- NHRA RETURNS TO CHICAGO FOR ACTION-PACKED GERBER COLLISION & GLASS NHRA ROUTE 66 NATIONALS
- DRAG AND DRIVE EXHIBITION WITH ALEX TAYLOR AND TOM BAILEY RETURNS TO NHRA NATIONAL EVENT AT ROUTE 66 RACEWAY
- Record Setters and Race Winners Head to Virginia for PDRA Mid-Atlantic Showdown
- Race Wrap | NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals
- Race Wrap | NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals
- Stewart, Hagan Record Final Round Performances at Las Vegas NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in TSR Dodge//SRT Nitro Machines
- KALITTA, TASCA AND COUGHLIN JR WIN LAS-VEGAS 4-WIDE
NEW MICKEY THOMPSON ET STREET RADIAL PRO EARNS 2012 SEMA NEW PRODUCT RUNNER-UP AWARD
Courtesy of Mickey Thompson
STOW, OH – The new ET Street Radial Pro race tire is runner-up in this year’s New Product Showcase competition at the 2012 SEMA 
Show in the Best New Tire and Related Product category. The awards are presented in 16 categories, and the criteria for selection included quality, craftsmanship, technical achievement and consumer appeal. More than 2,000 products were submitted for consideration.
The ET Street Radial Pro P275/60R15, introduced in March 2012 and designed specifically for racing, uses next-generation tire technology and a lower tread profile for fast, consistent, reliable launches and responsive handling on the strip.
After losing on day one, Washington battles back to take Top Dragster championship
Courtesy of IHRA
NORWALK, OH – When you are as superstitious as Wesley Washington Jr., sometimes even the little things can get in your way.
Black cats, broken mirrors, cracks in the pavement, all are potential hazards for the superstitious, but none is as powerful as the dreaded number 13.
Often the most diabolical day of the month for those that fear the number, when you combine the 13th with a day at the races, the results are often less than pleasing. And that was the fear for Washington who wasn’t actually supposed to race on Saturday, October 13, but with a storm on its way and a potential washout on Sunday, the IHRA was left with no choice but to finish the remainder of the Summit Racing Equipment World Finals, including the Tournament of Champions, all on the 13th.
Whiteley Completes Perfect Season in TAFC, Martin wins TAD
Written by Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association
Las Vegas, NV – At the 24th and final regional event of the year, the husband-and-wife team of Jim and Annie Whiteley locked up West 
Region championships at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Jim in Top Alcohol Dragster and rookie Annie in Top Alcohol Funny Car. Jim clinched the title when yearlong rival Chris Demke hit the wall in the first round, and Annie completed a perfect five-win regional season, putting away Tony Bartone in the final just as she had at this same track eight months ago for her first win anywhere. Ray Martin of Anchorage persevered in Top Alcohol Dragster, where there were a lot more good runs in qualifying than in eliminations, for his third final-round appearance of the year and first win.
It was a huge upset when Whiteley beat Bartone here this spring in just her fourth start in a Funny Car, and Bartone again was the favorite after qualifying No. 1, but Whiteley left first with a .048 light and made her best run of the weekend, 5.57. “The car didn’t shake at all,” she said. “Absolutely no issues. He shook, and that was it.” Bartone slowed to a 5.76, almost the same e.t. he ran against her in their first head-to-head final.
Hot Start, Three Wins Lead Alan Pittman To First World Championship
Courtesy of ADRL
O’FALLON, MO – Alan Pittman had never won a world championship in drag racing before 2012.
Along with a number of other significant items, the standout American Drag Racing League (ADRL) Mickey Thompson Extreme 10.5 driver can now check that item off his bucket list as well.
Thanks to wins in the first two events of the year, a third later in the season and a number of consistent performances, Pittman was the wire-to-wire points leader in the class as he cruised to the world championship in Mickey Thompson Extreme 10.5.
The magnitude of the accomplishment wasn’t lost on Pittman, either.
“This is the first world championship that I’ve ever won, so this is definitely very special to me,” Pittman said. “I’ve got to thank Greta and Terry Leggett for giving me the opportunity to race this car, and the ADRL for giving me a place to race.
GLIDDEN WINS ADRL WORLD FINALS IN THE OUTLAW 10.5 CLASS ON MICKEY THOMPSON TIRES
Courtesy Of Mickey Thompson
STOW, OH – Bill Glidden is no stranger to American Drag Racing League (ADRL) success. Known as one of the most winning drivers in 
ADRL history, Glidden has scorched the Extreme 10.5 class since 2008. Following an Outlaw 10.5 class win at the September Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags VI (presented By Mickey Thompson), Glidden entered the final competition amidst a swirl of speculation. He finished the year with a 10.5 class win in the World Finals VIII on Mickey Thompson ET Drag tires, 33.0/10.5-16W (3169W), and is second place in points standings for the year just behind champion Alan Pittman.
