SEMA offers free drayage to exhibitors whose total freight is less than 1,000 lbs. and is delivered in a personally operated vehicle driven by an employee.

The 2010 SEMA Show is less than two weeks away. Have you already made your freight arrangements? SEMA offers free drayage to exhibitors whose total freight is less than 1,000 lbs. and is delivered in a personally operated vehicle (POV) driven by an employee. The program is available Saturday, October 30 and Sunday, October 31 from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Monday, November 1 from 8:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Just pull up to the “POV” location in front of your hall, and Freeman will take your freight directly to your booth. Click here for more information and a map of each hall’s POV locations.

The POV program is also available after the Show on Friday, November 5 from 5:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 6 until 12:00 p.m. Simply go to the Freeman Service desk in your hall prior to the Show close to obtain the proper paperwork in order to utilize this service.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Carr at jcarr@convexx.com or 702/450-7662 ext. 237.

	Deep Orange is a project vehicle prototype program involving several SEMA companies at CU-ICAR for pioneering education, research and industry collaboration within the graduate degree program in automotive engineering.

In an effort to immerse students in a setting that resembles the daily business of their future working environment, the Deep Orange project vehicle prototype program at Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) pioneers education, research and industry collaboration within the automotive engineering graduate degree program.

The initiative, which involves several SEMA-member companies at CU-ICAR, strives for practical application of acquired engineering proficiency in the areas of product development, manufacturing concepts and vehicular electronics through a systems-engineering approach. A new Deep Orange project is started every year to create an engineering concept car two years later.

For more on Deep Orange, join CU-ICAR in booth #36203 for a press conference Tuesday, November 2 at 1:15 p.m. For more information, contact Suzanne Dickerson, director of global business development at 864/283-7100 or e-mail sdicker@clemson.edu.

SEMA and Clemson University Form Strategic Partnership

In 2009, then-SEMA Chairman Jim Cozzie took the podium during the group’s annual Board Officer’s installment ceremony prior to handing over the gavel to current Chairman Rick Rollins, and announced one of the most innovative alliances in SEMA’s 47-year history. Cozzie outlined a partnership between California-headquartered SEMA and South Carolina-based Clemson University, which launched the $215 million CU-ICAR in 2003, to an audience of more than 500 attendees.

“The new alliance represents an unprecedented industry-academia platform for advanced vehicle technology and performance aftermarket education program development, notably forged in the midst of one of the automotive industry’s most challenging periods in history,” Cozzie said. “The automotive original-equipment and aftermarket industries are undergoing serious transformations and will continue to evolve in the coming years. The Clemson relationship can benefit SEMA-member companies by providing vehicle technology and systems integration, product development, testing and validation support to help members leverage new business opportunities.”

According to Chris Przirembel, Clemson University’s recently retired vice president for research and economic development, the partnership represents “an extraordinary opportunity for Clemson, as a major university committed to becoming one of the world’s leading automotive and motorsports research and education centers, to join with SEMA and its powerful industry membership base in a shared mission to help shape the future of the automotive performance aftermarket industry.”

As part of the agreement, Clemson University’s Campbell Graduate Engineering Center on the 250-acre CU-ICAR campus—located midway between Atlanta and Charlotte along I-85 in Greenville, South Carolina—is positioned to serve as a systems integration and testing center for SEMA and its 7,500 members. The academic center houses a variety of laboratories and test cells, including a seven-post shaker in an environmental chamber, a chassis dynamometer in a semi-anechoic chamber, engine test cells, an electromagnetic compatibility chamber and a full-scale vehicle three-dimensional CMM for measuring geometric and physical coordinates of parts and vehicle surfaces.

Dr. Imtiaz Haque, executive director of the Campbell Center, which offers the only automotive engineering Ph.D. in the United States, said an “ultimate goal would be for SEMA and Clemson to collaboratively develop an integrated systems approach for designing and customizing today’s vehicles and vehicles of the future. Among other initiatives, the graduate center will develop prototype project vehicles with the objective of demonstrating the integration of specialty equipment and performance aftermarket components, total vehicle systems and modules, thereby creating new opportunities for interested SEMA-member companies to directly participate.”

SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting said the Clemson-SEMA relationship supports SEMA’s vehicle technology strategic goals for identifying industry needs and developing effective solutions to assist members with complex vehicle technology challenges and opportunities. “In the midst of these difficult times, we hope to collaboratively develop a clear pathway for the multi-billion automotive aftermarket industry and SEMA-member companies,” he explained.

For more information on the Clemson-SEMA alliance or CU-ICAR, contact John Waraniak, SEMA's vice president of vehicle technology, at johnw@sema.org. In addition, a series of vehicle technology SuperSessions (below) will be held at the 2010 SEMA Show.

Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSessions Program 2010

Four free SuperSessions will be offered at the 2010 SEMA Show regarding vehicle technology. They include:

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Driving Safe: Vehicle Dynamics Simulation and ESC Performance of Aftermarket-Modified Vehicles, Components and Systems
Date: Monday, November 1, 2010
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: N262 LVCC
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Paul Williamsen, National Manager, Lexus College, Toyota Motor Sales, USA
• Paul Venhovens, BMW Chair in Systems Integration, Clemson University CU-ICAR
• Ed Browalski, Vehicle Technology Consultant, SEMA, President of ACEC
• Kevin Kott, President, dSPACE, Inc.
• Santhosh Jogi, Director of Engineering, dSPACE, Inc.
• Tom Gillespie, Co-Founder and Director, Mechanical Simulation Corp.
• Tim Watts, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Superlift Suspension Systems
• Gene Petersen, Tire Program Leader, Consumer Reports

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Driving Green Performance: Wild West 2.0
Date: Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Time: 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Location: LVCC, South Hall, Upper Level, Booth #30239
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Keynote: Jim Campbell, Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, General Motors
• Neil Young, Musician, Innovator, Green Performance Advocate, Lincvolt Leader
• Peter Diamandis, CEO and Founder, X-Prize Foundation
• Scott Atherton, President and CEO of ALMS
• Imtiaz Haque, Executive Director, Clemson University, CU-ICAR
• Patrick Reininger, Vice President, Polk Research
• Bryan Krulikowski, Vice President, Morpace
• Azhar Hussain, Founder, TTXGP eGrandPrix

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Performance Oil: Modern Motor Oils and the Aftermarket
Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Location: N261 LVCC
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Lake Speed, Jr., Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil
• Ron Shaver, Ron Shaver Specialties
• Paul "Scooter" Brothers, SEMA Chair-elect and Competition Performance Group

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Driving Connected: Integrating Automotive and Consumer Electronics
Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Locations: N262 LVCC
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Keynote 1: Dr. Andrew Brown, SAE President and Chief Technical Officer, Delphi
• Keynote 2: Peter Appel, Administrator, Research and Innovative Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
• Richard Wallace, Senior Director, Center for Automotive Research
• Thilo Koslowski, Managing Vice President of Automotive, Gartner (invited)
• Roger Curtis, President, Michigan International Speedway (invited)
• T.C. Wingrove, Director of Innovation, North America, Visteon (invited)
• Mike Blicher, Director, Business Development, Immersion
• Stephan Tarnutzer, Chief Operating Officer, DGE Inc.

	Deep Orange is a project vehicle prototype program involving several SEMA companies at CU-ICAR for pioneering education, research and industry collaboration within the graduate degree program in automotive engineering.

In an effort to immerse students in a setting that resembles the daily business of their future working environment, the Deep Orange project vehicle prototype program at Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) pioneers education, research and industry collaboration within the automotive engineering graduate degree program.

The initiative, which involves several SEMA-member companies at CU-ICAR, strives for practical application of acquired engineering proficiency in the areas of product development, manufacturing concepts and vehicular electronics through a systems-engineering approach. A new Deep Orange project is started every year to create an engineering concept car two years later.

For more on Deep Orange, join CU-ICAR in booth #36203 for a press conference Tuesday, November 2 at 1:15 p.m. For more information, contact Suzanne Dickerson, director of global business development at 864/283-7100 or e-mail sdicker@clemson.edu.

SEMA and Clemson University Form Strategic Partnership

In 2009, then-SEMA Chairman Jim Cozzie took the podium during the group’s annual Board Officer’s installment ceremony prior to handing over the gavel to current Chairman Rick Rollins, and announced one of the most innovative alliances in SEMA’s 47-year history. Cozzie outlined a partnership between California-headquartered SEMA and South Carolina-based Clemson University, which launched the $215 million CU-ICAR in 2003, to an audience of more than 500 attendees.

“The new alliance represents an unprecedented industry-academia platform for advanced vehicle technology and performance aftermarket education program development, notably forged in the midst of one of the automotive industry’s most challenging periods in history,” Cozzie said. “The automotive original-equipment and aftermarket industries are undergoing serious transformations and will continue to evolve in the coming years. The Clemson relationship can benefit SEMA-member companies by providing vehicle technology and systems integration, product development, testing and validation support to help members leverage new business opportunities.”

According to Chris Przirembel, Clemson University’s recently retired vice president for research and economic development, the partnership represents “an extraordinary opportunity for Clemson, as a major university committed to becoming one of the world’s leading automotive and motorsports research and education centers, to join with SEMA and its powerful industry membership base in a shared mission to help shape the future of the automotive performance aftermarket industry.”

