- HendrickCars.com to sponsor Brittany Force’s Top Fuel dragster starting at this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte
- DANIEL WILKERSON AND SCAG FORD FUNNY CAR TEAM LOOKING TO TURN THINGS AROUND AT CHARLOTTE FOUR-WIDE
- Dustin Smiley Races to Advanced Product Design $15,000 Wednesday Win at the Spring Fling
- NEOPMA Pro Mod Drivers Ready to Start 2024 Season at MIR’s Door Wars
- JUSTIN ASHLEY AND SCAG TOYOTA TEAM LOOK TO CONTINUE PROMISING START TO NHRA SEASON AT ZMAX DRAGWAY
- FOSTER LOOKING TO TAKE AQUA PROP ALL THE WAY AT CHARLOTTE FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS
- MBE Tech Report
Garret Race Cars Decide ADRL PX Final in Memphis
Written by Ian Tocher
MARBLE HILL, MO — They were among the quickest and fastest through each round of qualifying and eliminations all weekend long and when it came time to settle the Pro Extreme (PX) final Sep. 8, for the ADRL Memphis Drags III, number-three qualifier Jason 
Scruggs and number-five Brandon Pesz faced off in a pair of Garret Race Cars-built machines.
“It was a great feeling to go to the starting line knowing I couldn’t lose; I felt like (NHRA multi-car team owner) Don Schumacher,” joked Garret Livingston, founder and president of Garret Race Cars in Marble Hill, Missouri. “Seriously, though, it was very cool and very exciting to see two of our customers running so well. I was proud of my guys back at the shop, too, knowing how much work they put into building these cars.”
Unfortunately, the blower belt on Pesz’s ’58 Corvette jumped a pulley at the first flash of green, allowing Scruggs and his ’63 Corvette to streak unopposed to a third win this year in 3.73 seconds at 207.34 mph over the Memphis International Raceway eighth mile. It also marked the ninth PX win of the two-time world champion’s career, making Scruggs the winningest driver in the class and moving him to within just one round of the current points leader.
Knowles Returns to Pro Mod Competition at the NHRA O’Reilly Auto Part Nationals in Charlotte, NC
Courtesy of Kozak Motorsports Marketing
Grand Junction, CO – Mike Knowles was literally flying high before the 2012 U.S. Nationals after a VIP flight with the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels but, heavy rains were cause for the NHRA to postpone the Nationals one week; leaving Knowles and his Blown Money Team
grounded for the re-scheduled event.
“We made a decent run and we were solidly in the field before the event was postponed,” said Car Chief Bill Rice. “When they re-scheduled for the following week Mike made the decision to not attend because of prior family commitments and I’m proud to be involved with a guy who makes a decision like that,” added Rice.
Last labor day weekend Mike and his wife Kim welcomed their second son Bryson to the family and this year’s U.S. Nationals marked the first birthday for young Bryson but the family postponed the party till the following week so Dad wouldn’t miss Indy two years in a row but, Mother Nature threw a wrench into the situation.
“My family makes a lot of concessions in order for me to race,” said Knowles. “They do a lot for me so; missing Bryson’s first birthday party for a race was out of the question. I didn’t give it a second thought. We packed up and got everything ready for this Charlotte,” added Knowles.
Team Mopar Driver Johnson No.1 Heading into Countdown Playoffs at Charlotte
Courtesy of Mopar
Auburn Hills, MI – As the Countdown to the Championship begins this weekend with the fifth annual NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C., Team Mopar Pro Stock drivers Allen Johnson and Jeg Coughlin Jr. take on unfamiliar roles as hunted and hunter in
the final six races of the season.
Allen Johnson starts the playoffs in his Mopar Dodge Avenger as the no.1 seed for the first time since the adoption of the playoff format in 2007, but relishes the task of staying atop the standings by doing the same thing they’ve been doing all season; gathering as many points as possible along the way.
