Drag Racing's Top 5 Marketing Strengths
Making Sense of Sportsman Drag Racing
From
Assembly
Line to Finish Line
Where
Did All
of These Cars Come From?
Friday
Night
Lights…At
the Drag Strip
The
NHRA Tour
has Just Begun,…Really
Winternationals
Saturday Preview
Winternationals
Sportsman Qualifying Update
Featured
Racer: Melanie Monagon
Junior
Dragsters: Off-Track Lesson
At
the Drag
Strip: The Christmas Tree
The "Good Old Days"
Go to any function, drag racing or not. Odds are you will find a more experienced elder boasting about the good old days. You know, back when times were less complicated and the racing was more fun. That’s great. Everybody should have the opportunity to reflect on their youth and the exciting times they enjoyed.
But whose to say today isn’t somebody else’s “good old day?” Yes, that’s cool that tracks once hosted 64 funny cars in one night and you bet I would’ve enjoyed watching the high-winding modified eliminator cars. But the fact remains, not everybody was fortunate to have those experiences.
First impressions make a big impact. Where was the first drag strip you went to? Where was the 11th drag strip you went to? The latter takes a bit more thought to recall. Do the good old days end once the awe inspiring novelty wears off and the tracks, cars, and races blur together over the years?
It is all too easy to come across articles that relive yesterday’s glory and degrade the present day. How productive is this? The United States has fallen on hard times but we don’t abandon ship and rave about the late-1700s. No, we press on and hope for the best. We believe in the United States, why it was founded, what it stands for, and want future generations to experience the liberty and freedom just as we have.
Why does this same mentality not exist in drag racing? Shouldn’t yesterday’s racers take more pride in the sport they pioneered and try to preserve it for future generations? I believe the good old days are alive and well today. The explosion of true street, 10.5 tire racing, PINKS All Out, and Jr. Dragsters demonstrate this. Somebody, somewhere, is drag racing and having the time of their life right now. Before we give up and write drag racing off, take a closer look. The sport is alive but different. A stagnant, non-evolving sport would surely have faded by now. Wondering what’s next can be half the fun.
Book Review: How to Drag Race
Drag racing is a mental sport. The more you know the better off you are as a driver. While races are won on the drag strip, they are often times decided before the driver even rolls into the burnout box. The more experienced the driver, the more this holds true.
In every driver’s quest for drag strip glory, they learn valuable lessons that craft their abilities and refine their skills. Aspiring drivers and seasoned veterans both crave more information in their mission to learn something new everyday about the sport they are passionate about. Sometimes a driver’s most valuable lessons come at the helm of a more experienced driver who puts an early end to that racer’s short lived weekend. While other times, simple conversations in the staging lanes can be a time of insightful learning. Unfortunately, the off-season puts these activities on hold. The cold winter months, short days, and long nights can leave a drag racer stir crazy with cabin fever.
This website draws a lot of inspiration from other published sources of drag racing information. I personally find one publication in particular highly insightful: Senior Editor of National DRAGSTER, Kevin McKenna’s How to Drag Race.
Over the course of the past year I seem to have forgotten how I came across Kevin McKenna’s How to Drag Race but I remember the cover instantly caught my eye. It wasn’t the blunt title or bright bold text that triggered my senses. What caught my attention was the yellow E/SA 1967 Camaro with the tires wrinkled and green bulb glowing. Pleasantly surprised, I said aloud, “that’s my Camaro!” Not being figurative because I personally own a yellow 1967 Camaro but the very car on the cover is the same car I race in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. In the photo, the driver and former owner of my Camaro is David Rampy. For all newcomers, remember that name. Seasoned drivers, you probably know it already. Rampy holds the all-time win record in NHRA Competition Eliminator history and has 71-NHRA National event wins – his most recent at the grand daddy of them all, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. The cover of this book (ignoring my car) speaks highly of the quality of the writing and material. Like Rampy, the book is professional and well-rounded.
As with any “How-to” type book, you have to understand what you’re getting into. McKenna does an excellent job of starting the reader off in shallow waters before making a diving board leap into the deep-end. A brief, yet descriptive and insightful background of drag racing kicks the book off. The author understands that a full fledged drag racing encyclopedia is necessary to cover every single topic in painstaking detail. Thus, McKenna has carefully crafted an upbeat and comfortable read that smoothly transitions the reader across every aspect of drag racing in a logical, well-planned order.
This book has something in it for readers of a variety of drag racing experience levels. It doesn’t matter if you’re a spectator or seasoned driver simply looking to find out “why?” we do this or that at the drag strip; there is something in this book for you. McKenna has a well-rounded background in drag racing, making this book especially valuable. Today, he is a Senior Editor of NHRA’s weekly National DRAGSTER, the longest running drag racing magazine in history. Before he got to where he is today, McKenna cut his teeth in drag racing working many different jobs at his local drag strips growing up. Even today, he still finds time to go bracket racing. What this means is the reader can experience drag racing from a holistic stand point. This book isn’t written by simply a member of the media, a racer, or a track operator, but instead, somebody who has vast experience on every side of the sport. In turn, the reader is offered a well-rounded text that highlights all aspects of the sport.
- Drag racing history? Check.
- Beginner’s advice? Check.
- Driving tips? Check.
