NHRA News: NHRA.com Notebook (February)

NHRA.com Notebook
presented by Strange Engineering

News and notes from the NHRA POWERade
and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series

2/29/04

This place is still fast: The record book hasn't been assaulted as severely as it was at the 2003 K&N Filters Winternationals, where 37 of 79 professional racers either reset their personal best E.T. or top speed or both during the race. Still, slightly more than one out of five Pro-level entrants on the grounds at this year's Winternationals will leave Pomona Raceway with new marks. Overall, 15 of 74 drivers have bettered their previous best numbers.

Through qualifying, three Top Fuel racers, four Funny Car drivers, and eight Pro Stockers have managed to improve their career-best digits, none better than Darrell Russell (pictured), who inched closer to the 4.4-second club with a 4.516 clocking.

2/26/04

Extra, Extra, Read all about it: Drag racing great Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta, the owner and lead tuner of the three Kalitta Motorsports dragster, his nephew Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools dragster, and Rahn Tobler (pictured), husband of Shirley Muldowney and co-crew chief of Doug's dragster, are all mentioned in the March issue of RACER Magazine in an article about Muldowney. The story, entitled "The Last Pass," can be found on page 74.

2/25/04

Coughlin is questioned by Amy Novotny

Jeggy featured in motivational video: Two-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. spent Tuesday surrounded by bright lights and television cameras filming part of a motivational video for Key Bank and McDonald Securities. Other parts of the video will focus on CART champion Gil de Ferran and Ohio State University Head Football Coach Jim Tressel, who guided his team to the 2002 NCAA title.

Coughlin was asked a number of questions about winning and what it takes to be a champion. He talked in detail about teamwork and dedication both on and off of the track. The 33-year-old second-generation driver used his many experiences in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series as real life examples of what it takes to be a winner.

"It was a great experience," Coughlin said. "It was an honor to be chosen to talk about winning and what it takes to be a champion. To be in the company of such champions as Gil de Ferran and Coach Tressel is pretty amazing. It's the type of thing that doesn't hit you until a day or two later."

2/24/04

Lights, camera, action: Continuing a trend they started in 1998, Jeg's Mail Order Racing will continue to showcase ESPN's in-car camera in 2004. Over the years, the Jeg's team has helped develop the rooftop camera, the panning rooftop camera, a 360-degree cockpit camera, the panning headlight camera, a suspension camera, and a panning bumper camera to enhance ESPN's broadcast and bring fans of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing as close to the action as possible. In addition, the team also allows ESPN to monitor and use audio conversations over the team radios.

"We are excited to bring new shots and angles to our sport," said Scott Woodruff, director of motorsports/media for Jeg's. "This year we will again roll out a number of new shots that will be exciting for the fans and add value to the coverage of our sport."

2/20/04

Snap-on expands deal with Pedregon: Snap-on Tools announced an expansion of its partnership with Pedregon Racing to include the Funny Cars of both Cruz and Tony Pedregon. The agreement continues the company's long history with Pedregon Racing, which dates back to Cruz Pedregon's 1992 championship season.

"With Tony's addition to the team, we're more excited about the partnership than ever before," said Carl Johanson, Snap-on's motorsports marketing manager. "Tony will be defending his Funny Car title while Cruz will be looking to add another title to his resume. It'll be great competition and a lot of fun for all the fans of Snap-on Tools and the NHRA."

"We're extremely excited to have Snap-on displayed on our Advance Auto Parts Funny Car this season," Cruz said. "I'm honored to have my crew using such high quality tools throughout this racing season. We're looking forward to an exciting season with Snap-on."

"I feel very fortunate to have the support of Snap-on Tools and I'm honored to be displaying their logo on my Quaker State Funny Car," Tony said. "It's going to be a great year and I'm looking forward to working with Carl and the whole Snap-on Racing program."

2/19/04

Angelle Savoie

Antron Brown

Savoie & Brown to be honored by Association for Diversity in Motorsports: U.S. Army Racing Pro Stock Bike riders Angelle Savoie and Antron Brown will be honored by the Association for Diversity in Motorsports at its annual awards dinner here Saturday on the campus of Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina.

