I just wanted to take time and honor all of our fallen heroes and loved ones who either lost their lives or loved ones due to the attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and those aboard Flight 93 on that tragic day. I can’t believe it’s already been 8 years and yet it seems like it was just yesterday. I remember I was getting ready for another typical day of work doing the Chiropractor thing when the news broke in and described what had just happened. I was stunned! Then they announced that the FAA had shut down all U.S. airports for fear of continued attacks around the USA.

That really freaked me out because my daughter, who was in 3rd grade at the time, had just been dropped off to school in Midland, Texas, home of our then President, George W. Bush. I thought to myself there’s no way I am leaving my baby at school in the same town that might be blown up next. So my wife went to pick her up from school, and when they got home, all I wanted to do was hold my baby girl tight. I felt so vulnerable and helpless as to what we Americans had let this great country come to, yet it made me and probably all of us for that matter, appreciate every little freedom we have had living in this great country, the USA.

So as this day commemorates the “Day that changed America forever,” I ask each and everyone of you who read this blog to take time out of your day to honor all of those who have been effected by September 11, 2001. Say a prayer for their families as well as those injured who are still struggling to put their lives back together. I hope and pray that God continues to carry them through this day, knowing all is well!

Don’t forget to fly your flags too and if you see one of our Military personnel, take the initiative to stop and say thank you for all they have done and continue to do so that we may live in peace and freedom. Maybe even take the time to sing or listen to the song, GOD BLESS AMERICA! Until next time… AB out!

Well, I just returned from a weekend trip to Del Rio, Texas, with my family, including my dad and grandmother as well as my sisters and their kids. It was a blast down memory lane. My grandmother is 95 and definitely a trouper, as she hung in there with us every step of the way. She is definitely an inspiration to our entire family and many others she meets. The reason for the trip to Del Rio is that we used to live there when I was about 4. It's amazing that there were so many moments and places that I actually remembered.

We went by my dad’s auto repair shop and of course, I walk right in and begin to explain to the current owner why I was there taking pictures of the building outside. I even pointed out the old nail holes in the wall 10 feet above his head where my dad used to have his trophy shelf displaying more than 200 trophies. He just looked at me like I was crazy but that’s OK. After all I was only in town for a day or two and the memory moment was worth the looks I got.

Meanwhile, back at home, here we are right in the middle of 100-plus-degree days in West Texas and I am definitely already looking forward to the Fall weather. Not only has it been hot, we have also had an inordinate amount of rain this past month, so talk about some humidity issues. I feel like I am living in Houston! We even had high winds blow over one of my apricot trees in my backyard. I guess its not all bad though, because I get to pull out my chain saw again and go to town on the tree. The last time I pulled out the chainsaw was about two years ago when I cut down a Pecan tree that was growing out of control next to my house. It wasn’t really that big yet, but I was determined to be proactive rather than reactive. The funniest thing about the whole episode is that I had no idea it was Arbor Day and here I am cutting down a tree and jokingly yelling TIMBER!! I guess you had to be there to see the humor, but retrospectively it was quite ironic and humorous.

As far as racing goes, I have been doing some local Outlaw Top Sportsman and Quick 8 racing locally and having a blast. We have been in the hunt every race and recently had a runner–up finish. Last race we went out in the quarterfinals on an Auto-Start foul moment so we decided to have a grudge race with the team we fouled out against for bragging rights since we really didn’t get to race. Talk about crazy! We just wanted to race but the fans were “over the top” about the big grudge race. It was awesome to put on a show for the fans as the two of us took our blown alcohol doorslammers into the burnout box and lit em’ up to the 330 marks side by side!

My friend and team owner, Jeff Saldivar, said there were tons of people standing behind both cars on the starting line betting on the race. One guy actually bet 700 bucks on me to win. I am happy to report I helped make him some dough with a win. We ran a 4.74 while my opponent was plagued with traction woes. It was unreal. You would have thought it was the final round in Top Fuel at the World Finals in Pomona. So, now it’s on like Donkey Kong, so to speak. I am certain we have a rematch in the making. Thus, we are preparing for battle and look forward to this continuing, especially for the fans. I have a few tune-up tricks up my sleeve and expect the car to run even quicker. I did used to tune a blown alcohol dragster pretty good back in my Top Alcohol Dragster days, ya’ know. So I am really enjoying the driving and tuning of this beast. It reminds me of the good old days of 2001 and 2002.

Speaking of recognition, I want to congratulate my BME Boys for their recent semifinal finish. I know they work as hard as any other team out there and a finish like that is like a shot of energy and encouragement in the arm.

