstanding talent in the highly-competitive PSM class. His technical knowledge and the on-track performance he has demonstrated in his short professional career are definite assets to our team as we continue to work with Suzuki to develop the Hayabusa engine. We also welcome a new partnership with Kenny Koretsky and Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear, and look forward to our continuing association with XXX Racing Fuels."

Smith competed on Suzuki motorcycles earlier in his career, having won championships on the AMA/Prostar Drag Racing circuit. He rode a Suzuki in select NHRA PSM events in 2003 and 2004, earning one runner-up finish in those two seasons. He has competed in the PSM class as an independent team owner the last three years.

"This is a great opportunity," said Smith, who campaigned a Buell motorcycle from 2005-2008, capturing four national-event victories in '08 in six final rounds. "I think the biggest thing I want to do is ride just like I rode the last couple of years and have good green lights and put round wins in the win column. The ultimate goal for me, Don and Steve Tartaglia is to win a championship.

"Don has a very good team," continued Smith. "I'm going to do my best to be a rider, but I think I can help with input of what the bike is doing down the track and add to what the computer doesn't show. I'm also glad to have Kenny Koretsky and Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear continue to support my efforts.

"I'm looking forward to this season because I would like to be the first person who wins a championship on two different makes. That would be pretty awesome."

Said Kenny Koretsky, president and CEO of Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear, who has backed Smith since 2007: "I am honored to have Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear associated with Matt Smith for another year to run for the championship and also to be involved with Don Schumacher Racing. I think DSR is an unbelievable organization. Don and I have become friendly over the years at the races and we both saw this connection as a unique opportunity to benefit both of our companies.

"It brings the Nitro Fish line of edgy youthful clothing to another level, by providing added exposure as we embark on a plan to market the line to customers in other forms of sporting competition. DSR also has an outstanding hospitality program at the races, which will help in entertaining potential new customers.

"For the Pro Stock Motorcycle team, this association puts more resources on the table for Matt to pull from because he is not only a great rider and a great competitor, he's also a good tuner," said Koretsky. "He can give a lot of feedback to the crew chief."
 
In the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Don Schumacher Racing will campaign six teams: two Top Fuel dragsters (Tony Schumacher in the U.S. Army entry and Cory McClenathan in the FRAM dragster), Ron Capps in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car, Jack Beckman in the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Funny Car, Matt Hagan in the BrakeSafe Rear End Collision Avoidance System Funny Car, and Matt Smith in the Nitro Fish/XXX Racing Fuels Pro Stock Motorcycle.

And as always, info can be found at

http://nhra.com/

[a152004]

Popular Top Fuel shoe Baca gears up for 2009

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34567.htm

With details such as a major sponsor and schedule yet to be disclosed, popular Top Fuel driver David Baca is readying for his return to the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Baca, whose only action since the 2006 season was a two-race stint in the Matco Tools dragster at the final two races of 2007, will begin the 2009 season with his own team.

"I'm pretty close to announcing a sponsor that could have us attending half the races or a little better, but we have to keep it under wraps at the moment," said Baca. "We're going to test in Phoenix and come out with a vengeance in Pomona."

The timing is right for Baca to return to the sport. After a two-year layoff, Baca's racing equipment is fresh, and his business, Allstate Contract Floors, is squared away so that he can be a player in NHRA's fastest category once again. Baca has always been a threat to make competitive laps, having run as quick as 4.485 seconds and as fast as 331.69 mph in quarter-mile racing.

"It gets in your blood," said Baca. "I was able to keep my license current when I drove the Matco car in 2007. It's pretty cool anytime you can have a chance to drive for one of the best tuners in the world in Lee Beard.

"We've been known to run fairly well. We're going to go out there full steam ahead. I think we can run right there with them. If you look at some of our time slips when we ran at 1,320 feet, we made a lot of runs that were .80 to .82 at the 1,000-foot mark. We're pretty optimistic."

