Nitro Dogs Racing

Funny Car top racers to battle at Norwalk Night Under Fire

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As is his tradition, John Force will unveil a special-edition race car at the Night Under Fire event; this year, it’s going to be this Christmas Car.

The Funny Car stars of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series may be not be earning points this weekend, but most of the current top 10 will be in battle nonetheless at the  31st annual ACDelco Night Under Fire presented by Amalie Motor Oil Saturday at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk.

NHRA POWERade points leader Tim Wilkerson, second-place Robert Hight, and third-place Tony Pedregon, the reigning Night Under Fire Funny Car champ and winner of the 2008 Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at the track in June, will be competing along with

Norwalk fan favorites John and Ashley Force.

Ashley is fourth in points and her dad eighth, and they’ll be joined by fifth-place Cruz Pedregon, local favorite and 2007 Night Under Fire runner-up Jim Head, and Dan Wilkerson, son of Tim and fifth in Top Alcohol Funny Car in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in NHRA Division 3.

An annual feature during opening ceremonies of the Night Under Fire is when John Force unveils a new car prepared just for the race. This year, Force will unveil the Christmas Car with Christmas-themed graphics. The car will be retired permanently after the race. Limited-edition diecast cars that are exact reproductions of Force’s real car are available in two 1:24 scale editions. A collector-grade version is limited to only 1,500 pieces, and a limited-edition color chrome version is limited to 300 pieces, which are hand-numbered and come with a certificate of authenticity. The limited-edition color chrome car also comes with an autographed artist proof of the rendering, signed by Force and track president Bill Bader Jr.

The annual race has special meaning to Ashley Force, driver of the Castrol GTX/Auto Club Ford Mustang Funny Car. “I’m excited to be returning to the Night Under Fire in Norwalk as the Baders always put on a great show not only for the fans, but for the drivers and teams as well. I have many great memories and love the fireworks finale and the track officials in tuxedos and can’t wait for the event!

“When learning to drive a Funny Car, I actually tested at this event in 2006 during the day runs and made my first lap against another Funny Car. It was against Eric Medlen, and I was so nervous, I two-stepped the throttle! He beat me, of course, but the fans thought it was great!”

The race, billed as the “world’s largest single-day drag race,” is expected to draw more than 35,000 fans this year and is one of

Ohio’s largest sporting events.

Jet dragster exhibition runners include  the Shockwave jet-powered semi truck, Jill “Queen of Diamonds” Canuso, Lou Periera, Danny Sullivan and Ernie Bogue, and two wheelstanders.

Legendary drag racer Shirley Muldowney will preside over the Night Under Fire as grand marshal.

“It’s an honor to have Shirley preside over this year’s ACDelco Night Under Fire presented by Amalie Motor Oil,” said Bader. “She was breaking the gender barrier in motorsports decades ago, and her legacy in motorsports is amazing to this day. She was NHRA world champion in 1977, 1980, and 1982 and is one of the pioneers of drag racing.”

Capping the evening will be one of the largest fireworks displays in

Ohio. It is choreographed to music, costs $100,000 to produce, and lasts more than 20 minutes

Before you read any thing else in this blog could you please take a monent to stop and think?

I know we have a few reader of this blog, I can see that from the traffic reports.  I wish we had more.  I also know this is a simple drag race blog that has information that is gathered from the usual sources.  I also realize that we only write one post a day ( on most days).

I would like to add 2-5 posts a day but would like to know what the readers would like.  Do you want all Pro stuff, some sportsman info?  Do you want spceial intrest item that you may not find on the usual sites?  Do you want some small track interviews?  What area do most of the reads come from?  Would you read a small free drag race magazine if it was offered?  Would you like reviews on new products? Where to get them etc., or just keep it the way it is?

 These are just a few of the questions I have to better serve you the racer and race fan.

So please take the time to email me so I can get you the blog you want.  We are also looking at making a web site that has multiple info sections along with the blog would you visit that site as well?

