We’re happy to report that our webmonkey is home from the hospital and ready to go back to work (at a somewhat slower pace as he continues to recover). Here is a photo of his best friend, Bentley, visiting him in the hospital. They both felt better afterwards. Thanks for your concern and best wishes!   [10/08/19]

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Matt Smith’s DENSO-sponsored Pro Stock Motorcycle will sport a pink wrap beginning this week and throughout the month. DENSO also sponsors Smith’s wife, Angie, in the category.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international campaign to educate people about the disease and raise money for research, prevention and treatment leading to a cure. In the U.S. alone, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In 2019, nearly 42,000 women are expected to die from breast cancer. Although the disease is far more pervasive among women, approximately 500 men also will die from breast cancer this year. For more information please go to the American Cancer Society. [10/08/19]

Todd Martin, who co-owns the Tulsa track with MWPMS owner and competitor Keith Haney, is fourth in the series points.  (R. Curtis photo)

The all-eighth-mile Summit Racing Equipment Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS) will wrap up its official 2019 season Oct. 11-12, with champions crowned during the fall version of the twice-a-year Throwdown at T-Town at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park.

"In addition to the Mid-West Pro Mod Series World Finals, which also includes X275 Drag Radial and Top Sportsman and Top Dragster championship finals, the Throwdown this fall also features a brand-new V-Rod Motorcycle class, Pro Street, Outlaw Gassers, Jr. Dragster Pro1 and Jr. Pro2, plus for this race Super Pro, 6.0 Index and Foot Brake classes," TRP track manager and MWPMS race director Jimmy Boles explained. "And thanks to Osage Casino all spectators get free admission to qualifying and race day.”

A special Pro Mod bonus event will cap the MWPMS schedule one week later (Oct. 16-19), as 20 invitation-only racers will compete to break into a 16-car qualified field for a first-of-its-kind, eighth-mile exhibition race held within the NHRA national event at the Texas Motorplex, near Dallas. [10/08/19]

Two-time former Rockingham Dragway track champion Lee Desist (shown) forced Kyle Cultrera into a breakout foul in Sunday’s final round and snatched up the final $20,000 share of the Top Eliminator purse paid out in the track’s annual Twin 20s bracket championships.

On Saturday, Corey Manuel’s final round reaction time was the difference in what otherwise would have been a dead heat as he got the first 20 grand.  Manuel and Brandon Lane both were .013 of a second off their respective targets, but Manuel’s .014 to .029 advantage at the starting line earned him the big money.

Desist, the track champ in 2014 and 2015, had a .001 reaction time in the final round, leaving Cultrera, a touring bracket star and former Northeast Division Champion from Eliot, Maine, with a very narrow window of opportunity. His 4.455 second eighth-mile time was too quick by .005.

Veteran bracket racer Willie Buie used a .004 final round package to turn back M.A. Pennington in Sunday’s Footbrake final after Shane Thiele used a .013 reaction time to get his 2019 COPO Camaro to the finish line just ahead of Chris Plott on Saturday.

Sunday’s Jr. Dragster title went to Bladen Clint Core who got a free pass when Lauren Hudson was guilty of a final round foul start. Camdyn Smith beat Gavin Whisnant in Saturday’s final.  [10/08/19]

Ben Patterson (right) with Tim Adams.

Australian Top Fuel crew member Ben Patterson has signed up to be part of the PremiAir Hire Racing team. Ben has just returned home to Australia from Finland following a full season as co-crew chief for Anita Makela’s Top Fuel program which resulted in an FIA European Top Fuel Championship.

Ben has previously spent large amounts of the Australian winter for the past ten years in the U.S. with Torrence Racing, Lagana Racing and Scott Palmer Racing. He was also part of former Australian Top Fuel Champion Darren Morgan’s 2008/09 season where he worked alongside PremiAir Hire Racing team manager, Tim Adams. He will be part of the team until next May, when he will return to Finland.

After some pre-season testing, the team will compete in a brand-new Top Fueler at the 2019/20 season opener at Sydney Raceway in November.   [10/08/19]

The lightweight Scirocco Style Radiators from C&R Racing bolt into the industry standard location and feature totally universal inlet and outlet. Module Drag Universal Scirocco Style built for the Meziere Electric Water Pump (pump not included) W/Spal 12 in Fan and Shroud 22” x 13” Open System One Row 42mm Double Pass -20 Bung for inlet (Please specify universal inlet fitting size). They are available with or without Meziere or Stewart electric pump mounted to the radiator. Use in a front engine doorslammer, Pro Stock, Super Gas, etc. or a rear engine dragster.   [10/08/19]