NEWS NUGGETS
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GEICO RENEWS WITH MORGAN LUCAS RACING THROUGH 2014: Insurance giant GEICO has renewed its agreement with Morgan Lucas Racing and NHRA Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas for three more years. GEICO joined Lucas’ drag racing team in 2009—a career-best season for Lucas that included three victories and a berth in the Countdown to the Championship. The former Sportsman star has become a fixture in the elite top 10 ever since, representing GEICO at more than 20 NHRA Full Throttle national events each year.
“I know without question we have the best sponsor in the world,” said Lucas. “GEICO is a true partner in every sense of the word, and their understanding of motorsports and drag racing in particular is unparalleled. It’s very simple—we could not do this without GEICO. Quite frankly, we wouldn’t want to race without them. We’ve become so close to so many people within the organization. They are part of our family.”
For more information on this story, visit NHRA.com.
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NHRA LAUNCHES SECOND ANNUAL FAN CHOICE AWARDS: As a way of embracing the voice of one of the most engaged and passionate fan bases in sports and reliving so many of the great moments from NHRA’s unforgettable 60th Anniversary season, the NHRA has launched the second annual NHRA Fan Choice Awards—a year-end recognition of outstanding performance as voted on exclusively by NHRA fans. Running now through Thursday, December 22, on NHRA.com, the NHRA Fan Choice Awards will include five categories that fans can vote on to determine the top of each group. In addition, NHRA fans who participate in the voting will be automatically entered into a drawing to win two final-eliminations tickets to the race of their choosing. The five categories of the NHRA Fan Choice Awards are as follows:
- Story of the Year
- Moment of the Year
- Upset of the Year
- Driver/Rider of the Year
- Team of the Year
The winners will be announced, one per day, December 26–30. For more information on this story, log on to NHRA.com.
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ALAN JOHNSON RACING, DIXON AGREE TO MUTUAL SEPARATION: Alan Johnson Racing and driver Larry Dixon have agreed to a mutual separation. Alan Johnson Racing manages the two-car Top Fuel operation of the Al-Anabi Racing Team. Dixon joined the Al-Anabi Racing team in 2009 and, during his three seasons driving the Al-Anabi Racing dragster, raced to 19 wins in 25 final-round appearances and won the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel world championship.
“Larry has been an integral member of Al-Anabi Racing for the past three seasons,” said Alan Johnson Racing team owner and Al-Anabi Racing team manager Alan Johnson. “He was instrumental in our successes, including winning our first NHRA Full Throttle championship in 2010. He represented Al-Anabi Racing, Full Throttle and the NHRA as a great champion.”
“I enjoyed my three seasons driving the Al-Anabi Top Fuel car,” said Dixon. “We had a lot of wins and definitely the highlight was the NHRA Full Throttle Championship last year. I have many fond memories of working with Alan, Jason (McCulloch, crew chief) and our crew, but I am anxious to see what the future has in store for me. I want to thank Sheikh Khalid, Alan and everyone at AJR for my time there and wish them all the best.”
With driver Del Worsham’s retirement November 21, Al-Anabi Racing must now fill two drivers' seats as the team will field two Top Fuel cars for the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season. For more information on this story, log on to NHRA.com.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS PRESENTED BY SUPER START BATTERIES, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, February 9–12, 2012: The 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series kicks off in Southern California. Defending event winners are Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or log on to NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.
NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS, FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, February 17–19, 2012: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes its second stop of the season in Phoenix. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 602-268-0200 or log on to firebirdraceway.com. For media credentials, contact Media Relations Manager Alex Baca at abaca@nhra.com.
TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS, GAINESVILLE RACEWAY, March 8–11, 2012: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to historic Gainesville Raceway for the third stop of the series and season-opening race for the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. Defending event winners are Del Worsham (Top Fuel), Mike Neff (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or log on to NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, contact senior communications manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.
HE SAID, SHE SAID
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DEFENDING THE CROWN: Funny Car driver Ron Capps who competed Wednesday, December 14 in the iRacing.com Pro Race of Champions—a head-to-head pair of online races using racing simulator software: “I’m really looking forward to Wednesday,” Capps said. “It’s going to be fun racing against guys from NASCAR, F1, IndyCar, ALMS and Grand-Am…showing everyone I can race for more than a quarter mile, not to mention turn left and right.”
For more information, log on to NHRA.com.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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11: Of the 22 events on the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing schedule, the KB Racing Pro Stock team of Jason Line and Greg Anderson collected a total of 11 wins, while the rest of the class totaled 10.
DID YOU KNOW
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…that the NHRA announced the 2012 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series schedule, which includes 11 events and will kick off March 1–4, 2012, at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield for the tradition-rich March Meet. For more information of this story and the series, log on to NHRA.com.