ADRL.us :: News and Information

October 30, 2009

National Guard ADRL Regrets Memphis Motorsports Park Closing

O’FALLON, MO (Oct. 30, 2009) — The National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) regrets the decision announced today by Dover Motorsports Inc. to close Memphis Motorsports Park (MMP), site of this year’s ADRL Quarter-Max Memphis Drags II, but already is taking steps to replace the venue for its 2010 season.

“I’m saddened by this news, not only because Memphis Motorsports Park hosted one of our most exciting events this season before being cut short by rain, but because it holds sentimental value for me personally as essentially the birthplace of our complimentary ticket program back in 2006,” National Guard ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling said.

Nowling praised MMP Vice President and General Manager Jason Rittenberry and his staff for their hard work at the facility, not only during National Guard ADRL events, but for other major drag racing events and races at the speedway that shares the Millington, Tennessee, grounds.

“I wish Jason and his staff nothing but the best in the future,” Nowling said. “I also want to thank the fans in Memphis who came out in record numbers this May and hope they all will be able to attend another National Guard ADRL event soon.”

A two-day crowd of 58,750 passed through the MMP turnstiles for the ADRL Quarter-Max Memphis Drags II, including more than 38,200 on Saturday alone, representing the largest single-day attendance figure in the drag strip’s 23-year history.

Next year’s National Guard ADRL event at MMP was scheduled for May 28-29, but obviously will need to be moved to a new venue.

“We’re very sorry about not being able to return to Memphis Motorsports Park in 2010, but the good news for National Guard ADRL racers, sponsors and fans is that we’ve had several tracks jockeying for an event date in 2011 and now one of them will be able to start hosting an ADRL event in 2010,” Nowling said. “In fact, I’ve been on the phone with two potential replacements already today and feel quite confident we’ll be able to announce a new event soon, hopefully remaining on the Memorial Day weekend.”

The National Guard ADRL set new attendance records for the drag strip at Memphis Motorsports Park when it visited in May, but the announced closure of the track means a new venue will be announced for next year’s ADRL Memorial Day event.

(ADRL/Tocher/Richards photos)

October 29, 2009

Hamstra Escapes All Injury

DEMOTTE, IN (October 29, 2009) – While competing against Joshua Hernandez in a semi-final round of the National Guard ADRL’s championship-deciding Speedtech Battle for the Belts Oct. 23, Pro Extreme star Jason Hamstra lost control of his 1968 Camaro near the eighth-mile finish line and crashed heavily into the left retaining wall at the Texas Motorplex, narrowly missing Hernandez as he crossed in front of his ‘57 Chevy.

Hamstra, 22, had posted a 3.78-second pass at 203.46 miles per hour before the accident.

After the crash, he was transported via helicopter to Parkland Hospital in Dallas for observation, but by Sunday was home in Indiana recuperating. Other than some minor bruises, the young racer received no injuries.

“He’s doing well,” stated his mother, Karen Hamstra. “He came out of the ordeal in good shape, not even a concussion.”

Karen went on to say that the car is equipped with the latest and best in safety equipment, and was invaluable during the Friday evening Speedtech Battle for the Belts session.

“We’ve got the latest in safety equipment and it did its stuff,” she said.

Karen also was grateful for the help provided right after the crash, with many coming to the aid of her son.

“I want to thank everybody that helped. I would like to especially thank (Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 racer) Kenny Doak. He just jumped right in there and helped us,” continued Karen. “We also want to thank EMS attendants, the fire fighters, the ADRL and Texas Motorplex crews, along with the doctors and staff at Parkland Hospital.

”Thank you to (National Guard ADRL President and CEO) Kenny Nowling who drove over an hour to the hospital at 2 a.m. to check on Jason. And a special thank you to Jason’s number-one fan Brian Olson for his prayers and support. Thank you also to Dad, Mom, Brianna, Andy, Phil, Justin, the Barklages, the Tutterows, and everyone else who came to our need.”

