The Little Ol' FR 2009 NHRA Drag Racing Thread

FlAttorney's FR Racing ^ | March 12, 2009 | FlAttorney & Co. and a "cast of many"

[flattorney]

The FR 2009 NHRA Championship Drag Racing Thread
No Turns. . . No Pit Stops. . . Just White Knuckles Ground Pounding Speed



NHRA-CDR: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle <> HRH: Top Fuel, Funny Car, Groups 1 & 2
Drag School Locations: Gainesville & Pomona ~ Frank Hawley, 2 Time NHRA Funny Car World Champion
NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Schedule - Full Nostalgia Drag Racing Schedule

2009 NHRA Full Throttle Championship Drag Racing Schedule
For Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock cars there are twenty-four(24) racing events in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Series divided between a regular season and playoffs format. The regular season eighteen(18) “Countdown to 10” races concludes at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis. The final six(6) playoffs “Countdown to 1” races begins at the NHRA Nationals, Charlotte and concludes at the NHRA Finals, Pomona. After the first 18 races, only the top 10 drivers in each of the divisions advance to the Countdown to 1, based on total points won. Their points are reset to within 10 of each another except for the points leader who will have a 30-point advantage over second place. The drivers will then compete for NHRA Full Throttle Championships. Drivers earn NHRA national event points as follows: Winner 100; Runner-up 80; Third-round loser 60; Second-round loser 40; First-round loser 20. Additional points are awarded at national events as follows: 10 points to all contestants - 1 qualifying run required. Qualifying positions earn points as follows: 1st 8; 2nd 7; 3rd 6; 4th 5; 5th & 6th 4; 7th & 8th 3; 9th thru 12th 2; 13th thru 16th 1. For the highly popular Pro Stock Motorcycles, they follow the same championship format as the other three divisions. However, their 2009 regular season is twelve(12) Countdown to 10 races, which begins at the legendary NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville. Their Countdown to 1 playoffs is the final five(5) races, which like the other three divisions, begins at the NHRA Nationals, Charlotte, and concludes at the NHRA Finals, Pomona. However, they do not race at the October 9-11th Virginia NHRA Nationals, Richmond. ~ fla

NHRA RaceDay | Full Throttle Championship Drag Racing | Classic NHRA

Watch NHRA Finals On-Line ESPN begins its ninth consecutive year of NHRA action with same-day coverage of qualifying and eliminations on ESPN2 and ESPN2-HD. Paul Page anchors the coverage with analysis by 22-time NHRA winner Mike Dunn. Gary Gerould and Dave Rieff report from the pits. Rieff and Dunn also host NHRA RaceDay to set the stage for that day’s eliminations action. NHRA drag racing is also being broadcast on the American Forces Network and for the eighth year on TSN (Canada). Websites: Paul Page Blog | Mike Dunn
Paul and Mike are an outstanding broadcasting team and a major asset. NHRA would not be the same without these two in the booth. Here’s a great “inside look” article Paul wrote on Feb. 6, 2009.

NHRA Official: News | Media Center | Notebook | Tracks Directory | Staff
Owners/Crew Chiefs | Drivers: Profiles Blogs | Dragster Insider | Ticketmaster-NHRA

Auto Imagery – 2009 NHRA
NHRA: Photos | Videos | Full Throttle TV || Competition Plus | Flickr-NHRA

NHRA Top 50 Greatest Drivers | Greatest Races | Photos: Legends in Action '09 Photos

1974-2008 NHRA World Champions | Quarter-Mile Record Holders (1,000 feet nitro records not recognized)
NHRA Founder Wally Parks RIP Tribute | MotorSports Hall of Fame-NHRA
Petersen Automotive Museum
Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing 741 Photos | Smithsonian: Don Garlits "Swamp Rat XXX"

About the "Wally" Winners Trophy | Drag Racing Basics
Lingo: Drag Racing | Racers Definitive List | Nostalgia Racers
What's occurs in the pits between a race: The 75 minute turaround(PDF)
The Sound’s of NHRA Nitro Racing: Nitro Motor Start-up | Top Fuel Dragster “Pass”
(Windows Media Player Direct Links)

Remembering Drag Racers Lost doing what they and we love
Additional Resources, Off-Thread Items, and Comments
FlAttorney's FR Racing - NHRA

[flattorney]

I have this in my thread replies to post folder. Only weekend I'm home this month. Trying to get caught up a little bit this morning. ~ fla

to redirect dollars to a non-sports-enthusiast audience.

Huh?

Really don't think that many going to the ballet are beer drinkers.

