Doug Foley

Top Fuel driver Doug Foley and co-team owner Tim Lewis will return to action Aug. 20-23 at the 25th annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Reading.

The team last competed in September 2008 at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway near Charlotte, where they qualified for the inaugural race and posted top speed of eliminations.

Due to financial considerations brought on by the recession, Foley parked his competitive dragster after that event to focus on his primary business, Doug Foley’s Drag Racing School. Prior to the pullback, Foley was a regular winner on race day, with the media dubbing him "Giant Killer" for his numerous victories against top-ranked drivers.

"We hope to come out and race hard," Foley said. "We definitely want to return full time, but we have to be sensible about the economics of running a championship-caliber race team. Our search for a corporate sponsor is never-ending, and we hope a nice showing in Reading will raise our profile a little and remind everyone we're still around."

For the Reading race, Foley will receive primary support from The Cancer Foundation DAM, which will make its worldwide debut at the event. The foundation is named in memory of Denise Ann Magliocco, a 56-year-old wife, mother, and grandmother who passed away Feb. 14, 2009, after a long battle with ovarian cancer. The primary purpose of the foundation is to give newly diagnosed cancer patients complete awareness of the many treatments and options available to effectively treat ovarian cancer.

Magliocco's husband and business partner of four decades, Al Magliocco Sr., started the foundation after her death. The Cancer Foundation DAM is awaiting official approval for 501(c) status.

Al chose an NHRA race to launch the foundation due to his dedication to motorsports. The Maglioccos started Fonse Performance in Erial, N.J., in 1970, and have been building high-performance motors for drag racers and the marine industry ever since. They campaign a car that Al Magliocco Jr. drives in the Northeast Division. The Maglioccos have been NHRA members for many years and formed a working relationship with Foley and Lewis Racing in 2005.

The Maglioccos are building a Web site, www.damcancer.com, which will provide cancer patients and their families the opportunity to ask questions about the disease and discuss alternative treatment.

"We're honored to represent this noble cause and could not have picked a better partner for our first race of the year," Lewis said.

The team is also receiving support from Worth & Co., REIT-M&H Services, Brandywine Realty Trust, Valvoline, Pyroil, Goodson, ARP, Impact, Goodridge, Autolite, Ross Racing Pistons, GRP Connecting Rods, and Victory Valves.