Racing

Willard Zareh Kendig, famous for inventing the Kendig carburetor, passed away on Wednesday, May 4.

NEWS NUGGETS 

FORMER WORLD CHAMPS READY FOR BATTLE AS NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES MAKES SECOND STOP OF THE SEASON IN GAINESVILLE: As the 2011 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to its second stop of the season, the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, two drivers and former world champs look to not only grab their first win of the season, but make history in the process. Three-time and defending NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel world champion Larry Dixon and seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher are currently tied for the most wins in the Top Fuel category at Gainesville Raceway with legendary Top Fuel drivers Joe Amato and “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, at four apiece. In fact, for the past four years, both Dixon and Schumacher have been the only Top Fuel drivers to grab a Gatornationals title.

NEWS NUGGETS

LUCAS, HIGHT, LINE CLAIM FIRST VICTORIES OF 60TH CELEBRATION AT SEASON-OPENER IN POMONA: The 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season and 60th anniversary year of the NHRA kicked off with a bang Sunday at the season-opening Kragen O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California. In Top Fuel, Morgan Lucas and his Geico Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster team were able to power their way through the competition, including teammate and high school classmate Shawn Langdon in the final round, to secure their first Winternationals title and fourth win of Lucas’ career.

BONUS MONEY: The IZOD IndyCar Series will offer a $5 million bonus for a driver from outside the series who can come in and win the season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway October 16. The event will be known as the IZOD IndyCar World Championships.

HIGH SPEEDS: NASCAR officials have lowered the tolerance level of the pressure-relief valve on the radiator, hopefully forcing drivers to pull out of the draft to cool down their engines and eliminate the excessive speeds seen during the Budweiser Shootout.

INJURED: Renault Formula One driver Robert Kubica was seriously injured in a crash during the Ronde di Andora Rally in Italy Sunday and will miss the Formula One season.

NEW HOME: Mike Conway will return from injuries suffered during the 2010 Indianapolis 500 to drive for Andretti Autosport throughout the IZOD IndyCar Series season.

ROOKIE DRAG RACER: Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will be making his NHRA Full Throttle Series debut at the 41st annual Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals March 11–13 at Gainesville Raceway.