Probably the contrary ST. Do you know any guys that would look forward to attending a ballet unless they first shotgunned down a 12 pack of beer *lol*? It would probably make a funny Bud commercial with the happy drunk husband at the ballet, with a "trucker's friend" strapped to his leg - under his pants - , agreeable to everything his wife says and does. *Commercial close* "In these hard economic times drink Bud. It's cheaper than a divorce"

[flattorney]

I don’t know about you but it takes some physical stamina to attend one of the major NASCAR races, like at TMS, because of the massive crowds. Gosh the day(s) can be long.

[SouthTexas]

Very good point! Reminds me of a fund raising concert the Corpus Christi Symphony had a couple of years ago that had a “guest” orchestra. As a friend, who is also a symphony patron said, I don’t think they really knew who ELO was.

Both of us enjoyed it immensely. :)

[SouthTexas]

That it does and you can spend 5-6 hours in traffic alone.

Either you go three hours early to avoid traffic or spend it on the road. There are no options after the race. LOL

[flattorney]

Any luck?

# # # # #

Feb 3, 2007: Hillary Will's horrific Top Fuel crash during testing at The Strip. She walked away with no serious injuries. Towards the end of her run the rear wing breaks and the dragster chassis snaps in half behind the driver's compartment. The entire nitro engine exited the chassis flying over the track wall and into the desert sand. The videos clearly show the down the hill, bottom-out depression, then up the hill track at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. - Article and Photos (Scroll down page) | Videos: (1) | (2)

Hillary '08 Spring Nationals, Houston

[flattorney]

I may not be the best fan of The Strip's track but we like going to Vegas for the Fall NHRA race because of all the great special events the drivers' participate. We now know something that Top Fuel driver "Hot" Rod Fuller is bad at with his last place "dirty dog" finish. A 56 in his first game?. . . . *roflol - baawaaa*. After bowling the best score of the NHRA event it looks like Del Worsham's arm gave out. I hope his arm gets better so Del has lots of strength to lift his "Wally" high after winning the Funny Car Finals on Sunday *hopeful thinking*. ~ fla

04.02.09 United States Bowling Congress:
NHRA Drivers Hit the Lanes at Las Vegas Open Championships
      On Thursday, 15 National Hot Rod Association drivers and crew members raced into Cashman Center to compete in the 2009 USBC Open Championships. The group was treated to the full tournament experience, from the pro shop to the scale room to the traditional march down Center Aisle. As they got their bowling balls drilled and weighed and threw their first shots on the tournament lanes, they started to see some similarities between bowling and drag racing. The NHRA group was divided into three teams(Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock drivers teams - fla) for a friendly afternoon on the lanes Thursday, but it wasn't long before their competitive instincts took over. In the end, it was the NHRA Floppers who paced the field with a 2,180 team total. Funny Car driver Robert Hight led the way with a 525 series followed by bowling teammate Funny Car driver Del Worsham.
      “Bowling is a lot like a race car when you consider you have to make a lot of minor adjustments as you go and the lanes change just like a track will change,” said Robert Hight. “It was a fun experience. The other NHRA teams were really good too. It went right down to the tenth frame of the last game.” Hight’s third game total of 182 with three strikes and six spares was enough to give the Floppers the edge in the final tally. Bowling teammate Del Worsham garnered the best individual game score as he knocked out 198 pins in the first of the three-game set with six strikes and a spare.
      “I’ve never bowled in a tournament before,” Worsham said. "This really was a lot of fun and a great experience, and we got lucky and pulled it off." Worsham had previously joined Robert Hight at Cashman Center to watch pro bowler standout Danny Wiseman in the TV finals of the USBC Masters in February. "I was nervous, even though we had some good games, and I'm glad we came out ahead. It really was all in good fun, and the camaraderie was nice, especially because tomorrow, we're supposed to hate each other." "It's was definitely challenging out here, and the conditions are tough, but we had a great time," said Del's father Chuck Worsham, an avid bowler who has two bowling lanes at his racing shop in Orange, California.
      The 2009 Open Championships kicked off on Feb. 21 and will feature 17,200 teams, more than 86,000 bowlers, before it concludes on July 24. # SNIP # - See full article and photos

TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL SCORES
== NHRA Floppers (2,180) ==
Robert Hight, 165, 178, 182 (525)
Del Worsham, 198, 171, 141 (510)
Jeff Arend, 168, 177, 160 (505)
Jack Beckman, 117, 115, 86 (318)
Matt Hagan, 95, 101, 126 (322)

== NHRA Holeshots (2,154) ==
Jeg Coughlin, 129, 165, 175 (469)
Allen Johnson, 141, 131, 145 (417)
Greg Anderson, 137, 136, 118 (391)
Jason Line, 157, 137, 145 (439)
Jason Gray, 158, 139, 141 (438)

== NHRA Eliminators (1,979) ==
Morgan Lucas, 157, 123, 131 (411)
Shawn Langdon, 167, 189, 172 (528)
Spencer Massey, 108, 104, 100 (312)
Chuck Worsham, 158, 165, 148 (471)
Rod Fuller, 54, 101, 102 (257)