The National Guard ADRL Web site (www.ADRL.us) received more than 600 e-mails following the crash, asking how Jason was doing, added Karen, who thanked family and friends for their prayers and concern.

Well wishes can be sent to Jason at promod@midwaynet.net.

(ADRL/Richards photos)

October 27, 2009

Balooshi Doubles-Up at Dallas

ENNIS, TX (Oct. 26, 2009) – As the sun went down Friday night on the legendary eighth-mile drag strip at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas, eight of the world’s foremost nitrous racers had assembled in the staging lanes, preparing to fight it out for the most coveted title in the world of fast door slammer drag racing—the National Guard ADRL Pro Nitrous world championship—a title that can be obtained only through winning the Speedtech Nitrous ADRL Battle for the Belts, of which the Al-Anabi Racing team had three cars entered with Mike Castellana, K.A. Balooshi and Burton Auxier at the controls.

From the very first race of the season, the entire Al-Anabi stable shared a common goal of placing all four of the team’s Pro Nitrous cars in the Speedtech Nitrous ADRL Battle for the Belts and coming out of the final points-earning race of the year in Rockingham, North Carolina, last month, the team had succeeded in accomplishing its goal. With four spots of the available eight, His Highness Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani had perhaps a better chance than anyone at leaving Dallas with a world championship.

The unexpected passing of Shannon “The Iceman” Jenkins’ father, Gaylon, though, kept the legendary driver and team crew chief from attending the season-ending event.

Despite the absence of Jenkins, who respectfully stayed at home to comfort his family, but offered his support and guidance through the phone, the team remained confident. Brandon Switzer, co-owner of Speedtech Innovative Nitrous Solutions, came in to serve as crew chief for the team’s cars for the weekend and do his part to ensure a victory for Al-Anabi Racing. With Jenkins out of the mix, Pat Stoken, who was ninth in the National Guard ADRL Pro Nitrous points standings, was inserted into the Speedtech Battle for the Belts field.

In the opening round of action, Auxier dismissed Johnny Pilcher with an on-and-off the throttle 3.929 at only 179.88 mph while Castellana and Balooshi edged Stoken and Stan Allen, respectively, in similar fashion. For the semi-final rounds, Castellana and Balooshi would be forced to face one another while Auxier was left to deal with season-long points leader Jim Halsey.

In a disheartening turn of events, Castellana’s feared ’70.5 Chevy Camaro wouldn’t start in the staging lanes, later found to be the result of a bad battery, giving Balooshi a competition single into the final round. The “Beast from the Middle East” took advantage of the solo pass, though, and recorded his quickest pass of the weekend with a 3.879 at 192.41mph.

Auxier’s matchup with Halsey would prove to be slightly more exciting as the pair of first-generation F-Body Camaros were within two-hundredths-of-a-second off the starting line, but quickly separated as Halsey suffered a massive nitrous explosion while Auxier trucked on to the win – creating the third all Al-Anabi Racing team final of the year.

“While we’ve had Shannon on our minds all weekend, we’re excited to be able to put two Al-Anabi Racing cars in the Speedtech Nitrous Battle for the Belts final and know that we’re going to be able to put a world championship belt in the hands of Sheikh Khalid,” Castellana said. “It’s really a testament to the team effort put forth over the course of the entire year, but especially this weekend.”

In the final round for the $50,000 National Guard ADRL Pro Nitrous championship and the coveted championship belt, Auxier and Balooshi, squared off in a highly anticipated pairing of two of the category’s most impressive cars. Known for his prowess on the starting line, especially in terms of reaction time, Auxier pushed the tree, leaving four-thousandths-of-a-second too early and lit the red bulb, sending Balooshi to the winner’s circle and the history books in 3.906 seconds.

The pride of Dubai and a three-time Arabian Gulf Region champion, Balooshi became the first foreign-born racer to win an American-based drag racing championship.

“This is great for Al-Anabi Racing,” said an obviously elated Balooshi. “The result of the best car, the best motor and the best team.”

