People Places & Racing News

NEW BOOK CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF WALLY PARKS, AND OTHER NHRA NEWSMAKERS

NEWS NUGGETS

WALLY PARKS IS SUBJECT OF NEW BOOK: NHRA Publications has released a new book, Wally Parks, Hot Rodding’s Hero, covering the life and times of NHRA’s founder from his hot-rod-fueled teenage years through the birth of the NHRA and its history. The book is the first of several new offerings from NHRA Publications scheduled for release this year. 
    Wally Parks, Hot Rodding’s Hero
is now available exclusively from NHRA Publications at www.nhra.com/books with order fulfillment by Lulu.com. Priced at $15.95, the handsome 8.5x11-inch full-color book is an enhanced and expanded reprint of a special biography of Parks that was produced just after his death in September 2007 and distributed to NHRA members. The volume is filled with rare photos of Parks through the years, many of which were not included in the original 12-page newsprint version.
    From its glossy cover to its sentimental remembrances from some of drag racing’s biggest and brightest stars, the 44-page book offers a stirring tribute to the man who led drag racing to its current status as one of the world’s most exciting and respected motorsports.
    Additional book projects in the works for 2008 include pictorial histories of NHRA Pro classes and “photo greats” collections from the "National Dragster" archives featuring hair-raising NHRA quarter-mile mishaps. More are planned for 2009 that will continue to expand the library of offerings both in number and diversity.

DRIVERS EAGER TO GAIN VALUABLE COUNTDOWN-TO-TEN POINTS IN ENGLISHTOWN: The drivers of the NHRA POWERade Series are looking forward to racing at the historic Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in this week’s 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA POWERade Series.  There are eight races left before the cutoff for the Countdown to the Championship’s Countdown to One. Any points that can be gained for those who are on the bubble will only help them secure their positions in the top 10.
    Defending winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Craig Treble (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For more about this week’s Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals, visit www.nhra.com.

NHRA POWERADE SERIES AWARDS BANQUET FINDS NEW HOME: The Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City will be the site where 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series world champions will be crowned. The 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony will be held Monday, November 17, 2008. The voice of NHRA, veteran announcer Bob Frey, will serve as emcee during the evening.
    The Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, at the entrance to Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk—dubbed the Entertainment Capital of L.A.—is situated high on a hill above the giant entertainment complex. The hotel is minutes from major studios, the Hollywood Bowl, Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles Zoo, beaches and other Los Angeles-area sites.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

LUCAS OIL NHRA SUPERNATIONALS, OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP RACEWAY PARK, JUNE 19–22: The drivers of the NHRA POWERade Series return to this historic track in New Jersey. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Craig Treble (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT MOTORSPORTS PARK, JUNE 26–29: Heading back to Norwalk,Ohio, for the second annual event, drivers in all four categories have a chance to build up points needed before the end of the regular season. Defending event winners include Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Mike Ashley (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS, BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY, JULY 11–13: The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series returns to the Mile-High City for the beginning of the Western Swing and 50th anniversary of Bandimere Speedway. Defending event winners include Rod Fuller (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

HE SAID, SHE SAID

“FOR HIS BOYS”: Old Bridge Township Raceway Park will always hold a special place in the heart of Snaponfranchise.com dragster driver Doug Herbert. Ironically, it is not the dragstrip that Herbert will think about this weekend. Earlier in the year, he lost his two sons Jon (17) and James (12) in a tragic automobile accident. 
    “Every time we came to Old Bridge, James wanted to go to the motocross track. He competed in motocross and always wanted to go watch those guys. I’ll probably go over to the motocross track this weekend. My daughter Jessie (10) still competes in motocross, so I will take some time and just think about all the good times we had. It will also give me a little time away to get focused on what we need to do to win this race in honor of her brothers.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

6/300: Six is the number of consecutive finals rounds Larry Dixon has been in at Raceway Park since 2002. This is an NHRA Top Fuel record at a single event. Dixon will achieve 300 races with his appearance at this week’s Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNational at Raceway Park.

DID YOU KNOW…

…that the first NHRA national event held at Raceway Park was in 1968, when the NHRA held the Springnationals, at the historic track. The NHRA national event tour returned in 1971 with the Summernationals and the track has been on the NHRA POWERade Series tour ever since.

For more information, visit www.nhra.com.