 The second annual Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout, presented by JE Pistons, will be held at the Auto Club Raceway of Pomona in Pomona, California, the weekend of August 17–19. |
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The Flowmaster NMCA WEST racing series continues at the Auto Club Raceway of Pomona in Pomona, California, the weekend of August 17–19. The second annual Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout, presented by JE Pistons, is the second of four races where drivers can earn championship points. It is also one of only three races scheduled at the track in 2012.
Competitors in 10 classes—including the six-second 240 mph Garrett Turbo Pro Street cars—will chase points toward a year-end prize and the title of World Champion. Event champions will take home a Wally trophy, which is named for NHRA founder Wally Parks.
Aside from the action on the track, the Lucas Oil NMCA WEST Coast Shootout will feature a car show with 50 awards slated to be given out each day. Experts from many of the top aftermarket companies will man the Manufacturers Midway, where car enthusiasts looking for parts for their own cars can ask questions and buy what they need, while the on-site swap meet will offer another opportunity for race fans to score a bargain. There’s also NMCA WEST’s burnout contest, where spectators can sign up to participate and walk away with prizes and bragging rights.
NMCA WEST racers will continue the four-race series September 21–23, at SpeedWorld Dragstrip in Phoenix, before hitting the strip at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, California, October 19–21, for the NMCA WEST World Finals.
 Brian Deegan takes the podium during last weekend's Pro Lite Unlimited and Pro 2 during the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Rounds 9 & 10 at Glen Helen Raceway. |
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Brian Deegan Takes First in Pro 2 in LOORS Rounds 9 and 10
Metal Mulisha founder and 2011 Lucas Off Road Racing Series Driver of the Year Brian Deegan found a place on the podium during last weekend's Pro Lite Unlimited and Pro 2 during the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Rounds 9 & 10 at Glen Helen Raceway.
In last Saturday’s Pro Lite Unlimited, Deegan started in the second row in his #38 Rockstar Energy Drink/Makita/Ford and quickly began to close in on the leader on lap four, after a full-course caution following a rollover in turn two by Matt Cook. On the restart, Deegan had an opportunity to take the lead, getting inside of Bradley Morris and forcing him wide at the exit turn two. However, at turn three, Deegan and Morris bumped, and Deegan dropped into second. At the restart lap after a Competition Yellow, Deegan was in third before a rollover by Todd Cunningham in turn two brought out another full-course caution. Racing resumed briefly, but a rollover in turn two by Shannon Campbell prompted a green-white-checkers finish, and Deegan, who had actually lost his brakes, ended up holding on strong to nab the third spot.
In last Saturday’s Pro 2 Unlimited, Deegan started fourth and was running with the leaders when a full-course caution on lap five allowed Deegan to edge by, until he was forced wide and off the track by Jeremy McGrath. Deegan rejoined the track in last, and eventually moved up as high as fourth, when McGrath experienced an issue and slowed. After experiencing a flat tire, Deegan pulled into the hot pits under yellow, and had to surrender his fourth place. He ultimately finished in seventh position, salvaging valuable points.
In last Sunday’s Pro Lite race. Deegan started in the third row, and came up to catch the leader, where they battled it out. Toward the end of the race, Deegan suffered a flat front tire, yet managed to hang on and finish the race in second with a flat.
In last Sunday’s Pro 2, the final race, Deegan started in the front row and was able to get out and up to the lead early. Deegan held on the entire race and held off McGrath, who was close, but never able to form a challenge to pass Deegan, who was awarded the two fastest lap awards, in both Saturday’s Pro Lite on and Sunday’s Pro 2.
 Mart Hart wins LOORS Round 9 at Glen Helen Raceway. |
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Team ReadyLIFT Racing's Marty Hart Wins LOORS Round 9
The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORS) returned to its Southern California roots for the annual "racing under the lights" event at Glen Helen Raceway. After the qualifying inversion Marty Hart, representing the ReadyLIFT Off Road Suspension/Maxxis Tire/GearUp2Go.com Pro2 race team, found himself on the front row starting grid next to rookie Pro 2 driver Patrick Clark. Points contenders Rob MacCachren and Brian Deegan were positioned in rows two and three, each looking to take the points lead away from Hart.
Clark made several unsuccessful attempts to wrestle the lead away. After 18 laps of racing, the checkered flag waved and it would be Hart who would not only be credited with the win, but also led every lap and set the fast lap of the race. This win marks Hart's third win of the season.
Rounds 11 and 12 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series will be at the brand new track in Reno, Nevada, August 25–26.
 Linda Vaughn |
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Linda Vaughn Roast Ticket Availability Dwindling
Tickets for the Linda Vaughn Roast (August 29, 2012) at the Lucas Family Estate in Carmel, Indiana, are dwindling quickly, according to Traci Hrudka, chairman of the Quarter Mile Foundation. The event is being produced by the Quarter Mile Foundation and hosted by Lucas Oil Products Inc.
