VOLUME XX,  NUMBER 3 - MARCH,  2018

Pedregon encouraged by new tuner and personal best speed

Cruz Pedregon and team have the Snap-on Toyota tuned and ready for Gainesville. “We’re planning on a good string of runs like we’ve had at the Gatornationals as number-one qualifier four years in a row,” Cruz says. “It felt great to have a career best 333 mph in Phoenix. Hitting the top speed of the meet has gotten us fired up for the weekend ahead.”

 

His new crew chief Aaron Brooks says, "It’s satisfying to see the work we’re doing paying off in big speed and helping us go rounds. The Snap-on Funny Car does well in warmer temps, so we’re looking forward to more good numbers this weekend."  (Ron Lewis photo) [03/13/18]

Melanie Salemi to run entire NHRA Pro Mod season

Melanie Salemi finished third in the PDRA Pro Boost class for the second consecutive time last season. This year she will compete in her “Purple Reign” 1968 Firebird on the entire NHRA Pro Mod schedule, giving returning sponsor Strange Engineering direct feedback on their products.   [03/13/18]

Summit hosts mammoth Auto-Rama in Cleveland

The 52nd annual Summit Racing Equipment I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama rolls into the I-X Center March 16-18 and goes bumper to bumper with the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame Inductions. If a piston makes it go, it’s in this show and this year’s show offers more than one million square feet of show floor filled with custom cars, motorcycles, hot rods, boats, aircraft, antique tractors, monster trucks, military vehicles and historical construction equipment. Plus, the debut of Cleveland’s largest piston-powered vehicle, the Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighter built in 1953.

 

This year’s theme, “The Auto-Rama Rolls then Cleveland Rocks” is brought to life during the 2018 Piston Powered Auto-Rama when doors open on Friday, March 16th. More than 1,000 vehicles will be showcased over three areas of the I-X Center including the Main Floor featuring the Thunder Row and the Hot Rod Asylum, the South “Rock & Roll” Hall rockin’ with music from WIXY1260 Online and home of Cleveland Soap Box Derby and the Concourse hosted by Northern Ohio Car Club as well as car clubs from Canada. Each vehicle will compete for the “Pot of Gold” of $10,017, the largest ISCA cash award in the country and one lucky winner will roll out of the show as the 2018 Summit Gold Cup champion.   [03/13/18]

Oehler and Clontz will race the entire NHRA season

Two-time American Motorcycle Racing Association (AMRA) Pro Modified champion Flyin’ Ryan Oehler (shown) tested the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle (PSM) waters last year and found the temperature just right for a full assault on this season’s Road to the Future award—the National Hot Rod Association’s version of Rookie of the Year.

 

Oehler entered George Bryce’s racing school in 2013 and was a finalist in the Star Racing Challenge in 2015, which is where he got his first taste of riding a Pro Stock Motorcycle.

 

That’s also where he met fellow Road to the Future candidate Kelly Clontz. “Kelly was at the Challenge, and we’re friends but I think there’s a natural rivalry there,” Ryan said. Oehler’s team -- like Clontz’s -- is mostly a family operation, with Ryan partnering with his dad. Another natural aspect to the rivalry is the equipment—Clontz on a Suzuki and lifelong Harley racer Oehler on a Buell V-Twin. “She’s tough, I like her.”

 

Oehler outpaced Clontz in the Challenge, but Kelly was one up on Ryan at last year’s one-off, non-NHRA PSM race at Capitol Raceway in Maryland. “She busted into the 6.80s there and I just missed it with a low 6.90. I gave her a round of applause but did have to walk away with my tail between my legs—and some broken parts.”

