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"I’ve been working with some NASCAR guys on just playing with the carburetor, and that’s actually where my bike picked up," said Phillips. "We started working with the guys last year [starting with] Memphis. There were a couple of other things we did with the bike that they looked over and found that should have been done to the bike, and ever since then, the bike’s just been running crazy mph.

"Andrew had been whooping me pretty good. I don’t know what the winning record was, but that was the first time I had ever beat him on that bike. I bought the bike from him in ’03, and I just never could get him. I raced him maybe 10, 15 times, and he just kept beating me. I’d holeshot him, and he’d find some way to get around me. Pomona last year, I holeshotted him, and the carburetor jumped off my bike. I just finally got the monkey off my back."

Phillips and his Racers Edge Suzuki displayed top-end prowess early in producing a trio of mid-190-mph victories over Karen Stoffer, Smith, and Eddie Krawiec. After an opening 7.00 at 194 mph, Phillips improved to 6.89, 195 before bashing Krawiec’s Harley in the semifinals with a 6.871, 197.65, which set a new track record and new NHRA national speed record.

"I like the pressure," said Phillips, "and I knew I had to be on my game. I'm an old bracket racer, and I kept looking over to see if I could see Steve. My bike started nosing over a little, and I could hear him coming. I looked at the win light, then back at the stripe, then back at the light again, and it came on.

"It's been a great weekend to set the track record now that we've finally gotten a handle on the clutch, which has always been my biggest problem. I can't thank Craig Treble enough for coming over and showing me some things."

Phillips qualified No. 1 for the first time and had little problem reaching the final, his 10th, with three straight six-second passes aboard The Racers Edge Suzuki. He dispatched Tom Micelli, Shawn Gann, and Matt Smith, the last two each sitting up early and not making it to the finish line under power.

“It is my best performance," said Phillips. "Rodger [Brogdon] bought me a new engine, and that’s big. On the first couple of runs, I didn’t get a handle on it. Craig Treble sent me a clutch, but I wasn’t going to use it, but after I made a couple runs in qualifying, I decided to put it in. After a couple of passes, I got it tuned.

“LE’s motorcycle is my old bike. That’s the one that Eddie Murphy rode. I told him I can’t let you beat me on my old piece. That kid didn’t cut me any slack. He’s a good rider, and he’s gonna be tough. Now that the Suzuki guys have bigger engines, it’s going to be real competitive this year. It’s not just going to be the V-Rods and the Buells. Now, we can all make a statement.”

Phillips wheeled his The Racers Edge Suzuki to his 10th final and second of the year – he finished third in the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals final and so did not receive runner-up status – by racing past David Hope and former world champs Matt Smith and Eddie Krawiec with runs of 6.98, 6.97, and a 6.94 that earned him final-round lane choice against Tonglet.

The press release states that Impact has provided sworn testimony that was reviewed and investigated. That testimony stated that no fake labels were used on anything made in 2009 and 2010. They also swore in court that everything produced in 2009 and 2010 meets SFI specs.

The document also states that Impact will work with SFI to monitor the quality of their products and to make sure that all the labels on them are legit. They will also continue to test products, even those made in 2009 and 2010, to ensure that they meet the performance standards that they are certified for.

Lastly, if you have Impact gear and it does not have the date of manufacture on it, you need to immediately contact Impact to get data. In turn, Impact needs to tell SFI about each and every time they receive a call like this.

An unrelated, but weird, fact is that Bill Simpson seems to sign his name with a smiley face at the end of it. Check out the press release at the link below.

Source -- ImpactRaceProducts.com - Impact/SFI Joint Press Release

March 26, 2010 - SFI Foundation, Inc., has issued a Notice of Decertification; Notice of Cease and Desist, and a notice terminating all Contracts of Participation to Impact Racing.

Effective April 27, 2010, all products manufactured and/or distributed by Impact Racing pursuant to SFI Specification Programs 3.2A, 3.3, 16.1, and 16.5 are decertified. Evidence obtained by SFI shows that over a period of years Impact Racing has engaged in the production and use of counterfeit SFI conformance labels and patches, and affixed them to Impact products for use in motorsports

Under the Contracts of Participation between SFI and Impact, SFI conformance labels and patches may only be obtained from SFI and no other source. Evidence shows that Impact had counterfeit SFI labels and patches made in Asia and then affixed them to Impact products it distributed to members of the racing community. To SFI’s knowledge, Impact never advised its customers that its products contained phony SFI labels and patches.

Impact never advised SFI of its systematic and longstanding practice of counterfeiting and distributing SFI patches and labeling.

Impact has been directed to cease and desist from this practice. SFI has directed Impact to immediately notify all affected customers to remove the counterfeit labeling and to offer the affected customers a full refund of the purchase price. SFI is requesting that all counterfeit conformance labels removed from Impact products be sent to SFI.

SFI has elected not to decertify these products immediately in order to minimize the potential hardships to members of the racing community that have been brought about by Impact’s counterfeiting activities.

SFI has also elected to terminate all Contracts of Participation with Impact Racing effective 90 days from March 24, 2010. Under the terms of the Contracts, either party may terminate the agreements without penalty upon 90 days notice. This means that Impact will no longer be able to participate in any SFI programs after this 90 day period.

