Drag Racing Press Releases

Capps, Tobler combine for first win together at DSR

as NAPA Brakes Funny Car dominates at Atlanta

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 6, 2012) - Rahn Tobler stepped out of the NAPA AUTO PARTS racecar transporter Sunday afternoon with hands in pocket and head tilted skyward.

Despite all the computer technology inside his trailer, Tobler wasn't looking for divine intervention before driver Ron Capps headed for the championship round of Funny Car in the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Tobler, a three-time NHRA world championship crew chief, wanted to see what Mother Nature might have in store before Capps tried to win for the first time at the track where he had raced since 1995.

Tobler has won countless races, but there always is something special about the first one with a driver.

That milestone was reached Sunday when Tobler tuned Capps to a dominating day and their first victory as teammates.

Capps became the first Funny Car winner outside of John Force Racing this season when he defeated No. 1 qualifier Robert Hight, one of four Force race cars.

HIGHT ENDS PERSONAL STREAK WANTS TO MAINTAIN TEAM STREAK IN ATLANTA

ATLANTA (May 1, 2012) --- When Robert Hight’s Auto Club Ford Mustang struck the tires in the semi-finals at the O’Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston his goal of winning five consecutive Funny Car NHRA national events went up in smoke. For many racers getting that close to a historic accomplishment and coming up short might have had them sulking in their lounge for the rest of the day.

Not Hight. Less than an hour later he was on the ropes at the end of the Auto Club trailer signing for his fans and accepting encouraging words from hundreds of supporters. He was also on the starting line supporting his teammate Mike Neff’s bid for his first victory of the 2012 season. As the win light came on for Neff, Hight took a huge amount of satisfaction in the fact that the John Force Racing winning streak was still intact at 6-0 to start the season.

COURTNEY FORCE GOES INTO NOTEWORTHY EVENT IN ROOKIE BATTLE LEAD

COMMERCE, Ga. (April 30, 2012) –Coming out of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Texas this past week, Courtney Force accomplished one major goal by beating fellow “Rookie of the Year” candidate for Auto Club’s Road to the Future award, Alexis DeJoria. Now, she moves on to the seventh event in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing circuit, the 32nd annual Summit Southern Nationals, May 4-6 at Atlanta Dragway.

Overall, Force had a great experience at Houston’s Royal Purple Raceway, taking out the only other female competitor in the Funny Car category and snagging her very first qualifying bonus points of the season when she bolted to the no. 2 spot with a 4.15 ET in the first round of qualifying on Friday.

Force is still with us – and going strong at 63

ATLANTA, Ga. – John Force moves one step closer to Social Security this week, but the former truck driver, wannabe football quarterback and NHRA drag racing champion isn’t likely to apply for benefits any time soon.

          In fact, in an era in which mandatory retirement no longer is a factor, Force plans to keep working for as long as he can do his job. 

          The 15-time Funny Car champion, who turns 63 on Friday, the first day of qualifying for the 32nd annual Summit Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, is contracted to drive the Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford, one of the world’s most powerful race cars, at least through 2014. 

          However, based on his continued competitiveness (he’s already won a race this season), there really is no reason to believe the sport’s biggest winner will climb out of the cockpit, even then, to devote his time exclusively to team ownership.

After Houston Win, Neff looking for style points.

ATLANTA, Ga. – One of the quotes attributed to Atlanta Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson is: “there are no bad wins and there are no good losses.” 

          While he wouldn’t disagree entirely, Mike Neff would suggest that some wins certainly are better than others.  For instance, his breakthrough first victory of the season last week at Houston, Texas, definitely was not the artistic success he had anticipated.

          That’s why, when he sends his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang after the Funny Car championship at this week’s 32nd annual Summit Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, the two-time former World Championship-winning crew chief (2005 with Gary Scelzi and 2010 with John Force) hopes to do it with a little more style.

Top Fuel points leader Brown, Matco Tools team 

have map to winner's circle at classic Atlanta track

BROWNSBURG, Ind.  - Antron Brown doesn't believe close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Getting close to winning an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing title is OK by him.

