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March 29, 2010

US 131 Preps for Ford Summer Drags VI

MARTIN, MI (Mar. 29, 2010)—In order to maintain its reputation as the “The Fastest Track in Michigan,” US 131 Motorsports Park continues upgrades.   

Last fall at the end of Michigan’s racing season the track’s concrete surface was extended from 500 feet to 1,000 feet to allow the concrete to slowly cure during the winter months. Thankfully, the weather cooperated and Michigan saw warmer than normal March temperatures, allowing the world-renowned Penhall Corporation to grind and polish the newly poured concrete racing surface. 

Much of this work was completed this past Saturday and Sunday, just in time for US 131’s Apr. 3, opening day. 

“In the past, our weekly private track rentals have included pro racing teams from ADRL and the newly formed Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association cars,” US 131’s General Manager Jason Peterson said. “With continued support from these teams in addition to the championship drag racing and weekly events that we offer we deemed it necessary to ensure that US 131 Motorsports Park retains the reputation of being one of the smoothest tracks in the industry and these improvements will ensure that.”

The ADRL visits US 131 Motorsports Park June 11-12, for the ADRL Ford Drive One Summer Drags VI.

(Photos courtesy US 131 Motorsports Park)

March 29, 2010

Bankston Boyz Meet Mixed Results at Houston

UTICA, MS (Mar. 29, 2010) – The Bankston Boyz Racing team rolled into Houston Raceway Park for the ADRL season opener just over a week ago with new marketing partners onboard for the 2010 race season as a result of aggressive approaches at the Performance Racing Industry’s (PRI) tradeshow in Orlando back in December last year.

Adding to the team’s support from Mississippi Foundation Repair Specialists, TeaCo Geophysical, Speedtech, Reher-Morrison, Goodyear Racing, Jerry Haas Race Cars, Tim McAmis Race Cars, and David Janes Race Cars are new marketing partners Ross Pistons, Jesel Valvetrain Components, Red Line Oil, and Vicci Fashions.

The ADRL Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen gave Bankston Boyz  Pro Nitrous drivers Stan Allen and John DeFlorian all they could handle as they arrived at the Baytown, Texas, strip with little testing in their respective rides.

Allen (above) had just come off a week of testing in Bradenton, Florida, where his best elapsed time (ET) in the David Janes-built, former “Black Ice” Camaro was in the 3.90 range and low 190s in mph. Meanwhile, DeFlorian came into the  race with his ’06 Corvette untested after offseason changes dropped about 70 pounds from the car.

After three rounds of qualifying on Friday, DeFlorian had his car solidly in the top half of the field with a seventh-place 3.99 at 184.19 mph and Allen limped into the 16th and final position with a 5.21 at just 97 mph.

Saturday morning’s lone qualifying session saw Allen out in the first Pro Nitrous pair and he promptly lowered his time to a still-off-the-pace, but more respectable 4.32 at 177.88-mph pass. It was still only good enough for 16th, however, earning Allen a race date with top qualifier Burton Auxier.

Unfortunately, heavy rain arrived at Houston Raceway Park shortly before noon on Saturday, before eliminations could begin, forcing the postponement of the ADRL’s UTI Dragpalooza VI to July 23-24, when it will be completed in its entirety along with an entirely new event added by ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling.

Normally the arrival of wet weather is the worst thing that can happen at a race, but considering his on-track struggles in qualifying, Allen said this time it was a lucky break.

“The rain saved our team,” he declared. “I mean, we are struggling to learn this new car and the clutch.  Coming into the fourth round of qualifying I was on the bump with three cars in line that could bump me out of the field. Then, after the fourth round I was still on the bump by lowering my own ET to a 4.32.  So I got lucky! It’s time to go test and get ready for Valdosta (Georgia, in April).”

DeFlorian (above), on the other hand, shook the tires in his fourth and final qualifying attempt and a couple of other drivers moved up the list, leaving him ninth for raceday, when he will face off against number-eight starter Rickie Smith.

“After the second round of qualifying and having the car go left each time we looked at the video and compared it to our data from the runs and I knew exactly what change needed to be made on the four-link to straighten her out,” DeFlorian explained.

“With qualifier three on Friday night, the car went straight down the groove and I pedaled it to a 3.99 run and boy, did she leave the line—a .980 sixty-foot and if I had not got out and back into it I am sure we would have run a low 3.90! So, I guess you can tell why we are ecstatic coming into 2010.”

