JE demonstrates two different casting methods, but whichever you choose, it’s important to use a material that’s both rigid and easy to remove. Flexible or brittle compounds like latex, silicone, modeling clay, or plaster won’t work because they can’t be scribed or measured accurately. Epoxy resin works great, except it may not release cleanly from metal (which sucks in ways that are easy to imagine). The right solution? Bondo, with a little WD-40 as a release agent, as it turns out.

Once the cast is molded, features like extended plug relief notches and flame slots can be cut in as well to further customize the dome of your piston. While 99.9% of engine builders and racers will never need to utilize these techniques to get the pistons they want, if you’re in that 0.1%, it’s nice to know that JE is ready to help.

If you’re an engine builder, you know that boring and honing a block is an exact job requiring precise specifications. RHS Torque Plates replicate engine stresses and bore distortion, ensuring accurate boring and honing. RHS also offers its Multi-Layer Steel Head Gaskets for its line of engine blocks, specifically designed to maximize cooling and efficiency.

Official Press Release

RHS® carries all the accessory items and tools needed to maximize performance with the LS-Series Gen III/IV engine blocks

The LS Race Block from RHS® has revolutionized the GM performance aftermarket. And now RHS® provides the tools and accessories necessary to go even further and turn any LS application into an all-out racing engine, including torque plates, head gaskets, main cap pullers and intake spacer kits.

RHS® Torque Plates for boring/honing are carefully engineered to precisely mimic the thickness and design of an installed aluminum cylinder head. When assembled with the torque plates, engine block stresses and bore distortion are accurately replicated during the machining process, thus more precise boring and honing is reached for maximum performance. Exclusive RHS® design – don’t accept inferior deck plates, and never use a steel or cast iron deck plate on an LS engine. Engineered to work with all LS engine blocks, including 6-bolt LSX pattern blocks, this is a must-have for any serious RHS® LS Race Block engine builder.

RHS® precision MLS (Multi-Layer Steel) Head Gaskets are custom made for an exact fit in LS race engine applications. They are comprised of three layers of hard embossed stainless steel with a high temperature FKM rubber coating and a stainless steel shim layer that features a laser welded stopper layer for the ultimate in combustion sealing. MLS Head Gaskets are perfect for high horsepower, high boost, naturally aspirated and nitrous applications. Easy-to-install, no re-torque is required after the initial torque set. The MLS Head Gaskets are designed specifically for the RHS® block and optimize coolant passages and cylinder sealing (RHS® recommends only using RHS® head gaskets with RHS® blocks).

Third, the LS Engine Main Cap Puller is specifically designed to fit LS engines. This sturdy tool makes the job of removing the doweled main caps quick, safe and easy. In one swift motion, caps are removed and held tightly so they don’t fall and become damaged – no prying, hammering or damaging dowels required.

Finally, Intake Spacer Kits are a must for all tall deck blocks. RHS® Intake Spacer Kits are CAD designed and CNC-billet machined to the most exacting tolerances to fit a 9.750″ deck height. A lightweight scalloped design provides rigidity and function without adding significant weight. Intake Spacer Kits include required hardware and gaskets and are available for all three cylinder styles: cathedral port LS1, rectangular runner LS3 and raised rectangular runner LS7.

All accessories, plugs, bolts and other service parts for RHS® LS Race Blocks are also available so that you can get the most out of your engine. For more information about the RHS™ LS Race
Block Accessories and Tools or any other RHS™ product, call us at 1-877-776-4323, or visit us online at www.racingheadservice.com.

The stock suspension, drag radial-tired craze has seen enormous success over the last handful of years and has and continues to spread like wildfire across the United States. It has even garnered the attention of some racers across the pond who have begun bolting the radials onto their various styles of race cars as well.

While drag radial racing is certainly enjoying it’s heyday at this very moment in time and likely for the foreseeable future, this style of heads-up, street car racing has been exceptionally popular for years since Fun Ford Weekend, NMRA, NMCA, NSCA and World Ford Challenge put the class on the map back in the late 1990’s.

The dwindling car counts over the years in some of the previously mentioned organized series led to an overflow of interest in outlaw-style racing, and with it brought an influx of racers – new and old- into the radial movement. So too, have the number of high-profile and lucrative races, and an outburst of advancements in performance.

However, it isn’t the race cars themselves, the marquee events that have made promoters as famous as the racers, or the numbers on the scoreboard that really make this radial world go round.  It’s the people…the personalities and the ingenuity that they possess.

Although both the north and the south can lay claim to being the birthplace of varying forms of radial tire racing, all corners of the nation now have a piece of the pie. From Donald Long’s extremely popular Outlaw Radial Tire Championship series and grudge racing in the south, to the MIR and Cecil County races and the Shakedown up north, the growing contingent in Texas, the True Street Drag Racing series and other events in the midwest, to the Pacific Street Car Association and West Coast Hot Rod Association out on the left coast.

Each of these geographical regions and racing organizations boasts a great following of racers and race teams that are all very tough competitors in their own right.  Unfortunately, these geographic separations affords little – if any – opportunity to bring them all together on one stage to truly gauge how they stack up against one another.  Long’s simply genius “The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia” back in March was the closest thing to such a happening that has occurred to date, but even then the turnout was only a drop in the bucket of the overall radial contingent.

For this reason, narrowing down this huge collection of racers to the five toughest and most feared is a very tough job.  There are so many great competitors out there that are deserving of being on such a list, that it’s literally a travesty to have to leave them out.

There are however,  a few racers that have been involved in the radial tire classes practically from the beginning, who have set records, won races, championships, gotten in the minds of their competitors, and practically put butts in the stands simply by showing up at a racetrack.  They have undeniably left a mark on the sport.  These gentlemen are mentioned in no particular order, because honestly, its tough enough just to break it down to five, much less have to rank them.

“Big Daddy” Dwayne Gutridge

Our list of the five most feared radial racers would be completely irrelevant if Big Daddy wasn’t included.  In fact, if we were to produce an article naming the single greatest drag radial racer of all time and it didn’t involve him, we’d risk losing all legitimacy and endure public bombardment and protest.

Widely considered the father of drag radial racing, Gutridge has been around from the very beginning and has truly done it all and seen it all. And he continues to be a force in the sport and one of the most recognized names and personalities in the business.

“It’s like a personal rivalry [with Big Daddy]. He very rarely screws up – he’s definitely a tough competitor,” said fellow northeastern racer Alex Vrettos.

Gutridge got his start in the late 1980’s around the time that the Ford Mustang became a hit with the enthusiast market with the introduction of the 5.0 engine, running his 1988 GT in some of the earliest Ford events alongside some of the greats including Joe Lombardo, Gene Deputy, Brian Wolfe, and “Stormin Norman” Gray.

Gutridge recalls a time in the early 90’s, while regularly racing at Raceway Park in Englishtown, picking up Falken and Yokohama radial tires at Pep Boys simply to save the time and effort of removing the street tires to install the slicks at the track.  He was fast from the onset, consistently outperforming nearly everyone at the time and later, following his success on BFGoodrich’s new drag radial tire, forged a relationship with the company that was instrumental in much of the early success of competitive drag radial racing.  He also played an integral role in the adoption of the drag radial class in the NMRA and the World Street Nationals in Orlando.

The outspoken automotive performance shop owner from New Jersey has long been at the forefront of innovation and an integral part of the Mustang movement, possessing a knack for doing more with less that his competition hastily admits as he continually shows them the door.

Paul Major, another of the northeastern racers, has had the opportunity to line up alongside Gutridge on many occasions.

“He just finds a way to compete with less than everybody else. Somehow, someway, he always finds himself making things happen, and I give him all the credit in the world.”

David Wolfe, who is a close personal friend of Dwayne’s and has acted as crew chief on his car for several years, has also had the opportunity to line up alongside of him.

“His car is always fast and you better be there. You better not mess up – that’s all I can say. And you better make sure your cars fast.”

His accolades truly speak for themselves. During his short tenure with the NMRA, Gutridge won seven events and was undeniably the face of the class.  He won the World Ford Challenge three times and after his switch to the Fun Ford Weekend series, won the championship in both seasons that he competed.  He was the first in the 9’s and the 7’s, and the first to surpass 160, 170 and 180 miles per hour.  Following his exit from FFW in 2004, he chose to go down the outlaw path.  He won the popular Shakedown at E’Town in 2006 and 2009 and upon calling his shot, ala Babe Ruth, wheeled his relatively underpowered small block into the magical 6-second zone.

David Wolfe

David Wolfe could well be considered the silent giant of drag radial racing. The blue collar, Fort Worth, TX-based chassis fabrication shop owner and his Ken Nelson-owned 1989 Mustang LX have been out less times than could be counted on one hand, but when that car does roll out of the trailer, the aura is reminiscent of Muhammad Ali stepping into the ring.

Said Long “everytime he comes out, he’s just on fire.”

Wolfe has long been well-renowned in the sport not only for producing world record-setting and championship-winning suspension components, but his expertise and ability to make any car – not just the stock suspension cars that are his specialty – go fast.  And while definitely quiet, he is unapologetically confident in his abilities. He works hard, he’s good, he knows it, he’ll tell you what he can do and then he’ll do it.

“He’s a trailblazer and a trendsetter. If you look up drag radial in the dictionary, his picture is there,” says David Hance.

Wolfe got his start in the drag radial craze back in 2000 and was an integral part of the early, formative years of the class in the NMRA. At the time, he acted as crew chief on a handful of cars, including those of world champion Job Spetter and close friend and teammate “Big Daddy” Dwayne Gutridge. He points out that Dwayne was very much the reason that he got involved.

“You can’t race David Wolfe – it’s just hard to race the guy. He’s just brilliant and if it doesn’t work, he can make it work, that’s the way he is,” said Gutridge.

Paul Major echoed that statement in saying “the guy is extremely smart and real good at getting a car to work and getting the power down – I don’t know that there’s anyone better.”

In 2005, Nelson dropped off a half-finished car at the Wolfe Racecraft shop and asked Wolfe to build a winner. At World Ford Challenge 9 in 2006, he came out with the car and not only won the race in almost effortless fashion, but shocked everyone with a 7.40 at 197 mile per hour lap, a record that stood for nearly three years.

Earlier this year, he put on what is widely considered one the greatest performances in the history of drag radial racing, coming out of nowhere with a new engine combination at the ORTC event and became the first stock suspension, drag radial-tired car to run in the 4.4-second range – numbers that no one expected. Except Wolfe himself, of course. And he made it look incredibly easy, much as he has before.

The rules makers have had to practically pencil-whip his type of combination out of the game as other racers don’t even want to line up alongside his rocketship. That’s intimidation, and David Wolfe has earned it.