SFI has taken these actions in the best interests of the safety and integrity of the racing community. This is in keeping with SFI’s mission and purpose.

Don Schumacher Racing issued this statement today:

"On behalf of everyone at Don Schumacher Racing, I want to express my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victim in yesterday's tragedy," team owner Don Schumacher said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the woman. There are simply no words to adequately express our feelings, but we can assure you that we are conducting a thorough investigation to determine how this happened.

"Don Schumacher Racing is one of the leading advocates for safety in the NHRA, and we will continue to be at the forefront of safety. Safety is and always has been our paramount concern. Therefore, we intend to do everything in our power to carefully investigate this matter as efficiently and thoroughly as possible. We ask for your patience, and assure you that we will have more to report as information becomes available to us. In the meantime, we extend our sympathies and ask everyone to keep the victim of yesterday's tragedy, as well as her family and friends, in your thoughts and prayers."

Rain and cold temperatures caused NHRA to move the finish of the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes until Monday, but rain again delayed the rounds. Completion of the sportsman classes will be at next weekend’s Division 7 event at Firebird.

The United Black Drag Racer Association has been putting on a yearly drag race known as “Black Sunday” at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis for three decades. The race is FUBU (for us by us) but all racers are welcome.

In 2010 the association is expanding and will have two races at George Howard’s Holly Springs, Miss., track about 40 mile east of Memphis. Under Cover Brother will bring you more info when he has it.

Antron Brown

"Of all my years racing, this was a career year," said Brown. "We won a lot of rounds and got a lot of points, but we just have to tackle this Countdown a little different way next year, and we're going to work real hard on that. This was a whole new package we were running this weekend and not the stuff we were running earlier this season, and it kind of bit us in the Countdown. We got our car turned around this weekend, so hats off to Brian [Corradi] and Mark [Oswald, crew chiefs]. We'll have a lot more resources next year [being with Don Schumacher Racing] and be back at this race next year running for the title like [Schumacher and Dixon] were this year."

Brown, an early favorite to contend with Dixon and Schumacher for the world championship before he fell on lean times in the playoffs and had to deal with his team being sold for the third time in less than a year, had a great rebound race with the Schumacher-owned Matco Tools dragster. Brown, a 16-time winner in the Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks, was appearing in his 15th Top Fuel final and got there by beating Urs Erbacher, Brandon Bernstein, and Schumacher. His 3.82 to 3.83 defeat of teammate Schumacher meant little other than who would hold the event trophy as Schumacher had already won the championship on Dixon's semifinal loss the pair before.

Of his race against Schumacher that could have cost his teammate the championship, Brown said, "I wasn't nervous because it was Larry and Shoe that had everything to lose, and the pressure and stakes were high. We don't have team orders because even though we have the same team owner, we all have different sponsors, so we go out there and race. Brian and Mark tuned it up to see what it would handle, and it ran 3.82. We stepped it up even harder for the final but not all the way because we didn't want to smoke the tires and give it away, so we were looking for a .79 or .80, and that's what we got."

Peggy Llewellyn

“My words can't even begin to describe the excitement I feel…I AM GOING RACING,” said an elated Llewellyn. “I still had the burning desire to race; that never left me. It was the journey that allowed me to partner with Mark Lantz Racing for next season which is a blessing.”

“We are excited and feel privileged to have Peggy join our team, “stated Michele Lantz, one half of the husband, Mark, and wife team owners of Mark Lantz Racing. “Her ability to ride and win a Wally after being off the track for several seasons proves that she has what it takes to be the next champion. Peggy brings a kind of spirit and passion that reflects what this organization is all about.”

Mark and Michele are making their debut as team owners on the NHRA circuit next season, but they are not new to the world of racing. They have been involved with drag racing since 2006 and formed Mark Lantz Racing in November of 2007. They have worked with other teams and riders in the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) series, most notable Derek Nonnamaker, who placed second in the Western Division and fifth in the National Division Championships.

Llewellyn will be the only competitor for the organization for the NHRA 2010 season, and both Mark and Michele feel because of Peggy’s track record, she can qualify for every race in the top half of the field, go as many rounds as possible at each race, and have fun doing it.

Lantz said, “We will bring an unexpected performance of competition to our competitors. Our team is built with a highly experienced, diversified crew, and with that brain trust in place, Peggy can win a few Wallys along the way.”

Coming off of her fourth place season finish and history making win in Dallas in 2007, Llewellyn was off the circuit for the 2009 season and ran only six races in the 2008 season where she qualified for five of the six events.

“I know I will return on a Buell with a team that knows how to win. We have the same goals, and they are behind me 100%, which makes the partnership strong,” said Llewellyn. “I want to qualify for each race, because you can win from any place on the ladder. My next goal is more Wallys; I would also like a top ten finish!”

Llewellyn, all smiles, continues to tell how she looks forward to the journey of achieving her goals that Mark Lantz Racing and she have set for the 2010 season. “This is my journey, however it has gone; it has taken me and continues to take me to great places. I will always enjoy riding and make the most of all my opportunities! Getting back on the bike, racing, winning, along with other exciting plans coming to fruition ...a possible realty show, I predict most of all I will be RACING!”

“We’re proud to be a part of the new ownership group of the Super Chevy Show,” said Maple Grove Raceway vice president/general manager Lex Dudas. “Having Super Chevy and a group of great tracks participating in this program, it will elevate this series to new heights.”