The Foundation also announced a full subscription of the sale of sponsor tables for the event. The individual and corporate sponsors include: SEMA, C&R Racing, Paul Candies (Otto Candies LLC), Glazer’s of Indiana, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS), JEGS High Performance, Lucas Oil Products Inc., Monarch Beverage Co., National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Quick Fuel Technology, Jennifer Revson, the Vaughn Family, and Jack (“Doc”) Watson. Opportunities for companies and individuals still remain for sponsoring tables, with table signage, program recognition and credits on the Roast DVD.
Additionally, support for the silent and live auctions has been substantial. To date, items have been received from:
- Allard Chrysler Action Group (Great Britain) – framed Allard Chrysler painting
- Mario Andretti – helmet carrier, Andretti Vineyards wine basket
- John Force – 1/24 scale die-cast Funny Car, helmet
- Nancy George (the Human/George family) – Picture: 100 years of Indy 500 tickets, Gasoline Alley fuel pump, Indy 500 etched wine bottle, book: Indy 500 – Century of Excitement
- Roger Gustin – variety of Lava/Black & Decker apparel items
- Darryl Gwynn – autographed lithograph, autographed connecting rod clock
- Tom Long/Acme Die Cast – autographed Linda Vaughn Hurst/Olds 442 die-cast model car
- Chris (“The Golden Greek”) Karamesines – autographed lithograph poster
- MOPAR Parts & Service Division, Chrysler Corp. – Hat autographed by all Team MOPAR drivers
- Tony Stewart – driving suit
- Quarter Mile Foundation – autographed Simpson helmet, autographed Mondello “Vintage Rat” mounted poster, plus the 10x25 Roast stage backdrop designed by Kenny Youngblood). Other donators have not sent items yet, but a number of motorsports notables have promised to contribute to the auction table.
Tickets are available online at the Quarter Mile Foundation website (www.quartermilefoundation.org or www.Project1320.com) by clicking the "roast tickets" link. The deadline to register is August 19. Proceeds from the Roast will benefit Linda Vaughn and the Quarter Mile Foundation’s production of "PROJECT 1320"—a documentary film series about the growth of the sport of drag racing and the performance automotive aftermarket.
 The 1,400hp engine found in the Dallenbach-Banks Lola race car uses the same turbos found on the production Banks Twin-Turbo V8 1,150hp gasoline engines for street rods, musclecars and trucks. |
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Dallenbach Racing-Banks Power Return to the Mountain
The 90th running of the “Race to the Clouds” will take place August 12, 2012, with the Dallenbach Racing/Banks Power team ready to bring the Unlimited Class record back to the USA. Driver Paul Dallenbach and team owner Leonard Arnold have teamed with the engineers and techs at Banks Power to mount a serious challenge to the mountain and to the record book.
Not only did the race team prepare the Wells/Coyote chassis and Lola transaxle with larger diameter 300M half shafts, but they also set up the car with more down force to take advantage of the Pike’s Peak course that is now paved for the full 12.42 miles and 156 turns to the summit at 14,110 ft. above sea level. In addition to the chassis setup and drivetrain improvements, the engineers at Banks Power were also able to increase the boost and further refine the Banks Twin-Turbo system on the 442-cid Chevrolet small-block V8 to increase power output to 1,400 hp and 1,301 lb.-ft. of torque.
After running the car with a normally aspirated engine in the past, Arnold called on Gale Banks last year to turbocharge the V8 to be competitive on the high-altitude Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) race course. The engine improvements utilize Banks' altitude compensation technology that was developed originally for the U.S. military. The electronic engine management is set up to deliver constant air density to the intake manifold from the start of the run to the peak of the mountain where the air is much thinner.
Testing has shown that Dallenbach has the potential to win this year’s running of the PPIHC. The 90th running of the PPIHC is set for Sunday, August 12, 2012, starting at 9:00 a.m.
For more information on the PPIHC, check out www.usacracing.com/ppihc, and for the latest on the Team Dallenbach-Banks car and efforts, visit www.bankspower.com/pikespeak.
 Nathaniel Sparks (left) and John Dean (right) in the Sick Sideways shop. Photo: Sick Sideways |
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Sick Sideways Brings Sparks to Playboy MX-5 Cup Race Team
With two Sick Sideways teammates already running near the top of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup standings, the Sebring, Florida-based team announced that it added a third front-running driver to its stable. Nathanial Sparks, from Spanish Fort, Alabama, will join the team for the rest of the season.
Sparks, a 22-year-old rookie driver, has been operating his No. 3 OOTSK Performance MX-5 with a skeleton crew of family and friends. Despite the singular effort, he still managed a podium finish at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, but has also encountered some difficulties during other rounds. Sparks currently sits sixth in the Championship and will join John Dean and Christian Szymczak in Sick Sideways-prepared cars.
In their first season with the MX-5 Cup, both of the full-season Sick Sideways drivers are in contention for the championship. Dean has won three times and is second in the point standings, just 26 out of the lead. Szymczak has two podium finishes and is just 46 points out of the lead in fourth, despite driving a race car full time for the first time in more than 10 years.