Baca's reorganized team will be headed by crew chief Rick Henkelman, who often challenged him on the Top Alcohol Funny Car circuit in Northern California in the 1980s, and car chief Jon Schaffer. Schaffer began wrenching for Baca at 15 years old and most recently was a part of Doug Herbert's team.

 
Baca, a longtime driver in the alcohol categories, jumped to the fuel ranks as a co-owner with Henkelman in 2002. The pair had a successful debut season with Cory McClenathan wheeling their entry to a fifth-place finish in the points standings and a win at the season-closing event in Pomona. Baca took over the driving chores the following season and finished seventh while posting a final-round finish and two No. 1 qualifying positions. Baca is hunting for his first win after three losses in the money round.

"I don't feel like we've missed a step," Baca added. "We plan on coming out and being a factor right out of the gate. Hopefully, those guys will be going, 'Uh-oh, that guy's back again.'

"We've always had such a loyal fan base. It's been great to have my own little sector of Baca-maniacs. I want them to know we're coming back out, and I can't wait to see them all at the track."

Euro Top Fuel champ Carter will race in Pomona

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34556.htm

2008 FIA European Top Fuel dragster champion Andy Carter of the United Kingdom will compete at the Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals in Pomona at the wheel of Terry Haddock's Top Fuel dragster with backing from primary sponsor Lucas Oil, which recently extended Carter's two-year deal to three years.

"I am delighted to be representing Lucas Oil at the NHRA season opener in Pomona," said Carter. "I would like to thank Forrest Lucas and all at Lucas Oil America and Lucas Oil UK for their continued backing. I'll be doing my best to repay the faith shown in me with a big performance. I would also like to thank Terry Haddock for giving me the opportunity to drive his fantastic race car. It's going to be a challenge for us both as we look to make a major impression without any previous experience together, but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to."

Carter joins Switzerland's Urs Erbacher (Top Fuel) and Sweden's Leif Andreasson (Top Alcohol Funny Car) in representing Europe at the Winternationals.

Kalitta Motorsports restructures for 2009 NHRA season

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34544.htm

Kalitta Motorsports, a legendary Professional drag racing team founded and owned by drag racing icon Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta, will compete in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series with one full-time entry, the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car driven by Jeff Arend. Also in 2009, Kalitta Motorsports will celebrate 50 years of drag racing by Kalitta as he commemorates the golden landmark as a driver, tuner, and owner.

Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante will serve as co-crew chiefs on the nitro-fueled DHL Funny Car in 2009, replacing Glenn Mikres, who was relieved of his duties as crew chief of the DHL car after the conclusion of last season. Arend joined Kalitta Motorsports last season to assume the driving duties of the DHL entry after the tragic death of Scott Kalitta as the result of injuries he suffered in a high-speed racing accident in June in New Jersey.

Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta, Connie's nephew, will compete in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in the Top Fuel class on a part-time, race-by-race basis as the team searches for a full-time primary sponsor. The team is expected to compete at the season's first two events, the Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals in Pomona and the NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix, then will evaluate its status on a race-by-race basis.

The Top Fuel entry will be helmed by crew chief Jim Oberhofer and assistant crew chief Troy Fasching. Doug, a two-time Top Fuel championship runner-up and 30-time NHRA national event winner, and Kalitta Motorsports were notified in December that longtime backer Mac Tools would not return as the dragster's primary sponsor in 2009 but would remain with Kalitta Motorsports as an associate sponsor.

"Despite the challenges, we are very excited about the 2009 season," said Jim Oberhofer, Kalitta Motorsports general manager. "Connie has done so much for our sport, and we want to celebrate that at every event. Over the past 50 years, Connie has dedicated so much of his time and resources to building one of the most successful teams in the history of auto racing. We want to make sure everyone knows how important he is to us and to drag racing throughout 2009 and beyond.