Steve Jackson

Image credit: Steve Jackson Racing

Image credit: Power Block TV

Steve Jackson is a relative newcomer to drag radial racing when compared alongside many of the other current greats, first entering the fray in 2008. But during his short tenure thus far, has without question left an indelible mark on the category and forged a name for himself as one of the most feared competitor on drag radials today. To say that Jackson is outspoken would be an understatement, but it’s that fire for competition and confidence he exudes that has made him incredibly popular. The performance of his race car certainly hasn’t hurt either. Prior to David Wolfe’s big outing earlier this year, Jackson was the world-beater in the category, bar none. His crushing numbers practically made “Stevie Fast” a household term. And while not at the top at present, he has vowed to reclaim his title as the quickest racer in the world on drag radials and that’s one bet most would be willing to take.

David Hance summed it up well, stating “He’s exciting…you expect a baseball-like play, like he’s going to hit a home run every time he comes to a track.”

Jackson got his start in the grudge racing scene in the south, but has since divided much of his time between the grudge races and organized events. But regardless of where the “Killin Time” Mustang shows up, it is undoubtedly the car to beat. And there is virtually no one that’s safe from being called out for a little match racing.

Jackson won the 2008 ORSCA EZ Street title in his first year of competition, before stepping up to Limited Street in 2009. There, he reset the drag radial world record on two different occasions, all while running on a set of radial tires with stock suspension against his slick-tired counterparts.

“Pretty much we just love to crush people,” he stated.

Jackson already has numerous Limited Street and Drag Radial wins to his credit in the last two seasons, and estimates to have won more than twenty stock suspension and match races throughout the country to date. He strikes fear into the heart of the competition and because of his outspokenness is very much a love him or hate him individual, but Steve Jackson is more than deserving of being mentioned among the best.

Said Paul Major “he’s one of the top guys out there, and definitely commands respect.”

John Kolivas

Johnny K, as he’s commonly referred to, is one the most well-respected competitors in the sport. He’s managed to do a lot with a little, and carries himself with humbleness. He is also one of the fiercest competitors out there, one that every racer in the class gets up for when he’s in the other lane. And John earned that reputation. When he isn’t busy winning one championship after another, he’s still one of the toughest racers in all of drag radial to beat.

Said Steve Jackson “Kolivas is hard to beat because he’s got his stuff together and he’s very consistent. He knows his racecar and he knows how to read the track. He doesn’t beat himself a lot, so you’ve just got to flat outrun him.”

Vrettos agreed, saying “Johnny is definitely a tough competitor. He very rarely screws up. He cuts consistent lights and his car tends to work every pass.”

Kolivas officially entered the NMRA drag radial class in 2005 with his familiar white 1995 Mustang Cobra after acquiring the car in 2003, and continually building up his arsenal while competing in smaller local drag radial events. In his rookie year win the NMRA, John had two final round appearances, winning one of them. On a mission to win it all in 2006, Kolivas did exactly that, winning half the races that season and claiming his first championship – a title he would not relinquish until his exit from the series following the 2008 season. In June of 2008, he became the first NMRA Drag Radial racer to eclipse the elusive seven-second barrier.

While Kolivas has yet to personally drive up to the time shed to pick up a 6-second time slip, his car, with close friend Joel Greathouse at the controls, has. And that certainly has to weight in the minds of his competitors when that white Cobra stages up in the opposite lane.

“He’s just tough. He definitely isn’t someone I’d want to be racing against,” said radial promoter extraordinaire Donald Long.

Wolfe agreed, commenting “when he’s there, you know he’s there – I have a lot of respect for him.”

Kolivas has focused on outlaw radial racing over the course of the last couple seasons, racing nearly anywhere this combination is legal to compete. This has even included a visit to NMRA’s Super Street Outlaw category, where he reset the national record on a set of 275 radials and the tires were subsequently ruled out almost immediately following the event.

These days, he continues to be one of the most decorated and feared competitors in drag radial, consistently going rounds and racking up the wins at ORTC and other outlaw events, all the while quietly continuing to build on his legacy in the class.

Troy Pirez

Troy Pirez Sr. is another of the racers that has been around from the early, formative years of radial tire racing and has virtually done it all and seen it all in the sport as one of the original drag radial pioneers.

Pirez and “Big Daddy” Dwayne Gutridge both go back to the beginnings of drag radial and know a thing or two about competing against one another.

“Put Troy Pirez at the top of my list. He’s an old school dude…he ran on BFG’s. He’s still winning – he still knows how to win. He’s running nitrous, but he still knows how to win. Most respect…if me and him line up, it’s old school. I know Troy is going to cut a good light and he’s not going to give you the race – you’re going to earn that win.”

The veteran from Florida dates his radial racing days back to the mid 1990’s when BFGoodrich first put a drag radial tire on the market and the organized events began to pop up. Pirez grabbed three wins at Bradenton Motorsports Parks’ heads-up events that were formed in 1997 before making the switch to Factory Street in the NMCA in 1998.  He then competed in the Traction Advantage category in the defunct NSCA in 1999 and 2000 where he won a championship and was the first racer to break into the 8-second zone. Pirez also held the Extreme Street national record for a time on BFG’s before the tire was outlawed in the class.

These days he, along with son Troy Pirez Jr., bide much of their time close to home at Bradenton, Sunshine Dragstrip, and other tracks around the state of Florida where Pirez has long been a dominant force and has gathered more wins and trophies than even he can remember. But occasionally, he ventures out to some of the larger events, where his white and orange 1988 Camaro is a familiar site and a force to be reckoned with anywhere he shows up.

“I’m Troy’s number one fan. He’s one of the main reasons for the explosion of drag radial in the past couple of years. He’s the king of making funny videos, he’s an accomplished racer, and he wins. He’s a colorful personality that the class has really benefited from,” said David Hance.

Pirez and his tried-and-true big block nitrous combination have recently found new life in the increasingly popular 275 radial craze, where he disposed of an incredible field of challengers from around the nation in February to pick up a big win at The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia.

So there you have it; our purely unbiased take on the top five most feared racers in the drag radial world today. Through hard work, determination, and many years of experience behind the wheel and under the hood, they have each left their own unique mark on what has become a hugely popular venue in the sport. And when you think Drag Radial, you think of this group of racers. but with an ever-growing crop of racers coming into the fold all with the same amount of drive to win, it’s safe to say this list could very well have a different look to it just a couple of years from now. And luckily, we get to sit back and revel in what these men (and women) do.

There are two main factors most people consider when they’re in the market for a new exhaust system: Performance and sound. While added horsepower can be quantified pretty easily via the chassis dyno, how it sounds is a far more subjective topic. Fortunately, Cherry Bomb has you covered whether your left brain hemisphere insists on hard numbers or the right half insists that it knows what it likes when it hears it with their interactive sound and dyno page.

Vortex, Pro, Elite, Extreme, Glasspack – they’re all just words until you hear them for yourself, and Cherry Bomb lets you do just that. With new sound clips and dyno charts being added all the time, it’s worth a visit to “try before you buy” and keep both halves of your brain happy. Turn up your speakers and get ready to disturb the peace a little!

Who doesn’t love a little of every piece of the racing world? Be it all out straight-line performance on the drag strip, paved short track racing or even watching cars fly around corners sideways in the dirt, any gearhead can find something awesome within any of these events. Well, what if one wants to find all of these venues in one location? Mark your calenders for spring of 2011, when Lake Havasu City plans to be welcoming the addition of an 1/8 mile drag strip and off-road course to their existing paved oval speedway.

Read more about the track’s (so-far) successful efforts to bring drag racing to Lake Havasu directly from Havasu News and join the discussion regarding the track on Moparts.

While most track proposals usually receive heavy flak for reasons varying from noise, money, or locals that just don’t want it, for whatever reason that may be, but the Havasu City public showed their overwhelming support during a Parks & Recreation Department meeting in the city council chambers at the police facility. All that’s left now in the legal way of things is to bring the proposal in front of the City council, slated to take place sometime this month. In an effort to curb noise complaints, Havasu 95 Speedway owner Bill Rohzon says the track will be positioned in a way that channels the noise toward the lake as to not disturb locals.

Making things a little more feasible, is that Lucas Oil has already vowed to build the track at zero cost to the community, and hopes to have the gates opening on the finished product by February of 2011. It’s not the only drag strip in the Phoenix area, but it’ll certainly become the only facility of its type for miles and miles beyond Phoenix city limits. Follow the facility’s progress as the ball gets rolling even faster at their website, Havasu95speedway.com.

Images courtesy: ADRL.us

Over on the ADRL website, Agent 660 is reporting that Pro Extreme driver Jason Hamstra will return to competition this weekend at the Simpson Dragstock VII at Rockingham Dragway behind the wheel of a new (to him) car. Hamstra has teamed up with Andy McCoy Race Cars out of Washington, MO to campaign their 1970 Plymouth Duster at Rockingham and for the remainder of the season. While sporting a new wrap down each side of the car, you may recognize this as the very same car that previously ran in the Pro Nitrous division with Thomas “Tom Slick” Myers at the controls. Myers struggled early on with the new car blues and encountered recent troubles with his race car trailer that have forced him to miss the last handful of ADRL events, thus the decision was made by McCoy to take a new direction with the car.

McCoy and his staff have been burning the midnight oil to get the nitrous-assisted Duster transformed into a screw-blown terror in time for the Rockingham event. Hamstra has been sidelined for the last two race weekends on the schedule – at Houston and St. Louis – following a pair of unfortunate accidents at back-to-back events at Martin in June and Topeka in July. He still sits in the 12th spot in the Pro Extreme points standings despite his absence, but strong performances in Rockingham and Norwalk could boost him into the Battle For the Belts at seasons end. Hamstra challenged for the Pro Extreme championship last season, ultimately finishing the year a very respectable third in the standings following a devastating to end crash that destroyed his 1968 Firebird. The McCoy-built Duster has been one of the most popular rides to debut in some time, and the old girl just got a little more feisty.

Last week, we shared with you some video courtesy of Proline highlighting a couple of passes by drivers Tim Lynch and Eric Dillard during a midweek testing session at the Jackson Dragway, in which Lynch nailed down a great 4.30-second, 178 MPH lap. And as most anyone that’s followed the Lynch and Petty duo for any length of time expected they blew that number out of the water at the Yellowbullet.com Nationals at Cecil County Dragway over the weekend.

During an open test session at Cecil county on Friday prior to qualifying on Saturday, Lynch pounded out an all-time best 4.17 at 183 MPH lap to the eighth mile, sending a collective groan through the Outlaw 10.5 pits. Making the lap even more impressive is the fact that Tim got the car over near the centerline and had to drive it back, using up extra real estate in the process. As you can also clearly see, Tim lifted just beyond the eighth mile marker and threw the chutes, unaware that the quarter mile clocks were turned on, coasting through to a still impressive 6.77 at just 150 MPH. they then followed that run up with a 4.22 to qualify atop the stout 32-car field, along with a string of low 4.2-second runs through eliminations to take home the check and the hardware. Tuner Steve Petty indicated in a recent interview with DRAGZINE that mid 6.20’s are a realistic goal this fall. With half track numbers in the teens and even better performances promised, they’re already knocking on that door with just a handful of passes on the new car.