- Technical, performance, bracket racing, psychology, and science? That’s five more checks and then some.
What makes this book special is that it doesn’t just explain what drag racing is. It explains how drag racing is done and for that matter, how it’s done successfully. McKenna is well balanced throughout the book’s various chapters. He gives the correct amount of writing on the right subjects. He doesn’t beat miniscule subjects over your head repeatedly to make a point but explains a subject and moves on to the next. The book flows smoothly with each topic and chapter building on and supporting the topic or chapter preceding it. McKenna teaches you the fundamentals that are required to prepare the reader for the next lesson. The book is like an exciting version of school. You learn your shapes and colors in kindergarten and by the time you leave elementary school at the eighth-grade you are reciting the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and putting the Pythagorean Theorem to good use. The same goes for How to Drag Race. You first learn what a dial-in is and what the Christmas tree does. Next thing you know, you’re delving into the psychological aspects of drag racing and apply mathematics to determine your margin of victory. My apologies for all of the school references but just like school, you are challenged to learn new lessons but nothing goes way over your head because you’re prepared for the lessons you’ll learn next.
So you read and read but the message still isn’t crystal clear? Not a problem! This 144-page book is loaded with high quality full color photos. That’s right, every page (with exception to the handy glossary and index) has at least one, if not two or three color photos supporting the text.
Kevin McKenna hit a home run with his how-to approach to drag racing. The descriptive and upbeat text offers ample advice on nearly everything NHRA drag racing related and is supported with superb color photos, further driving off-season drag racers stir crazy and longing for the drag strip.
Four Decades Later: The Wally
Undoubtedly,
the most valuable piece of
hardware a drag racer can own is not the newest delay box or best set
of cylinder
heads on the market. In fact, it
won’t
shave your ET or improve your reaction time. But
the sensation a racer feels when hoisting one high
above their head and
calling it their own is undeniable and unparalleled.
We are of course speaking of the most prestigious
trophy in the NHRA: The Wally.
After recognizing the dangers of
street racing,
Wally Parks founded the NHRA in 1951 to create a safe place for racers
and hot
rodders to legally push their machines to the limit. Although,
it wasn’t until the 1969 season before
the first Wally was awarded to NHRA national event winners.
Contrary to popular belief, the trophy is not modeled after Parks, but Top Gas racer Jack Jones. In the June 30, 1995 issue of National Dragster, Jones said, "Believe it or not, Wally Parks called me at my job and asked if I’d do him a favor; pose for pictures that would be used as models for the trophy." The Wally was modeled after the images taken of Jones during a photo shoot at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, California in 1969.
While the national event Wally is the most
desired
by all racers, the NHRA has also introduced variations of the Wally for
other
high-profile races. Some of which
include a scaled-down replica Wally that is awarded to class winners of
NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional races. Each
NHRA member track also awards ET Bracket
winners a scaled-down Wally with a pewter-finish, once each year in the
NHRA National
Dragster Challenge. Beginning in 1994, a
full scale Wally with a square base was awarded to NHRA Junior Drag
Racing
League National Champions. A
variety of special awards including plaques,
picture frames, and glass-etched trophies integrate the image of the
Wally for
such occasions as the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Challenge and the
newly
announced NHRA Unleashed. A variety of
polished
Wallys with high luster finishes are awarded to season champions on
more
intricate and larger bases. Among the
most highly coveted was the 50th Annual Mac Tools U.S.
Nationals
Wally which stood atop a black base.
Regardless
of shape, size, or stature, the
Wally represents excellence on the drag strip. It’s
meaning and value has never wavered. Hopeful
drivers imagine the feeling of
holding their Wally for the first time. Fortunate
racers who already own the prestigious trophy, know the feeling of
posing with
their Wally for post-race photos and crave more. When
the years pass, the prize money is spent
and memories slowly fade, the Wally will still stand proud on the
mantel.
Making Sense of Sportsman Drag Racing
The smell of the exhaust gas and scorched rubber is irreplaceable. The thumping sound of a high lift camshaft and the explosive sound of a spooled and ready turbo charger cannot be mistaken. The sleek body lines, fat tires, wide scoops, and unique paint schemes catch the eye and are forever embedded in our mind. Stepping foot on the racing surface and you soon discover the tacky drag strip is unlike anything you have ever touched, as the shoes are yanked off of unsuspecting crew members. Even from the grandstands, you can taste the bitter sweet flavor of nitro methane as it brings involuntary tears to your eyes. Drag racing appeals to every sense of the human body. Well… almost every sense.
Wade Owens
Professional drag racing draws thousands of spectators for many reasons. As far as top fuel is concerned, they are the quickest accelerating cars on the planet. As far as funny car goes, John Force is the most recognized drag racer today. They shake the grand stands and their sounds echo miles away from the drag strip. There are, however, a number of things the pros can’t boast. In reality, the closest and most competitive racing is often decided in the sportsman category. Count how many races are won in Super Pro ET Bracket racing because the opposing car went into tire smoke at half track. The frequency of races won by mere thousandths of a second in Super Comp towers that amount in Top Fuel. Consider the sportsman racers who have collected over 50 NHRA National event titles and do so by winning 6-7 rounds, not 4 rounds like in the pro categories. Let me be clear, this is not intended to take away from or undermine professional drag racing at all. This is intended to showcase drag racing’s less understood and by some accounts, underappreciated sportsman drag racers.