"We're also very thankful to DHL for their commitment to our team and to NHRA Drag Racing. They have been wonderful partners since joining our organization in 2007. We're looking forward to continuing to build upon our great partnership and great friendship with them in 2009."

Kalitta Motorsports has won five world championships and more than 50 national event titles in five drag racing sanctioning bodies since Connie established it in 1959.

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Cos., K2M, Toyota, and Mac Tools

As always more info can be found at

http://nhra.com/

[a152004]

Thought I might put these on here, not really off season news but still a good read anyway.

Densham makes first non-North American four-second Funny Car run

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34545.htm

Veteran NHRA Funny Car racer Gary Densham etched his name into the history books by recording the first four-second Funny Car pass outside North America at Willowbank Raceway near Brisbane, Queensland, Jan. 2. Making his 11th trip Down Under, Densham stopped the clocks in his Racebricks/Lucas Oil Monte Carlo in 4.866 seconds during qualifying for the ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series.

Densham's 309.70-mph speed was also the first 300-mph Funny Car pass in Australia; Englishman John Spuffard was the first to break the barrier outside the U.S. at Santa Pod Raceway in the U.K. two years ago.

The former Mac Tools U.S. Nationals champion and eight-time NHRA tour winner went even quicker and faster during Saturday night's Chicago Shootout event, finally resetting both ends of the ANDRA national FC record to 4.863 seconds and 310.56 mph.

An elated Densham recognized the significance of his performance: "The crew has done a fantastic job, the fans are great, and I am very proud of this accomplishment, to be the first to run four seconds – it has been a great day for Gary Densham," he said.

But despite writing history, Densham was upset in the final round by rookie western Australian Funny Car driver Mark Sheehan, 5.64, 222 to a shutoff 7.08.

Sheehan had earlier equalled the quickest time by an Australian Funny Car driver in his Ford Mustang, 5.026, set by expat Aussie Robert Schwab in Sonoma in 2005.

"Job done," Sheehan grinned after the final. "I was confident we could match Gary, but when we took off, the car had tire shake, and while I'd normally just drive through it, this time it shook harder than I have ever felt. I started to lift, and when you do that against Gary Densham, you know it's all over.

"But then I saw his candles [flames] go out, and so I got back on the 'noise' and drove it out the back door for the win. While it would have been nice to also get a four-second pass, we know we are capable of it and are sure we can do it in round two.

"It has been a privilege to race against such a quality outfit as Gary Densham's; they have inspired our whole team with how they conduct themselves, their professionalism and efficiency – it has given us something to aim for."

While disappointed in not winning, Densham was delighted with the weekend.

"The final was just one of those things where you try and see if you can do a 4.80 or maybe 320 mph to top off your previous runs, and you find out you can't," he laughed.

"We thought we could have gone harder, but unfortunately we found the limit.

"Apart from that, it has been a great weekend; the car has run really well, and everyone seems pretty happy. We set the national record, and then we made it a bit faster, and we are really looking forward to getting back here in two weeks and doing it all again."

Densham's participation in the two-round ENZED International Nightfire New Year Series at Willowbank is being seen as the rebirth of the nitro Funny Car class in Australia.

The series concludes with round two Jan. 16-17, which coincides with the fifth round of the Australian Top Fuel and fourth round of the Top Bike Championships.

This link is for  Hillary Will's blog on her trip down under late last year.  Scroll down the page a little bit to get to  the story

http://blogs.nhra.com/nhrablogs.asp?blog=will

As always more info can be found at
http://nhra.com/

[the chad]

yeh those 4 sec laps were amazing! i bought the blower belt off the 1st 4 sec pass in oz signed by densham!!!  wooh

the meeting as a whole was great...

thanks for posting the Will blog link. she put on a good show and was a downright nice girl

[a152004]

I hope that blower belt is going straight into the pool room Chad. 
I was making plans to  go to Sydney to see Hillary run and then go to Brisbane to see Gary but something happened in the family about a month before Christmas  and the decision was made that we were all going to be together at Christmas this year (now last year, Man time flies) ..........Hopefully  I will get the chance to see them run in     and if not than a motorsport trip to the states and Europe is on the cards.......Anyway enough about me, here is some more news.