We don’t know about church, but we do like the idea of driving it 154mph through the traps, good for 8.77-second time slips! Pat assures that his big green beast gets plenty of street miles in between its 100 or so passes over the past few of years.

Christened “Max Street,” the potential of this project Nova II is edging towards limitless street domination. With a blow-through-carbureted 555ci big block Chevy backed with a TCI 6X six-gear overdrive transmission, and a ridiculously cool four-link and rear end, this little ol’ shoebox will be putting down close to 900 horsepower to the asphalt. The purpose of this build is edging more toward Sir Edmond Hillary’s reasoning for climbing Mount Everest, “Because it’s there.” Why build a Nova to do what this one will? Because we think we can…

Our g-Machine front set up consisted of the following:

• Chassisworks g-Machine Subframe (PN: 7700)

• Chassisworks g-Machine A-Arms (PN: 6152 & 6153)

• Chassisworks g-Machine Swap Bar (PN: 6154)

• Chassisworks g-Machine Power Rack and Pinion w/Billet Rack Mounts (PN: 6140-215-1)

• Chassisworks g-Machine Spindles (PN:6186)

• Chassisworks Brake Hubs (PN: 8320)

• Wilwood SRP Drilled Performance Brake Rotors (PN: 918322)

• Wilwood Billet Narrow Superlite 6 Radial Mount Calipers (PN: WW 160-8006 & WW 160-8007)[/LIST]

A-ARM WRESTLING

As the underlying theme of this portion of our car build is get this little red shoebox to handle like its riding on rails, and thereby reducing as much body roll and exerted energy as possible, the geometry of our suspension was tantamount to our project’s success. In reducing our Nova’s body roll or “load transfer” during cornering, acceleration and braking, we had a couple factors working in our favor:

• The Nova’s short wheelbase and track width provides a nimble platform to start from.

• Second, its light body mass would only be lighter after we were finished modifying it, improving its already stellar power-to-weight ratio.

• Our Forgeline wheels, Chassisworks suspension and low profile tires would drop our Nova’s center of gravity substantially.

• The gobs of acceleration that our 555ci ProCharger-supercharged plant would pull the lightweight Nova “out of the hole.”

Installation of our upper and lower control arms was a cinch. The Chris Alston front end kit allow for easy access.

Chassisworks’ front suspension strives to reduce as many of the factors that exaggerate weight transfer in handling by improving:

• “Vehicle roll center” or the point at which cornering forces in the suspension are reacted to the vehicle body.

• “Anti-roll bar stiffness” or how much transferred force is applied to the opposite track.

• “Kinematic design” or quantity of contact points of the suspension linkage[/LIST]

Chassisworks designed the g-Machine sub frame (part number 917700) to accept their new g-Machine Control Arms with these mathematical matters forefront in mind. Specifically-designed to withstand the increased forces imposed by hard cornering and severe braking, Chassisworks’ upper and lower control arms (part numbers 916152 and 916153, respectively) were drafted with maximum rigidity and durability in mind by using the best materials and components available including high-grade mild steel tubing and stainless steel mounting hardware.

Chassisworks' tubular upper A-arms (part number 916153) are deceptively advanced. Gone are the old "press-in" ball joints; rather, these ball joints are similar to Chrysler's thread in-style, which are significantly stronger to duress and less likely to slip or misalign. Two CNC'ed eyebolts are fabricated for each kit.

Each A-arm is also marked with a “D” or “P” for Driver or Passenger side, embossed on the balljoint housing. “The g-Machine arms were specifically designed to handle the increased cornering and braking forces that modern Pro-Touring and open-track cars are capable of generating,” says Chassisworks.

Key characteristics of the Chassisworks lower A-arms are their sizing; the wide lower control arm size increases its load capacity and stability during hard braking and cornering while their longer length reduces track-width change and roll-center movement during suspension travel for “smoother transitions entering and exiting turns.”

Additionally, their lower shock mount is located right next to the balljoint for a better shock-motion ratio. This allows the use of lighter, lower-rate springs for improved suspension control without degrading ride quality. The upper arms’ are equally as advanced, including the same optimal geometry-centric attributes.

Before mounting our A-arms, they needed to be fully assembled first. While the lower A-arms come from Chassisworks with the bushings already installed, we needed to install the balljoints on both the upper and lower control arms. Chassisworks suggests installing the rubber balljoint boot before the balljoint itself, due to the boot’s tight fit and likelihood of tearing if trying to install afterward. The boot’s outer lip needs to fit snuggly all the way around the edge of the balljoint housing. Once completed, apply a thin layer of anti-seize on the balljoint’s threads before hand-threading it in to the A-arm housing. With our balljoints snug on the control arms, we used our supplied balljoint tool to tighten them down. Chassisworks recommends tightening the balljoint down to over 150 lbs. ft. of torque, until it is fully seated.

Before finally installing the rod ends, we threaded on the jam nut until there was roughly 1 1/16-inches of thread left, just to provide us a baseline for alignment. Next, we applied some anti-seize to the threads and tightened the rod ends down, as well as the ball joint (making sure to install by hand first, then with the wrench).

Chassisworks’ upper A-arms feature billet rod ends. Incorporating rubber-inserted eyebolts, the rod ends connect to the A-arm via a adjustable coupler. This provides even further alignment tuning. Chassisworks’ instructions instruct chasing all of the A-arms’ threads with a 5/8-18 tap just to clear out any debris in the threads that might have collected during the manufacturing process. This is a safety step, of course, but when dealing with high performance suspension, it’s the little things that count.

When completed, the Chassisworks front suspension kit provided substantially-improved front end geometry. Larger mounts with improved axis angles working with coil over springs (see previous article, here) removed the guesswork and structural flaws of the stock unibody front clip.

PUTTING ON THE BRAKES

No doubt, since we’re powerTV after all, this Chevy II Nova will be packing plenty of power. With a ProCharger blowing gobs of boost down the throat of our big block Chevy 555, we’re sure to see this Nova vanish in a streak of cherry red down the street. But, since breaking the sound barrier down a straight line is only a small portion of this build’s ultimate goal, we knew we needed to get this ’66 deuce to come to a halt just as quick. Besides running a parachute, there’s really no better way to bring a car to stop than multi-piston caliper disc brakes. Since caliper brakes employ dual-sided friction to convert the vehicle’s kinetic energy into heat on a wheel-mounted rotor, it’s imperative to shed that heat as fluidly as possible.

Heat, nearly more than any other factor, is the greatest detractor to brake function. As your vehicle’s kinetic energy (read: energy of motion) increases, so does the distance required to bring that vehicle to a complete stop, multiplying upwards to 100-times! Factor in a high or low wind drag and poorly operating brakes, and you could have the makings of a small disaster. While upgrading your brakes won’t help your vehicle’s aerodynamics, they will greatly affect your stopping prowess.

Chassisworks fabricates these gorgeous billet aluminum wheel hubs (part number 8320) work with Wilwood's Superlite and SRP Drilled Performance disc brake kits and are sturdy and lightweight.

Chassisworks’ Chris Alston recommends Wilwood rotors and calipers for his g-Machine Chevy II front clip kit to the point of selling them as optional equipment. The Chassisworks kit includes billet aluminum hubs that come with threaded stud-mounting holes for both 4 1/2 and 4 3/4-inch bolt patterns. Again, chasing the threads with a tap (1/2-20) is recommended, as these are CNC-machined. The Chassisworks hubs (part number 8320) mate beautifully to the Wilwood SRP Drilled Performance Rotor suggested for the g-Machine package. The SRPs are ideal for this application as each rotor is directionally cross drilled and slotted. These features shed heat faster than solid rotors which have a tendency to “soak” or retain heat, causing “brake fade” or a loss of surface tactility, hindering pad contact.

Wilwood's SRP drilled and slotted rotors feature these convex blades which shed brake pad dust and dissipate heat faster than solid or single-blade rotors.

“The rotors used in the Alston system where specifically matched to [the g-Machine] system,” explained Michael Hamrick from Wilwood. It’s only recently that aftermarket and some higher performance factory vehicles have featured hub-mounted, removable rotors. This is another example of racing influencing everyday life. Without having to removed the complete hub from the spindle, pit crews could interchange rotors during stops if so needed, especially if rotors were warped or distorted from excessive heating and cooling. Bringing out our trusty Loctite, we whetted the stud threads and tightened down the 2 1/4-inch 12-point bolts; obviously a longer wheel stud is needed for thicker wheels or to satisfy certain racing regulations, so 3-inch-long studs are available from Chassisworks. With the hubs married to the rotors, it was time to press in our inner wheel bearings and seals.

With the hub mated to the rotor, we can see how the two piece composite system makes for an easier setup, especially when it comes to quick brake changes and/or repairs (although, we're not expecting any).

Thankfully, the bearing races are pressed into the billet hub from Chassisworks. The wheel bearing, though, needs to be packed with grease before installation. Properly hand-packing bearings is messy (grab a handful and start pressing! – Ed.), but needs to be done. With the bearing packed, set it in the bearing race. Next, place the hub on a soft, flat surface (i.e. a wood work bench). Using a hammer and a seal installer, pound the seal into the hub, fully seating it. This step is imperative. Not seating the bearing can cause excessive unnecessary wear and eventual damage to the hub and spindle or worse.

Remember, before installing the hubs to the spindles (part number 916186), Wilwood’s rotors are directional, designed to evacuate heat away from the disc and rotor as quickly as possible. Since we didn’t want to wash our hands twice, we packed the outer bearings the same time as the inner bearings.

With our hub on the spindle, we inserted the bearing, hand-tightened the castle nut down (approximately 25 lbs. of torque) and backed it off to snug. Next went in the cotter pin and dust cap. With our rotors spinning freely on their spindles, we knew it was time for the calipers.

Providing the clamping power for the front brakes is Wilwood’s Billet Narrow Superlite 6R Radial Mount 6-piston Caliper. Each caliper features six Termlock pistons, a multi-part collaborative piston design that aids in creating a “thermal barrier” between the caliper body and the pads, which equals extended service life of the pad and less “brake fade” associated with the duress of performance braking.

Servicing the SuperLite 6R calipers is made easy by its five bridge bolts, allowing for quick brake pads exchanges. Without removing the calipers from their mount, the brake pad is effortlessly extracted from between the caliper and rotor. And since the five bridge bolts allow for extensive brake adjustment, our “Max Street” Nova can be all the more tuned.

ROLLING STOCK

Using the provided 3/8-16 x1 3/8 socket head allen screws, lock washers and flat washers, we mounted the caliper to the spindle. A good rule of thumb is to roll the rotor back and forth to check for any clearance issues. Investigating further, we mounted our Nova’s big 17-inch Billet Specialties wheels. With more than the suggested minimum 1/4-inch of clearance, we were satisfied. “The size of this caliper lends it to be used in tight fit applications normally associated with big brake conversions,” says Wilwood’s Hamrick. We wholeheartedly agree.

Our Billet Specialties Street Lites tucked up nicely into our recently-installed mini-tubs. If you didn't get to read up on their easy installation, make sure you hope over here to check it out!