Equally excited was His Highness Sheikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, Al-Anabi Racing team-owner.

“This is the level of performance that is expected from the team we have assembled to race in the ADRL,” said Al Thani, checking in via cell phone from Europe. “The effort put forth by this team over the course of the last two years, combined with the efforts of Speedtech Nitrous and Reher-Morrison Racing Engines, has ensured that this Al-Anabi Racing team be of championship caliber.

“Without Shannon Jenkins, whose knowledge and racing experience has propelled this team to this level, it was obvious that we were facing an uphill battle for the championship. Brandon Switzer, though, co-owner and chief engineer at Speedtech Innovative Nitrous Solutions, stepped in for the weekend and helped get the job done. Not only does that say a lot for the team, it says a lot about Speedtech Nitrous and the knowledge behind their products.”

With the championship hunt behind them and the dawn of the 2010 racing season upon them, the Al-Anabi Racing team looked to establish an early lead on Saturday by winning the first race counting toward the 2010 National Guard ADRL season on Saturday night. With all three cars qualified for the show, there were 13 other competitors between the Al-Anabi team and doubling up by winning two races in one weekend.

Dispatching Pilcher in the opening round, Balooshi was once again forced to face his teammates in both the quarter and semifinal rounds of action, where he used a string of 3.8-second runs to enter his second final round in a single day of racing. Going up against perhaps the most decorated racer in fast door slammer history, Charles Carpenter and his legendary ’55 Chevy Shoebox, Balooshi would surely need to make it from A to B under power as a lethal degree of consistency had propelled Carpenter to the final.

Despite a disadvantage at the starting line, Balooshi used the quickest and fastest pass in the history of nitrous door slammer racing, a 3.815 at 196.42 mph, to take the win and his first-ever National Guard ADRL Minuteman trophy.

(ADRL/Richards/Lorenzini/Tocher photos)

October 25, 2009

Fiery Finish to LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V

ENNIS, TX (Oct. 24, 2009) — Alex Hossler (left) won his career-first National Guard ADRL Pro Extreme event in memorable fashion, crossing the eighth-mile finish line at the Texas Motorplex with his 1970 Camaro on fire after posting a 3.73-seconds pass at 202.48 miles per hour to beat Quain Stott in the final round of the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V.

Also earning National Guard Minuteman trophies at the final event of the National Guard ADRL’s year, but the first points-paying opportunity of the 2010 season were new class champion Khalid Al-Balooshi in Pro Nitrous, Extreme 10.5 racer Chuck Ulsch, Scott Gray, who also won his first Pro Extreme Motorcycle championship earlier in the day, and Cary Goforth with his first official Extreme Pro Stock win. Morgan Benfield of Virginia Beach, Virginia also won her first Junior Minuteman in the exhibition Pro Jr. Dragster class.

“How’s that for a spectacular finish?” Hossler asked upon climbing from his car after stopping on the track where safety crews sprayed the engine with a fire extinguisher. “It banged the blower right when we crossed the line, but it lasted just long enough to get the job done.”

Hossler and Stott left almost simultaneously, but when a 3.75 at 205.57-mph pass flashed across Stott’s scoreboard, it translated to a .021 margin of victory for Hossler, who hails from Canton, Illinois.

The Pro Nitrous final was close, too, but only because Al-Balooshi (right) had an off-the-pace .191 reaction time attached to a record-setting pass of 3.81 seconds at 196.42 mph that easily eclipsed the 3.98/184.88 combination assembled by veteran Charles Carpenter.

It marked Al-Balooshi’s career-first National Guard ADRL event title, though earlier in the day, he also won the National Guard ADRL’s championship-deciding Speedtech Battle for the Belts when Al-Anabi Racing teammate Burton Auxier was disqualified from the final for leaving .004 before the green light flashed.

“It is good for the Al-Anabi team,” said Al-Balooshi, who calls Doha, Qatar, home. “Very exciting to win.”