I also want to say kudos to my bud, Antron Brown, and his team for their domination this year in Top Fuel. I am ecstatic that he is on track to a potential Top Fuel Championship and I can’t think of a more deserving guy. After all, anyone with the initials AB is top shelf with me! And if it can’t be me, it should be the “other AB.” Ever time I see Antron I remind him I was the first AB in Top Fuel. We have fun with that but honestly, I am very happy for Team Matco and hope they carry the torch all the way to the end with a championship. It would be refreshing to see another team win a championship in Top Fuel and I am betting others would agree.

Closer to home, I have had a handful of opportunities present themselves but it seems the elusive “deal” has yet to materialize. The good news is that I am currently involved in the development of a new team which intends to debut a nitro coupe in the NHRA next year and that is definitely something I look forward to. I would love to pull up next to John Force, one of my all time favorites, and race him. Talk about a surreal moment!

During one of our earlier team meetings, I was asked if I had a Funny Car license and I couldn’t help but laugh a little bit because I hold a license in almost every class from Rotax go karts to IMCA open wheel Modifieds to NHRA Comp eliminator all the way to Top Fuel. I even hold current IHRA Top Fuel, Pro Mod, and Top Sportsman licenses. I assured them I was more than happy to add one more category to my license résumé, so to speak. So, hopefully this all comes to fruition as planned and I look forward to seeing all the teams and especially the race fans soon. Meanwhile, I am off to work now to fix a few bummed up backs and make the world a better place. Until then…AB out!

All that being said, I am happy to announce some good news, finally. It probably won’t be exactly what you are expecting but as Bill Miller says, “It is what it is!” I have come to the realization that there is life out there in the absence of Top Fuel racing, although I do miss it dearly. But on a positive note, I did have the pleasure of going to Vegas recently with my buddy, Matthew Brammer, president of Active Marketing in Phoenix, and attend some more “meetings” with potential sponsors looking at the NHRA as a venue to promote their company and increase their bottom line ultimately. They were impressed with the power of the fuel cars and even more impressed with the great access the fans have to the race teams and drivers as well as the point-of-sale opportunities they have on the Manufacturer’s Midway. So we will see where it goes from here.

While I was there, I had the chance to hang out with Antron Brown and talk to Mike Ashley about my plans. He brought up a valid point about my branding of myself, such as what my brand is specifically. His point was directed towards what I am selling myself as, a Top Fuel driver, a Top Alcohol driver, a Pro Mod driver, a jack of all trades, or what? It made me think, and then I realized sometimes if you represent yourself as a guy who will drive anything, you may have a very non-specific brand, which may be hard to sell. I have to admit, I left that conversation a bit stirred, but it hit me later what my brand really is. My brand is Excellence and that I will succeed at anything I set my mind to, whether it is a Top Fueler, a Pro Mod, or an open-wheel modified on dirt or being a good dad, husband, son, or friend. Oh yeah, doctor too. My life runs on Excellence and Winning. That, my friends is my brand! So Mr. Ashley, thanks for helping me remember my brand, never mind who it may confuse because of the many hats I choose to wear.

Speaking of Pro Mods, dirt cars, and dads, I had the honor of having a house full of family and friends this weekend to celebrate my daughter’s Sweet 16 birthday. Sure makes ya feel old when your baby turns 16. She has grown up and become a beautiful young lady inside and out. Her mom and I are very proud of who she has become. And yes, as I have said before, she is still the greatest accomplishment I have ever had in my lifetime! But, with turning 16, comes the infamous first day of driving without dad, which is today. I can see my hair turning grey before my very eyes. The good news is that we pray for her protection daily and trust God to always keep her safe just as we do when I am racing. It’s always good knowing God “has your back!”

As for racing, I am currently pursuing Top Fuel but have also decided to race within my means on a local level. Given the current economic climate, many people could learn from that idea too, by the way! This time, I have decided to do some dirt racing and sling it out sideways at 80-90 mph going in a circle. You can thank St. Louis 2008 for this idea. As you may recall, last year we had the “NHRA Stars on Dirt” race before the national event in St. Louis, and I had a blast, so I thought I would give it a try locally. So far, it’s been an experience just building it. I have worn the ink off the pages of the rulebook making sure I maximized every possibility and advantage I could without breaking the rules. It’s definitely overkill in most of my friends’ and competitors’ opinions, but it’s just the way I roll. We just finished the car and went to our first race two weekends ago, and we did average in my opinion. We just missed the setup and ended up in the middle of the pack when the checker flag dropped, but it sure beats dead last.

