Nitro Dogs Racing

In a season in which old records were broken despite new rules that were in play and a year where new alliances were formed and old friends were lost, NHRA Drag Racing rose to meet challenges both old and new in a remarkable season of competition. In the final installment of an annual NHRA.com feature, we take a look back at the year’s top headlines. Today: September through December.

Among the news items were the thrilling NHRA Countdown playoffs, the NHRA Softball Classic, the announcement of the new Al-Anabi Top Fuel and Funny Car teams, the crowning of the 2008 champions, awards heaped upon six-time Top Fuel champ Tony Schumacher, and a dizzying series of post-season personnel moves.

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 1: Worsham Racing and O’Reilly Auto Parts announced that their 12-year relationship would end at the conclusion of the 2008 NHRA season.

Sept. 6: Tom Hammonds hired Kenny Tom as crew chief for his Tom Hammonds Racing Pro Stocker.

Sept. 9: Pro Stock’s Justin Humphreys announced that he would be back in his family-operated RaceRedi Motorsports Pontiac GXP for the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals with a General Motors powerplant supplied by veteran driver/engine builder Warren Johnson.

Sept. 9: Bob Tasca III announced that his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Funny Car team will have a new home in 2009 after breaking ground for its racing shop in

Concord, N.C.

Sept. 14:

Pueblo Motorsports Park won the team championship, and Jeff Soloman (Super Pro), Andy Schmall (Pro), Tim Lewondowski (Sportsman), and Tom Klemme (Motorcycle) earned individual titles at the West Central Division NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals at Bandimere Speedway.

Sept. 14: During qualifying at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway, Connie Kalitta presented Doug Herbert a $50,000 check for his charity organization, BRAKES (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe).

Sept. 15: O’Reilly

Raceway Park at Indianapolis won the team championship, and Lance Stillwell (Super Pro), Joe Lee (Pro), Jimmie Barrett (Sportsman), and Chad Isley (Super Pro Bike) earned individual titles at the North Central Division NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals in

Indianapolis.

Sept. 15: Tony Schumacher ran his Top Fuel winning streak to seven races with a convincing victory over Antron Brown at the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals at the all-new zMax Dragway and in the process became the sport’s winningest Top Fuel driver with 53 victories. Jack Beckman also gained the upper hand in the first Countdown to 1 race with his third Funny Car win of the season. Justin Humphreys scored his first victory in Pro Stock, and Steve Johnson backed up his Indy victory in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Sept. 15: Pro Mod racer Steve Engel died from injuries sustained in a one-car racing accident during the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at

Indianapolis.

Sept. 15: A year after he flew out of Texas Motorplex in an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter, 14-time Funny Car champion John Force returned to the track on which he suffered the worst crash of his 32-year NHRA career.

Sept. 16: Aaron Brooks, crew chief of Roger Burgess’ R2B2 Racing Funny Car, announced that he would leave that team at the end of September to join renowned Top Fuel tuner Alan Johnson’s new two-car team. It was also announced that Rob Centorbi, Brooks’ assistant, will join him.

Sept. 16: NHRA announced that the NHRA Softball Classic, which was rained out in August, had been rescheduled for Nov. 12 at Arrowhead Credit Union Park in San Bernardino, Calif.

Sept. 19: Del Worsham was named driver of the Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing Funny Car effective at the conclusion of the 2008 NHRA POWERade season.

Sept. 20: Four-time NHRA world champion Gary Scelzi announced that he would step down from NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series competition at the end of the 2008 season.

Sept. 21: J.R. Todd ended Tony Schumacher’s reign of terror in Top Fuel, and Greg Stanfield scored his first victory in Pro Stock to highlight final eliminations at the O’Reilly Super Start Batteries NHRA Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at Texas Motorplex. Todd ended Schumacher’s amazing winning steak at 31 rounds and seven straight NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series victories. Tim Wilkerson earned back his points lead in Funny Car by defeating then-points leader Tony Pedregon in the final, and Chris Rivas defeated points leader Matt Smith to claim the win in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Sept. 22: Dan B

rickey, longtime NHRA director of emergency medical services, died after a lengthy illness. He was 58.

Sept. 24: Undefeated on the dragstrip, Tony Schumacher was voted third-quarter Driver of the Year 2008. Schumacher won every NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event in the third quarter, which ended Sept. 14.

Sept. 25: Officials from NHRA and the Automobile Club of Southern California announced the nominees for the 2008 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award: in alphabetical order, Rickie Jones (Pro Stock), Mike Neff (Funny Car), Junior Pippin (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), and Steve Torrence (Top Fuel).