(ADRL/Graves/Singleton file photos)

March 26, 2010

Moyer Earns Entry to M/T 3-Second Club

STOW, OH (Mar. 26, 2010) – With his third qualifying pass at the American Drag Racing League’s (ADRL’s) 2010 season-opening Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen at Houston Raceway Park, “Turbo Todd” Moyer of Pasadena, Texas, made a scorching 3.96-seconds run at 196.50 miles per hour that earned him a spot in the exclusive Mickey Thompson Three-Second Club for Extreme 10.5 competitors.

The Mickey Thompson Three-Second Club was introduced in February 2009 as an exclusive program to reward and recognize the first five ADRL Extreme 10.5 racers who manage to achieve elapsed times in the three-second range. Chuck Ulsch became the first member at St. Louis last year, followed one race later by 2009 series champion Spiro Pappas at Columbus, Ohio.

Moyer got the job done in Houston on Mickey Thompson Pro-5 wheels, #3169W rear tires, and #3001 front tires. The pass qualified him second behind Pappas. 

“That was a brand-new set of Mickey Thompson tires we strapped on for that third qualifying session and they hooked up perfectly,” Moyer’s crew chief, Chad Rogers (far right), said. “As soon as it left and I could see it was going straight as an arrow I knew we were going to see that ‘3’ pop up.”  

Mickey Thompson Three-Second Club members earn a number of very special prizes including a custom M/T Three-Second Club leather jacket, a signature M/T Three-Second Club gold and diamond ring, and a bonus check for $3,000. In addition, M/T Three-Second Club racers are featured in a special section of the official ADRL web site at http://www.adrl.us.

“The Three-Second Club racers have consistently achieved elapsed times in the three-second range on our tire and wheel products, and it means a lot to us to share in their success,” said Carl Robinson, Motorsports Manager, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels. “We only have two seats left in the club, and we are eager to see who will be the next to earn their place among this prestigious group of competitors.”

Rain postponed completion of the Houston event to July 23, but the ADRL returns to action Apr. 23-24, with the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags VI at South Georgia Motorsports Park, near Valdosta.

“We’re really looking forward to getting to Georgia,” Rogers said. “That’s a great track surface there and I think we’ll see record numbers. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Three-Second Club got filled up there.”

(ADRL/Singleton photos)

March 26, 2010

TPI Takes On ADRL Merchandising

NEW BERN, NC (Mar. 26, 2010) – Much has changed in and around the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) since its first event in 2004, but the behind-the-scenes presence of Tysinger Promotions has been a constant, enduring force.

At this past weekend’s rain-postponed Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen at Houston Raceway Park, TPI marked its sixth year of providing complete promotional and event services for the ADRL and debuted a comprehensive merchandising program that features TPI’s complete control over all facets of the department.

“This is an important aspect of the American Drag Racing League’s business. They realize that and wanted to put it in competent hands for the 2010 season and beyond,” TPI President Wendy Stallings (right) says. “We feel they’ve made an excellent choice by allowing us to administer the merchandise program and we couldn’t be more excited after getting off to a great start in Houston.”

The ADRL merchandising program contributes an exciting new opportunity for everyone at TPI.

“This is a completely new venture for us, and it allows us to use our creative abilities within the ADRL in ways we haven’t the opportunity to in the past,” TPI Vice President Whitney Dowdy says. “We’ve worked closely with Kenny (Nowling, ADRL President) and his staff to create new apparel and other merchandise that we feel will be a big hit with the ADRL racers, sponsors, and most importantly, fans.”

The new ADRL line brings a trendy, vintage flair to the selection of men’s apparel while debuting fresh colors and a hand-painted, tattoo-inspired look for the ladies’ shirts.

TPI has done it all for the ADRL over the past five years, from things as simple as hanging sponsor banners around the facility to as involved as organizing and administering the ADRL contingency program.

“As the ADRL has grown, so has our involvement with them,” Stallings says. “What started out as simply doing media buys for an upstart company putting on its first race has evolved into complete event services for the fastest-growing motorsports organization in America. The most amazing part is that it feels like we’re just getting started.”

TPI has a significant hands-on role in determining the overall look and success of each ADRL national event.

“From the moment we arrive at the race on Thursday to the time we leave on Sunday, it’s a constant whirlwind of activity,” Dowdy explains. “We’ll organize the pre-race ceremony, take care of the sponsors and their respective suites, make sure all the trophies are in order, oversee the special awards, and finally, coordinate the winner’s circle festivities. It’s a handful, but we wouldn’t have it any other way and we ensure that it’s all done first class.”