“Billy has really come back strong this year, and it was great to see him finish the season like he did,” said Tom Kundrik, Motorsports Manager, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels. “In his usual style, he came into the final competitions bringing his best and we congratulate him on an incredible finish to another action-packed ADRL season.”
Special Events Planned at 4th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Lone Star Shootout
Courtesy of Promedia
Baytown, TX – Special events will dominate this year’s Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Lone Star Shootout, which will be one of the largest 
muscle car events of the year in the great state of Texas next weekend November 9-11, 2012. Joining some of NMRA and NMCA’s most popular classes like TREMEC True Street, Harland Sharp Mod Comp, and EFI Rumble, these planned special events have the region buzzing with excitement.
The Texas Pro Mod Association will be shaking the stands and burning up the ¼ mile with 6-second 200+ mph passes all weekend long. See the pages of Hot Rod magazine come alive as Paschal Performance Unlimited Street pits famed racers like Larry Larson and Jeff Lutz against each other in their awesome 7-second street cars! Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords will once again present the hugely popular True Street class, which will attract street racers from mild to wild racing for 9 separate awards.
Improvements Give Hunter Confidence at Final Regional
Courtesy of Kenny Gilmour Motorsports
LAS VEGAS, NV – Following their career-best performance at the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals, Greg Hunter and the ExactAir Top 
Alcohol Dragster team are back at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to squeeze more speed out of the 3,000+ horsepower blown alcohol dragster. The data acquired at last weekend’s race will help them do just that.
“We have a good tune-up in it now. We’ll be able to look back at the 5.38 run data to help us run as well and better this weekend. We learned our lesson on what caused the parts failure first round. We’ll cross our T’s and dot our I’s,” Greg said.
The Kenny Gilmour Motorsports team was very happy last weekend when the car ran a career-best 5.38 at 267 mph in the warm afternoon qualifying session. Although their performance didn’t show it, Greg says the frequent temperature changes make racing atLas Vegasa challenge.
Michael Beard battles back from near defeat to collect first career IHRA Super Stock title
Courtesy of IHRA
NORWALK, OH – Winning a championship is one thing.
Winning a championship while overcoming some great adversity, now that is how you make a lasting impression on the sport.
Such was the case at the recently completed IHRA Summit Racing Equipment World Finals at Memphis International Raceway as longtime IHRA competitor and former world champion Michael Beard overcame two days of car trouble and a near throw-in-the-towel situation to win his very first Super Stock World Championship after another incredible season behind the wheel.
“I absolutely didn’t think I had a chance to win this thing. I was so out of it,” Beard said. “And then we had an unbelievable turn of events. Ironically your Stock champ Brent Darroch found the problem on the car and suddenly I was back in the game. I literally didn’t have a chance at this thing until about two or three rounds to go.”
Dream Season Leads McKinney To First Championship and Driver Of The Year Award
Courtesy of ADRL
O’FALLON, MO – If asked to describe his dream season before this year, American Drag Racing League (ADRL) Pro Extreme 
Motorcycle rider Eric McKinney might have struggled to find the perfect description.
But after a 2012 ADRL season that ranks as one of the most impressive in the organization’s history, McKinney now has that answer.
In a season that saw one dominating performance after another, McKinney’s season became more magical by the race. When it came to its incredible end, McKinney had seven victories, nine finals appearances in 10 races, a world championship and the 2012 ADRL Driver of the Year word.
In other words, it turned into a dream season that he could have never imagined.
Back to Work for Ahten Racing at Vegas Regional
Courtesy of Ahten Racing
Las Vegas, NV – The Ahten Racing Team is back in Vegas this weekend to compete in Regional action and prepare for Pomona. After 
last week’s National event, Johnny Ahten jetted back to the massive shop to personally hand carve a set of pistons out of aluminum ore with his bare hands. Actually, he drove the truck home after long race weekend, put some shifts in at his day job, and set up a few racks of pistons in the humble team garage. Johnny Ahten’s reality is grime-under-the-fingernails, stains on his shirts, and a desire for another shot at the dragstrip.
“All we can do it keep working to get better,” said Ahten. “The car wants to run. We just have to put all the pieces together. The Regional race will allow us to make some adjustments. The more trips down the track, the better. The excitement of the National event here is still fresh in our minds. So is the frustration of knowing we can run better. Putting this car in the show was a good thing, but we want more. Racers are greedy that way.”