The Billet Specialties Street Lite wheels were specifically designed for our Nova with a unique design specific to our ride. “We made sure the wheel works with both mag shank lug nuts (common for street type use) and 5/8-inch studs (race type). The benefit of this is if you do upgrade to a set of say, Strange or Mark Williams axles with 5/8-inch studs, you do not have to drill or buy new wheels,” explained Scott Sandoval from Billet Specialties. “We use 6061-T6 rotary forged aluminum center for strength and weight savings, plus, 6061 polishes to a higher shine and is easier to maintain. Light weight equals faster acceleration. This is a lightweight race wheel strong enough for everyday street use.”

While 15-inch rims are the gold standard for classic muscle cars, we opted to go a little taller at 17-inches. And since the Chevy II was destined for maintaining apt road manners with hard acceleration greatness, we went with 8-inch wide wheels in front and a cement roller-wide 11-inches in the rear, which eventually required us to install a set of prefabricated mini-tubs. The Street Lites were wrapped in Hancook 225/45/ZR17 94Y XL Ventus V12 EVOs (that’s a mouthful!) and broad 315/35/R17 Mickey Thompson ET street radials in the tail.

With our new Chris Alston's Chassisworks front end complete and our Nova II fitted with some serious rolling stock, we plopped our wicked 555ci big block Chevy between the frame rails. Make sure to stay tuned to progress on Project Max Street here!

CONCLUSION

We’re still a ways away from getting out on the tarmac and seeing how this fiery red Chevy II will do in the slalom and on the skidpad, but we’re certain that we’re properly equipped for whatever come our way. Preparing for the worst and expecting the best, our Nova has the right suspension, hardware, brakes and wheels and tires to ensure sharp, precision cornering, secure, hard braking, and glued to the floor traction. Completely replacing our 44-year-old factory front clip with Chris Alston’s Chevy II g-Machine Subframe System saved us some weight while drastically improving front end rigidity, suspension geometry and durability. In other words, our Chassisworks front end kit literally transformed our stock unibody into a true street/strip machine and that’s exactly the point.

There can only ever be one “first.” Everybody remembers the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, as well as the first mass-produced car, the Model-T. There are many firsts in the automotive world, though some seemingly-important cars get lost to history. People just didn’t judge the value the muscle cars back then the way they do today, and many historical vehicles were sold or traded for pennies of their real worth.

Thanks to eBay though, one important part of Chevy history may have been uncovered. Here is an auction for the very first production Camaro ever built.

Unlike many of the rare, “first” cars we see here, this one is in comparatively shabby shape. This car was through and through a race car, and while it bears the significant 123377n100001 VIN tag, it has almost none of the original parts. Additionally, it is missing the engine, transmission, the rear end has been swapped with a Ford, and all told this is not a collector-ready item.

Then again, it is a significant piece of automotive history. So far as we know, nothing has been done to certify that this is indeed the first Camaro ever built. We doubt the full roll cage or fiberglass front clip add value to the car, but perhaps a savvy investor might be able to restore this car back to its original form. The bidding reached $35,000 and the reserve was not met. How high can it go, and is it worth it?

Even though the Drag Pack Challenger is a rare sight compared to say.. an early 90’s Fox Body on the 1320, we’ve seen the wrenches turning on a bunch of them, seeing what each and every race team’s interpretation on the best overall Drag Pack Challenger is, performance-wise and in the cosmetic department. We’ve certainly seen some stellar examples, but when Mack Reeves got his hands on his own Challenger (Drag Pack #43) he wanted to do what he could to make it stand out from the others, so he got in touch with Chris Cruz Artistry for a killer paint job.

While Chris Cruz’s paint-job is what really drew me into this modern Mopar, there’s a whole lot more to this ride, as depicted on Moparts.

Hitting the ground running with Chrysler’s biggest and baddest production motor available today, the 6.1L HEMI stays fairly stock-appearing on the outside at first glance, but as with all teams, they’re doing what little they can on the inside within NHRA AS/A’s tight rule package. When your rule-strapped in the motor department, you’ve got to look elsewhere for any bit of help you can get on hustling down the 1/4 mile – underneath this beauty’s rear clip is a Mopar 8 3/4″ rear end stuffed with Mark Williams Hi-Torque axles. Helping keep the car steady on launch is Afco shocks out back and Afco coil-overs in the front-end.

Keeping consistency in mind, Reeves opted for an automatic trans. in the car. As the build wraps up, Reeves is hoping he’ll have enough time to get this Challenger onto the dyno rollers and also get some crucial testing data in soon, before making an attempt to get the car ready and out for the last Division 2 race of the year in October, before giving the competition a run for their money in 2011.

Chris Cruz made sure to make this one highly-detailed engine bay

For the longest time, drag racers went with the heaviest duty transmission available; for most Ford owners, this meant the C6. DYNAMIC Racing Transmissions is lending some of its Mighty Mite C4 technology to a C6 trans brake, which borrows the upper half from a C4 and has a custom lower half made from billet.

Official Press Release

In the early ‘90’s DYNAMIC Racing Transmission’s MIGHTY MITE C4

was instrumental in retiring many a C6 from the racing circuit. The C4’s new found strength, consistency, and dependability made the C6, for the most part, an instant dinosaur. How ironic is it, then, that it’s the same Mighty Mite that is lending its technology to the C6 today to bring it to a level of competitiveness never before experienced by its users. Outside of all out heads up drag racing, where fans of original American iron are not as likely to get hung up over a few pounds, the C6 is still a viable option. And when a trans brake is legal, the DYNAMIC V-2 is the finest C6 brake a racer could choose. Comprised of a billet lower half and an upper half taken directly from the MIGHTY MITE C4, it utilizes an external solenoid for maximum mechanical and cooling efficiency. The V-2 Brake is made to fit the late push-in modulator type case.

For ordering info on this and other original DYNAMIC products, call 203/315-0138 or e-mail dynamicracemail@aol.com

Tim Lynch virtually dominated the headliner Outlaw 10.5 category at the inaugural YellowBullet.com Nationals at Cecil County Dragway in Maryland, qualifying in the top spot and riding that momentum to the winners circle. John Kolivas returned to action with a win in Drag Radial, while Chris Evans walked way with the 275 Radial crown. Read More >>

Mickey Thompson Tires Monday Morning Race Report

YB Nats: Same Day Event Coverage on DRAGZINE. Tim Lynch virtually dominated the headliner Outlaw 10.5 category at the inaugural YellowBullet.com Nationals at Cecil County Dragway in Maryland, qualifying in the top spot and riding that momentum to the winners circle with a win “Smokin Joe” Schroeder in the money round. John Kolivas returned to action with a win in Drag Radial, defeating Buddy Tippett, while Chris Evans – who had a bounty on him this weekend – grabbed the 275 radial crown over challenger Don Barnett.

NMRA: Same Day Event Coverage on Stang TV. The championship battles in the NMRA are coming down to the wire, as the series rolled into National Trail Raceway in Columbus for the next to last stop of the season. Jim Brown captured an upset win in Pro Outlaw 10.5, besting perennial favorite Conrad Scarry, while Phil Hines and Sam Vincent squared off in the Street Outlaw final, with Hines getting the best of the favored Vincent, 7.82 to 8.10. Bob Cook was the victor in EFI Renegade, and Jason Lee continued his stranglehold on Drag Radial, defeating Enzo Pecchini. 

NHRA: Event recap here on DRAGZINE. Labor Day weekend signifies the annual running of the sport’s most illustrious race, the Mac tools U.S. Natonals in Indianapolis, now in it’s 56th edition. Larry Dixon unseated Tony Schumacher from his Top Fuel reign at Indy, winning his 10th straight final round appearance in 2010 with a rout of Cory McClenathan. Ashley Force Hood defeated her father to win Funny Car for the second straight eyar, Greg Stanfield upset reigning champ Mike Edwards, and LE Tonglet surprised everyone with a huge win over Andrew Hines. Full results are available at Drag Race Central and additional coverage can be found at Competition Plus.

The Weekend Winner Circle

YellowBullet.com Nationals – Rising Sun, MD Tim Lynch virtually dominated the headliner Outlaw 10.5 category at the inaugural YellowBullet.com Nationals at Cecil County Dragway in Maryland, qualifying in the top spot and riding that momentum to the winners circle. John Kolivas returned to action with a win in Drag Radial, while Chris Evans walked way with the 275 Radial crown. EVENT WINNERS Outlaw 10.5: Tim Lynch Drag Radial: John Kolivas 275 Radial: Chris Evans 7.50 Index: Charlie Micallif 8.50 Index: Joe Algana Click here to view more results >>

NMRA Ford Expo – Columbus, OH The championship battles in the NMRA are coming down to the wire, as the series rolled into National Trail Raceway in Columbus for the next to last stop of the season. Jim Brown captured an upset win in Pro Outlaw 10.5, besting perennial favorite Conrad Scarry, while Phil Hines and Sam Vincent squared off in the Street Outlaw final, with Hines getting the best of the favored Vincent, 7.82 to 8.10. Bob Cook was the victor in EFI Renegade, and Jason Lee continued his stranglehold on Drag Radial, defeating Enzo Pecchini. EVENT WINNERS Pro Outlaw 10.5: Jim Brown Super Street Outlaw: Phil Hines EFI Renegade: Bob Cook Drag Radial: Jason Lee Hot Street: Charlie Booze Jr. Real Street: Bruce Hemminger Pure Street: Shawn Johnson Factory Stock: Matt Amrine Click here to view more results >>

A total of fourteen Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak drivers showed up this past weekend at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, IN. Four days of ideal weather led to record-breaking performances on the racetrack and near-capacity crowds for the event.

Jeff Teuton, from Houma, LA, became the first-ever Mopar Drag Pak driver to take a win at the U.S. Nationals, driving in the G/Stock Automatic class. Teuton’s Mopar 5.9L Magnum V8 engine is one of three engines available for 2009 and 2010 model-year Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Paks. The other two engines are the 5.7L and 6.1L versions of the HEMI V8. Engine and transmission choices determine a Drag Pak’s NHRA classification.

“We did what we came here to do,” said Teuton. “We still have another tenth in the car,” he added. His best time in the G/SA class is 10.629 seconds, which qualified the car to run in the U.S. Nationals Stock Eliminator event on Saturday.

Cooler than normal temperatures and low humidity produced elapsed time and speed records in each of the four professional classes in qualifying. The conditions also helped fill the grandstands each day until Monday, when a few hundred empty seats were evident.

Later, in the the D/Stock Automatic class, Irvin Johns, of Charlestown, IN, won the Championship with a 10.16 second run in his Drag Pack Challenger.

First introduced for the 2009 model year, with all one hundred cars quickly sold out, Dodge continued the 2010 Challenger Drag Pak program for 2010. The non-street legal cars are sanctioned for NHRA Stock, Super Stock and Comp Eliminator drag racing.

Checkout the photos shared with us by ADRL’s Agent 660, and let us know what you think about this flat black beauty.

