Tom and Ryan Martino of Youngstown, Ohio-based Martino Motorsports will be trading in the NHRA quarter mile for a guest appearance on an upcoming episode of the newest Discovery Channel project, Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder.

The show will anchor Discovery’s newest automotive driven “Motor Monday” lineup at the 10:00 PM EST time slot starting June 23, 2014 immediately following the highly anticipated series return of Street Outlaws.

“It’s about time Youngstown, Ohio, gets a little recognition for having some of the baddest hot rods and tuners on the planet.  From private multi-million dollar car collections to weekly car cruises full of hundreds of classics and rare finds, you’ll see it all when you come to Youngstown,” states Ryan Martino, crew chief and co-driver for the father-son NHRA Top Dragster duo of Martino Motorsports.

“Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder will undoubtedly give viewers a first hand look at why Youngstown is the real deal when it comes to putting the ‘muscle’ in muscle cars.”

Premiering on the Discovery Channel Monday, June 23rd at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder follows the antics of the hilarious, large-and-in-charge car junkies of Christmas Automotive as they boost business by hunting down left-for-dead cars and bringing them back to life.

“Tom, Chuck, Andy, Steve, and the rest of the Christmas Automotive crew were fun to work with on this project. We literally just picked up our new dragster from paint at R&R Auto Body and were getting it prepped for assembly when Christmas and his crew showed up at our shop,” said Tom Martino, a 40-plus years drag racing veteran.

“Bottom line is that in between the constant jokes and non-stop entertainment they provide, these guys know cars inside and out and know how to get them to flat out perform.”

The Martinos are no strangers to the camera. Both Tom and Ryan have made countless television appearances over the years including appearances in commercials for associates of their race program, features on their race team, live interviews, and a national award-winning public service announcement for the American Red Cross in the mid-’80s.

“Even though this is one of our first reality television show appearances, fans, fellow racers, and automotive enthusiasts will definitely get a kick out of our appearance on Fat N’ Furious: Rolling Thunder. After the experience, I can definitely see my dad and me getting more involved with a show of our own down the road. The back door of our race trailer reads ‘The Adventure Continues…’ for a reason,” Ryan Martino said.

“When you spend a week preparing for a race, three to four days at an event away from home with competitors and fans from all over the world, and only six seconds on the track at a time, you have all kinds of free time to come up with some wild and crazy ideas.”

(Photo by David Smith)

At 68 years of age, Larry “Higg” Higginbotham may be one of the oldest drivers on the PDRA tour, but he exudes the energy and passion of someone decades younger. Maybe it’s that passion that keeps him working the long hours necessary to run a successful trucking company and field a Pro Boost team with the Professional Drag Racers Association.

The Ohio native first got a taste of speed taking his street car to the track in his early 20s, but soon put things on hold to focus on his business. It wasn’t until about 15 years ago that a friend took Larry back to the track. After that one trip, he was hooked. He first fielded a Corvette and competed in Quick 16s and with the NSCA, where he set a National Record. He also won Norwalk Raceway Park’s famed Halloween Classic in the Corvette before a fateful run at Pittsburgh Raceway Park.

At about half track the car’s throttle hung causing it to turn into the wall. With the throttle still hung, Higg was on the ride of his life, rolling several times. Amazingly, he walked away. Despite the tremendous crash, he was soon ordering a ‘57 Bel Air body and chassis from Tim McAmis. He put the new ride together himself in his two car garage.

Higg and his Bel Air are right at home in Pro Boost, a class with many storied cars and drivers. While he may line up against another Bel Air, he’s just as likely to run a late model Corvette, a ‘53 Studebaker, a ‘70 Barracuda or a ‘68 Firebird.

“It’s a great class,” Higg said of Pro Boost. “I ran Pro Mod with the ADRL. The overdrive being only 14 made it tough. With PDRA offering unlimited boost, everybody can run what they want to. It’s a great class. I think they’re going to have some great numbers. As time goes on everyone is going to get faster and faster. We really like the PDRA. The ADRL was a great outfit and the PDRA is probably better than that.”

Higg himself has reached a top qualifying spot of fifth (Memphis) and earned a semifinal finish at the Georgia Drags. “It takes more than one person to do this and I have an unbelievably good crew,” he added. His crew consists of Crew Chief Doug Baer as well as Kelly Baer, John Hines, Jim and Bonnie Smith and Mike Stanley. “This crew is unbelievably good. It makes it work, if you know what I mean. You need a good crew and these guys are great.”

Another key to Higg Racing’s success is Snyder Motorsports. “Snyder Motorsports builds our engines and Lenco drive transmissions. They do an excellent job, and they really work with us.”

Although Larry’s trucking company, Higg Trucking, has become successful enough to allow him to return to a passion of his youth, he welcomes sponsorship for his currently self-funded team, because while he may qualify for senior citizen discounts, he’s not planning on slowing down anytime soon.

“For us hillbillies from Youngstown, Ohio to be running guys like Todd Tutterow is truly awesome. These guys are the best racers in the country. It’s an honor to be running against guys like Todd and Kevin Rivenbark and Adam Flamholc. They’re just great racers. It’s really cool to line up against guys like that.”

While Higginbotham is living the dream, racing against the top names of the sport, he’s also an inspiration to many himself. At 68 years old he’s showing people that “old guys can do it, too. A lot of people sit in the stands watching and maybe they think they have a chance to still be doing things when they’re 68.

“I truly enjoy it. It’s a passion for me.”

When Erica Enders-Stevens finally earned her career-first Pro Stock win in July 2012, no one knew then whether it was her breakthrough moment or she was destined to go down in history as just another one-hit wonder.

That first pro win was a long time coming, but it didn’t take long at all for Enders-Stevens to prove it was no fluke. Just four races after her Chicago triumph, she repeated the feat early in August at Pacific Raceways, near Seattle, and as if to punctuate the point, she won again just two weeks later at the next event on the schedule at Brainerd, Minnesota.

Since then, Enders-Stevens has turned on the final-round win light another five times, including twice this year–three times, actually, when counting her K&N Challenge victory the same weekend she won the Las Vegas national event.

“I think that was a statement race. That’s the kind of thing that Allen (Johnson) would have done or Greg (Anderson) would have done. It’s the kind of thing that the true class leaders are able to pull off,” Enders-Stevens says. “Nobody can deny that you pulled that off. I was just so impressed with my team there. I thought it was just great.”

Perhaps even more important on a personal level, though, was her most recent win this April at her home track in Baytown, Texas. The Houston-area track is where Enders-Stevens made her first-ever Jr. Dragster pass early in 1992 and the site of her first NHRA sportsman win 10 years ago in Super Gas.

“It was also special because my dad (Gregg Enders) hadn’t ever been to any of my Pro Stock wins until this one in Houston. He’d been at every other race of my life for the last 20 years, but just never at the right one in Pro Stock, so that worked out really cool. And then my husband (Richie Stevens) and his entire family was there as well and my friends, so that was just the icing on the cake,” she says. “It was a huge accomplishment. Anybody that’s involved in the racing community knows how many distractions there are at a home race and how much pressure there is, so to be able for all of us to put that aside and get the job done when it mattered was pretty awesome.”

After beginning her Pro Stock career in 2005 with team owner Victor Cagnazzi, Enders-Stevens later joined her father in purchasing a turnkey race operation from Don Schumacher before moving to Jim Cunningham Motorsports and later back to Cagnazzi in 2011. But after losing her ride due to budget constraints last summer, Enders-Stevens was named late in the year as the new driver for Richard Freeman’s Elite Motorsports team.

“The whole deal our team is built around, first things first, we’re going to go and have fun. It’s about family and taking it as it is,” Freeman says, adding that Enders-Stevens fits well within that team philosophy. “But Erica is a professional, too; she’s very good at what she does.”

Enders-Stevens immediately stepped into a winning ride this spring, after Rickie Jones drove the Elite Camaro to the winner’s circle at the NHRA season ender in Pomona, California, last November. Jones, along with his father, Rick, now stands behind the car as co-crew chiefs for the Elite entry.

“Rickie is a great kid and I’ve already learned so much from him and Rick in just the first six races that we’ve been together, in comparison to what I’ve learned over the last 10 years,” Enders-Stevens says. “He’s just awesome; so humble and gracious and kindhearted, and he’s smart and knows what he’s doing.”

The admiration runs on a two-way street, as Jones Jr. heaps equal praise upon his driver for how she’s been performing this season.

“The thing is, when Erica needs to win on a hole shot, she digs deep and she does. She makes up for it when maybe we miss it a little bit. But even when she has the fast car, she still digs deep, so it’s a really good situation for all of us,” he says.

Rick Jones

Jones’ father, who built the car Enders-Stevens is driving at his RJ Race Cars shop in Galesburg, Illinois, echoes his son’s opinion.

“Erica’s a good driver. We knew that in the past and all she needed was somebody to really back her up and do a really good job of keeping her morale up and just boosting her confidence,” he says. “I think we’ve all worked together at that; she’s made us a lot better and we’ve made her better.