Savoie and Brown will each receive Trailblazer awards for their accomplishments as minority drivers in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The Trailblazer Award is presented to individuals who are pioneers in their area of motorsports.

"Any time you get an award from your peers it's special," Brown said. "And to be singled out for helping raise the awareness of minorities in racing, that also means a lot."

"Antron and I always want to be thought of as role models for minorities looking to get involved in motorsports," Savoie said. "Getting an award like this helps that process along."

The theme of this year's awards dinner is "Traditions of Excellence – Pathways to Promise." Members of Wendell Scott's family will be in attendance. Scott is the first and only African-American to win a NASCAR race.

Also scheduled to attend are NASCAR Busch Series driver Carlos Contreras and Carlos Kuri, the first Mexican driver to win two titles in the Champion Boat category of hydroplane racing.

"We're obviously going to be mixing with some pretty heavy hitters from the world of motorsports and entertainment," Brown said.

2/19/04

Whisnant reunites with PiranaZ: Pomona, pre-race: Pro Stock driver Mark Whisnant and PiranaZ have formed an alliance that will make PiranaZ the primary sponsor on Whisnant's Pro Stock entry for 2004 and beyond. Throughout the season Whisnant and Team RW will showcase PiranaZ racewear and apparel with Whisnant making daily appearances at the PiranaZ T-shirt trailer. Whisnant and the RW Performance will continue their association with Snap-On Tools, Chevrolet, G-Force Transmissions, Fram, and Royal Purple

"In 2001 PiranaZ was the sponsor of our Pro Stock Truck," Whisnant said. "It was a good relationship. That was PiranaZ first endeavor in the drag racing market. By the end of the year, Jeff (PiranaZ owner Jeff Sommers) realized that to make sponsorship of a racecar work for his company he needed to learn more about drag racing as a business. My team needed to move ahead with our plans to go Pro Stock racing. So, at the end of 2001 we mutually agreed to go our separate ways.

"At the end of last season Jeff and I started talking about putting something together. The result is PiranaZ returning as our primary sponsor of the RW Performance Cavalier.

"In 2004 our association with PiranaZ is completely different, just like their new line of apparel and race wear. PiranaZ has a new image. They wanted to get away from the run-of-the-mill T-shirts and apparel you see at the racetrack. Their new look is raw, and edgy. It is hard-core race wear for the hard-core drag race fan. The new look speaks for its self, and is more my style. It is a product I can feel good about endorsing."

Last season Whisnant and the RW Performance team went through a rebuilding phase. They sacrificed races in the later part of 2003 season, in an effort to raise their performance level in 2004. After a successful winter of testing Team RW is back with confidence, horsepower, and a renewed determination to put Whisnant and the PiranaZ Chevrolet Cavalier in the winner circle.

"This year I feel like we are the most prepared we have ever been coming into the Winternationals," Whisnant said. "We did not waste any time over the winter. My team was together for three full months working on every aspect of this car. Our horsepower will be coming from Reher/Morrison this season, and doing extensive testing.

"We went to Florida a couple times to test, and raced the Super Bowl in Houston. At each test we matched up pretty well against what the other cars where running. We spent quite a bit of time working with the new bead lock tires, and feel like we are adapting well to the new rule. Our test numbers looked good, and I ran the best E.T. and speed of my career in Houston. Those are all positive indicators coming into Pomona.

"Our goal this season is to place this PiranaZ Chevrolet in the winner's circle. We know we have a lot more work to do, but are confident that we have a good base to work from. We feel strong coming into this race, but will are not be content until we win a race."

2/19/04

Pedregon Racing signs Sioux City Volvo Truck & Trailer: Sioux City Volvo Truck & Trailer will be an associate sponsor on 2003 Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon's Quaker State car and former Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon's Advance Auto Parts car for the 2004 NHRA Drag Racing Series season. Sioux City Volvo Truck and Trailer have been involved with the NHRA for over five years.