As part of the agreement, Clemson University’s Campbell Graduate Engineering Center on the 250-acre CU-ICAR campus—located midway between Atlanta and Charlotte along I-85 in Greenville, South Carolina—is positioned to serve as a systems integration and testing center for SEMA and its 7,500 members. The academic center houses a variety of laboratories and test cells, including a seven-post shaker in an environmental chamber, a chassis dynamometer in a semi-anechoic chamber, engine test cells, an electromagnetic compatibility chamber and a full-scale vehicle three-dimensional CMM for measuring geometric and physical coordinates of parts and vehicle surfaces.

Dr. Imtiaz Haque, executive director of the Campbell Center, which offers the only automotive engineering Ph.D. in the United States, said an “ultimate goal would be for SEMA and Clemson to collaboratively develop an integrated systems approach for designing and customizing today’s vehicles and vehicles of the future. Among other initiatives, the graduate center will develop prototype project vehicles with the objective of demonstrating the integration of specialty equipment and performance aftermarket components, total vehicle systems and modules, thereby creating new opportunities for interested SEMA-member companies to directly participate.”

SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting said the Clemson-SEMA relationship supports SEMA’s vehicle technology strategic goals for identifying industry needs and developing effective solutions to assist members with complex vehicle technology challenges and opportunities. “In the midst of these difficult times, we hope to collaboratively develop a clear pathway for the multi-billion automotive aftermarket industry and SEMA-member companies,” he explained.

For more information on the Clemson-SEMA alliance or CU-ICAR, contact John Waraniak, SEMA's vice president of vehicle technology, at johnw@sema.org. In addition, a series of vehicle technology SuperSessions (below) will be held at the 2010 SEMA Show.

Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSessions Program 2010

Four free SuperSessions will be offered at the 2010 SEMA Show regarding vehicle technology. They include:

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Driving Safe: Vehicle Dynamics Simulation and ESC Performance of Aftermarket-Modified Vehicles, Components and Systems
Date: Monday, November 1, 2010
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: N262 LVCC
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Paul Williamsen, National Manager, Lexus College, Toyota Motor Sales, USA
• Paul Venhovens, BMW Chair in Systems Integration, Clemson University CU-ICAR
• Ed Browalski, Vehicle Technology Consultant, SEMA, President of ACEC
• Kevin Kott, President, dSPACE, Inc.
• Santhosh Jogi, Director of Engineering, dSPACE, Inc.
• Tom Gillespie, Co-Founder and Director, Mechanical Simulation Corp.
• Tim Watts, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Superlift Suspension Systems
• Gene Petersen, Tire Program Leader, Consumer Reports

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Driving Green Performance: Wild West 2.0
Date: Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Time: 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Location: LVCC, South Hall, Upper Level, Booth #30239
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Keynote: Jim Campbell, Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, General Motors
• Neil Young, Musician, Innovator, Green Performance Advocate, Lincvolt Leader
• Peter Diamandis, CEO and Founder, X-Prize Foundation
• Scott Atherton, President and CEO of ALMS
• Imtiaz Haque, Executive Director, Clemson University, CU-ICAR
• Patrick Reininger, Vice President, Polk Research
• Bryan Krulikowski, Vice President, Morpace
• Azhar Hussain, Founder, TTXGP eGrandPrix

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Performance Oil: Modern Motor Oils and the Aftermarket
Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Location: N261 LVCC
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Lake Speed, Jr., Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil
• Ron Shaver, Ron Shaver Specialties
• Paul "Scooter" Brothers, SEMA Chair-elect and Competition Performance Group

FREE: Vehicle Technology Briefing SuperSession: Driving Connected: Integrating Automotive and Consumer Electronics
Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Locations: N262 LVCC
Organizer and Moderator: John Waraniak, SEMA Vice President of Vehicle Technology
Speakers and Panelists:
• Keynote 1: Dr. Andrew Brown, SAE President and Chief Technical Officer, Delphi
• Keynote 2: Peter Appel, Administrator, Research and Innovative Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
• Richard Wallace, Senior Director, Center for Automotive Research
• Thilo Koslowski, Managing Vice President of Automotive, Gartner (invited)
• Roger Curtis, President, Michigan International Speedway (invited)
• T.C. Wingrove, Director of Innovation, North America, Visteon (invited)
• Mike Blicher, Director, Business Development, Immersion
• Stephan Tarnutzer, Chief Operating Officer, DGE Inc.

The Ford Motor Company Corporate Design Awards recognize unique vehicles that make a significant contribution to vehicle design.