I know it will take you a few moments to email me but if you will you will have a better blog, and a new racing web site for your pleasure.  So please take a moment and email me at vern@nitrodogs.com.

 

 

EDMONTON, Alb. (July 7, 2008) - Dale Creasy, Jr., driver of the Torco Race Fuels Nitro Funny Car, was injured during a semifinal loss at the Rocky Mountain Nationals yesterday.

Somewhere near the finish line Creasy’s car had a catastrophic parts failure in the drive line, his legs became entangled in the wreckage. He was air lifted to Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta.

Creasy suffered broken bones in his right foot that will require a cast. His left leg suffered a crushed shin and a compound fracture that will require surgery. Creasy is scheduled for surgery between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Mountain Time at Royal Alexandra Hospital.

The Creasy family asks that cards and well wishes be held until Dale returns home. The team also wants to thank Jet Label & Tape for the support they are providing to the family during this time.

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ADRL ADDS PRO STOCK CHALLENGE

Engine builder Sonny Leonard (left) and ADRL President Kenny Nowling are all smiles after announcing the Inaugural Extreme Pro Stock Challenge presented by Purvis Ford-Lincoln-Mercury to be contested within ADRL national events at Budd’s Creek, MD, and Rockingham, NC, later this year.
RADFORD, VA (July 5, 2008) —The Flowmaster American Drag Racing League (ADRL) presented by the National Guard announced today that it has added mountain-motor Extreme Pro Stock as an experimental class for two of its remaining races in 2008, with the possibility of making it a full-time class in 2009 and beyond.

The two races will make up the inaugural Sonny’s Extreme Pro Stock Challenge presented by Purvis Ford-Lincoln-Mercury. The Challenge will be contested as part of the inaugural ADRL 1-800-Go-Guard.com U.S. Drags at Maryland International Raceway in Budd’s Creek, MD, and Hushpower Dragstock V at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, NC.

“I feel good about it because it gives the Pro Stock guys more places to race with basically the same type engines; naturally aspirated 800-cubic-inch motors that make about 1,900 horsepower,” said Pro Stock engine builder Sonny Leonard of Sonny’s. “They can run 4-ohs in the eighth mile, so I think they’ll put on a good show here with the ADRL. I think it will be very exciting for the spectators and sponsors, too.”

ADRL President Kenny Nowling said he also thinks adding Extreme Pro Stock will benefit everyone involved.

“We’ve known for quite some time that several Pro Stock team owners and drivers have been interested in racing with the ADRL, but we just had to wait until the time was right to invite them over,” Nowling said. “Well, that time is now and I think creating this two-race Pro Stock Challenge, thanks to help from Sonny and Robert Patrick over at Purvis Ford, will make the perfect introduction for the class to our fans and sponsors.”

ABOUT FLOWMASTER
Flowmaster, Inc. is housed in two ultra-modern facilities in Santa Rosa and West Sacramento, California, together totaling over 400,000 square feet. Flowmaster employs over 250 workers dedicated to building the highest quality U.S.-made exhaust products available. Flowmaster’s product line includes exhaust products for Performance Street, Muscle Cars, Trucks, Street Rods, RVs, Motorhomes, and all types of race applications. With more than 400 different muffler models, 370-plus exhaust systems and numerous exhaust accessories available, Flowmaster offers the choice to fit your specific vehicle needs, or your sound preference from “wild to mild.”

ABOUT THE NATIONAL GUARD
The National Guard is the oldest component of the Armed Forces of the United States and one of the nation’s longest enduring institutions. The National Guard operates in all 50 states, three territories (Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands) and the District of Columbia.

ABOUT THE ADRL
Based in O’Fallon, Missouri, the American Drag Racing League is the nation’s premier sanctioning body for the sport of eighth-mile drag racing. The professional categories featured in the ADRL are Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Extreme 10.5, Pro Nitrous, and Pro Extreme, the quickest doorslammer class in all of drag racing. The 2008 Flowmaster ADRL series presented by the National Guard consists of nine national events run throughout the United States.