The World Finals V Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 final offered a measure of payback for Ulsch (left), who faced off against Spiro Pappas for the second time in one day after Pappas stepped up to win the Speedtech Battle for the Belts final. The Clarksville, Maryland-based driver didn’t miss the opportunity, either, taking a holeshot win in his supercharged ’68 Camaro over Pappas’ turbocharged 2009 Pontiac GXP entry.

Leaving with a .021 reaction to a .115 in the opposite lane, Ulsch put together a 3.94 lap at 201.46 mph that beat out the 3.92 at 193.27 that delivered Pappas a new elapsed time record, but a runner-up finish.

“That feels good! I’m glad I was able to do my job and help my teammates get the win,” Ulsch declared. “I owed him that one!”

Like Balooshi, Pro Extreme Motorcycle winner Gray (right), from Ocala, Florida, doubled up from his earlier Speedtech Battle for the Belts triumph, running 4.21 at 170.67 mph aboard his ’08 Suzuki to down Lance Hines in the World Finals V final.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in that it’s happened,” Gray said of his two-timing win. “After winning the Belt I kind of relaxed because we had accomplished what we came here to do, which was win the championship, but maybe that’s what helped me win tonight, too. I wasn’t too uptight about what was happening.”

The Extreme Pro Stock final came down to a classic Ford versus Chevy match, with Goforth’s 2008 Cobalt coming out on top over the ’09 Mustang of Scott Hintz in his National Guard ADRL debut. Goforth (left), from Holdenville, Oklahoma, ran low ET of the meet for the class with a 4.06 win at 177.23 mph over 4.151 at 173.65 by Hintz.

“This feels so good,” Goforth said, hoisting the National Guard Minuteman trophy high after his first official Extreme Pro Stock win, though he did win last year at Rockingham, North Carolina, when the class was in its introductory exhibition stage. “This is for my team, for the guys on my team, who worked so hard to put me here today.”

Televised coverage of the Speedtech Battle for the Belts will air Sunday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. Eastern on the Versus network, with coverage of the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V to follow two weeks later on Sunday, Nov. 22, also at 3 p.m. Eastern on the Versus television network.

October 25, 2009

‘King Tutt’ Reigns in Speedtech Battle for the Belts

ENNIS, TX (Oct. 24, 2009) — Todd Tutterow (left) turned on the win light three times over two days at the Texas Motorplex to secure his first National Guard American Drag Racing League’s (ADRL) Pro Extreme world championship.

The Yadkinville, North Carolina-based driver entered the championship-deciding Speedtech Battle for the Belts—a unique eight-car playoff for the top points earners in the class—in fifth place and raced through Mike Janis, two-time defending series champ Jason Scruggs and Joshua Hernandez to take the Belt.

“This is awesome,” the new reigning champ declared as he hoisted the Belt high. “Where else can you race for $50,000 against the very best door cars and drivers in the world? What the ADRL has created here is something really special and something I feel truly honored to win.”

Joining Tutterow as new National Guard ADRL World Champions are (below, clockwise from upper left) Khalid Al-Balooshi, who made 28-hour, round-trip flights from Qatar in the Middle East to compete in each of 10 Pro Nitrous events; Chicago racer Spiro Pappas who prevailed from an eighth-place start in Flowmaster Extreme 10.5; Ocala, Florida’s Scott Gray with a championship run in Pro Extreme Motorcycle from the number-one position; and Matt Hartford from Phoenix, Arizona, who scored the Extreme Pro Stock title in his final appearance in the class.

Al-Balooshi beat his Al-Anabi Racing teammate, Burton Auxier of Dixie, West Virginia, in the final round when Auxier left four-thousandths of a second too soon. He previously beat Stan Allen in the opening round and another Al-Anabi teammate, Mike Castellana, whose car would not start with a faulty battery in the semi-finals.

As the eighth-place starter, Pappas actually had to win four times for his Speedtech Battle for the Belts triumph, since numbers seven and eight initially raced to earn a berth against the second-place qualifier while number one in each class received a first-round bye.