 

Now both riders plan a full year of NHRA Mello Yello racing, which was a scheduling headache for Oehler. “I’m getting married this year!” said Ryan, whose fiancée, Laura Griffin, is also his team’s graphic designer, photographer, videographer, social media manager, and his secretary at work. “I’ve avoided all the precious dates (NHRA weekends) with our wedding planning, so we’re getting married in July and I’ll be getting back from our honeymoon just in time for the Denver race.”  (Tim Hailey photo)   [03/13/18]

NHRA issues new penalties for centerline violations

The NHRA has notified drivers of a rule change regarding centerline crossing and/or the striking of timing blocks. In addition to the current centerline policy of disqualifying runs/times, additional penalties of a rule change regarding centerline crossing and/or the striking of timing blocks will be imposed on drivers crossing the centerline or striking the timing blocks during any qualifying or elimination round.

 

The following penalties apply to all drivers in every NHRA category contested at each NHRA National Event:

 

First Violation of the season will result in loss of five (5) NHRA series points.

Second Violation of the season will result in loss of ten (10) NHRA series points.

All Subsequent Violations of the season will result in loss of fifteen (15) NHRA series points per violation.

 

This policy encompasses the distance from the starting line to the quarter-mile finish line at 1,320 feet. Top Fuel and Funny Car drivers crossing the centerline after the 1,000-foot finish line but before the 1,320-foot finish line WILL be subject to the points penalty. However, they will not be subject to the standard disqualification/loss of elapsed time policy for this specific violation. In the case of an oil-down plus a centerline / timing block violation in the same run, the oil-down points policy (and DQ of the run) will apply. It will not result in a double points penalty. Crossing the centerline on a burnout is not considered a violation.   [03/13/18]

Outlaw Nitro 6.0 Shootout added to Tucson event

At the upcoming Good Vibration Motorsports-sponsored United Nitro Funny Car Championship Series event at Tucson Dragway during the Tucson Dragway Reunion April 13-14, the UNFC has just added more nitro to the event. The Outlaw Nitro 6.0 Shootout will be based upon an Index and open to all nitro fueled drag racers: AA/Fuel Altereds, AA/Funny Cars, both Front & Rear Motored Fuel Dragsters and Nitro Harleys.

 

On Saturday, April 14, the quickest eight winning race cars from a first round Qualifier will be paired for a second and final Qualifier round with the two quickest winners in a final round runoff for the bucks. The payout is $5,000 to win, $2,000 to runner-up, and $500 each to the six remaining competitors.

 

Racers must pre-enter by midnight on April 9, 2018 to receive Free Entry for car and driver. After April 9th the entry will be $125 for car and driver. NHRA safety rules apply, but the only rule is your race vehicle must run on Nitro and no quicker than an Index of 6.0 elapsed time. For pre-entry information contact Darr Hawthorne at info@nitroreports.com.    [03/13/18]

7-Eleven and Oberto sponsor Dunn Racing at Gatornationals

Two days after the NHRA Winternationals, Funny Car driver, Jim Campbell, and Jim Dunn Racing team manager, Jon Dunn, took the 7-Eleven/Oberto Beef Jerky Funny Car to the 7-Eleven North America franchisee convention.

 

This week’s Gatornationals will be the first of multiple primary sponsored races for 7-Eleven and Oberto Beef Jerky with Jim Dunn Racing this season. Campbell found himself signing autographs among other notable celebrities including Gene Simmons from KISS (shown), Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, former baseball slugger Jason Giambi, and IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan.   [03/13/18]

New Product of the Day

 

Sportsman S/R Skinny Front Radial Tire from Mickey Thompson

Drivers of high-horsepower late-model street cars can have a true drag race look and performance with the recently expanded Sportsman S/R front radial tire line from Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels. The skinny front tire solution for today’s heavy muscle cars, the Sportsman S/R front radial is now available in a 28X6.00R18LT size that carries up to 1,650 pounds per tire at 95 psi. Rated at load range F and approved for 4- to 5-inch-wide wheels, the tire pairs well with Mickey Thompson’s ET Street S/S & ET Street R (radial) rear tire lines for a top street performance combination. Particularly suited for modern high-performance street cars, the Sportsman S/R radial also offers decreased weight for easier launches and quicker ETs at the track.   [03/13/18]

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