NHRA shortens race distance for Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,000 feet as an interim safety measure

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7/2/2008
As the investigation continues into the tragic accident that took the life of driver

Scott Kalitta, NHRA has announced that beginning at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in

Denver, Colo., both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes will race to 1,000 feet instead of the traditional 1,320 feet or one-quarter mile. This is an interim step that is being taken while NHRA continues to analyze and determine whether changes should be made to build upon the sport’s long standing safety record, given the inherent risks and ever-present dangers associated with the sport.

This interim change was made by NHRA in collaboration with professional race teams. NHRA believes that racing the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,000 feet will allow NHRA and the racing community time to evaluate, analyze and implement potential changes based on the safety initiatives outlined last week.

With the change, fans will still be able to enjoy the sights, sounds and thrill of NHRA nitro racing with speeds around 300 mph and quick elapsed times to 1,000 feet.

Over the years, NHRA has implemented many initiatives to enhance safety including measures to limit speeds from increasing, personal protective gear, vehicle improvements, and track enhancements such as sand traps, catch nets and concrete barriers the entire length of the drag strip.

In the wake of the tragic series of events that took Kalitta’s life, the following technical issues are currently under investigation: 1) what might be done to reduce engine failures; 2) parachute mounting techniques and materials as well as identifying a parachute material that could be more fire resistant; 3) exploring whether there is a way to increase brake efficiency when cars lose downforce due to the loss of the body; 4) analyzing additional methods that might be developed at the top end of the race track to help arrest runaway vehicles; 5) considering whether current speeds should be further limited or reduced to potentially improve safety.

“The board members of the Professional Racers Owners Organization (PRO) wholeheartedly and unanimously support this decision,” said its president Kenny Bernstein. “We want to thank NHRA for listening to our input and suggestions to incorporate these changes. It is not lost on any of us that this constitutes a change in our history of running a quarter-mile, but it’s the most immediate adjustment we can make in the interest of safety which is foremost on everyone’s mind. This may be a temporary change and we recognize it is not the total answer. We will continue to work hand in hand with NHRA to evaluate other methods of making Top Fuel and Funny Car competition safer so that we might return to our quarter-mile racing standard. We also want to thank Connie Kalitta for his invaluable input. He has been a rock through these difficult times.”

This is just a quick fix and could possibly deminish the sport of drag racing.  We are all for something to correct a safety problem that exist but is this the answer?

GOTHAM CITY RACING CAR DISQUALIFIED IN NORWALK

NORWALK, Ohio (June 28, 2008) - The ProCare Rx Dodge Charger R/T nitro Funny Car driven by Melanie Troxel was disqualified following the first round of qualifying in the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio because NHRA Officials identified unsecured ballast in the car.

An NHRA official release stated that Troxel and another driver, Gary Scelzi, were disqualified from the event after Officials discovered loose ballast in their cars following their qualifying runs.

According to page 74 of the NHRA Rule Book, “any material used for the purpose of racing must be permanently attached to the car’s chassis. No liquid or loose ballast permitted. Discovery of loose or disguised ballast will result in disqualification from the event, regardless of whether infraction occurs during qualifying or eliminations.”

Troxel said, “It was never our intention to make a run under the legal weight, in fact, our car was 25 pounds over the minimum required by NHRA. The car was, however, found to be in violation of a rule concerning unsecured ballast, and therefore we are not participating in the remainder of the event.”

Troxel and Team Gotham will compete at the next scheduled national event, the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, July 11-13 in Denver, Colorado.

Kalitta succumbs to injuries suffered in qualifying incident

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6/21/2008

Scott Kalitta

Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, 46, died Saturday from multiple injuries suffered after his car went out of control and crashed in a high-speed racing accident at

Old Bridge Township Raceway Park during the fourth and final round of qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals. 

