The mystery Mustang GT500 was spotted on the "Ring" again by the shooters at Brenda Priddy & Co., and they say that the rumors of what's lurking underhood are flying as fast as the car.

The sources of the speculation are the visible, newly configured intercoolers behind the main grille and the right foglight opening. Priddy says that some have told her that it's evidence of a new, 5.0L, twin-turbo V8, while others swear that there will be no turbos but a new supercharger. The only thing that is for sure, however, is that either setup would obviously need an intercooler.

What is known for sure is that the new GT500 should have 600–625 hp to combat the upcoming Chevy Camaro ZL1. Priddy and her team will deliver more details as they become available.

Photo: Brenda Priddy & Company

The mystery Mustang GT500 was spotted on the "Ring" again by the shooters at Brenda Priddy & Co., and they say that the rumors of what's lurking underhood are flying as fast as the car.

The sources of the speculation are the visible, newly configured intercoolers behind the main grille and the right foglight opening. Priddy says that some have told her that it's evidence of a new, 5.0L, twin-turbo V8, while others swear that there will be no turbos but a new supercharger. The only thing that is for sure, however, is that either setup would obviously need an intercooler.

What is known for sure is that the new GT500 should have 600–625 hp to combat the upcoming Chevy Camaro ZL1. Priddy and her team will deliver more details as they become available.

Photo: Brenda Priddy & Company

 

Robert Rose

Business technology is ever-changing. Almost as soon as a new technology hits the market, a newer and more improved one is there to take its place. To help guide members through this constantly evolving technology, SEMA will conduct several educational sessions at the 2011 Business Technology Symposium (BTS), powered by the SEMA Street Performance Council (SPC) during SEMA's Leadership Days on Wednesday, July 27, from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 pm. at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California.

The following article was written by Robert Rose, Big Blue Moose, who will present the session entitled, “Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing.”

How Can Content Help My Marketing?

In the book Data Smog: Surviving the Information Glut, author David Shenk says that in 1971, the average American was exposed to 560 advertising messages per day. By 1997, that number had increased to more than 3,000 per day. In 2009, it was more than 13,000 per day. And, in 2012, you can bet it will be many more than that.

Just think about the number of messages that pour over you in the course of just going to work. After you get in your car, how many of the neighboring cars or trucks have vinyl ads affixed to the side of their car? How many billboards do you pass? How many stores with special signs do you pass? How many commercial messages pour out of the radio you're listening to? How many ads in the browser blink at you as you sit down to work? And, the question becomes, how do you make your brand—your message—stand out?

Marketing is changing

As growth of the social and mobile web changes the methods of communication, the old relationships between business and consumer blur substantially. Our consumers are publishing and sharing their opinions (both good and bad) with increasing ease. This online content can become more persuasive (and certainly louder) than even the company's voice itself.

As Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff said in the book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, "People on the Internet showed they were in charge. Any individual can be stopped, co-opted, bought off or sued. But the Internet allows people to draw strength from each other."

Traditional advertising is becoming a blur to most consumers. They skip through television using their DVR. They ignore magazine advertising. They use "ad blockers" to block Internet display ads. To reach consumers, it's about engaging and creating a permission-based relationship with them to engage on the topic of your business. It's your valuable, informative, engaging and (ultimately) sharable content that is driving marketing value these days.

Enter Content Marketing

Content marketing is learning how to communicate with your customers without "selling" to them. It's not about "interruption-based marketing." Instead, it's about using content to position your brand as a resource, a thought leader, an expert and a helpful "service" to the product or service you are selling. You are developing a relationship with consumers now—and this goes well beyond the "purchase" state—and into an ongoing engagement to drive loyalty.

According to a Roper Public Affairs study, 80% of business decision makers prefer to get company information through articles rather than advertising. Sixty percent of buyers say that content helps them make better product decisions. And, when you couple that with another study that found that 90% of all consumer purchase decisions today start with a "search," the case for producing content becomes clear.

Dive deeper into this subject and meet the author, Robert Rose, at the upcoming 2011 SEMA Business Technology Symposium (BTS), powered by the SEMA Street Performance Council (SPC), Wednesday, July 27, at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California. The BTS will feature five supersessions covering everything from mobile marketing, online marketing essentials, emerging R&D technology and more. Register by July 23 and save $50.

