It’s the first big race for the heads up racers in 2012 this weekend in Bradenton. A full slate of racing classes from Pro Mod to X275 will be on hand for a truly great show. Keep it tuned to DragZine all weekend for all the round-by-round race coverage updates.
Rob Cossack Motorsports Contributor
Rob has had an interest in photography since he was young, but didn't get started until 2007, where he started shooting at the local tracks. After that I started doing local video coverage of heads up events and started working with powerTV shortly after.
Interview: Kevin Fiscus And Josh Klugger On Their 2012 Partnership
Posted by
Rob Cossack
on 01/27/12
With the escalating costs of being competitive in the Drag Radial ranks it’s no surprise these two decided to team up for the new season. They have already tested into the 4.40′s at over 180 MPH this week at Bradenton after shaking it down closer to home at SGMP and are ready for this weekends US Street Nationals
Bidding for the property will be closed on December 19th and there are many watchful eyes on the process as the direction of the property is unknown at this time. Many families have raced together and grown up over the years and recently Todd Dickenson began a successful late night program for street cars.
The OL 10.5 record has been reset recently by Richard Sexton’s screw blown GTO with a 4.140, besting Lynch’s 4.14. with Chuck Ulsch close behind with a 4.148. Proline Racing, Victory Racecraft and Jason Enos have plans of their own running a 4.11 @191 Thursday at MIR prior to The Shakedown @ E-Town this weekend.
Steve Jackson has always been a top contender in Drag Radial with several important wins and records on the Killin’ Time Racing resume. On Friday, he set the bar once again with a 4.32 at 175 MPH – the quickest eighth-mile Drag Radial pass in history – while testing at MIR for the Ultimate Outlaws Shootout.
This year will mark the second annual event for the infamous Yellow Bullet Nationals held at Cecil County Dragway in Maryland. Pro classes include OL 10.5, Drag Radial, X275 and 8.50 Index. 10.00 and 11.50 index are also on the bill. Keep tuned to Dragzine for updates through the entire weekend.
Many were shocked to hear the iconic Orlando World Street Nationals has been postponed for this year, so we had a talk with track promoter Carl Weisinger to get the inside scoop on the decision, his thoughts on the economic situation and a little bit of his background in the sport.
Most people recognize the Pontiac GTO as the first of the muscle cars and I’ve always had a fine respect for the Pontiac brand. This clean ’65 model owned by Werner Saradin was spotted at the local track, and it’s a clean example of an unrestored classic ride that’s set up simple and a lot of fun.
Back in January Blair Brannock from Rockstar Performance purchased a 1990 Mustang hatch out of Texas to add to his collection of cars and hit some local X275/TT5 racing. Sometimes life gets in the way of plans and we finally hit the track for testing last Wednesday with good results.
Climactic Finale to Grab-A-Lane’s Second Annual Street Car Shootout
Posted by
Rob Cossack
on 06/14/11
Grab-A-Lane held its second annual Street Car Shootout this past Saturday at Bradenton Motorsports Park, ending in an exciting final round between Blair Brannock and Shawn Byrne with Byrne getting the win before catching fire on the top end. We’ve got gthe results, the photos, and even some video from the event.
Richie Balcom has owned this T Type Buick Regal for over twelve years with various engine combos. After trying out a twin turbo small block Chevy set up for a couple of years he is going back to his roots for 2011 and making a return to the TSM class with the little turbo Buick V6 back between the frame rails.
After working on this build for nearly three years, Steve Cannizzo’s new Pro Mod is nearly completed. The 115 inch wheelbase Bickel built Camaro features a 706 ci. nitrous injected BBC assembled by J.R. Competition in Lakeland and machined at Scotty’s Racing Technology in Spring Hill, Florida.
Well it looks like yet another nitrous racer is moving over to the dark side, or maybe we should say seeing the light, known as the ProCharger. Chad Opaleski had been planning to switch but after loosing a rod in February at The Night the Lights Went Out – Redemption they decided to go ahead and make the move now.
The much anticipated Night the Lights Went out II certainly lived up to the hype with multiple records set and mind blowing performances by Kevin Fiscus and David Wolfe running deep into the 4.30 zone and Eric Dillard topping 189 MPH on radials. We caught some of the qualifying and finals on video. Check it out.
Welcome to South Georgia Motorsports Park for Redemption, The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia II. Classes for this event include PTC Radial vs. the World where anything goes as long as you have a converter driven transmission and 315 Drag Radials or a True 10.5 tire. The big question – can Wolfe stay on top?
We went to Bradenton to catch up with some of the teams testing here during the off season. On hand were two cars from Summit Racing, Greg Anderson and Ronnie Humphrey. Cagnazzi Racing with Erica Enders returning for 2011 with a new sponsor, Roger Brogden, V Gaines and Alan Johnson shaking down a new car.
Sometimes we have to say enough is enough and make the decision to move on, in this case it’s out with the LT1 and in with the LSX, 440 cubic inches of it to be exact, and enough nitrous on tap to get deep into the eight second zone for Mike Rimar’s 94 Camaro.
No sooner is one car out the door than another project is on the way for the guys at Rockstar Performance. This clean 90 hatchback was picked up out of west Texas with plans for 2011 include local X275 and select NMCA and NMRA Tremek True Street events as part of a two car effort with your truly behind the wheel.