Sept. 28: Funny Car points leaders Tim Wilkerson defeated John Force Racing drivers John Force, Robert Hight, and Ashley Force in consecutive rounds to win the O’Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil at

Memphis Motorsports Park. As did Wilkerson, Top Fuel titlist Tony Schumacher extended his points lead with a decisive final-round victory against Doug Herbert. Countdown to 1 drivers Mike Edwards and Craig Treble were victorious in Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, respectively.

Sept. 29:

Maple Grove Raceway won the team championship, and Bob Avalos (Super Pro), Brock Moshier (Pro), Mike Vandenheuvel (Sportsman), and Bob Carlson (Bike/Sled) earned individual titles at the Northeast Division NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals at Maple Grove Raceway.

OCTOBER

Oct. 1: Johnny Gray and Allen Johnson announced they had formed a two-car team alliance for the 2009 and 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series seasons.

Oct. 6: NHRA and Full Throttle unveiled the new NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series logo. Full Throttle and NHRA collaborated to create the logo for the series.

Oct. 7: Cagnazzi Racing announced that Lucas Oil Products would be the primary sponsor of Dave Connolly’s Chevy Cobalt Pro Stocker for the

Richmond event. Connolly’s car sported Lucas Oil colors in

Richmond as part of a new marketing alliance between Charter Communications and Lucas Oil.

Oct. 8: NHRA mandated the use of the Electrimotion Safety Shutoff Controller on all nitro Funny Cars, beginning at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals.

Oct. 8: Rodger Brogdon announced his return to Pro Stock competition. Driving a Pontiac GXP with Tom Hammonds Enterprises engines and Kent Services and Trucking sponsorships for team owner Steve Kent, Brogdon competed in the final three races of the season.

Oct. 9: It was announced that the award-winning Inside Drag Racing television program will move to Friday afternoons on Fox Sports Net beginning in April, 2009.

Oct. 10: NHRA released a 97-second preview clip from the upcoming DVD recounting the 2008 Countdown to the Championship battle. The preview recounts Ashley Force’s historic first Funny Car win in

Atlanta earlier this year.

Oct. 10: Scott Revell, partner of Palm Beach Int’l Raceway, announced the signing of a three-race deal with Ken Black to be title sponsor of Hillary Will’s Top Fuel dragster. Palm Beach Int’l Raceway, formerly

Moroso Motorsports Park, backed Will the final three races of 2008.

Oct. 10: The Division 2 and Division 4 NHRA Summit Racing Series Finals concluded. In Division 2,

Bradenton Motorsports Park won the team championship, and Mark Padgett (Super Pro), Bruce Wilson (Pro), Steve Foley (Sportsman), and Roy Hagadorn (Super Pro Bike) took individual honors. Division 4 winners were

Houston Raceway Park (team), Bart Nelson (Super Pro), Jordan Echols (Pro), Dennis Cameron Sr. (No E Quick), Mike Griggs (No E Street), and Dan Rollman (Super Pro Bike).

Oct. 11: Bob Tasca III added Marc Denner as assistant crew chief on his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang Funny Car for the 2009 season. Denner will assist current crew chief Chris Cunning with tuning duties.

Oct. 12: David Powers Motorsports and Rob Flynn, crew chief on the Rod Fuller-driven Caterpillar Top Fuel dragster, announced they reached a mutual agreement to part ways at the conclusion of the 2008 season. Three days later, Kenny Bernstein announced Flynn will be crew chief on his Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster at season’s end. Flynn will be joined by Mike Guger, who was named assistant crew chief. The duo replaces current crew chiefs Tim and Kim Richards, who announced their retirement Oct. 13.

Oct. 12: Tony Schumacher all but locked up the 2008 NHRA POWERade Top Fuel world championship in

Richmond event, where he qualified No. 1 and won. The win gave Schumacher a 212-point lead over second-place Hillary Will, meaning he only needed to qualify in

Las Vegas to claim the title. Cruz Pedregon and Dave Connolly were also victorious at the event.

Oct. 14:

Bristol Dragway and Bandimere Speedway were named the host tracks for the 2009 NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

Oct. 15: Don Prudhomme Racing announced it signed Spencer Massey, who claimed the 2008 IHRA Top Fuel championship as a rookie, to a multi-year agreement. The team planned to put him behind the wheel of a Top Fuel dragster, beginning with the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle season.