As if I didn’t have enough going on, just this past Thursday, I received a call from my good friends Jeff Saldivar and his wife, Casey, who recently purchased a ’66 Chevelle Pro Mod. He asked me to drive it because he had never driven anything at this level plus it was a brand new, never been run car built by Tad Froderman out of the Indy area. This car is immaculate front to back and definitely a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Good job, Tad! So anyway, it made good sense to make a few shakedown runs with someone who would feel more comfortable behind the wheel. You gotta respect a guy who is willing to hand over the reigns and swallow a little pride while knowing his limitations and I admire Jeff for that. We will get this car ironed out, and I will put him in it and mentor him so he can get some more enjoyment out of his investment.

I have to admit, I was all smiles when we cranked that bad boy up in the garage. It’s the first time I had ever had a blown alcohol engine in front of me in all my years of racing, and I was flat out digging this idea. We raced Saturday but ran into a typical first time out ignition gremlin that held our performance back, so we decided to regroup and make a battle plan for another day. We did manage to have a 1.23 60’ and a 6.0 early shut off e.t. to half-track. When I get done, this thing will be screaming I promise you. I sure hope Jeff is making lots of money this month because I’m sure gonna help him spend some. Sorry Jeff, don’t worry. We will leave ya enough for you to feed Casey and your three boys.

Last but not least, my marketing guru Mark Scheierman turns 40 in a couple of weeks, so anyone who knows him, be sure to send him black balloons, Geritol, Preparation H, and whatever else old people take. I wouldn’t know because I am still 39 and holdin, and holdin, and holdin, and lying too. Ha, ha. Anyway, happy birthday Mark and hang on because they “tell me” the birthdays just fly from here.

Until more late breaking and exciting news, AB out!

Well, here it is the end of January 2009 and the preseason testing is abuzz with who’s doing what with which team, as usual. Only this year proves to be a year not seen quite like this in some time and that’s not always a bad thing. As we all face unique times economically, it is interesting to see what develops out of the “woodworks” when your proverbial back is against the wall.

That being said, I am excited to see the number of new faces like European Top Fuel champ Andy Carter, Shawn Langdon, and Matt Hagan coming into the NHRA fuel ranks as well as some “veterans” like Steve Faria, whom I just read is planning to compete in Top Fuel to fulfill a lifelong dream before he “gets too old,” as he put it. Steve comes from the alcohol ranks and let’s not forget Spencer Massey, too. Hopefully my alky peers will do us proud in Top Fuel although we all know it’s much tougher in NHRA Top Fuel than it is in the alky ranks or the other sanctioning body.

When you look a little further, you will see other teams stepping up to the plate such as Joe Hartley and his dad, Allen . I think it’s really cool that Joe gets a shot at a full schedule and I am betting they will go rounds with the best of them and will surprise a few along the way. Speaking of surprises, don’t count out Bill Miller and the BME gang with Troy Buff at the wheel. They, too, have moments of grandeur that can spoil a party in a hurry. I would love to see guys like Buff and Hartley going to the later rounds.

Oh yeah, we can’t forget my friends Clay Millican and Steve Chrisman. They are always a ton of fun to race with no matter what! Then there is the B& J Transmissions entry of Mike Strasburg that will be out again this year. I used to race against Mike in the Alcohol Dragster ranks in Division 5 and actually won my first race in TAD against him at a points race at Denver back in 2001. It was a very special moment and his team was cool enough to bring us a celebratory Keystone Light beer on the top end to celebrate our win. What a class act!

I see David Baca will be back this year with Mach 1 Air Services and that is really good to see. Baca is a personal friend whom I believe the sport will benefit from his return. He adds so much healthy positive joy to the sport as compared to some of the “redundant” interview moments and personalities we’ve all been so acclimated to seeing.

So for the most part, the NHRA will gain a few characters back into their regular line-up as a few fall out. Even better is the fact that the “little guy” teams will have an opportunity to see Sunday morning from the burnout box and not the grandstands. I believe this year is their year because I can assure you they have all spent more money than Don Schumacher Racing over their racing lifetimes if you look at it from a percentage perspective. Because if they are anything like me, they spent every dime they could make, borrow or steal just to go drag racing. Well, maybe not the stealing part but you get my drift.

Don is a smart business man who loves the sport as much or more. He’s just one of the few that has chosen to race only when proper backing is afforded to him and you’ve got to agree that’s a smart decision unlike most of our decisions all of us adrenaline junkies have done year after year.

In looking at the entry lists so far, there is only one name missing that really bothers me and that person is -- you guessed it -- yours truly. I have been working feverishly to put corporate money together so I could return in 2009 but we all understand the challenges there. The great news is that I have a half dozen standing job offers within the fuel ranks, even from “the Don” himself. Of course, all driver deals are contingent on sponsor acquisition. After all, this isn’t football or baseball, right? So I am continuing to pursue every avenue for a return in 2009. As they all like to say, “It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings” and last I heard, there wasn’t any intro music playing!

I will keep you posted as things develop.

AB out!