Ford Motor Company will once again recognize the most significant design achievements at the 2010 SEMA Show with its Ford Motor Company Corporate Design Awards. These prestigious awards are given annually to those vehicles that make a significant contribution to vehicle design and stand apart from all others at the SEMA Show.

Awards will be presented for the most significant accomplishments in the following vehicle categories:

• Best of Show
• Best of Show on Ford Corporate Display Stand
• Best Ford Heritage Vehicle
• Outstanding Achievement(s)

Formal presentation of the awards will be on Tuesday, November 2, at 9:30 a.m. in the Ford Motor Company Show Stand located in the Racing & Performance section of the Center Hall. (Note: It will be followed by the Ford Motor Company Press Conference at 10:30 a.m.).

Ford Motor Company's Corporate Design judging team will review all Show vehicles on display at the Show during setup on Sunday and Monday. To assist the judging team in these efforts, exhibitors are encouraged to submit descriptions of their vehicles, pictures and the vehicle's Show location to semainfo@ford.com.

The Ford Motor Company Corporate Design Awards recognize unique vehicles that make a significant contribution to vehicle design.

Ford Motor Company will once again recognize the most significant design achievements at the 2010 SEMA Show with its Ford Motor Company Corporate Design Awards. These prestigious awards are given annually to those vehicles that make a significant contribution to vehicle design and stand apart from all others at the SEMA Show.

Awards will be presented for the most significant accomplishments in the following vehicle categories:

• Best of Show
• Best of Show on Ford Corporate Display Stand
• Best Ford Heritage Vehicle
• Outstanding Achievement(s)

Formal presentation of the awards will be on Tuesday, November 2, at 9:30 a.m. in the Ford Motor Company Show Stand located in the Racing & Performance section of the Center Hall. (Note: It will be followed by the Ford Motor Company Press Conference at 10:30 a.m.).

Ford Motor Company's Corporate Design judging team will review all Show vehicles on display at the Show during setup on Sunday and Monday. To assist the judging team in these efforts, exhibitors are encouraged to submit descriptions of their vehicles, pictures and the vehicle's Show location to semainfo@ford.com.

Three technical colleges will award a total of more than $600,000 in scholarships to six high school automotive teams competing at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Championship.

Three outstanding technological colleges have stepped up to support the youth who are participating in the “Showdown at SEMA” National Championship in Las Vegas November 2–5, 2010. Each college will award $202,000 in scholarships to six high school automotive teams competing at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Championship.

The teams include: Team MSD from Eastern Oklahoma Tech Center, Team Auto Meter from Loara High School, Team ARP from East Ridge High School, Team PRW from Fremd High School, Team Edelbrock from North Orange County ROP and Team Painless from Lakeshore High School.

Watch the action unfold in the Las Vegas Convention Center's Grand Lobby as students race against the clock to disassemble and rebuild a Chevy 350 engine using only hand tools at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship. The event takes place Tuesday, November 2, through Thursday, November 4, during the 2010 SEMA Show. The award presentation will be held Friday, November 5, at 10:00 a.m.

Click here to view the complete schedule.

 

Three technical colleges will award a total of more than $600,000 in scholarships to six high school automotive teams competing at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Championship.

Three outstanding technological colleges have stepped up to support the youth who are participating in the “Showdown at SEMA” National Championship in Las Vegas November 2–5, 2010. Each college will award $202,000 in scholarships to six high school automotive teams competing at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Championship.

The teams include: Team MSD from Eastern Oklahoma Tech Center, Team Auto Meter from Loara High School, Team ARP from East Ridge High School, Team PRW from Fremd High School, Team Edelbrock from North Orange County ROP and Team Painless from Lakeshore High School.

Watch the action unfold in the Las Vegas Convention Center's Grand Lobby as students race against the clock to disassemble and rebuild a Chevy 350 engine using only hand tools at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship. The event takes place Tuesday, November 2, through Thursday, November 4, during the 2010 SEMA Show. The award presentation will be held Friday, November 5, at 10:00 a.m.

Click here to view the complete schedule.

 

NEWS NUGGETS

 

TWO TO GO! COMPETITION GETS TIGHT AS COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP APPROACHES ITS FINAL TWO RACES: With 21 races already in the record books for 2010, the competition couldn’t be tighter heading into the final two races of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. In all four classes, the top two drivers in the point standings are within striking distance of each other, with less than 100 points separating each driver. In Top Fuel, points leader Larry Dixon has been strong all year long, posting a perfect final-round record of 12 wins in 12 appearances, and tallying up an impressive eight No. 1 qualifiers for the year. But second-place driver Cory McClenathan has stayed hot on his trail and currently sits just 89 points out of the lead heading into the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals next weekend.