SCSW includes Maple Grove and nine other tracks. The series offers drag racing, car shows, swap meets and collector cars for sale.

Forward Sports Marketing will be the national event coordinator for the series. The agency will work with each of the 10 tracks to ensure there is uniformity with the schedule and format at each event. Adding localized elements to each event, however, is what will make the 2010 season unique.

“We are going to work with each of the tracks to make sure there is consistency on some levels, but the tracks will also be able to put a local emphasis on the event," Forward Sports Marketing’s Ryan Haas said. “We will manage the series at a national level and will empower the track operators to manage their specific event to give fans and participants exactly what they want.

Williams overcame Russ Delia Jr. by a mere 5pts to capture the Limited Street SC Title and Washington secured his championship over Rick Hatch with a strong runner-up finish at the recently completed Fall Nationals…

All the other classes will be contested later this month at the Street Car Super Nationals (Nov 19-22 in Las Vegas) with all class winners to be honored at the 2009 PSCA Championship Banquet Jan. 23rd in Las Vegas.

Craig Williams PSCA Limited Street Champion!

Mark Washington PSCA Street Challenge Champion!

Phillips, who entered the Pro Stock Motorcycle Countdown playoffs on a hot streak with runner-ups in Reading and Indy, used a huge weekend that began with top speed of the meet in qualifying and ended with a stunning conquest of second-place Eddie Krawiec, 6.93, 193 to 6.94, 192.22, to vault to third place in the standings. The win was Phillips' first since the 2003 Reading event and his third in eight finals.

“This is great,” said Phillips. “We’ve been struggling for the last three years. I lost the whole setup on my bike in 2006. Craig Treble rewired my bike in the middle of the year. I got to studying my computer, and everything started coming together. After qualifying this weekend, I took my clutch to Jerry Eckman, and he showed me some things that helped my bike with the short times. I’m just trying to be a player with these guys.

“I don’t have a big rig; I have a real small trailer, and I’m out here in my ‘Underdog.’ I didn’t know I had so many fans, but they all came over and told me they like to cheer for the little guy. I won two divisionals here in Memphis, so this track has been good to me.”

Phillips reached his third in the last five finals by racing past Treble and GT Tonglet with matching 6.93s, then getting a huge break when Hector Arana, winner of the last three events, red-lighted for the eighth time this season (but for the first time in the playoffs) with a -.007 reaction. Arana, whose 6.85 in qualifying was the quickest pass in class history, backed it up with a 6.91 (and later a 6.88) to set the new record and left the event with his points lead intact by 28 markers on Krawiec.

Tom Hammonds

“I’m excited,” Hammonds said. “I haven’t been in a car in a long time, and I’m anxious to see exactly what our engines can do. We’ve made some improvements since the last time we went down the quarter-mile, and now we’ll see exactly where we stand against the field. That will give us a good indication of where we need to go over the winter.

“Bruton Smith has done an incredible job with zMax Dragway, and I can’t wait to make that first qualifying pass on Friday. You know the stands are going to be packed. They love their NHRA Pro Stock drag racing in Charlotte, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Hammonds’ game plan is to race at the next two events, in Charlotte and Dallas, and sit out the remainder of 2009 to begin preparation for next year.

“We have some functions we’re doing at these next couple of events for some of our sponsors,” Hammonds said, “and then hopefully, not too long after Dallas, we'll be able to make an announcement regarding 2010. We’ll then continue to work on our engines and our program for the rest of the year, and that should put us in a solid position where I feel we can not only finish in the top 10 next season but have a chance to run for the championship. This will give us the head start to do that.”

The week leading up to the NHRA Carolinas Nationals promises to be a busy one for Hammonds. Following a test session in Rockingham, N.C., Sunday, the Chevy Cobalt driver and team owner will take his race rig to Camp Lejeune (N.C.), where he will spend the day with United States Marines. The Marine Corps has been an associate partner on Hammonds’ Chevrolet throughout most of the 2009 campaign.

“The Marine Corps has been a tremendous supporter of mine this year,” Hammonds said. “We have a tremendous opportunity on Wednesday to visit Camp Lejeune, display our race car, sign some autographs, and just spend the entire day with the United States Marines. We’ll visit with some of our wounded warriors there and let them know how much we appreciate what they’ve done for our country. I’m also going through the Marine Corps obstacle course, and depending on what kind of toll that takes on me, I may or may not be in Charlotte. If I’m at zMax Dragway on Friday, then you’ll know I survived.”

Hammonds’ decision to park the race team following the Madison event was a difficult one, especially considering that he had qualified at six of the first seven races on the tour. His season-best effort in 2009 was a No. 7 qualifying spot in Las Vegas, and in Houston, he posted a career-best elapsed time and speed of 6.580 seconds at 210.18 mph. However, the need to devote more time to finding additional funding and a long-term sponsor temporarily won out over continuing on the circuit.

“My main objective when we parked the team after [Madison] was to make sure we had secured funding for 2010 and beyond,” Hammonds said. “It was a tough, tough decision. I thought we had momentum, I felt good with the team that we had both at the track and the shop, and it was a hard choice to make. I had a good conversation with Tomi Laine, Jimmy Oliver, and my whole crew and made the decision that the best thing to do was to focus on finding a sponsor. Suffice it to say, we’ve made a lot of headway.