"We're extremely excited to join the Pedregon camp and continue our involvement with the NHRA," said Kevin Christensen, general manager of Sioux City Volvo Truck and Trailer. "They have a high-class program set up and we are looking forward to an excellent season of drag racing."

"Kevin and his brother Cory have been very good friends of mine for a while," Cruz said. "I couldn't be happier that they have decided to join forces with our program. To make it even more exciting they are both going to be apart of our team as well. Cory will be working with Tony's team and Kevin will work with my team. They are a great addition and we're looking forward to working with them this season."

In addition to their involvement with Pedregon Racing, Sioux City Volvo Truck & Trailer will also be the Official Heavy Duty Truck Dealer of the NHRA.

"Kevin and Cory are great guys and I'm glad they will be in our pit area this season," Tony said. "To have Sioux City join our team and be so heavily involved with the NHRA is an added bonus to our already stout program. I look forward to working with the entire Sioux City team this year."

2/17/04

Glendora Dodge Open House: NHRA Pro Stock drivers Darrell Alderman, Larry Morgan, and Allen Johnson are scheduled to appear at the annual open house at Glendora Dodge on Thursday, Feb. 19. The event is open to the public and drivers will be signing autographs from 5 to 7 p.m. Glendora Dodge is located at 931 S. Lone Hill Ave., in Glendora, Calif., just a few miles from Pomona Raceway. For additional information, contact (626) 335-0261 or (909) 599-9300.

2/16/04

Worsham reaches landmark race: The 44th annual K&N Filters Winternationals will represent Del Worsham's 250th event as a Funny Car driver. Beginning his career in 1990 with a DNQ at the World Finals in Pomona, Worsham has since won 14 races and 231 rounds of competition in the family Funny Car.

Entering Pomona, Worsham's career Funny Car record stands at 231-215, with 14 victories, 10 runner-up finishes, and 20 career DNQs, seven of which came during a difficult 1995 season. Twelve of his race victories and 153 round wins have been earned since Worsham gained his Checker, Schuck's, Kragen sponsorship in 1997.

Worsham also competed in Top Fuel during the 1990s, entering 23 events between 1993 and 1995 and compiling a 4-9 career record.

2/14/04

Weis picks up Pomona sponsor: RaceGirl Motorsports announced American Personal Fitness as an associate sponsor for the K&N Winternationals in Pomona. Billy Mack of American Personal Fitness worked with RaceGirl Motorsports driver Scott Weis in the off-season.

"It was terrific working with Scott this winter," Mack said. "Drivers are definitely athletes. I'm amazed at the reflexes required to be a successful NHRA POWERade driver. The G-forces their body sustains during a run is even more unbelievable. I designed a workout regime for Scott that enhances his reflexes and lessens fatigue from the G-forces. I'm very excited to be part of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing and look forward to seeing the results of my work with Scott. I could not imagine a better team than RaceGirl Motorsports to represent American Personal Fitness."

Weis was extremely pleased with the results of his off-season workout regime.

"I feel phenomenal," Weis said. "Working with Billy at American Personal Fitness has made me feel as good as I did when I was 20. Billy tailored a workout regime for me that will help me stay on top of my game as the season progresses."

Based in Southern California, American Personal Fitness specializes in assisting persons living with diabetes to "achieve freedom through fitness."

2/13/04

The Mill to back Gilby in Pomona: The Mill, a privately-owned retail furniture chain in Southern California, announced an associate sponsorship of Bob Gilbertson's Funny Car at the 44th annual K&N Filters Winternationals.

The Mill, which began with a five-employee, single store in Ontario, Calif., has grown to eight retail outlets, a 60,000 square foot warehouse, and over 100 employees.

"I've always been a fan of NHRA Drag Racing, especially the Funny Cars," said Dave Zepeda, The Mill's CEO. " know how loyal the fans are to sponsors of the sport and figured teaming up with Bob and the Trick Tank team would be a good way to get our name out there in front of the rabid Southern California drag racing fans.