So, Pappas opened with a win over Jake Carlton to reach Gary White, then got past Jeff Naiser before leading stripe-to-stripe over Chuck Ulsch, the quickest and fastest record holder for the class.

“It’s been a long, tough road to get here, but my guys never gave up and it was all worth it,” Pappas said. “This took a real team effort.”

As the top points earner in Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Gray had the free pass from round one to the semis where he edged Travis Davis thanks to taking a starting-line advantage. Gray won the final with another holeshot performance, leaving .022 ahead of Ashley Owens and finishing just eight thousandths ahead.

“Wow, that was a close one, but we’ll take it. Without a doubt, this is a huge, huge win for us,” Gray said.

Hartford, who is leaving the Billy Dingman crew for other racing opportunities next year, started third and took out Dean Goforth in round one before he and Doug Kirk both ran exactly the same times in the semis, but Kirk left a single thousandth too soon to turn on the red light off the start. Hartford narrowly outran number-one Belts qualifier Brian Gahm in the final round.

“What a way to go out,” Hartford said. “I want to thank Billy Dingman and all my crew for giving me a great car all year and hope they get to repeat again next season.”

(ADRL/Richards/Tocher photos)

October 24, 2009

Speedtech Battle for the Belts Finals Postponed

ENNIS, TX (Oct. 24, 2009) — Qualifying for the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V was cut short Friday evening at the Texas Motorplex following a violent single-car accident involving young Pro Extreme star Jason Hamstra.

While racing Joshua Hernandez in the semi-finals of the 2009 championship-determining Speedtech Battle for the Belts, Hamstra, 22, lost control of his 1968 Camaro near the eighth-mile finish line and crashed heavily from the right lane into the left guardwall after posting a 3.78-seconds pass at 203.46 mph over the eighth-mile course. Though Hamstra (left) passed closely in front of Hernandez, who already had his ’57 Chevy’s parachutes out after going 3.74 at 204.08 to take the win, no contact was made between the cars.

The Hamstra-Hernandez pairing was the last race scheduled before qualifying resumed for the Pro Nitrous and Pro Extreme classes, but faced with a lengthy clean-up after the accident, National Guard ADRL officials cut Friday’s program short, announcing one final round of qualifying for all classes on Saturday. The Speedtech Battle for the Belts finals will follow, with all runs also counting as qualifying passes.

Joining Hernandez in the Pro Extreme Belts final will be Todd Tutterow, with Al-Anabi Racing teammates Burton Auxier and Khalid Al-Balooshi facing off for the Pro Nitrous title. In Flowmaster Extreme 10.5, Chuck Ulsch and Spiro Pappas will battle for Belts supremacy, while Scott Gray and Ashley Owens will decide the Pro Extreme Motorcycle title. The inaugural Extreme Pro Stock Speedtech Battle for the Belts will go to either Brian Gahm or Matt Hartford.

Current number-one qualifiers include Quain Stott (Pro Extreme), Jim Halsey (Pro Nitrous), Ulsch (Flowmaster Extreme 10.5), Eric McKinney (Pro Extreme Motorcycle) and Cary Goforth (Extreme Pro Stock).

Qualifying will resume at noon Saturday, followed by all five Belts finals, then elimination rounds for the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V, with all points earned counting toward the 2010 Speedtech Battle for the Belts points chase.

Maryland’s Chuck Ulsch is currently the top qualifier in the Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 class for the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V and also a finalist for the championship-deciding Speedtech Battle for the Belts.

(ADRL/Richards photos)

October 23, 2009

Al-Anabi Team Missing Jenkins

ENNIS, TX (Oct. 23, 2009) – With a combined five wins and six total final round appearances, two of which featured a pair of Al-Anabi Racing team cars, the National Guard ADRL’s most formidable multi-car Pro Nitrous team has converged on the legendary Texas Motorplex near Dallas for the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V, featuring the championship-deciding Speedtech Nitrous Battle for the Belts.