Blair Brannock and Aaron Gramer recently put the NMRA True Street project on the market and the deal was sealed last Friday by none other than “Radical” Randy Fuller out of the great state of Texas. Fuller and crew plan to campaign the car in True Street events and local Outlaw Radial races as well.
During this time every year Bradenton Motorsports Park holds their Snowbird Nationals drag race and Night of Fire. This event will be action packed with racing from Outlaw Pro Mod, Outlaw 10.5, Outlaw Radial, X275, and more. Keep it tuned to DRAGZINE all day Saturday and Sunday for updates.
It looks like John Sears has taken the X275 brand to a new level with the release of the 2011 rules and launch of the official X275.net website on November 14th. About two years ago John got the chance to showcase the new class at VMP and it’s been growing quickly since then and is set to invade Florida for 2011.
The biggest door car race of the entire year happens this weekend in Orlando. The World Street Nationals license plates is something you see on cars around the United States as a souvenir that they participated at this huge race. Come back to DRAGZINE all weekend as well will be bringing you all the action.
We are on site at SGMP in Cecil Georgia for the Radial Revolution and the pits are filling up fast. This race has new classes including Outlaw 10.5 and Outlaw 8.5. Thursday will be testing all day then qualifying is Friday and Saturday with Sunday eliminations. Check back all weekend.
This weekend marks the inaugural Outlaw Drag Racing Championship at Bradenton Motorsports Park down in Sunny Florida. We have several classes of cars from 7.50 index to Outlaw 10.5 and the insane Open Outlaw blown injected altereds and roadsters on site. Check back for live updates all weekend.
Very few of us still own the car we went to high school in and more often than not it was some beater we have fond memories of and are glad to be rid of when it’s all over. For Jon Bitler it’s a different story entirely, as his high school car was his dream car, a 1969 Nova.
2009 ORTC Champion Tony Ridenour took some time off for some engine changes and a switch to twin F-2 Prochargers from the Single F-3R 139 he was running before. The changes should allow for greater reliability as well as more power via increased airflow
We just love stock appearing old school muscle. This fine 71 Torino GT retains all the stock lines and trim from it’s show car days but owner Danny McRae decided to get out of that scene and go racing. We all know it’s what’s inside that counts so along came 532 cubic inches of big block Ford to get things going.
Scott Husted’s Drag Radial Mustang hit the track last night at Sunshine Dragstrip after a nine month build. We reported on the car back in June and Scott was determined to finish it up before the fall racing season down here in Florida, looks like he made it.
It’s not too often you see a Ford Fairmont race car, and even less you see a Fairmont wagon anywhere at all. Well the folks at NRC Motorsports got hold of one and worked their magic, turning this plane-jane commuter into a nitrous gulping stock suspension racer with their sights now set on the ORTC’s October bash
After running in Drag Radial for several years with a 347ci. small block Ford and a 101 MM Turbo, Archie Marasco from Real Speed Racing decided to step up the engine program to a 427 with Yates heads and gave the car a whole new look while it was down for the upgrade.
After crashing his 1969 Firebird in Milan’s All Motor class in August of 2008 Dave Theisen is headed back after getting the car repaired by Jim Powski Racecraft with some more power under the hood thanks to Chris Uratchko Racing. With the new setup David is looking for 8.40′s with a future eye on NMCA Pro Stock.
After attending the same high school, and working in the same corporate office for twenty years at Eckerd Drugs Joe Duncan and Robin Horn finally got together and started dating just six months before the company closed it’s doors. The couple married on November 22, 2008 with Joe now working as a fraud investigator in Tampa, Florida and racing together with a pair of old school Chevy Nova’s.
After back to back wins in Stock Suspension at Sunshine Dragstrip’s Autoway Chevrolet Heads Up Madness series, Kenny Markwich had plans for taking the summer off and some routine maintanance on the car. Some major repairs to the cylinder heads were in order however after leaking water into one cylinder through the last event, pulling the plug to pump out any water before each pass. The father and son team had a good run with Fun Ford’s Pro 5.0 class back in the day, winning the championship in 1998.
Kelsey Lay graduated from Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in May of 2010 and is getting seat time in the Lay Racing Super Comp dragster in preparation to compete, with a goal of qualifying for the 2011 NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida. Piloting nearly 1000 horsepower at over 160 MPH is a dream for most when they are seventeen, for Kelsey, it’s a dream come true.
After a 6 month build time the 2008 Orlando World Street Finals winner is just about wrapped up with his latest project, a 1993 Mustang coupe destined for the Outlaw Drag Radial ranks. After the local track cancelled the OL 10.5 class Scott was looking for a new direction. He purchased the Mustang you see here and has’nt looked back.
As it turns out this 1983 Trans Am has been in Christian Bohonos’ family since he was just two years old and was owned by his Grandfather, an avid fan of both Burt Reynolds and David Hasslehoff of the famed Night Rider TV show. From that point Christian started learning about building fast cars and the performance industry, making small upgrades to the car as he went along, installing a new intake, cam, headers and carburetor on the stock 305 cubic inch SBC, eventually upgrading to a TH 350 transmission and 3.73 rear gears. To date the best performance has been a 9.46 @ 148 on 15 PSI. On it’s most recent outing he managed a 9.65 @ 149.99 MPH on 25 PSI with a last 1.7 60’. Once he has the launch and boost ramp figured out and gets on a good track, the simple combo could crack the 8 second barrier.