Funny Car drivers, Team Force's Robert Hight(L) and Al-Anabi's Del "Main Man" Worsham(R).
Over Del's left shoulder is his father Chuck in the background ~ fla. Original photo courtesy JFR

An individual that discovered this thread sent us an FR profile email advising of this site. So here you go. . . Del Worsham.Love Fan Site

[flattorney]

Final Qualifying Results
Due To Weather, Only Two Top Fuel Sessions
and Three Funny Car & Pro Stock Sessions
TOP FUEL

  Psn Driver               Vehicle                           ET   Speed
   1. Shawn Langdon        Lucas Oil/Dixie Chopper Dragst  3.874  311.41 
   2. Antron Brown         Matco Tools Dragster            3.878  312.86 
   3. Larry Dixon          Al-Anabi Racing Dragster        3.907  311.70 
   4. Tony Schumacher      U.S. Army Dragster              3.908  313.88 
   5. Cory McClenathan     Fram Dragster                   3.918  306.74 
   6. Spencer Massey       US Smokeless Dragster           3.951  305.08 
   7. David Baca           Mach 1/Global Services Dragste  3.957  303.30 
   8. Morgan Lucas         Geico Powersport/ Lucas Oil     3.987  301.81 
   9. Joe Hartley          Hartley Racing Dragster         3.989  305.63 
  10. Doug Kalitta         Technicoat No. 50 Dragster      3.991  301.07 
  11. Brandon Bernstein    Budweiser/Lucas Oil Dragster    4.027  281.13 
  12. Troy Buff            Bill Miller Racing/Okuma Drags  4.078  276.92 
  13. Terry Haddock        Dragster                        4.084  291.82 
  14. Urs Erbacher         Century Asphalt Materials Drag  4.098  292.01(4) 
  15. Mike Strasburg       B J Transmissions Dragster      4.213  220.73 
  16. Steven Chrisman      Chrisman Driveline Dragster     4.243  281.95 
          --------- Not Qualified ---------
  17. Steve Faria          System One Filtration Dragster  4.837  189.39 
  18. Rob Passey           MSP Motorsports/Mattinson Race 19.041   42.41 

FUNNY CAR

  Psn Driver               Vehicle                           ET   Speed
   1. Tony Pedregon        Herzog/Palms Impala             4.100  302.62 
   2. Robert Hight         AAA of So. Cal Mustang          4.115  305.15 
   3. Mike Neff            JFR/Ford Mustang                4.125  304.46 
   4. Ashley Force Hood    Castrol GTX Mustang             4.139  303.23 
   5. Bob Bode             Alard Machine Products Impala   4.145  303.43(2) 
   6. Ron Capps            NAPA Auto Parts Charger         4.148  297.94 
   7. John Force           Castrol GTX Mustang             4.149  302.35(3) 
   8. Cruz Pedregon        Advance Auto Parts Solara       4.167  301.67 
   9. Bob Tasca III        Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang   4.167  301.67 
  10. Tim Wilkerson        Levi,Ray, Shoup Mustang         4.169  298.93 
  11. Brian Thiel          Olympus Trailers Monte Carlo    4.182  298.47 
  12. Matt Hagan           Shelor.com Charger              4.185  301.33 
  13. Jack Beckman         Valvoline/MTS Charger           4.202  302.69 
  14. Gary Densham         Asombroso Tequila Impala        4.212  289.94 
  15. Jeff Arend           DHL Solara                      4.251  297.88 
  16. Del Worsham          Al-Anabi Racing Solara          4.278  283.61 
          --------- Not Qualified ---------
  17. Jerry Toliver        Canidae Pet Food Monte Carlo    4.340  268.44 

PRO STOCK

  Psn Driver               Vehicle                           ET   Speed
   1. Mike Edwards         Young Life/Penhall GXP          6.656@ 206.16 
   2. Greg Anderson        Summit Racing Equipment GXP     6.668  206.70&
   3. Greg Stanfield       Attitude Apparel GXP            6.690  205.94 
   4. Jason Line           Summit Racing Equipment GXP     6.697  205.82 
   5. Allen Johnson        Mopar/JJ Racing Stratus         6.699  205.26 
   6. Warren Johnson       KN Filters GXP                  6.703  206.26 
   7. Tom Hammonds         Race For Achievement Cobalt     6.706  205.13 
   8. Jeg Coughlin         Jegs.com Cobalt                 6.708  204.94 
   9. Kurt Johnson         AC Delco Cobalt                 6.715  205.38 
  10. Larry Morgan         Lucas Oil Stratus               6.723  204.91 
  11. Johnny Gray          Johnny Gray Racing Stratus      6.737  204.29 
  12. Rickie Jones         Quarter-Max/RJ Stratus          6.739  204.63 
  13. Dave Connolly        Nitro Fish Wear Stratus         6.751  203.22 
  14. David Beckley        Mountain View Tires Stratus     6.755  204.76 
  15. V. Gaines            Kendall Oil Stratus             6.758  203.61 
  16. Steve Spiess         Spiess Construction Cobalt      6.759  203.74 
          --------- Not Qualified ---------
  17. Rodger Brogdon       Kent Services Trucking GXP      6.764  204.32 
  18. Gordie Rivera        Gordies Speed Center GXP        6.777  202.39 
  19. Ben Watson           Pirhana Z GTO                   6.781  202.18 
  20. Ron Krisher          Valvoline Cobalt                6.782  204.57(5) 
  21. Erica Enders         Dragstar Racing Mustang         6.854  199.11(6) 
  @ = Track ET Record <> & = Track Speed Record