It's not like he and his Matco Tools Top Fuel team enjoy being runner-up like they have been four times in six races this season. They sure would like to have won more than once in championship rounds this year.

But Brown along with crew chiefs Mark Oswald and Brian Corradi know that season championships are determined by points and not event titles.

SPECIAL EDITION JOHN FORCE HALL OF FAME FUNNY CAR ON WAY TO TALLADEGA

BROWNSBURG, IN  --- John Force has raced dozens of Funny Cars over the course his  Hall of Fame career and this week the 15-time NHRA Funny Car champion will display a one of a kind Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Hall of Fame special edition Ford Mustang Funny Car at Talladega Motor Speedway. In advance of Force’s induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame the Funny Car will list Force’s most notable accomplishments along with having the International Motorsports Hall of Fame logo on it. The Funny Car will arrive at the Hall of Fame on May 1st.

“I always thought they put you in the Hall of Fame when you were done racing or dead. Well I’m not done racing and I promise you I ain’t dead. This is a big deal to go down to Talladega with Kenny Bernstein and Richard Childress. I am proud to represent my sponsors like Castrol, Ford, Auto Club, Mac Tools, Traxxas and BrandSource. They have supported me over the years and they are going into the Hall of Fame with this old truck driver,” said Force.

Texas Trophy goes to Top Fuel Racer Morgan Lucas

HOUSTON (April 29) -- Morgan Lucas dominated this weekend's 25th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals from the start of qualifying Friday to the winner's circle celebration Sunday night.

After claiming top qualifier honors for the fourth time this year with a pass of 3.772 seconds at a track-record top speed of 327.74 mph, Lucas simply trounced the elimination field Sunday, running low elapsed time of every round en route to his sixth career Top Fuel victory.

"I've never felt like this at any point in my Top Fuel career," said Lucas, who turned pro in the latter part of 2004 after a successful run in Top Alcohol Dragster. "To pull up to the starting line on race day knowing you have the car to win the race is just hard to describe. I feel really blessed.

NEFF WINS HOUSTON FOR 6th JFR WIN IN A ROW

HOUSTON --- On a day when Robert Hight’s bid for a historic fifth win in a row ended in the semi-finals, Mike Neff extended the John Force Racing team win streak to six races with his defeat of Ron Capps in the final at Royal Purple Raceway. Neff won an improbable race against the quicker Capps when he drove around a tire smoking Capps at the 700 foot mark posting a winning time of 4.239 seconds at 301.67 mph.

“I don’t know what Capps ran in the final but we were running real close together. I was running all I wanted to run in the second and third rounds. I wasn’t pressing. My Castrol GTX Mustang looked great. I was doing what I needed to do to win the rounds. I tried to pick it up a little bit in the semis. He was running good but it wasn’t like he was way ahead of everybody else. I did try and pick it up. I don’t get intimidated by anybody that I race. We have a good race car and a good race team. We do our own thing,” said Neff who further extended his lead on the No. 3 driver in points, Jack Beckman.

ROWE, COUGHLIN LEAD FIRST ROUND WINNERS IN NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY PROCARE RX AT

BAYTOWN, Texas – No. 3 qualifier Danny Rowe advanced his Sterling Bridge ’68 Chevy Camaro to the second round of eliminations and was among the first-round winners Saturday in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx portion of the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway. 

Rowe’s 5.951 second pass at 244.92 mph was too much for first-round opponent Mike Knowles, whose '68 Camaro lost traction almost immediately and coasted across the finish line at 11.413 at 78.30. Rowe will face Troy Coughlin in round two Sunday. Coughlin defeated Leah Pruett to advance.

Defending event winner and No. 1 qualifier Mike Castellana was upset in the opening round of eliminations by Steve Matusek. No. 2 qualifier Rickie Smith also lost in round one to Donald Walsh.

Ariana Sr. on top of Pro Stock Motorcycle class in Houston

HOUSTON (April 28) – Hector Arana Sr. collected his first Pro Stock Motorcycle No. 1 qualifier of the year Saturday aboard the Lucas Oil Buell at the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries.