“We were consistently qualifying in the top 16, and we were doing it on a limited budget. That’s not an easy thing to do. Jimmy, in my opinion, is the best in the business, and what he was doing with our engines with what he had to do it with was unbelievable. Now we’re close to being in a position where we can put our program on solid ground for many years to come. I feel confident that I can give Jimmy the budget that will put us in the upper echelon of NHRA Pro Stock drag racing.”

Hammonds entered his first NHRA Pro Stock contest at the 1996 Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals while playing professional basketball with the NBA Denver Nuggets. He continued to compete part time on the NHRA tour while still in the NBA.

Following his retirement from basketball in 2001, Hammonds entered the NHRA circuit full time. He took a sabbatical from the sport in 2003 to complete final coursework in the GM Minority Dealer Development Program, then opened Tom Hammonds Chevrolet in Darlington, S.C., in May 2004. Hammonds sold the dealership in December 2005 to return to Pro Stock drag racing.

Hammonds’ career as an NHRA Pro Stock driver includes three final-round appearances, in Dallas and Las Vegas in 2001 and in Chicago in 2002.

“Drag racing professionally has been one of the most difficult things I have ever done,” Hammonds said. “Playing basketball you’re kind of in control of your own destiny, and success is largely determined by how hard you want to work and the effort put forth in the gym and in the weight room. Regardless of how hard you work or how many hours you put, there are no guarantees in drag racing.

“When I retired from basketball, I was still doing this in the hobby frame of mind, and that’s what really hurt me. If I would have approached it more so as a business back then, I feel we would have been in a better position now. That’s where we are now. This is my business, and this is what I do for a living. I have worked extremely hard to make this work, and thank God that he has put some key people in front of me that have taken notice of our program, and today we’re in a better position.”

Hammonds was a two-time all-ACC and an All-America basketball standout at Georgia Tech University, where his No. 20 jersey was retired and where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

“I absolutely love NHRA Pro Stock drag racing,” Hammonds said. “Not many people can say they’ve had an opportunity to compete professionally in two different sports, and I’ve truly been blessed. This is a lot of fun, driving the car, facing the competition, and going up against the best racers in the world. I also want to be a testimony to others. Don’t quit on your dreams — that’s what I tell the kids in our Race for Achievement program. It may be hard at times, but don’t quit, and if you want it bad enough and you work hard enough, you can make it happen. Have faith in God, and you can make it happen.”

Videotape from the event showed Force making physical contact with an NHRA official at the top end of the racetrack during a confrontation with fellow Funny Car driver Tony Pedregon. Such physical contact violates the Participant Conduct policy as stated in the 2009 NHRA Rulebook. The fine, which Force can appeal, must be paid in full prior to participation at any future NHRA event.

We’re guessing that's "Chump Change" for John Force!!

Gadson faced Jeremy Teasley, also on a ZX14, in the final. Gadson cut an .069 bulb, set the new national record, and ran his quickest pass ever on that bike while Teasley cut a .036 light but ran a 9.08.

“I wasn’t happy at all with the bike’s performance at Martin,” said Brock Davidson, crew chief of the Brock’s Performance Kawasaki ZX14, referring to the previous AMA Dragbike event at Martin, Michigan. Gadson lost in the semis at Martin when his bike failed to shift, a problem solved when the AMA Dragbike technical departmentrecently allowed the removal of the ‘14s neutral lockout safety balls—perfect for street riding but an occasional nuisance at the track. “I tore the engine apart myself, the first time I’ve been into an engine since Vince Woska’s Supersport bike in ’05.

“Supersport rules only allow you to machine gasket surfaces, so about all we can do is mill the head and degree the cams. It’s got our ZX14 new owner’s kit and the minimal amount of modifications that the rules will allow. But the bikes are already so good, that we don’t see the gains that we used to. You really have to focus on the details. The smallest of details adding up together make the biggest differences on the track.” (Photo Courtesy Brock’s Performance)

Earlier in the morning, in preparation of the day’s racing activities, Marcum was seated in his dragster testing his trans-brake, this according to a report quoting CHP Officer Jeff Briggs. The NHRA requires the test to be conducted with the vehicle’s tires off of the ground. According to the Ktla.com, Marcum didn’t follow the procedure.

Briggs told Ktla.com only that Marcum sustained fatal injuries in the crash. According to reports, no one else was injured in the crash.

Marcum was one of a group of Southern California races who helped start the Pro Gas class in the early 1980s that later morphed into the current Super Gas category. Marcum was the 1981 champion in the Southern California Pro Gas Association. Two weeks ago, Val Torres Jr. drove Marcum's 67 Nova to the Super Gas victory at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals in Sonoma, Calif.

With our deepest sympathy, the entire BDR staff send their condolences to Ronnie‘s, Daughter and the entire Marcum family.

Marcum, was a good friend of BDR’s Publisher Wayne Ware, for over thirty years. Ronnie you will be missed!!

Antron Brown

After nailing down back-to-back wins in Denver and Seattle, Matco Tools driver Brown busted out the broom in Sonoma as he defeated Fram pilot Cory McClenathan in a close final round, 3.99 to 4.00. Brown has claimed five wins in eight final rounds this season, the best record among Top Fuel racers.