Oct. 16: NHRA announced it hired industry leader AmericanEagle.com to complete a wall-to-wall renovation of NHRA.com that will transform it into one of the premier fan-destination sites on the Web.

Oct. 17: Four-time European drag racing champion Urs Erbacher announced his Fat Attack Top Fuel dragster team would return to the United States to compete in the final two NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events of the season, in Las Vegas and

Pomona.

Oct. 18: NHRA released the 2009 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series schedule. Headlined by the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes, the Series features 44 races throughout NHRA’s seven geographic divisions.

Oct. 24: Mopar extended its long-running sponsorship of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event at Bandimere Speedway in

Denver. Mopar will back the event through 2011.

Oct. 24: Shawn Gann was named the rider of the new S&S-powered Buell owned by Lister Harrell. Gann will ride the bike, which is backed by X-Treme Rebellion and XXX Racing Fuel, for the remainder of the 2008 season and all of 2009.

Oct. 27: Technicoat Cos. and Kalitta Motorsports extended their long-running partnership for an additional five years, through 2013.

Oct. 29: NHRA released the 2009 Jegs ProMod Challenge schedule. The 2009 schedule expanded to 12 events, adding Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka and zMax Dragway in

Charlotte to its roster of host tracks.

Oct. 30: NHRA released the 2009 class schedule for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, which once again includes 17 events for Pro Stock Motorcycle, 16 events for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, and a rotating schedule for the remaining Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series classes.

Oct. 30: Ashley Force accepted the 2008 Female Athlete of the Year award from the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation at its 10th anniversary Tribute to Living Legends of Sports and Media awards dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 1: Tim Wilkerson and Bob Tasca III announced that they would form a two-car alliance for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season.

Nov. 2: By merely qualifying at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, Tony Schumacher and crew chief Alan Johnson clinched the Top Fuel championship, their fifth straight and sixth overall.

Nov. 2: Championship battles raged on at the eighth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the second-to-last stop in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. With his second straight Funny Car win, Cruz Pedregon supplanted Tim Wilkerson as the points leader. Tony Schumacher added another win to his historically dominant 2008 season, Jeg Coughlin put together a wire-to-wire win in Pro Stock, and Chris Rivas scored a big win against second-place Eddie Krawiec in the final.

Nov. 3: Lucas Oil Products renewed its multiyear agreement for title sponsorship of the NHRA national event at Brainerd Int’l Raceway.

Nov. 4: Reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin flew with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

Nov. 6: It was announced that Funny Car racer Matt Hagan will drive a Dodge Charger Funny Car sponsored by BrakeSafe Rear-End Collision Avoidance System for Don Schumacher Racing in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

Nov. 6: NHRA issued a brief update on the progress being made to investigate, analyze, and determine ways to implement initiatives to enhance racing safety, among them parachutes and braking systems.

Nov. 12: The talent-laden Brown’s Burndown Bombers scored a big win over Scelzi’s Superchargers, 21-12, at the inaugural NHRA Softball Classic at Arrowhead Credit Union Park in

San Bernardino, Calif., to benefit the Drag Racing Association of Women.

Nov. 14: Famed camshaft manufacturer Jack Engle passed away. He was 88.

Nov. 14: Robert “Jocko” Johnson, who built some of drag racing’s swoopiest machines, including his notable but unsuccessful JockoLiner with “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, died of a massive heart attack. He was 72.

Nov. 14: NHRA announced that the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season will begin with the Top Fuel and Funny Car categories racing to 1,000 feet. All other Professional and Sportsman classes will remain at 1,320 feet.

Nov. 15: Jim Dunn Racing announced that Funny Car veteran Jerry Toliver will drive the Canidae All Natural Pet Foods Chevrolet for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle season.

Nov. 15: O’Reilly Auto Parts leveraged its recent acquisition of Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen, and

Murray’s to strengthen its complement of NHRA title sponsorships to become the title sponsor of the Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals in

Pomona, set for Feb. 5-8.

Nov. 15: By qualifying for the 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Jeg Coughlin won his fourth Pro Stock world championship.

Nov. 16: Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Ashley Force (Funny Car), Kurt Johnson (Pro Stock), and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed the 2008 Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship in their respective categories.

Nov. 16:

Summit Racing Series national championships were won by Division 4’s Bart Nelson (Super Pro), Division 6’s Steve Kelly (Pro), Division 1’s Michael VanDenHeuvel (Sportsman), and Division 5’s Tom Klemme (Super Pro Bike) during eliminations at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.