Arana made his low pass of 6.850 seconds at 195.56 mph in the fourth and final qualifying session, a time when few other bikes made improvements.

"On the tuning, we're just picking little by little to get this bike perfect," Arana said. "We had a strong tailwind that round but it went straight down the track. We didn't get blown around. If anything, it helped us."

The 2009 world champion said the key to winning elimination rounds on Sunday will be solid, consistent 60-foot times.

"I'd like to say there's more in it but a 1.04 (60-foot time) that's about the best we could hope for," Arana said. "Just repeating that would be great tomorrow."

Lucas nails down 4th Pole of 2012 season in Huston

HOUSTON (April 28) -- It's easy to find GEICO-sponsored Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas at the 25th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals, he's the one with the big ol' smile on his face.

Lucas officially claimed his fourth low qualifier award of the season Saturday with the 3.772-second, 327.74 mph pass he posted Friday evening. Everyone else in the class had three chances to knock him off the top spot, but none could muster enough steam to do so, especially in Saturday's slightly hotter temperatures.

"We were really fortunate that last night's session ran a little late for us," said Lucas, a winner earlier this season in Gainesville, Fla. "The conditions got better and better and that allowed us to run that big number. I'm proud of my team for putting that run together for us. This is one heckuva group.

"Running the .77 last night allowed us to test some things today. We found some things that worked and some that didn't take us in the right direction. The main goal of the team right now is to get this dragster to be as consistent as possible in the heat."

Erica Enders is easily the most successful woman to compete in Pro Stock in NHRA history, but even with all of her accomplishments there is still one thing left to do and that is to become the first female to win an event in the popular factory hot rod class.

Capps' current, past teams show 'NAPA Know How' as DSR Funny Car teams 1-2 in Four-Wide qualifying

CONCORD, N.C.  - Ron Capps and his NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car team proved Friday that "NAPA Know How" is more than gingle for popular commercials.

After the team did not qualify for the last NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event two weeks ago, Capps and his new crew chief, Rahn Tobler, put the Don Schumacher Racing Funny Car on the provisional pole on Friday.

On the same day, NAPA AUTO PARTS NASCAR Cup driver Martin Truex Jr. earned the pole for Saturday night's race in Fort Worth, Texas.

While Truex locked up the top qualifying position for stock cars, Capps has to endure two more qualifying sessions on Saturday in the Four-Wide NHRA Nationals at Charlotte Motor Speedway's zMAX Dragway in Concord.

CAPPS, LINE AND TORRENCE LEAD NHRA FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS QUALIFYING AT ZMAX DRAGWAY

ROWE LEADS NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY PROCARE RX AFTER FIRST DAY OF QUALIFYING
 
CONCORD, N. C. – Danny Rowe powered his Sterling Bridge ’67 Camaro to the top of the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx qualifying order at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.
 
Rowe raced to the current No. 1 qualifying position during the first of the two sessions with a run of 5.874 seconds at 247.97 mph.  If it holds going into eliminations on Saturday afternoon it will be the fourth career No. 1 qualifying position for Rowe.
 
Gainesville winner Rickie Smith qualified in the fourth position with his 5.934 second pass at 242.36 mph run, Brad Brand is currently second at 5.918 seconds at 248.84 mph, Leah Pruett sits in the third position at 5.934 seconds 249.95 mph and Mike Castellana rounds out the top five at 5.967 seconds at 241.80 mph.
The third and final qualifying session for the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx will take place on Saturday at 1 p.m. with the first round of eliminations to take place at 4 p.m.
 
* * *
 
CONCORD, N.C. -- Friday's results after the first two of three rounds of qualifying for the Third annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway @ Concord, second of 10 events in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx.  Qualifying will continue Saturday for Saturday's final eliminations.
 