“It isn’t over,” said McClenathan after losing in the final round to Dixon at the recently completed Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. “I never stop fighting. It’s not over.”

In Funny Car, 14-time world champion John Force lost his points lead to 26-year-old Matt Hagan after Hagan raced to a final-round appearance and also posted a national record for time in Reading, giving the young driver a 20-point bonus for the event. Now Force enters the final two races of the season 64 points out of first place.

“We got beat up today,” said Force after his first-round troubles in Reading. “It ain’t over.”

Possibly the tightest competition in the Full Throttle Series exists in the Pro Stock class. After all but dominating the regular season, defending world champion Mike Edwards has struggled to find success in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, while three-time world champion Greg Anderson has come alive. In the playoffs alone, Anderson has been to three final rounds and won two races. His final-round appearance in Reading was just strong enough to dethrone Edwards and become only the second driver all season to hold the points lead in the class.

“There’s a lot of racing left this season, and as close as the competition is in Pro Stock, no lead is safe,” said Anderson. “But where we are means that if we can run error-free for the last two races, we have a good chance of being the champion.”

The Pro Stock Motorcycle class has been a two-rider battle since the start of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Since the playoffs have started, both the one and two drivers in the class, three-time world champion Andrew Hines and rookie sensation LE Tonglet, have met in every final round. Though Tonglet has the advantage with three of the four wins, it was Hines’ national record-setting run at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and his recent win at the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Reading that have given the rider a 72-point lead over Tonglet with two races to go.

“We have a nice cushion,” said Hines after his Reading win. “It could come down to just a few measly points there at the end.”

The next stop on the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship is the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals, October 28–31 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or online at lvms.com.

BRISTOL DRAGWAY PRESIDENT BYRD, LONGTIME FRIEND TO NHRA, DIES: Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway President and General Manager Jeff Byrd, a longtime friend to and supporter of the NHRA, passed away October 17 following a lengthy illness. He was 60. Prior to working at BMS, Byrd served for 23 years in the sports marketing department at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., departing as vice president of business development, and was a key figure during R.J. Reynolds’ sponsorship of NHRA’s flagship series through its Winston brand from 1975 through 2000.

“The NHRA racing community lost one of its dearest friends and staunchest supporters with the passing of Jeff Byrd,” said NHRA President Tom Compton. “From his days with R.J. Reynolds to his tenure at Bristol Motor Speedway, Jeff was a devoted fan of drag racing and was loved by everyone in the community—from those who worked directly with him at NHRA to the extended racing community. The role he played working with us to bring a state-of-the-art drag racing facility to Bristol and the legacy that followed will always be remembered and appreciated. Jeff taught us all a little something about customer service. He was the best at it, and it rubbed off on all who worked for and with him. On behalf of NHRA, we want to pass along our sincere condolences to his wife Claudia, his son Christian, his daughter Belton, his extended family and to everyone mourning the loss of someone who made such an impact on so many in the motorsports industry.”

For more information, including times of services, please visit NHRA.com.

VENABLES TAKES OVER GEICO POWERSPORTS/LUCAS OIL DRAGSTER: Morgan Lucas, driver of the GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster and team manager of his car and the Lucas Oil/Speedco/MavTV dragster driven by Shawn Langdon, announced that veteran crew chief Dickie Venables has officially been hired as his crew chief. Venables will be joined at Morgan Lucas Racing by longtime co-crew chief Kurt Elliott. The highly decorated Venables has won two NHRA Funny Car world championships—in 2003 as assistant crew chief for John Force Racing with Tony Pedregon behind the wheel and in 2007 for Pedregon as driver/owner. He most recently led Del Worsham’s efforts in the Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Solara Funny Car. Although he has been most recently associated with some of the elite Funny Car programs in the sport, Venables made his name in Top Fuel dragsters, working with such NHRA luminaries as Shirley Muldowney, Don “Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Connie “The Bounty Hunter” Kalitta, the late Gary Ormsby and Cory McClenathan. For more information, visit NHRA.com.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

NHRA LAS VEGAS NATIONALS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, October 28–31: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads back to Sin City for its fifth stop in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Defending event winners include Spencer Massey (Top Fuel); Robert Hight (Funny Car); Larry Morgan (Pro Stock); and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or online at lvms.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NHRA FINALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, November 11–14: The 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series comes to an end where it all began: in sunny Southern California for the final event of the season and the crowning of the NHRA Full Throttle world champions. Defending event winners include Antron Brown (Top Fuel); Mike Neff (Funny Car); Greg Anderson (Pro Stock); and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/844-NHRA or online at NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

 

KRAGEN O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, February 24–27, 2011: The 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and 60th anniversy season of NHRA kicks off at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona at the 51st running of this event. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800/844-NHRA or online at NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

RACING A CHAMP: Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan on meeting 14-time world champion John Force seven times this season during eliminations and competing against him for the NHRA Full Throttle world championship: “You have to block that all out. It’s tough to do when you have a 14-time champion driving next to you. But we race our lane. We try not to think about who is next to us. That’s helped us.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

 

5th: After his second-round loss to Mike Edwards at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, current points leader Greg Anderson sat in the fifth position, the furthest he had been from the lead all season. Anderson followed his second-round loss with back-to-back wins in Charlotte and Dallas and a runner-up finish in Reading to take the points lead from Edwards with two races to go.