JR Todd has lost his drive  with Morgan Lucas Racing and will be replaced by Shawn Langdons

Mike Ashley Racing acquires Matco Tools Top Fuel team

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34671.htm

Mike Ashley Racing has acquired the racing assets of the Matco Tools Top Fuel team from 3B Racing it was announced today. Antron Brown will continue to drive the Matco-backed rail. It also was announced that Matco Tools has extended its partnership with MAR through the 2010 NHRA season.

"Our entire organization will provide Matco and our marketing partners with a first-class hospitality and activation program, coupled with a winning on-track performance," Ashley said. "Our immediate goal is for an easy transition as we are right around the corner from the start of the season. I will make changes to be announced that I believe give our team the best chances at long term success. Our goal is to compete for the NHRA Full Throttle championship in 2009. Antron (Brown) will remain as our driver and I am proud to have him represent Mike Ashley Racing. He has been an overall winner for Matco Tools." 

Brown, an 18-time NHRA winner, including two Top Fuel wins last season, returns to pilot the bright blue Matco Tools dragster that will now be tuned by co-crew chiefs Brian Corradi and Mark Oswald, the 1984 NHRA Funny Car champion. Among the assets changing hands include the entire Top Fuel operation, support trailer, Iron Eagle Club hospitality unit, and the team's striking Brownsburg, Ind. race shop. The team will begin its preparation for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series on Jan. 23 during the National Time Trials at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix. Brown will continue to make Votech school appearances or participate in tool truck rides with Matco distributors prior to each race. 

"We are committed to Mike Ashley Racing and excited to extend our sponsorship with Antron Brown and the Matco Tools Top Fuel team through 2010," Matco Tools president Tom Willis said. "Matco Tools is fully committed to NHRA drag racing. It remains a fantastic base for our 1,500 Matco Tools distributors. We speak directly to our loyal customers through this NHRA program and we couldn't ask for a better driver and person than Antron Brown."

Last season, Brown became the first driver in NHRA history to earn wins in both the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle catergories. Following 10 successful seasons on his Suzuki, which included 16 wins and 11 poles, Brown earned the pole at the season-opening Winternationals. He won in just his fourth start (Houston) and won two races in five final round appearances, along with earning three poles and ranking second in the Top Fuel standings for much of the 2008 NHRA season.

"To hear that we're going to be with Matco Tools for another two years is awesome news for not only our new team here at Mike Ashley Racing, but also NHRA drag racing," Brown said. "We're very excited about the 2009 season. We're just a week away from firing up this Matco Tools dragster and can't wait to hit the throttle to start testing. We're retaining our core group of technicians and I'm excited to work along Brian (Corradi) and Mark (Oswald) and start winning races."

Ashley competed professionally in 50 NHRA races from 2005-07 earning three Funny Car wins in five final round appearances, including the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 2007. He also earned three poles and finished sixth in the season-long rankings in '07. His first career win came at Heartland Park Topeka in June 2007. Ashley also is a former NHRA Pro Mod standout.

"When I originally sold my team I was clear that my time away from the sport would be temporary," Ashley said. "Navigating the current economic crises has not been easy, but like anything else in life with determination and unconditional belief, success is possible and I am thrilled to return to the NHRA tour with a minimum two-year partnership with the Matco organization."

"I want to commend David Powers and Tim Buckley on the terrific organization they assembled. Along with Matco they have built a solid foundation for a long-term successful campaign on the NHRA Full Throttle tour."

Headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., Mike Ashley Racing also represents racing partners Matco Tools, Lend America, Valvoline, Toyota, DataDot USA, Ringer's Gloves, Go Fast Sports, Goodyear, FRAM, Autolite, Connexions Sports and Entertainment, and Forward Sports Marketing.