“This doesn’t feel real, especially after we had so much turmoil in the off-season," said Brown. "We weren’t sure where we’d be, and Mike Ashley came in, and he’s been a fantastic team owner. Back then, everybody was talking about [Tony] Schumacher and [Larry] Dixon, but not us. We wanted to run for a championship, and Mike knew we had a team that could do it. Now, we’re proving it.

"Sometimes we don’t have the fastest car, but we find a way to win the round. We know what it takes to get down a hot track, too. We backed it up for the final; that’s why we won with a 3.99. That was just about all it was going to take. For me, the hardest thing about going from bikes to Top Fuel was learning a whole new set of mechanics. You have to finesse the bike with your whole body, and you have to be smooth. When I got in that dragster for the first time, I leaned my body, and it kept going in same direction. That was the biggest thing I had to learn.”

Brown, the No. 4 qualifier, opened eliminations with a 3.90 win against Troy Buff, then stopped Joe Hartley and low qualifier J.R. Todd before downing McClenathan in the money round. Brown has a commanding 199-point lead over defending champ Schumacher in the Full Throttle standings.

Fans who purchase a Friday or Saturday ticket can redeem those tickets for a reduced $10 pass on Sunday. The reduced ticket also includes free parking, free pit access and a chance to see the championship final rounds on Sunday.

“What better way to show our appreciation to the great Michigan fans than to save them $25 on a Sunday ticket. We want to create as much value as possible and this was a great way to do it,” said IHRA President Aaron Polburn. “The fans can bring their Friday or Saturday ticket back on Sunday, or even give the tickets to a friend, and see a great show for just $10.“It is absolutely the best bargain in motorsports.”

NHRA has partnered with Ticketmaster to eliminate service and convenience fees on Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil tickets purchased through Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster phone lines or at Ticketmaster outlets. Fans purchasing tickets through Ticketmaster may pick up their tickets at the will-call-window ticket office on race day or may have their tickets delivered for a fee.

advance purchase adult general-admission tickets for only $20, a savings of up to $29 per ticket. A total of 1,500 tickets per Professional qualifying and eliminations day are available at the $20 price, representing a total of 6,000 tickets for the event. The $20 ticket is available for advance purchase only on a first-come first-serve basis by calling 800-884-NHRA (6472) and mentioning “fan-relief offer” or by logging on to the appropriate event page at Ticketmaster.com and entering the password “Relief” for promotions and special offers. Race-fan-relief tickets purchased through Ticketmaster.com can be picked up at will-call for no charge.

To help families attend the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, children 12 and younger will be admitted free to general-admission areas of the track when accompanied by a paying adult. Children's tickets in reserved-seat sections start at as low as $10 depending on the event day, seating location, and age of the child.

In honor of active U.S. military personnel, NHRA will again offer one free Friday reserved-seat ticket to any active military personnel with proof of status. The military offer is only available at the ticket office on-site Friday, Sept. 4.

NHRA has long been synonymous with providing opportunity for women so it’s no surprise that it will be well represented at the annual Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation Awards Ceremony.

NHRA President Tom Compton and Senior Vice President, Racing Operations Graham Light will attend the annual event, which will be held Thursday, July 23 at The Plaza Hospitality Village Pavilion at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“NHRA is and has always been at the forefront in the motorsports industry of providing opportunity for women to compete at the highest level and on equal footing with men,” Compton said. “From Shirley Muldowney in the 1970s to Ashley Force Hood today, we’ve had 43 women compete in the NHRA Full Throttle Series, 11 women have won races and two have won championships. So the mission of the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation is one that we wholeheartedly endorse.”

The Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation was founded in 1994 by Lyn St. James, who will emcee this year’s event with ESPN reporter Jamie Little, as an educational organization developing, mentoring and advancing women in the motorsports industry, especially women who aspire to become race car drivers.

Antron Brown

With a victory next weekend in Sonoma, Brown, who won last weekend in Denver, can join an elite lineup of drivers to have won all three events in the three-weekend summer sweep through the Western states. Fellow Top Fuel racers Joe Amato (1991), Cory McClenathan (1997), Larry Dixon (2003), and Tony Schumacher (2008); Funny Car racer John Force (1994); Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson (2004); and Sportsman ace Dan Fletcher (1994) are the only drivers to have accomplished the feat.

Brown scored his sixth Top Fuel win and fourth of the season by denying Schumacher a second straight Seattle victory and a chance to narrow points leader Brown's edge. Brown raced to a tight 3.985 to 3.990 decision -- his margin of victory was just .008-second -- to collect the win and increase his points lead to 137 markers. “We were at the bottom half of the field, but we just had to race to the best of our ability, and that’s what we did today,” said Brown, who qualified just 10th. “That first round was a close race, but we still spun on the big end, and we just kept backing it up. We backed it up a little bit more, went out there, got from A to B. Our car was just so on point the whole day. The track got hot, and Mark [Oswald] and Brian [Corradi, co crew chiefs] knew what they wanted to do.

“It’s great when you race Tony Schumacher, a six-time world champ, and you get the better of him in the final by eight-thousandths. That’s a close drag race, and if I would have lost, I would still be happy because we went out there and did the best we could. But we got that win, and it felt really good. That was a sensational, phenomenal drag race. Now I’m looking forward to going to Sonoma and taking it one round at a time.”