DID YOU KNOW…
…that Funny Car driver Melanie Troxel has issued a challenge to the rest of NHRA’s nitro competitors to make a 108-story free fall from the top of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas to raise money for Speedway Children’s Charities? The Troxel Challenge is set for 9:00 p.m. Thursday, October 28, at SkyJump Las Vegas at the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower. For more information, visit NHRA.com. For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or visit the NHRA Media Center online.

NEWS NUGGETS

 

TWO TO GO! COMPETITION GETS TIGHT AS COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP APPROACHES ITS FINAL TWO RACES: With 21 races already in the record books for 2010, the competition couldn’t be tighter heading into the final two races of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. In all four classes, the top two drivers in the point standings are within striking distance of each other, with less than 100 points separating each driver. In Top Fuel, points leader Larry Dixon has been strong all year long, posting a perfect final-round record of 12 wins in 12 appearances, and tallying up an impressive eight No. 1 qualifiers for the year. But second-place driver Cory McClenathan has stayed hot on his trail and currently sits just 89 points out of the lead heading into the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals next weekend.

“It isn’t over,” said McClenathan after losing in the final round to Dixon at the recently completed Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. “I never stop fighting. It’s not over.”

In Funny Car, 14-time world champion John Force lost his points lead to 26-year-old Matt Hagan after Hagan raced to a final-round appearance and also posted a national record for time in Reading, giving the young driver a 20-point bonus for the event. Now Force enters the final two races of the season 64 points out of first place.

“We got beat up today,” said Force after his first-round troubles in Reading. “It ain’t over.”

Possibly the tightest competition in the Full Throttle Series exists in the Pro Stock class. After all but dominating the regular season, defending world champion Mike Edwards has struggled to find success in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, while three-time world champion Greg Anderson has come alive. In the playoffs alone, Anderson has been to three final rounds and won two races. His final-round appearance in Reading was just strong enough to dethrone Edwards and become only the second driver all season to hold the points lead in the class.

“There’s a lot of racing left this season, and as close as the competition is in Pro Stock, no lead is safe,” said Anderson. “But where we are means that if we can run error-free for the last two races, we have a good chance of being the champion.”

The Pro Stock Motorcycle class has been a two-rider battle since the start of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Since the playoffs have started, both the one and two drivers in the class, three-time world champion Andrew Hines and rookie sensation LE Tonglet, have met in every final round. Though Tonglet has the advantage with three of the four wins, it was Hines’ national record-setting run at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and his recent win at the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Reading that have given the rider a 72-point lead over Tonglet with two races to go.

“We have a nice cushion,” said Hines after his Reading win. “It could come down to just a few measly points there at the end.”

The next stop on the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship is the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals, October 28–31 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or online at lvms.com.

BRISTOL DRAGWAY PRESIDENT BYRD, LONGTIME FRIEND TO NHRA, DIES: Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway President and General Manager Jeff Byrd, a longtime friend to and supporter of the NHRA, passed away October 17 following a lengthy illness. He was 60. Prior to working at BMS, Byrd served for 23 years in the sports marketing department at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., departing as vice president of business development, and was a key figure during R.J. Reynolds’ sponsorship of NHRA’s flagship series through its Winston brand from 1975 through 2000.

“The NHRA racing community lost one of its dearest friends and staunchest supporters with the passing of Jeff Byrd,” said NHRA President Tom Compton. “From his days with R.J. Reynolds to his tenure at Bristol Motor Speedway, Jeff was a devoted fan of drag racing and was loved by everyone in the community—from those who worked directly with him at NHRA to the extended racing community. The role he played working with us to bring a state-of-the-art drag racing facility to Bristol and the legacy that followed will always be remembered and appreciated. Jeff taught us all a little something about customer service. He was the best at it, and it rubbed off on all who worked for and with him. On behalf of NHRA, we want to pass along our sincere condolences to his wife Claudia, his son Christian, his daughter Belton, his extended family and to everyone mourning the loss of someone who made such an impact on so many in the motorsports industry.”

For more information, including times of services, please visit NHRA.com.