After dominating the second half of the National Guard ADRL season, the Al-Anabi Racing team, featuring veteran drivers Mike Castellana, Shannon “Iceman” Jenkins, K.A. Balooshi and Burton Auxier, have all locked in a spot in the eight-car Battle for the Belts, and anticipate adding an ADRL Pro Nitrous world championship to their team’s resume – featuring multiple championship seasons in other organizations.

A vital piece of the Al-Anabi Racing team, though, seasoned driver and world renowned nitrous-tuning mind, Shannon Jenkins, will be absent from the weekend’s festivities as he tends to his family in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, after his father, Gaylon, passed away from unexpected complications following a routine surgery. The honorable and selfless decision will keep the sport’s best nitrous tuner away from the starting line at Texas Motorplex, but he’ll still be lending a helping hand as his teammates chase their first National Guard ADRL Pro Nitrous championship.

“I’m only a phone call away,” Jenkins said with a heavy heart. “During this time, I want to be with my family, and as much as I’d love to be letting the clutch out this weekend, home is where I want and need to be during this time.

“Brandon Switzer [co-owner of Speedtech Innovative Nitrous Solutions] will be in control of the cars this weekend, making the calls, but I’ll be offering as much help as I can through the phone as the race plays out. We’ve had a good run here and I’ve got a lot of faith in this team.”

While undeniably missing the “Iceman’s” presence and expertise this weekend, the entire Al-Anabi Racing team is equally concerned with the difficult time facing Jenkins, their long-time friend and fellow racer.

“We’ll have Shannon on our minds this weekend,” said Castellana, driver of the Al-Anabi Racing ’70.5 Camaro (above) with three wins this season. “The guys have worked so hard this season and the struggle of the last few years has really started to pay off with big performances and some success. It surely won’t be the same without him, but we’ve got every intention of winning this Speedtech Nitrous Battle for the Belts for Shannon, and his father.”

Unbeaten in final-round appearances, Castellana will lead the charge at the title, closely followed by Balooshi and Auxier who’ve made their presence known over the course of the last few events. Albeit one man down, the Al-Anabi Racing team looks good going into the final showdown of the season.

October 23, 2009

National Guard Team in Championship March

The National Guard-backed AMS Pro Extreme team marches into its home track at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas this weekend, ready to do battle in the 2009 season-ending Speedtech Battle for the Belts and Lenmar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V.

Joshua Hernandez, driver of the the stealth camouflaged ‘57 Chevy National Guard entry, will be leading the charge in a championship quest from the number-three position in the eight-car field of the quickest and fastest blown doorslammers on the planet. Hernandez says he’s ready to let it all hang out.

“This is what it is all about, this is what we worked and bled for all year,” he says.

“This championship is more than just about prize money or trophies, this is who we are and what we do,” agrees legendary crew chief Jim Oddy. “And no one deserves it more than (team owner) Dave Wood, who has given our team everything it needs to win, has been totally supportive in both good and bad times and is a true friend to all racers and fans alike.

Troy Critchley, who builds the 3,000-horsepower engines for the AMS National Guard Team and also runs Hammer Superchargers, a AMS Team sub-company, was quick to second Oddy’s comments.

“We have spent the last six weeks, changing out parts, rebuilding engines, superchargers, and basically fine tuning every aspect of the ‘57 Chevy National Guard entry, so we are ready to rock and roll,” Critchley states. “It’s up to Josh now, and the team couldn’t be in better hands. Josh is a two time world champion ( in another sanctioning body) and definitely knows how to get it done.”

Hernandez will face off against young Pro Extreme star Cody Barklage in round one of the championship-deciding Speedtech Battle for the Belts, which represents the close of the 2009 National Guard ADRL season. The LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V is actually the first points-paying event of the 2010 season.

“We have the perfect opportunity to cap off the ‘09 season with a championship on Friday night and get a leg up on the 2010 season with a win on Saturday,” assitant crew chief Dave Oddy points out.

“I like our chances, with our Critchley powerplant and Joshua driving, confidence is running high,” his father adds.