Brown, in the Mike Ashley Racing/Matco Tools dragster, opened his eliminations run with a 4.07 conquest of Clay Millican, then followed with passes of 3.98 and 4.00 to beat tire-smoking Morgan Lucas' GEICO Powersports and Spencer Massey's U.S. Smokeless dragsters to reach his 12th final in Top Fuel (45 career, including Pro Stock Motorcycle) and his third in the last four races.

Project 1320 is the name of the endeavor that will cover drag racing from 1948 through 1989.

“The year 1948 was when organized drag racing began, and 1989 was when electronics began taking over the sport,” Cole explained. “We want to get to as many surviving pioneers as we can to get their oral histories and how the sport grew and evolved.”

The project has been soliciting movies and testimonies from individuals and companies about the early days of the sport to use as background material.

QME has contracted with Stephen Krystek of SyntheticHuman Pictures in Phoenix to produce the film. A website has been created, www.project1320.com, for people or companies that would like to contribute.

The QME board of directors consists of Hrudka, Cole, Harry Hibler, Garlits and Wayne Wolfe. Filming and production plans are being finalized, with production to start by late summer.

Antron Brown

“The monkey of winning from No. 1 is finally off our back,” said Brown, whose third win this season is his first from the No. 1 spot. “There was a lot of pressure on us this weekend. All these guys were cutting lights on me, and my crew chiefs had to stay on top of the weather that was changing constantly. This trophy is worthwhile because of the stout competition.

“You always want to win. That’s what puts you in the record books and makes history. The championship is the big picture, but you’re always upset after a semifinal or runner-up because you lost. Winning makes you heal from all those times that you lost before. This is my Robitussin.”

As good as Brown’s Brian Corradi- and Mark Oswald-led team was on race day, the driver had a say in the final result as well. After defeating Rob Passey in the opener, Brown dug deep to score a holeshot win against good leaver Morgan Lucas in the second round, 4.04 to 4.03. Brown then held off another twenty something driver by putting Spencer Massey on the trailer in the semi’s.

GM is seeking to cut ties with Cagnazzi Racing, KB Racing LLC, Kurt Racing and Pedregon Racing by July 22.

After GM killed the Pontiac brand, we were waiting to see what was next.

J.R. Todd

Citing a need to personally guide his business through the current economic turbulence in the housing industry in his native Northern California, the popular Baca decided to use a substitute driver that could dedicate the necessary time to servicing the multitude of Mach 1 customers and employees slated to attend the race at Route 66 Raceway.

"If I can't put 100 percent of my focus on driving a 300-mph racecar I don't need to be driving," Baca said. "Everyone that knows me will understand how hard this decision was, but I have to put my commitment to the Entzminger family and everyone at Mach 1 Global Services ahead of my desire to drive my hot rod.

"The Entzmingers have been wonderful to me from the start, and helping them achieve their goals in these rough times is very important to me but so is my commitment to my family and employees here at home. I'm thankful the Entzmingers are so understanding, and I plan to make it up to them in the future."

Baca has successfully qualified for all four of the events he's attended in 2009, which has included stops in Pomona, Phoenix, Houston, and Las Vegas. Despite his abbreviated schedule, he's 14th in the Full Throttle points.

A six-time winner in the Top Fuel class, Todd has not competed this year after being relieved of his duties at Morgan Lucas Racing in the off-season. The 2006 rookie of the year who was the first African-American to win a Top Fuel race under NHRA sanction is anxious to make his first passes of the year.

"I'm sure I'll have a few butterflies before we make our first pass because it's been a couple of months, but hopefully it's like riding a bike and it'll all come back to me," Todd said "This is a good car, and I'd like to get it in the show solidly and try to go some rounds on Sunday.

"Hopefully, having this opportunity to compete will bring some other possibilities for all of us in the future."

Jamie Entzminger, Mach 1's CEO, says their clients and employees in Chicago and Detroit -- two of their key markets -- are excited about the upcoming event.

"We have a great group ready to join us at the Chicago race, and we'll be cheering on J.R. and the Mach 1 race team all weekend," Entzminger said. "Chicago is a very important market for us, and we've converted all of our loyal customers there into drag racing fans so they are ready for a fun weekend at Route 66 Raceway.

"David Baca is our guy and we're sad to see him sitting out, but we understand and appreciate the position he's in with his company. J.R. will be a great replacement, and we're happy to welcome him to the team."

The promotion begins June 1 online and will run through the end of the year. Consumers can enter the sweepstakes online at www.cpgraceresults.com/sweepstakes.html , the official sweepstakes page.

Featuring a customized paint job that resembles the newly rebranded FRAM® Tough Guard® Dragster driven by Cory McClenathan, the 22-foot Nordic Speedboat retails at $64,999 and can cruise at speeds up to 60 mph. It also comes with its own extreme custom tandem trailer with torsion axles, disc brakes and chrome rims. Fans will have the opportunity to view the boat in the Honeywell CPG display at numerous NHRA event locations, including Chicago, Seattle, Sonoma, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Las Vegas and Pomona.