Kalitta was extracted from his car by NHRA emergency services officials and transported to

Old Bridge Township Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Kalitta, a two-time NHRA POWERade Series Top Fuel champion and one of only 14 drivers in NHRA history to earn victories in both premier nitro categories, earned 18 victories during his career, his last coming in Chicago in 2005 in Top Fuel.

Kalitta earned most of his racing success in Top Fuel, where he claimed back-to-back world championship titles in 1994 and 1995. He retired from racing in 1997, sitting out most of two seasons before returning for a 10-race campaign in 1999. He sat out three more seasons following that brief stint and then returned again in 2003, joining cousin Doug as a second driver for the family’s two Top Fuel dragsters. 

Kalitta started his pro career in Top Fuel in 1982, running limited events for four seasons before moving to Funny Car in 1986 for his first full-season of competition. He returned to that category fulltime in 2006. He posted a runner-up finish two weeks ago in

Chicago, his 36^th career NHRA final round appearance.

Kalitta is survived by his father, legendary NHRA racer and team owner Connie Kalitta; wife, Kathy; and sons Corey, 14, and Colin, 8.

We will follow this post with more information as we know more.  One of our close friends and racing associate is at the track and will let us know of impending developments as they happen.

Scott will be missed.  Our prayers and thoughts are with the family.

T. Ped completes turnaround; Shoe, K.J. extend leads; Rivas nabs his first

The 11^th annual Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in

Chicago was hampered by rain early in final eliminations, but four Professional winners weathered the storm and raced to dramatic conclusions. No driver experienced more ups and downs than Funny Car winner Tony Pedregon, who bounced back from a fire during qualifying on Saturday to win for the second time this season and the 38^th time in his career.

Also posting his 38^th national event win was Kurt Johnson. Johnson won a final round that also decided who would leave the Pro Stock points leader against Jeg Coughlin. Tony Schumacher extended his hefty points lead by defeating Top Fuel foe Rod Fuller with the quickest pass of the weekend, a 4.499. In Pro Stock Motorcycle, fourth-year rider Chris Rivas stepped to the podium for the first time in his career.

Tony Pedregon

Pedregon’s event typified his turbulent 2008 season. Pedregon, who opened the season with a violent first-round explosion two races before winning in Houston, was unhurt in a nasty fire during qualifying but bounced back to go the distance in eliminations. Pedregon drove his Q Horsepower Chevy Impala to his best time of eliminations, a 4.818 at 319.75 mph, to defeat a win-hungry Scott Kalitta, who ran a 4.957 at 308.92.“That little incident last night took me back to the beginning of the year,” said Pedregon, who moved from a sixth-place tie up to fourth in points. “We had a low-flash fire that I thought would go out. It seemed routine, but it gradually got worse. It wiped the chassis out, so we had to roll one out that we haven’t run before. I felt good about it, though; I learned not to fall in love with race car parts.

“I’ve been doing this a lot of years, but this is the first time I’ve had a race where we’ve bounced back like this. We rose from the ashes after

Pomona, but that took a few races. The way we did all this within 24 hours is a tribute to the great group of guys we have. I knew these guys were low on sleep after working until three in the morning, but I knew a taste of winning would give them the adrenaline they needed to get through the day.”

Pedregon’s performance on Sunday is one fans have come to expect from a two-time Funny Car world champion. The No. 10 qualifier ran a pair of 4.88s to put opponents Jerry Toliver and Mark Oswald on the trailer in the first two rounds. Crew chiefs Dickie Venables and Kurt Elliott followed that with a 4.89 to edge Ashley Force in a close semifinal. Both of Pedregon’s semifinal appearances this season have led to wins, and Pedregon is the second repeat winner in the class this season.

