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December 12, 2009

PXM’s Grothus Going Homebuilt in 2010

Pro Extreme Motorcycle (PXM) rider Brunson Grothus made it to a pair of semi-finals in ‘09, but the bike he raced most of the year with is now in Saudi Arabia.

He showed up at the season ender in Ennis, TX, with a new, all-black machine, but it’s now in Australia.

Grothus quickly purchased yet another chassis and body from PXM tuner Jeff Walker, and it’s now up for sale, too.

So, is the promising young star ready to hang up his leathers? Not by a long shot!

“Yeah, there’s been a lot of wheeling and dealing going on,” Grothus said at the PRI show in Orlando, “but my dad (Ed) decided he wanted to build a bike himself, so that’s why he’s not here. The tubing arrived on Tuesday and he’s back home in Davenport, Iowa, working on that now.”

Also of note, when the Grothus-built bike makes its debut at the 2010 National Guard ADRL season opener at Baytown, TX, in March, he’ll have Walker calling the tune-up for him.

“Everyone knows what Jeff has done for Lance (Hines), so now we’ll both have the benefit of two bikes making runs on the track,” Grothus said.

(ADRL/Tocher photo) 

December 12, 2009

Winters Stepping Up PX Program

After making a career-best pass of 3.94 at 189 mph with his Roots-blown combo during Dragstock VI at Rockingham, NC, in September, part-time Pro Extreme competitor Doug Winters said he is “seriously contemplating” adding a screw blower to the nitro-burning (30%-40%) BAE 526 Hemi in his ‘57 Chevy.

Winters (with wife, Erin), also said he plans to enter up to six National Guard ADRL events in 2010, which easily would be his biggest participation yet.

(ADRL/Tocher photo)

December 12, 2009

Simpson Signs On with National Guard ADRL

O’FALLON, MO (Dec. 12, 2009)—The National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) is pleased to announce Simpson Performance Products will join its manufacturer’s midway at all 10 events on the 2010 National Guard ADRL Tour.

“We’re looking forward to supporting the entire ADRL family next year with head-to-toe safety products, including helmets, head and neck restraints, driving suits, gloves and racing shoes. We’ll also have seat belts and other car-related safety products on hand, too,” Simpson Vice President of Marketing Debbie Bishop said.

“Our number-one priority at every race is keeping our racers safe and having an industry leader like Simpson on site is going to be a great bonus to them,” National Guard ADRL VP of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans added. “Simpson has a lot of neat products for fans, too, such as backpacks, tote bags and even a custom baby seat for the back seat.”

Bishop said she is “especially excited” about Simpson’s new relationship with the National Guard ADRL considering the tremendous growth the all-eighth-mile drag racing series has seen in just five years.

“The ADRL is obviously made up of a smart group of folks who realize the connection between the racers and the fans,” she said. “I’m looking forward to attending my first ADRL event and experiencing that for myself.”

Simpson Performance Products will begin displaying at National Guard ADRL events at Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza VI, next March at Houston Raceway Park.

National Guard ADRL Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans (left) and Simpson Performance Products VP of Marketing Debbie Bishop jointly announced Simpson’s partnership with the eighth-mile drag racing series at the 22nd annual Performance Racing Industry trade show in Orlando, Florida.

(ADRL/Tocher photo)

December 11, 2009

Billet Specialties Named ‘Official’ National Guard ADRL Wheel

O’FALLON, MO (Dec. 11, 2009)—Billet Specialties of La Grange, Illinois, has been named the official wheel of the National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) and will offer a contingency sponsorship program for all four car classes in the 2010 National Guard ADRL Tour.

“What we really like about the ADRL is its aggressiveness,” Billet Specialties Director of Sales and Marketing Keith Kern says. “Just in the few years the ADRL has been around it’s already become very obvious that it takes high performance and racing very seriously and that’s an attitude we share at Billet Specialties.”

In addition to literally hundreds of engine accessories, dress-up items and wheels for custom street applications, Billet Specialties also offers a complete line of high-performance racing wheels in its Comp 5 series. Beginning next season it will be paying contingencies of $300 to the winner and $200 to the runner-up in Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 and Extreme Pro Stock at each National Guard ADRL event if those cars have Billet Specialties Comp 5 wheels mounted on all four corners.

“We’re looking forward to giving a little extra to those racers who support Billet Specialties with their wheel choice,” Kern says. “And not being affiliated with any tire companies, the contingency is in place regardless of the tire brand.”

The Billet Specialties partnership with the National Guard ADRL officially begins Mar. 12-13, 2010, at the Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza VI at Houston Raceway Park.

