Compiled by SEMA Editors
 Charlie McCullough defeated Gary Parker in Exedy Racing Clutches Modular Muscle. |
24th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout Race Wrap
The 2018 NMRA Drag Racing season, presented by Keystone Automotive, debuted last weekend. QA1 True Street took center stage at Bradenton Motorsports Park, with a record 152 cars entering. Here are the results:
JLT Performance Spring Break Shootout: True Street winner Randy Seward defeated True Street runner-up Jeff Bloem with an 8.80 to Bloem’s 9.48 elapsed time.
VP Racing Fuels Street Outlaw: Andy Manson took the win with a 4.31 to Manny Buginga’s off-pace 4.78.
Edelbrock Renegade: Bart Tobener took the trip to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle after Frank Varela tripped his red light at the start of the final round. Tobener had qualified his Coyote-powered S550 Mustang at the top of the list with a 7.33 elapsed time.
ProCharger Coyote Modified: Haley James faced 2017 class champion Tommy Annunziata and his Cobra Jet Mustang in the final round, where she edged Annunziata out for the win, 7.62 to 7.65.
Steeda Limited Street: Kelly Shotwell, with an 8.83, defeated Kent Nine’s 11.39.
G-Force Racing Transmissions Coyote Stock: Tyler Eichhorn edged out Clair Stewart for the 10.23 to 10.32 win.
Richmond Gear Factory Stock: In the final round, Dan Ryntz defeated John Leslie Jr., 10.45 to 10.71.
Race Star Wheels Ford Muscle: Kevin McKenna cut Krystie Wagoner at the tree in the final round, and edged her out at the stripe for the class win and trip to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle.
Exedy Racing Clutches Modular Muscle: Gary Parker had the slightly better reaction time, but he broke out, running 11.06 on an 11.07 index, giving Charlie McCullough the win.
ARP Open Comp: In the final round of competition, 2017 champion Dennis Corn was victorious over Tim Hamilton.
Detroit Locker Truck and Lightning: Bob Cochran was victorious over James Steamer in the final round of eliminations after Steamer went -.008 red at the start.
Roush Performance Super Stang: Marvin Knack defeated John Golliday in the final round of eliminations.
Cobra Jet Showdown: Rod Heltzel suffered problems off the line, but watched as his competitor in the final round Ken Miele drove through the finish, broke out of his dial-in and handed Heltzel the win.
Cobra Jet Challenge: Gardner Stone defeated Robby Mazza.
ididit Outlaw True Street: Mike Jovanis won the eighth-mile, no-time class over Jeff Bloem.
Terminator vs. GT500 Shootout: Paul Hardcastle and his ’03 Terminator Cobra defeated Jon Pavia and his ’03 Cobra in a 9.31-to-10.26 win.
Hellion Turbo Coyote Shootout: Christian Morillo had a better start, but Justin Jordan slipped by at the stripe in a 7.50 to 7.90 win.
QA1 True Street: Randy Seward took the overall winner title, thanks to an 8.37 average. The overall runner-up was Canadian Jeff Bloem, who finished the challenge with an 8.57 average. Other True Street class winners for the 2018 season opener include Don Julio (9-second), Carl DiBlasi (10-second), Connie Greiner (11-second), Robin Whiteford-Quinton (12-second), David Berry (13-second), Aaron Donton (14-second) and Rodney Ward (15-second).
Tremec Stick Shift Shootout: William Rinehart grabbed the better reaction time, but it was Karl Goin who got to the stripe first.
The next stop on the NMRA tour is Atlanta Dragway for the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals presented by MAHLE, April 5–8, 2018.
 Johnny Sauter won the Camping World Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway. |
Johnny Sauter Wins Truck Series Opener
NASCAR veteran Johnny Sauter won the Camping World Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Sauter went past pole winner David Gilliland with eight laps remaining in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 and held off GMS Racing teammate Justin Haley to take the checkered flag by less than 1/10 of a second. Sauter earned his third victory at Daytona and the 18th of his career.
Rockford Fosgate Named a Supporting Sponsor For The Mint 400
Rockford Fosgate has announced it has been named a supporting sponsor for The Mint 400, held in Las Vegas, March 7–11. Rockford Fosgate’s full line of powersports products will be on display March 8–9 at the Odyssey Battery Tech & Contingency on Fremont Street. The Mint 400, which first began in 1967, is held annually near Las Vegas, and is considered the oldest active off-road desert race in America.
 Robbie Nishida |
JE Pistons Partners With Formula DRIFT for Livestream Video Segments
JE Pistons will launch a new technical video segment that will air during Formula DRIFT’s livestream broadcasts. Former Formula DRIFT driver Robbie Nishida will host two JE Pistons-sponsored technical segments during each of the nine livestream broadcasts. The videos are designed to educate viewers on everything from the art of drifting to making power under the hood, chassis setup and more. Each video can be viewed during the Formula DRIFT livestream and will be available post-race via the series’ social media channels. The 2018 Formula DRIFT Championship kicks-off in Long Beach, California, April 6–7.
 Mopar-powered competitors in model-year ’05 and newer FCA US LLC vehicles will receive complimentary entry to battle it out in the NMCA Dodge/Mopar Hemi Shootout category. |
Dodge//SRT and Mopar Brands to Offer Complimentary Drag-Race Experience for 2018 NMCA Competitors
The Dodge//SRT and Mopar brands are teaming up with the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) to offer complimentary customer drag-racing experiences exclusively at NMCA race events for the 2018 season. Mopar-powered competitors in model-year ’05-and-newer FCA US LLC vehicles will receive complimentary entry to battle it out in the NMCA Dodge/Mopar Hemi Shootout category, giving owners the opportunity to race their vehicles in a sanctioned and secure dragstrip environment. Dodge/Mopar Hemi Shootout fields are expected to draw a mix of modern-day FCA US vehicle nameplates, such as Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles in a variety of models, including the 485hp Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack models, 707hp Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat models, the 840hp Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, as well as Chrysler 300, RAM truck and Jeep vehicles. The NMCA season kicks off with the 16th annual NMCA Muscle Car Mayhem at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, March 8–11, 2018.
SCORE Inks Multi-Year Contract With Polaris RZR as Official UTV of SCORE World Desert Championship
SCORE International has announced a new multi-year agreement with Polaris Industries that designates Polaris RZR as SCORE’s Official UTV. In the new extended agreement, Polaris will also provide SCORE with a number of Polaris RZR UTVs to use at its four races as well as being utilized on the course-marking expeditions for the four rugged SCORE Baja race routes. The four-race 2018 SCORE World Desert Championship launches the first week of April in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.