 

Robert Rose

Business technology is ever-changing. Almost as soon as a new technology hits the market, a newer and more improved one is there to take its place. To help guide members through this constantly evolving technology, SEMA will conduct several educational sessions at the 2011 Business Technology Symposium (BTS), powered by the SEMA Street Performance Council (SPC) during SEMA's Leadership Days on Wednesday, July 27, from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 pm. at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California.

The following article was written by Robert Rose, Big Blue Moose, who will present the session entitled, “Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing.”

How Can Content Help My Marketing?

In the book Data Smog: Surviving the Information Glut, author David Shenk says that in 1971, the average American was exposed to 560 advertising messages per day. By 1997, that number had increased to more than 3,000 per day. In 2009, it was more than 13,000 per day. And, in 2012, you can bet it will be many more than that.

Just think about the number of messages that pour over you in the course of just going to work. After you get in your car, how many of the neighboring cars or trucks have vinyl ads affixed to the side of their car? How many billboards do you pass? How many stores with special signs do you pass? How many commercial messages pour out of the radio you're listening to? How many ads in the browser blink at you as you sit down to work? And, the question becomes, how do you make your brand—your message—stand out?

Marketing is changing

As growth of the social and mobile web changes the methods of communication, the old relationships between business and consumer blur substantially. Our consumers are publishing and sharing their opinions (both good and bad) with increasing ease. This online content can become more persuasive (and certainly louder) than even the company's voice itself.

As Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff said in the book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, "People on the Internet showed they were in charge. Any individual can be stopped, co-opted, bought off or sued. But the Internet allows people to draw strength from each other."

Traditional advertising is becoming a blur to most consumers. They skip through television using their DVR. They ignore magazine advertising. They use "ad blockers" to block Internet display ads. To reach consumers, it's about engaging and creating a permission-based relationship with them to engage on the topic of your business. It's your valuable, informative, engaging and (ultimately) sharable content that is driving marketing value these days.

Enter Content Marketing

Content marketing is learning how to communicate with your customers without "selling" to them. It's not about "interruption-based marketing." Instead, it's about using content to position your brand as a resource, a thought leader, an expert and a helpful "service" to the product or service you are selling. You are developing a relationship with consumers now—and this goes well beyond the "purchase" state—and into an ongoing engagement to drive loyalty.

According to a Roper Public Affairs study, 80% of business decision makers prefer to get company information through articles rather than advertising. Sixty percent of buyers say that content helps them make better product decisions. And, when you couple that with another study that found that 90% of all consumer purchase decisions today start with a "search," the case for producing content becomes clear.

Dive deeper into this subject and meet the author, Robert Rose, at the upcoming 2011 SEMA Business Technology Symposium (BTS), powered by the SEMA Street Performance Council (SPC), Wednesday, July 27, at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California. The BTS will feature five supersessions covering everything from mobile marketing, online marketing essentials, emerging R&D technology and more. Register by July 23 and save $50.

 

Robert Rose

Business technology is ever-changing. Almost as soon as a new technology hits the market, a newer and more improved one is there to take its place. To help guide members through this constantly evolving technology, SEMA will conduct several educational sessions at the 2011 Business Technology Symposium (BTS), powered by the SEMA Street Performance Council (SPC) during SEMA's Leadership Days on Wednesday, July 27, from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 pm. at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California.

The following article was written by Robert Rose, Big Blue Moose, who will present the session entitled, “Connecting With Customers: Effective Content Marketing.”

How Can Content Help My Marketing?

In the book Data Smog: Surviving the Information Glut, author David Shenk says that in 1971, the average American was exposed to 560 advertising messages per day. By 1997, that number had increased to more than 3,000 per day. In 2009, it was more than 13,000 per day. And, in 2012, you can bet it will be many more than that.

Just think about the number of messages that pour over you in the course of just going to work. After you get in your car, how many of the neighboring cars or trucks have vinyl ads affixed to the side of their car? How many billboards do you pass? How many stores with special signs do you pass? How many commercial messages pour out of the radio you're listening to? How many ads in the browser blink at you as you sit down to work? And, the question becomes, how do you make your brand—your message—stand out?

Marketing is changing

As growth of the social and mobile web changes the methods of communication, the old relationships between business and consumer blur substantially. Our consumers are publishing and sharing their opinions (both good and bad) with increasing ease. This online content can become more persuasive (and certainly louder) than even the company's voice itself.

As Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff said in the book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, "People on the Internet showed they were in charge. Any individual can be stopped, co-opted, bought off or sued. But the Internet allows people to draw strength from each other."

Traditional advertising is becoming a blur to most consumers. They skip through television using their DVR. They ignore magazine advertising. They use "ad blockers" to block Internet display ads. To reach consumers, it's about engaging and creating a permission-based relationship with them to engage on the topic of your business. It's your valuable, informative, engaging and (ultimately) sharable content that is driving marketing value these days.

Enter Content Marketing

Content marketing is learning how to communicate with your customers without "selling" to them. It's not about "interruption-based marketing." Instead, it's about using content to position your brand as a resource, a thought leader, an expert and a helpful "service" to the product or service you are selling. You are developing a relationship with consumers now—and this goes well beyond the "purchase" state—and into an ongoing engagement to drive loyalty.

According to a Roper Public Affairs study, 80% of business decision makers prefer to get company information through articles rather than advertising. Sixty percent of buyers say that content helps them make better product decisions. And, when you couple that with another study that found that 90% of all consumer purchase decisions today start with a "search," the case for producing content becomes clear.

Dive deeper into this subject and meet the author, Robert Rose, at the upcoming 2011 SEMA Business Technology Symposium (BTS), powered by the SEMA Street Performance Council (SPC), Wednesday, July 27, at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, California. The BTS will feature five supersessions covering everything from mobile marketing, online marketing essentials, emerging R&D technology and more. Register by July 23 and save $50.

NEWS NUGGETS

BRISTOL WINNERS READY FOR SUMMER STRETCH OF NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES: At the end of a long day of racing Sunday at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, three drivers stood in the winner’s circle, reflecting on their wins and the constantly changing weather conditions that they and their teams battled all weekend. As Top Fuel pilot Larry Dixon, Funny Car driver Robert Hight and Pro Stock racer Mike Edwards spoke with the media following the race, one statement was loud and clear—their teams are ready for summer racing in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

“Today was unbelievable,” said Hight, whose Auto Club Ford Mustang not only won the race, but also set the national record for speed at 316.45 mph. “I really give Jimmy (Prock, crew chief) a lot of credit for coming here this weekend and sneaking up on it. He knew he could run big numbers but on the night runs, we played it safe. We made eight great runs. When we needed it the most, Jimmy pulled it out and he had some confidence.”

Dixon agreed that his win in Bristol gave his team a confidence boost. He said that adapting to challenging conditions is exactly what his team will need to continue to do during the next few months of summer racing.

“Jason McCulloch (crew chief), Alan Johnson (team manager) and everybody else on the Al-Anabi team did a great job today,” said Dixon. “Jason and the rest of our team worked their tails off. It’s a great team, and I just feel blessed to be a part of it.”

Pro Stock winner Edwards scored his third consecutive win in Bristol Sunday, though it didn’t come easy, given the challenging conditions and the strong competition he faced in Vincent Nobile, Greg Anderson and Erica Enders. The 2009 Full Throttle series world champ recognizes that his team’s ability to change according to the situation will be a vital tool in the next few months.

“Congrats to my team. They fought hard,” said Edwards. “This car has given us so many headaches. I hope we can build on this.”

To see more results from the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, visit NHRA.com.

K&N HORSEPOWER CHALLENGE FIELD SET; ENDERS GETS FAN VOTE FOR FINAL SPOT: The field is set for this week’s K&N Horsepower Challenge—the lucrative race-within-a-race bonus Pro Stock event at the fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The seven drivers who accumulated the most points in qualifying during the bonus-event series earned their place in the $76,000 challenge, and the eighth and final position was determined by fan voting. This year, fans selected sensation Erica Enders to fill out the field. The first-round pairings for this year’s K&N Horsepower Challenge are as follows:

Jason Line vs. Erica Enders

Allen Johnson vs. Shane Gray
Mike Edwards vs. Rodger Brogdon
Greg Anderson vs. Ron Krisher


Last year, defending world champion Greg Anderson raced to his third K&N Horsepower Challenge win in eight appearances when he beat Mike Edwards on a holeshot. Anderson also won the race that weekend to collect the NHRA sweep bonus awarded to those drivers who win both the bonus event and race, bringing his weekend winnings to $100,000. It was the second time that Anderson picked up the NHRA sweep bonus (2004).