“I named us, all of us, a bunch of misfits because somehow one way or another, we’ve all been either fired or let go or thought not good enough. So we’ve all just come together and made ourselves better.”

Much of the credit for the Elite team’s cohesiveness and across-the-board positive attitude can be traced to the younger Jones’ acceptance of stepping aside from a driver’s seat in which he so recently won at the sport’s highest level. Enders-Stevens especially appreciates what Jones is doing to help maintain and progress what’s easily shaping up to be the most promising campaign of her career.

“It’s hard being a driver and having to sit out. It’s a tough deal; I know that. I’ve done it before and my husband, he’s doing it now and Rickie’s doing it, too. But he’s got no ego about it,” she points out. “That’s what’s so cool about Rickie; he’s one of the best drivers there is out there, but he doesn’t have to say it.

“It’s nice to have someone that has your back and wants to see you do your best because it’s something that he wants, too. He doesn’t have an ulterior motive. He wants to see me do well and will do everything in his power to make our team win races. So it’s nice for him to have my back and me not have to worry about him trying to undercut me. I can’t say enough how impressed I am by him.”

Regardless, Jones hasn’t given up on his driving dreams. He stresses his main priority remains to provide Enders-Stevens with absolutely the best combination available to continue winning races and ultimately win the 2014 Pro Stock world championship. He also realizes, however, that a second team car–as many of their rivals already have–could provide invaluable backup data to help turn those goals into reality.

“I think it would make our team stronger and we’re constantly trying to find the funding to do that. Even Richie (Stevens) is working on trying to put something together to hopefully bring on a second car, or if someone was to come along and would like to sponsor me for a second car, we would love to do that,” Jones says.

Rickie Jones

“I do miss driving some and it’s definitely a pleasure. It’s definitely exciting when you’re driving and banging gears, a lot of fun. It’s a big challenge to drive one of these cars and to keep your head on straight with all the pressure and everything. So I mean, I do miss that. I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss driving some, but I am having a lot of fun being outside the car right now, tuning. And to be with my dad and be up on the starting line, looking at the track and helping tune a car, that’s pretty cool.”

So Jones enthusiastically embraces his role as the car’s tuner, along with in-house engine builders Nick Ferri and Jake Hairston, and explains it’s a collaborative effort that has placed Enders-Stevens firmly atop the Pro Stock points list a third of the way through the 2014 NHRA season.

“Most of the time either Nick or Jake, if not both of them, is at the race track with us. I’ll sit down with one of them and we’ll look at it together,” Jones said. “So I’ll kind of work on the engine tune-up with the engine builders and then dad and I, we just work together on the chassis and transmission and clutch and everything that we’re doing.

“So I wouldn’t say there’s a chain of command so much. Dad is definitely the most respected and he makes sure everybody on the team gets done what they’re supposed to do. So I think he’s more of the crew chief than I am, that’s for sure. But when it comes down to making decisions, we do those together. And 95 percent of the time we’re thinking about the same thing.”

Beyond the fun and satisfaction from winning that the team currently enjoys, Enders-Stevens says she’s happy to see Freeman realizing his own dreams of owning and operating a truly elite team in the NHRA Pro Stock ranks.

“My dream was to be a professional driver; this was his dream. He’s talked about it and worked on it for years and years and years, and to see it finally come to fruition is pretty cool,” Enders-Stevens says of her Oklahoma-based team owner. “He’s just been so excited and he’s always smiling and he’s hilarious. He’s a true character and just keeps me in stitches. It’s always entertaining in our pit.”

Still, Freeman cautions he’s nowhere near ready to begin any true celebration.

Richard Freeman

“We’re thankful for what it’s like right now, but there’s a long way to go and a lot of good cars out there. We’re going to keep at it, but we’re humble about what’s going on,” he says. “We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing and hopefully at the end of the deal, we’ll be standing right up there in contention to win the championship.”

That’s clearly Enders-Stevens’ goal, too, as she has a realistic shot at making more history as the first woman since Shirley Muldowney in 1982 to win a major motorsports championship.

“I definitely don’t want to get ahead of myself, but we have great confidence right now and momentum is huge in this sport and we’ve got to carry it. It’s a long year and there’s a lot of racing left, but we’re going to finals, we’re having fun and enjoying our time on the road together, so who knows?” Enders-Stevens says.

“We’re to that point now where we have the opportunity to–to win a lot more–and really, it’s surreal to me to be at this point. Just crazy.”

GOOD READS:

MEDIA ROUND UP:

Luke Hutchens

Back in the late-‘80s, whenever Luke Hutchens would pull through the gates of Wilkesboro Raceway Park with his race car in tow on an open trailer, track announcer Tommy Greene would communicate enthusiastically over the loud speakers: “Here comes Luke the Drifter!” The catchy name stuck and it wasn’t long before Hutchens even painted the nomadic nickname on his race car.

“Ol’ Tommy was a great announcer and he was good at coming up with stuff like that, sorta’ off the cuff,” says Hutchens, reflecting on the familiar tag he received more than two decades ago.

In addition to his enduring handle, Hutchens also is well known for his passionate use of the Chrysler brand in drag racing, although during his lengthy career he’s certainly been around the block with regards to dabbling in a wide range of American muscle. “Back when I first started racing I didn’t think there was anything in the world other than a Chevrolet, but then I got to noticing that Chrysler cars were kinda’ rare at the track, so I decided to start racing them!”

His dad on the other hand loved Fords, and yes, Hutchens has raced them too, most notably a 1970 Torino that he had many moons ago. Mopar products though—much like his catchy nickname—is how most people identify with the veteran racer from Yadkinville, North Carolina.

Hutchens first took notice of the sport of drag racing at a young age when his dad used to take him to Farmington Dragway, their local strip in nearby Mocksville. Some of his earliest childhood memories involve hanging on the fence at Farmington when he was roughly six years old, all the while thinking, “I’d like to do this someday!”

Although Hutchens’ dad was a big fan of the sport he never raced personally, so when Luke made good on his childhood dream of driving race cars, he sort of blazed a trail into uncharted territory, at least within his family. He landed his first driving gig at age 15, though not in the most conventional of ways.

“I used to go to the track with my neighbors and they’d get to drinking and by the time the race started they weren’t in any shape to drive so they’d put me in the car and let me enter the race!” Hutchens recalls with a laugh.

His early driving experience (eyebrow-raising as it was) did give the youngster a feel for cars. So, by the time he got a driver’s license and some wheels of his own—a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport, no less—Luke was out racing all the time … just not at the drag strip. “I dabbled in street racing and I raced that Impala a lot,” he admits.

The car was fast, but it had a habit of breaking rocker arms during its many street races. Right about then something peculiar caught Luke’s eye. “Behind this guy’s house sat a 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury with a 426 wedge and a 4 speed!” Luke wound up buying his first of many Mopars for $700 and handily beat anything else on the street he ever went up against with it.

Eventually, when he was ready to straighten up and fly right with regards to street racing, Luke decided to drive the Fury to Farmington and also East Bend Dragway, an infamous North Carolina track that’s long since closed.

“There was this guy at East Bend with a ‘41 Willys and a Chrysler 440 engine and that car would fly,” remembers Luke, which sparked his interest in the Chrysler brand further. Then there was the racer with the Hemi Barracuda who eventually built an engine bigger than the chassis could handle. “Rules were different back in those days and it got to where East Bend wouldn’t even let the guy run that Barracuda because the engine was so big!”

As his interest in Mopars grew, Hutchens eventually sold his Sport Fury and bought a ‘69 Plymouth Road Runner, this one with a factory 383 engine and 4 speed. Other cars would follow, some of which were streetable, while others were full-fledged race cars.

His current ride, a Plymouth Arrow that Hutchens bought for $600 from a neighbor, even started out as a street car that little by little evolved into a fast, five-second bracket car. “The Arrow was a factory 5-speed car, brown in color, and I used to drive it back and forth to work long before I ever turned it into a race car,” Luke says.

Hutchens says the purpose-built race car conversion began over 20 years ago, but he took a five-year break along the way to go race go-carts with his sons, Greg and Brandon, before resuming work. “After I returned to drag racing with the Arrow in 1994, I haven’t missed a race since,” he declares.

There was, however, a spur-of-the-moment interest in changing race cars back in 2000 when Luke actually sold the Arrow to a racer from Ohio, only to buy the car back a few years later when he saw it for sale again on the Internet. It turned out to be a good decision, too. “I went to the finals in the first race after buying the Arrow back!”

After being so fortunate to be reunited with the car a second time, there are no plans of ever being without his beloved Plymouth again. “Even if I just let the car sit in the garage I guess I’ll hang onto it forever this time around,” he says.

Since being reunited, Hutchens has won a good many races with the car and even competed at three different events in a weekend. Most recently, his on-track success includes back-to-back wins at Wilkesboro and a Mopar event win at Farmington. “Every weekend during warm weather I’m racing,” he says.

And though he’s known as “The Drifter,” Hutchens is somewhat predictable at the same time. You can pretty much guess which area races he’ll hit, and you can always be sure he’ll be pitted right beside his son, Brandon, who eventually became a drag racer himself after his go-cart racing days were over.