"Our retail outlets are in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, nd Riverside counties and I hope that this association will result in the fans who attend the Winternationals thinking of The Mill the next time they are in the market for quality furniture."

"We're all really excited about this association with Dave, The Mill,and all his employees," Gilbertson said. "We're going to do our best to get them all the exposure we can and make The Mill the No. 1 choice for So-Cal drag racing fans looking for furniture."

The Mill has locations in Pomona, Ontario, Whittier, Covina, Riverside, Torrance, Cerritos, and Van Nuys. For more information about The Mill, call 1-877-686-7000 or visit their website by clicking here.

2/12/04

Race against top NHRA drivers for charity: Fifty lucky race fans will get the rare opportunity to test their skills on the track with some of the top drivers on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series circuit, and at the same time, help raise funds for a charitable cause.

Infineon Raceway will host the second annual NHRA Tour de Charity on its 16-turn, three-quarter mile kart track from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, March 27. The first 50 fans who register will have a reserved seat in the action-packed day. Cost is $350 and includes a day of karting with some of the NHRA's top stars, autographs, lunch, and the chance to compete in a 10-lap timed race for a grand prize. All proceeds benefit Speedway Children's Charities, which serves needy youth organizations in Sonoma County.

Last year's event, which raised more than $11,000 for charity, featured top NHRA stars like Ron Capps, Gary Scelzi, Cruz Pedregon, Tony Pedregon, and David Baca. Scelzi, the 2003 NHRA Fram-Autolite Nationals champion at Infineon Raceway, is confirmed for the Tour de Charity, as is Baca. Other drivers will be announced shortly.

The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, which operates the karting center, will provide the karts, race suits, classroom instruction and on-track pointers for all competitors. Everyone will compete in 100cc sprint karts capable of top speeds of 70 mph.

There will be giveaways during the day, and the top 10 qualifiers from the fan pool will compete in a 10-lap timed race at the end of day for the "NHRA Experience." This package includes: two tickets to the NHRA Fram-Autolite Nationals (July 30-Aug. 1), a framed picture of your favorite NHRA driver, and a personal meet-and-greet with a top star on the NHRA circuit at the Fram-Autolite Nationals at Infineon Raceway.

The NHRA drivers will also compete in a 10-lap timed race at the end of the day for "King of the Track" bragging rights. To reserve your seat in the NHRA Tour de Charity, please call 800-870-RACE, or
e-mail shumphrey@infineonraceway.com.

2/12/04

Bendix expands sponsorship with Pedregon Racing: Honeywell's Bendix brakes has renewed its associate sponsorship with former Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon for the 2004 NHRA POWERade drag racing series season. The brand has also expanded its involvement with the team by becoming an associate sponsor on 2003 Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon's Quaker State Funny Car.

"Last year was a great season for Pedregon racing and we were thrilled to be a part of the team," said Tim Jones, Director of Marketing - Americas, Honeywell Friction Materials. "For 2004, we've expanded our partnership to include sponsorship for Cruz's brother Tony, and we are very excited. We know our customers are NHRA racing enthusiasts and this visibility and exposure is a great way for Bendix brakes to showcase its support." T

he Bendix brand will officially display its famous blue and white colors on the Advance Auto Parts Funny Car and the Quaker State Funny Car at the 2004 Winternationals.

"I'm very pleased that Honeywell's Bendix brand will be a part of our team again this season," Cruz said. "To have them expand their sponsorship with Tony's team is great. We had a great season last year with them on board and we plan to capitalize on that for 2004. They are a high-class company and I couldn't be happier to have their colors displayed on the Advance Auto Parts Funny Car."

Cruz is entering his third season as owner/driver and it's his first year with brother Tony as his teammate.

"I'm thrilled to have Bendix on board the Quaker State Funny Car," Tony said. "It's an innovative brand that has been around for almost 80 years and prides itself on making industry-wide improvements. I feel very fortunate to have their support."

2/12/04

Dixon featured on 'Season of Champions': Is it drive, ambition or the killer instinct that makes a great champion? Perhaps it's teamwork and strong leadership. Whatever the magic ingredient may be, fans can find out from the five current champions of the top racing series in North America by watching Season of Champions on the Speed Channel. The 30-minute special debuts at 6 p.m., Saturday.