And as always more info at

http://nhra.com/

[a152004]

Tuner Lee Beard joins Don Schumacher Racing as team manager

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34688.htm

Team owner Don Schumacher has announced that tuner Lee Beard will join Don Schumacher Racing as team manager for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Beard's responsibilities will include overseeing the operations of each of the six pro teams under the DSR umbrella as well as the in-house research and development programs at the DSR facility in Brownsburg, Ind.

Beard previously worked for DSR as crew chief from 2001-2005, tuning Whit Bazemore to 12 Funny Car wins in 28 final rounds. He's been a crew chief since 1976 and has tuned both Top Fuel and Funny Cars to 57 NHRA national-event victories. His record also includes a Top Fuel crown with the late Gary Ormsby in 1989, and he was instrumental as a team manager when Cruz Pedregon won the 1992 Funny Car championship. He has also tuned for Ed McCulloch, Kenny Bernstein, Cory McClenathan, Rod Fuller and most recently Antron Brown. Beard drove Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars in the early '70s and was named the Crew Chief of the Year and Person of the Year in 1989 by Car Craft Magazine.

"Lee has great ability, is very talented and has been very successful in his career as a crew chief," said Schumacher. "When you have the opportunity to strengthen your company, you take advantage of it by bringing in great people. I see Lee as the 'cement' that will keep the DSR operation solid and cohesive as we aim to win the Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle world championships in 2009."

Said Beard: "Certainly Don Schumacher has put together the premier organization in drag racing, with his excellent facility, his research and development programs, and the top-of-the line sponsors that he has acquired. So, being in upper-level management of this premier team is certainly a very exciting move for me.

"I will help coordinate all the efforts among the teams," continued Beard, who makes his home in Brownsburg, Ind., "so that every team is aware of what the other teams are doing. I will personally work with every crew chief, try to be a problem solver and basically try to bridge up any weak areas."

In the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Don Schumacher Racing will campaign six teams: two Top Fuel dragsters (Tony Schumacher in the U.S. Army entry - crew chief Mike Green - and Cory McClenathan in the FRAM dragster - crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler), Ron Capps in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car (crew chief Ed "Ace" McCulloch), Jack Beckman in the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Funny Car (crew chief Johnny West), Matt Hagan in the BrakeSafe Rear End Collision Avoidance System Funny Car (crew chief Tommy DeLago), and Matt Smith on the Nitro Fish/XXX Racing Fuels Pro Stock Motorcycle (crew chief Steve Tartaglia).

As always more info @

http://nhra.com/

[a152004]

Anderson runs 6.527 at quick PBIR test session

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34748.htm

NHRA Pro Stock standout Greg Anderson, driving his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac, clicked off a string of 6.53s followed by a stellar 6.527, 212.63 at the team's second test session at Palm Beach Int'l Raceway in Florida.

The atmospheric conditions were what racers call mineshaft conditions with an adjusted altitude reading of 1,400 feet below sea level, the temperature was in the low to mid-50s most of the day, and there was virtually no wind. (The NHRA national e.t. Pro Stock record is 6.536, set by Anderson at the 2007 ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals.)

Also testing were Allen Johnson (6.600, 209.98), Johnny Gray (6.600, 209.72), and Larry Morgan (6.608, 209.72). On Tuesday, Jason Line, Anderson's KB Racing teammate, ran a best of 6.57, 210.

Dixon leads fuelers, Head the Funny Cars in opening test day in Phoenix

http://www.nhra.com/content/news/34762.htm

Eighteen nitro cars – 10 in Top Fuel and eight in Funny Car -- logged runs on the opening day of the NAPA Auto Parts National Time Trials Friday at Firebird Int'l Raceway and the star of the day, as he was all last year, was crew chief Alan Johnson, who tuned his new Larry Dixon-driven Al-Anabi Top Fueler to a 3.84, 308.14 for low e.t. honors of the first day.