“When you have a bulls-eye on your back, you’re out in front, it is sort of a strange feeling,” said Johnson whose top billing gives his Mopar-powered Dodge a 30 point advantage over second place.. “There’s a lot more pressure than I thought there would be but it’s something you got to get in your mind and enjoy. I’m trying to have fun with it. The whole team is. We definitely have something for them during this Countdown. It’s going to be intense. Everybody’s going to feel that intensity, including the fans. That’s what makes Pro Stock exciting.”
The Largest NMRA Event of the Year Set to Invade Bowling Green, KY, Oct. 4-7, 2012
Courtesy of PrtoMedia
Santa Ana, CA – ProMedia Events, home of the #1 NMRA Keystone Automotive Ford Nationals, is gearing up for the largest all-Ford event of the year in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the weekend of October 4-7, 2012. The 14th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World
Finals will invade Beech Bend Raceway and Mustangs will take over the city of Bowling Green, which has played host to major Ford events since the first World Ford Challenge back in 1998.
The NMRA All-Ford World Finals will feature all the cars and all the stars of blue oval drag racing with racers setting their combinations “on kill” in search of world championships and exclusive Nitto Tire Diamond Tree champions rings. This extra special event will showcase everything from 6-second turbocharged outlaws to wheel-standing Renegades and everything in between. The TREMEC True Street class, presented by Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, has averaged well over 100 competitors the past 2 years and is testimonial to the crazy street-legal performance possible with Mustangs and Fords.
TNT Super Series returns to Empire Dragway to finish 2012 season
Courtesy of TNT
CANFIELD, ON – The Joe’s Transmission TNT Super Series final event for 2012 was set to take place back on September 8th, but Mother Nature had other plans that day. So the event has been re-scheduled for Sunday September 30th at Empire Dragway in Leicester, New
York.
Presented by The Sister Act Band, the season-ending event for 2012 will pay $1000 to the winner plus the normal TNTSS contingency postings, round money, specialty awards, etc.
The TNTSS will also crown its sixth series Champion on the 30th. Currently Jon (JJ) Jablonski sits at 731 points and has a commanding lead over second place Harry Phelps at 655, but Harry is not out of the chase.
The tightest battle is from second to fourth where only 12 points are separating Harry from the Peter & Chris VanBaalen in third and Tom Coonly in fourth.
Kon Rodz Looking for Redemption at zMax
Courtesy of Kon Rodz Racing
CHARLOTTE, TN – Cassie Simonton and the Kon Rodz Racing team return to the site of their career-best run this weekend when they enter the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway. Simonton drove the Randy Anderson-tuned Top Alcohol Funny Car to
a 5.53 at 261 mph run in qualifying at this track during the 4-Wide Nationals last spring. Similar performances are in order for this weekend.
“We’re all looking forward to racing at zMax again. Our career-best run at the 4-Wide will definitely be on our minds this weekend. The car has been qualifying in the top five consistently. We want to continue that trend and qualify as well as possible, but we also want to make up for the first-round loss from the spring race here,” said Simonton, referring to a bizarre instance where a fuel pump issue prevented the Minnesota driver from taking advantage of a first round bye.
RPM Project Big Block Brawler Exceeds Expectations!
Courtesy of RPM Magazine
Brandford, ON – RPM Magazine’s newest engine project, the Big Block Brawler had a chance to show what it could do on the dyno and the results were amazing! Tommy Eufemia (Bad Attitude Engines in Morriston, Florida) built the 489 Big Block Chevy with a hydraulic 
roller camshaft and 10:1 compression since it was designed as a street & strip engine. Spinning at 6,400 rpm on the dyno the Brawler churned out 671 hp and 598 ft lbs of torque (running on 93 octane pump gas).
With our naturally aspirated numbers right where we wanted them it was time to add some nitrous oxide to the equation. The pump gas was drained from the fuel cell and it was filled with VP Racing Fuels C16 race gas. Gradually jets sizes were increased in the nitrous plate until the final dyno pull netted a whopping 1180 hp and 1060 ft lbs of stump pulling torque!