Pro Modified -- 1. Danny Rowe, Chevy Camaro, 5.874, 248.61; 2. Brad Brand, Chevy Corvette, 5.918, 248.84; 3. Leah Pruett, Ford Mustang, 5.934, 249.95; 4. Rickie Smith, Camaro, 5.934, 242.36; 5. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 5.967, 241.80; 6. Ike Maier, Corvette, 6.022, 233.84; 7. Donald Martin, Camaro, 6.027, 224.88; 8. Mike Knowles, Camaro, 6.053, 241.58; 9. Donald Walsh, Mustang, 6.151, 228.00; 10. Mike Janis, Mustang, 6.160, 240.77; 11. Steve Matusek, Mustang, 6.267, 220.84; 12. Scott Ray, Corvette, 6.676, 165.66; 13. Jay Payne, Camaro, 6.878, 237.25; 14. Troy Coughlin, Camaro, 7.647, 130.14; 15. Chip King, Dodge Daytona, 8.890, 120.75; 16. Robert Patrick Jr., Mustang, 10.304, 87.09.  Not Qualified: 17. Pete Farber, 15.354, 56.81.

“DOUGZILLA” PREPARING FOR TOP FUEL RETURN AT 4-WIDE NATIONALS

Capps, NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car team looks to regroup at April 13-15 Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX

BROWNSBURG, Ind.  - Ron Capps and his NAPA AUTO PARTS Funny Car team did not qualify for the last NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event but if history repeats then good results await in the April 13-15 Four-Wide NHRA Nationals at Charlotte Motor Speedway's zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C.

Capps did not qualify for the April 1 championship elimination rounds at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and unlike NASCAR, there are no provisional starting spots ... only the 16 quickest race on Sunday.

After not making the 16-car eliminations field at a race late last season, Capps roared back to win the next event title.

So Capps hopes his team's comeback trend continues in the unique four-by-four format at zMAX.

But Capps will have to do it with a new crew chief.

Team owner Don Schumacher restructured the crew chief lineup for his seven professional teams after Capps' crew chief Tim Richards quit after failing to get the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T into elimination rounds at Las Vegas.

Beckman could need Freightliner to help haul home

more NHRA Full Throttle trophies from Charlotte 'strip

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Jack Beckman cherishes each of the 12 trophies he's won in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

But when pressed, admits that two are a little closer to his heart.

And each is from zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

The first was earned when he won the inaugural Funny Car event title at the track in 2008.

The other was won a year ago in the Four-Wide NHRA Nationals, which will be held this weekend for the third straight year.

"The two trophies in my collection I value the most are both from Charlotte. I won the inaugural race there, and you'll only ever have one of those. And I won the Four-Wide last year and it's such a unique event that it makes that trophy special."

When Beckman and his Freightliner/Valvoline NextGen Dodge Charger R/T arrive at Charlotte for Friday qualifying the team will be ranked third in Funny Car points after finishing second last season to Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan for the series championship.

YOUNGEST FORCE GEARS UP FOR FIRST PROFESSIONAL FOUR-WIDE APPEARANCE WITH TRAXXAS
Will attend 3rd annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 13-15

CONCORD, N.C. -- Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future rookie of the year nominee, Courtney Force will take her first shot at racing “four-wide” this week following the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas where she qualified 4th, the highest qualified spot achieved by a rookie driver this year.

Force was sitting 15th going into the fourth qualifying attempt at the track in which she licensed at the end of 2011 and has deemed her “lucky track,” but posted a 4.147 ET at over 309 mph and went to the No. 2 spot. By the end of the round, Force and her Traxxas Ford Mustang Funny Car were firmly positioned in the no. 4 spot for Sunday.

“The SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas were a lot of fun. I was really proud of my team, led by Ron Douglas, for reaching No. 4 qualifier. From the beginning of the season, qualifying well has been a huge goal for us as a new team and we really did it that time,” Force said.

FORCE TRIES TO RE-CAPTURE HIS FOUR-PLAY MASTERY

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – John Force is more than just the 15-time NHRA Funny Car Champion; the winner of more races (134) and more rounds (1,100) than anyone else in the history of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.  Quite simply, he is the master of four-play – at least the kind that will be practiced this week at zMax Dragway.

          That’s where the 62-year-old icon will roll his Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford Mustang onto the most unique track surface in the series as the Funny Car favorite in the most unique event in the sport: the third annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals

          From the moment Bruton Smith proposed a national event utilizing all four of the lanes constructed for his all-concrete supertrack, Force not only was installed as the favorite, he became one of the concept’s biggest proponents. 