While there’s no official word from Smith or any associates on whether or not he’ll be making an appearance at ADRL’s nearest event taking place on September 10-11 at Rockingham Dragway, it seems like a perfect chance for Smith to give it a go as it doesn’t conflict with the NHRA Full Throttle schedule (Smith currently sits 5th in PSM well within striking distance of the 2010 title). The Lenmar Motorsports World Finals in Ennis, TX would be the only other ADRL race in 2010 that doesn’t conflict with the NHRA schedule.

Photo: ADRL

Whenever his first ADRL appearance may be, it’ll be thanks to all the efforts that George Bryce’s Star Racing team have put into this champ’s new bike. Engine and other drivetrain details are being left out for now, but should be coming up soon should Smith and Star Racing give us the full rundown on their plans for ADRL competition in 2010 and/or 2011. Regardless, Matt Smith looks to make his presence well-known, hoping to become a serious contender in the unfamiliar Pro Extreme Motorcycle territory. Will he have what it takes, or will the likes of Ashley Owens, Terry Schweigert, and Eric Mckinney stay on top in the PXM ranks?

Monday

Larry Dixon kept his perfect final round streak alive Monday by racing to his 10th win of the season at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the world’s most prestigious drag race.

Ashley Force Hood, Greg Stanfield and LE Tonglet also were winners in their respective categories at the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship event, the first of six playoff races.

Dixon earned his fourth win at Indy and 58th of his career by outrunning Cory McClenathan in the final round. Dixon defeated Bruce Litton, Steve Torrence and Shawn Langdon in earlier rounds to advance to the final.

Top qualifier Dixon covered the O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis dragstrip in 3.837 seconds at 319.60 mph in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster to hold off McClenathan, who trailed with a 3.870 at 319.82 in his FRAM dragster.

“Winning Indy is enough for me,” said Dixon, who with the victory became the first driver in NHRA history to win 10 consecutive finals in a season without a loss. He increased his series lead to 46 over McClenathan as he works on a third world championship title. “Nothing against Atlanta or Phoenix, but I would trade them all in to win at Indy.”

Force Hood claimed her first win of the season, second in a row at this event and fourth overall by outrunning her father, John Force, in the final round. She powered her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang to a winning performance of 4.141 at 308.07 while her father’s Castrol GTX High-Mileage Mustang lost traction at mid-track and finished in 7.246 at 91.61.

“This has just been an amazing day,” said Force Hood, who beat Del Worsham, Paul Lee and Jack Beckman in earlier rounds. “This may mean more than last year because we struggled so much this season. Last year we were on a roll – we had gone to some finals and won some races and were up high in the points — but this year it’s been the other end of the spectrum, but our team has stayed positive and we just said we’d use the start of the playoffs to turn it all around and forget the past.”

Stanfield used a quicker reaction at the starting line to defeat defending world champion Mike Edwards in the Pro Stock final round. Stanfield posted a 6.665 at 207.59 in a his NitroFish Gear Pontiac GXP to hold off the quicker-but losing 6.627 at 208.75 effort from Edwards in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries GXP. It was Stanfield’s first win of the season and fourth of his career.

Stanfield moved to third in the points and had early round wins over Warren Johnson, Jason Line and Allen Johnson.

“This is just a huge win for me, especially after coming so close here last year [in a.001-second loss to Jeg Coughlin in the final],” said Stanfield. “And it was really exciting for our Nitro Fish Gear team owner, Kenny Koretsky, who was the Pro Stock runner-up at the 2004 Indy [which was the 50th anniversary of the event]. We came here with our first complete DRCE-3 engine, which makes more power than our old combination, and we also got the suspension straightened out to make good use of that extra power. We were struggling a lot earlier in the year, and I was beginning to doubt if I could get the job done. But I had promised Kenny that I’d get him at least one Wally this season, and I’m going to give him the trophy right after this race. I hope that we can win a few more.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, rookie LE Tonglet captured his second win of the season and moved into second place in the playoff point standings. Tonglet powered his Tonglet Racing Suzuki to a 6.869 at 195.22 to hold off top qualifier and national record-setter Andrew Hines, who was denied an Indy victory once again and finished in 6.962 at 194.13 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.

Tonglet, who becomes the fourth rookie driver to win at Indy in the modern era, beat Joe DeSantis, Chip Ellis and Eddie Krawiec in the first three rounds.

“In Brainerd, when we broke that engine, our season was over,” he admitted. “We weren’t coming here but Vance & Hines and Fuel Pak stepped up and helped us out. Even so, I never expected to be sitting here telling you all how good I feel right now. We knew the Harley-Davidson would put down a big number and we knew we needed to step up. We have been taking it easy on this engine all weekend but we finally got my dad [Gary] to lean on it and we outran Eddie [Krawiec] in the semis. Dad said, ‘We’ve come this far. We’re in it to win it.’ We’re still taking it race by race but after this, I think it’s safe to say we’ll be in Charlotte.”

Brad Personett raced to his first career victory in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series Monday at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the world’s most prestigious drag race.

Personett, from Elkhart, Ind., cruised to the win in the final when Joe Baker couldn’t make the call. In earlier rounds, Personett defeated Rick Stivers, Kenny Lang and Ed Hoover. During the weekend Personett reset the national speed record in the series to 255.39 mph in his ultra-fast Personett Performance ’68 Camaro.

Sunday

In Top Fuel, Larry Dixon’s track record time of 3.776 at 324.36 in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster from Saturday stood as the quickest of the weekend, giving the three-time Indy winner his sixth No. 1 effort of the season, 46th of his career and third at this event. He will face Bruce Litton in the opening round.

“The championship is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but the champion will be determined in two months; the only thing we can decide tomorrow is who wins Indy,” said Dixon. “A lot has been made of Tony [Schumacher] and myself, and they put us on the cover of Drag Illustrated. I think someone ought to put Cory Mac on there, too. Maybe it gave that team a chip on their shoulder, because they’re running strong. I’m not looking past Bruce Litton in the first round tomorrow, to be honest. He has a good car, and we have to be on our game.”

Matt Hagan claimed his third top qualifying position of the season and fifth of his career with a track record time of 4.039 at 299.86 in his DieHard Dodge Charger. He will face Tony Pedregon in the first round.

“It feels great to come out here and qualify No. 1,” said Hagan, who qualified No. 16 here in 2008 and No. 15 last year. “I remember back when I was racing the IHRA and we’d come over here and qualify 16 and that would feel like we won the race. To go from that and in two years qualify No. 1 here is a huge step in the right direction for my career and for our whole program out here. I owe it all to [crew chief] Tommy DeLago. This guy, he gets smarter every day. I just don’t know how he puts it all together up there, but he does. The track’s been great. We owe a lot to the track being great and being able to run those kind of numbers out here. The weather just kind of worked out in our favor. It was warmer today, and that plays into tomorrow. It’s supposed to be warmer tomorrow if the weather man’s right, but who knows.”

Mike Edwards powered his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP to a track record time of 6.579 seconds at 209.26 mph to take his 12th top qualifying position of the season, 34th of his career and second at historic O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Edwards, who edged out three drivers including Saturday’s low qualifier Jeg Coughlin for the top spot, will face Justin Humphreys in the opening round.

“There’s a lot of fast cars that are bunched up together [at the top of the qualifying order], and I feel that we were very fortunate that Allen Johnson had to run in the first pair this morning,” said Edwards. “If it hadn’t been for that, you probably would have been talking to him instead of me as the No. 1 qualifier. There is more pressure because this is the first race of the Countdown. It’s hard to get there for your first championship [as Edwards did in 2009] and it’s even more difficult to defend it. I’m trying to take some of the pressure off of myself by talking with my wife a lot. You just try to have fun. [10-time Pro Stock champ] Bob Glidden came over this morning and told me to just ‘quit thinking and do it.’ ”

Hines led all five Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson and earned his second No. 1 of the season and 28th of his career with his national record run of 6.185 seconds at a track record speed of 196.76 mph. Hines will face Wesley Wells in the first round as the three-time world champ tries to win at Indy for the first time in his career.

“I don’t know if I got 15 points in the whole Countdown last year,” said a smiling Hines, who claimed three points for each of the five qualifying sessions he led this weekend. “It’s great to take every point on the table because it came down to a couple of ‘little points’ last year for Eddie [Krawiec, teammate]. I love this track. We live just two miles from the track and our shop is two miles the other direction, so we’ve tested a lot here in the past. I’ve probably made more passes here than any other Pro Stock Motorcycle rider. I probably make 60 or 70 runs a year out here so I know how to get down the track. This is definitely the best chance in my career to win the U.S. Nationals.”

Raymond Commisso upset top qualifier Mike Janis during the first round of eliminations in the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series portion of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the world’s most prestigious drag race at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.

Commisso used a near-perfect .003 reaction time and powered his ’68 Camaro to a 6.048-second run at 240.72 mph to hold off Janis, who trailed with a 6.118 at 219.36 in his 2010 Ford Mustang.

In other first round action, series points leader Von Smith was upset by Ed Hoover in a very close race, while No. 2 qualifier Brad Personett defeated Rick Stivers.

Second round pairings are Commisso vs. Rickie Smith; Joe Baker vs. Danny Rowe; Personett vs. Kenny Lang; and Dave Pierce vs. Hoover.

Saturday

Larry Dixon, winner of nine races and the top seed in Top Fuel entering the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship, covered historic O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis with a track record run of 3.776 seconds at 324.36 mph in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster.

“It’s like Houston air got imported into Indianapolis,” said Dixon. “The weather is great, and I’m glad the car stuck. It hooked up and wasn’t moving left or right. I could see the .77 on the board, and I thought, ‘Wow. That’s nice.’  I love having two night sessions, especially since we missed it last night. Running in these conditions again was like getting a ‘get out of jail free’ card. We needed that run to get out of the middle of the field. That was a clutch run by Alan [Johnson, team manager], Jason [McCulloch, crew chief], and the team.”

Matt Hagan powered his DieHard Dodge Charger to the top of the Funny Car order with a track record time of 4.039 at 277.89. Ron Capps moved to second in the lineup with a 4.049 at 309.77 in his NAPA Charger and Robert Hight dropped to third overall with his performance of 4.055 at 310.98 in his Auto Club Ford Mustang.

“Wow, what a run,” Hagan said. “You know, [crew chief] Tommy DeLago, he really knows how to tune these race cars up. He said, ‘If it makes it past 60 foot, it’s going to haul the mail.’ It really left hard. I got somewhat of a vibration in there. I was like, ‘Man, it’s really running,’ because it blurred my vision a little bit. I could see the groove pretty good, but it got out there and it felt like it was getting a little bit towards the wall to me, and I would just as soon click it off a little early. To look at the numbers and what Tommy DeLago thinks, he thinks it may have been on a 4-flat lap.”

Three-time Mac Tools U.S. Nationals winner Jeg Coughlin moved to the front of the Pro Stock field with a track record time of 6.580 at 209.39 in his JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt. Defending world champ and playoff top seed Mike Edwards was second with a 6.585 at 209.26 in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP, while Ron Krisher was third in his Valvoline Chevy Cobalt with a 6.586 at 209.56.