Talking about what it takes to win a championship at the highest level of motorsports, Season of Champions will feature back-to-back Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon (pictured), NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth, Indy Racing League champion Scott Dixon, NASCAR Busch Series champion Brian Vickers, and three-time IHRA Top Fuel champion Clay Millican.

"Season of Champions does an excellent job of getting the stories from the best that motorsports has to offer giving our viewers an in-depth look at what it takes to be a champion," said Robert Ecker, Speed Channel VP of Programming.

Additional airdates and times in February are as follows: 12 p.m., Sunday; 9 p.m., Feb. 26; 7 p.m., Feb. 27; and 12 p.m., Feb. 29. All times listed are eastern.

2/12/04

Weis rolls out new pipe: Scott Weis' RaceGirl team will debut a new Top Fuel dragster at the K&N Winternationals in Pomona. The group is expecting big things after joining forces with John Mitchell Racing.

"We'll be sharing parts and crew members with John this year," Weis said. "Last year our biggest limitation was our chassis. We knew it mid-season but we didn't have the time or resources to bring the new car out. The technology development agreement with John Mitchell Racing will give our team more resources than ever before. I can't wait for Pomona."

2/12/04

Koretsky joins Morgan, will field NitroFish Stratus: Pro Stock driver Ken Koretsky has joined Larry Morgan's Pro Stock team and brings with him sponsorship from the NitroFish Wear apparel company. Koretsky, 45, will drive a Morgan-prepared, Hemi-powered Dodge Stratus at all 23 events in the 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

"I'm excited to be racing with Larry Morgan and to have NitroFish Wear as a sponsor," Koretsky said. "Larry's work ethic speaks for itself. He made tremendous progress with his Hemi engine program last season and with another winter of continued development I'm sure we will both be a factor in the points battle this season.

"I'm also very pleased to welcome NitroFish to our team. They have some of the most colorful and popular apparel in all of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing. My new NitroFish Stratus RT is the most beautiful race car I've ever owned. I can't wait to roll it out of the trailer in Pomona."

NitroFish Wear joins longtime Koretsky associates Mace Security, Cyclo Lubricants, Rain Dance, Rally Wax, Tanner Leather, and Bucks County Kawasaki.

2/11/04

Dixon, Pedregon on Cold Pizza: NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champions Larry Dixon and Tony Pedregon will be featured in-studio guests on ESPN2's popular morning show, Cold Pizza, on Friday, Feb. 13.

Dixon, winner of the last two NHRA POWERade Top Fuel crowns, earned eight victories aboard his Don Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster en route to the '03 title. This season Dixon is hoping to join five-time champ Joe Amato as the only Top Fuel drivers in the history of the sport to win three consecutive series championship titles.

Pedregon (pictured) claimed the '03 Funny Car championship with eight victories driving the John Force-owned Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang. Pedregon ended his association with Force Racing during the off-season to start his own Funny Car team, partnering with brother Cruz, the 1992 NHRA Funny Car champion, and primary sponsor Quaker State.

Cold Pizza, with co-hosts Jay Crawford and Kit Hoover, airs each weekday morning on ESPN2 from 7-9 a.m. (ET).

2/11/04

Line back in second KB Racing car: Evaluating the upcoming season, current Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson and his KB Racing team is stressing the importance of defending the Pro Stock title. To that end, the group will re-debut a second team car to be driven 1993 Stock champion Jason Line with sponsorship from KB Framers, which is owned and operated by team owner Ken Black's son Kenny.

Line has been a vital employee of KB Racing since joining the team in the spring of 2003, serving as the team's engine dynamometer specialist and primary tuner of Greg Anderson's championship-winning Vegas General Construction Pontiac Grand Am.

"This is what I live to do, not what I do for a living," said Line, who will continue to tune Greg's car. "I have the privilege of working with some of the best people in the racing business. My primary goal as both driver and tuner will be to help Greg and the team repeat as world champions. My car will serve as a research and development vehicle for Greg's racecar.

