Racing series NHRA Date 2006-07-23SCELZI TAKES A SLIGHT DETOUR ON HIS 'GREATEST FUNNY CAR COMEBACK'
KENT, Wash. (July 23, 2006) - Reigning NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion Gary Scelzi took a slight detour en route to his "greatest Funny Car comeback" today after his second-round exit in Funny Car eliminations at the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals.
Scelzi easily drove the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T past 13-time champion John Force in the opening round (4.972/309.49 to 5.045/293.35). First goal, check.
Scelzi's second goal was to then take out his teammate and points leader Ron Capps in the quarterfinal so that he could move closer to the top of the standings. He couldn't check that one off, as Capps outran him to the finish when Scelzi's car smoked the tires. Capps took the win with a 5.066/299.80 to Scelzi's losing 5.573/227.92.
The Fresno, Calif., native, who returned to the winner's circle in Denver last weekend and says he has his "hot rod back" after struggling the first half of the season, is looking to match his 1998 great comeback when he torched the second half of the season after a poor first half to win his second of three Top Fuel championships.
The points margin he's first aiming to make up is the one to third place, held by Robert Hight. Scelzi is in sixth place now, just one point out of fifth (Eric Medlen) and 45 short of third. His next big jump to the top will be his toughest, as he is 295 points shy of No. 1 Ron Capps.
"So much for the sweep," he said of trying to win all three races of the Western Swing (Denver, Seattle and Sonoma, Calif.). "I just went out there about 500 feet and it started wearing more clutch, which actually feeds it more clutch - even though we slowed it down - and smoked the tires.
"It's almost exactly the same as the run before, but it just got a little bit faster. We took preparation that it wouldn't wear clutch, but it still wore. When it does that, it changes the lever angle, and 'bada boom,' tire smoke. It's unfortunate.
"We eliminated Force, but then Capps marched on (to the final round, which he lost to teammate Whit Bazemore,) which is great for Capps for points. But we needed to win this race. So, we'll go to Sonoma and continue on.
"We're not discouraged. Until we're out of races and there's no way to do it, we're going for it. We're not changing our game plan. It would have been nice to win here, but, hey, we'll go win Sonoma."
Next up is the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., July 28-30.
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Racing seriesNHRADate 2006-07-23[SIZE=2]CAPPS EXTENDS POINTS LEAD, IS RUNNER-UP TO TEAMMATE BAZEMORE IN SEATTLE
KENT, Wash. (July 23, 2006) - Ron Capps extended his Funny Car points lead over John Force today to 88 after reaching his eighth final round of the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season at the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
The driver of the Brut Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car didn't take his sixth victory of the season, however, as he was defeated by his teammate Whit Bazemore in the final round.
En route to the final, Capps disposed of Del Worsham with a 4.975/307.86, his teammate Gary Scelzi with a 5.066/299.80 and Eric Medlen with a 5.077/303.43 (to Medlen's 5.160/255.34).
The all-Don Schumacher Racing final in the 90-degree-plus heat was a heartbreaker for Capps, as Bazemore took off with a .032 of a second edge and held it to the finish, taking the win with a 5.036/309.42 over Capps' 5.108/293.15. Margin of victory: .1041 of second.
"It was good to see those Matco Tools guys get a win, especially for Don Schumacher," said Capps.
"The big picture is looking good. There were some people who were maybe starting to doubt if we were going to keep our points lead, and sometimes you want to get up and say 'I don't think so,' but you've got to watch yourself. You don't want bad karma, and you don't want to be cocky. The good teams will just get up and let their cars talk, and that's what Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) did today. He did a hell of a job.
"We were without lane choice and knocked off some pretty big guys, (like) Scelzi, and Medlen, who was hard to beat today, especially without lane choice.
"I'm going to go broke buying dinners for the Oakley team," added Capps, who benefited from Scelzi's taking out John Force two races in a row.
"The cool part is that at DSR, we run straight up," he added, dismissing any comments about "diving" at DSR. "If we win the championship, we'll have raced for it. I wish Gary and Whit were higher up in the points, so we could all really battle together."
Next up is the Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., July 28-30.
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AP Photo/King County Journal, David Nelson
Allen Johnson celebrates his first win of the 2006 season in Pro Stock at the NHRA Northwest Nationals Sunday in Kent, Wash.
Source: The Greeneville Sun
07-24-2006
KENT, Wash. -- Allen Johnson earned his fourth career NHRA Pro Stock victory on Sunday, defeating Tom Martino in the finals of the Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways.
Johnson finished in 6.767 at 204.63, pulling away from Martino, who lost traction near half track.
“We’ve had the best car for the last four races so this isn’t a big surprise to me,” said Johnson, who defeated Mike Edwards, Greg Stanfield and Warren Johnson in earlier rounds. “We’ve struggled a little with our race day tune-up and we especially stubbed our toe in Denver in the first round but that mistake really taught us what we needed to know to get down these hot, gummy racetracks. If we hadn’t done that there we probably wouldn’t have learned enough to do well here.”
Since Columbus, Johnson has been on the verge. He picked up his first career number one qualifier there and has consistently been in the top part of the qualifying ladder.
That has enabled Johnson to go rounds and move up to seventh in the points standings.