Entries will be accepted online from June 1 to Dec. 31, 2009. It is open to all U.S. residents of the 48 contiguous United States. In addition to a grand prize winner, Honeywell CPG will randomly draw 175 names throughout the promotion and give away 1/24 scale die cast models of the FRAM® Top Fuel dragster signed by Cory Mac. The grand prize winner’s name will be announced at the NHRA Winternationals in 2010.

The change is effective June 4, 2009, at the United Association Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago, which is the next stop on the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series tour for Pro Stock Motorcycles. Buell (160 cid) will remain at 625 pounds, and Suzuki (101 cid) will remain at 595 pounds.

Antron Brown

"This was a phenomenal race," said Brown. "Anytime you line up against Bernstein, you have to be on top of your game, and we were. Rob Flynn is the crew chief over there, and I know what he's capable of. He won this race last year with my [former] teammate, Rod Fuller. We figured that they would run a 3.85 or 3.86, and we knew we'd need to match that.

"Our team was getting better one step at a time. We were getting faster and faster. In the final, we decided to give it everything we've got. We took the wickerbill off, so I knew it would run a big speed if it was stuck. Even so, I was surprised that we ran 318. That was big for us, and I owe it to Brian [Corradi] and Mark [Oswald]. They've gone from Funny Car to Top Fuel, and they haven't missed a thing."

Former GM Engineer and Pro Modified Veteran Enters A New Realm of Technology …

Pay every bit of attention to Harold Martin because he’s living out a childhood dream.

A former GM engineer, Martin used his years of experience to design his first luxury/sports car production vehicle. The racing version promises to be one slick and "futuristic" piece.

The accomplished Pro Modified driver from New Hudson, MI., has rolled out his first four production vehicles from his Martin Technologies production facility. However, it might just be the fifth car that draws the most attention for now.

The former GM engineer and electronic fuel injection pioneer will publicly debut his new 2010 Martin M4 coupe in Pro Modified competition, later this week, during an organized test session in Valdosta, Ga.

What would inspire a man to undertake a project of the magnitude of engineering a new street-driven car?

If John DeLorean, Carroll Shelby and Jack Roush can do it, Martin believes he’s fully capable of pulling off the same feat, designing and manufacturing a car that bears his name.

He’ll be the first to admit the ride hasn’t been easy to get to this point but the thrill of the hunt is half of the fun.

He’s as proud as a man can be of their team and their killer creation.

"We’re not looking for a competitive advantage. We are in this to sell cars. This body will be available to others who want to buy it."

Martin unveiled the Pro Modified version of his 2010 M4 on Sunday afternoon in a private ceremony.

Martin will also tell you that he and his team worked on enough outside projects to whet their appetites to the challenge of building the 2010 Martin M4.

“We worked with enough projects outside of this enough to get that itch to want to do something like this,” Martin admitted.

Two years ago, Martin saw the handwriting on the wall and believed the timing would soon be right for such an endeavor if he began laying the ground work immediately. In light of developments over the last two years, his project appears to be nothing short of prophetic.

“We wanted to do it in a niche kind of a way,” Martin said. “The goal was to target more a luxury/sports car kind of buyer who was looking for something unique, new in technology, innovative in design and also had a racing flavor to it. We really want to roll out an intelligent approach with the Martin M4.”

So where does one begin in the development of a production, street-driven vehicle?

You start with the potential customers according to Martin. Then you develop and execute a survey to see what they’d like in a new car in comparison to their current high-end sports/luxury vehicle.

Martin admitted he drew inspiration from other high-end, low production manufacturer designs such as the DeLorean and the Callaway [high-end Corvette] and even went as far as to meet with Mr. Callaway for advice.

He also befriended a number of celebrities to learn their desires when it came to a luxury sports/car.

Martin also visited current auto dealers, many starving for something new to sell. He took notes of what they had to offer and what they believed was marketable.

The one point all parties unanimously agreed on was an overwhelming desire for a new car that was American made and conceived.

Antron Brown

"This just shows you how strong this team is," said Brown, who leads the Top Fuel points standings for the first time in his career. "During the off-season, I looked at the guy upstairs and said, 'What is all this adversity for?' It was crazy. Then I found out that we were going to get Brian or Mark, and I had no doubt that we were going to be a good team. They took our car to another level.

"We were bummed in Pomona, because we had the car to beat going into the final before we had a mishap that slowed us down. The crew is getting more confident with every run. I think we're going to keep getting stronger as the year goes on."

The internal components of Brown's dragster were used and abused every time he got back to the pits in eliminations, but they worked well for 1,000 feet at a time as he ran strong on Sunday. Brown's motor expired early in a first-round defeat of rookie Del Cox Jr. He was locked in the 3.8-second zone after that by running 3.885 and 3.819 to survive competitive battles against Shawn Langdon and Tony Schumacher.

Check out www.superchevyshow.com for more information on events and 2009 schedule.

Richard Gadson

Gadson, from Philadelphia, Pa., will be racing a new Cooper Performance-built machine with a D&G Chassis powered by an engine based on the Suzuki GS1150 pushed to over 1500cc.

In addition to the Cooper Performance parts, including a custom Pro-Mod head, the engine also features a MTC Engineering cylinder block, pistons, and Generation-2 Clutch, as well as Ferrea titanium valves, and an Accurate Crankshaft.