"We plan to experiment with a number of different set-ups and test some ideas. We're certain two cars will provide us with information that will enable us to raise our level of performance and hopefully repeat our success of last year."

The Line family has a dominant drag racing gene with the entire family, including Line's mother Maxine, all competing at one time or another in divisional and national events in Stock and Super Stock.

2/11/04

Time to party: Fans can prepare for the 44th annual K&N Filters Winternationals with a Kick-Off Party hosted by the Speedfreaks radio show from 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, at the Dave & Busters at Ontario Mills Mall.

Drivers scheduled to appear include 12-time champion John Force, three-time champion Darrell Alderman, current champion Greg Anderson, Cory McClenathan, Brady Kalivoda, Larry Morgan, Allen Johnson, Gary Densham, Eric Medlen, Jason Line, Terry Haddock, and Ashley Force.

For directions or additional information, call 909-987-1557.

2/11/04

Lee enters K&N Filters Winternationals: Funny Car racer Cory Lee has some unfinished business at Pomona Raceway. After nearly capturing the trophy at last year's Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Lee returns to the K&N Filters Winternationals with the unusual backing of the Pandemonium V Nostalgic Drag Racing Group and a coalition of DeTomaso Pantera enthusiasts.

Lee will be driving a Worsham Motorsports-prepared Firebird, the same car that posted a 4.82 E.T. at 321 mph run in November en route to a runner-up finish.

Although he doesn't have funding in place for the entire season, lee felt this event was just too important to miss. "I want to continue right where I left off at this track last year," said Lee, who will be tuned by Garry Kennedy. "I have something to prove. I plan on getting back to the final round. I can visualize how close I was to winning and I'll never forget that feeling.

"I can't say enough good things about Del and Chuck Worsham, their family, and entire organization. I wouldn't have this awesome opportunity if it weren't for them. I want to repay them for all the support they have given me over the years. Their faith in me has been inspirational."

Lee's hot rod will be dubbed "Pandemonium XIII," representing a continuation of the original Pandemonium V's DNA. Pandemonium V was a well-known, exhibition nitro-powered Hemi Barracuda campaigned by Bob and Shirley Sullivan in the mid-'60s. Now owned by the Pandemonium V Nostalgic Drag Racing Group of Albuquerque, N.M., the Pandemonium V Barracuda has undergone an authentic restoration and is headed for the nostalgic racing circuit. Greg Sullivan of the Pandemonium Group says they're sponsoring Lee to show their appreciation for his assistance with the restoration.

Additionally, a group of Pantera enthusiasts and organizations will help Lee's Winternational's bid. Included in the sponsorship group is: Pantera International Car Club; PI Motorsports, Inc., a Pantera restoration shop; and Pantera owners Bart Lowrey of golfliquidationbiz.com and Jeff Maxwell of Patterncut.com.

2/10/04

When 'the Snake' dreams: Four-time Funny Car champion Don "the Snake" Prudhomme is entering his 10th season as a team owner. While it's been awhile since Prudhomme has piloted a Funny Car or a dragster, it still creeps into his subconscious from time-to-time.

"Every so often I have dreams where I'm driving," Prudhomme said. "I used to dream about it a lot. I had one dream not long ago [where] I was driving a dragster. I was in the staging lanes and I was nervous about it. I was kind of nervous towards the end of my career before I quit. In the dream, I got that nervous feeling again and Larry [Dixon] was standing there and I said, 'You drive.' Then I woke up.

"So, the only time I really think about driving is in my dreams. I'm having the time of my life right now. I just really, really like what I'm doing and I wouldn't trade it for driving again. It's cool being an owner."

2/9/04

Mickey Winters passes away: Mickey Winters, long-time tuner, crew chief and well-known Texas drag racer, was found dead of an apparent heart attack at his home in Hurst, Texas, on Feb. 8. Winters, 65, had tuned for Top Fuel and alcohol Funny Car teams such as the Stidham Brothers, Frank Cook's Drag-On Vega, and the Bad Moon Rising Funny Car. He leaves a son, Cody, age 13. The funeral will be held Friday, Feb. 13. Arrangements are pending.