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT MOTORSPORTS PARK, June 23–26: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Norwalk, Ohio, and its 10th stop on the circuit. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 419/668-5555 or visit summitmotorsportspark.tix.com. For media credentials, please contact Senior Communications Manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS, ROUTE 66 RACEWAY, July 7–10: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Chicago and the Windy City for its 11th stop of the season. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 815/727-RACE or visit route66raceway.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS, BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY, July 22–24: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to the Rocky Mountains of Denver and the first of three stops on the historic Western Swing. Defending event winners are Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/664-UWIN or go online at ticketreturn.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Zak Elcock at zelcock@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

EVERYTHING BUT THE…: Funny Car driver Jack Beckman after his final-round loss to Robert Hight Sunday at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway: “We threw the kitchen sink—and more—at Hight in the finals, but it was too much. We thought we would need more car than we had in the third round to beat Robert, but we ended up spinning the tires.”

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1982, CONNIE VS SHIRLEY, U.S. NATIONALS: On August 8, 1982, Top Fuel sensation Shirley Muldowney faced former crew chief Connie Kalitta in a much anticipated final round at the historic U.S. Nationals. Muldowney beat Kalitta and became the first female winner in U.S. Nationals history. Both Muldowney and Kalitta will be the NHRA Legends honored at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The two drivers will participate in autograph sessions and meet-and-greets with fans throughout the weekend.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Eddie Krawiec	Andrew Hines
LE Tonglet	Matt Smith

4: There have been four different winners in the first four races of the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Motorcycle season. The class returns to racing this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. Will one of these riders be the first this season to win a second race?

DID YOU KNOW…

…that of the four NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series classes that will compete at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, Funny Car is the only one to have different winners in the four years the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing has been competing at the track? Will Jack Beckman, Tony Pedregon or Tim Wilkerson become the first repeat winner in the class in Norwalk? For tickets, call 419/668-5555 or visit summitmotorsportspark.tix.com.

For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or visit the NHRA Media Center.

NEWS NUGGETS

BRISTOL WINNERS READY FOR SUMMER STRETCH OF NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES: At the end of a long day of racing Sunday at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, three drivers stood in the winner’s circle, reflecting on their wins and the constantly changing weather conditions that they and their teams battled all weekend. As Top Fuel pilot Larry Dixon, Funny Car driver Robert Hight and Pro Stock racer Mike Edwards spoke with the media following the race, one statement was loud and clear—their teams are ready for summer racing in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

“Today was unbelievable,” said Hight, whose Auto Club Ford Mustang not only won the race, but also set the national record for speed at 316.45 mph. “I really give Jimmy (Prock, crew chief) a lot of credit for coming here this weekend and sneaking up on it. He knew he could run big numbers but on the night runs, we played it safe. We made eight great runs. When we needed it the most, Jimmy pulled it out and he had some confidence.”

Dixon agreed that his win in Bristol gave his team a confidence boost. He said that adapting to challenging conditions is exactly what his team will need to continue to do during the next few months of summer racing.

“Jason McCulloch (crew chief), Alan Johnson (team manager) and everybody else on the Al-Anabi team did a great job today,” said Dixon. “Jason and the rest of our team worked their tails off. It’s a great team, and I just feel blessed to be a part of it.”

Pro Stock winner Edwards scored his third consecutive win in Bristol Sunday, though it didn’t come easy, given the challenging conditions and the strong competition he faced in Vincent Nobile, Greg Anderson and Erica Enders. The 2009 Full Throttle series world champ recognizes that his team’s ability to change according to the situation will be a vital tool in the next few months.

“Congrats to my team. They fought hard,” said Edwards. “This car has given us so many headaches. I hope we can build on this.”

To see more results from the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, visit NHRA.com.

K&N HORSEPOWER CHALLENGE FIELD SET; ENDERS GETS FAN VOTE FOR FINAL SPOT: The field is set for this week’s K&N Horsepower Challenge—the lucrative race-within-a-race bonus Pro Stock event at the fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The seven drivers who accumulated the most points in qualifying during the bonus-event series earned their place in the $76,000 challenge, and the eighth and final position was determined by fan voting. This year, fans selected sensation Erica Enders to fill out the field. The first-round pairings for this year’s K&N Horsepower Challenge are as follows:

Jason Line vs. Erica Enders

Allen Johnson vs. Shane Gray
Mike Edwards vs. Rodger Brogdon
Greg Anderson vs. Ron Krisher


Last year, defending world champion Greg Anderson raced to his third K&N Horsepower Challenge win in eight appearances when he beat Mike Edwards on a holeshot. Anderson also won the race that weekend to collect the NHRA sweep bonus awarded to those drivers who win both the bonus event and race, bringing his weekend winnings to $100,000. It was the second time that Anderson picked up the NHRA sweep bonus (2004).