          Before the first four-wide exhibition during the fall race in 2009, Force asked fellow Funny Car driver Del Worsham (both of them first round losers in the race itself) about his burnout.  Worsham replied that he planned to follow his normal routine.

          “Are you kidding?” Force asked, albeit

DOUBLE DUTY F OR NEFF, D UBLE TROUBLE FOR RIVALS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Mike Neff has been driving competitively only since 2007, but the former surfer, motocross rider and off-road truck mechanic already has done something in professional drag racing that no one else has.

          The 45-year-old with the Hollywood good looks has won in the unique four-wide configuration featured only at Bruton Smith’s zMax Dragway as both a driver (in the inaugural exhibition in 2009) and a crew chief (to race winner John Force in 2010).

          In this week’s third running of the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, he tries to add a victory as driver AND crew chief on the same car: the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang in which he has set a torrid performance pace thus far this season.

          Of the 12 runs he has made on race day in events at Pomona, Calif., Phoenix, Ariz., Gainesville, Fla., and Las Vegas, Nev., the worst was 4.264 seconds and that was in a second round race that he won.  His race day average of 4.105 seconds is far and away the best in the category. 

          By comparison teammate Robert Hight, who has driven the Auto Club Ford to three consecutive victories, has averaged 4.362 seconds on 13 competitive laps; 4.230 seconds even if you toss out a season-opening 5.941 that resulted in an upset loss.

HIGHT WANTS WIN STREAK TO GO FOUR-WIDE IN CHARLOTTE

CHARLOTTE, NC - – Full Throttle NHRA Funny Car points leader Robert Hight would love to race every weekend. In fact between NHRA races he frequently takes in NASCAR races like the recent Auto Club 400 in Fontana where he spent the weekend with the No. 16 team of Greg Biffle. This weekend Hight will be back on the race track in the heart of NASCAR country, competing in the 3rd annual Four-Wide NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway. Racing four wide in his Auto Club Ford Mustang Funny car is about as close at the 2009 NHRA Funny Car champion will get to swapping paint like his NASCAR counterparts.

“I enjoy going to NASCAR races but I don’t think I would ever race over there. There is nothing like the thrill of hitting the throttle on my Auto Club Mustang and feel it pull off the starting line and then you are at the finish line at over 300 mph,” said Hight.

“I have such a great team led by Jimmy Prock and Eric Lane I couldn’t be happier. We are off to a great start and I want to keep this momentum going at the Four-Wide race. We have another chance to get four wins in a row and it would be cool to get our fourth in a row at the Four-Wide Nationals.

Brown's visits to DSR helps Matco team's chemistry

BROWNSBURG, Ind.  RIS- Antron Brown was at Don Schumacher Racing headquarters on Monday meeting with his Matco Tools Top Fuel Dragster team.

It wasn't a strategy session or discussion on how to approach this weekend's Four-Wide NHRA Nationals at Concord, N.C.

The New Jersey native and Pittsboro, Ind. resident frequently visits the race shop, and this mostly was a chance to hang out with his crew.

"It's like family time. I just like seeing my brothers," Brown said.

"I come in a lot to see what the boys are doing or to have lunch with them, to see if they might need some help. I like being at the shop."

Brown's visits to DSR helps Matco team's chemistry

BROWNSBURG, Ind.  (April 10, 2012) - Antron Brown was at Don Schumacher Racing headquarters on Monday meeting with his Matco Tools Top Fuel Dragster team.

It wasn't a strategy session or discussion on how to approach this weekend's Four-Wide NHRA Nationals at Concord, N.C.

The New Jersey native and Pittsboro, Ind. resident frequently visits the race shop, and this mostly was a chance to hang out with his crew.

"It's like family time. I just like seeing my brothers," Brown said.

"I come in a lot to see what the boys are doing or to have lunch with them, to see if they might need some help. I like being at the shop."