Despite a racing career that’s now well into its fourth decade, Luke Hutchens still gets fired up at the mere mention of the sport he loves and eagerly counts the days until the next race. “I’ve got a lot of great memories from being at the track over the years and I think about racing pretty much all the time,” he laughs. “It’s something that you just can’t get off your mind.” Or out of your heart.

GOOD READS:

DragRacingOnline.com’s Patrick Hale takes a look at modern day Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car racing – determining these not-so-old-school fuel floppers are making over 3,000-horsepower.

Heading into this weekend’s Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals it never hurts to have a look at NHRA’s “Tricky Tipster” to get the odds for the pro categories, especially if you’ve got any skin in the game.

DRAG ILLUSTRATED Senior Editor Ian Tocher says what everyone’s thinking in his profile of the Elite Motorsports Pro Stock team, specifically driver Erica Enders-Stevens – she’s the real deal.

MEDIA ROUND UP: 

Drag racing looks different in Thailand.

DRAG ILLUSTRATED Editor-in-Chief Wes Buck’s uncle, W.R. Buck, lays down quite possibly the longest burnout ever performed at U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, Missouri, prior to a 4.70-pass down the fast-and-fun eighth-mile in his naturally aspirated 600ci Donovan-powered, manually shifted Ozark Mountain Super Shifter ’68 Camaro. Interestingly enough, the car was painted by Wes’ younger brother, Bradley, at his Brad Buck Paint & Body in their hometown of Kirksville, Missouri.

Cruz Pedregon lays down a ridiculously awesome 3.959-second lap at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, and his crew celebrates like cage fighters after a walk-off knockout.

LONG WATCHES:

There may well be no one better than Les Mayhew when it comes to high-end drag racing videos, and his latest – which relives the 2014 March Meet at the legendary Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California – may be his best-ever.

The 2014 Gasser Reunion from Thompson Raceway Park, including the one-and-only Steve Cook and his “Blew By You” 1956 Chevy.

Strange Engineering has provided superior braking components for the aftermarket automotive industry for decades. One of the key components to any braking system is the master cylinder.

Strange offers two different bore size master cylinders that can be mounted either on the firewall,like most OEM configurations, or to the frame rail via the side mounting holes that are cast into the body. The Strange dual inline master cylinder is ideal for vehicles requiring four wheel braking. The 1.032” bore master cylinder (B3360) is recommended for vehicles using OEM brakes, or, a combination of 4 piston rear brakes and single piston/two piston front brakes. The 1.125” bore master cylinder (B3359) will allow optimum volume and pressure for vehicles using 4 piston calipers on the front and rear. Rebuild kits and services are available for the Strange dual inline style master cylinders. Strange Engineering offers adjustable proportioning valves, residual valves, and pressure test gauges to optimize your brake system. For more information visit www.strangeeng.net or call 847.663.1701.

The West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (WCOPMA) is making its third stop on the 2014 season schedule this weekend at Firebird Raceway’s 36th Annual “Fox Hunt” event presented by Little Caesars Pizza.

Listed as “one of the coolest major events on the Firebird Raceway schedule”, the Fox Hunt action will kick off Friday and wrap up Saturday evening.

Originated by announcing legend Steve Evans in the 70’s at Irwindale Raceway, the Fox Hunt event has always offered one key principal: All Ladies are admitted Free. Drawing upon Evans’ near-genius promotional insight, Firebird Raceway introduced this same concept to Idaho and eastern Oregon fans way back in 1977. Sandwiched halfway through the season the Fox Hunt has certainly become a real hit for both fans and racers alike.

With the Fox Hunt event being the first of two stops to Boise on the WCOPMA schedule it has become one of the key races for the West Coast Outlaw Pro Modified Association. Quite a number of 240-mph doorslammers will slug it out on the quarter mile headed up by reigning champ and track record holder Marc Meadors with his “Pure Hell” Camaro. Meadors won the Super Chevy event earlier this month at Bakersfield, CA. Entries include the likes of former Nightfire winner Rod Burbage (above), WCOPMA record holder Mike Maggio, past Fox Hunt winner Lee Smith, Jeremy Hanger, Garrett Richards and possibly others.

Added to the Pro Mod lineup will be the crowd pleasing BB Funny Cars, Jet Cars, a Wheelstander and one of the biggest Gold Cup events of the season (with two separate days/nights of racing in a variety of classes, including the Fox eliminator presented by the Naughty Girls) and you can certainly sense that the Fox Hunt has the makings to be one of the best races of the year for Firebird Raceway. Additionally, the Saturday race will mark the third stop in the Division 6 Land of the Leaders Challenge.

While no stranger to the winner’s circle in sportsman racing’s upper echelons, Steve Matusek – driver of the Agave Underground Tequila NHRA Pro Mod Camaro and co-founder and president of Aeromotive, Inc. – had a landmark weekend at the recently completed NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series event in Bristol, Tennessee.

After qualifying 7^th amongst a ferocious 16-car field with a 5.992-second, 241.15mph pass, Matusek dispatched all three of the series’ top points earners – Rickie Smith, Mike Castellana and Mike Janis – en route to a final round matchup with fellow first-time finalist Pete Farber.

Steve Matusek

In a classic Chevy versus Mopar, all-blower battle where Matusek was the odds-on favorite (Matusek is 2-1 against Farber in previous events), the tricky track conditions created by high temperatures and blazing sun finally caught up to the Agave Underground Pro Mod team. Farber took a slight advantage off the starting line and Matusek wasn’t able to bridge the gap after being forced to lift off the throttle when his tried-and-true Camaro got out of shape before half-track.

“When we got done with qualifying – looking at the ladder – we were thinking, ‘Geez, if we do our jobs, we could really make up some ground in the points,’” says Matusek, speaking of he and teammate Danny Rowe. “We knew we had good cars – Danny definitely had the best car on the property – and if we could get through the first few rounds and meet in the final Danny could have left Bristol number-one in the points.

“That plan went awry early, unfortunately, but we were able to make the best of it by taking out Rickie [Smith], [Mike] Janis and [Mike] Castellana,” he continues. “In the final round against [Pete] Farber, the car went to the right and I tried to bring the damn thing back, but it didn’t want anything to do with it. I was hitting the throttle, but I guess I felt like I had to know when to say when – and when the thing is heading for the timing blocks – that’s when to say when, let’s put it that way.”

Though he came up one win-light short of a picture-perfect weekend, Matusek’s march to the final round, including the one-by-one trailering of a true murderer’s row of Pro Mod heavyweights, still stands as a career-defining moment for the Midwest-based racer.

“For me, it’s gratifying just to be in the game,” says Matusek, who currently sits fourth in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series points hunt, just ahead of teammate Danny Rowe in fifth. “To be a part of that top five right now – at five races into the season with basically a new driver and new team – is very satisfying, to say the least.

“It’s been a transition and it still is,” he continues. “I’m still not happy with what I’m doing in the car, but I’m going to get happy. I’m determined to step up and contribute to the team the way that I should, and I’m going to get there. I haven’t done anything spectacular. I’m not winning the round on reaction time. I’m still working; I’m still a work in progress. But at the same time, as a team we’re not making mistakes. We’re consistent, and if you’ve got to race us, you better be on your game because we’re not going to screw up – that’s something I take a great deal of pride in.”

Heading into the sixth race of the season at the beautiful Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, Matusek couldn’t be more optimistic.

“It’s going to be a hot one,” he says, speaking of the series’ final event over the Fourth of July weekend before an extended break leading up to the U.S. Nationals. “As a driver, you’ve always got a lot of confidence with Jimmy Rector calling the shots, but I’m especially confident when it comes to these hot race tracks where it’s clearly a tuner’s race. Believe me – Danny and I both are looking forward to making a move toward those No. 1 and 2 spots in Norwalk.”

The NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns to action at the 8^th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, on July 3-5, 2014.

To learn more about Agave Underground Tequila products, sweepstakes and hosted events, visit www.agaveunderground.com, Facebook.com/AgaveUnderground or Follow @AgaveUground on Twitter.

To keep up with the latest news and results from Danny Rowe Racing, log onto www.dannyroweracing.com

(Photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)

Robert Hight (above) raced to the first three-second Funny Car run in New England Dragway history during Friday qualifying at the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals.

Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Shane Gray (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were qualifying leaders at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event where all eight track records were broken on a single day.

Hight, a four-time winner this season, powered his Auto Club Ford Mustang to a track record time of 3.988 seconds at 321.58 mph to take the qualifying lead in Funny Car.  The run was completed on the final pass of the night in the category with Hight, the 2009 world champ, snatching the top spot from two-time world champ Cruz Pedregon.

Robert Hight

“That was pretty awesome,” said Hight, the series points leader. “We made a nice run the first run. Mike Neff told me going up there we’re not going to be cowards tonight. We’re going to get after this thing. He honestly figured there were going to be others in the threes.”

Despite winning consistently in 2014, Hight has yet to record a No. 1 qualifier this season. If he is able to enter eliminations as the No. 1 qualifier, Hight will have claimed 46 in his career.