In order to accomplish that, TPI has expanded to include two more event services coordinators, Angella Janssen and Paige Mitchell. This is Janssen’s second year of handling the ins-and-outs of the event services portion of TPI’s duties, with Mitchell coming on board for her first season.

“Every race is different, and there is always something new and unexpected that we need to handle,” Executive Event Coordinator Katie Stewart adds. “But we take it in stride and, as Whitney said, make sure it’s done to the best of our abilities each and every time.”

(ADRL/Richards file photos)

March 25, 2010

ADRL Race Team on Display at Atlanta Diabetes Expo

O’FALLON, MO (Mar. 25, 2010) — American Drag Racing League (ADRL) star Bennie McDonald Jr. will attend this Saturday’s (Mar. 27) American Diabetes Association (ADA) EXPO Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center to greet show goers and sign autographs. The McDonald Family Racing 2,500-horsepower ADRL Pro Extreme ’53 Corvette will also be on static display beside him in the EXPO Atlanta Youth Zone.

McDonald, from nearby Locust Grove, Georgia, said he’s looking forward to the opportunity of sharing his personal experiences with Type 2 diabetes with EXPO Atlanta attendees.

“Diabetes is a terrible disease, there’s no question about that, but I want people to know that managing your diabetes means you can still live a full life and do whatever you like,” he said. “These cars can be a real handful to drive and they demand a lot of work just to keep running, but by taking control of my diabetes and not letting it control me I can stay on top of everything.”

McDonald will next be in action at the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags Apr. 23-24, at South Georgia Motorsports Park, near Valdosta. Joining him in making celebrity appearances at EXPO Atlanta will be Tony Award winner Ben Vereen and former NBA star Dominique Wilkins. 

Admittance to EXPO Atlanta is free. With more than 50 exhibitors on site and activities planned for people of all ages, EXPO Atlanta provides the community with a unique opportunity to get a free health screening, participate in cooking and exercise demonstrations, talk to diabetes-related exhibitors and listen to leading experts about diabetes prevention and management.

EXPO Atlanta is open Mar. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Georgia World Congress Center, Building B, Lower Level.

(ADRL/Graves/Richards photos)

March 23, 2010

Strong Start for Montecalvo at Houston

BAYTOWN, TX (Mar. 23, 2010)— The American Drag Racing League (ADRL) opened its 2010 season this past weekend with the ADRL Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen at Houston Raceway Park.

Unfortunately, the event had to be postponed to July 23, due to rain, but with Extreme Pro Stock qualifying completed, John Montecalvo was very pleased with his team’s performance after placing third with a stout 4.074-seconds pass at 178.50 mph.  

“I was thrilled with our results this weekend,” Montecalvo declared. “We were third in ET (elapsed time) and second in speed. The two cars ahead of us in qualifying have had a lot more time to perfect their combination. We’re still working on our eighth-mile set up. I know that we’ve got some left, so sitting third looks pretty good for us right now.”

Even short one crew member, Tommy Sevier, who is recuperating from a snowmobile accident, the team showed a strong presence at Dragpalooza VI, proving once again they will be a force to be reckoned with this season.

“My wife, Lois Anne, and the guys worked hard to fill in without Tommy being able to make it. We hope to have him back soon. Sonny (Leonard) has done a phenomenal job with our engine, as always, and helped us out with more power this season. It’s amazing how he keeps improving the performance of his engines. Pat with Ram Clutches and Doug with Braswell Carburetors are key to this team and I want to thank them for their support.”

The ADRL, always the innovator, made an unusual, but well-received decision concerning the postponing of this past weekend’s event and created an all-new event to be held on the same weekend as the rescheduled date. The ADRL will return to Houston Raceway Park July 23-24 to complete Dragpalooza VI and to run a second complete event.

“I think the ADRL made the correct move in postponing the event,” Montecalvo said. “And they were very gracious to formulate another event to correlate with the rain date. This is a great way to offset our costs as racers. You can tell that the ADRL really has their racers in mind when they make decisions. We captured our first ADRL win during a two-race weekend, so I’m really looking forward to the Houston double-header.”

The next stop on the ADRL tour is a short month away, Apr. 23-24, for the Hardee’s Georgia Drags VI at South Georgia Motorsports Park, near Valdosta, Georgia. Montecalvo and crew are anxious for the return to action.