Credit: NHRA, Summit FastNews, FlA & Co.
SEE NEXT POST FOOTNOTES

FR 2009 SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals homepage

[flattorney]

04.04.09-23:45 FlA QUALIFYING FOOTNOTES
      (1) On Friday, due to rain, very high winds, and a major Christmas tree malfunction, there was only one round of Funny Car and Pro Stock qualifying held. NHRA tried to have one round of Top Fuel qualifying but in the first run(solo) Arley Langlo's engine exploded and caught fire(see next post) leaving a large oildown on the track. By the time the track was cleaned up NHRA decided to cancel the session due to very high winds and it was starting to get late in the day. Langlo dropped out of the event. There was some outstanding qualifying on Saturday particularly Pro Stock and the final round of Funny Car.
      (2) Also on Friday, Bob Bode qualified No. 1 with a career best time. He had an excellent second round of qualifying to remain #1. In Bob's third and final round of qualifying he lost traction, resulting in a poor ET, and dropped to fifth which was still his best showing this season. - See next 2nd post
      (3) The last two years John Force DNQ at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals and he has never won the event. When Force didn't qualify for the 2007 Summit event, it ended a record streak of 395 consecutive starts in the NHRA pro series, one that began in 1988. When he again failed to make the show last year, it marked just the second time in his 31-year NHRA career that he's missed a race in back-to-back seasons.
SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals
Top Nitro Drivers Than Did Not Qualify the Last Two Years
2008: John Force 5.020 306.05
2008: Scott Kalitta 5.049 307.02
2007: John Force 4.852 318.47
      (4) Urls Erbacher is running his old backup Top Fuel dragster this weekend. His crew chief estimated the massive explosion last Sunday at the Spring Nationals did $120,000 worth of damage to his new car. With the short turnaround time between Houston and Las Vegas there was no way they could properly inspect and get the new car ready to make Vegas on time. More Déjà vu: Like the Spring Nationals, tomorrow in the 1st round of Top Fuel Final Eliminations Larry Dixon is again up against Urs Erbacher. Last Sunday, it was the first round against Dixon that Erbacher had his massive engine explosion. Urs is basing his U.S. drag racing operations out of Houston. So we will call the Switzerland born European drag racing wonder a "provisional Texan" *lol*.
      (5) Last Sunday, Ron Krisher won the Pro Stock "Wally" at the Spring Nationals.
      (6) In Pro Stock, Houston home girl Erica Enders is 100% consistent this season. She DNQ for the fifth straight NHRA event.
      (7) Sunday's Las Vegas Forecast: Sunny, High of 72 degrees, Winds NE 5-10 mph, Humidity 13-16%, and a dome of high pressure will be over "The Strip". A+ drag racing weather conditions are forecast that are almost identical to last Sunday for the NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas. The only difference is the humidity was 15-20% higher last Sunday, which was very rare for Baytown/Houston in the Spring where humidity is usually 50-100%. However, there is one major difference between the two cities. Las Vegas is 1,994 feet higher above sea level than Baytown, Texas. The increased LV altitude reduces a drag racing engine's maximum output making them harder to tune and run full power passes.

[flattorney]

Photo 1, Fri. 04.03.09 Vegas1: Arley Langlo has a long way to go to beat veteran Urs Erbacher's master blast at the '09 Spring Nationals last Sunday. Photos are posted back up the thread. It was the largest Top Fuel explosion I've ever witnessed. Langlo wasn't alone in the explosions/fires departments. The next day, Sat April 4th, during qualifying three Top Fuelers followed his lead.

Photo 2, 1988 Firebird Raceway: Besides, Arley's blast Friday was way below his all-time best. Langlo has a pretty bad record for major engine explosions/fires. He was badly burnt in 2004 from one of his explosions and fires that required one month of hospitalization. Arley doesn't race very often. Maybe that's for the best.