Pedregon, who has come to life following a slow start to the season with a win in Englishtown and a runner-up finish in Topeka, posted a 4.026 at 307.44 in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry to briefly take over the top spot from Courtney Force. It was only a few runs later when Hight moved around Pedregon for the top spot.

Force reset the top speed record at New England Dragway with a run at 323.35 mph in her Traxxas Mustang. It was recorded as the fifth fastest speed for a Funny Car in NHRA history.

In Top Fuel, Brown raced to the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot with a 3.770 at 323.58 in his Matco Tools dragster, setting a track record for elapsed time during the second session.

“The track definitely had some teeth in it,” said Brown. “The first session we were actually on a good run, and we came back and just wanted to improve upon it. We definitely wanted to run lower than a .77. We wanted to run a low 3.7, but the track was so good. It had such great teeth on it that it sucked some of the tune-up out of the race car on the starting line.”

Antron Brown

Brown, the 2012 world champ, has three wins this season and is looking for his second No. 1 qualifying position of the season.

Points leader Doug Kalitta sits second with a 3.773 at 323.89 in his Mac Tools dragster. Brittany Force reset the track record in speed at 323.35 mph in her Castrol Edge dragster and sits fourth.

Gray shot to the top of the Pro Stock leaderboard after the first two sessions following his track record time of 6.485 at 212.79 in his Gray Manufacturing Chevy Camaro.

“I’m not really used to this,” Gray said of qualifying in the top spot. “But, I’m real proud of [crew chief] Justin Elks, Paul Hoskins, and all the boys at the shop. Obviously, they’ve done their work and my job is easy.”

Gray, a three-time winner on the Pro Stock circuit, had never recorded a No. 1 qualifier until last weekend’s event in Bristol and is now poised to claim a second if he can hold on with two sessions remaining.

Erica Enders-Stevens has continued her momentum from her win in Bristol by posting a performance of 6.489 at 213.98 in her Elite Motorsports Camaro to claim the second spot. Defending world champ Jeg Coughlin is fifth, having set the track record speed at 214.25 mph in his JEGS.com/Mopar Dodge Dart.

Arana Jr. paced Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying with a 6.807 at 195.05 on his Lucas Oil Buell. Arana Jr. has had one of the most consistent and quick bikes this season and he is poised to secure his first No. 1 qualifying position of the season if his run holds.

“This Lucas Oil Buell has been amazing,” said Arana Jr, who also set the track speed record at 197.57 mph on his first qualifying attempt. “We won the crank lotto. There are issues with cranks right now, and every once and a while you find a good one. Luckily, we found a good one.”

Defending world champ and last year’s runner-up here, Matt Smith, qualified second on his Stockseth Racing Buell with a 6.816 at 194.49. Series points leader Andrew Hines is fourth on his Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson with a 6.858 at 194.07. Defending event winner John Hall of Hamden, Conn., qualified fifth on his Matt Smith Racing Buell.

(Photos courtesy JFR/Nastase; NHRA/National Dragster; Click to enlarge)

EPPING, N.H. — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 2nd annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway and Motorsports Park, 11th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.

Top Fuel

1. Antron Brown, 3.770 seconds, 323.58 mph; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.773, 323.89; 3. Richie Crampton, 3.774, 69.61; 4. Brittany Force, 3.776, 325.45; 5. J.R. Todd, 3.778, 324.83; 6. Spencer Massey, 3.796, 319.90; 7. Leah Pritchett, 3.812, 318.77; 8. Steve Torrence, 3.817, 81.21; 9. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.819, 320.81; 10. Tony Schumacher, 3.820, 322.50; 11. Bob Vandergriff, 3.877, 76.43; 12. Dom Lagana, 3.915, 319.29.  Not Qualified: 13. Clay Millican, 6.300, 77.40; 14. Todd Paton, 8.040, 76.28; 15. Shawn Langdon, 8.129, 83.32; 16. Terry McMillen, 8.215, 90.00.

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 3.988, 321.58; 2. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.026, 307.44; 3. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.031, 323.35; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.033, 318.24; 5. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.053, 315.27; 6. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.061, 313.80; 7. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.083, 297.61; 8. John Force, Mustang, 4.092, 311.70; 9. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.102, 77.81; 10. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.110, 84.75; 11. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.134, 68.27; 12. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.221, 278.92.  Not Qualified: 13. Jeff Arend, 4.537, 193.65; 14. Dave Richards, 4.653, 158.07; 15. Mike Smith, 7.535, 89.57; 16. Tony Pedregon, 9.552, 80.10.

Pro Stock

1. Shane Gray, Chevy Camaro, 6.485, 213.03; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.489, 213.98; 3. Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.493, 212.96; 4. Shane Tucker, Chevy Cobalt, 6.496, 213.94; 5. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Dart, 6.497, 214.25; 6. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.503, 213.40; 7. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.512, 213.10; 8. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.519, 213.77; 9. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.523, 213.70; 10. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.525, 212.86; 11. Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.538, 212.79; 12. V. Gaines, Dart, 6.551, 212.49.  Not Qualified: 13. John Gaydosh Jr, 6.697, 206.57; 14. Larry Morgan, 6.939, 207.40; 15. Val Smeland, 6.998, 198.23; 16. Kenny Delco, 8.198, 115.42.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.807, 197.57; 2. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.816, 194.49; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.852, 193.65; 4. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.858, 194.07; 5. John Hall, Buell, 6.876, 193.90; 6. Michael Ray, Buell, 6.895, 192.47; 7. Adam Arana, Buell, 6.901, 194.77; 8. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.901, 194.27; 9. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.908, 195.68; 10. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.938, 194.04; 11. Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 6.942, 190.94; 12. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.970, 193.29. Not Qualified: 13. Jerry Savoie, 6.973, 194.86; 14. Scotty Pollacheck, 7.025, 191.70; 15. Justin Finley, 7.064, 188.15; 16. Hector Arana, 7.328, 144.00; 17. Sam Hurwitz, 7.888, 178.76; 18. Brian Pretzel, broke.

If Bob Tasca knows a turnaround is coming–and the Funny Car driver is confident one is–having that turnaround begin to take shape at his home track might be the ideal way to make a resounding resurgence.

That is at least the plan for Tasca, who has been left scratching his head far too often during the recent stretch in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. But Tasca is ready to put a few of those rough patches to rest, starting this weekend at the second annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire.

The race is the 11th of 24 in the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and the Rhode Island native sees it as the perfect opportunity to showcase his 10,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shelby Mustang running at a championship level.

“With the way our season is going we need some home court advantage,” Tasca said. “We need a good weekend and it couldn’t come at a better time than right now. I can tell you no one is working harder than we are to turn our season around. Unfortunately we have nothing to show for it yet. I know we are very close to turning the corner and there is no better time than the New England race.”

Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Courtney Force (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and John Hall (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were inaugural winners of last year’s event at New England Dragway.

Despite a first-round loss at the Epping event a year ago, Tasca thoroughly enjoyed NHRA’s debut in the region. The build-up was tremendous and Tasca eagerly did his part to drum up interest for an event that entertained fans at a fervor level all weekend. But if the debut was a massive success, Tasca, who has four career Funny Car victories, thinks the encore will be that much better.

“It was awesome,” Tasca said of the inaugural event. “I know firsthand how hard so many people worked to make it happen. To have that kind of turnout for the first event was awesome. I know this year’s event will be just as big. Fans were talking about it all year long. I can’t tell you how many people from races this year that keep telling me they will see me in New England. It will be another great race.”

Antron Brown will lead the Top Fuel category from the No. 1 qualifying position in Sunday’s eliminations at the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, NH. Robert Hight (Funny Car), Shane Gray (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also claimed No. 1 qualifying positions and will lead their respective classes into tomorrow’s 11 a.m. eliminations at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event.

Brown claimed the top seed with his 3.770-second pass at 323.58 mph on Friday night which shattered the New England Dragway elapsed time record in Top Fuel. It represents Brown’s second No. 1 start of the season and 37th of his career.

Antron Brown

“We got a lot of confidence for tomorrow,” said Brown, the 2012 world champ who will race for his fourth win of the season when he meets Todd Paton in the first round. “It’s going to be a good race. Everybody is running so close. Everyone has their work cut out for them. We have to definitely be on our A game and attack each round.”

Points leader Doug Kalitta is the No. 2 qualifier with a run of 3.773 at 323.89 in his Mac Tools dragster. He will race Terry McMillen in the first round. Englishtown winner Richie Crampton had the quickest Saturday run in his GEICO dragster and qualified third, while Brittany Force qualified fourth in her Castrol Edge dragster. Crampton will race Dom Lagana in the opener, while Force will meet Clay Millican.

Hight sped to the first three-second Funny Car run in track history on Friday with a performance of 3.998 at 321.58 in his AAA Ford Mustang and it held through Saturday’s two qualifying sessions to give Hight his first No. 1 spot of the season.