Reigning NHRA POWERade Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher raced to his second victory in his last three starts. Schumacher had little trouble beating Dave Grubnic in the Top Fuel final with a 4.690 at 321.96 mph in his U.S. Army dragster to Grubnic’s 4.761 at 316.75.
It was Schumacher’s 32nd career victory and second at this track.
Whit Bazemore drove his Matco Tools Dodge Charger to the Funny Car win over teammate and series points leader Ron Capps. Bazemore posted a 5.036 at 309.42 to edge Capps’ Brut Charger, which posted a 5.108 at 293.15.
With his runner-up finish, Capps extended his series lead to 88 over John Force, who lost in the first round. The NHRA completes round three of the Western Swing this weekend at Sonoma.
Racing seriesNHRADate 2006-07-27
[SIZE=2] INFINEON RACEWAY FEELS LIKE HOME TO PRO STOCK ROOKIE CARLSON SONOMA, Calif. (July 27, 2006) - Pro Stock rookie Shaun Carlson feels a sense of security come over him when he enters the gates of Infineon Raceway, a track where he has a lot of experience in his days as a Pro FWD driver in the Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series.
He'll be racing at Infineon this weekend in the Fram Auto-lite NHRA Nationals, driving the Team Mopar/SRT Dodge Stratus R/T Pro Stocker for Don Schumacher Racing in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Carlson has raced here many times. "This track feels like home more so than even Pomona, because we are able to race here more often. We aren't able to race in Pomona much because of the noise restrictions," says the Alta Loma, Calif., native.
"We've raced the FWD car here, the drift car here, and even my girlfriend Apple has done some stuff in shifter karting here. They have all types of racing here, it's a very neat track to race at."
Carlson looks to qualify for his second event of the 2006 season. "I'm sure it's going to be hot this weekend, and that's going to put even more importance on the Friday night qualifying run. We really have to get in there on that session, because we've seen how hard, if not impossible, it is to get in on Saturday afternoon when the sun has been beating down on the track.
"We're getting some things figured out on this brand-new car, and it's going to be important for us to show that on Friday."
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Racing seriesNHRADate 2006-07-30[SIZE=2]STEVENS OUT EARLY IN SONOMA
SONOMA, Calif. (July 30, 2006) - Richie Stevens Jr. entered today's Fram-Autolite NHRA Nationals looking for his first Pro Stock win since joining Don Schumacher Racing in 2005, but an opening-round foul-out at the starting line against Mike Edwards nixed any chances of his visiting the winner's circle at Infineon Raceway.
Stevens was more than disappointed with the -.060-reaction time (.000 is perfect). "I don't know what happened. It's not something that I anticipated," said the driver of the Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T. "I was ready, and I just can't believe it happened."
It was Stevens' second red-light start of the season. "I'm totally frustrated. You hate to do that to the crew guys. They are here early in the morning and they stay here late at night working on the car, so it's hard to swallow.
"I think the fact that we are running so good lately only makes it worse," he noted of the team's recent streak of three quarterfinal and two semifinal finishes dating back to Englishtown, N.J. (five events ago).
"I'm going to keep my head up and go to Brainerd (Minn.) and try for the win there. We have the car, the people, and the equipment." Stevens is currently 10th in the Pro Stock point standings with 675 points.
He has one weekend off before heading to Brainerd, Minn., for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Aug. 10-13.
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Signa Racing wins G3 with the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe
Signa Racing wins G3 with the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe
Belgian team Signa Racing claimed victory in the G3 class with the new Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, with a fine win for team owner Patrick Chaillet and his team-mates Loďc Deman, Laurent Nef and Christophe Geoffroy. "We won with a brand new car, we only had 1000 kilometres of testing, so it is incredible to be here today," Deman explained. "The team did an incredible job, and I had very good team mates. Thanks to all our sponsors. We had nearly no problems, just a little alert that cost us 7 minutes. During 24 Hours, the car was perfect."
(c) Planetlemans.com - Frank Feenstra
They were followed home by the Prospeed Porsche Cup car, whose drivers included WRC star François Duval in his first-ever circuit endurance race experience. Third place went to Pouchelon Racing, who completed 26 hours of racing this weekend as they were also competing in the FIA GT3 European Championship, and whose line-up included paraplegic driver Gilles Duqueine, who is proving to be one of the real stars of the category, and former French Rally champion Benôit Rousselot.