“The fight for the No. 1 spot is always a challenge, especially here at the U.S. Nationals,” Coughlin said. “It feels fantastic to bring it back to the JEGS pit, even if it’s just for one night. Tomorrow’s going to be another battle because the conditions are supposed to be similar to what we saw today. Pro Stock cars love it when it’s cool and dry like this.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Andrew Hines set a national record with a 6.815 second time at a track record speed of 195.17 mph on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. Hines teammate Eddie Krawiec held down the second spot on his V-Rod with a 6.867 at 194.94 while defending world champ and event winner Hector Arana was third in his Lucas Oil Buell with a 6.900 at 192.66.

“That 20 points [for the record] is huge when you only have a 30-point lead to start the Countdown,” said Hines, who enters the playoffs as the top seed in the two-wheel category. “On the 6.81, I didn’t know what to expect. I saw Eddie run 6.86 and my bike had same tune-up, so I thought it would be good. We ran 4.34 at the eighth-mile and we’ve never seen that before. The air got dry and bikes like that. This afternoon, it had more moisture and we slowed down. I have a motorcycle that is capable of going rounds on Monday. I haven’t had one this good in a long time. I’ve also been good on the lights; I’m happy with the way I’m riding. This is my best chance to bring home an Indy Wally.”

Mike Janis raced to the qualifying lead Saturday in the Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series portion of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, the world’s most prestigious drag race.

Janis powered his late model Ford Mustang to a leading time of 5.887 seconds at 244.16 mph to lead the 16-car order.

Indiana native Brad Personett was second in his turbocharged ’68 Camaro with a 5.896 at a track record speed of 254.14.

Yesterday’s qualifying leader, Roger Burgess, failed to improve during Saturday’s two sessions and sits third overall with his 5.926 at 246.89 in his ProCare Rx ’68 Camaro.

Team JEGS Troy Coughlin (5.928, 238.51) and Danny Rowe (5.930, 247.16) rounded out the top five qualifiers.

Friday

Cory McClenathan, a two-time Indy winner and second place driver in the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs, powered his FRAM dragster to a leading performance of 3.789 seconds at 319.98 mph. McClenahan’s elapsed time is an O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis track record. Last week the championship-hungry McClenathan also had the quickest dragster during two days of testing for this event.

“The track was better tonight than it was in testing, but we just wanted to go out there and repeat what we had done, and we did it,” McClenathan said. “(Crew chiefs) Todd (Okuhara) and Phil (Shuler) are just doing such a great job and are so in tune with each other on what they’re going to do in different conditions. This is probably my best chance to win the championship since 1997, and it’s interesting that some of the same people are still around me, like Mike Green, and Lee Beard. I don’t want to say it’s going to happen, but it will be a lot of fun if it does. We’ll rock the house down, I guarantee you.”

Two-time Indy winner Robert Hight set a Funny Car track record for time with his leading run of 4.055 at 310.98 in his Auto Club Ford Mustang. Hight’s team owner, four-time U.S. Nationals winner John Force, was second in his Castrol GTX High-Mileage Mustang with a 4.058 at a track record speed of 312.86.

“It’s exciting to come in here with a new paint job that celebrates my 2009 championship and take it to the top, but what’s really exciting for me is that all three of the John Force cars are 1-2-3 within thousandths,” said Hight, the defending world champion who comes into the event in second place in the playoffs.

“More than anything, that’s the way to start the Countdown out,” he continued. “This is a new season for us. From this point forward, we have to forget everything that happened before. It doesn’t matter how many wins we had at Force Racing. From here forward, we have to be perfect and do our job because there’s too many good cars out here that are chasing us.”

Defending world champ Mike Edwards, who won this race in 1998 and is the top seed for the playoffs in the 200 mph category, paced the Pro Stock field with a 6.596 at 208.46 in his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP.

“It was a really good way to start the weekend,” Edwards said. “We thought we could run a 6.60, but we ran a little bit better than we thought we could. The guys on my team obviously did a great job. With the conditions forecast for the weekend, we may improve on that. We’ll see what happens. The [qualifying bonus] points are very important to me. All those points really add up. At this race, with five qualifying sessions, that’s almost a full round’s worth of points.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, playoff top seed Andrew Hines was quickest with a 6.974 at 185.69 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.

“I dreamed of coming to this race as a little kid and to be here riding a Harley-Davidson at this race is just fun,” Hines said. “I’ve never had as good a motorcycle as I have right now and I’m probably the best racer I’ve ever been in my career. My lights are consistent – and not red, which is a big deal – and it’s all about being comfortable. This team is back where it used to be.”

Roger Burgess raced to the qualifying lead in the Get Screened America Pro Mod portion of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Friday at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.

Burgess powered his ProCare Rx ’68 Camaro to the front of the 16-car field with a performance of 5.926 seconds at 244.74 mph. Burgess won the Pro Mod race here one year ago, when it was an exhibition event. Now he’s hoping to defend his victory since the category has become an official NHRA touring series.

“Last year was a nice win for us but it didn’t result in a Wally, so we’re hoping to get one of those this time,” Burgess said. “Al (Billes, crew chief) got the tune-up right and we pretty much went straight down the track. We may have left a little in there so that gives us something to shoot for the rest of the weekend. We want to shoot for consistency and I think the weather tomorrow should give everyone a chance to improve. If conditions get better, we’ll all get quicker.”

With a quicker 8.68-to-9.20 index, DeFrank would be doing the chasing and took a slim lead off the line with a .023 reaction time to Johns’ .040, and at the top end it was DeFrank with a margin of victory of a scant .0154 seconds (about 3 feet, but who’s counting?) DeFrank typically runs Red Line 20-weight Race Oil, but in an interesting bit of Super Stock tech trivia, the team will sometimes switch to 5WT Race Oil for every last bit of power when running heads-up against another SS/BS competitor. DeFrank also relies on Red Line’s Racing ATF and 75W90 Gear Oil for reliability and consistency.

In Pro Mod, it was another significant first at Indy – Brad Personett took his Precision Turbo/Big Stuff 3 Camaro to the win, which is a first for a turbo car. Like DeFrank, Personett relies on Red Line; in this case a mix of 50WT Race Oil. It took three rounds of qualifying for Personett to get into the top half of the field, but by the end of the day on Saturday he was in the number two spot and carrying almost ten miles an hour in trap speed on pole-sitter Mike Janis. In the final round of quals on Sunday, Personett couldn’t outrun Janis’ ET, but he did cement the new national speed record at 254.52mph.

In eliminations, Personett got an unexpected single in the first round when Rick Stivers’ parachute deployed during the burnout, then reset the speed record again in his win against Kenny Lang in the second, though the Camaro laid down heavy smoke in the shutdown area. It wasn’t as bad as it looked, and round 3 was almost a holeshot win for Ed Hoover, but Personett edged Hoover out at the stripe by a mere .0036 seconds (approximately 15 inches). That turned out to be the last hurdle to overcome, because in the finals Joe Baker was a no-show due to damage sustained in the semis, giving Personett an uncontested victory lap and the Wally.

One of the great things about drag racing is that it’s really easy and cheap to do. Well, at least at first, that is. While all it takes to go out and bracket race is a car that’s not currently on fire and maybe a helmet if it’s quick enough, once you decide to go heads-up racing, the cost jumps exponentially. One of the big challenges facing racing organizations is how to convert those grassroots racers in the local bracket ranks into full fields for their heads-up classes, and the parts manufacturers who support those organizations with advertising dollars would love to see more racing where speed (and therefore money spent on parts), not consistency, wins trophies.

While it’s possible to spend an arbitrary amount of money drag racing if you want to go the Pro Mod or Outlaw 10.5 route, what’s the bare minimum cost of entry for heads-up racing? You’re probably looking at $25k for a competitive car, about that much again for a trailer and something to pull it, and perhaps two grand an event for fuel, maintenance, entrance fees, food, hotel, and what have you for an ‘entry level’ class. It’s no stretch at all to put the better part of $75,000 into your first year of heads-up racing. That’s a lot of discretionary income to pour into one hobby, for sure, and it’s hard to come up with a way to drop the cost below that and still win races.

There's no problem filling the lanes for bracket and index classes, but getting those racers to graduate to a heads-up class is an elusive goal.

ProMedia’s PRO series tried to find a solution to the problem with the Cheap Street class, which debuted in 2003 and specified small-block V8’s with flat-top pistons, a narrow approved list of unported heads, flat tappet cams, and spec-jet single stage nitrous systems. Most interesting was the claimer rule, adapted from similar practice in the circle track world – The top eight qualifiers at a race could put cash on the barrelhead at the end of the weekend and buy the engine, transmission, or carb right out from under the winner or runner-up. Under the initial rules, a long block was worth $3000, a transmission and converter $2000, and a carb had a price tag of $500, with a limit of one claim per year, per component category.

The idea was to make building an expensive class-killer motor a risky proposition, because anyone who could get into the top eight (and light fields made that an easy task) and come up with the cash would simply take it away from you. Unfortunately, racers hated it, and complained until the claimer rule was dropped at the end of the first season. By 2005 the class was dead and replaced with Street Race, which had its own wacky weight adder rule that penalized event winners with an additional 20 pounds for the rest of the season. Per the press release from ProMedia’s VP of Events, Charlie Harmon, “Although it was a popular concept with spectators, the racer turnout with the existing rules in Cheap Street continued to struggle in 2004. We had a very hard time developing the class as an entry level eliminator, and this was a hard decision to have to move in a different direction. As there seemed to be no easy way to salvage the original class, we worked hand in hand with Car Craft Magazine to re-develop Cheap Street into Car Craft Street Race, a category we can now truly say is the ultimate real-world street car class.” Needless to say, Street Race was also short-lived, and the successor in the NMCA series today is Street Radial – hardly an “entry level” class, with cars running 8.70’s.

Steve Fulgham (in the near lane) and Rick Hatch are the guys to beat in PSCA Street Challenge. Unfortunately, they're about the only guys in the class, too.

A similar experiment in the process of failing is PSCA’s Street Challenge class. As originally conceived, SC was intended to be a heads-up category for real street cars on real street tires – P255/60R15, 180 or better treadwear, and no drag radials or road race tires. After a ton of interest at the first few events, it became clear that the class would be dominated by just a couple of cars, and as of today you better be able to run 9.90’s in the mid-140’s if you want to win.

Street Challenge is a perfect example of what happens when you make the rules less restrictive to try and throw a net over the largest number of potential competitors (and Street Challenge has almost none, other than the tire size; cars are limited to a single power adder and aren’t weighed). Though you might have a bigger pool of people who are eligible to race in the class, only a small range of the possible combinations will actually stand a chance at winning, and a lack of stability in the rules means that nobody’s going to risk purpose-building a car for the class when it’s likely that the rug will get pulled out from under them next season. Ask anyone who used to run NDRA or NHRASC about it, and they’ll agree that rules chasing cars (rather than the other way around) is one of the major reasons the Sport Compact racing bubble popped.