2/9/04

Baca named MSPA Drag Racer of the Year: As a result of the strong showing made during his rookie year on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, David Baca, partner and driver of the Henkelman & Baca American Racing Top Fuel Dragster, was named Drag Racer of the Year by the Motor Sport Press Association for 2003.

Baca, who finished No. 7 in the 2003 POWERade points and was runner-up for the NHRA Automobile Club of Southern California Rookie of the Year award, will receive his award at the MSPA's Green Flag Dinner on March 3, in Oakland, Calif.

Baca, a second-generation driver from Brentwood, Calif., will be the second member of the Baca family to receive this award. His father Dennis was recognized by the MSPA in the same category in 1972.

The Motor Sport Press Association is an organization comprised of professional motorsports and automotive journalists and photographers from Northern California, Nevada, Washington, Arizona, Indiana, and North Carolina. Members reach an audience of more than 55 million through newspapers, radio, television, magazines, specialty publications, and photography.

For more than 37 years the members of the MSPA have covered the world of wheels, reporting the excitement of racing and addressing the important issues of motorsports and the automotive industry.

The MSPA annually honors outstanding performances of motorsports athletes with its Racers of the Year, Gordon Martin award, and prestigious MSPA Hall of Fame inductions. Additionally, the John Ryan Journalism Awards are presented to members of the MSPA in several motorsport and automotive categories for outstanding achievement in journalism, photography, and electronic media as determined by a panel of distinguished motoring media experts.

2/3/04

Bazemore moves forward after first test: Whit Bazemore spent four productive days at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway completing an initial shakedown of a fresh engine combination and a new chassis on his Matco Tools Dodge Stratus Funny Car. The two-time U.S. Nationals champion made a number of short squirts and half-track passes the first two days before posting his best full pass of 4.861 at 318.62 mph on Saturday.

"We were testing a new engine combination we hadn't run before," said Bazemore, a runner-up to the2003 Funny Car championship. "We made a lot of progress. The track was outstanding and it was cold and it made for a lot of horsepower. Our new engine combination produces a lot of horsepower as it is, so we had to learn how to harness that and try to get the car down the track consistently.

"Testing is a learning process and we are discovering what this new combination requires. Plus the conditions in Las Vegas were exceptional. Historically, we've done the best in cool weather but I would call the conditions in Vegas cold.

"The objective for this coming weekend [at the test session in Phoenix] is to get a better handle on this tune-up and try to get the car to go down the track consistently. Once we have a car that goes down the racetrack without fail, it'll be really easy to make it competitive."

2/3/04

Tommy Johnson Jr.

Ron Capps

Skoal drivers optimistic following test: Ron Capps and Tommy Johnson Jr. spent Super Bowl weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to prepare for the 2004 NHRA season. For Capps, the session provided his first chance to work with new crew chief John Stewart, while T.J. and Co. worked on continuity.

"I've known John for a long time, so I knew it would be an easy transition for the team," Capps said. "He brings a lot to the table. It's real exciting because Todd (Okuhara) has been with me as long as I've driven a Funny Car. John and Todd will make things work very smoothly. It's very exciting for our Skoal Racing team."

Okuhara will return as assistant crew chief for Capps, while Mike Green and assistant Tommy DeLago are back to tune Johnson's blue Skoal Racing Funny Car.

"It's huge to have the entire team returning," Johnson said. "At the Las Vegas test, it was business as normal. It only took one or two runs for us to get back to our routine. Usually it takes a few weeks to get comfortable."

After changing the engine set-up on the Skoal Racing Funny Cars for the upcoming NHRA campaign, the strategy at the Las Vegas test was to get accustomed to the new engine combination and concentrate on posting some respectable short times.

"We changed from Brad Anderson to Alan Johnson cylinder heads," Johnson said. "It's a pretty big change from the way the head flows to small things like valve size. We've also changed to the set-back blower, which requires a new manifold and to move the blower back towards the driver. The set-back blower makes it easier to tune the car. It distributes air more evenly. It's a drastic change to the fuel system.

