Kon Rodz Racing
Kon Rodz Racing, Simonton Unveiling New Look at Chicago
JOLIET, IL – Canadian Top Alcohol Funny Car team Kon Rodz Racing announced today that new sponsors Bell Racing USA and 
Aerodine Composites Group would increase their involvement in the team, which includes driver Cassie Simonton and veteran tuner Randy Anderson. Kon Rodz will debut a brand new look highlighting the colors and logos of Bell and Aerodine at this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals just outside of Chicago.
Aerodine Composites Group joined on as an associate sponsor at the beginning of the 2013 season. In addition to the Kon Rodz Racing Monte Carlo TAFC, Aerodine’s products can be found on some of the top tier IndyCar, NASCAR, and NHRA fuel entries. They specialize in the design, manufacturing, and maintenance of carbon fiber and other composites used in the automotive and aviation industries. Aerodine is well-known within the drag racing circles for their development of the Top Fuel canopy in cooperation with Don Schumacher Racing. Other drag racing applications include injectors and wings. The company chose to work with Kon Rodz Racing to help market their products to the Pro Sportsman and Sportsman competitors.
Simonton Reaches First LODRS Regional Final Round at Chicago
JOLIET, IL – It was another good weekend at Route 66 Raceway for Cassie Simonton and the Kon Rodz Racing team, as Simonton 
reached her first Lucas Oil Series event final at the Burndown at Sundown. It was a redeeming finish for the Canadian team, who struggled at their last race, the Cavalcade of Stars at Norwalk.
“The car ran well at Norwalk, we just had some bad luck with parts breaking first round. If we didn’t have parts break I think the car would’ve been consistent like it was this weekend. Randy definitely has a handle on the tune-up right now. The car is consistent again,” Cassie said.
Consistent it was. Simonton qualified fourth, running 5.656, 5.634, and 5.639, respectively. The consistency followed throughout eliminations. First round saw Cassie beat Ray Drew, 5.64 to 5.74. That set up a semifinal pairing with Jay Payne, brother-in-law of Kon Rodz crew chief Randy Anderson. Simonton emerged victorious again, winning one of the closest races of the day – 5.628 to Payne’s 5.638. She went into the final with lane choice, taking it by just one thousandth of a second over Chris Foster.
Stefan Kontos Named Kon Rodz Racing Team President
KING, ON – Ontario, Canada-based NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car team Kon Rodz Racing announced today that 18 year old Stefan 
Kontos will take over the day-to-day operations as team president, effective immediately. Team owner Spiro Kontos will maintain his role as owner and CEO of the popular team, now competing in their third full season with driver Cassie Simonton.
“I will oversee the team operations, but Stefan will have full control of the team. I’m reducing my role in the team so I can work on other business ventures. I will still be involved and I’ll attend all of the races as usual, but all of Stefan’s decisions will be final,” Spiro said.
Despite his young age, Stefan has already proved himself through his work within the team. He worked to attract a host of new sponsors to the team, including Sparco USA, Bell Racing Helmets, and Off Axis Custom Paint. Stefan’s projects also include building the official Kon Rodz Racing Facebook and Twitter pages. He will use what he learned as he grew up within the sport to take on additional responsibilities associated with managing a professional race team.
Simonton Beginning 2013 Regional Season at Norwalk
NORWALK, OH – Fan favorite Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Cassie Simonton enters this weekend’s Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of 
Stars with renewed confidence in her KonRodzRacing.com Monte Carlo after near-career best numbers at the team’s last event in Charlotte, N.C. She’s looking to set new bests and win rounds in front of tens of thousands of fans this weekend.
“We’re staying positive going into this race; not letting the past two races get us down. The car ran 5.55 to win first round at Charlotte a few weeks ago, but we were trying to go further into eliminations. We went to the final round the last time we were at Norwalk, so we’ll try to use that data to keep our momentum going at this track. We also want a strong start to our 2013 regional season,” said the Minnesota native, who reached the final round at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at this track last year.
Simonton and her Randy Anderson-led team will be racing in front of a sold-out crowd at Summit Motorsports Park this weekend, May 17-19. The Cavalcade of Stars continually breaks the record for fan attendance at Lucas Oil Series races. This is a huge motivating factor for Simonton and the Kon Rodz team.
Kon Rodz Racing Signs Sparco, Sadi for 2013 Season
KING, ON – The weeks leading up to the start of a new season are exciting for any race team, but they’re much more exciting for the 
Kon Rodz Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car team. The Canadian group is ready to escape the frigid climate of the north to begin the 2013 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series championship season in the sunny south. The high expectations set last year just add to the enthusiasm.