“Tomorrow’s a new day, and [crew chief] Mike Neff’s the best,” Hight said. “He’ll race it one round at a time. He’s not going to go up there first round and try to set low E.T. of the round. We’re going to look at each opponent and race smart. That’s why we’ve won a lot of rounds this year.”

Robert Hight

Hight now has 36 career No. 1 qualifiers, fifth all-time in Funny Car. He will open eliminations against Mike Smith.

Two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon qualified second with a 4.026 at 307.44 in his Snap-on Tools Toyota Camry. Pedregon, a recent Funny Car winner in Englishtown, will face Jeff Arend in the first round. Defending event winner Courtney Force qualified third in her Traxxas Mustang and will race Dave Richards.

In Pro Stock, Gray recorded his second consecutive No. 1 qualifier following his Friday track record time of 6.485 at 212.79 in his Gray Manufacturing Chevy Camaro.

“We will see if we can get by first round,” said Gray, who will race Val Smeland in the opening round. “There’s always a chance that you will, always a chance you won’t. It’s always 50/50 out there.”

Shane Gray

Series leader Erica Enders-Stevens is the second seed following her 6.489 run at 213.98. The Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro driver will meet Larry Morgan in round one. Defending event winner Allen Johnson qualified 12th and will race teammate Jeg Coughlin in a first round battle between Dodge Darts.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Krawiec took over the No. 1 qualifying position from Hector Arana Jr. with a track-record time of 6.794 at 193.32 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.

“We went back and looked at all the data last night,” said Krawiec. “When we came off the truck, both bikes were running well. We were struggling a bit though, in going down the track and making good runs. …We had to make a couple changes to make some more power.”

It is Krawiec’s third No. 1 of the season and 17th of his career. He will meet Justin Finley in the first round. Arana Jr. still holds the track speed record at 198.50 mph and will race his Lucas Oil Buell in the first round against Jerry Savoie. Defending event winner John Hall qualified seventh and will be paired with rookie Chaz Kennedy on Sunday.

(Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster; Click to enlarge)

EPPING, N.H. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 2nd annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway and Motorsports Park, the 11th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed after pairings.

Top Fuel

1. Antron Brown, 3.770 seconds, 323.58 mph  vs. 16. Todd Paton, 4.258, 230.29; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.773, 323.89  vs. 15. Terry McMillen, 4.180, 229.00; 3. Richie Crampton, 3.774, 324.90  vs. 14. Dom Lagana, 3.915, 319.29; 4. Brittany Force, 3.776, 325.92  vs. 13. Clay Millican, 3.887, 315.64; 5. J.R. Todd, 3.778, 324.83  vs. 12. Bob Vandergriff, 3.877, 76.43; 6. Spencer Massey, 3.796, 326.63  vs. 11. Shawn Langdon, 3.841, 321.50; 7. Leah Pritchett, 3.803, 318.77  vs. 10. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.819, 320.81; 8. Tony Schumacher, 3.815, 322.65  vs. 9. Steve Torrence, 3.817, 324.51.

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 3.988, 321.58  vs. 16. Mike Smith, Dodge Stratus, 7.016, 89.77; 2. Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.026, 307.44  vs. 15. Jeff Arend, Dodge Charger, 4.550, 208.39; 3. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.031, 323.35  vs. 14. Dave Richards, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.371, 247.02; 4. Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.033, 318.24  vs. 13. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.221, 278.92; 5. Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.053, 315.27  vs. 12. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.217, 294.18; 6. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.061, 313.80  vs. 11. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.105, 312.50; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.063, 312.50  vs. 10. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.102, 308.92; 8. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.073, 314.17  vs. 9. John Force, Mustang, 4.092, 316.60.

Pro Stock

1. Shane Gray, Chevy Camaro, 6.485, 213.03  vs. 16. Val Smeland, Chevy Cobalt, 22.409, 198.23; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.489, 213.98  vs. 15. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 7.251, 207.40; 3. Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.493, 212.96  vs. 14. Kenny Delco, Cobalt, 6.729, 207.30; 4. Shane Tucker, Cobalt, 6.496, 213.94  vs. 13. John Gaydosh Jr, Pontiac GXP, 6.705, 206.95; 5. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Dart, 6.497, 214.25  vs. 12. Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.528, 213.40; 6. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.503, 213.74  vs. 11. V. Gaines, Dart, 6.525, 213.23; 7. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.512, 213.16  vs. 10. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.523, 213.13; 8. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.519, 213.77  vs. 9. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.521, 213.94.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.794, 197.88  vs. 16. Justin Finley, Suzuki, 7.046, 192.38; 2. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.796, 198.50  vs. 15. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.963, 196.04; 3. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.816, 194.58  vs. 14. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.938, 194.04; 4. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.842, 195.17  vs. 13. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.935, 192.93; 5. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.846, 197.19  vs. 12. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.917, 193.63; 6. Michael Ray, Buell, 6.850, 196.13  vs. 11. Adam Arana, Buell, 6.901, 195.05; 7. John Hall, Buell, 6.864, 195.22  vs. 10. Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 6.895, 193.29; 8. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.876, 194.74  vs. 9. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.895, 197.02. Did Not Qualify: 17. Sam Hurwitz, 7.353, 182.97; 18. Brian Pretzel, broke.

Shane Gray and his motivated Gray Motorsports team were once again the best when it mattered the most during qualifying, capitalizing on excellent conditions at the 2nd annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals to earn their second consecutive low-qualifier award. Gray will start from the No. 1 position for the second time in his career and race Val Smeland in the first round on Sunday (June 22).

Gray’s best run – and the stellar moment that put him at the top of the pack – was a track record 6.485-second pass at 212.70 mph in pristine, crisp and cool conditions on Friday as the sun set on sea-level New England Dragway in Epping, NH.

Although he did not improve on the incredible numbers on a warmer day, he and his Justin Elkes-led team had already set the bar high; their position was protected. Select few even came close, although Gray Motorsports teammate Dave Connolly made the quickest run of the final session of qualifying in a very good effort.

“I’m real proud of my team – these Gray Motorsports guys are something else,” said Gray, who enters race day fifth in the series standings. “The sun was out today so the track was hotter, and it was going to be tough to do what we did last night.

“That Friday night deal is that one session to get in there as good as you can, and thankfully, the team was able to take advantage of it and we put the Gray Manufacturing Camaro on top. There are about eight cars racing out here nowadays that can do what we did, but we were able to do it on Friday night, and that made all the difference.”

It was only seven days ago that Gray put his Gray Manufacturing Chevrolet Camaro on the pole at Bristol Dragway, and last weekend Gray was dispatched in the second round by his brother, Jonathan Gray. A similar ladder is on tap for Sunday in Epping, but this time Gray is obviously hoping for a better outcome – regardless of who is in the other lane.

“I had plenty of motivation last weekend, but maybe this time luck will be on my side,” said Gray. “If it’s Jonathan in the other lane, the good news is that one of our Gray Motorsports Camaros will be in the semifinals. As a team, that’s a good thing.

“The first thing we have to worry about is getting by first round. You know, one day you’re the chicken out here, and the next day you’re the feathers. It’s tough. But I’m excited for tomorrow, and I am real happy for my guys and all the guys back at the engine shop. I just want to say thanks to them, because without them, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

(Photo courtesy Gray Motorsports)

Precision Turbo and Engine (PTE) has unveiled its newest race-ready, twin turbo Pro Mod car. The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro will be driven by expert wheelman Don Walsh, Jr. and will make its debut at an upcoming NHRA race.

Owned by Harry Hruska and built by Larry Jeffers Race Cars, Precision Turbo’s new Pro Mod Camaro will serve as the flagship PTE development car.

Powered by a 521 cubic inch Brad Anderson Enterprises engine, the car will also be boosted by twin Precision Turbo & Engine NHRA-legal and SFI-approved GEN2 Pro Mod 88 CEA turbochargers.

“I couldn’t be happier with how this car turned out. It looks incredible and should run flawlessly. Larry Jeffers and the guys did an excellent job putting it together,” stated Hruska. “Our revolutionary GEN2 Pro Mod CEA turbos feature the most innovative and advanced turbo technology currently on the market, and we’re confident that this car will be a front runner.”

Hruska has owned a string of highly-successful Pro Mod cars over the years, including the iconic ’68 Camaro first piloted by Brad Personett and currently driven by Walsh, the ’11 Ford Mustang previously driven by Walsh, as well as the Plymouth Duster in which Todd “King Tut” Tutterow set the eighth-mile speed record in 2011.

Dedicated to continuous innovation and advancement of turbo technology, Hruska has put together what will be a fiercely competitive Pro Mod car and test-platform.

“In collaboration with Larry Jeffers Race Cars, we have put together a uniquely-designed chassis for turbocharged applications to help develop the program,” Hruska added.

It was announced today (June 22). that NHRA Pro Stock driver Chris McGaha and Jim Yates, who started the season as his crew chief, have parted ways effective immediately. A new crew chief has not been named.

“It was a tough decision, and a lot has been leading up to this point,” said McGaha. “With the inconsistencies in our program, we felt like we needed to make a change. We wish Jim well, and we thank him for the time he spent with us.”