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT MOTORSPORTS PARK, June 23–26: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Norwalk, Ohio, and its 10th stop on the circuit. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 419/668-5555 or visit summitmotorsportspark.tix.com. For media credentials, please contact Senior Communications Manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS, ROUTE 66 RACEWAY, July 7–10: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Chicago and the Windy City for its 11th stop of the season. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 815/727-RACE or visit route66raceway.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS, BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY, July 22–24: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to the Rocky Mountains of Denver and the first of three stops on the historic Western Swing. Defending event winners are Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/664-UWIN or go online at ticketreturn.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Zak Elcock at zelcock@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

EVERYTHING BUT THE…: Funny Car driver Jack Beckman after his final-round loss to Robert Hight Sunday at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway: “We threw the kitchen sink—and more—at Hight in the finals, but it was too much. We thought we would need more car than we had in the third round to beat Robert, but we ended up spinning the tires.”

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1982, CONNIE VS SHIRLEY, U.S. NATIONALS: On August 8, 1982, Top Fuel sensation Shirley Muldowney faced former crew chief Connie Kalitta in a much anticipated final round at the historic U.S. Nationals. Muldowney beat Kalitta and became the first female winner in U.S. Nationals history. Both Muldowney and Kalitta will be the NHRA Legends honored at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The two drivers will participate in autograph sessions and meet-and-greets with fans throughout the weekend.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Eddie Krawiec	Andrew Hines
LE Tonglet	Matt Smith

4: There have been four different winners in the first four races of the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Motorcycle season. The class returns to racing this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. Will one of these riders be the first this season to win a second race?

DID YOU KNOW…

…that of the four NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series classes that will compete at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, Funny Car is the only one to have different winners in the four years the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing has been competing at the track? Will Jack Beckman, Tony Pedregon or Tim Wilkerson become the first repeat winner in the class in Norwalk? For tickets, call 419/668-5555 or visit summitmotorsportspark.tix.com.

For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or visit the NHRA Media Center.

NEWS NUGGETS

BRISTOL WINNERS READY FOR SUMMER STRETCH OF NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES: At the end of a long day of racing Sunday at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, three drivers stood in the winner’s circle, reflecting on their wins and the constantly changing weather conditions that they and their teams battled all weekend. As Top Fuel pilot Larry Dixon, Funny Car driver Robert Hight and Pro Stock racer Mike Edwards spoke with the media following the race, one statement was loud and clear—their teams are ready for summer racing in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

“Today was unbelievable,” said Hight, whose Auto Club Ford Mustang not only won the race, but also set the national record for speed at 316.45 mph. “I really give Jimmy (Prock, crew chief) a lot of credit for coming here this weekend and sneaking up on it. He knew he could run big numbers but on the night runs, we played it safe. We made eight great runs. When we needed it the most, Jimmy pulled it out and he had some confidence.”

Dixon agreed that his win in Bristol gave his team a confidence boost. He said that adapting to challenging conditions is exactly what his team will need to continue to do during the next few months of summer racing.

“Jason McCulloch (crew chief), Alan Johnson (team manager) and everybody else on the Al-Anabi team did a great job today,” said Dixon. “Jason and the rest of our team worked their tails off. It’s a great team, and I just feel blessed to be a part of it.”

Pro Stock winner Edwards scored his third consecutive win in Bristol Sunday, though it didn’t come easy, given the challenging conditions and the strong competition he faced in Vincent Nobile, Greg Anderson and Erica Enders. The 2009 Full Throttle series world champ recognizes that his team’s ability to change according to the situation will be a vital tool in the next few months.

“Congrats to my team. They fought hard,” said Edwards. “This car has given us so many headaches. I hope we can build on this.”

To see more results from the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers, visit NHRA.com.