Matt Antrobius
Dan McCarten
Educate new fans. If
you see a bewildered fan wandering through the pits, invite them to
look at
your car. Explain the class you race in, why you enjoy it,
and why
they would like to watch you. The pros have public relations
and
marketing people who are very good at conveying why the spectator
should watch
them. You, the sportsman racer, need to assume that role
yourself to
build interest. Answer questions, give pointers, and ask
them how
they’re enjoying their time at the drag strip. Maybe
even give them
a heads-up of another good sportsman race they should come watch in the
future.
Having spent a quarter of a century blazing down the quarter-mile, the seemingly quiet Daryl Bureski has been making noise for years. The Stock Eliminator racer from Elgin, Illinois can be spotted racing primarily throughout the Midwest in the Bureski family's 442olds.com 1970 Olds 442. Bureski follows both the NHRA Division 3 and IHRA Division 5 circuits with success in both series. To date, he has finished in the top five in NHRA Division 3 points twice and was the 2007 IHRA Division 5 series champion. Bureski’s success in accumulating points should come as no surprise, having won numerous divisional races in both the NHRA and IHRA with two final round appearances at the NHRA National event level and the 2002 IHRA Northern Nationals Championship.
The casual spectator, or even racer for that matter, may pass by the 442 just as they do any other Stock Eliminator car. The simple fact is, this car is not just any ordinary 442 Olds. Racing most commonly in the E/SA class, the Oldsmobile driven by Daryl is powered by a 455 big block with the high performance W-30 package. The W-30 package features a special high lift cam shaft that feeds the extra air and fuel through an aluminum intake with cold air induction.
Daryl Bureski celebrating an IHRA Pro-Am win
What’s more, the convertible top 442 makes for not only a solid race car but also a highly desired collector car. This convertible 442 started life as an official Indy 500 Pace Car with the Y-72 option. That makes the car a rare, 1 of only 268 ever produced.
Judi Bureski
If the last name Bureski sounds familiar, that is with good reason. Daryl’s mother, Judi, also campaigns an Oldsmobile in the Stock Eliminator category with the help of husband, Bill Bureski. In fact, Judi and Bill previously drove Daryl's car and still own the convertible to this day, with Daryl now behind the wheel. In 2007, the Bureski family was awarded the Brut Essence of Drag Racing Award, recognizing the hard work and family values that make up the sport of drag racing.
To learn more about Daryl and keep up to date on his racing, visit 442olds.com.
NHRA’s winningest Competition Eliminator driver, David Rampy, will again compete full-time on the NHRA Full Throttle national event circuit in 2010. Just as in years past, Rampy will compete with his Bantam roadster in Competition Eliminator while also racing in his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro in Stock Eliminator. Long time crew chief, Barry Davis, will again join Rampy for the expected 15 race schedule. However, the one noticeable change for 2010 will be Rampy’s new sponsor and teammate Lee Sharp, under the Sharp Motorsports banner.
Rumors had surfaced in recent weeks that the former world champion was retiring from drag racing. No less than one week ago, Rampy’s race cars were for sale. Writer and chief mechanic, Will Hanna, contacted Rampy to join him on Radio Nitro to discuss his future in drag racing. Rampy will publicly announce his partnership with Sharp Motorsports as the closing guest on Monday night’s radio program. Listeners can tune into Radio Nitro with Will Hanna and top alcohol’s Harker Twins, Kate and Diane, every Monday night at 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific at racefanradio.com.
The 2009 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Champion
will begin the
season at the 41st Annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals
in
Gainesville, Florida. Rampy also thanks
K&N Filters, Hoosier Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Jeg’s
High-Performance and
Bullet for their support.
World of Wheels: Drag City USA
Descending on the escalator in the wide-open ticketing and entrance room to the 48th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels in Rosemont, Illinois, my attention was diverted to one lone vehicle. That car was the first set of wheels all show goers first lay eyes on during the painstakingly slow escalator ride down to the show’s level. The lone car was none other than a Greg Anderson’s pro stock show car. Before even entering the show, it was apparent that drag racing would be an aggressive theme for the car show.
Like taking a trip through time, I made my way down a short staircase stepping into the main show room. With three-time NHRA Champion Greg Anderson’s Pro Stocker in my rear view mirror, I stepped into another era. The absolute first car situated inside the actual show was a beautifully restored Chi-Town Hustler funny car. I use the phrase “restored” loosely, because this car was above and beyond any standards in its hay day. One neat intricacy that could easily go undetected to the untrained eye is that it is side-steered with an off-set engine to the right. The idea was to improve the driver’s visibility down track without having to peak over the top of the blower.
The center piece of the historic drag racing collection were the front engine dragsters including “Big Daddy” Don Garlits’ Swamp Rat III, IV, and VIII, Don Prudhome’s Wynn’s Winder, and Connie Kalitta’s Bounty Hunter. All three 1960s and early ‘70s front engine dragsters were gathered together in one joint display.
Outlining the perimeter of the drag racing display were “Jungle Jim” Liberman and Roland Leong’s funny cars, a 1964 Super Stock Dodge Hemi tribute to Dick Landy, Mr. Norm’s factory experimental Super Stock Hemi, and a GTO painted Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick orange.
