Rocky Mountain Superchargers standout funny cars were sidelined by mechanical disasters at the Yellowstone Dragstrip in what was intended to be a real shootout for the fiberglass warriors.

Tony Arcuri's "Firefighter" team spent their race day looking for the source of a transmission leak that kept the pit mat well oiled and made it impossible to race the car. Reigning champion Tom Furches made a spectacular burnout, backed up his "Made in America" Firebird, staged just so, watched for the flash of amber and bang! sheared every bolt in the flywheel.

Wrenches flew, but neither car returned to the Montana track's quarter mile.

Better results awaited two Dakota drivers as the final came down to South Dakota's Todd Gossard in his "G spot" altered against North Dakota's Jon Kostelecky (shown) in a front engine dragster that he had brought out "to test." Well, test he did with a final round win, his first with the Superchargers.

Jon's next race will be with the Midwest Wild Bunch, his regular group, but after his performance in Montana you can bet the Rocky Mountain Superchargers will welcome him back any time.  (Dave Kommel photo)  [08/29/17]

Scott and Laura Gardner were long-time owners of the Cordova, IL, track. Scott was formerly president of IHRA and most recently president of Heartland Park Topeka.Gardner Race Track Consultants (GRTC) has reached an agreement with the Onawa Racing and Events Complex (OREC) Board of Directors to begin immediate representation and consulting services. OREC is in Onawa, IA, just off of Interstate 29 and is under construction as an IHRA eighth-mile dragstrip facility with an events center.

GRTC has developed a comprehensive plan to pump adrenaline into the partially completed facility in full anticipation of a complete racing schedule of events in 2018. Work includes management of the construction phases, including installation of the concrete walls, the final finish technique for the race track surface, guidance in the selection of timing and P.A. systems and much more. Long-time associate Dan Driscoll will lead on-site planning.

In addition, Scott and Laura Gardner will assist in public relations, fund raising, event development, marketing, scheduling, planning, rules, regulations, sponsorships and more.

“The long-term plan includes the completion of the facility for quarter-mile drag racing which is a strong goal of the Board of Directors,” said Scott Gardner. “This can be accomplished sooner than later with additional funding through the Become a Shareholder Program.”

Those interested in becoming a shareholder and advancing the goal of quarter-mile drag racing in western Iowa should visit the website www.onawaracing.com. Shareholder common stock is available in $1,000 increments per share and includes one vote for each share purchased.  [08/29/17]

All across the country, our hearts go out to everyone in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey. That is especially true for Houston native, Erica Enders, who will compete at this week’s U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

"My heart is broken," Enders said. "It's impossible to get your mind around this catastrophe. I watch the news and see so many areas I know and they are under 10 feet of water. Most of the people I grew up with around the Cypress area have gotten some level of flooding. It's going to take months

to recover.

"It's kind of spooky because 12 years ago this week Richie (Stevens, husband) escaped to Indy after Katrina wiped out his hometown (New Orleans). Now here we are heading back to Indy and my hometown is wiped out. I feel so helpless but we are definitely going to do all we can to raise awareness to help the people of Houston."

To that end, Enders and her sister Courtney Enders-Lambert are arranging a grassroots campaign to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey. They hope to be collecting donations and dry goods at the U.S. Nationals.

The Agent suggests you make a donation of money or blood to the Red Cross,  who are most experienced with dealing with natural disasters. Keep in mind that the residents and aid organizations will be dealing with this unimaginable problem for many months to come and will need continued donations. (Tim Marshall photo)  [08/29/17]

Mia Tedesco and Rey Drew raced to victory at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Ky., and the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Tedesco, Murrysville, Pa., scored her second win of the year having won earlier this month in Indianapolis, then covered the field this weekend in Bowling Green taking out Marty Thacker in the final of Top Alcohol Dragster. Tedesco qualified No. 1 and saved her best run of the day for the final posting a 5.359-second lap at 269.19 mph. Thacker, Robinson, Ill., qualified No. 4 and ran 5.40’s in rounds one and two to advance to the finals.

"It was kind of cool it was Marty because my first win in Alcohol came three years ago at this same event and Marty was our opponent then also," Tedesco said. "He's a good racer and we're 1-2 in the North Central Region points right now so I'm sure we'll be battling until the end."

Drew came from the bottom half of the Top Alcohol Funny Car field having qualified sixth, and took out class hitters Andy Bohl and Annie Whitely on his way to the final against Phil Esz. Drew left first and continued to pull away taking the win in 5.613 seconds at 256.84 mph to Esz’s pass of 5.694 at 252.99. The win was Drew’s first of the year.

Troy Galbraith continued his hot streak in Comp Eliminator posting his third win in the last four races. The Indianapolis racer drove his ’14 dragster to the win over Steve Ambrose, Woodhaven, Mich., who left early with a red-light foul start.

Philip Smida and JB Strassweg each grabbed their second North Central Division win of the year as Smida, Canfield, Ohio, knocked out Jeremy Jensen, Clarksville, Tenn., in Super Street and Strassweg, Evansville, Ind., ended Lynn Ellison’s day in the Spitzer Race Cars Top Dragster class. Jenson was out first on Smida but ran too quick as Smida posted a 10.908 on the 10.90 index while Strassweg left on Ellison and raced to a 6.282, 204.91 mph win.

Ellison’s daughter Madison, Central City, Ky., worked her way through the Super Comp class then met up with Tyler Bohannon, Louisville, Ky., in the final. Bohannon got the holeshot and held on for the win at 8.925 to the quicker Ellison at 8.909.

In Saturday’s racing action, TC Morris took home the NHRA Moser Sportsman Shootout trophy with a final round win over Devin Isenhower. Morris of New Haven, Ky., wheeled his ’04 GTO to a lap of 6.897 seconds on the eighth-mile to knock out Isenhower, Lebanon, Ind., and his 6.952 in his ’67 Camaro.

SUPER STOCK: Tyler Caheely, Rock Springs, Ga., '00 Chevy S10, SS/TB, 9.247, 137.71 def. Jeff Colvert, Arkadelphia, Ark., '88 Mustang, GT/D, 9.018, 139.80.

STOCK ELIMINATOR: Gene Monahan, Brockton, Mass., '89 Formula, K/SA, 12.097, 102.66 def. Joseph Martens, N. Olmsted, Ohio, '69 Camaro, B/S, 10.372, 129.38.

SUPER GAS: Rusty Cook, Cynthiana, Ky., '99 Worthy, 9.954, 151.66 def. Ryan Bolin, Wilmington, Ill., '93 Mustang, 9.939, 140.94.

TOP SPORTSMAN: Jimmy Fallon, Trenton, Ohio, '63 Corvette, 7.072, 193.71 def. Kynon Dinkel, Terre Haute, Ind., '04 Cavalier, 6.907, 202.79.

NHRA North Central Division racers head to Lucas Oil Raceway for the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals this week, August 30-Sept. 4 where they will meet up with the drivers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  [08/29/17]