VENABLES TAKES OVER GEICO POWERSPORTS/LUCAS OIL DRAGSTER: Morgan Lucas, driver of the GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster and team manager of his car and the Lucas Oil/Speedco/MavTV dragster driven by Shawn Langdon, announced that veteran crew chief Dickie Venables has officially been hired as his crew chief. Venables will be joined at Morgan Lucas Racing by longtime co-crew chief Kurt Elliott. The highly decorated Venables has won two NHRA Funny Car world championships—in 2003 as assistant crew chief for John Force Racing with Tony Pedregon behind the wheel and in 2007 for Pedregon as driver/owner. He most recently led Del Worsham’s efforts in the Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Solara Funny Car. Although he has been most recently associated with some of the elite Funny Car programs in the sport, Venables made his name in Top Fuel dragsters, working with such NHRA luminaries as Shirley Muldowney, Don “Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Connie “The Bounty Hunter” Kalitta, the late Gary Ormsby and Cory McClenathan. For more information, visit NHRA.com.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

NHRA LAS VEGAS NATIONALS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, October 28–31: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads back to Sin City for its fifth stop in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Defending event winners include Spencer Massey (Top Fuel); Robert Hight (Funny Car); Larry Morgan (Pro Stock); and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or online at lvms.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NHRA FINALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, November 11–14: The 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series comes to an end where it all began: in sunny Southern California for the final event of the season and the crowning of the NHRA Full Throttle world champions. Defending event winners include Antron Brown (Top Fuel); Mike Neff (Funny Car); Greg Anderson (Pro Stock); and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/844-NHRA or online at NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

 

KRAGEN O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, February 24–27, 2011: The 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and 60th anniversy season of NHRA kicks off at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona at the 51st running of this event. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800/844-NHRA or online at NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

RACING A CHAMP: Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan on meeting 14-time world champion John Force seven times this season during eliminations and competing against him for the NHRA Full Throttle world championship: “You have to block that all out. It’s tough to do when you have a 14-time champion driving next to you. But we race our lane. We try not to think about who is next to us. That’s helped us.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

 

5th: After his second-round loss to Mike Edwards at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, current points leader Greg Anderson sat in the fifth position, the furthest he had been from the lead all season. Anderson followed his second-round loss with back-to-back wins in Charlotte and Dallas and a runner-up finish in Reading to take the points lead from Edwards with two races to go.

DID YOU KNOW…
…that Funny Car driver Melanie Troxel has issued a challenge to the rest of NHRA’s nitro competitors to make a 108-story free fall from the top of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas to raise money for Speedway Children’s Charities? The Troxel Challenge is set for 9:00 p.m. Thursday, October 28, at SkyJump Las Vegas at the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower. For more information, visit NHRA.com. For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or visit the NHRA Media Center online.

NEWS NUGGETS

 

TWO TO GO! COMPETITION GETS TIGHT AS COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP APPROACHES ITS FINAL TWO RACES: With 21 races already in the record books for 2010, the competition couldn’t be tighter heading into the final two races of the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. In all four classes, the top two drivers in the point standings are within striking distance of each other, with less than 100 points separating each driver. In Top Fuel, points leader Larry Dixon has been strong all year long, posting a perfect final-round record of 12 wins in 12 appearances, and tallying up an impressive eight No. 1 qualifiers for the year. But second-place driver Cory McClenathan has stayed hot on his trail and currently sits just 89 points out of the lead heading into the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals next weekend.

“It isn’t over,” said McClenathan after losing in the final round to Dixon at the recently completed Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway. “I never stop fighting. It’s not over.”

In Funny Car, 14-time world champion John Force lost his points lead to 26-year-old Matt Hagan after Hagan raced to a final-round appearance and also posted a national record for time in Reading, giving the young driver a 20-point bonus for the event. Now Force enters the final two races of the season 64 points out of first place.

“We got beat up today,” said Force after his first-round troubles in Reading. “It ain’t over.”

Possibly the tightest competition in the Full Throttle Series exists in the Pro Stock class. After all but dominating the regular season, defending world champion Mike Edwards has struggled to find success in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, while three-time world champion Greg Anderson has come alive. In the playoffs alone, Anderson has been to three final rounds and won two races. His final-round appearance in Reading was just strong enough to dethrone Edwards and become only the second driver all season to hold the points lead in the class.

“There’s a lot of racing left this season, and as close as the competition is in Pro Stock, no lead is safe,” said Anderson. “But where we are means that if we can run error-free for the last two races, we have a good chance of being the champion.”