In drag racing, there are few constants. The variety of drag racing vehicles that take the track every weekend is astounding. From a full bodied Mustang, Vega, or S-10 Pick-up truck to a long wheel base four-cylinder Competition Eliminator dragster. From an ear piercing Kawasaki drag bike to an 85 mile per hour Junior Dragster. In fact, the word variety is an understatement. Consider the hundreds of classes, combinations, and categories. Don’t forget the dozens of formal sanctioning bodies that organize and promote these events. Consider also, the various Television, magazine, radio, and Internet media sources that cover the sport, its races, and its unique racers.
Yet, in the midst of the diversity, one thing remains the same. We all gather at the drag strip. This commonality exists among all drag racers. On any given weekend, hundreds of racers, crew members, fans, track personnel, promoters, manufactures, and sanctioning bodies converge to the drag strip. Yes, many of us have loyalty to our preferred category to race in or vehicle to drive; but we can all find common interest in drag racing.
AtTheDragStrip.com is a newly established drag racing resource, catering to the needs of all drag racers. We have our message forum for interaction with fellow drag racers, fans, and enthusiasts. Our News section will bring you press releases and announcements from all aspects of drag racing (tracks, sanctioning bodies, teams, manufacturers...). Daily editorials include analytical observations, reports, and featured driver profiles. We aim to become the leading source of drag racing news, information, and social networking, becoming the common Website that all drag racers can find valuable.
Like
a scene out of the late 1960s, Detroit’s interest in drag
racing
has resurged over the past year and a half. “Big
Daddy” Don Garlit’s long and smoky burnout past the
Christmas tree and quarter-mile match race against sportsman great,
Judy Lilly, in a pair of Dodge Challenger Drag Package factory race
cars offered a glimpse into the future and a revival of the
past.
The Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, in Denver,
Colorado was Detroit’s platform to unveil the future of the
company and drag racing. The
Drag Pak and Cobra Jet have gone to battle against one another since
late 2009 and are embarking on their first full season in competition
with each other. A wealth of media and press has covered the
technical specifications of both performance vehicles. This
article will take another approach. I will discuss the impact
factory race cars have and will have on drag racing as a whole. On
the surface, it may seem these cars will draw attention and be a short
lived novelty that will soon pass into remission as another piece of
metal in the staging lanes. Consider the fourth generation
Chevrolet Camaro. Seeing a 2002 Camaro - what was suspected
to be
the last model year of Chevy’s famed pony car – on
the drag
strip was a sight to witness. Somebody actually had the
audacity
to “chop up” a brand new, directly off the show
room floor
car and make a drag car from it. With time, the rarity of
these
cars has faded and the novelty diminished. So, what prevents
the
same from happening to today’s factory hot rods? The
DP and CJ are in a class of their own. A quick sales pitch
explaining the worth of these cars would go something like
this:
Buy a brand new, (almost) turn-key, purpose built drag car, in limited
production from the factory. For starters, these cars are
built
to legally race in NHRA competition in the Stock Eliminator, Super
Stock, and Competition Eliminator categories. If
you’re
unfamiliar with these classes, just know this means tight
specifications, lots of rules, demanding requirements, performance
oriented, and safety minded. No corners are cut on these
pieces
of mechanical art work. What’s more, they are both
produced
in small lot sizes of 50 a piece, with Ford recently turning over
another fifty 2010 CJs to their respective owners. The
value of these vehicles is crucial. How long before these
cars
are bought up by collectors and stowed away? While the Drag
Pak
is making headlines this season, with two straight number one
qualifiers at NHRA National Events, the headline making Cobra Jet was
nowhere to be found at the Golden Anniversary of the Winternationals,
just one year after its historical win. Not one Cobra Jet was
in
competition that weekend. Before the Cobra Jet ever saw drag
strip competition, a bidding war was already ensuing on the main stage
at the famed Barrett-Jackson car auction. Fetching $300,000
for a
brand new car with an approximately $70,000 price tag - although a
specified amount of the earnings went to charity, letting socially
responsible bidders turn a blind eye on fair market value.