Ron Capps raced to his first victory of the season in Funny Car Sunday at the Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals. Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event at New England Dragway in Epping, NH.

Capps drove his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger to the win over Alexis DeJoria with a 4.095-second run at 315.19 mph to claim the 41st victory of his career in Funny Car.

“It was huge to get [crew chief] Rahn Tobler back his mojo,” said Capps. “He was beating himself up. He found something overnight. He and Eric [Lane, assistant crew chief] worked all night on what they were going to do this morning.”

It was the first finals appearance for Capps since Brainerd last season. He had reached five semifinals this season before advancing to this final to face DeJoria. With the victory, Capps grabbed the final transfer spot in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout which will occur during the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.

Ron Capps

“It was big because we haven’t been in the winner’s circle since Brainerd,” said Capps, who defeated Tim Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon and Courtney Force to advance to the final round.

“It was bigger because there was one spot left in the Traxxas Shootout. Nobody wanted to talk about it in our pit area, but that was it.”

Capps leaves Epping fourth in the Funny Car point standings. Funny Car points leader Robert Hight reached the second round, falling to John Force Racing teammate Force.

In Top Fuel, Schumacher piloted his U.S. Army dragster to a pass of 3.824 at 323.27 to defeat points leader Doug Kalitta and pick up his second victory of the season. In earlier rounds he raced past Steve Torrence, Antron Brown and Clay Millican.

“The fans that paid good money to go to a drag race got the best show I’ve seen this year,” Schumacher said of the close action all weekend long. “It was outstanding racing. It’s cyclical. You go up and down. Right now we’re up and it’s outstanding.”

It was the 74th career victory for Schumacher, a seven-time world champion, and first at the Northeastern track. With the win, Atlanta Dragway now stands as the only track that Schumacher has yet to record a victory.

Tony Schumacher with son Mike

“I’d like to have that,” Schumacher said of the win in Georgia. “It would be really cool. Of all the records we’ve set and we’ve set everything there, that’s the one that’s out there.”

Kalitta’s Mac Tools dragster reached its sixth final of the season. With the finals appearance, Kalitta increased his points lead over Antron Brown to 156 markers.

In Pro Stock, Connolly reached his first final since 2012 and made the best of it with his performance of 6.536 at 213.23 in his Charter Communications Chevy Camaro to defeat Gray Motorsports teammate Jonathan Gray.

“I had very high expectations of this team,” Connolly said. “I know the caliber of people working on it. The talent pool is deep. What a great weekend.”

It was the 24th win of Connolly’s career and first since Reading, 2012. Connolly advanced to the final with round wins over Kenny Delco, Vincent Nobile and Greg Anderson.

Dave Connolly

“This class is brutal right now,” Connolly said. “It’s tough. One-thousandths of a second separate us every weekend. Today was no different.”

Pro Stock points leader Erica Enders-Stevens and her Elite Motorsports Chevy Camaro team had their race end early following a second round defeat to four-time world champion Greg Anderson.

Smith secured the first Pro Stock Motorcycle victory of her career with a winning run of 6.905 at 191.89 on her Kandy Magazine Buell, defeating husband and teammate Matt Smith, whose NitroFish Buell slowed as it approached the finish line.

Angie Smith

“In this sport, I’ll take it any way I can get it,” said Smith. “It’s my first one, I’m proud to be here. I’m really tired of dusting all of [Matt's] Wallys. I at least want to dust one of mine at the house. Now I have one, and I’m good with that.”

It was the first time that a husband and wife met in the final of an NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event. Matt, the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, lost in the Epping final for the second season straight, falling to teammate John Hall last year.

Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley Davidson teammates Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines had won three races in a row, but both riders fell to Angie Smith in the second round and semifinals respectively. Hines continues to lead the points in the two-wheel category.

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues June 26-29 at Joliet, Ill. with the O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

(Photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster; Click to enlarge) 

EPPING, N.H. — Final round-by-round results from the 2nd annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway and Motorsports Park, the 11th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL

ROUND ONE – Khalid alBalooshi, 3.833, 319.14 def. Leah Pritchett, 3.831, 313.15; Clay Millican, 3.920, 305.63 def. Brittany Force, 4.560, 274.22; Richie Crampton, 4.028, 300.20 def. Dom Lagana, 4.044, 297.75; Antron Brown, 3.858, 315.12 def. Todd Paton, 4.081, 290.88; Doug Kalitta, 3.810, 325.45 def. Terry McMillen, 4.341, 186.00; J.R. Todd, 3.826, 317.05 def. Bob Vandergriff, 4.081, 230.61; Spencer Massey, 3.968, 293.86 def. Shawn Langdon, 4.141, 254.86; Tony Schumacher, 3.854, 322.34 def. Steve Torrence, 3.922, 304.19; QUARTERFINALS – Crampton, 3.800, 325.14 def. Massey, 3.794, 323.97; Millican, 3.834, 318.62 def. Todd, 3.836, 320.97; Schumacher, 3.787, 324.28 def. Brown, 3.794, 320.66; Kalitta, 3.813, 325.45 def. alBalooshi, 3.856, 318.92; SEMIFINALS – Kalitta, 3.792, 325.92 def. Crampton, 3.822, 325.37; Schumacher, 3.825, 322.81 def. Millican, 3.860, 316.38; FINAL – Schumacher, 3.824, 323.27 def. Kalitta, 3.813, 323.89.

FUNNY CAR

ROUND ONE – Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.069, 314.39 def. Mike Smith, Dodge Stratus, 7.026, 89.34; Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.089, 313.73 def. Dave Richards, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.900, 160.23; Cruz Pedregon, Toyota Camry, 4.107, 291.76 def. Jeff Arend, Dodge Charger, 4.744, 176.12; Tommy Johnson Jr., Charger, 4.127, 312.64 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.767, 190.14; Alexis DeJoria, Camry, 4.120, 310.13 def. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.374, 224.17; Del Worsham, Camry, 4.127, 309.84 def. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.123, 309.20; Ron Capps, Charger, 4.064, 316.45 def. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.061, 314.46; John Force, Mustang, 4.129, 312.50 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.119, 305.36; QUARTERFINALS – J. Force, 4.095, 314.83 def. Hight, 4.067, 312.35; Capps, 4.097, 311.13 def. C. Pedregon, 4.109, 308.85; C. Force, 4.124, 312.86 def. Worsham, 4.133, 308.92; DeJoria, 4.106, 310.98 def. Johnson Jr., 7.002, 88.00; SEMIFINALS – DeJoria, 4.086, 312.21 def. J. Force, 4.130, 312.06; Capps, 4.104, 314.09 def. C. Force, 4.131, 312.21; FINAL – Capps, 4.095, 315.19 def. DeJoria, 4.121, 309.98.

PRO STOCK

ROUND ONE – Jonathan Gray, Chevy Camaro, 6.525, 213.16 def. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.530, 213.64; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.547, 212.56 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.532, 213.43; Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.525, 213.27 def. V. Gaines, Dodge Dart, 11.043, 88.86; Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.531, 213.43 def. Jeg Coughlin, Dart, 6.563, 208.59; Shane Tucker, Chevy Cobalt, 6.537, 213.16 def. John Gaydosh Jr, Pontiac GXP, 6.719, 209.95; Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.513, 213.23 def. Kenny Delco, Cobalt, broke; Shane Gray, Camaro, 6.527, 212.49 def. Val Smeland, Cobalt, 7.609, 142.46; Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.518, 212.73 def. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.563, 211.76; QUARTERFINALS – Johnson, 7.742, 181.18 def. Tucker, 13.393, 63.99; J. Gray, 6.564, 212.59 def. S. Gray, 6.559, 213.06; Anderson, 6.551, 212.86 def. Enders-Stevens, 6.551, 213.40; Connolly, 6.526, 212.93 def. Nobile, 6.562, 213.13; SEMIFINALS – J. Gray, 6.583, 212.76 def. Johnson, 6.525, 213.60; Connolly, 6.517, 213.23 def. Anderson, 6.549, 212.93; FINAL – Connolly, 6.536, 213.23 def. J. Gray, 6.577, 213.16.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

ROUND ONE – Angie Smith, Buell, 7.061, 191.27 def. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, broke; John Hall, Buell, 6.820, 196.04 def. Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 6.922, 189.76; Adam Arana, Buell, 6.995, 193.85 def. Michael Ray, Buell, foul; Hector Arana, Buell, 6.826, 196.67 def. Shawn Gann, Buell, 10.531, 78.32; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.843, 195.28 def. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.897, 193.88; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.827, 194.80 def. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.893, 194.35; Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.799, 197.48 def. Justin Finley, Suzuki, foul; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.834, 195.48 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.904, 194.21; QUARTERFINALS – M. Smith, 6.879, 194.86 def. A. Arana, 6.979, 193.88; Hines, 6.919, 195.14 def. H. Arana, broke; Arana Jr, 6.808, 196.47 def. Hall, 6.868, 194.72; A. Smith, 6.896, 192.49 def. Krawiec, 6.862, 197.25; SEMIFINALS – A. Smith, 6.908, 193.77 def. Hines, 6.921, 192.33; M. Smith, 6.873, 195.11 def. Arana Jr, 13.014, 61.08; FINAL – A. Smith, 6.905, 191.89 def. M. Smith, 7.230, 145.99.