SHEPHERD, GLADYSZ LEAD MOPAR RALLY EFFORT AT X GAMES
PRESS RELEASEJuly 31, 2006FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETEAM MOPAR CONTACTarren JacobsJ.R. Thompson Company (248) 553-4566djacobs@jrthompson.com(Photos available upon request) SHEPHERD, GLADYSZ LEAD MOPAR RALLY EFFORT AT X GAMESCenter Line, Mich. — Battle-tested Rally veterans Doug Shepherd and Pete Gladysz are ready to bring their 25 years of Rally experience to the new generation. The championship winning duo will carry the Mopar colors in the Rallying competition at X Games 12, scheduled for this week, August 3-6, in Los Angeles, Calif. The team will have the opportunity to expose its sport and the Mopar brand to a wider audience, as broadcast coverage of the Rally Car competition is set for Saturday, August 5, at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.Shepherd and Gladysz, who also have day jobs as DaimlerChrysler engineers, are no strangers to this extreme sport. The two drove their Mopar Dodge SRT4 Rally Car to US SCCA ProRally championships in the Group 5 and 2-Wheel-Drive Class in 2003 and 2004. The 2004 season also saw this team help Dodge earn its first US ProRally Manufacturers Championship in 28 years. In this first year of the Rally America sponsored Rally competition at the X Games, Shepherd and Gladysz will do battle against young guns such as Travis Pastrana, a former X Games Moto X gold medal winner, Rhys Millen and Tanner Foust from the Formula D Drift circuit, and former World Rally Champion Colin McRae. The Team Mopar drivers will pilot the only American made car invited to participate in the Rally competition.“Everybody in the X Games is generally younger than us,�?? Shepherd said. “In Rallying, however, it’s not your age that matters; it’s your attitude and ability to attack the course that delivers the winning times. Having more horsepower than everyone else is a good idea too. We have it with the SRT4, which makes 375 hp with its Mopar Stage III setup.�??“We intend to challenge some of the four-wheel-drive teams,�?? said Gladysz. “It will depend on the road conditions. If it stays dry and dusty, we have a shot at posting good stage scores. If it gets wet and sloppy, the four-wheel-drive cars will put some time on us. Because this is Southern California in the summer, the roads should be good for us.“It’s going to be an interesting event, being a combination of eight mountain stages and one stadium stage. We’ll see how well the top 2-wheel-car in this country can compete against some of the dominating four-wheel-drive cars.�??Mopar’s efforts in X Games 12 are just another example of its participation in cutting edge motor sports to introduce the passion of the Mopar brand and its reputation for authentic performance to a wider, younger audience. The brand was an early supporter of the Formula D Drift Series, with Mopar driver Samuel Hubinette winning the inaugural 2004 Formula D championship and finishing as runner-up in 2005. The series has grown in popularity, and Hubinette currently leads the 2006 Formula D points race. For more info on the X Games or Mopar, log on to www.rally-america.com, www.expn.com, www.mopar.com or www.moparspeed.com.Mopar is based in Center Line, Mich., and is the exclusive original equipment supplier of parts and accessories for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep® vehicles.
SPORTING NEWS INDIANPOLIS -- Dodge Motorsports chief John Fernandez is leaving DaimlerChrysler to take over as managing director at the Concord, N.C., racing operation of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.
"John has been involved in racing for a long time as an engineer with Dodge and as head of its racing programs," Ganassi said Friday. "I am very excited to add someone to the team that has so much experience in a number of different areas. He brings so much to the table."
Fernandez replaces longtime Ganassi employee Andy Graves, who was moved to a different position earlier this year. "Chip and Felix have created a first-class environment to work in," Fernandez said. "The new facility, adjacent to the Concord Airport, is spectacular and located for maximum efficiency.
"I see an organization that is poised to make the jump to the next level with all the elements needed for a championship run and I'm thrilled about being able to play a role."
Fernandez, who joined Chrysler in 1969 as a co-op student, was hired full-time as a project engineer in 1972 and took over the top job at Dodge motorsports in 2002, will oversee all the Ganassi race teams, as well as the engine, fabrication and paint shops.
Results from 25th anniversary Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park
by Travis Reynolds
MARTIN, Mich. -- Sunday's final results from the 25th anniversary Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park. The race is the seventh of 11 in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- T.J. Zizzo, 4.773 seconds, 306.46 mph def. Doug Foley, 8.123 seconds, 92.68 mph.
Nitro Funny Car -- Jack Wyatt, Pontiac Firebird, 4.980, 272.01 def. Bob Gilbertson, Dodge Stratus, 7.298, 116.98.
Pro Modified -- Josh Hernandez, Chevy Camaro, 6.131, 235.56 def. Mike Castellana, Chevy Cavalier, 6.180, 230.06.
Alcohol Funny Car -- Thomas Carter, Chevy Camaro, 5.955, 238.76 def. Terry McMillen, Dodge Avenger, 6.139, 231.68.
Pro Stock -- Tony Gillig, Ford Mustang, 6.468, 213.94 def. John Nobile, Ford Escort, 6.531, 215.37.
Pro Modified Shootout -- Mike Castellana, Chevy Cavalier, 6.141, 232.31 def. Quain Stott, Chevy Corvette, 6.166, 232.91.
Top Stock -- Bo Kenney, Pontiac Firebird, 9.437, 141.21 def. Monty Bogan Jr., Firebird, 9.475, 140.75.
Top Sportsman -- Bob Mandell, Oldsmobile Cutlass, 7.339, 178.47 def. Jeff Pittman, Chevy Chevelle, 7.202, 187.08.
Top Dragster -- Nick Folk, Dragster, 6.995, 187.68 def. Ricky Adkins, Dragster, 7.057, 190.19.
Quick Rod -- Chris Schneider, Dragster, 8.916, 167.91 def. Keith Williams, Dragster, 8.907, 172.23.
Super Rod -- Brian Folk, Chevy Cavalier, 9.889, 148.22 def. Pat Martin, Ford Roadster, 9.863, 155.60.
Hot Rod -- Matt Albright, Chevy Chevelle, 10.873, 133.42 def. Tony Elrod, Plymouth Duster, 10.854, 130.61.