Factory Stock might be the NMRA's "entry level" heads-up class, but it's not cheap by any standard.

If fewer rules don’t work to bring down the cost of racing, you might be tempted to say the answer is a more restrictive rulebook. But a look at NMRA Factory Stock and NMCA Mean Street, both series’ entry-level naturally aspirated classes, will tell you that unless you want to be an also-ran, it’s going to take some serious money. Limitations on engine and drivetrain components mean that they’re always getting pushed to the breaking point and beyond, and if you intend to campaign in these classes you better budget for multiple replacement clutches, transmissions, and valvetrain components. Then there’s the fact that tight, strictly-enforced limits on major parts mean that you’ll be spending more money and time on the minor ones that aren’t closely specified in the rulebook, in search of any tiny advantage you can find.

It’s no wonder that alternate racing formats like “True Street” have become popular recently – they offer the trappings of a heads-up tree and no breakouts, without actually being real drag racing. There are no eliminations, and everybody gets their three runs in “competition” no matter what. But even there, with only bragging rights on the line, there’s still an arms race, and unless you want to spend a lot of money, you’re going to have to settle for an index trophy rather than the overall win.

I don’t know what the answer is – if I did, I’d be consulting out to every doorslammer series in the country at $500 an hour. I do know what the answer isn’t, though, and I can make a pretty good list of things that doom affordable racing. Rules that are too broad, to include every car possible (but ensure that most aren’t even close to competitive). Rules that change so quickly that nobody can be guaranteed a car built now will be legal, let alone a frontrunner, in six months. Asking racers with day jobs to travel more than 6-8 hours each way. Contingency sponsors that pay in discount coupons, or checks that arrive just in time to be included in your estate. But most importantly, treating the slower classes like nothing but filler to kill time while the “pro” racers get their cars turned around for the next pass. It’s important to remember that drag racing is nothing more than entertainment for everyone involved, and there are plenty of fun ways to burn tens of thousands of dollars a year if racers don’t think they’re getting value for their money.

Special thanks to our event coverage sponsor Mickey Thompson Tires.  You can check out their full line of street tires, drag radials, and slicks at www.mickeythompsontires.com.

Sunday Morning Updates:

We are off and rolling for another beautiful day here at Cecil County Dragway. The weather is supposed to be a bit cooler than yesterday and will surely lead up to some record performances. Will the bar be lowered in Outlaw 10.5 by the Lynch crew or will Joe Newsham continue his quest back to the top of the Outlaw 10.5 world. We have three 32 car fileds today, 8.50 Index, Outlaw 10.5 and 275 Drag Radial. There will be a call to the lanes shortly for first round and we will back with updates as soon as the rounds are complete.

8.50 Index Ladder 7.50 Index Ladder

275 Drag Radial Ladder

8.50 Index Ladder

Round 1 Eliminations:

8.50 Index

Mike Pyott on his way to the win in the first round.

The call was made for the cars to roll into the lanes and as we walked through the cars and racers there was a lot of hype of the racing get underway. The first pairing had the young Marty Brown Jr. picking up the win in his Camaro. Robb Puller also wheeled his way to a win to advance to the second round. NMCA superstar John Langer carried the wheels way out on his Firebird to take the win. Mike Pyott, Brent Beachley, and Bill Lecklighter have all advanced as well to this point. We had a mishap in the pairing between Al Fonse Jr and Joe Madessi where Fonse lost an engine on the top end and came into contact with the wall and getting caught in Madessi’s parachutes. Both drivers are fine and will be back to race another day. Will be back with the continuation of the rest of the classes shortly. The rest of 8.50 had two pairs and one of the heavy hitters Harry Gerb in his H&J Motorsports Firebird advanced into round two.

7.50 Index

Seven cars were in the field and right out of the gate it was Charlie Micallif who struggled all day in qualifying. He picked up the win and their hard work last night paid off for their win over John Schroeder. Michael Ingrossio won over Steve Willingham as Willingham had troubles getting down track. Tom Tarsia blasted down track at over 200mph but lost his round against John Fisher. In the last pairing it was Jimmy Rueter and Rick Reighter and both cars were unable to make the call to the line so this will give Charlie Micallif the bye run into the final round.

Outlaw 10.5

Outlaw 10.5 Ladder for Round 2

What a round of eliminations with some huge numbers being posted on the board. The Lynch crew laid down another low 4.20 pass and the contingent of nitrous cars are working at keeping up with the Proline Power. Mo Hall went a 4.35 to keep himself alive and will take on Tom Kasper in an epic battle in round two.

275 Drag Radial

Chris Evans on his way to an easy bye run.

Chris Evans picked up the $500 dollars before first round for his low qualifier effort and breaking the record at 4.95 seconds. The bullseye still is on the side of his car and he moved onto the second round after his bye run. Eric Kenward of Florida stayed in the game as he picked up the win as did Steve Thompson of Finksburg, Md. Don Barnett continued to have an impressive performance with a win as well as did Marc Schankweiler in his beautiful Nova.

275 Drag Radial Ladder Round 2

Round 2 Eliminations

8.50 Index

With 16 cars left in the field there was a lot of anticipation to see who could come out on top and move on to the next round. One upset was Mike Pyott falling out in this round as it looked like he was late on the tree. Harry Gerb moved as well as John Langer who is building momentum with each pass. We are down to the final 8 cars and will have round sheets shortly.

Harry Gerb moves on with another round win.

7.50 Index

Charlie Micallif took the easy victory with a bye run and the other pair was Michael Ingrossio versus John Fisher. Ingrossio moved on with a victory and will have to take on the multi time winner this season, Charlie Micallif.

Micahel Ingrossio' s Oldsmobile Cutlass.

Outlaw 10.5

It continues to be the show that everyone thought it would be as nearly every competitor has dipped into the 4.30’s or better. Larry Wood and Mark Swanson are working from the bottom of the field and will likely have something for Tim Lynch later in the rounds. Lynch posted another 4.22 second pass with ease and will be in the quarter finals. Can he run a teen pass again today? Only time will tell.

Tim Lynch as he goes by at over 170mph.

275 Drag Radial

The bounty and Chris Evans moves on but he ha yet to make a clean pass in eliminations. Steve Thompson and his nitrous powered Mustang are still in the game as well as Don Barnett. The semi finals are shaping up to be nothing but spectacular as the racers continue to close in on Evans and his Mustang.

Ken Ewer went for a wild ride and slammed the front end hard into the racing surface.

Drag Radial

John Kolivas made the trip and continues on as he received a bye run in the first round. The most talked about run of the round was Mel Nelson versus Eric Dillard. They had quite a staging duel and then Dillard marched to the big end with a 4.53 pass to move on.

John Kolivas and his twin turbo powered Mustang.

Round 3 Eliminations

8.50 Index

Albright vs. Joe Algana     Algana wins

Harry Gerb vs. Angelo Valla   Valla wins

Brent Beachley vs. Ali Buscio  Beachley wins

John Langer vs. Michael O’ Sullivan   Langer wins

Outlaw 10.5

Mark Swanson vs. Steve Crisafulli , Swanson gets out of the groove and Crisafulli makes  a great pass. 4.39 for the win.

Larry Wood vd. Tim Lynch, Both cars leave the line hard but Wood gets out of the groove and Lynch runs another 4.22 @ 185mph for the win.

Buck Jarvis vs. Tom Kasper,  Jarvis moves on as both cars shut down but it is Buck who runs a 4.63 for the win.

Joe Schroeder vs. Danny Lowry, Schroeder blasts to a 4.32 @ 175mph for the win as Lowry gets out of the groove.

275 Drag Radial

Al Marlow vs. Rich Bruder, In a pedal fest Marlow goes 5.30 for the win over Bruder’s 5.53.

Mike Thompson vs. Don Barnett, Barnett had to pedal the car but wheels right around Thompson for the win.

Steve Thompson vs. Ron Rhodes, Rhodes keeps himself in the game with a 5.13 second pass.

Eric Kenward vs. Chris Evans, Evans blasts to a 5.01 over Kenward who wheelied 15o feet out and ran a 5.20.

Drag Radial

Chris Little vs. Buddy Tippett. Little gets out of the groove as does Tippett but Tippett recovers first and takes the win.

Dave Hinzman vs. John Kolivas, Hinzman smokes the tires hard and Kolivas steps up with a 4.68 @ 165mph and has a .006 reaction time.

Bill Dutka vs. Francis Johnson, Johnson leaves soft and Dutka never looks back as he runs a 4.82.

Paul Major vs. Eric Dillard, Dillard redlights away with a -.009 and Major picks up the win with a 5.46.

Semi-Finals

8.50 Index

JohnLanger and Joe Alagna are going into the finals of 8.50 Index. Langer has been deadly all day and will be hard to beat in the finals.

John Langer

Outlaw 10.5

Tim Lynch took on Buck Jarvis. Jarvis gave it his all and spun around sixty feet as Lynch marched to another round win. In the other pair Joe Schroeder took on Steve Crisafulli. Schroeder continues to get better with each pass as Crisafulli had to abort the pass.

Tim Lynch with the wheels up at 200 feet.

275 Drag Radial

An epic battle of 275 radial cars took place here with Ron Rhodes in his Kmart sponsored Camaro and Chris Evans in his Target sponsored Mustang. A bit of a joke from the big bullseye that Jim Halsey placed on the side of Evans’ Mustang. Evans resets the record with a 4.94 in his win over Rhodes. Don Barnett took on Al Marlow on the other semi-final pairing. Barnett is tip toeing on the 4-second zone with a 5.01 to take the win.

Ron Rhodes with the Kmart sponsored Camaro

Outlaw Drag Radial

John Kolivas advanced in his race against Bill Dutka with a 4.76 @ 165mph. The other pair was Paul Major and Buddy Tippett in a pedal fest. Tippett regained control first and took the stripe for the win. So it will be a nitrous versus twin turbo final round.

Paul Major in his DMC Racing prepared Corvette.

YELLOWBULLET NATIONALS FINAL ROUNDS

8.50 INDEX

In the final round it was John Langer and Joe Algana duking it out for all the money. Algana left the tree first and picked up the win with a 8.55 over Langer’s 8.59. Congratulations to Joe for his great performance.

John Langer put on a great show in his naturally aspirated Pontiac.

7.50 INDEX

In a bittersweet charge for Charlie Micallif who struggled in qualifying he picked up the win over Michael Ingrossio to take home the YB Nationals trophy from Holeshot Wheels.

The Charlie Boy Racing crew went crazy after he took the final round win

OUTLAW 10.5

What a crazy final round it was as Joe Schroeder turned the wick up on his blown Camaro to try and take a shot at Tim Lynch. Schroeder went for a wild ride but did a nice job of saving the car as Lynch slowed a little but had enough to take home the win. Congratulations to the Lynch crew for a awesome performance all weekend long.