EPPING, N.H. — Sportsman final results from the 2nd annual Auto-Plus NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway and Motorsports Park. The race is the 11th of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:

Super Stock – Joe Santangelo, Chevy Camaro, 10.903, 93.11  def. Dan Fletcher, Camaro, foul.

Stock Eliminator – Ron Infantino, Chevy Camaro, 11.060, 116.70  def. Joe Lisa, Camaro, 10.962, 116.99.

Super Comp – Timmy Markoglu, Dragster, 8.924, 176.49  def. Kyle Cultrera, Dragster, 8.920, 178.83.

Super Gas – Ray Balian, Ford Probe, 9.924, 162.90  def. Brian Khoury, Chevy C-10, 9.943, 153.74.

Super Street – Art Gardner, Chevy Nova, 10.922, 149.81  def. Frank Quarno Jr, Nova, 10.893, 135.40.

Pro Stock Snowmobile – Tina Duncanson, Ski-Doo, 8.289, 156.52  def. Mark Case Jr., Ski-Doo, 9.534, 149.46.

Top Sportsman – Matt Harper, Pontiac Grand Prix, 7.544, 183.10  def. Marc Caruso, Chevy Cobalt, 6.986, 192.44.

Ed Wilson circa 2010

June 2012 at Gateway Motorsports Park, Ed Wilson wheeled his ‘41 Willys to his best ever professional finish by earning a runner up in ADRL Pro Modified. He would leave St. Louis third in points. Sadly, he never had the opportunity to continue that Championship chase. A week later Wilson competed in a Big Dog event at Piedmont Dragway, not far from his Benson, NC home. He qualified number one and was racing Jason Harris in round one when the Willys careened out of control, striking the right guardrail hard. He ricocheted and bounced off the left guardrail before coming to rest.

Wilson suffered a broken tailbone and three fractured vertebrae. He would be out of work a full year to recover. It would take the rest of 2013 to get his Willys back in working order. At the Inaugural PDRA Spring Open in April of this year Ed Wilson made his triumphant return.

“I’m back among friends,” stated Wilson. “It feels pretty good [to be back]. Anybody that runs cars at this level, they have to really have a passion because there’s way more work than there is fun. It’s definitely a challenge, but I enjoy racing with these guys. It’s a real nice atmosphere. It’s an enjoyable weekend even if you don’t do well.”

They say it takes a village to raise a child. It took a community of drag racers to resurrect the Willys.

“I had some friends that have helped out a lot,” Wilson continued. “Different ones contributed parts and helped me in different ways. I can’t name them all. One of my fellow racers bought the front end for me, another gave me a fuel pump, another gave me a battery. Just stuff like that. I have friends when I go to the races that are closer to me than people that stay next door. There’s a special camaraderie between the racers, because whoever’s there at the races, they have to have a passion to do that and we share that same passion.

“Those people stood by me, offering to help and many did help. It really means a lot to me. Makes you want to go back and be with those people again.”

Wilson also credited the Drag Racing Association of Women (DRAW) for being a major help in his time of need.

A do-it-yourselfer from way back, Wilson did much of the paint and bodywork on the reconstructed Willys himself. The effort and time he invested certainly paid off. The car won Best Appearing at the recent PDRA Memphis Drags. Wilson said he originally chose a Willys body in a sport where aerodynamics can be key because he “just liked to have something different.”

“We’ve received a lot of nice comments about it,” he said of the finished Willys. “That’s rewarding in itself. It was really nice [to receive Best Appearing], especially when you do the work yourself.”

Wilson is a man who is used to doing work himself, he and his wife being the sole force behind his bodywork and wrecker businesses. Even at the track, Wilson does much of the work himself. “I really miss my son. He was my Crew Chief before the wreck. Now he’s moved away and my good friend Bruce comes with me, but we’re still missing that third man. Different ones help us out at different times.

“Right now I’m honestly trying to get the car sorted back out. Done a lot of changing. Just really hadn’t quite gotten the combination figured out. I think it will be competitive once we do.”

Although it’s been a long journey to get back behind the wheel, Wilson never once doubted he would make it. “Always from the time I was a small child, I’ve been fascinated with cars. I raced with my imagination when I was a little boy. I reckon I still got that in me.”

Wilson’s first race car was a Hot Rod ‘55 Chevrolet that he raced locally as a teenager before growing into the Quick 8 racing that became popular in the ‘80s. Then for nearly 15 years, racing took a back seat until Wilson purchased the Tommy Mauney built Willys chassis in 2006. He debuted the car in Ennis, Tx. in late 2009 and had the opportunity to race in Qatar in 2010 with the Arabian Drag Racing League. “That was a real treat,” Wilson said of racing abroad. “I enjoyed it. I never thought of doing anything like that, but I was thankful for the opportunity. It was hard not having help. I’m not able to afford to pay a crew so I was at everybody’s mercy. But I enjoyed it.”

Although Wilson is a budget racer, he appreciates the help he receives from JEG Contracting, Leanders Clutches, M&H Auto Parts and Goodridge Hoses. He says he also appreciates “my wife, for putting up with me.”

It is certainly good to see Ed Wilson back among friends with the PDRA. And you can bet it won’t be long before his friends find him back in the winner’s circle again.

GOOD READS:

Steve Matusek opens up about his first career NHRA Pro Mod final round at DragIllustrated.com.

Short, but interesting – McGaha makes a statement in regards to cutting crew chief Jim Yates loose.

Harry Hruska talks about his new Larry Jeffers-built NHRA Pro Mod Camaro (first-look photos included).

MEDIA ROUND UP:

Final round action from this past weekend’s NHRA New England Nationals.

Jason Hamstra is clearly looking to become a perennial contender in NHRA Pro Mod, recently making some test hits at Route 66 Raceway outside Chicago.

Some Pro Mod testing from the UK during the mid ’90s.

Awesome multi-camera video of X275 superstar Dean Marinis playing double duty driving his radial-equipped Mustang as well as a nitrous Pro Mod at Maryland International Raceway. (10 minutes)

When the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) arrives at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI, this weekend (June 27-28), it will reach the halfway point of its inaugural eight-race season and Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous competitor Jason Harris will be attempting to keep his perfect record intact.

After winning the season opener from the number-one starting position in April at Rockingham, NC, Harris duplicated both efforts a month later in Valdosta, GA. He slipped a little with a third-place start at Memphis late in May, but the final result remained the same with Harris taking the trophy home. Still, the Pittsboro, NC-based racer isn’t taking his early season success for granted.

Jason Harris

“Winning three races in a year, not even in a row, is almost unheard of in the Pro Nitrous world right now because there’s just so many good teams out there that nobody really dominates anymore,” he explains. “There are a lot of guys who can step up their game and go really fast at any race so I feel really fortunate just to be in the finals of all three races so far this year, never mind winning all three of them.”

As a sportsman class competitor in IHRA national events at the U.S. 131 strip, Harris has made the long tow over the West Virginia mountains and then across Pennsylvania and Ohio to reach Western Michigan several times in the past and says the trip is always worth the effort.

“It’s beautiful up there. It’s one of my favorite tracks, really wide, smooth, and Jason (Peterson, track owner) and his guys do a great job of keeping up the facility throughout the year,” he says. “It’s one of my favorite races to take my family to because it’s just a nice, scenic race track.”

Also expected to make strong runs against Harris this weekend will be Pro Nitrous rookie Lizzy Musi, who became the first woman to exceed the 200-mph mark in her class debut at Rockingham, along with Tommy Franklin, Michigan’s own Bob Rahaim, and Pat Stoken, who respectively reached the final round against Harris at the first three events.

Frankie Taylor

Race teams from 15 different U.S. states, plus the country of Dubai, were represented in the star-studded NAS Racing Pro Extreme field at Memphis and the Michigan event should be just as diverse. Two-time PDRA winner Bubba Stanton, along with teammate Jason Scruggs, will be there, as will Frankie “Mad Man” Taylor, who made an unprecedented 3.48-seconds pass at Rockingham, marking the first time for a doorslammer to dip below three-and-a-half seconds in the eighth mile.

Additionally, the PDRA will feature its all-new Pro Boost division presented by Precision Turbo and Proline Racing Engines, along with Aruba.com Extreme Pro Stock, Pro Extreme Motorcycle, MagnaFuel Top Sportsman, STT Safety Equipment Top Dragster and two Jr. Dragster classes.

Thursday (June 26) is reserved as an open test session day for all PDRA racers on the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park eighth mile, with Friday continuing the test session for five hours beginning at 10 a.m., followed by two complete rounds of qualifying for all classes starting at 4:30 p.m. that afternoon. A third and final round of qualifying beginning at noon will open Saturday’s schedule, with a pre-race ceremony set to go at 3:30, followed by elimination rounds. A jet car exhibition will close out both Friday’s and Saturday’s action.