As I stated in my pre-season thread post, the NHRA are fools for suspending the oildown monetary fine and points penalty. The number of track oildown's this season are substantially worse than previous years.… daa. ~ fla

[flattorney]

Your main man is tearing up The Strip ~ fla

Fri, 04.03.09: Funny Car racer Bob Bode claimed the qualifying lead for the first time in his nine-year NHRA championship series drag racing career Friday at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. Bode powered his Alard Machine Chevy Impala to a performance of 4.145 seconds at 303.43 mph to claim the first provisional No. 1 qualifying position of his career. "I was way surprised our time held up," said Bode, a former powerboat racer. "By the time they got the cars going again and I went back to the radio to listen, there were about four or five pair, and I’m going, “Well, the worst I’m going to be is ninth. Then, I went. The worst I’m going to be is seventh, figuring these guys were going to hit their numbers. Then it got down to the final pair, and we were actually nervous, standing at the radio listening. The nine guys who work on this thing just jumped up and down after that final pair ran because we’ve had a couple of unsuccessful races so they know how hard it is when it runs bad. They were just unbelievably happy when it happened. "Coming in here, the dream was to maybe be in the top half after the first round or after all four rounds. Standing here being the No. 1 qualifier after the first day is amazing; all the stars lined up for us. We were 16th in Houston, but we had a good tune-up, and we knew we could step it up a little. We didn’t know we’d step it up to where I’d be No. 1." - Credit CP

== Bob Bode 2009 NHRA Qualifying Results ==
Winternationals: #15 4.891 seconds - 244.65 mph
Arizona Nationals: #17 4.307 - 285.05 DNQ
Gatornationals: #17 4.352 - 286.07 DNQ
Spring Nationals: #16 4.204 - 294.37
SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals:
Fri Round 1: #1 4.145 - 303.43 (Career Best in very bad track cross-winds conditions)
Sat Round 2: #2 4.158 - 302.48 (R2 #1 John Force 4.156, Bode remains #1 FC qualifier)
Sat Round 3: #- 6.533 - 102.28 (Lost Traction)
Final Qual:. . #5 4.145 - 303.43 from R1 (Great R3 ET's by 4 other drivers knocked Bode to 5th)
Courtesy FlA & Co.

[Loud Mime]

Hurray for Bob Bode!!

Darn! I'm smiling like a jackass eating cactus!
What great news to start my Sunday!

[Loud Mime]

Look at the times; this is anybody’s race.

[flattorney]

I just finished watching the 2 hour DVR of Vegas1 qualifying. Round 3 of funny cars was great. It's going to be a real brawl today. The weather for R3 was warmer and much less windy so Alice could dump the bulky clothes. I love the Jungle Jim-Jungle Pam nostalgia show Bob and Alice put on. And the nice thing is Bob is not crazy like Liberman(RIP) was.

# # # # #

Good article with photos on Bob Bode in the Las Vegas Review Journal

NHRA NATIONALS: Day goes Bode's way - - Funny Car driver Bob Bode must have felt as out of place as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" on Friday. And not because of the afternoon wind that ended racing early in the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Bode, a part-time professional racer, completed the best run of his NHRA career and won the provisional pole for the first time in his land-based racing career. "We didn't know we'd step it up to where we would be in here," the former speedboat racer said of his first appearance in the post-qualifying media center in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. "We've always had hopes. All the stars lined up." Bode, who raced speedboats for 21 years before moving to Funny Cars nine years ago, said he entered this week optimistic after the team had a "good tuneup" last weekend at the NHRA event in Houston. "The guys are just unbelievably happy," Bode said.

It was a bizarre day for an estimated crowd of 10,000, roughly half the normal size for Friday racing at Las Vegas NHRA national events.

From the ESPN qualifying video attendance was really off Saturday too. I bet there is a big crowd today like what happened last Sunday at the Spring Nationals. ~ fla

[flattorney]

See Footnote #3 - There is another funny car driver that is tearing up the track this weekend.

John Force had great rounds of qualifying yesterday. It's the first time "Brute" has qualified for this event in three years and he has never won it. John has both Team Force Robert Hight and Mike Neff on his side of the FC Final's ladder. I doubt he will lay down for them like John did for Ashley last weekend. Hope everything is going fantastic for ya! ~ fla

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Thanks for the PING.\\

<P.I aggrivates me so much that John does not push it against Ashley.

