Tucson Dragway Reunion held this weekend

“Attention in the pits, attention in the pits!” Legendary announcer Jon “Thunder Lungs” Lundberg called the cars to cackle action.  (Brad Baker photo)

 

The weather in the western U.S. is fine and the Tucson Dragway Reunion started the weekend’s festivities on Thursday night with a cacklefest and introduction of Steve Gibbs as the Grand Marshal.

 

The Reunion continues Friday evening and all day Saturday with the Western Fuel Altereds making runs at 6 p.m.  [05/05/17]

May Madness at Milan Dragway moved to Sunday

With low temperatures and rain forecast for Saturday, Milan Dragway has moved the May Madness to Sunday, May 7. Two shootouts will be held.

 

The Street Car Shootout (without the cruise) and the Extreme 28 Shootout will run. Gates open at 10 a.m. and racing starts at noon. [05/05/17]

Cottrell makes competition debut at Ignitor

Newly licensed funny car driver Bobby Cottrell headed to Idaho for his competition debut in the Austin & O’Brien “Northwest Hitter” ’69 Camaro. After five passes last weekend at Auto Club Famoso Raceway testing, Cottrell earned his license running 5.97/172 mph to 1,000 feet and a final early shut off 5.83/223 run on Sunday morning.

 

After his final run, Cottrell said of the experience, “This is a lot better than my 7.0 Pro car. Oh man, that’s a ride and not for the faint of heart, (laughing) yeah, I think I want to be a funny car driver!”

Cottrell, featured in this month’s DRO Getting Nostalgic column, made a Thursday afternoon test run for this weekend’s 49th Annual Firebird Raceway Ignitor. He ran a soft 6.01/218.15 against Michael Peck, driving Don Nelson’s “California Hustler” Firebird, who ran 5.90/232.31.

 

This will be a tough nitro funny car field for the second stop of the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series during the Stinker Stores Nitro Knockout for AA/Funny Cars, along with nearly 400 racers anticipated for the opening stop in the Division 6 Lucas Oil Drag Race Series.

 

In addition to Cottrell, racers pre-entered into this year’s opener are: March Meet winner Ryan Hodgson in the “Pacemaker” Camaro, three-time Heritage Series Champion Jason Rupert’s “Rolling Thunder” Camaro, the “Patriot” Camaro of Dan Horan Jr., Michael Peck in the “California Hustler”, Cameron Ferre driving Tim Boychuk’s “Happy Hour” Camaro, Marc Meadors in his “Fuel Curve” Camaro, Wally Giavia’s “G-Men” Dodge, newcomer Bill Windham in his “Shakedown” Camaro, Chris Davis’ “Old School Nitro” Arrow, and Jon Rice in his “Nitro Spud” Corvette.  (Darr Hawthorne photos) [05/05/17]

 

VOLUME XIX,  NUMBER 4 - April  2017

400 Thunder runs at Sydney Dragway

Racers had an almost brand new racing surface, manicured and prepared over the last week by the Sydney Dragway track crew for this week’s Nitro Thunder. More than 20 drivers turned in their personal best performances of the course of Day 1.

 

The major highlight in Top Fuel was the very first run when reigning 400 Thunder champion Damien Harris (shown) ran 4.58 seconds at over 512 kph (318 mph), the quickest time seen at Sydney Dragway in several years. American Dom Lagana ran to an early shut-off 4.83.

 

Former NHRA Top Fuel champ returned to Australia with a planned half-track shut-off run.

 

The penultimate event of the 400 Thunder Series season features Top Fuel, Pro Alcohol, Top Bike, and Pro Stock along with the Sportsman Series classes.  (Grant Stephens/Cackling Pipes) [05/05/17]

Dobbins wins Thursday at Spring Fling

Thursday at the K&N Spring Fling at GALOT Motorsports Park was interrupted for a short time by rain during the quarterfinals, but the track crew got to work and racing resumed.

 

In the semifinal rounds Jeff Dobbins took the win over Jimmy DiCiacco and Brandon Collins defeated Tim Butler.

 

The reaction times were only .001 apart in the final, but Dobbins took the win along with $20,000.

 

Spring Fling co-promoters Peter Biondo and Kyle Seipel have upped the purse for Friday with $50,000 going to the winner. [05/05/17]

Lucas Oil Drag Boat series to premier on MAVTV

That’s Mike Robbins (near) and Bryan Sanders in Top Fuel Hydro action early this month at Parker, AZ.  (Tim Marshall photo)

 

The Lucas Oil Drag Boats series will return to MAVTV on Sunday, May 14, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The television channel will present 18 weeks of Sunday coverage this year between May 14 and December 24. Nitro methane and over 250 mph on water! [05/05/17]

Three named to SEMA Hall of Fame

Gigi Carleton, Doug Evans, and Barry Meguiar will be inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame during the SEMA Installation Gala on Friday, July 28, at the Sheraton Fairplex Conference Center in Pomona, CA.

 

Ms. Carleton worked side-by-side with Robert E. Petersen and his wife as they created the Petersen publishing empire. Today she serves as the president of the Robert E. Petersen Foundation.

 

Evans spent more than 30 years as a senior executive at various publishing houses. He currently is the SEMA Chairman of the Board.

 

Meguiar is the president of the car care company that was founded by his grandfather in 1901. In addition to being one of the earliest exhibitors of the SEMA Show, Meguiar hosts “Car Crazy” TV. [05/05/17]

Farewell, faithful companions

It’s been a tough few months here at DRO headquarters.

 

After celebrating her 15th birthday last Christmas, our Labrador retriever, Shadow, really started feeling her age. When she could no longer stand up without help, we made the decision to end her suffering.

 

Incredibly, just three week later Lumpy, the Brittany spaniel, was diagnosed with cancer. With medication for a month he had good days and bad, but after two days of not eating, we knew the time had come to say goodbye.

 

We know the ache in our hearts will diminish and, when we are ready, we will bring a couple of new dogs to the office. But for now … damn, it’s quiet around here. [05/05/17]

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It’s been a tough few months here at DRO headquarters.

 

After celebrating her 15th birthday last Christmas, our Labrador retriever, Shadow, really started feeling her age. When she could no longer stand up without help, we made the decision to end her suffering.

 

Incredibly, just three week later Lumpy, the Brittany spaniel, was diagnosed with cancer. With medication for a month he had good days and bad, but after two days of not eating, we knew the time had come to say goodbye.

 

We know the ache in our hearts will diminish and, when we are ready, we will bring a couple of new dogs to the office. But for now … damn, it’s quiet around here. [05/05/17]

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