During the Dyno pull, a video was taken and sent to RPM’s Editor in Chief Chris Biro who had commented, “When we were first watching Brian’s Big Block Brawler dyno session video in the offices here we were impressed”, explains RPM Editor In Chief Chris Biro. “Then, when the nitrous came in, the RPM skyrocketed and my eyes popped out of my head, (followed by a few words not fit for a G rated magazine), as I saw the juice invade the motor like the plague through that insane NS annular discharge plate!
Schumacher, Neff, Connolly, Hines, Hagan, Dixon and Reinhart on WFO Radio
Courtesy of WFO
HOLLYWOOD, FL – Mac Tools U.S. Nationals winners, Tony Schumacher, Mike Neff, Dave Connolly, and Andrew Hines, plus, news-makers Matt Hagan and Larry Dixon all join Joe Castello, along with the NHRA’s Alan Reinhart, on WFO Radio NHRA Nitro. To listen
now, go to http://www.wforadio.com/
Tony Schumacher, stops by WFO Radio to discuss his ninth Mac Tools U.S. Nationals win. The win ties Schumacher with Bob Glidden. Schumacher talks about his final round match up against Spencer Massey, passing “Big Daddy” Don Garlits Indy win total, and the first win for the canopy, currently in use on his U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster.
Mike Neff, returns to WFO Radio to talk about winning “back to back” U.S. Nationals, John Force Racing’s five year domination of the NHRA’s most prestigious event, and his preparation for the NHRA Countdown.
Demke Wins at Woodburn and Resets Track Record
Courtesy of Maddern Racing
Woodburn, OR – Chris Demke and Maddern Racing did just about all they could do in winning the Woodburn Regional race this past weekend. They recaptured the track record, defeated a tough opponent, and won the race. The Sherriff and his posse have their 
swagger back and another trophy for the case.
“This win is three in a row for us, and four finals in a row,” said Demke. “The final round was amazing with the number one and two in points going at it. Reclaiming the track record is just icing on the cake.”
The path to the victory took some interesting turns along the way. In the first round of qualifying Demke saw Jim Whiteley snatch his track record away that the Maddern Racing Team set at the previous Regional race at Woodburn. Demke’s 5.315/269.78 was good enough for the number two spot, but not the record. In the second qualifying session Demke experienced tire shake and wisely shut it down. The team then made the decision to sit out the final qualifying session and went into eliminations still in the second position.
Sunday race day saw the Maddern Racing Team’s first round opponent Greg Lawrence not able to make the call to the line. Demke rocketed off the starting line in a planned half track “test run” but once again experienced tire shake, coasting to a 10.160/73.69. A bye awaited them in the Semi-finals and the Peen Rite / OSI / 801 Racing Team knew it was a chance to get lane choice in the finals. The car launched hard and streaked to a 5.283/268.25. That run not only gave Team Peen lane choice in the finals, but it tied the track record.
MARTINO DISAPPOINTED WITH INDY SHOWING, VOWS BETTER RESULTS ARE IN STORE
Courtesy of Martino Racing
Stoney Creek, ON – Things didn’t go exactly as Mark Martino planned during last weekend’s rain-delayed completion of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus. The third year pro was bounced in the first round by full-time competitor Vincent Nobile, a 
result that doesn’t sit well with Martino.
“This event definitely didn’t go the way we expected after how strong we ran in Brainerd a couple weeks ago,” said a dissatisfied Martino. “Scott [Bentham, assistant Crew Chief] and the rest of the team did a good job and I can’t thank them enough, but we really missed having Lump [Crew Chief Brian Self] here this weekend.” Self was unable to attend the rescheduled event because of prior commitments to ADRL Extreme Pro Stock point’s leader Cary Goforth, where he also serves as Crew Chief.
“We’re just a part-time team, so we do the best we can with what we have and we completely understand that Lump had a previous commitment to the Goforth’s in Memphis and that’s a reality we have to deal with until we get some more funding behind us that will allow us to have a full-time guy on the car,” noted Martino. “We know we had the power to run with everyone using a Cagnazzi motor, but the rain-delay and some mechanical issues [in the first qualifying session of the rescheduled event] really put us in a tough spot, with very little track-time to figure the car out.”