Regardless, the CJ was causing a media storm before it ever hit the
track. Winning the Winternationals didn’t hurt
either, as
articles could be found in USA Today following the win. But,
the
key to keeping drag racing in the news is to keep these cars on the
drag strip. The
media brings another interesting spin on the DP and CJ in drag
racing. Consider all of the times you have ever flipped open
the
newspaper and discovered a tragic article where a local youth was
tragically killed in what the press reports was a “drag
racing
accident.” This misconception of drag racing has
plagued
the sport since its inception. While street racing was the
precursor to drag racing’s sanctioned roots in the early
1950s,
it is critical that the media knows the difference between illegal
street racing and drag racing. Having the DP and CJ grace the
pages of national media builds awareness and recognition for both the
auto makers and drag racing. Bringing drag racing to the
forefront through its association with the profitable Ford Motor
Company does wonders for our sport. Putting a damper on the
negative press and building sound and factual public relations is
helping our sport grow, does justice for those who invest time, money,
and energy in drag racing, and just flat-out looks good. Attend
any NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series division event, where these cars
are most generally contested, and you will make some
observations. First, some of these division races draw over
600
competitors. There is never a shortage of cool looking cars,
some
of which could win best in show at any car show, and oh
yeah…they can run…fast! But, you will
also notice a
lop-sided age spread in competitors. The racers who
experienced
drag racing through the 1960s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and
‘90s
are still out here today. That’s good, because it
proves
that these racers still find pleasure in the sport, even after 40
years. While they might reminisce about the “good
old
days,” they are still out here today. Less
optimistically,
though, there are significantly fewer young drivers entering these
ranks. Part
two of “From Assembly Line to Finish Line” will
address how
the Drag Pak and Corba Jet will influence the sustainability of drag
racing. Drag
racing is a family sport. With its growing age comes the arrival of
second and third generation racers, emerging every season. The sport
that meant so much to their parents now means the world to them. Yes,
drag racing families are still your typical American family, but with a
shot of nitrous instead. Eager
to follow in her father’s foot steps, Erin Braasch patiently
awaited her chance to climb behind the wheel herself. The opportunity
she had long waited for would finally come to fruition. While her
junior high classmates were busy riding bicycles and memorizing every
episode of Boy Meets World, the young and hungry Braasch became well
acquainted with the garage and drag strip. Seventh grade students are
young and impressionable, so when the young second generation driver
squeezed that throttle for the first time, she was as hooked as her
Mickey Thompson slicks on a freshly sprayed concrete launch pad. Popular
Hot Rodding's 2006 Miss Joliet Super Chevy Today,
the 19-year-old Optician from Mokena, Illinois has her sights set on
the 2010 race season with her completely overhauled 1989 Chevrolet
Camaro. The newly installed third generation fiberglass body will make
its maiden voyage down the quarter-mile with some assistance from a
freshly rebuilt 409 small block Chevy. Braasch is working feverishly to
finish her build before the 2010 season opener at Route 66 Raceway, in
Joliet, Illinois but gets tremendous support from her father, John, who
first got her involved. John
Braasch's 1985 Chevrolet Camaro; 510 BBC 850 HP Erin,
the hired gun driving a friend's Chevelle
Six months later, Ford responded in a big way. Like a scene
out
of a movie, John Calvert drove a Ford Cobra Jet Mustang to the Stock
Eliminator win at the 49th Annual
NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California, in only the car’s
first competition outing. After seven rounds of competition,
Calvert proved that lightning can strike the same place twice;
recreating the 1968 Winternationals when Al Joniec scored a win in the
1968 Mustang Cobra Jet’s inaugural voyage down the drag
strip. In an almost eerie coincidence, Calvert’s CJ
was
dressed in nostalgic race trim, all the way down to Al
Joniec’s
name on the door, as a throwback to the 1968 Winternationals.
Featured
Racer: Erin Braasch
Braasch actively races in the NHRA Summit Series Pro and Super Pro
categories throughout the Midwest at Route 66 Raceway, U.S. 41, Union
Grove, Byron Dragway, & O’Reilly Raceway Park at
Indianapolis. But if you haven’t had the chance to see Erin
in
person, then your next best option is to check your closest car
magazine, as Erin has also been a featured model, most notably as
Popular Hot Rodding’s 2006 Miss Joliet Super Chevy. Whether
she
is behind the wheel, in front of the camera, or simply turning wrenches
with her dad, this young lady is making noise and turning heads.
Where Did All of These Cars Come From?
If you had the opportunity to read The Drag Strip’s column, “The NHRA tour has just begun,...really,” then you would know that the highway trek from Pomona, California to Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Arizona is 344.35 miles with 5.18 hours of windshield time. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the entire traveling distance of the NHRA Full Throttle tour, then click here to see for yourself.
Somewhere in the 344 mile haul, the NHRA tour seemed to lose the top
alcohol dragsters, funny cars and competition eliminator field. Filling
their pit stalls and track time this weekend will be the 10.90 heads-up
Super Street category and the Top Dragster class, in their first ever
national event appearance. How cool would it be to not only win the
first but be the only person in the world to win an NHRA national event
in Top Dragster? Well, one lucky racer will find out Sunday while
38-other drivers load up and head home empty handed. In fact, seven
drivers won’t even have the chance to race in the
bracket-style
eliminator, as the field only qualifies 32-cars. The bump spot after
two rounds of qualifying is presently Mike Henderson of Tacoma,
Washington, who clocked a 7.063 at 190.62. Yes that’s fast
but
it’s also over a second behind the quickest and fastest Top
Dragster on the property. That bragging right belongs to Denny Hills of
Gilbert, Arizona who ran a low 6.040 at 222.22. If you were wondering,
that is almost half (0.500) a second quicker than the number two
qualifier, Lyle Burnham of Henderson, Nevada, who qualified a 6.531 at
a snoring slow pace of 206.83. And yes, that was sarcasm on my part.
The number one qualifier spotting a one second and 30-mph handicap in
eliminations could make for some exciting drag racing this
weekend!
Friday Night Lights... at the Drag Strip
Dozens of sports glory films have depicted the intensity and achievement of high school sports teams who capture the statewide championship title. Such blockbuster hits as Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, and Friday Night Lights, come to mind. Now, don’t expect to see NHRA sportsman drag racers hitting the silver screen anytime soon but except to see that same gridiron intensity make its way to the drag strip this summer with the newly announced NHRA Drag Racing State Championships.