Kalitta’s three round-wins at this event in addition to his sole round-win in

Phoenix equal his entire round-win output from the 2007 season. The 1994-’95 Top Fuel points champion and driver of the DHL Toyota Solara has struggled since his return to Funny Car in 2006, but he made big gains with his first Funny Car final since his triumph in Houston in 1989. Kalitta, who qualified for just the second time in the past seven events, handled Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon, and Gary Densham on his way to the final.

Tony Schumacher

The rivalry between Schumacher and “Hot Rod” Fuller heated up with their second final-round match-up of the season. Schumacher evened the score in dominant fashion by posting the event’s only 4.4-second pass, a 4.499, while Fuller’s Caterpillar dragster smoked the tires less than 300 feet down the racetrack.“Fuller said that we were ‘Dark Side Racing,’ and I would call that a ‘Dark Side’ wrath,” joked Schumacher. “You can throw names out, but the right word to say is ‘champion.’ We earned that name. The rivalries will come later in the season. If you are going to make a rivalry, step. Me and Doug Kalitta had a great rivalry and never had to say anything.

“The race we had against Vandergriff in the first round was fun, but we should’ve got beat. If you give Alan Johnson one mulligan — he plays golf a lot — he’ll get it figured out and be hard to beat.”

Schumacher and the U.S. Army team took care of business in an event full of personal milestones. Five years after crew chief Alan Johnson came onboard, Schumacher qualified No. 1 for the 50^th time in his career and won the event while celebrating the U.S. Army’s 233^rd birthday. Schumacher didn’t win his first-round race against Vandergriff as much as he survived it, as both drivers smoked the tires and “the Sarge” won by a narrow margin. He stepped up to run 4.56s in the second and third rounds to defeat Hillary Will and Doug Herbert, respectively.

Fuller reached the final round for the second time this season after defeating Schumacher in the

Madison final. Fuller never made a decent qualifying lap until the final session, but crew chief Rob Flynn figured it out for Sunday as Fuller handled opponents Doug Kalitta, an upset-minded T.J. Zizzo, and a hungry Morgan Lucas.

Kurt Johnson

The points lead was decided in the Pro Stock final when incoming leader Johnson streaked to victory against troubled No. 1 qualifier Jeg Coughlin. Though K.J. was disappointed in his qualifying efforts that put him sixth, he made the necessary adjustments to become a force on race day.“This is such a highly-competitive class,” said Johnson. “I felt like I should have done a better job on the starting line, but ‘Big Blue’ — the ACDelco Cobalt — bailed me out every time. We made four big changes in the car last night, and we made a good, fast run this morning.

“The way this class has been this year is scary. It’s like, ‘What the heck have we been doing out here?’ I raced Dad in the semifinals, and I thought it was the kiss of death because there were eight winners in the first nine races and he was the only guy who hasn’t won that was in the semi’s.”

Johnson opened eliminations with a 6.717 to get past Mike Edwards, and he followed that with a thrilling win over friend Greg Anderson that was decided less than two-hundredths. He hurdled over father Warren in the semifinals before he earned his second win of the season.

Coughlin came off the pole position to beat upcoming rookie Rickie Jones in the first round. His next two races were nail-biters. He moved past Greg Stanfield in the second round by a .0098-second margin. In the semifinals, Coughlin overcame a holeshot to squeak by rival mail order business-sponsored Jason Line by .0002-second (approximately one inch).

Chris Rivas

Rivas’ win from the top qualifying spot was decided in a final-round encounter with old Division 7 bracket racing rival Craig Treble. Treble, a crafty veteran who won two rounds by holeshots, used a little trickery on the starting line in the final round, but Rivas was unaffected as he pulled out the victory, 7.051 to 7.134. “I’ve been waiting for this for such a long time and felt I was so past due in getting it,” said Rivas, whose only other final-round appearance came in 2005 during the third of his 49 career events. “We did so good so early with my other team that I felt like we would be dangerous all the time. When I went with Matt Smith and the Torco team [in 2007], I thought that would be it; it didn’t happen. When G2 Motorsports called me up and George Smith talked to me about riding, I thought, ‘This is it for sure. If I can’t do it with this team, I might as well retire.’