Jim Head made the only full Funny Car run of a day in which many teams in both classes were making planned early shutoff efforts and those who tried to push it a little further didn't make it the full length of the 1,000-foot track.

Dixon, whose 3.81 was low e.t. of test sessions last week in south Florida, was exceeded in his class on only one front in Phoenix  – his 60-foot time (.840), a popular measuring stick for teams at this early juncture --but by two drivers, Spencer Massey, who clocked an .832 in his new ride in Don Prudhomme's Donnie Bender-tuned U.S. Smokeless dragster, and Morgan Lucas, in his new-look GEICO/Lucas dragster, which Jimmy Walsh wrenched to an .836 short time.

"I've was really looking forward to my first pass," said Massey, who last year won several events on the IHRA tour but this year will drive for one of NHRA's all-time greats. "I'm just getting comfortable with the car and working on making longer passes. The car I drove last year was one of Prudhomme's old cars so  I'm familiar with the cockpit layout, and everything is going smoothly."

Massey actually had three excellent 60-times on his three pass – the most by any dragster on the opening day -- clocking runs of .847, .839, and the .832. Lucas also clocked an .840 60-foot time on his opening pass of 4.23, which was the second quickest e.t. for the fuel dragsters. Troy Buff in Bill Miller's car and returning David Baca, in the Mach 1 dragster, were the only others to run quicker than five seconds.

Lucas' new teammate, Shawn Langdon, got his nitro feet wet with his first crossgrading license pass, a planned 330-foot squirt that nonetheless yielded an .855 60-foot time, well better than the 9.28 best he registered last year in the Lucas A/Fuel Dragster.

"It went really well," said Langdon, the two-time and defending NHRA Super Comp champ. "It's a real big difference in the leave between this car and any other car I've driven, but the crew seemed happy with the job I did. They had pointers about how to stage the car a little slower to give them a chance to wipe the tires and other small things, but overall it went well."

Langdon, who said his team may stay well into next week to get his as many runs as possible, needs to make two passes quicker than 4.50 and faster than 240 to upgrade his license, but he's not the only driver here trying to do that. Steve Faria, who grabbed a slice of drag racing history more than 20 years ago as the first Alcohol dragster driver to run in the five-second zone, also is attempting to earn his fuel ticket but had to be shut off behind the line on his first attempt due to a fluid leak.

Glitches like that also prevented late-arriving Brandon Bernstein and second-year Top Fuel pilot Antron Brown from making their passes as the teams try to work out the offseason kinks.

Although Head's run was the quickest to the 1,000-foot timers, Robert Hight had the day's best-looking early passes with 60-foot times of 8.86 and 8.78 while teammate Ashley Force had a 60-footer of .881. Boss John Force had the best fulltrack e.t. of their team with an 6.96 early shutoff 6.96.

Pro Stock Motocycle rider Valeie Thompson also is on hand with her Buell and made a pass of 7.40.

Friday's best passes:

TOP FUEL
Larry Dixon      3.846, @ 308.14mph
Morgan Lucas 4.234,  @ 194.18
Troy Buff       4.432,  @ 177.37
David Baca    4.514, @ 177.44
Spencer Massey 5.021,@ 142.88
Shawn Langdon  5.641,@ 113.73
Joe Hartley       7.907, @ 88.73
Brandon Bernstein No time
Steve Faria No time
Antron Brown No time


FUNNY CAR
Jim Head       4.251, @ 231.91mph
John Force    6.966,  @ 82.93
Ashley Force  7.888, @ 76.65
Bob Tasca III 7.894, @ 88.69 
Del Worsham  8.332, @ 76.40
Robert Hight  8.765, @ 76.45
Jeff Arend     8.945, @ 80.41
Mike Neff 12.087, 69.77 

There is some pics of the cars with this story in the link

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