A
number of NHRA special events already exist for sportsman drivers,
including the NHRA’s National DRAGSTER challenge, NHRA
Aerospace
Components King of the Track, and NHRA Junior Drag Racing League
Challenge. So you ask, what separates the State Championships from
other special events? NHRA’s Challenges and King of the Track
events are inclusive to a single NHRA-sanctioned track. So if you as a
driver make a mistake and lose out in your home track’s
National
DRAGSTER Challenge, then you can load up, hit the road and try again at
another track, anywhere in the country for your special Wally. The NHRA
Drag Racing State Championships capture the high school sports aura,
where you only get one shot each year to win the bragging rights over
every other driver in your category throughout your entire state. A
special NHRA Drag Racing State Championships Wally plaque is awarded to
each champion.
All NHRA Summit Series E.T. Bracket classes and NHRA Junior Drag Racing
League racers can race in the event. More specific details are unknown
at this time.
Tracks already slated to host their respective state’s
championship race include:
Silver Dollar Raceway in Reynolds, Ga., Sept. 5
Coles County Dragway USA in Charleston, Ill., July 12
Great Lakes Dragway in Union Grove, Wis., July 17
Kearney
Raceway Park in Kearney, Neb., July 31-Aug. 1
Please visit NHRA.com and your NHRA Division website as additional
states and provinces will be added.
For additional information or questions, contact your NHRA Division
office.
The NHRA Tour has Just Begun,...Really
With Pomona in the books and Phoenix fast approaching, the NHRA tour starts the season hot and heavy with immediate back-to-back national events. With the elimination of two NHRA tracks from the tour and the scale back from 24 to 23-events in 2010, the travel load must be light this year...right? You decide.
Below, you'll find a quick, race-by-race travel itinerary of the NHRA Full Throttle tour. This demonstration begins the trip at Pomona at zero miles on the odometer and zero time logged behind the wheel.
To travel the complete 23-race circuit, you would have to spend 14 days, 13 hours, and 55 minutes traveling 22,354.24 miles. Because time is of the essence (both on and off the track), these numbers were generated using the quickest time between each destination.
Also consider, this list doesn't take into consideration returning to the race shop, making special appearances, or the occasional wrong turn.
Just remember, 14 days, 13 hours, 55 minutes, and 22,354.24 miles later, you will end up right where you started off, Pomona!
| Race | Track | Hours | Miles | |
| 1 | Begin in Pomona, CA | 0.00 | 0 | |
| 2 | Pomona, CA to Phoenix, AZ | 5.18 | 344.35 | |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ to Gainesville, FL | 29.82 | 2,035.50 | |
| 4 | Gaineville, FL to Concord, NC | 7.63 | 475.04 | |
| 5 | Concord, NC to Houston, TX | 16.67 | 1,057.06 | |
| 6 | Houston, TX to Las Vegas, NV | 21.55 | 1,473.03 | |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV to Madison, IL | 23.77 | 1,620.70 | |
| 8 | Madison, IL to Atlanta, GA | 8.80 | 554.48 | |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA to Topeka, KS | 13.63 | 865.70 | |
| 10 | Topeka, KS to Joliet, IL | 8.53 | 534.40 | |
| 11 | Joliet, IL to Englishtown, NJ | 13.45 | 809.37 | |
| 12 | Englishtown, NJ to Bristol, TN | 9.50 | 579.88 | |
| 13 | Bristol, TN to Norwalk, OH | 7.72 | 456.02 | |
| 14 | Norwalk, OH to Seattle, WA | 35.33 | 2,363.77 | |
| 15 | Seattle, WA to Sonoma, CA | 12.85 | 788.92 | |
| 16 | Sonoma, CA to Denver, CO | 18.20 | 1,249.25 | |
| 17 | Denver, CO to Brainerd, MN | 14.93 | 974.82 | |
| 18 | Brainerd, MN to Indianapolis, IN | 11.68 | 706.87 | |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN to Concord, NC | 10.28 | 643.24 | |
| 20 | Concord, NC to Dallas, TX | 16.60 | 1,053.92 | |
| 21 | Dallas, TX to Reading, PA | 23.13 | 1,074.06 | |
| 22 | Reading, PA to Las Vegas, NV | 37.05 | 2,450.04 | |
| 23 | Las Vegas, NV to Pomona, CA | 3.70 | 242.82 | |
| Total | 350.00 | 22,353.24 | ||
| 14 days 13 hours 55 minutes | ||||
Winternationals Saturday Preview
| Posted at 12:16 PM on February 13, 2010 |
Winternationals Saturday Preview
With football out of the way and baseball months away, February 11-14 seemed destined for a motor sports overload. Breaking the auto racing dry spell are the 50th Annual Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals presented by Valvoline in Pomona, California, the NHRA Southeast Division 2 season opener in Bradenton, Florida, and oh yeah, that race they call the Daytona 500.
Stock Eliminator (After Round 2)
The monster matchup of round 2 Stock Eliminator was Jimmy DeFrank, whose .006 reaction time help him make up the big handicap start against round two loser, Jody Lang. The Stock Eliminator field is packed with contenders including John Shaul, Eric and Gary Waldo, Brad Burton, Leo Glasbrenner, Jimmy DeFrank, Brian an Ryan McClanahan, and Michael Iacono who is driving Dan Fletcher’s 1969 Camaro this weekend.