Close communications with his crew chiefs and Matco Tools crew could be a reason why the team has advanced to three of this season's four national event championship rounds, winning the event title in the second race and taken over the Top Fuel points lead for the second time this year.

"Leading the points is always a good deal, but it's so early in the season," he said of a schedule

Speedway Children’s Charities and B.R.A.K.E.S Team Up Again for Third Annual Hot Rods and Hot Cakes at NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

Troy Coughlin Jr. chasing E.T. racing glory in Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – for the better part of 30 years, the Tenn-Tuck Triple Crown E.T. Bracket Racing series held at Beech Bend Raceway Park has been one of the crown jewels of the high stakes bracket racing circuit. This weekend, Troy Coughlin Jr. will look to etch his name into the record books of this historic event as he brings his JEGS.com dragster into battle against several hundred of the nation’s best sportsman drivers.

During the three-day event, Coughlin will have the opportunity to compete in up to five events, including three "Big Bucks" races with a $10,000 winner’s share and two additional "Little Bucks" events which pay $5,000 to the champion.

"I really enjoy bracket racing and I’m going to try and make them the heart and soul of my racing this year," Coughlin said. "I was going to race in the $50,000 event in Memphis a couple weeks ago but it got rained out so this will be a good test for me.

"We’re racing for a lot of money, and that always brings out the best in people. It certainly helps me with my discipline. You know going into these races that you have to be almost perfect every time you go down the race track. It’s a great way to test your skills against the best of the best."

JEGS Team makes long awaited trip to Belle Rose

BELLE ROSE, La.  For Team JEGS drivers Mike and Troy Coughlin Jr., the weekend of March 15-18 has long been circled on their calendars as the date marks the 8th annual JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals at No Problem Raceway Park. The event is a longtime favorite of racers and fans alike and the Coughlin’s are no exception as they anxiously look forward to their annual trip to Cajun Country, where the pit area camaraderie and the food are nearly as important as the on-track action.

The 2012 JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals will mark the season-debut for Mike behind the wheel of his 210-mph Top Sportsman Chevy Cobalt. Coughlin has a very successful track record in JEGS SPORTSnationals events including the Belle Rose race where he has a Super Comp victory in 2005 and a runner-up in Top Sportsman in 2009.

Fast cars and good times on tap at JEGS Cajun SPORTSnationals

BELLE ROSE, La.  – The annual bayou bash better known as the JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals will return to No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, La., this weekend. As many as 500 of the nations best drivers from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series are expected to attend the event, which is now celebrating its ninth season. In addition to the intense competition in the following NHRA eliminators; Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, and Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson, the JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals offers so much more as it is also an event that showcases the camaraderie and friendliness that define sportsman racing. Pit area cookouts, a crawfish boil, and late night parties are just some of the activities that attract racers from all over North America to the picturesque town of Belle Rose each year.

Last year’s event provided many thrilling moments as David Rampy of Piedmont, Ala., became just the sixth driver to claim 75 NHRA national event wins when he drove his roadster to the title in Comp Eliminator. Texas was also well represented as Terry Emmons of League City claimed the win in Super Stock, Jeff Lopez of Bedford scored in Super Comp, Grandview’s Rustin Mayse won in Super Gas, Chris LeBlanc of  Pearland drove to the Super Street title, and former world champion Todd Steward of Kilgore, earned the Top Sportsman title. The rest of the winners were from the home state of Louisiana including Stock winner Kevin Helms of Schriever, Top Dragster winner Mark Jones of Marrero, and Prairieville’s James Enloe, who won in Sportsman Motorcycle presented by Harley-Davidson. Many of the above racers are expected to return to defend their titles.

GEICO pro Lucas wins historic Gatornationals

GAINESVILLE. Fla. (March 12) – Rainy days and Mondays never get Morgan Lucas down.

Thanks to the second-quickest run in NHRA history, Lucas and his GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster stormed to the title of the rain-delayed Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals on Monday afternoon.

Lucas is used to rain delays. His win in Memphis in 2009 was a carbon copy of this one as it too was postponed to a Monday finish because of rain. Lucas' three other wins – Pomona last year and Atlanta and Brainerd in '09 – also came after lengthy weather delays, although they were completed in one day.