[flattorney]

      I hear you, but we have to look at the big picture. John giving Ashley a little help in winning both her two Wally's(2008 Atlanta in the Finals, 2009 Houston in round 2 of final eliminations) is good for the sponsors and NHRA. If I had won as many Wally's and NHRA Championships as John I would give my daughter a little help to keep pushing her down the career path, as long as she kept progressing. So John gives Ashley some winner help in say 2-4 races a year. There's still 20-22 more races he can win in order to win another NHRA FC Championship. And I'll tell you what, that was a huge Finals victory for Ashley at the Spring Nationals, last weekend, when she beat Jack Beckman - (W)Ashley Force Hood (0.092) 4.122 - 306.19 to (L)Jack Beckman (0.097) 4.227 - 303.43. One helluva drag race and the huge crowd went crazy when she won. Jack races for NHRA's largest multi-teams organization being Don Schumacher Racing. Trust me, both Don and Jack wanted to win the Wally but Ashley put 'em down fair and square. I figured Beckman would win since he was the veteran that taught Ashley how to drive a T/F Funny car. Frankly, I wasn't much of an Ashley fan when she first started running a T/F Funny Car. But she has earned my respect that she can handle one of those FC monsters and continues to progress. Ashley has become very steady inside the cockpit and the change in the Christmas tree timing rule this year greatly helps her. That's my 2-bits. . .
      Anyway, I talked to John a little bit on Friday at Gainesville. I could tell the one leg that got badly damaged in his accident at '07 Dallas was really bothering him. Like my father, John had polio when he was young. His Dallas legs injuries will probably give him problems the rest of his life. Dad, had a left knee replacement eight years ago, using the best orthopedic surgeon money could buy, and he never healed properly or has the flexibility in that knee that he should have. The surgeon said that childhood polio victims have permanent lower body nerves and muscles motor-units damage that never properly regenerates. Then Dad said the surgeon chewed on him a little bit that his new knee was doing great and he was no longer twenty *lol*. You would never know that John had polio, or my father, when they were young because they were not severe cases. Apparently, post-polio problems can pop-up with serious lower extremity injuries or major surgery. Plus, major damage to the lower extremities is serious to begin with. Not too long ago I read that Don Garlits said his foot, that part of it was blown off during his infamous 1970 Lions Drag Strip "digger" transmission explosion, still gives him lots of problems to this day. There is so many nerves and tiny bones in your feet.
      I'm not worried. I think Big John is going to have a very good season. Here's several FlAC enhanced and remastered photos of John from last weekend's Spring Nationals in Houston. He ran his gold FC body against Ashley. I like it. Wish he would run it for the rest of the season. ~ fla

Saturday Qualifying


Sunday Round 2 Eliminations Against Princess


John "accidentally" steps on the clutch and pops the blower
John's reaction when Ashley beats "Fast" Jack Beckman in the FC Finals

. . . "did you she her(Ashley's) ol' heap go down through there?"

[nancytx]

ESPN’s coverage was grand. It is so nice when the race is broadcast in the afternoon and some of it is live. What is the capacity their? Many empty seats. Wonder if Houston still had the largest season attendance last Sunday.

Have you seen this? Thoughts?
Charlotte-based Sonic Automotive, one of the nation’s largest auto dealers, reported staggering fourth-quarter and full-year 2008 losses Tuesday. The Fortune 500 company also said it may have to file for bankruptcy protection because of outstanding debts during a recession that has severely curbed car sales. The company’s fourth-quarter loss was $685.6 million, compared with a $23 million profit a year earlier. For the year, the loss was $685.9 million — or $17 per share — a huge swing from a $95.5 million profit in 2007.

Bruton Smith’s Sonic Automotive considering bankruptcy
http://www2.mooresvilletribune.com/content/2009/apr/01/bruton-smiths-sonic-automotive-considering-bankrup/

Bruton Smith says dealerships aren’t bankrupt
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/97952?eref=sircrc

[flattorney]

Top Fuel Tony Schumacher, Funny Car Ron Capps, and Pro Stock Jeg Coughlin Win at Las Vegas
as more track and personal career records are set.
Video: ESPN Vegas Wrap Up

Capps, Schumacher & Coughlin

Sunday, April 5, 2009 -- Tony Schumacher raced to his second consecutive victory of the season Sunday at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. Ron Capps, who is Tony's teammate, and Jeg Coughlin also were winners in their categories at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Five-time defending world champion Schumacher moved into the Top Fuel points lead for the first time this season when he powered his U.S. Army dragster to a 3.874 second run at 311.77 mph to defeat Brandon Bernstein's Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster, which finished in 4.003 at 295.66.

Schumacher's dragster was consistently quick in earlier round wins over Terry Haddock, Cory McClenathan and top qualifier Shawn Langdon.

Tony Schumacher

"The team won today," said Schumacher of his 58th career victory. "I didn't do it with a great driving job like I did in Houston. What a great tune-up we had. They carried me today. It went right down the track every time. That's what a team is all about. It's fantastic. That was a big (final) round. (Brandon) is an outstanding driver and they have a great team. You aren't just running an average guy. You've got to go up there and do your job. There are certain rounds that are just huge, and that was one of them."

Capps extended his series points lead in Funny Car with his third victory this season and 28th of his career, outrunning teammate Matt Hagan in the final. Capps finished in 4.182 at 297.81 in his NAPA Dodge Charger, while rookie Hagan's Shelor.com Charger lost traction near the finish line and trailed with a 4.335 at 248.89.