Super Stock (After Round 1)
Going into round two of Super Stock, keep your eyes out for these hitters who still remain in competition: Defending and three-time world champ, Jimmy DeFrank, Michael, Iacono, Mark Faul, Jody Lang, Brad Plourd, Ryan McClanahan, 2009 Stock Eliminator Winternationals champion John Calvert, Clark Holroyd, and Steve Wann. The match-up to watch for this round will be last year’s number five driver in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national points, Jody Lang, racing the events number one qualifier and past division champion, Jeremy Duncan. Of all the remaining hitters, Dan Fletcher’s .022-bulb in the first round was out done by division seven driver, Tim Hall, whose .011 reaction time and .012 over his dial ousted the multi-time world champ in round one.
Competition Eliminator (After Final Qualifying)
Here are the big match ups to watch in Competition Eliminator:
Number two in the world and number five qualifier, Dan Fletcher, against number 20 qualifier and eighth in Division seven points, Brian Moscini. Number three driver in the world and number 12 qualifier, Mike DePalma, faces number 27 qualifier, Gary Tackett in his 2005 Sunfire. Number seven points finisher in the world last year, Doug Lambeck, qualified 19th, will have a tall order racing number four qualifier, Clint Neff. Divisional heavy hitters to watch out for include Justin Lamb, Ross Wilson, Dean Carter, and Alan Ellis.
Winternationals Sportsman Qualifying Update
| Posted at 12:19 PM on February 12, 2010 |
Stock Eliminator (After Three Qualifying Rounds)
After three qualifying sessions, Irvin Johns , of Charlestown, Ind., sits atop the 79 car field, driving his 2009 Challenger A/SA to a 9.918 elapse time, -1.082 under his index. Another note worthy top 10 qualifier is Pro Stock standout, Jeg Coughlin Jr, who piloted his brand new 2010 Challenger to the number six spot in his official NHRA National event debut with the Challenger, running 10.046, -0.954 under his index.
In contrast to last year, when John Calvert’s 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang won the Winternationals in its debut, not one Stock Eliminator Cobra Jet is racing at the season opener this year.
Super Stock (After Two Qualifying Rounds)
The Super Stock qualifying sheet after two sessions is an almost mirror image of the Stock Eliminator qualifying sheet, as another Charlestown, Ind., driver, Jeremy Duncan holds the number one position in the 2008 Chevy Cobalt GT/CA owned by Stock low qualifier, Irvin Johns. Duncan ran a 9.294 elapse time, good for -1.106 under his 10.40 index. 79 Super Stock cars are on hand this weekend with a field loaded with heavy hitters, including defending World Champion, Jimmy DeFrank, Dan Fletcher, Brad Plourd, Mark Faul, and Jody Lang.
Competition Eliminator (After Two Qualifying Rounds)
Brian Fitzpatrick of Lake Havasu, Arizona, wheeled his turbo charged H/D dragster to the current number one spot, after running the lowest elapse time of the event at 6.223,a lucky -0.777 under his 7.00 index. The 31-car field will take the track for their final qualifying round 2pm Eastern, Friday and begin eliminations at the same time on Saturday.
Featured Racer: Melanie Monagon
| Posted at 12:27 AM on February 09, 2010 |
Finding Melanie
Monagon shouldn’t
be a challenge. The 22-year-old account manager from
Amherst,
Ohio can be found on any given weekend touring her local drag strips
with her father and their eye catching 1972 AMC Gremlin. Keeping up
with her, however, is a whole other task.
Cinched between the narrow wheel wells of her short wheel based Gremlin
is a 350-cid small block Chevy. Atop the small block rests a 6-71 super
charger, helping the wild combination produce nearly 1,300 hp. While
piloting this machine down the quarter-mile may seem a daunting task
for most, Monagon handles the car with ease, as she will soon roll into
her tenth straight season behind the wheel of her Gremlin in 2010.
Being a “Featured Racer” is becoming old hat for
the young
driver, with past features in such major publications as Hot
Rod Magazine
and Hemmings
Motor News,
with additional other online feature stories. Her goal for the 2010
race season is to reach television stardom on SPEED’s Pinks:
ALL
OUT this coming August.
Melanie owes a lot of her on-track success to her father, who has
taught her a great deal about racing and working on her own cars. The
young lady isn’t afraid of hard work and has even spent time
working in an engine shop, loving every minute of it.
“I’m
proud of my car and put my blood, sweat and tears into it!”
says
Monagon, with enthusiasm. The personable, positive, and fun racer hopes
to one day turn her passion for drag racing into a professional
reality, serving as a role model for young girls and racers chasing her
same dream.