“Treble tried to play a little bit with me. He was trying a couple of things, and I knew he was doing it, but I didn’t let it shake me. He rushed the first light and brought the rev limiter on before he full-staged. It worked out for him when he did it in the first round but not in the final.”

Rivas’ win was certainly a long time coming. After bouncing around from the Mohegan Sun team to Matt Smith’s team to the G-Squared team, the talented rider from

Fresno, Calif., finally got it done. Rivas dominated on the Drag Specialties S&S Buell V-Twin, running 7.0s throughout eliminations to crush the likes of riders Wes Wells, Karen Stoffer, and teammate Angelle Sampey. The win occurred at the home track of S&S Cycle.

Treble worked through his slow start to the season with his first final round appearance since his U.S. Nationals win in 2007. He rode Harry Lartigue’s Suzuki to a huge holeshot win over Chip Ellis in the first round, defeating Ellis’ class-best 7.001 with a 7.094. Treble then received a red-light gift from Hector Arana and prevented a seemingly-imminent match-up between Rivas and Andrew Hines by strapping a holeshot on the three-time world champ and winning with a 7.141 to Hines’ quicker 7.112.

Milan, Mich., May 26, 2008: All across America young men are borrowing their father’s car for the weekend, some to impress a special young lady, others to haul their possessions home from school. 20 year-old college student, Daniel Wilkerson borrowed his dad’s car this weekend. Only he didn’t get a big SUV or a luxury car, instead he got a 7,000 horsepower nitro burning Funny Car. By the way, his father happens to be the current NHRA POWERade points leader, Tim Wilkerson. And Daniel took the Lev, Ray & Shoup Chevrolet Impala SS to the IHRA Motor City Nationals in Milan, Mich. to make his nitro Funny Car debut.

The talented young driver is no stranger to drag racing, having started his career at the age of 12 in Junior Dragster. Last year in his first full Top Alcohol Funny Car season of racing, he was the Lucas Oil Div. 3 Champion. But his dream of driving a race car started before the ripe old age of 12.

As mom, Krista explains, “in his mind, Daniel has been driving this race car since he was five years old. I think he did a terrific job this weekend and I’m very proud of him. He takes after his dad and that gives me goose bumps.”

On his first professional pass down the quarter-mile on Friday night, Daniel brought the drag racing community to its feet as he posted a 4.831 at 316.01 mph capturing the No. 1 position in the Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro qualifying and earning the coveted Last Man Standing award. And to top off his stunning performance, this was the quickest Funny Car pass in IHRA history.

In the second day of qualifying at the Milan Dragway, Daniel didn’t fare as well. On his first pass, he dropped a cylinder and the car moved close to the wall. It was reported that he hit the wall, but he did a good driving job and kept it off. He posted a 4.962 at 289.94 mph. In the last session, Daniel smoked the tires and coasted across the finish line at 9.086. Even though he didn’t improve on his Friday night run, he remained the No. 1 qualifier.

Race day continued to be a dream come true for this second-generation driver. Daniel drove his way to a final-round appearance, by first taking out Dale Creasy Jr. and then Jack Wyatt. This matched him up against Paul Lee in the final-round. Here Daniel didn’t have enough to hold off his opponent, only posting a 5.201 against Lee’s 4.956.

“It was a fairytale weekend, from beginning to end,” expressed Daniel, “and we had fun the whole time. There are no words to describe it, it’s unbelievable. It was really exciting to get to race Dad’s car, it’s really fast. It was a great weekend. I didn’t need to win for it to be great.

“That 4.83 run on Friday night was the fastest I’ve ever gone in my entire life. It would have been cool if we could have backed it up and gotten the world record. And it would have been out of this world if we would have won, but I’m glad for Paul Lee. He’s in the points hunt and we’re not. And with the way Dad’s year is we know how important points are and how much fun that is. We’re just trying to get me some seat time. We don’t even know how many races we’re going to do, so it was good for Paul.”