Tom Hammonds

He has worked for Steve Schmidt in the past and last year was Greg Stanfields crew chief.

Goodyear Racing has a wide variety of slicks and coming this summer will offer DOT sizes to match the rules of PSCA classes. Goodyear Racing offers a wide variety of sizes and compounds for all types of cars. For more information about product availability and what tire fits your application best please contact us. You can also check out tire information at www.racegoodyear.com

Carroll Shelby Enterprises
6775 Speedway Blvd Bldg M107
Las Vegas, NV. 89115
702-430-5160

Carroll Shelby Enterprises - AZ Store
4219 E. Broadway #112
Phoenix,AZ. 85040
602-437-4977

Ken Warner, VP Sales and Marketing for Mickey Thompson stated, “The tough decision to suspend our relationship with NHRA after more than 26 years is due to several concerns including a recent mandate by the NHRA that Pro Stock racers will be required to compete exclusively on Goodyear tires.”

Warner also said, “The decision to compete solely on one manufacturer's tires may ultimately diminish the level of competition in the Pro Stock series. The spirit of open competition drives this sport and by limiting the racers' choice of tires, that spirit is severely diminished. We hope the sanctioning body revisits this ruling and opens up the competition to manufacturers like Mickey Thompson who are willing to put years of technology and experience into making tires that help win races."

Carl Robinson, Motorsports Manager for Mickey Thompson stated, “Eliminating the NHRA from our schedule will allow us to focus our attention and resources on faster growing segments of the drag racing community. The NHRA’s current vision as demonstrated by several of their recent decisions is just not in alignment with ours at this time. If things change we will revisit the opportunity.”

Mickey Thompson Motorsports will continue to support these NHRA racers through their “Team M/T” program. NHRA racers can contact Carl Robinson at 800-222-9092, ext 3152 for more information.

Ronald Lyles

John Troxel, promoter of the Muscle Car Reunion nostalgia events at St. Louis and Kansas City, Scott Gardner, track operator/promoter at Cordova, Ill., and possibly a promoter with a race at Indianapolis, are going to see if there is enough interest to add a Nostalgia Pro Stock class at their 2009 nostalgia events.

According to Troxel and Gardner, the class initially will have to support itself. That means the teams will have to pay an entry fee and extra crew will have to buy tickets. The purse for the class will be made using the entry fees. The more entries they get, the bigger the purse. The fields will be eight-car qualified unless they get 17 or more entries, which would bump it up to a 16-car qualified field.

The promoters have already made rules and stress they are going to stick to them for the purpose of keeping the cost of building a car as low as possible. The most important rule is that only body styles and brands and ex-Pro Stockers from the years 1970-74 will be allowed to compete. NO EXCEPTIONS, DON”T EVEN ASK!

This class is to represent the original spirit of Pro Stock when it began. All participants will run American-made cars with cast iron motors, tunnel rams, and 4-speed transmissions. These cars must maintain the integrity of this period of racing both visually and mechanically so that participants and spectators alike can relive this great period of racing through this class.

Proposed 2009 Nostalgia Pro Stock Rules:
1970-1974 American-manufactured cars with stock-appearing body lines and wheelbase. No convertibles. Must run either flat hood or era correct hood scoop. No late-model hood scoops!
Must have factory grille, headlights, tail lights, and 2 functioning doors.
Maximum rear tire size is 14 X 32.
Must have 2 front seats.
Must retain factory dash frame.
No electronics!! 2-steps are allowed.
Clutch must be manually operated by foot. No pneumatic or electronic shifters. All cars must be manually shifted with no more than 4 forward gears. No torque converters or centrifugal clutches allowed. Lenco, Liberty, Jericho, and other after market manual transmissions allowed. No tube chassis, must retain factory firewall in stock location. Back halved cars are allowed. Must retain inner fenders, fabricated inners allowed. Wheelie bars allowed. Cast iron block and heads mandatory!! Small block or big block. No cubic inch limitations Engine design must match car make. No externally visible modifications. Two 4-barrel carburetors and cast aluminum tunnel ram intake mandatory. Gas only, no nitrous oxide or alcohol. Either dry or wet sump oiling systems allowed. No scales, no tear-downs. All cars will run HEADS UP on a 1/4 mile with a .4 Pro Tree. All cars and participants must adhere to any and all NHRA safety and tech rules that apply for their E.T.

Any car that does not fit the spirit of the class at Tech will be transferred to Muscle Car Eliminator at the Race Director's discretion. For more information call Troxel at 573-644-3272 or Gardner at 309-654-2110

J.R. Todd

"We were notified on Tuesday, January 6th, and my pay ends in two weeks," Todd said. "The talent pool of quality drivers is pretty deep now.

Todd said he's not giving up on his season although his prospects appear slim.

"I'm just going to pass out some resumes and knock on some doors," Todd pointed out. "I'm going to have to find some money to bring along. The largest reason most teams are parked is the lack of money. If I can come up with some funding to take to a team, I will be back out there. I'll be in Pomona but on the other side of the fence."

The irony of this latest announcement is that the only two drivers who beat 2008 champion Tony Schumacher during his second-half championship run, Todd and Hot Rod Fuller, are both out of racing for 2009 having lost their rides due to sponsorship issues within the last 30 days.