If you want to catch Melanie piloting her super charged Gremlin down
Ohio’s Summit Motorsports Park, Quaker City Raceway and
Thompson
Dragway, then you better move fast. This young hot shoe is gearing up
for the big leagues in pursuit of a professional career as a touring
drag racer. TDS
Junior Dragsters: Off-Track Lessons
| Posted at 12:19 AM on February 09, 2010 |
Starting
out in the junior dragster class, it is important not to take losses
too hard early in a driver’s career. The truth is most eight
or
nine year-old drivers just entering the ranks are going to be paired
against drivers with more experience than them. While I have witnessed
a junior driver win in their first outing, it is rare and likely a case
of serious beginners luck. So I advise, don’t take the losses
against older drivers too hard in the beginning. Of course, race to
win, but don’t get frustrated. Racing against more
experienced
drivers will only make you or your driver a better racer. In time, the
younger driver will develop their skills behind the wheel and that
first big win against an older driver will be all the more enjoyable.
With that said, losing early in a race gives that young driver and
their parent or car owner an opportunity to learn from the grandstands.
Walk the young driver near the starting line to pay close attention to
what the more experienced drivers are doing. Teach the importance of
consistency in all burnout and staging procedures. The last 6-inches
when rolling into the stage beam is possibly the most crucial piece of
real estate on the drag strip, so teach your driver to take their time,
courtesy stage, and concentrate.
After you have spent time at the starting line, give the young driver a
lesson in the basics of finish line driving. With each pair of car that
passes, point out when a driver did well or how they could have done
better. Seeing first hand is a strong tool in learning the fundamentals.
As always at any point in a driver’s career, safety is of
utmost
importance. Before the day’s race even begins, take a walk to
the
turn off of the drag strip. Every track is a little different, so coach
the driver to remind him/her where the finish line is, how long the
shut down area is, and how they should properly exit the drag strip:
obey track officials if they are present, turn slowly, and always be
aware of the other car to avoid a collision.
At The Drag Strip: The Christmas Tree
| Posted at 12:13 AM on February 09, 2010 |
As eluded to in our last “At the Drag Strip” column, today’s discussion will be over the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree has had a number of facelifts during its nearly 50-year long stint as the standard method of starting competition drag races. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, a flagman standing between the two race cars would signal when the drivers were to launch off the starting line. The obvious dangers and subjectivity of using a flagman contributed to design and implementation of the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree made its formal debut at the 1963 NHRA Nationals. The Christmas tree originally consisted of five-amber bulbs but was reduced to it’s now standard three-amber bulbs in the mid-1980s. In 2003, the NHRA introduced LED bulbs, replacing the once standard incandescent amber bulbs.
Two basic Christmas tree designations exist: pro tree and full tree.
The pro tree is used primarily in heads-up categories (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Modified, Pro Stock Bike, Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car, and Super Comp/Gas/Street). With the pro tree, all three-amber lights illuminated instantly.
The full tree is primarily used for bracket-style dial-in races, when a staggered tree is necessary to accommodate vehicles of sometimes vastly different ETs. Such categories using a full tree include Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, and Junior Dragster. With the full tree, each amber bulb illuminates sequentially, typically 0.500-seconds.
Yes, there are exceptions to these general rules of thumb. For instance, the majority of pro tree races are contested on a 0.400-second tree, where 0.400-seconds separate the yellow amber bulbs and the green bulb. The Super Street (10.90 heads-up) category, however, is an exception as they use a 0.500-second tree.
Regardless of 0.400- or 0.500-second trees, the driver’s time slip will read perfect as a standardized 0.000-second. To demonstrate, what was once a 0.500-second perfect reaction time would now be a 0.000-second perfect reaction time. The same goes for 0.400-second perfect reaction times. Thus, any deviation from a perfect 0.000-second reaction time will be recorded as a -/+ 0.000-second.
The accompanying videos demonstrate a pro tree and full tree in action.
Full Tree
Pro Tree
At The Drag Strip: Where to Begin?
| Posted at 12:11 AM on February 09, 2010 |
A modern day, sophisticated timing system is capable of measuring ETs as precise as one-millionth (0.000001) of a second. However, all of the ultra fancy high-tech fiber-optic and digital technology in the world is useless if the driver can’t make sense of the data generated. Aside from the elapsed times determining the outcome of the race, the precise numbers found on your time slip are highly beneficial in helping improve your driving skills.
There is no better place to begin this discussion than the starting line. A common misconception of newcomers is that the ET (elapsed time) clock begins when the green starting line bulb is lit. This is a false misunderstanding. In fact, there are two separate time recordings taken on the race track: reaction time and elapse time. The reaction time is the time elapsed from the flash of the green bulb to the motion of the vehicle as it completely leaves the starting line beam. If that seemed a bit too much, let me refresh your memory and elaborate further. Recall, timing sensors are triggered by the disruption of a photocell. Lining the drag strip at strategic locations are photocells that project an invisible beam that contacts a reflector (the orange cube) on the center line. The disturbed beam triggers the timing system. The stage light (second set of yellow incandescent bulbs just above the first amber LED bulb) on the Christmas tree tells the starter and fellow competitor that you are prepared and committed to running the race. The stage light is activated by the starting line beam. The time that passes between the green bulb lighting and the front tire of the race car exiting the stage beam accounts for the driver’s reaction time. A perfect reaction on a typical five-tenths (0.500) of a second full-tree (three amber bulbs countdown sequentially in half (0.500) second intervals) is 0.500 seconds, or more simply converted today as 0.000 seconds.
This is a good time to announce next Monday’s “At the Drag Strip” column, concerning the different types of starting line Christmas tree formats used in drag racing.
