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Racing News: NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Take Over Atlanta Dragway

Compiled by SEMA Editors

  nmcaThe NMRA and NMCA converged on Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia, for the sixth-annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals.
  

NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals Take Over Atlanta Dragway
The NMRA and NMCA converged on Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia, for the sixth-annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by Miller Welders, April 10–13. The event featured the debut of a new class called Radial Wars, a car show and a manufacturers' midway. Sponsored by Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels, Radial Wars brought out some of the most powerful street cars in the country and recorded speeds up to 200 mph in the 1/8-mile. In the ATF Speed Street Outlaw field, Tony Alm beat front-runner Phil Hines in his turbocharged Mustang, and top qualifier John Urist clocked a 202.55 mph in the quarter-mile.

foustTanner Foust
 
  

Tanner Foust Shakes Down Pro 2 Short-Course Truck
Rockstar Energy Drink driver Tanner Foust took on a new challenge at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park last weekend, making his debut in a Pro 2 Unlimited truck in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. Foust joined the series for the Rockstar Energy Drink Southern California Shootout, Friday and Saturday. He plans to run a select campaign of events in the 2014 short-course season.

Foust competed in the Rockstar Energy Drink Pro 2 truck formerly driven by veteran off-roader Rob MacCachren, whose team handled the preparation. A crash forced a restart and Foust was starting to pick up speed by the mid-point in the contest when he had another mishap. Team mechanics repaired the truck overnight, but a blown motor during his strong qualifying run saw him forced to sit out of the main event.

Foust spent the early part of the week in Indianapolis testing his new rallycross car with Andretti Autosport. Two-time GRC champion Foust and the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team will start the 2014 season with the Top Gear Festival Barbados opening round May 18.

Foust will open the Red Bull Global Rallycross season in a Volkswagen Polo based on the chassis developed by Marklund Motorsport. The team is working on the brand-new Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Beetle, a 560hp turbocharged rallycross car previewed earlier this year at Chicago Auto Show. The new car is expected to debut in competition later this year. The driver, who is also one of the hosts of "Top Gear USA," will also make appearance for the TV show during the Barbados event.

  perrisDamon Gardner #4 and Mike Spencer #50 fight for the lead at the last Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car race at The PAS. Photo credit: Doug Allen.
  

USAC/CRA Sprint Cars Top Perris Auto Speedway Open-Wheel Quadruple Header This Saturday
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will top the list of performers this Saturday night in a sprint car quadruple header at Perris Auto Speedway (PAS). Joining the sprint car series on the Riverside County half-mile clay oval will be The PAS Senior & Young Gun Sprint and the California Lightning Sprint Cars.

The racing table is already set for another battle between defending series champion Damion Gardner and five-time series champ Mike Spencer. If Gardner wins the main event this Saturday, he will become the first driver in the 11-year history of the Amsoil USAC/CRA Series to have won the first four main events of the year in a row.

Spencer has out-qualified the field at two of the three races and has one heat race win. Even though he has finished second to Gardner in the last two races, Spencer was 16th at the season opener in Arizona. Thus, he is third in the championship standings coming into Saturday’s event. Nic Faas is second in the title chase and has placed third and fourth in the two races at The PAS. Matt Mitchell, who finished third at the April 12 race at The PAS, is fourth in the standings followed by USAC/CRA newcomer Gary Taylor.