No matter; Lucas will take a Wally any way he can get one.

"I would love to win one of these in a normal situation," Lucas said. "But the bottom line is – as (former Top Fuel champion) Larry Dixon said on the P.A. system earlier – there's no asterisks next to the wins when you talk about them in the history books. For us, when we put these trophies on the shelf, we don't really care how we get them. We just like to get them and know that we worked hard to get there and have it.

AUTO CLUB’S HIGHT WINS GATORNATIONALS

GAINESVILLE, FL --- Robert Hight won for the second time in 2012 defeating Johnny Gray in the final round of the 43rd annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals presented by napafilters.com. For Hight and the Auto Club Ford Mustang team is was their second consecutive final round victory over Johnny Gray (Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Readin, Pa., in 2011) and HIght’s 14th win in sixteen final rounds. This win was one of the big ones of Hight’s career.

“I have won the US Nationals and I have won both the Pomona races but next to Indy this is where you want to win. Ron Capps said it best a few years back you don’t want to retire without winning the Gatornationals,” said Hight a first time Gatornationals finalist. “This is a huge race. The Hall of Fame inductions are before this race so everybody from drag racing past is here for this race. They are out there watching and I have a lot of admiration for them. If it wasn’t for them, the pioneers, this sport wouldn’t be where it is today. I want to show my respect to them.”

Two weeks ago Hight defeated teammate Mike Neff in the finals of the NHRA Arizona Nationals locking in his position as a member of the inaugural Traxxas Shootout to be held during the Mac Tools US Nationals. Getting another win today has Hight motivated for continued success.

JFR FOCUSED ON GATORNATIONALS SUCCESS

GAINESVILLE, FL --- Robert Hight and Mike Neff were consistently at the top of the Funny Car class throughout the two days of qualifying at the 43rd annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals. They will go into Sunday’s eliminations as the No. 3 and No. 4 qualified drivers after Cruz Pedregon and Jack Beckman took advantage of killer conditions during the final session to post the two quickest runs of the weekend.

Neff picked up nine qualifying bonus points for the weekend while Beckman and Pedregon each picked up three respectively. Neff’s qualifying times of 4.107, 4.080, 4.084 and 4.065 were the most closely grouped of any of the Funny Cars.

“We are happy with the consistency. Anytime you can make four good runs that always makes you feel good. We were trying to run a little bit better that last run. The conditions got so good so fast and we tried to run better than 4.06 but it didn’t do it,” said Neff, driver and tuner for the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang. “All in all with four good runs we’ll take it. We won’t see these conditions tomorrow. The conditions will be back like they were earlier in the race. We just feel good about our four runs so far.”

Hight was also pleased with the Auto Club team’s performance over the weekend and their only mishap was an aborted run on Saturday morning. In the final session Hight and Neff were paired up and made blistering 4.0 passes to end the session.

GEICO's Morgan Lucas nabs second No. 1 of the season

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 10) – If this hot streak in the GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster keeps going, driver Morgan Lucas might pop the question to his girlfriend every week.

Lucas, fresh off his recent engagement to Katie Pallone, ran a career-best 3.766 second pass at 321.88 mph on Saturday at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals to capture his second No. 1 qualifier in three races this season.

"It's been the icing on the cake as far as this last week goes," Lucas said. "If we can get a win tomorrow it'll be an awesome indication from the man upstairs that we're going to keep having success with our relationship."

The pass set the Auto Plus Raceway track ET record, and during his final lap of the day his speed was 326.56 mph, another personal best.

Don Schumacher honored by prestigious racing hall

Don Schumacher honored by prestigious racing hall

highlights opening day of Gatornationals for DSR

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 9, 2012) - The performance of the seven Don Schumacher Racing teams in Friday's first two qualifying sessions of the NHRA Tire Kingdom Nationals presented by NAPAFilters.com was overshadowed by an impressive announcement that was made at the Gainesville track.

Team owner Don Schumacher was named as one of 81 worldwide nominees to the 2013 class of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala. Hall director Bruce Ramey traveled to the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event to inform Schumacher of the honor.