“2012 was a great season for our team, our sponsors, and our fans. We proved that we have what it takes to qualify on top and win rounds. I think a lot of people really started to pay attention to us after the back-to-back final round appearances in Chicago and Norwalk. The team can’t wait to build upon our success this season,” said team owner Spiro Kontos.
Team driver Cassie Simonton feels the same way about the upcoming season.
Kon Rodz Wrapping Up 2012 Season at Maple Grove
Courtesy of Kon Rodz Racing
READING, PA – This weekend’s Auto-Plus Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway will be the final stop on the Kon Rodz Racing 2012 tour. 
The Maple, Ontario, Canada-based Top Alcohol Funny Car team experienced a breakout season with driver Cassie Simonton behind the wheel.
Simonton’s season started at the Gatornationals in March, where the team struggled in qualifying and eliminations, despite strong results in preseason testing. They bounced back at the next race in Charlotte, qualifying #3 with career-best numbers in E.T. and speed. The next national event on tour, the Route 66 Nationals in Chicago, saw Simonton qualify #7 in a field full of heavy hitters. There she drove past three Top 10 cars before falling in her first final round to class legend Frank Manzo.
The Kon Rodz team proved themselves to be contenders the following weekend in Norwalk, qualifying #3 and reaching the finals yet again. Cassie earned the #5 spot a couple months later at the U.S. Nationals, but didn’t make it past first round. Most recently, Simonton qualified the KonRodzRacing.com Monte Carlo #2 at the O’Reilly Nationals in Charlotte.
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.
Simonton Eager for First Win at Indy
Courtesy of Kon Rodz Racing
CLERMONT, IN – Top Alcohol Funny Car standout Cassie Simonton is entering the sport’s most prestigious event, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, with great confidence in her car and crew. Those two factors combined with the driving abilities of the former junior 
dragster racer put Spiro Kontos’ Kon Rodz Racing entry into the final round at the team’s last two national events. Crew chief Randy Anderson won his first race ever at Indy. Now twenty years later, “Sassy” Cassie and her team are looking to do the same this weekend.
“This is the biggest race of the season; we’d love to get our first win here. It would be big for the team and for Spiro. We’re considering this as coming off of two finals in a row, even though we had a regional in between. We still have that confidence from back-to-back finals, and we’re hoping to keep that going,” said Simonton, who celebrated her 26th birthday with the team on Wednesday.
The entry list for the weekend is packed with strong cars from all over the country. The best of the best flock to central Indiana for a chance to put their name on the long list of legends who have won at Indy. Encountering some of these great drivers in the recent races is another confidence booster for Cassie.
Kon Rodz Racing Partners with Flaming River Products
Courtesy of Kon Rodz Racing
MAPLE, ON – Spiro Kontos and his Kon Rodz Racing team are proud to announce a new partnership with Flaming River Industries. 
The manufacturer of steering products will have a spot as an associate sponsor on the team’s Top Alcohol Funny Car, driven by Cassie Simonton. The partnership between the two is a perfect fit.
“We’re proud to associate withFlamingRiverand their line of steering components. Whether it’s the 260 mph Funny Car or my street legal hot rods, I demand the best. Flaming River is the best. We’re very happy that our recent success is catching the eyes of companies likeFlamingRiver,” Spiro said.
The Canadian team is coming off a stretch of races that featured such highlights as their first #1 qualifying position and back-to-back national event final rounds. Crew chief Randy Anderson tuned Simonton to final round appearances atChicagoandNorwalkon some of the hottest track conditions seen in recent history. With the addition ofFlamingRiver’s new Funny Car steering box, the team hopes to steer into the Winner’s Circle at a race that is known for hot conditions.
Simonton Looks to Keep Momentum Going in Columbus
Courtesy of Kon Rodz Racing
HEBRON, OH – Following their most successful three-race stretch to date, Cassie Simonton and the Kon Rodz Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car team plan on keeping the momentum rolling at this weekend’s Buckeye Fuel Wars at National Trail Raceway. The fourth
race on the team’s NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional tour will be another opportunity for the team to flex their muscles in conditions that they love; heat and humidity.
“Randy (Anderson) knows how to get the car down a hot track. The data fromChicagoandNorwalkwill help with the hot and humid weather that is predicted. The track isn’t a national event track like the previous two races, so the track surface will be a bit different, but we’re not worried about it,” Cassie said.
The hard-working crew members got a much-deserved break afterNorwalk, allowing them to recuperate after two consecutive four-round Sundays. That break is over, and they’re ready to get back to winning rounds.
“It was nice for the team to get a few days off afterNorwalk. Now we’re back at it inColumbus, servicing everything so we’re ready for the weekend,” said the driver who not only wheels the 3,000 horsepower Funny Car, but works on it, too.