Capps, who ended a two-race mini-slump with his third victory at this track, defeated Brian Thiel, Mike Neff and Robert Hight to advance to the final.

Ron Capps

"I was asked several times by the media what was wrong the last two races, and I just never worried," said Capps, who posted back-to-back first round losses at Gainesville and Houston. "Ace [crew chief Ed McCulloch] needed to get in his comfort zone. You'll find a lot of teams seem like they may be struggling here the last couple of races, but with four test days for the whole year, there are a lot of teams, including us, testing stuff that you have to try in qualifying once you get in the show and even race day, believe it or not. So it's tough to gage how people are really doing. 'Ace' was trying things.

"We have found that just trying to approach the season like a NASCAR team and saying, 'OK, as long as we're in the Countdown and in the top 10,' and try to focus and peak at the right time doesn't work. So we stepped it up, and 'Ace' is trying to rip their throats out every single run. You can't run these cars anymore and be halfway safe and just look to go down the track. You can't do it. You have to step all over these things with the tune-up, and the driver has to be on their game. It is days like this where it's fun. It sounds cliche, but we're just focusing on one round at a time, one race at a time."

It is the 21st time that Don Schumacher Racing teams have won two separate categories at the same NHRA event.

Jeg Coughlin

In Pro Stock, Coughlin claimed his second victory of the season in his JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt and 43rd of his career when final round opponent Greg Stanfield fouled at the start in his Attitude Apparel Pontiac GXP.

"We'd love nothing more than to come out of Indy in first place in the Countdown with the extra bonus points that come with being No. 1, but there's a lot of races between here and there," Coughlin said. "We had a tough day. This is the most consistent our car has been, and that was our goal coming into here. We changed a lot of stuff in the suspension and with the car to try and get a more consistent race car. That's what's been plaguing us since the end of last year. The name of the game is to continue to better yourself and not make mistakes, and that's what we were doing - shooting ourselves in the foot - and that's what was hurting us."

Coughlin's day got off to an odd start when a piece of rubber jammed in the staging beams and inadvertently timed out first round opponent Kurt Johnson, forcing a rerun. When the pair returned about 25 minutes later, Johnson fouled at the start, and Coughlin took the win. In fact, three of Coughlin's opponents - Johnson, Mike Edwards and Stanfield -- turned on the red light today.

"I'm used to going multiple rounds each day with bracket racing, but the team isn't," said Coughlin of the added run today. "We just kind of had a hurry-up offense all day. Really, we weren't able to catch our breath until right before the final. NHRA did a great job of working with the situation and getting us delayed in the program enough to let us get prepared properly."

Sunday's NHRA Full Throttle Series Final Results:
Top Fuel: Tony Schumacher, 3.874 seconds - 311.77 mph def. Brandon Bernstein, 4.003 - 295.66
Funny Car: Ron Capps, 4.182 - 297.81 def. Matt Hagan 4.335 - 248.89
Pro Stock: Jeg Coughlin, 6.715 - 205.16 def. Greg Stanfield, N/A - Red Light Foul

The NHRA Full Throttle Series continues with the Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals, April 16-19 at Atlanta Dragway. - Credit DRC, edit JJ

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Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher, Team Owner: The Legend Continues | NAPA Bio
Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher, NHRA Top Fuel Champion 2008, '07, '06, '05, '04, 1999
Top Fuel: Cory McClenathan
Funny Car Teams: Ron Capps | Jack Beckman | Matt Hagan
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Matt Smith, 2007 NHRA PSM Champion
Don Schumacher NHRA Bio: Remembered as one of the most fierce match racers to ever compete in a Funny Car, Schumacher was also one of the early stars of organized competition, winning the 1972 Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars Championship, the 1973 AHRA world championship, five titles — including the 1970 U.S. Nationals — and nine IHRA event titles. His popular Plymouth Barracuda Funny Car, dubbed “Stardust,” held countless records in all of drag racing’s arenas. As a car owner, Schumacher’s record was even more impressive. His engine, clutch, and aerodynamic advancements made his Funny Cars the leading performers in the country, and his safety innovations, such as roof-mounted escape hatches, reduced the threat of fire-related injuries at a time when many Funny Car drivers suffered serious burns. In 1974, Schumacher retired from the sport to develop his family business, Schumacher Electric Corp., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of battery chargers. He returned to the sport in the 1990s with son Tony behind the wheel. In July 1998, the duo introduced a new Top Fuel team with sponsorship from Exide Batteries. In 1999, the combination proved successful when the team won the NHRA Top Fuel championship. In 2000, the team unveiled the U.S. Army as their new sponsor and remains one of the most competitive teams on the circuit. They are now six-time and defending Full Throttle Series world champs.

