K&N Filters Winternationals
Pomona
(Feb. 7-10)
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K&N Filters Winternationals Notebook
News and notes from the 42nd annual K&N Filters Winternationals.
Most recent items at top.
02/10/02
Good luck from Down Under: Twenty years ago at the Winternationals, the low qualifier in Top Fuel was Australian Jim Read; Andrew Cowin, the No. 1 man in the fuel dragster class this year, was just two years old. Read, a good friend of the Cowin family, e-mailed NHRA.com to pass along best wishes and a hearty "good luck" to his fellow countryman.
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The Force not with us: Many of those in attendance at Pomona Raceway, including her father, had hoped to see Ashley Force hit the quarter-mile in competition at the K&N Filters Winternationals, but the daughter of 11-time Funny Car champ John Force did not have the necessary pre-event grading points to enter the event.
Drivers in Super Comp were required to have participated in two divisional events prior to the event; Ashley, as a new driver, has yet to compete in a divisional event. She'll also therefore have to miss the Checker-Schuck's Kragen Nationals in two weeks, and hopes to compete at the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas.
Ashley did make an exhibition run in her sleek dragster, and her and her famous father were featured in an often-humorous Saturday night news story on a local station. Force commented that his daughter had asked him for tips on driving a dragster, tips that dad - who has never driven a dragster -- could not provide, to which his daughter quipped, "Yeah, just like it was when I went to him for advice on high-school math."
02/06/02
Bode returns with Pro Motorsports: Pro Motorsports, a leading retailer of licensed Motorsports products, has joined forces with Chicago-based Funny Car racer Bob Bode. Bode was a rookie last season and is looking forward to competing in more races and on a higher level in the 2002 NHRA POWERade series.
The car will promote the company's website, ProMotorsports.com, which is a source for licensed motorsports products, including NHRA diecast. Additionally, Bode's company, ARBEE, which is a manufacturer of plastic bags, also will be bannered on the car.
Pro Motorsports Racing and Bode Racing will co-own the team. Bode will remain in the driver's seat and veteran tuner Glenn Mikres will be the crew chief. Veteran Tom Hoover again will serve as a team consultant. Currently, the team is scheduled to compete in more than half of the NHRA POWERade Series events.
Jim Farnum of Pro Motorsports said, "We are extremely pleased to have put this deal together with Bob Bode and Glen Mikres for the 2002 season. The few times we raced together in 2001 proved to be very successful. We enjoy our relationship and intend on growing the team together."
02/06/02
Fuel teams to run on Goodyear D1430: The Top Fuel and Funny Car teams at Pomona will all have something in common: Each will be using Goodyear’s D1430 drive tire. First available last season as an optional tire, the D1430 is the mandated tire for those classes as the 2002 season gets underway.
Designed to help stabilize the NHRA’s fastest cars as speeds continue to grow, the D1430 is slightly wider than its predecessor, the D1230. The D1430 is also plenty fast. When Kenny Bernstein set the NHRA elapsed time record of 4.477 seconds at Joliet, Ill. last season, he did so with a pair of D1430s.
“The D1430 addresses a number of issues,” said Perry Bell, marketing manager for drag racing. “It provides a stable platform all the way down the track and is designed to better handle the increased stresses the drive tires are currently experiencing in the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes as the top speeds approach 335 mph. We’ve been very pleased with the way teams have adapted to this tire.”
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Russell looking for slice of history: Darrell Russell looks to make history again at the K&N Filters Winternationals: Last season Darrell Russell joined Gary Scelzi and K.C. Spurlock as the only three drivers to win an event in their professional debut. The 2001 NHRA Rookie of the Year will try and become the first Top Fuel driver ever to repeat at the season-opener. The legendary Don Garlits won the famed event five times during his storied career, but never two straight. "This will be the first time I've ever defended the title of a race as a professional," said the 33-year-old Russell. "It's a nice feeling. But the truth is I don't think the fact we won here last year means a lot. The teams racing at this level are so good and I can tell you already there will be 10-12 cars that can win this race."
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Pomona double-down?: In the 41 K&N Filters Winternationals that have been competed, there have been 31 different Top Fuel winners, with only seven drivers notching more than one victory at the event. Other that Garlits' five career wins, Gary Scelzi, Joe Amato, Frank Bradley, Gary Ormsby, Dick LaHaie, and Shirley Muldowney each have two Winternationals victories.
02/05/02
Fast starts pay off: Since 1990, the driver in both Funny Car or Pro Stock that has won the Winternationals in their respective category has finished fifth or higher in the season standings 10 of the 12 times. Only Funny Car Bruce Sarver (2001, sixth), Jim Epler (1992, 14th), and Pro Stock drivers Kurt Johnson (2001, ninth), and Darrell Alderman (1995, 14th) failed to crack the top five.
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Schumacher to pen diary: Tony "The Sarge" Schumacher, who drives the United States Army Top Fuel dragster, will return as a contributing writer for the popular web site, CNNSI.com, during the course of the 2002 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season.
The 1999 Top Fuel champion will begin penning his pre-race diaries this week (to be found in the NASCAR PLUS section of the site) in advance of K&N Filters Winternationals
"I enjoyed connecting with the fans via these diaries last season, so it was a natural to do it again this season," said Schumacher. "I hope to clearly describe what it's like to compete in the rough and tumble world of professional drag racing, while keeping the fans up-to-date on the U.S. Army 's extensive sponsorship program. I'm looking forward to getting started."
Schumacher, who is entering his fourth season as a full-time competitor on the NHRA circuit, owns the fastest speed ever recorded in the quarter-mile -- 333.08 mph
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Lean, mean, driving machine: Ron Capps wasn't a 150-pound weakling when the 2001 season ended, but he wanted to improve the strength in his arms, shoulders and neck. Capps worked out with a trainer during the break between seasons. The result: eight pounds of muscle.
"I noticed the difference right away when the engine put a couple cylinders out (in testing)," Capps said. "I was able to steer the car pretty good with one hand on the wheel (while the other hand hit the parachute lever).
"Usually during testing your body gets back into being thrown around with all the g-forces, positive and negative, when you hit the 'chutes. I noticed I wasn't nearly as sore as I usually am after the first few days of testing. It's already paying dividends and the season hasn't started yet."
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Titus is grand marshal, honorary starter: Christopher Titus, star of the hit Fox television program Titus, will serve as grand marshal and honorary starter of the K&N Filters Winternationals.
"Christopher is a die-hard hot rod enthusiast, and K&N is proud to have him serve as the grand marshal for this prestigious race," said Rodney Mall, K&N Engineering's CEO.
Titus reflects the reality of its title character's upbringing and its aftermath. The characters in Titus' show are modeled after his family members, from his parents and brother to his real-life wife, Erin. Even his decades-long passion for hot rods plays a significant role in the show. Titus airs Wednesday nights at 9:30 on Fox.