Dean’s No. 16 Projections Research/Sick Sideways MX-5, Szymczak’s No. 34 Projections Research/Sick Sideways MX-5, and Sparks’ No. 3 OOTSK Performance/Sick Sideways machine return to action for Round Eight of the 11-race season at Virginia International Raceway, September 14–15.
Shane Stewart and Wayne Johnson Dominate Bully Dog ASC Northwest Speedweek
Bully Dog ASCS Northwest Speedweek, presented by Contingency Connection—an annual 360 dirt track sprint car pilgrimage in the northwest United States, took place July 13–21, and saw a pair of outsiders steal the show as Shane Stewart and Wayne Johnson both nabbed three victories each.
Kicking off on Friday, July 13, the ASCS Northwest Region battled the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour at the Williamette Speedway in Lebanon, Oregon, where Johnson won in convincing fashion to open up week. Johnson continued to dominate much of the feature event to pick up the second night in Lebanon as the region continued on to Medford, Oregon, on Monday night.
Stewart—piloting the Finley Farms No.77f machine for the final six nights of action—wired the field from the pole position during a caution-plagued event to pick up night number three.
Coos Bay was the destination for night number four, and it was Forni, Texas driver, Travis Rilat picking up his lone win.
At Cottage Grove, Oregon, on Wednesday night, Stewart again advanced from his third starting position to grab the lead around the midway point, giving him his second win in just three starts.
Thursday night’s event in Banks, Oregon, was cancelled to rain, and Speedweek would close out with two nights of action at the Grays Harbor Raceway again up against the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.
Friday’s feature got pushed back to Saturday, and Johnson and Stewart were the two cars everyone was chasing. During the Friday feature, Stewart grabbed the lead for the first 13 laps. Johnson capitalized and overtook the point and led the next 10 markers only to have Stewart fight back and race passed Johnson on the white flag lap to pick up his third win.
The Saturday feature saw Johnson dominate much of the race, until the final five laps when Stewart pressured him. Racing side by side out of the final corner on the final lap, Johnson narrowly beat Stewart to the stripe to score his third win in four starts.
When the dust settled, Mitch Olson earned the right to be crowned champion of Bully Dog ASCS Northwest Speedweek, presented by Contingency Connection.
 Team Falken Tire earned its second consecutive fourth-place finish in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series. |
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Team Falken Tire earns Second Consecutive Top 5 Finish
At Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Team Falken Tire earned its second consecutive fourth-place finish in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series. As in the previous race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the team struggled all weekend, facing difficulties with tire and car set up. However, as with the previous round, the team finished strong in the competitive GT class.
Bryan Sellers started the race in ninth position and for the next 26 laps, worked his way up to fourth position before the 2012 No. 17 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR pitted for a fuel, tire and driver change during a full course yellow.
Porsche Factory driver Wolf Henzler started seventh on the restart and quickly charged up the field to gain two positions. With Henzler at the wheel, the Porsche again worked the way up to fourth position before making the final pit stop of the race.
With Sellers back at the wheel, the Porsche stayed competitive, keeping a strong gap from the cars racing up behind. As the race drew to an end, the 17 Falken Tire Porsche's fuel dropped dangerously low. The laps counted down and Walker called on the radio to Sellers, encouraging him to hard charge to the checker flag. Sellers fought to maintain his gap on the competition and finish the race without running out of fuel. Just as the Porsche crossed the finish line, Sellers came on the radio to tell the team the car had officially run out of fuel.
The team approaches Round 7 at Road America, August 18.
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NMCA Michigan Event to Host
Ford Racing Cobra Jet Showdown
The NMCA Flowmaster Muscle Car Nationals has announced the Ford Racing Cobra Jet Showdown Presented by Diversified Products Marketing—an event to be run in conjunction with the sixth annual JE Pistons NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, at Milan Dragway in Milan, Michigan, August 24–26, 2012.
All ’08–’13 Cobra Jet owners are invited to participate at the Showdown. The Cobra Jets will be showcased in three no-breakout Eliminators; two heads-up classes and a competition Index (CIC) class:
- CJ-TS (Top Stock): Stocker trim Cobra Jets utilizing the 2.3L or 2.9L supercharger or 427–428-cid naturally aspirated engines.
- SS-CJ (Super Stock): 4.0L supercharged Cobra Jet’s in SS trim.
- CJ-CIC: A separate class, where Cobra Jet racers not competing in either of the heads-up classes can race against each other at the Showdown for a cash purse.
- CJ-TS and SS-CJ will run modified NHRA Stock and Super Stock rules, respectively.
- King of the Cobra Jets: Heads-up class winners will race each other with a handicapped start based on their quickest time, with no breakout, to crown the 2012 King of the Cobra Jets.
All three Cobra Jet Showdown classes will qualify on Friday, and run on a Sportsman ladder with a .500 full tree for Saturday eliminations. Each class will feature a $2,300 purse and the overall winner of the Showdown (King of the Cobra Jets) will receive an additional $1,000. All prize money is courtesy of Ford Racing and Diversified Products Marketing.
To reserve parking, or for rules questions, contact Gene Bergstrom with NMCA at 714-460-3813 or by e-mail at gbergstrom@promediapub.com.