National Guard ADRL Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans (center, left) and series president and CEO Kenny Nowling pose with the Billet Specialties team at the 22nd annual Performance Racing Industry trade show in Orlando, Florida.

(ADRL/Richards photo)

December 11, 2009

New Cars Coming After Crashes

Pro Extreme driver Jason Hamstra (left) and Pro Nitrous pilot John Bartunek both confirmed they have new cars on the way for the 2010 National guard ADRL Tour after both went through spectacular, late-season accidents that left them uninjured, but their cars severely damaged.

Hamstra, who escaped injury in one of the National Guard ADRL’s most devastating crashes ever at Ennis, Texas, this October, said he has a new 1969 (not ‘68!) Camaro on the way from Garrett Race Cars, builder of Jason Scruggs’ record-holding ‘68 Camaro PX entry. He’s hoping to have the new ride ready for the ‘10 season opener, but delays in getting just the second ‘69 body built by Cynergy Composites may hinder his return to action.

Meanwhile, Bartunek said he has a new ‘68 Camaro coming from chassis man Jerry Haas that will end up looking “exactly” like the one he went airborne with in a violent top-end accident at Englishtown, NJ, late this year. “If you didn’t know it was replaced, you’d think it was the same car,” Bartunek promised, adding that his original Camaro also is quite repairable.

Bartunek also hopes to debut his PN replacement car at the National Guard ADRL’s first race of 2010 at Houston Raceway Park next March, but if it’s not ready he has an Extreme Pro Stock entry waiting in the wings.

“Either way, I’ll be racing in Houston,” he declared.

(ADRL/Tocher photos) 

December 11, 2009

National Guard ADRL Announces McCoy Qualifying Bonus

O’FALLON, MO (Dec. 11, 2009)—After joining the National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) in 2009 as a display partner in the series’ manufacturer’s midway, Andy McCoy Race Cars (AMRC) will begin paying a major new bonus to top qualifiers in the Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous classes next year.

“We’re staying busy and a lot of it I attribute to the ADRL because they put on such a good promotional deal,” McCoy says. “That’s why next year we’re looking to step it up and we’re going to provide $1,000 at each race to the guy that qualifies number one in Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous.”

Unlike a contingency program that rewards racers for using specific manufacturer parts, McCoy stresses the qualifying bonuses will be paid out at all 10 events scheduled on the 2010 National Guard ADRL Tour, regardless of the winner’s chassis affiliation.

“It doesn’t matter what they’re driving, doesn’t matter who’s chassis it is, it’s just something we’d like to give back to the racers,” he says. “We feel like there’s enough work out there for everybody and that’s one of the best ways to help the racer community out. Whether they have one of our cars or not, we feel like if they qualify number one, they deserve it.

In addition to building race cars, AMRC operates a thriving parts and service business from its Washington, Missouri, shop and McCoy occasionally campaigns his own supercharged ’57 Chevy in the National Guard ADRL Pro Extreme class.

“We just had so much on our plates this past year that we just didn’t have a lot of time for racing ourselves,” McCoy says. “But I think we had a good year and I’m looking forward to next year and getting out there to run a few of these events and show these guys that we can play, too.”

The 2010 National Guard ADRL Tour will get underway Mar. 12-13, with the Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza VI at Houston Raceway Park and will visit tracks in eight more states before concluding Oct. 22-23, with the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.

Andy McCoy Race Cars is stepping up its involvement with the National Guard ADRL by paying a $1,000 bonus to the top qualifier in Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous at each of the series 10 national events in 2010.

(ADRL/Tocher file photo)

December 11, 2009

Aeromotive ‘Thunder Zone’ Announced

O’FALLON, MO (Dec. 10, 2009)—Little compares to the sensory overload that standing between a pair of fire-breathing National Guard ADRL entries on the starting line delivers, but beginning in 2010, the Aeromotive Fuel Systems Thunder Zone will make that experience a reality for dozens of Aeromotive distributors, customers and fans.

“We want to use the Aeromotive Thunder Zone as a promotional reward for our regional distributors and customers,” Aeromotive Director of Marketing Jesse Powell explains. “It’ll be part of the royal treatment for a day at the track to get them excited about Aeromotive and ADRL drag racing.”

Additionally, Aeromotive has been named the official fuel system for the National Guard ADRL and company founder and president Steve Matusek is busy readying a new car to periodically compete in the series.

“For us, it’s about being involved in kind of a grassroots movement,” Powell says. “We love the true heads-up racing that the ADRL promotes and how it is attracting new racers and fans to the series. We see the ADRL creating new drag racing enthusiasts, which is something other forms of racing seem to have forgotten about.”