K&N HORSEPOWER CHALLENGE FIELD SET; ENDERS GETS FAN VOTE FOR FINAL SPOT: The field is set for this week’s K&N Horsepower Challenge—the lucrative race-within-a-race bonus Pro Stock event at the fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The seven drivers who accumulated the most points in qualifying during the bonus-event series earned their place in the $76,000 challenge, and the eighth and final position was determined by fan voting. This year, fans selected sensation Erica Enders to fill out the field. The first-round pairings for this year’s K&N Horsepower Challenge are as follows:

Jason Line vs. Erica Enders

Allen Johnson vs. Shane Gray
Mike Edwards vs. Rodger Brogdon
Greg Anderson vs. Ron Krisher


Last year, defending world champion Greg Anderson raced to his third K&N Horsepower Challenge win in eight appearances when he beat Mike Edwards on a holeshot. Anderson also won the race that weekend to collect the NHRA sweep bonus awarded to those drivers who win both the bonus event and race, bringing his weekend winnings to $100,000. It was the second time that Anderson picked up the NHRA sweep bonus (2004).

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT NHRA NATIONALS, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT MOTORSPORTS PARK, June 23–26: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Norwalk, Ohio, and its 10th stop on the circuit. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 419/668-5555 or visit summitmotorsportspark.tix.com. For media credentials, please contact Senior Communications Manager Scott Smith at ssmith@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS, ROUTE 66 RACEWAY, July 7–10: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Chicago and the Windy City for its 11th stop of the season. Defending event winners are Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 815/727-RACE or visit route66raceway.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS, BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY, July 22–24: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to the Rocky Mountains of Denver and the first of three stops on the historic Western Swing. Defending event winners are Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/664-UWIN or go online at ticketreturn.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Zak Elcock at zelcock@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

EVERYTHING BUT THE…: Funny Car driver Jack Beckman after his final-round loss to Robert Hight Sunday at the Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers at Bristol Dragway: “We threw the kitchen sink—and more—at Hight in the finals, but it was too much. We thought we would need more car than we had in the third round to beat Robert, but we ended up spinning the tires.”

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1982, CONNIE VS SHIRLEY, U.S. NATIONALS: On August 8, 1982, Top Fuel sensation Shirley Muldowney faced former crew chief Connie Kalitta in a much anticipated final round at the historic U.S. Nationals. Muldowney beat Kalitta and became the first female winner in U.S. Nationals history. Both Muldowney and Kalitta will be the NHRA Legends honored at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The two drivers will participate in autograph sessions and meet-and-greets with fans throughout the weekend.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Eddie Krawiec	Andrew Hines
LE Tonglet	Matt Smith

4: There have been four different winners in the first four races of the NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Motorcycle season. The class returns to racing this weekend at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. Will one of these riders be the first this season to win a second race?

DID YOU KNOW…

…that of the four NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series classes that will compete at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, Funny Car is the only one to have different winners in the four years the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing has been competing at the track? Will Jack Beckman, Tony Pedregon or Tim Wilkerson become the first repeat winner in the class in Norwalk? For tickets, call 419/668-5555 or visit summitmotorsportspark.tix.com.

For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or visit the NHRA Media Center.

 

FIAT is offering a FIAT 500 Sport vehicle to two vehicle customizers for the 2011 SEMA Show to create and promote accessories and vendor capabilities.

In partnering with external customizers to showcase the FIAT 500 for the 2011 SEMA Show, the manufacturer is offering a FIAT 500 Sport vehicle to two vehicle customizers. This offer is designed to create and promote accessories and vendor capabilities. The modified vehicle potentially will be displayed at major auto shows and FIAT promotional events with media coverage.

The FIAT 500 Sport is equipped with a 1.4L 16v MultiAir Engine with a manual transmission and features a sport suspension, sport seats, a rear spoiler and 16-in. aluminum alloy wheels

FIAT 500 2011 SEMA Show Requirements:

• Send an introductory letter defining the theme of the project vehicle and its general content.
• Submit 8½ x 11 color renderings illustrating front/side, rear and interior appearance (composite ¾ views are acceptable) with the intended color and graphic scheme accurately defined. Preservation of front-end brand identity (divisional emblem and possibly grille features) is mandatory.
• Include a list of specific system upgrades, including partnered sources and new products being developed for FIAT through the project.
• Send examples of previous project vehicles and promotional activities by the applicant.
• Submit a promotional and media outreach plan beyond the SEMA Show (i.e. tour of events, specific magazine feature articles, online promotion, etc.).
• Availability for the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, November 1–4 is required. Please state where the vehicle will be displayed at the SEMA Show and who will sponsor the vehicle if it is placed in a feature spot. Note that partners are required to promote the vehicle through November 1, 2012. Proposals with guaranteed interior booth space will be given preferred consideration.
• Required shows to be displayed as part of FIAT display: NAIAS (January 9–22, 2012); Chicago Auto Show (February 8–19, 2012); New York Auto Show (April 6–15, 2012); Fader Fort (April 2012).
• Must be accessible for a minimum of four Fiat brand/dealer events.