04.05.09: Tony Schumacher Swipes Second Straight Top Fuel Win
U.S. Army Top Fuel pilot Tony “The Sarge” Schumacher captured his second straight victory of the season here Sunday in the SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After beating Brandon Bernstein in the finals with a 3.874-second pass at 311.77 mph, Schumacher assumed control of the Top Fuel points lead. “Our Army Strong Soldiers operate using a team concept and so do we,” said the six-time world champion. “This was a total team effort, I will guarantee you that. Mike Green (his crew chief) and the boys were flawless all day. You can’t imagine how proud I am of each and every one of them.”
      For the Chicago-area resident, it was his 58th career win in 90 final round appearances. It was also his sixth career win at The Strip. “Needless to say, I don’t mind racing out here given the success that I’ve had over the years,” he said. “It’s a great facility with a great racing surface.” On the way to his confrontation with Bernstein, Schumacher pushed aside the likes of Terry Haddock, DSR teammate Cory McClenathan and rookie sensation Shawn Langdon. The win over Haddock was particularly noteworthy since it set a Top Fuel record for most consecutive races without a first round loss – 31. The previous mark was held by Larry Dixon. “To be honest, I wasn’t even aware of that,” offered Schumacher. “I’m just happy about getting another trophy for the team and our Soldiers. In the end, that is what’s most important.” - Credit: DSR

04.05.09: Ron Capps wins Vegas for Third Funny Car Victory in Five Season Events
      Ron Capps raced his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Funny Car into his third victory of the season in five events at NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and continued to rack up points as the class leader. He is now 106 points ahead of his DSR teammate Matt Hagan, whom he defeated in the final. Without lane choice for the final stanza and facing NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year contender Hagan in his first career final round, Capps put an exclamation point on the team's determination to win every round of every event and eventually Capps' first Funny Car championship. En route to his 28th career win in his 57th final round, Capps dismissed Brian Thiel, John Force Racing's Mike Neff (Ron's 600th round of NHRA racing - fla) and another JFR driver, Robert Hight, in the semifinal before facing off against his teammate. Capps launched with only a slight edge over Hagan but led all the way to the finish line, posting a stout 4.182-second elapsed time at 297.81 mph in the heat of the day to Hagan's 4.335/248.89.
      "I was asked several times by the media what was wrong," said Capps, referring to his two first-round losses of the season following victories in the fist two events, "and I just never worried. Ace (crew chief Ed McCulloch) needed to get in his comfort zone. You'll find a lot of teams seemed like they may be struggling here the last few races with [only] four test dates [allowed by the NHRA] for the whole year. There's a lot of teams including us testing things that you have to try in qualifying once you get in the show and even race day, believe it or not. "It's tough to gauge [what] people are actually doing in their pit area. For Ace, he was trying things. Don's a great owner. He comes in and pats him on the butt and says, ‘Keep doing what you're doing.’ And that's big. "We won that first round with a 4.21. It wasn't that good. Then we got put over in the right lane and everybody thought we were doomed. And so did I. And it went right down there.
      "It seems like when we don't have lane choice and Ace has his back against the wall a little bit...he comes out swinging. And it's such a great race car to drive. And even having no lane choice in the final and beating Robert Hight in the right lane, Ace wanted the right lane. So, (Hagan's crew chief) Tommy DeLago rolled up there and he'd been in the left lane and he chose the left lane. I thought this was cool. We're going to stage and let the cars do all the talking and lucky enough we got the win." McCulloch was beaming in the winner's circle. "I think it was a good day in Las Vegas,” he said. “If we had been on the crap table we would have gone home with a lot of money," he said. “We had some issues. I don't have to tell anybody the last couple of races haven't been good. We know they weren't good, but we had some things going on. And last night I said to myself, I know what it is I need to do today and let's go do it. So it worked out good. "As for lane choice, a lot of guys thought the left lane is where they wanted to go, but there's a bigger bump in the left lane than there is in the right and we figured since the car's really not handling quite as good as we want it to be, if we can keep Ron out of the bumps the better off he is, so as a rule we chose to stay in the right lane."
      With Tony Schumacher's win today, DSR teams now lead the NHRA Full Throttle points standings in the Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes. "I'm tremendously ecstatic," said team owner Don Schumacher. "It was great to have Ron win today, to have Tony win today, [and] have Matt Hagan get to the final, a rookie like that. Tommy DeLago is doing a great job over there. All my Funny Cars are doing a great job, the dragsters are all doing a great job, and we're number one in the points with the Pro Stock Motorcycle also. "Ron and Tony are really stepping this program up. They're doing one great, great job." - Credit: DSR, edit FlA

Don Schumacher Racing’s new 100,000 square foot facility, Brownsburg, Indiana
Photos Galleries: (1) (2) (3)

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NASCAR Bruton Smith Ping

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