A winner at Phoenix last year, Capps was happy with the results following the team's first outing of the year.

"We're not just testing a couple things on the car," Capps said. "We've got the brand new Chevy Monte Carlo body coming soon, and a new engine and clutch combination. We concentrated on trying to get our short numbers together this past weekend. We made half-track numbers that were quicker than the 4.75 we ran at Joliet last season."

2/2/04

Award-winning actor R. Lee Ermey
Photo courtesy of HistoryChannel.com

Mail Call TV show to follow Army team: The popular cable television show Mail Call will be at Firebird International Raceway Feb. 9 to tape a feature segment on the United States Army Top Fuel drag racing team. The show, which airs Sunday evenings on The History Channel and is hosted by award-winning actor R. Lee Ermey, will be following the U.S. Army team as it concludes testing for the upcoming 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season.

Additional taping for the piece, which is scheduled to air in March, will be conducted at the season opener; the 44th annual K&N Filters Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 19-22.

Mail Call is one of the highest rated series on The History Channel, primarily focuses on military technology from the past, present and future. Ermey, a former Marine, is regarded as one of the most successful actors in film and television. He was a Golden Globe nominee for Best Supporting Actor in the movie Full Metal Jacket and had a featured role in the movie Apocalypse Now. Since, he has gone on to star or appear in approximately 60 films.

2/2/04

Dixon completes first test of 2004: Two-time defending NHRA POWERade Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon and the Don Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster team got a jump on their competition as they spent nine days testing at Houston Raceway Park.

After successfully defending his POWERade Top Fuel championship with an eight-win season and a 330-point margin of victory over second-place driver Doug Kalitta in 2003, Dixon, crew chief Dick LaHaie, and the veteran Miller Lite crew are aiming to equal history by becoming just the second Top Fuel team to earn three successive crowns.

"We had a lot of equipment to sort out in the clutch area, with the engine, cylinder heads, manifolds, superchargers, and ignition," Dixon said. "There were a lot of things we needed to get a head start on.

"I think the test was successful. It would have been nice if we made a couple of full passes. The track at Houston Raceway Park has a brand-new surface. We tried to run to a 1,000 foot pass and it spun the tires pretty good. All the test passes consisted of going to half-track. We didn't post any hero numbers, but what we accomplished was good."

The Miller Lite team will continue its preparation for the 2004 NHRA season at the National Time Trials, Feb. 7-8, at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Ariz.

"There are some other areas that we want to test," Dixon said. "We want to try some new parts. We just haven't got that far yet. The whole idea of preseason testing is to come up with a combination that you feel will give you a performance edge during the season. You keep searching until you get a tune-up you're comfortable with."

2/1/04

Brown enthused following test session: Antron Brown was extremely excited about arriving in Florida for his first Pro Stock Bike test session of 2004. "I couldn't wait for Mark (Peiser, his crew chief) to unload our brand new Suzuki," said the U.S. Army NHRA rider. I was pretty excited to see what we could do."

Brown totaled 13 runs over two days, recording a 7.09-second pass along the way. "That was real encouraging," said the New Jersey native, who finished sixth in the Pro Stock Bike standings a year ago. "Overall, the two days went very, very well. I'm extremely happy with the new bike. It responded to every change we threw at it. We're way ahead of where we were with last year's bike."

The likable rider compared his '03 bike to that of an old car with a plethora of rattling noises. "Let's say last year's bike was like a 1985 Mustang and this year's bike is like a 2004 Porsche 911 Twin Turbo," he said. "There's that much of a difference."

Peiser and Brown will be seeking more positive results when the entire U.S. Army Pro Stock Bike team convenes outside of New Orleans at the end of February for three more days of testing. Brown's teammate, Angelle Savoie, will participate.

"Antron had an awesome test in Florida and now we'll look to come back strong with Angelle at the end of next month," Peiser said. "I think we're all already looking forward to the first race."

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