Aftermarket companies requesting vehicles should have the following capabilities:

• Be financially and technically capable of building a one-off show car without financial or parts support from FIAT USA or Chrysler Group LLC or Mopar.
• Be willing to partner with other non-competing aftermarket companies or enthusiast publications to enhance the vehicle project.
• Have a history of active promotion of vehicle projects with an established marketing plan.

Project vehicle recipients must:

• Execute a promotional agreement with Chrysler that sets forth the obligations of the vehicle recipient, including, without limitation, the requirement to return the vehicle to Chrysler Group LLC.
• Commit to make the vehicle available to FIAT or its dealers if requested for additional shows and exhibits for a minimum of two years from the initial delivery date.
• Commit to feature the vehicle with the FIAT and model logos intact and visible.
• Commit to provide regular reports to FIAT USA public relations regarding media coverage and event activity for the project vehicle for a minimum of two years from the initial delivery date.

Please e-mail your detailed project proposal or questions to nicole.longhini@FIATUSA.com before July 7, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. (EDT).

For more information, click here.

 

FIAT is offering a FIAT 500 Sport vehicle to two vehicle customizers for the 2011 SEMA Show to create and promote accessories and vendor capabilities.

In partnering with external customizers to showcase the FIAT 500 for the 2011 SEMA Show, the manufacturer is offering a FIAT 500 Sport vehicle to two vehicle customizers. This offer is designed to create and promote accessories and vendor capabilities. The modified vehicle potentially will be displayed at major auto shows and FIAT promotional events with media coverage.

The FIAT 500 Sport is equipped with a 1.4L 16v MultiAir Engine with a manual transmission and features a sport suspension, sport seats, a rear spoiler and 16-in. aluminum alloy wheels

FIAT 500 2011 SEMA Show Requirements:

• Send an introductory letter defining the theme of the project vehicle and its general content.
• Submit 8½ x 11 color renderings illustrating front/side, rear and interior appearance (composite ¾ views are acceptable) with the intended color and graphic scheme accurately defined. Preservation of front-end brand identity (divisional emblem and possibly grille features) is mandatory.
• Include a list of specific system upgrades, including partnered sources and new products being developed for FIAT through the project.
• Send examples of previous project vehicles and promotional activities by the applicant.
• Submit a promotional and media outreach plan beyond the SEMA Show (i.e. tour of events, specific magazine feature articles, online promotion, etc.).
• Availability for the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, November 1–4 is required. Please state where the vehicle will be displayed at the SEMA Show and who will sponsor the vehicle if it is placed in a feature spot. Note that partners are required to promote the vehicle through November 1, 2012. Proposals with guaranteed interior booth space will be given preferred consideration.
• Required shows to be displayed as part of FIAT display: NAIAS (January 9–22, 2012); Chicago Auto Show (February 8–19, 2012); New York Auto Show (April 6–15, 2012); Fader Fort (April 2012).
• Must be accessible for a minimum of four Fiat brand/dealer events.

Aftermarket companies requesting vehicles should have the following capabilities:

• Be financially and technically capable of building a one-off show car without financial or parts support from FIAT USA or Chrysler Group LLC or Mopar.
• Be willing to partner with other non-competing aftermarket companies or enthusiast publications to enhance the vehicle project.
• Have a history of active promotion of vehicle projects with an established marketing plan.

Project vehicle recipients must:

• Execute a promotional agreement with Chrysler that sets forth the obligations of the vehicle recipient, including, without limitation, the requirement to return the vehicle to Chrysler Group LLC.
• Commit to make the vehicle available to FIAT or its dealers if requested for additional shows and exhibits for a minimum of two years from the initial delivery date.
• Commit to feature the vehicle with the FIAT and model logos intact and visible.
• Commit to provide regular reports to FIAT USA public relations regarding media coverage and event activity for the project vehicle for a minimum of two years from the initial delivery date.

Please e-mail your detailed project proposal or questions to nicole.longhini@FIATUSA.com before July 7, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. (EDT).

For more information, click here.