"It's just an honor to be nominated," said Schumacher, who was surprised and clearly touched by the news.

"It's an amazing gift that I've been given to be nominated. I'm blown away by it."

Ramey added, "It's a great honor for us to have your name on our ballot for 2013. We're just tickled to have you on the list."

Ballots are expected to go out next month to 120 inductees and sports writers from around the world who will vote to pare the list to the top 20 before that group is cut to the top five. Those named on least 51 percent of the final ballots get into the hall.

Neff defends Gatornationals title as points leader

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Entering this week’s 43rd annual Tire Kingdom Gatornationals at Auto Plus Raceway, Mike Neff likely is the most frustrated recent points leader in any motor racing discipline.

Force back at Gatornationals, 33 years later

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In 1979, after competing in just two events in his budding NHRA Funny Car career, both of them in his native California, John “Brute” Force loaded his Wendy’s Hamburgers Corvette into a bare bones transporter and, on March 6, with a makeshift crew, drove 2,415 miles to the site of the 1979 Gatornationals.

World champion Payne looking for safest way down Firebird International Raceway

PHOENIX ( – While racing at Firebird International Raceway under a new label, Jay Payne and his FireIce Ford Mustang Top Alcohol Funny Car have the same goal – bring home that Wally.

This weekend's event at FIR is now classified as a Regional race for Alcohol cars in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, rather than a divisional, but Payne's approach to the weekend is unchanged.

"We've done all our normal maintenance and everything looks good," Payne said. "Since it is a points race we are going to have to back it down a little bit to get down the racetrack and make sure we're in the show and earning points."

Payne, who finished runner-up in the season-opening national event in Pomona, Calif., said events featuring nitro cars has a big impact on how he tunes his Funny Car. Conversely, when the "big cars" aren't there, his basic approach changes

New Jersey African-American Chamber bestows honor on DSR's Top Fuel racer Antron Brown

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - On a weekend when Antron Brown was winning the 32nd National Hot Rod Association national title of his career near Phoenix, his father and brother were accepting an award on the other side of the country that meant as much to him as the trophy he received at the track.

The most successful African-American racer in American history and 35-year-old native of Chesterfield, N.J., was honored Saturday night (Feb. 18) at the second annual Circle of Achievement Awards Gala at New Brunswick, N.J. by the African-American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey Inc. for contributions to the community and accomplishments as an athlete.

NHRA SCREAMIN’ EAGLE NITRO HARLEY-DAVIDSON EXHIBITIONS TO BE FEATURED AT TWO NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES EVENTS

GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2012) — NHRA announced today that the always-entertaining NHRA Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harley-Davidson exhibitions will be featured at two NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events in 2012, the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, March 30 – April 1, and at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, June 15-17.

The NHRA Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harley-Davidson exhibitions will feature eight-bike fields and will be showcased on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each race weekend. The high-powered, nitromethane-fueled Nitro Harleys can reach speeds of more than 200 mph and are always a huge hit with fans.  

To purchase tickets for the 13th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, March 30 – April 1, or for more information, call Las Vegas Motor Speedway at (702) 644-4444 or log on to www.LVMS.com.

UNI-SELECT AND ITS AUTO-PLUS® BRAND ACQUIRES NAMING RIGHTS TO HISTORIC GAINESVILLE RACEWAY

Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals March 8-11 at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville

GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2012) — NHRA announced today that Uni-Select USA and its Auto-Plus® network of automotive retail stores have acquired the naming rights to the NHRA owned and operated facility in Gainesville, Fla.  

Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville will host the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals March 8-11, the third stop in the 23-race NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. One of NHRA’s “major” events, the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals serves as the East Coast opener for the series featuring Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and the season-opener for Pro Stock Motorcycle.   In 2012, NHRA will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the sport’s first 300 mph pass, which took place at the historic track in 1992. Making a special appearance at the event to commemorate the feat considered by many as the one of the greatest accomplishments in the sport will be NHRA legend and the first driver to go 300 mph, Kenny Bernstein.