Nov. 16: Sixteen years after winning his first NHRA title, Funny Car veteran Cruz Pedregon returned to the top of the drag racing world after advancing to the quarterfinal round of the season-ending 44th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway. A few hours later, Eddie Krawiec delivered the fourth NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship in the past five years to Harley-Davidson and his Vance & Hines Screamin’ Eagle team by reaching the final round.

Nov. 16: Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Chris Rivas (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won event titles at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season finale at Auto Club Raceway at

Pomona.

Nov. 17: Mike Neff was named the winner of the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award as the season’s top Professional rookie.

Nov. 19: Matt Guidera renewed his major-sponsorship agreement with Brian Bozsum and Mohegan Sun Racing for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season.

Nov. 21: Following an incredible season, Chevrolet won the 2008 NHRA Manufacturers Cup for the 17th time, the most ever by any automobile manufacturer.

Nov. 28: Newly crowned NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Eddie Krawiec married Annemarie Tribuzio Friday at

St. Thomas More Church in Manalapan, N.J., just minutes from

Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, where they met.

DECEMBER

Dec. 1: NHRA nitro champs Tony Schumacher and Cruz Pedregon were among those named to the first team of the 2008 All-America Auto Racing Team.

Dec. 2: Former NHRA Nationals and March Meet winner Ted Cyr died of pharmaceutical complications following heart surgery in July. He was 79.

Dec. 3: Tim Buckley, owner of 3B Racing, and David Powers, owner of David Powers Motorsports, announced an agreement in which 3B Racing will become the sole owner of the Matco Tools Top Fueler driven by Antron Brown.

Dec. 3: Jeff Perley, the highly renowned Pro Stock crew chief who worked with Kurt Johnson from 1997 to 2001 and KB Racing during all of its four world championship seasons (2003 to 2006), was announced as co-crew chief with Mark Ingersoll for the J&J Racing Dodge team of driver Allen Johnson and his father and engine builder, Roy.

Dec. 4: Warren Johnson, Jim Yates, Cory McClenathan, and Jason Line returned to the United States after representing NHRA and General Motors on a seven-day USO-sponsored tour of U.S. military installations in Kuwait and

Germany.

Dec. 5: John Force received the MSEC Motorsports Achievement Award for his work in helping to establish The Eric Medlen Project.

Dec. 8: NHRA Technical Services announced that Top Fuel cars will be required to use the Electrimotion Safety Shutoff Controller in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. 

Dec. 8: It was announced that Erica Enders will compete full time in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series behind the wheel of Jim and Gloria Cunningham’s Mastercam Ford Mustang Pro Stocker.

Dec. 9: NHRA Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher was voted the 2008 Driver Of The Year by an elite panel of broadcasters and journalists. Schumacher became only the third NHRA driver to win the original Driver Of The Year award in its 42-year history.

Dec. 11: Don Prudhomme Racing announced that Larry Dixon has bought out the remainder of his employment contract from Don Prudhomme Racing. Later that day, DPR announced that Spencer Massey has been selected as driver of the team’s U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Top Fuel dragster for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

Dec. 12: Morgan Lucas Racing and GEICO Inc., announced the joint multiyear sponsorship of the Forrest Lucas-owned NHRA Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season.

Dec. 12: Tony Schumacher became the first driver to win a second Economaki Champion of Champions award.

Dec. 13:  In a wintry, snow-laced ceremony, Ashley Force married Danny Hood on the shores of

Lake Tahoe in

Nevada.

Dec. 18: Ending months of speculation, two-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Larry Dixon was named the driver of the Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel dragster.

Dec. 19: Don Schumacher confirmed that Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith will join Don Schumacher Racing to ride a DSR TL-1000 Suzuki sponsored by Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear and XXX Racing Fuels in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Schumacher also confirmed that he has released riders Chip Ellis and Craig Treble.

Dec. 19: NHRA Technical Services announced that the maximum nitromethane content for non-supercharged cars in the Top Alcohol Dragster class will be adjusted from 96 to 94 percent for 2009.  This requirement will be in effect for all events, except those conducted at Bandimere Speedway in

Denver, where 100 percent nitromethane will still be permitted.

Dec. 27: NHRA Top Fuel star Hillary Will claimed the inaugural Scott Kalitta Memorial Trophy by winning the  Shannons U.S.A. v. Australia Top Fuel Showdown at Western Sydney Int’l Dragway in

Sydney, Australia,