The Aeromotive Thunder Zone will debut Mar. 12-13, at the Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza VI in Baytown, Texas, and will be prominently featured at each of the 10 scheduled events for the 2010 National Guard ADRL Tour.

(ADRL/Richards file photo)

December 10, 2009

Mickey Thompson Touted as ‘Official’ National Guard ADRL Tire

O’FALLON, MO (Dec. 10, 2009)—The National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) is proud to announce the naming of Mickey Thompson as the official tire for the eighth-mile drag racing series. In addition, Mickey Thompson will continue offering its extensive contingency sponsorship program to all five professional classes in the 2010 National Guard ADRL Tour.

“What this means is that it gives us a bigger venue and level of exposure for the brand,” Mickey Thompson Motorsports Manager Carl Robinson (right center, with ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling, left, and VP of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans) says of the new official tire status. “It’s all about getting the Mickey Thompson name out there, building relationships and increasing our market share on the race track and on the highways.”

Robinson says National Guard ADRL race teams and fans also can look forward to additional tire and wheel support programs next year.

“It’s an expansion of what we call the Team M/T initiative,” he explains. “Basically, we have four areas of focus: Street, Strip, Truck and Off-Road, and although this initiative is part of our drag racing offering we want to tie it in to the other areas, too.

“It’s our goal to become the tire of choice for everyone who attends an ADRL event, from the racers to the fan who arrives in his light truck or SUV to someone looking to put some high-performance tires on their street car. It’s all part of an overall marketing plan.

”Working with the National Guard ADRL makes implementing the plan that much easier, too, Robinson adds.“It’s great to have a sanctioning body that understands what we’re trying to do and is willing to work with us at a high level to achieve our goals,” he says. “It’s all about cross promotion and partnership and the people at the ADRL get that.”

Newly appointed National Guard ADRL Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans says he appreciates the confidence Mickey Thompson and Robinson is demonstrating in the series.

“We are thrilled to have another industry leader like Mickey Thompson increase its support of the ADRL and believe it’s a testament to the hard work of everyone on both sides of the partnership,” Evans says. “Most importantly, though, I think Mickey Thompson’s increased involvement will greatly benefit our race teams, which always remains our first priority.”

December 10, 2009

National Guard ADRL PRI Show Preview

When the National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) arrives at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 10-12, it will be with a full contingent of its top executives and key staff members available for consultation at Booth 609 of the 22nd annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show.

Of course, National Guard ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling will lead the effort, along with Executive Vice President of Operations Jessica Alcoke and Executive VP Jeff Fortune, with several high-level meetings already lined up over the three-day event for the league-guiding trio.

Current and potential National Guard ADRL team owners, drivers and crew chiefs are invited to seek counsel or rules clarification from Executive VP of Competition Bert “Bubba” Corzine or Director of Race Operations Quick Vandiver, and VP of Sales and Marketing Brian Evans with help from Director of Contingency Services Tom Grooms will be ready to tackle all sponsorship or advertising needs and concerns.

Additionally, for advice with press-related concerns, National Guard ADRL race teams are encouraged to contact VP of Publications Ian Tocher or Director of Media and Communications Amanda LaPlante at the show.  

The National Guard ADRL also is looking forward to its Racer’s Appreciation and Awards Gala II, beginning at 7 p.m. Dec. 12, at the luxurious Wyndham Orlando Resort, not far from the convention center. A limited number of tickets remain available to the Gala for $50 each, payable by credit card, check or money order, and must be paid for in advance, as tickets will not be available at the door.

All current National Guard ADRL drivers and riders are entitled to one free ticket and each official series sponsor is offered two complimentary passes, but they must RSVP in order to reserve their seats. To RSVP and/or buy whatever tickets remain, send an email to Aimee Visney at aimee@adrl.us or call the National Guard ADRL office at (636) 272-2375.

The 10-event 2010 National Guard ADRL Tour will get underway Mar. 12-13, with the Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza VI at Houston Raceway Park and will visit tracks in eight more states before concluding Oct. 22-23, with the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals V at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.

National Guard ADRL Executives including (l-r) CEO and President Kenny Nowling, Director of Race Operations Quick Vandiver, Executive Vice President of Competition Bert “Bubba” Corzine and Director of Timing and Scoring Letha Corzine will be among the key staff members representing the O’Fallon, Missouri-based drag racing series this weekend at the 22nd annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show at Orlando, Florida.

(ADRL/Tocher file photo)