Super Stock -- Craig Marshall, Pntiac Grand Am, 9.115, 148.79 def. Kevin Helms, Oldsmobile Achieva, 9.463, 124.11.
ET Bracket -- Garrett Marhanka, Dodge Daytona, 12.660, 99.78 def. Rick Van Wyhe, Ford Thunderbird, foul.
ET Box -- Garrett Marhanka, Dodge Daytona, 10.159, 125.80 def. Rod Brower, Chevy Camaro, 10.021, 131.36.
ET No Box -- Rick Van Wyhe, Ford Thunderbird, 9.544, 135.97 def. Bryan Craner, Chevy Camaro, 13.270, 60.51.
MARTIN, Mich. -- Final round-by-round results from the 25th anniversary Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park, the seventh of 11 events in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series:
ROUND ONE -- Dale Creasy Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.990, 266.11 def. Gary Cooper, Dodge Stratus, 5.705, 175.48; Jack Wyatt, Pontiac Firebird, 6.153, 153.25 def. Vincent Arcadi, Monte Carlo, foul; Bob Gilbertson, Stratus, 4.990, 293.22 def. Terry Haddock, Stratus, 5.149, 295.72; Mike Ashley, Stratus, 4.931, 304.32 def. Paul Lee, Monte Carlo, 4.926, 303.23; SEMIFINALS -- Wyatt, 4.926, 280.95 def. Creasy Jr., 4.982, 277.37; Gilbertson, 4.952, 306.12 def. Ashley, 7.703, 113.22; FINAL -- Wyatt, 4.980, 272.01 def. Gilbertson, 7.298, 116.98.
PRO MODIFIED:
ROUND ONE -- Danny Rowe, Chevy Corvette, 6.195, 229.35 def. Quain Stott, Corvette, 6.193, 230.88; Kenny Lang, Corvette, 6.261, 227.73 def. Scott Cannon, Pontiac GTO, 8.528, 114.31; Josh Hernandez, Chevy Camaro, 6.132, 234.29 def. Pat Stoken, Camaro, 12.504, 68.29; Harold Martin, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.223, 226.77 def. Carl Spiering, Camaro, 6.203, 228.69; Jim Halsey, Camaro, 6.196, 226.85 def. Alan Pittman, Chevy Bel Air, 6.251, 226.01; Steve Bareman, Dodge Stratus, 7.931, 157.83 def. Matt Hagan, Corvette, 11.257, 76.09; Mike Castellana, Chevy Cavalier, 6.161, 229.39 def. Tommy D'Aprile, Corvette, 6.909, 152.23; Mike Bell, Ford Mustang, 7.175, 149.53 def. David Roemer, Camaro, 10.272, 85.97; QUARTERFINALS -- Hernandez, 6.138, 227.38 def. Bell, 11.686, 74.37; Martin, 8.057, 128.74 def. Lang, broke; Bareman, 6.176, 233.76 def. Halsey, 6.182, 227.31; Castellana, 6.142, 230.80 def. Rowe, 6.294, 211.23; SEMIFINALS -- Castellana, 6.240, 229.00 def. Martin, 11.231, 76.46; Hernandez, 6.167, 234.41 def. Bareman, 9.597, 92.25; FINAL -- Hernandez, 6.131, 235.56 def. Castellana, 6.180, 230.06.
ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- Thomas Carter, Chevy Camaro, 5.926, 230.45 def. Rob Atchison, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.870, 244.74; Mark Thomas, Monte Carlo, 5.889, 241.20 def. Paul Noakes, Ford Mustang, 5.912, 238.68; Terry Munroe, Monte Carlo, 5.916, 234.00 def. Chris Foster, Dodge Avenger, 5.942, 223.67; Terry McMillen, Avenger, 5.935, 239.27 def. Larry Dobbs, Chevy Corvette, 5.989, 232.59; SEMIFINALS -- Carter, 5.932, 239.10 def. Munroe, 6.018, 222.62; McMillen, 5.905, 238.17 def. Thomas, 8.695, 99.57; FINAL -- Carter, 5.955, 238.76 def. McMillen, 6.139, 231.68.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- John Nobile, Ford Escort, 6.479, 213.87 def. Richard Penland, Escort, 6.512, 214.62; Tony Gillig, Ford Mustang, 6.478, 212.63 def. John Konigshofer, Mercury Cougar, 6.515, 213.98; Rick Jones, Chevy Cobalt, 6.456, 215.03 def. Larry O'Brien, Dodge Stratus, 6.513, 212.33; Jeff Dobbins, Escort, 6.488, 214.62 def. Rob Mansfield, Cobalt, 8.967, 104.90; Steve Spiess, Cobalt, 6.492, 214.35 def. Brian Gahm, Mustang, 6.501, 212.03; Frank Gugliotta, Escort, 6.441, 215.31 def. John Bartunek, Cobalt, 6.509, 215.51; Pete Berner, Pontiac GTO, 6.427, 216.13 def. Elijah Morton, Ford ZX2, foul; Bert Jackson, Chevy Cavalier, 6.548, 193.82 def. Robert Patrick, Shelby GT 500, foul; QUARTERFINALS -- Dobbins, 6.501, 214.55 def. Jackson, 6.511, 215.65; Nobile, 6.472, 215.72 def. Spiess, 15.884, 74.80; Gillig, 6.462, 214.11 def. Gugliotta, 6.463, 216.58; Berner, 6.431, 216.03 def. Jones, 6.466, 215.44; SEMIFINALS -- Gillig, 6.461, 213.57 def. Dobbins, 12.536, 85.32; Nobile, 6.470, 214.86 def. Berner, 6.457, 214.89; FINAL -- Gillig, 6.468, 213.94 def. Nobile, 6.531, 215.37.
