CHANGES COMING FOR DRO

For several months our Art Director has been working on a re-do of the magazine to make it easier to read on phones, tablets, etc. We are aiming for the changeover this weekend. As you know, things don’t always go as planned and sometimes a bit of adjusting is needed to get the tune-up right.

 

We want to warn our faithful readers that there may (or may not) be a new version of DRO uploaded over the weekend. So, if the DRO magazine is missing for a couple of hours or more, don’t be alarmed. The old magazine may be unavailable for a short time to undergo an archival process but will be back eventually.

 

Keep your fingers crossed and we’ll see you on Monday. (And, no, this isn’t an April Fools joke.) [03/31/17]

RICKIE SMITH OUT OF ADRL 2017 OPENER; SON MATT TO DRIVE

With the opening event of the 2017 ADRL season just a week away, Rickie Smith told the Agent that he won't be driving his nitrous oxide-injected 2017 Camaro because he finally has had to have surgery on his back.

 

Smith said that there would still be a two-car Rickie Smith entry at the event with son Matt Smith driving his dad’s Pro Mod car and former NHRA competitor Johnny Gray driving a Pro Stock for Smith’s team.

 

Rickie plans to return to the driver’s seat in June. [03/31/17]

DRUMS BRANCACCIO MEMORIAL FUND TO BENEFIT DRAW THIS SEASON

Dustin Jackson of Floresville, Texas, set a new National Hot Rod Diesel Association Pro Street E.T World Record at the Desert Diesel Nationals presented by Strictly Diesel on Saturday, March 25.  Jackson set the record in qualifying at 8.421 seconds and then backed it up in the finals with an 8.492. [03/31/17]

AUSTIN NAMES COTTRELL TO REPLACE KRABILL AS AA/FC DRIVER

Revealed in a Tuesday night NitroReports.com interview, Bucky Austin, co-owner of the Austin & O’Brien “Northwest Hitter” nitro funny car, announced his choice of A/Fuel and 7.0 Pro owner/driver Bobby Cottrell to pilot the team’s ’69 Camaro funny car for the remainder of the season.

 

Pat Austin, Bucky’s cousin, made the recommendation having raced against Cottrell with their A/Fuel dragster. Bucky Austin said of his pick, “He’s a young gun. Bobby is a fabricator and mechanic, so that will help us on the crew and he’s driven numerous front-motored cars, he can turn the steering wheel.”

 

Cottrell, who owns a performance and fabrication shop in Whittier, CA, will test in the funny car prior to his Firebird Raceway Ignitor event debut on May 5-7.

 

“I want to thank Bucky Austin and Mike O’Brien for the opportunity they have given me to drive their nitro funny car this season,” Cottrell said. “I am ready to work hard and learn from one of the baddest teams around, I’ve got very big shoes to fill.” (Darr Hawthorne photo) [03/31/17]

PHARRIS WINS RADIAL VS. THE WORLD

Daniel Pharris from Sikeston, MO, was THE MAN in Radial Vs. the World at the Outlaw Street Car Reunion IV event at Memphis. Low qualifier with a 3.799 ET, he won the race defeating Barry Mitchell in the final round with this beautiful 2016 Corvette. We’ll have the complete race report next week in DRO. (Tom McCarthy photo) [03/31/17]

VOLUME XIX,  NUMBER 3 - March  2017

PATTERSON ELITE SPONSORS DIV. 5 TOP QUALIFIER AWARD

The NHRA’s West Central Division has welcomed Patterson Elite Performance as the title sponsor to the NHRA West Central Top Qualifier Bonus Award. The Patterson Elite Performance Top Qualifier Bonus is awarded to racers who earn the #1 qualifier position in Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, and Stock categories at the NHRA West Central Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events.

 

In early 2016, Patterson Racing merged with another giant in the drag racing world, Elite Motorsports, to form the powerhouse combination of racing talent at Patterson Elite Performance based in Augusta, KS.

 

The NHRA West Central Division’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series kicks off June 2-4 at SRCA Dragstrip in Great Bend, Kan. [03/31/17]

JASON LINE APPEARS IN NEW DENSO SPARK PLUG COMMERCIAL

When the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Nationals kick off in Las Vegas, the excitement will include the TV commercial debut of Pro Stock World Champion Jason Line championing DENSO Iridium spark plugs.