“We can’t wait to get to Valdosta. We’re ready for the competition!”

(ADRL/McHugh/Singleton photos)

March 23, 2010

Team Aruba Qualifies Top-5 at Houston

SAINT LOUIS, MO (Mar. 23, 2010) — After a second day of qualifying at Houston Raceway Park, driver Trevor Eman and the Team Aruba crew achieved a career-best fifth in Extreme Pro Stock (XPS) qualifying with an elapsed time of 4.09 seconds at 177.30 mph in their fourth and final qualifying attempt for the 2010 American Drag Racing League (ADRL) Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI, presented by Safety-Kleen.

“We were making better and faster runs every time we made it to the starting line,” Eman said of the team’s performance. “Carl Baker, our crew chief, was making good calls and Tommy had the clutch completely under control. Ken had his hands on all the other ‘in-between round’ maintenance and Bobby was taking good care of everybody that came by our www.Aruba.com free information booth and the Autism Speaks donation box.”

After Friday’s events, Team Aruba hosted a cookout in its pit space to celebrate Aruba’s National Anthem and Flag Day, featuring a variety of tasty foods in Texas-sized portions.

“It isn’t often that the XPS teams get to spend time together at races, because races are usually so hectic,” Eman said. “We were happy that a lot of ADRL officials and teams were able to take some time off and stop by.”

Fans excitedly awaited the qualifying rounds of the 2010 ADRL Dragpalooza VI, only to miss out on the final elimination rounds as a discouraging storm front moved across Baytown, Texas. With impending rain and strong winds quickly approaching, the ADRL quickly reached the decision to reschedule the remaining qualifying and eliminations rounds for Dragpalooza VI to July 23-24, within a new, yet-to-be-named event at Houston Raceway Park.

(ADRL/Richards/Singleton photos)

March 20, 2010

ADRL Reschedules Houston Event; Adds Another

BAYTOWN, TX (Mar. 20, 2010) – In another example of unorthodox problem solving, American Drag Racing League (ADRL) President and CEO Kenny Nowling announced the creation of a brand-new, double-header event in response to the rainout today of the ADRL’s season-opening Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen.

The ADRL will return July 23-24, to Houston Raceway Park (HRP), where Dragpalooza VI will be completed in its entirety that Friday, with an all-new, yet-to-be-named ADRL national event now scheduled for the same weekend.

“We feel this is the fairest way to deal with this for our fans, our sponsors, our track partner and most importantly, our race teams. We wanted to create an incentive for all our teams to return and participate, rather than just those that were already qualified,” Nowling explained. “(HRP Vice President and General Manager) Seth Angel and I are close friends and business partners so we looked at our schedules and were able to reach this decision very quickly.”

Four of the ADRL’s five professional classes had completed their fourth and final rounds of qualifying for Dragpalooza VI and Pro Extreme had just taken the track when the heavy rain arrived. With wet weather, high winds and dropping temperatures predicted for the rest of the day and into Sunday, ADRL and track officials decided to postpone the event and let competitors and fans head for home.

The July weekend will open with the completion of the final round of Pro Extreme qualifying for Dragpalooza VI, followed by Dragpalooza VI eliminations for all classes run simultaneously within qualifying for the new event.

“This format will be very similar to our Speedtech Battle for the Belts, which determines our year-end champions on the first day of our LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals at the Texas Motorplex each October. And just like that event, I think this is going to create a very unique and exciting race weekend for everyone in July,” Nowling said.

Nowling is no stranger to outside-the-box thinking when it comes to getting an event completed. After an electrical storm at Martin, Michigan, knocked out the track’s scoreboards and timing system in 2008, he resorted to personally signaling each pair of 3,000-horsepower cars with old-fashioned, arm-drop starts.

“Everyone thought we were crazy back then, but that turned out to be one of our most memorable events,” he recalled. “I have every reason to believe that this solution will turn out to be every bit as popular as the Arm-Drop Drags were.”

The addition of the July event restores a 10-race series for the ADRL in 2010 after it initially lost one event due to the unexpected closure of Memphis Motorsports Park. Both the rescheduled Dragpalooza VI and the new event will pay full points and purses to all qualifiers and race winners, making it a true double-header weekend of competition for racers and fans alike.

All tickets for the Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen will be honored in July, but tickets will also be printed and distributed for the new event. Fans with any questions about the rescheduled or new event are encouraged to call the track at (281) 383-7223.