PRO MODIFIED SHOOTOUT (contested Saturday):
ROUND ONE -- Jim Halsey, Chevy Camaro, 6.235, 227.08 def. Steve Bareman, Dodge Stratus, 12.756, 81.43; Mike Castellana, Chevy Cavalier, 6.177, 231.12 def. Rick Distefano, Chevy Corvette, foul; Quain Stott, Corvette, broke def. Mike Janis, Chevy Cobalt, broke; Scott Cannon, Pontiac GTO, 6.197, 231.99 def. Carl Spiering, Camaro, 6.193, 231.95; SEMIFINALS -- Stott, 6.199, 232.11 def. Halsey, 7.637, 139.17; Castellana, 6.145, 232.27 def. Cannon, 6.140, 234.66; FINAL -- Castellana, 6.141, 232.31 def. Stott, 6.166, 232.91.
MARTIN, Mich. -- Point standings (top 10) for IHRA professional categories following the 25th anniversary Torco Racing Fuels Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park, the seventh of 11 events in the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel
1. Clay Millican, 482; 2. Doug Foley, 445; 3. Rick Cooper, 386; 4. Bobby Lagana Jr., 381; 5. Bruce Litton, 341; 6. T.J. Zizzo, 260; 7. Andrew Cowin, 240; 8. Chris Karamesines, 230; 9. Louie Allison, 194; 10. Mitch King, 157.
Nitro Funny Car
1. Dale Creasy Jr., 466; 2. Jack Wyatt, 450; 3. Bob Gilbertson, 402; 4. Vincent Arcadi, 389; 5. Gary Densham, 322; 6. Terry Haddock, 315; 7. Gary Cooper, 228; 8. Paul Lee, 221; 9. Doug Kalitta, 97; 10. Mitch King, 84.
Pro Modified
1. Glen Kerunsky, 416; 2. Danny Rowe, 356; 3. Quain Stott, 354; 4. Tommy D{Aprile, 293; 5. Mike Janis, 292; 6. Jim Halsey, 290; 7. Mike Castellana, 289; 8. Carl Spiering, 283; 9. Steve Bareman, 263; 10. Scott Cannon, 253.
Alcohol Funny Car
1. Mark Thomas, 505; 2. Thomas Carter, 459; 3. Rob Atchison, 458; 4. Terry McMillen, 373; 5. Frederick Tigges, 269; 6. Terry Munroe, 258; 7. Larry Dobbs, 248; 8. Trevor Lebsack, 241; 9. Paul Noakes, 223; 10. Chris Foster, 168.
Super Street Names Team Mopar’s Carlson to List of Top Ten Innovators of All Time
Super Street Names Team Mopar’s Carlson to List of Top Ten Innovators of All Time
by Darren Jacobs, Team Mopar Racing
CENTER LINE, Mich. -- Team Mopar driver and owner Shaun Carlson was named as one of the Top Ten Innovators of All Time of the sport compact and drifting scene in the September issue of Super Street, available on newsstands now. The honor was bestowed as part of a celebration of the magazine’s tenth anniversary.
Carlson was recognized for the trailblazing innovations coming out of his California-based fabrication shop, NuFormz Racing, in the mid-1990s. As president and founder of NuFormz, Carlson was recognized as an expert engine builder and a FWD performance guru. With Stephen Papadakis, Carlson made sport compact history building the first front-wheel-drive tube-frame chassis drag car. That car became the first FWD tube-chassis car to complete 9-second passes, later bettering that mark with 8-second passes.
As a driver, Carlson joined Team Mopar in 2003, driving a FWD Dodge SRT4 on the NHRA Sport Compact circuit. He grabbed his first NHRA victory in May 2003 at Gainesville, where he set front-wheel-drive records for ET and speed with a pass of 8.22 seconds at 181.70 mph. He later posted a career-best pass of 7.50 seconds at 194.25 mph. Carlson grabbed another Sport Compact win in his SRT4 in 2005 at the Palm Beach NHRA Sport Compact Nationals.
In 2006, Carlson jumped to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock circuit, driving for Team Mopar and Don Schumacher Racing. As an owner, Carlson and NuFormz Racing maintained the Mopar Dodge Viper SRT10 Samuel Hubinette campaigned to a runner-up finish last year in the Formula D Drift Series; Hubinette is currently first in the 2006 Formula D points series. Carlson and NuFormz Racing are also putting the finishing touches on Hubinette’s new ride, the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8.
“To be named as one of the Top Ten Innovators by Super Street is awesome,” said Carlson. “The recognition means a lot to me, and I’m flattered to be considered as someone who helped blaze a trail for all the enthusiasts out there. They’re what really matters. ”
“Mopar is proud of Shaun Carlson and of our ongoing association with him and NuFormz Racing,” said Mopar’s Chris Cortez, Vice President of Global Service & Parts. “He’s one of the people who have played an important role in growing the sport compact scene and the sport of drifting. We at Mopar look forward to working with Shaun in continuing to mold how enthusiasts think about their cars.”