 

Line recounts a career first in DENSO’s new 30-second ad that airs Friday on Fox Sports 1 and runs throughout the weekend. The Pro Stock champ raced the entire 2016 entire season without a single spark plug failure after switching to DENSO Iridium spark plugs. (Chris Haverly photo) [03/31/17]

EAGLE FIELD RUNWAY DRAGS SET REUNION FOR MAY 19-21

Jumpin’ Earl gives racers the green flag at last year’s Reunion. (Jamie Shores-Fraijo photo)

 

The 8th annual Fresno Dragway Reunion will be presented May 19-21 at Eagle Field Runway Drags in Firebaugh, CA.

 

On Friday night the Azevedo Brothers’ Slam-Fest features door cars grudge racing in preparation for Sunday’s Door Car Quick 8 Shootout. The classes range from a 10.5, no power-adder class to the Unlimited class.

 

Saturday features nostalgia fuel dragsters along with General Jerry Lee and his wheelstanding trucks, Jeff Atamian’s “Beast” jet dragster, a match race between the Famoso Mob’s “Revelation” dragster with Stormy Byrd behind the wheel and Lee Phillips in the “Evil Twin.” In addition, there will be stockers, gassers, hot rods, muscle cars and many vehicles you won’t see race anywhere else in California.

 

There will also be a swap meet and Show and Shine for 1974 and earlier vehicles. [03/31/17]

IRWINDALE ADDS FRIDAY DRAGS STARTING APRIL 14

Starting Friday night, April 14, Irwindale Dragstrip will add a second full night of weekly NHRA Street Legal Drag Racing.

 

The additional night will be aimed at accommodating drivers and fans who have a bit of a hard time getting out to Irwindale on Thursday nights because of work or school and/or the people who find that only one night of drag racing fun and excitement per week is just not quite enough.

 

The eighth-mile Irwindale facility is the only weekly NHRA Street Legal Drag Strip currently operating in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and Ventura Counties.  [03/31/17]

GATEWAY GEARS UP FOR ST. LOUIS NOSTALGIA RENDEZVOUS IN MAY

Early track starter, Jim Lockeby (age 84), was on hand at last year’s St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous and brought his uniform shirt and flags to start the Gassers. (John Bisci photo)

 

Gateway Motorsports Park just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis, presents the annual St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous on May 12-13. The St. Louis Nostalgia Rendezvous is a high-octane blast from the past, featuring nostalgia drag racing, rockabilly bands and DJs, a '69-and-older traditional car show, pin-up girl contest, vendor midway and vintage swap meet.

 

Drag racing will take place on Friday and Saturday. Midway entertainment -- car show, bands, DJs, pin-up girl contest -- will take place on Saturday.

 

All-nostalgia drag racing including:

 

Nostalgia Gassers Racing Association (NGRA) -- www.nostalgiagassers.com

 

Nostalgia Drag Racing League (NDRL) season kick-off -- www.NostalgiaDrag.com

 

Victory Nostalgia Super Stocks (VSS) -- www.victorynss.com.

 

Nostalgia racing clubs and more feature racing groups to be added.

 

Bracket racing for 1979 and older vehicles only.

 

Music:

 

The Suicide Shifters -- Amped, upright rockabilly ruckus from Illinois.

 

Vegas headliners Danny Dean & The Homewreckers.

 

Rockabilly DJ Col. Paco Chaos from WRFL-FM 88.1 in Lexington, Kentucky. [03/31/17]

AMAZING GATORS PERFORMANCE FOR GLADSTONE, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

Rider Joey Gladstone and bike owner/tuner Joe Riccardi planned on shaking out the bugs and getting in some competitive testing before the 2017 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle season kicked off in Gainesville. Instead, Gladstone himself was nearly shook off the bike when the San Marino Excavating Suzuki went into a 1,000-foot long, slow but violent wobble that broke and shed parts along South Georgia Motorsports Park’s quarter mile.

 

An overnight drive and thrash at Georgia chassis-master Walt Timblin’s shop put the bike back together again, but after three days of testing (one rained out, one nearly crashed out, and the other too cold to be productive), the team arrived in Florida with no new knowledge to show for their efforts.

 

So, it was shocking even to them when they finished qualifying third in the order of a very competitive field at the Gatornationals, and then absolutely mind-blowing when Gladstone raced the bike into the semifinals. [03/31/17]

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