Smokin Joe Schroeder

275 DRAG RADIAL

It was Don Barnett who had been chomping at the bit to try and take out Chris Evans and he had that chance in the final round. Barnett gave it his all but spun and Evans ran a 4.98 to take home the win in 275 Drag Radial.

Don Barnett

DRAG RADIAL

It was a David versus Goliath in this final as Buddy Tippett took on John Kolivas. Kolivas was out and away as Tippett struggled to get a handle on the traction. Kolivas takes home the win here at the inagural YellowBullet Nationals.

John Kolivas making his move over Buddy Tippett

OUTLAW GOLF CART

One of the most anticipated events of the weekend was the golf cart race and with the likes of Outlaw 10.5 racers Bill Mitchell and Richard Sexton in it it would be interesting. The winner was the golf cart in the picture and managed to run in the 6.30’s in the 330 foot race with it’s motorcycle engine and manual transmission. He took home $1500 for his efforts.

Outlaw Golf Cart...what is there to say

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If you’ve been in the sport for any length of time, you’ve run across Chris Alston’s Chassisworks, and you’re probably familiar with their VariShock line of competition dampers. What you might not know is that they’ve got a website full of useful information on suspension construction as well as setup in general.

For example, how much do you know about spring rate selection? Chassisworks has you covered with an article they did with Chevy High Performance. Need a refresher course on shock absorber basics? There’s a PDF from Chris Alston himself on just that topic. Need something with a little more detail? Then check out the article on tuning drag race suspensions.

While a wide range of adjustment is critical for getting your suspension dialed in, it also means that there’s a wide range of totally wrong settings if you don’t know what you’re doing. Even just having a place to start can be challenging, especially if you are going from a stock setup to a full competition suspension. Alston and his crew have been building race cars for every level of drag competition from Pro Stock all the way to bracket racing for decades, so they’ve got a handle on what it takes to make a car hook no matter how quick (or not!) you happen to be.

The best part of Chassisworks’ accumulated knowledge is that  it’s all free for the taking, so there’s no excuse for ignorance – click over to the Chassisworks website now, and get some education.

Few racing machines in drag racing’s storied history have been as well-remembered and truly unique as the 1966 Mercury Comet flip-top Funny Car campaigned by who’s who of legendary racers such as “Dyno Don” Nicholson, Ed Schartman, Ron Leslie, and Jack Chrisman.

Following the racing and sales success of the Ford and Lincoln-Mercury brands in 1965, it’s major competitor, Chrysler, was rumored to be developing radical appearance changes and modifications for the 1966 season, including the use of exotic fuels. At a time when “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” was still the heartbeat of the sport, Ford had to the step up the plate.

And so at the beginning of the 1966 season, Fran Hernandez and the Lincoln-Mercury team enlisted the Logghe Stamping Company to construct four chromoly tube chassis that would sport a one-peice, flip-top, fiberglass ‘66 Comet body. The steering and front suspension would consist of a tube-style straight front axle with coilover shocks and utilizing a 9:1-ratio steering box, riding on Halibrand wheels with a 10.75-inch M&H slicks in the rear.

The revolutionary car was powered by a stock bore, stock stroke SOHC 427 Ford with a 10.75:1 compression ratio, with a Crane camshaft and Hilborn fuel injection, burning a roughly 80-percent mix of nitromethane – producing upwards of 1,000 horsepower – and mated to a C-6 automatic transmission and 4,000 RPM stall converter. These cars, weighting in at a paltry 1,700 pounds, were capable of running in the low eight-second zone at over 180 MPH – impressive numbers for their time.

Chrisman used some outside-the-box thinking on his car, known as the GT-1, placing a topless, roaster-style body atop the chassis. Chrisman’s Comet was eventually destroyed in a crash at the 1966 Super Stock Nationals, and Nicholson’s Eliminator 1 met a similar fate later that year, becoming airborne at the finish line at Cecil County Dragway in Maryland. But not before amassing an 86-percent winning record that put the flip-top Comet on the map. These cars were commonly referred to as “dragsters in disguise” and later became what we affectionately know and love as “Funny Cars.” Regardless of their untimely and early demise, these cars have left a lasting impression that will forever remain part of the history books.

We’ve already given a glimpse into our weekly new Flashback Friday feature, with classic videos, vintage restorations, and trips to long begotten race tracks. But a look back at the history of drag racing wouldn’t be complete with highlighting some of the beautiful cars and colorful stars of yesteryear that made this great sport what it is today.

Phil Bonner got his start in the sport in the formative years of the 1950’s around his home state of Georgia, where he was drawn to the sport through his involvement in an Atlanta Ford dealership with the intent of having a little fun and meeting prospective new customers. After competing with a 1961 Ford Starliner Company Drag Team in 1962, receiving one of the 10 lightweight Ford Galaxies produced that year.

Bonner campaigned a lightweight 1963 Galaxy in 1963, followed by a factory ‘64 Thunderbolt and 427-powered ‘64 Falcon the following season. 1965 brought the debut of the “Daddy Warbucks” theme on his SOHC 427 Mustang – one of only five built that year. That same year also saw the debut of his altered wheelbase ‘65 427 Falcon that proved to be his most successful car and ca be traced to the beginning of the Funny Car movement. 1966 and 1967 saw the campaigning of a stack-injected ‘66 Falcon and later one of the early, extended nose Funny Cars alongside the likes of Shirl Greer and Ronnie Sox.

Bonner sold his brand new ‘69 Torino-bodied, Logghe chassis Funny Car in 1969 and called it a career. But his time in the sport left lasting impression on those there to see his always-competitive race cars. Bonner was inducted into the Georgia Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007, further cementing his legacy in the sport.

The 57th running of the World Series of Drag Racing featured a family feud of Nitro Funny Cars, pitting the father and son duo of Tim and Dan Wilkerson alongside the Pedregon brothers: Tony and Cruz. Ten of the best Nostalgia Funny Cars in the business made the trek to the midwest to partake in the historic event, with former IHRA Top Fuel champ Paul Romine leading the field in his Man ‘O War Mustang with a stunning 5.79 elapsed time. The final round came down to Mike Savage in the vintage Candies and Hughes Barracuda, alongside Anthony Bronge’s “The Punisher ‘69 Camaro. Savage took all the marbles with a 5.96 as Bronge had problems and slowed.

Eric and Shane Boyungs of 1800-Entertainment were there at Cordova catching all of the nitro-burning action and were kind enough to share some of their footage from the world’s oldest drag race. Crank up the volume and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96kBCCL9u8k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkIoMkz1a9o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YukKGCRsuzk

Curiously, the SFI Foundation’s press release was dated September 3rd, 2010 where the Impact Racing press release received by email, is dated August 3rd, 2010.

The Impact Racing press release posted on their website had the date changed to September 3, 2010.

The joint press release states that “Impact acknowledges that in prior years it did not fully comply with SFI’s specifications, however these problems have been resolved”.

If the dates on the press release is any indication of the two parties willingness to work together constructively, this issue may not be completely resolved.

See the official Press Releases from each website below:

SFI Foundation Press Release

September 3, 2010 – JOINT PRESS RELEASE – SFI Foundation and Impact Racing are pleased to announce they have resolved their differences. Impact will remain a participant in the SFI programs in exchange for certain consideration and under revised contracts. The parties look forward to a constructive working relationship to benefit the racing industry and to promote the safety of its participants. Impact agrees and accepts that the SFI specifications are state of the art and promote a high level of safety and performance in the auto racing industry. Impact acknowledges that in prior years it did not fully comply with SFI’s specifications, however these problems have been resolved. The terms of the agreement between the parties are confidential.

IMPACT PRESS RELEASE – AUGUST 3rd 2010

SFI Foundation and Impact Racing are pleased to announce they have resolved their differences. Impact will remain a participant in the SFI programs in exchange for certain consideration and under revised contracts. The parties look forward to a constructive working relationship to benefit the racing industry and to promote the safety of its participants. Impact agrees and accepts that the SFI specifications are state of the art and promote a high level of safety and performance in the auto racing industry. Impact acknowledges that in prior years it did not fully comply with SFI’s specifications, however these problems have been resolved. The terms of the agreement between the parties are confidential.

Dude...I needed a intake manifold not a water pump. Damn parts store

Now I’m not trying to knock every parts store out there, nor am I trying to single one out in particular.  I am however addressing a reoccurring problem and constant area of aggravation for me in particular.

I can only assume that I am not the only one out there that has ever blown a gasket due to some aggravation at the parts store.  Whether it be getting the wrong parts, faulty parts, or just some bad customer service I have had my fair share of problems at the parts counter.

I personally know several people that work at part stores and are very knowledgeable people.  But for the most part it seems like parts stores just hire high school drop outs with the I.Q. of a handicapped monkey.  As far as I can tell, the only requirement for an entry level position is the ability to push a button on the cash register.

When I go to get a part from the store, I expect a little more knowledge than the staff at your local McDonald’s.  I will give you a small example of the types of headaches that get me all worked up.

Duh... what's a MAF sensor?

I needed to get a pilot bearing puller attachment for my slide hammer.  So, I call around to several parts warehouses.  I was told by several places that it’s not a tool they would carry because it is not a common tool.

I personally don’t think it is an odd tool to request, but whatever.  I finally find a place that says they have it, so I went on their web site and found a part number to give them.  They say they have it in stock and quoted me a price.

I decided that I will just pick it up on the way home to save some time.  When I get there, I look for the tool for a solid ten minutes before the clerk tells me that it is a rental tool only and they don’t carry it for sale.

At this point the aggravation level starts to rise, but no big deal.  We call another store and they say they have it.  As it is already getting late I decide to just go pick the part up in the morning on my way to work.  I arrive at the other parts store at about 8 o’clock in the morning as they are opening up.  As I look over the tool isle, I start to come to the conclusion that they to do not carry the tool I required.

I grab the clerk and explain to him what I was looking for.  He to informed me that the tool I am seeking is a rental tool and not for sale.  My aggravation level has once again been kicked up a notch.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel however.  This gentleman informed me that if you want to keep the rental tool just keep it after you pay the deposit.  WOW was it really that simple.

So if you can rent the tool and then just keep it wouldn’t that be kind of the same as just buying it.  Hmm…  This had me scratching my head for a second.  I double check that there is no extra charge and after several stores and some driving in circles I have acquired the tool I required.

Now all of this could have been avoided with a little bit of better customer service.  If when I called to get the part the first time they had told me it was a rental tool that I could keep it probably would have saved me an hour overall.  Between calling around and driving to and from the various stores.

This is just the most recent incident that I have had to deal with and wanted to blow some steam off about.  There are many other stories that are much more aggravating and I’m sure everyone reading this has a good story of their own.

In closing, I want to stress that I could not do what I do with out the help of all these various parts stores.  They do the best they can, but for a mechanic in a pinch… their best just isn’t good enough.

I want to thank all the parts store clerks that deal with the worn out mechanic on his last thread from working all day and night to get a project almost done in time.  Sometimes its not easy to deal with mechanics like us especially when we know what we want and want it now.

Until next time, floor it and stay dirty.

- Ferret