Mopar is based in Center Line, Mich., and is the exclusive original equipment supplier of parts and accessories for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep® vehicles.
CENTER LINE, Mich. -- The outlook wasn?t rosy for Team Mopar?s Samuel Hubinette and his NuFormz Racing crew on the eve of the Round Five 2006 Formula D Drift Series event, held before a packed crowd at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., near Seattle. After testing Hubinette?s Mopar Dodge Viper SRT10 last Thursday, the team determined they needed to replace the engine, which had been used in competition for nearly three years, a remarkable feat in itself. With practice rounds set for Friday, it looked as if Hubinette?s championship hopes would be dashed. But then Team Mopar went to work.
The call went out to Mopar, and it ensured the new engine would be sent post haste to Seattle for the effort. Next, NuFormz Racing, led by owner Shaun Carlson, and local Viper shop Maltby Motorsports, owned by Cam and Janet McCracken, got their hands dirty, completing the engine swap in record time?less than ten hours.
The result? A No. 7 qualifying spot and Great Eight finish for Hubinette, preserving the ?Crazy Swede?s? championship run, as he now trails Rhys Millen by just 11 points.
?It?s just amazing that NuFormz Racing and Maltby Motorsports pulled this off, and that Mopar could get the parts out here so quick,? said Hubinette, who defeated Hiro Sumida before losing to event winner and BFGoodrich teammate Yukinobu Okubo in the Great Eight round. ?The fact that I qualified No. 7 and made it as far as I did is a great achievement. It was definitely a team effort.
?I?m stoked to move on to Irwindale Speedway (in California, on August 31) and compete in the Mopar D1 All-Star Duel, in a drifting exhibition with Kasey Kahne and the other NASCAR guys. That?s going to be a good practice day for me, with a little more seat time in the drift car. Then we?ll head to New Jersey for Round Six [at Wall Speedway on September 9]. I?m definitely hungry to get a better result there then I did last year [when he had a first-round exit].?
For more info on Formula D or Mopar, log on to www.formulad.com, www.moparspeed.com, or www.mopar.com. For information on the ?Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear,? which will pit eight NASCAR stars, such as Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon and Bill Elliott, against eight of the best drifters in the world, including Hubinette, Vaughn Gittin Jr., Rhys Millen and Yasuyuki Kazama, log on to www.irwindalespeedway.com or www.kaseykahne.com/drift. All proceeds from the event will go to the Kasey Kahne Foundation.
Mopar is based in Center Line, Mich., and is the exclusive original equipment supplier of parts and accessories for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep? vehicles.
NDIANAPOLIS ? Everyone knows about Danica Patrick. With the open wheel Indy Racing League receiving so much attention due to Patrick's presence and popularity, many have wondered if and when a woman driver would make a similar splash in NASCAR.
And while NASCAR continues to work toward providing women more opportunities to race in its series, thus far women have enjoyed only limited success in stock car racing.
In fact, just a handful of women currently compete at NASCAR's highest levels ? with Erin Crocker being among the most visible ? and none have established themselves or their gender in a way that could be considered successful, unless their participation alone in NASCAR's premier series can be considered a victory.
Other forms of motorsport in America have been far more successful in delivering opportunities for women.
Patrick, for one, has only enjoyed moderate on-track success in IndyCars (her best finish is fourth), but considering the exposure she has brought to that series, her driving ability may be of secondary importance.
After a brief and unsuccessful stint in stock cars, meanwhile, former full-time IndyCar driver Sarah Fisher also is returning to the IRL, though she has yet to secure a regular ride for next season.
Those successes pale in comparison to what women have accomplished in drag racing, as the fairer sex has been winning races and championships in the NHRA for decades. Still, their accomplishments have, for the most part, gone unnoticed by the public at large.
With one exception: Shirley Muldowney.
Muldowney broke the gender barrier in drag racing over 40 years ago, and she went on to win countless races and four championships competing against the best drivers in the world in the sport's top class, Top Fuel dragster.
Even Hollywood was fascinated, producing a successful movie about Muldowney called "Heart Like a Wheel."
[SIZE=1]Muldowney in 1975. (AP)[/SIZE] Muldowney arguably is the most significant female sports figure of the last century, having competed not only against women, but also against men ? and with great success. She opened the door for women in drag racing decades ago, and many women today are able to walk through that door when given the right opportunity.
Five in particular ? Melanie Troxel (Top Fuel), Hillary Will (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) ? currently compete at the top level of NHRA competition, and each one credits Muldowney with blazing the path they currently travel.
Troxel and Will compete in the same type of car that Muldowney raced. But when Muldowney was racing, top speeds were around 280 mph. Troxel and Will are racing at speeds approaching 330 mph.
Both drivers are with well-financed teams that have fielded champions in the past, and both readily admit that having that kind of opportunity is key for a woman ? or any driver, for that matter ? to be successful.
"I don't think that there's been the right opportunity for a woman to succeed in NASCAR like we've had here in drag racing," said Troxel, who led the Top Fuel points race earlier this season. "Shirley opened doors decades ago and all women have been able to benefit from that. NASCAR hasn't had their Shirley Muldowney yet."