Complimentary tickets to the inaugural PDRA Summer Drags are available at many retailers and commercial outlets in the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park area, or can be printed for free from the PDRA web site at http://www.pdra660.com/free-tickets/2014/summer-drags/. Parking is $20 per vehicle daily.

When Joey “Hero” Martin (above left) lost to Frankie Taylor in the first round the ADRL World Finals last October in Houston, it very well could have been the end of his illustrious doorslammer-driving career. The multi-time ADRL event winner and consistent championship challenger had grown tired of the day-to-day grind of racing while constantly striving to find enough money to compete at the sport’s highest level.

Joey Martin

“It’s crazy; here we show up with a million dollars invested to race for a few thousand dollars, while a pro golfer shows up with a few thousand (dollars) in golf clubs to play for a million dollars. And then when we do win a few bucks we have to go begging just to try and get paid,” a clearly frustrated Martin told DRAG ILLUSTRATED at the time. “There’s just no way to justify keeping on like this.”

However, in stepped Pro Extreme team owner Neal Wantye (above right) who ordered a pair of brand-new 2014 Camaros to be built by Joey Martin Race Cars (JMRC) in Milton, Florida, with Martin tabbed as the team’s second driver and crew chief. The two-car Martin-Wantye Racing team was off to a decent start in 2014, with both cars qualifying at each of the three PDRA races held so far (though Wantye crashed in qualifying and was unable to race at Memphis), and Martin reaching the semi-finals at Valdosta, Georgia.

The partnership has abruptly ended, though, Martin confirmed to DRAG ILLUSTRATED in a June 23rd phone call.

Joey Martin (right) checks out the damage after (ex-)teammate Neal Wantye crashed at Memphis International Raceway last month.

“I don’t really know why,” Martin claimed about learning by text message that Wantye asked for both cars and any parts and tools he owned to be packed up and readied for transport to his Louisville, Kentucky, base.

“He (Wantye) won’t talk to me by phone, but we’ve probably sent hundreds of texts back and forth,” Martin said. “Everything seemed fine after the race at Neal’s home track, Ohio Valley Dragway (June 14). He seemed happy, calling me ‘Hero’ and stuff after Barndon (Snider) beat me with a holeshot in the final there. Then I got home and that’s when the texts started.”

An obviously discouraged Martin said he’ll be at the PDRA race in Martin, Michigan, this weekend helping Snider with his JMRC-built ’63 Corvette and he has a couple of projects to finish in his shop, but after that he’s ready to hang up his racing and building tools for good.

“I know I said it before, but I really think this is it for me,” Martin said. “I’m sick of all this racing stuff; it’s just not worth it anymore.” 

(Photos by Ian Tocher; Click to enlarge)

GOOD READS

CompetitionPlus.com’s Susan Wade reports on Larry Dixon’s upcoming return to Top Fuel racing at Norwalk, OH, in a couple of weeks.

Check out the street-legal, LS Chevy-powered, Saturn Ion that the guys over at Dragzine.com found.

For all the drag racing news from across the pond, vist our friends at Eurodragster.com.

GOOD VIEWS

In honor of the upcoming annual DRAG ILLUSTRATED nostalgia issue, check out this five-part series on the 1969 U.S. Nationals narrated by none other than legendary NHRA announcer Steve Evans. If you’re a fan of the old days of drag racing, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

This past weekend was one for the history books for the Mooresville, NC-based Gray Motorsports team. The Pro Stock branch raced to success at the NHRA New England Nationals with a low qualifier award and the trophy, and three-time division champion Jeff Strickland wheeled his way to the winner’s circle at the NHRA Lucas Oil Series Division 2 event at Bristol Dragway.

B/SA Stock Eliminator driver Strickland has an assortment of victories across several sportsman categories, but it was his first trophy earned behind the wheel of the Gray Motorsports GMPartsNow.com COPO Camaro.

Strickland carefully maneuvered his way through a tough field to make his way to the final round, where he defeated Jeff Hairrington, of Kathleen, Ga. Strickland left the starting line in .012-second to Hairrington’s .121 and kept the upper hand for a 10.546 (10.49 dial), 111.07 mph win to his opponent’s 10.344 (10.32), 119.71. The victory was his 12th overall and sixth in Stock Eliminator at the division level.

“This was my first win in the GMPartsNow.com COPO Camaro, and I have put a lot of pressure on myself to win with this car, so it felt really good to get it done,” said Strickland. “But to be honest with you, even after winning, there won’t be any less pressure. Once you do it, you have a reputation to uphold to everyone else but mostly to yourself – and you just want to do it again.”

Notably and as a true testament to Strickland’s capabilities behind the wheel, for the third time in his career he nearly accomplished something few drivers ever will: pull off the coveted double-up win. The Red Bay, Alabama-based competitor was also runner-up to Robert Houston in Top Dragster at the Bristol event.

Dave Connolly

Strickland’s win in the GMPartsNow.com COPO Camaro preceded a victory by his Gray Motorsports teammate, Dave Connolly, at the NHRA New England Nationals in the Charter Communications Chevrolet Camaro. After Strickland’s title quest came to fruition on Saturday, he was able to watch on Sunday as Connolly utilized Gray Motorsports power to set low elapsed time in each round of eliminations and compete with teammate and Rookie of the Year contender Jonathan Gray in the final round.

This after teammate Shane Gray raced to the No. 1 position during qualifying, kicking off a perfect weekend for the heavy-hitting team.

Connolly, who also races a second GMPartsNow.com COPO Camaro in Stock Eliminator, was quick to admit that Strickland’s success fueled his fire.

“I think he put the pressure on me,” laughed Connolly. “But seriously, Jeff is obviously very talented, and we knew when we put this program together that he was capable of winning. We have a team camaraderie in the Gray Motorsports camp that makes you step up your game, and that was a key ingredient for me to win this weekend.”

The event in New England was the first all-Gray Motorsports final and the 24th Pro Stock win for Connolly, now a 28-time winner overall with four national event trophies scored as a sportsman competitor.

“We were cheering at home, watching it on ESPN live,” said Strickland. “It was a neat deal for this team, and I was very proud to be part of such a great weekend in Gray Motorsports history. It isn’t something I’ll ever forget, that’s for sure.

“Every win is special, and this one is no different. It means a lot to do this for Gray Motorsports, for Matt Berger and Berger Chevrolet, and for GMPartsNow.com. After we left Atlanta earlier this year, I felt like we had made a lot of headway with the car and with the driver. This is one of the best cars I’ve ever driven, and now we’ve proven that we can get this done.”

Strickland won’t have to wait long for another opportunity to visit the winner’s circle; this coming weekend he will race the GMPartsNow.com COPO Camaro in the Stock Eliminator category at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago and then the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio just one week later.

“I can’t wait for the next one,” said Strickland. “Hopefully, we’ll have two good nationals back-to-back, and if everything falls our way and I do my job, maybe we can get another trophy for Berger Chevy, GMPartsNow.com and Gray Motorsports. That would sure be nice.”

Todd Robertson will be back behind the wheel of his Top Alcohol Funny Car this weekend (June 27-29), competing at the 17th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals just outside of Chicago in Joliet, IL.

Robertson and his Eaton-backed team are returning to Route 66 Raceway just a few weeks separated from his last outing, the NHRA North Central Division “Burn Down at Sundown.” After their last outing the Michigan-based team stayed in Joliet to test and after the results they are excited to be heading back.

“The more familiar we get with the guys we run with, the more you get to spend time talking shop with them,” crew chief Dennis Kolomyjec said. “There’s guys out here with 15 to 20 years of specific knowledge that make a living because of this industry, but if they see you need a hand they will drop what they are doing to help you fix something, make a round, or even just give you some pointers to help your progression.

“We were lucky enough to have the guys from Torque MGMT of Champaign, IL come by the last time we were in Chicago and point out some stuff and kinda be an extra set of eyes for us when we stayed to test. I think we may have just gotten that shot in the arm we needed. We’ll see this weekend.”

While the weeks of preparation before any national event are always packed with hard work, this year was a lot less stressful than the last time the Eaton team prepared for this event. Robertson spent nearly a month away from home criss-crossing several states collecting and repairing parts in order to compete at last season’s Route 66 Nationals.

“It was something. I’m not going to lie; it was fun,” Robertson recalls. “Doing it and focusing solely on racing for that period of time while seeing parts of our great country that I had never seen before was a great experience, but when it was all said and done I was glad to get home to my wife and my boy.”

To follow all the action of the 17th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals, log on to http://www.dragracecentral.com,  or follow along at NHRA.com. The first rounds of qualifying for the Top Alcohol classes will be Friday at 11:30 a.m. and then again at 3 p.m. The final round of qualifying is set for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday with final eliminations set to begin at 9 a.m. Sunday.

United Engine and Machines’s (UEM) new website makes piston selection fast, simple and economical.  As the largest piston manufacturer in North America, UEM is proud to announce the launch of their new website. UEM produces cast and forged pistons in variety of forged and cast aluminum alloys that meet and exceed the requirements of today’s high performance internal combustion engines.

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