“I’m extremely proud of Daniel,” said proud dad, Tim. “This weekend was a good time and it was great to be in the finals. I let him down there because I put on our old, crummy blower and it was a slug. I wish I could blame something other than me, but I don’t think so. There may be an ignition problem because I thought it would be better than that, so we’ll look into it at the shop.

“But Daniel did a great job. The car is extremely fast. If I had to grade him, I’d give him a ‘B’. The track had a narrow groove and he kept it in the middle where he needed to be. He did everything I told him to correctly and he’d come back from the run and tell me everything that happened. Those are all the markings of a good driver. They announced that he hit the wall on Saturday’s first pass and it was hard to tell from the starting line because there was so much dust. So, when he came back from the run, I asked him about it and he told me that he knew he got close but that he didn’t hit it.”

“I really want to thank Mom and Dad for this weekend; I have the best parents,” said the rookie. “I really appreciate them for giving me the opportunity to do this. And I want to thank Dick Levi and Levi, Ray & Shoup. Plus I want to thank all the crew guys for the job they did. Dad talks about what a great job they do and he certainly is right about that.

“And IHRA treated me well and I want to thank them for that. It was pretty cool the way I was accepted by all the other racers and teams. I got to race the champ, Dale Jr. and that was exciting. Everyone was really nice and that made me feel good.”

Being the reigning Top Alcohol Funny Car champion gives Daniel great driving experience, but the two cars are different machines.

“When I get back in my alcohol car, it’s going to seem slow,” explained Daniel. “They may look the same, but they’re different animals. The alcohol car doesn’t do anything unexpected. But the fuel car, out of nowhere it does stuff. Alcohol cars are known to launch harder than a fuel car but that doesn’t last long. The fuel car launches easy but at about 150 feet – hold on!

“If I had to grade myself on this weekend, I’d give myself a ‘B’ because I kept it in the middle just like Dad told me to. I know I have a lot of room for improvement and I’m ready to work hard at being the kind of driver my Dad is.”

Daniel is preparing for this coming weekend’s race which will be the O’Reilly Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, where he will be competing in his slower Top Alcohol Funny Car. And he will be focused with qualifying at the top of the pack and winning in that car. But the thrill of this weekend will still be fresh in his mind and it will be apparent by his radiant ear-to-ear grin that will appear every so often.

 Taken From Nitro Matter.

http://www.nitromater.com/news-information/15087-daniel-wilkerson-takes-world-storm-his-funny-car-debut.html

Hey…we need some input as to what you want to see in this blog.

We are in the process of gathering data and info from multiple drag racing sources and utilizing that info for a quick reference for all race fans.

We do have a question for the readers. 

What do you want more of the Pro’s or the Sportsman?

We would like to start profiling the sportsman races and help them get their respective names out and show what a remarkable job they have done.

We will also be posting photos of the racers in action.

I want to also put a big SHOUT out there to Tim Wilkerson for the great win in Vegas.  Hey Tim it’s been a while…

Tim is a real nice guy and a true sportsman.  He stated that if he had to lose to someone in the finals it wouldn’t hurt so bad for it to be Ashley Force.

Ashley is going to be one to reckon with.  I feel she will make history in the next 3 races by becoming the first female to win in Funny car.

She made history in Vegas by becoming the first female to hold the points lead in Funny Car.

We at Nitro Dogs Racing wanted to let you know that we are still looking for marketing partners for our race team.  We would like to share with you the fabulous marketing opportunities available.  If interested please email vern@nitrodogs.com for complete details and a copy of our marketing opportunity report.

We have started to sell Nitro Dogs t-shirts etc., through  Café Express until our stock comes in.  Please visit our on-line store to view what we have to offer.

www.cafepress.com/nitrodogs

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