But the NHRA has.
Will says had it not been for Muldowney, she wouldn't be in the sport.
"I doubt that any of us would be here now if it wasn't for her breaking the barriers years ago," Will said. "She deserves all the credit for the abuse she took and the difficulties she had to deal with."
Enders grew up around the sport and started racing at age eight. Her exploits as a teenager were chronicled in a Disney movie called "Right on Track."
She was a champion in the Junior Dragster class and now drives a 2,000-horsepower Dodge Stratus at speeds in excess of 200 mph.
For her, it was all about having female role models in drag racing.
"I would come to the track with my dad and watch and get to meet racers like Shirley and Shelly Anderson and think 'I can do that,'" said Enders, who believes women can compete against men in all forms of racing, including NASCAR.
Stoffer says that just to be able to compete at a sport's highest level is an accomplishment, whether you are a man or a woman.
Stoffer, who has been racing for two decades and was very successful in drag racing's Sportsman ranks before turning professional, says her goal is to be the best driver out there, not just the best female driver.
"For me, it wasn't that I wanted to be a woman in drag racing, I wanted to be involved with the sport because I loved it," Stoffer said.
She believes that because it is a one-on-one sport, drag racing has established an atmosphere of competition that puts everyone on a level playing field.
"You're not racing against another woman or another man out there," Stoffer said. "When the helmets are on, you're racing against another competitor." NASCAR's barrier
Some say NASCAR is too tough for women to race in and that drag racing, which competes on a quarter-mile track for only seconds at a time, is easier both physically and mentally than wheeling a stock car for hundreds of laps while running side-by-side with the competition.
[SIZE=1]Troxel with fans. (AP)[/SIZE] "If they think this is easy, then I invite them to hop inside my car and take a ride," Troxel said. "It's not as easy as it looks. There are a lot of things happening in just 4? seconds. You have to be absolutely perfect during that time.
"There are strong G-forces [estimated to be between five and six G's] and if something goes wrong, you've got your hands full at 300 mph."
Sampey, a three-time champion in Pro Stock Motorcycle, has won 40 races and set records in the category. She says that even though the time spent riding her motorcycle during a race is short, drag racing is a much more physical sport than most people believe ? although she credits much of her success to mastering the mental aspects of racing.
"It takes a lot to keep my motorcycle under me and going straight at 190 mph, but the hard part is the mental part," Sampey said. "You have to be focused on getting it right every time. You can't come in and change tires and make changes like other racing. You have just seven seconds to get it right. Sevens seconds to do it better than the other person in the other lane."
Sampey believes NASCAR racing may be too tough for women to compete in successfully, what with its heavier vehicles and 500-mile races. But she says that there could be a woman out there that can train hard enough to do it.
"I'd be willing to try," she said.
Enders feels that comments made about women in racing by NASCAR legend Richard Petty and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, which put women somewhere other than in a race car, are narrow-minded and simplistic.
"We're just like the guys, we work hard and we dream big," she said.
Enders would love to see a woman compete in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series and believes women across the country would, too.
"If there was a woman racing against Tony Stewart or Jeff Gordon, I'd be right there rooting for her," Enders said. The Danica Factor
Each of the women agrees that even if Danica Patrick's on-track accomplishments thus far haven't been earth-shattering, the fact that she is drawing attention to her sport is far more important.
"I would argue that she may not be with the best team right now," Troxel said. "That is so important whether you're a woman or not. You may be the best driver out there, but if you're not with a team that can show that, you're bound to struggle."
Troxel says that with Patrick's move to Andretti Green Racing, which is considered one of the IRL's top teams, the pressure will be on for her to prove herself.
"In any form of racing, it all comes down to the right person and the right opportunity," said Troxel, who struggled for years to find the right team with the right financial support. She currently drives for Don Schumacher Racing, one of the top teams in the NHRA.
Sampey, however, is the only one who agrees with Patrick's use of her sexuality in obtaining more exposure and for financial gain.
"I'm all for it," Sampey said. "I'd love to do a calendar like she did if I had the opportunity."
The others laughed at the prospect. But Enders took it differently.
"That's OK for her," Enders said of Patrick's calendar. "I just think that to be taken seriously, you need to focus on the racing."
The success of women in drag racing goes beyond drivers, as championship-winning Kim LaHaie is one of the sport's most successful crew chiefs, and Ann Paluso is the manager of Harley-Davidson's NHRA drag racing operation. Paluso has overseen that manufacturer's rise from obscurity in the sport to now being its official motorcycle, and her factory-backed Harley-Davidson team has won two championships in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Standards
These successful women drivers have huge fan followings, in part because of their accomplishments, but also because they are women. And they all hope NASCAR finds its own Shirley Muldowney to blaze a path to success in stock car racing.
As women in racing, they acknowledge that they may still be held to a higher standard, which so far, they have been able to meet ? partly because each one is driven to prove that they can be the best at what they do.
And not just because they are women.
"When I get into that dragster, there's no other place in the world that I want to be," Will said. "Everything I do in life is motivated by driving that car."
Racing series SCCA-WC Date 2006-09-28 ARCHER CAPTURES ROUND NINE SPEED GT POLE AT ROAD ATLANTA BRASELTON, Ga. (Sept. 28, 2006) -- Tommy Archer, of Duluth, Minn., set a new SPEED World Challenge GT qualifying record en route to capturing his third SPEED GT pole of the season at Road Atlanta. Defending SPEED GT champion Andy Pilgrim, of Boca Raton, Fla., and Leighton Reese, of Minnetonka, Minn., completed the top three.
Driving the No. 5 c3controls/Dodge Motorsports Dodge SRT Viper, Archer grabbed the pole position for tomorrow's penultimate round of the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT Championship in his first flying lap around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile track with a time of 1:26.441 (105.783 mph).
"It just totally surprised me," Archer said of his qualifying effort. "They said, 'you're P1,' and I said 'P1!' I knew the car was decent, but we couldn't get a full lap in over the week because we were always in traffic. I tend to do it different then everyone else. I don't worry about what my lap time is until it counts."
Pilgrim, who is coming off a disappointing 21st-place finish at Mosport, hopes to better that effort when he starts on the outside of row one tomorrow. Pilgrim powered his No. 1 XM/Mobil 1/Motorola/On Star Cadillac CTS-V to a quick time of 1:26.539 (105.663 mph) in his first lap.
Starting third in his No. 6 Banner Engineering Chevrolet Corvette C6, Reese is still looking for his first SPEED GT win since returning to the series in 2004. Reese set a fast time of 1:26.581 (105.612 mph).
Lou Gigliotti, of Dallas, is looking for his third win of the season and will start fourth in his No. 28 LG ProLong Tub Headers Chevrolet Corvette C6 after turning a 1:27.144 (104.929 mph). Max Angelelli, of Monte Carlo, Monaco, turned a 1:27.318 (104.720 mph) to qualify fifth in his No. 12 XM/Mobil 1/Motorola/On Star Cadillac CTS-V.
Gigliotti had provisionally qualified fifth, but he, and all other drivers, moved up one position after the No. 23 At Speed Motorsports Porsche 911 Cup of Randy Pobst, of Gainesville, Ga., did not clear post-qualifying tech due to the car being underweight.
The standing start for Friday's Round Nine race is scheduled for 4:55 p.m. (EDT). Live Timing and Scoring Presented by SRT and live race notes will be available during the race via the SCCA Pit Board through the event home page www.world-challenge.com.
-credit: scca pro racing
Richie Stevens Jr. takes wins in Pro Stock at Texas
How could we let this one slip by:
Richie Stevens Jr., poses with the "Wally" he received for winning the NHRA Pro Stock portion of the O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals event.
Richie Stevens Jr., drove his Roy Johnson powered, Don Schumacher Racing owned Team Mopar/Valspar Dodge Stratus R/T to a victory in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Series finals at the Texas Motorplex on Sunday. Stevens Jr., qualified ninth (6.728/203.77) in his first outing as part of the J&J Racing stable and defeated team owner Allen Johnson in the first round. He went on to defeat Dave Northrop in the quarterfinals, Kurt Johnson in the semifinals and Mike Edwards in the final round, to earn his fifth career series win. Stevens Jr.,'s victory ended a five-year drought, as his last victory came in 2001 at Englishtown, N.J.
"It's been five years [since his last win, Englishtown, N.J., 2001], and there were times I wasn't sure I'd ever get back here. We made two finals last year, and came up short both times. This year we've had three different crew chiefs and pretty much three different crews. We've finally got the parts together. Roy and Allen Johnson did a hell of a job. It was our debut race, with their power and their support behind us. It paid off for us, Mark Ingersoll did an awesome job setting the car up all weekend. We couldn't have done it without him, and it just feels great to be here."
Stevens Jr., and the other Team Mopar NHRA Pro Stock competitors carried memorial decals honoring the late Greg Reeves, a longtime Mopar/Dodge engineer and supporter of the Pro Stock program. Reeves passed away on Sunday, September 17. Stevens Jr., was quick to dedicate the victory to his memory.
"You know, one of our head engineers from Mopar passed away earlier this week. He probably would have been here to see this, and I wish he could have, but Greg Reeves was a longtime supporter of our program, as well as Allen Johnson's and anybody else involved with Mopar. We're gonna miss him, and we wish he was here to celebrate with us," Stevens Jr. said on Sunday.
Johnson also had a solid run in the O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals event, qualifying in the eighth position with a 6.728/204.39 effort in the fourth qualifying session. Stevens Jr.'s .004 reaction time bested Johnson's .029 effort in the first round, to see Johnson lose on a holeshot. Johnson and Stevens Jr., had identical speeds in the first round match up, with both running 205.16. Johnson is currently ranked sixth in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Series points championship, while Stevens Jr., moved into eighth position.
[source: Mopar Speed E-Newsletter]
Good Job Richie!!!!!
__________________
AGP DBB 50 trim + all the good stuff. Basic street tune, needs some dyno time now.
Best Time: 7.92 @ 88 MPH (stock turbo and slicks)
Best Time with 50 Trim:
8.54 @ 91 MPH (2.2 60') (19 PSI) (Street Tires)
Plenty of room for improvement!
Last edited by srt4turbo04 : 09-28-2006 at 06:18 PM.
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