The Pro Stock Motorcycle class has been a two-rider battle since the start of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Since the playoffs have started, both the one and two drivers in the class, three-time world champion Andrew Hines and rookie sensation LE Tonglet, have met in every final round. Though Tonglet has the advantage with three of the four wins, it was Hines’ national record-setting run at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and his recent win at the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Reading that have given the rider a 72-point lead over Tonglet with two races to go.

“We have a nice cushion,” said Hines after his Reading win. “It could come down to just a few measly points there at the end.”

The next stop on the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship is the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals, October 28–31 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or online at lvms.com.

BRISTOL DRAGWAY PRESIDENT BYRD, LONGTIME FRIEND TO NHRA, DIES: Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway President and General Manager Jeff Byrd, a longtime friend to and supporter of the NHRA, passed away October 17 following a lengthy illness. He was 60. Prior to working at BMS, Byrd served for 23 years in the sports marketing department at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., departing as vice president of business development, and was a key figure during R.J. Reynolds’ sponsorship of NHRA’s flagship series through its Winston brand from 1975 through 2000.

“The NHRA racing community lost one of its dearest friends and staunchest supporters with the passing of Jeff Byrd,” said NHRA President Tom Compton. “From his days with R.J. Reynolds to his tenure at Bristol Motor Speedway, Jeff was a devoted fan of drag racing and was loved by everyone in the community—from those who worked directly with him at NHRA to the extended racing community. The role he played working with us to bring a state-of-the-art drag racing facility to Bristol and the legacy that followed will always be remembered and appreciated. Jeff taught us all a little something about customer service. He was the best at it, and it rubbed off on all who worked for and with him. On behalf of NHRA, we want to pass along our sincere condolences to his wife Claudia, his son Christian, his daughter Belton, his extended family and to everyone mourning the loss of someone who made such an impact on so many in the motorsports industry.”

For more information, including times of services, please visit NHRA.com.

VENABLES TAKES OVER GEICO POWERSPORTS/LUCAS OIL DRAGSTER: Morgan Lucas, driver of the GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster and team manager of his car and the Lucas Oil/Speedco/MavTV dragster driven by Shawn Langdon, announced that veteran crew chief Dickie Venables has officially been hired as his crew chief. Venables will be joined at Morgan Lucas Racing by longtime co-crew chief Kurt Elliott. The highly decorated Venables has won two NHRA Funny Car world championships—in 2003 as assistant crew chief for John Force Racing with Tony Pedregon behind the wheel and in 2007 for Pedregon as driver/owner. He most recently led Del Worsham’s efforts in the Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Solara Funny Car. Although he has been most recently associated with some of the elite Funny Car programs in the sport, Venables made his name in Top Fuel dragsters, working with such NHRA luminaries as Shirley Muldowney, Don “Snake” Prudhomme, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Connie “The Bounty Hunter” Kalitta, the late Gary Ormsby and Cory McClenathan. For more information, visit NHRA.com.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

NHRA LAS VEGAS NATIONALS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, October 28–31: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads back to Sin City for its fifth stop in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Defending event winners include Spencer Massey (Top Fuel); Robert Hight (Funny Car); Larry Morgan (Pro Stock); and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or online at lvms.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NHRA FINALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, November 11–14: The 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series comes to an end where it all began: in sunny Southern California for the final event of the season and the crowning of the NHRA Full Throttle world champions. Defending event winners include Antron Brown (Top Fuel); Mike Neff (Funny Car); Greg Anderson (Pro Stock); and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/844-NHRA or online at NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

 

KRAGEN O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS, AUTO CLUB RACEWAY AT POMONA, February 24–27, 2011: The 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and 60th anniversy season of NHRA kicks off at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona at the 51st running of this event. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800/844-NHRA or online at NHRATIX.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

RACING A CHAMP: Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan on meeting 14-time world champion John Force seven times this season during eliminations and competing against him for the NHRA Full Throttle world championship: “You have to block that all out. It’s tough to do when you have a 14-time champion driving next to you. But we race our lane. We try not to think about who is next to us. That’s helped us.”

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

 

5th: After his second-round loss to Mike Edwards at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, current points leader Greg Anderson sat in the fifth position, the furthest he had been from the lead all season. Anderson followed his second-round loss with back-to-back wins in Charlotte and Dallas and a runner-up finish in Reading to take the points lead from Edwards with two races to go.

DID YOU KNOW…
…that Funny Car driver Melanie Troxel has issued a challenge to the rest of NHRA’s nitro competitors to make a 108-story free fall from the top of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas to raise money for Speedway Children’s Charities? The Troxel Challenge is set for 9:00 p.m. Thursday, October 28, at SkyJump Las Vegas at the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower. For more information, visit NHRA.com. For more information, contact NHRA Media Relations at 626/914-4761 or visit the NHRA Media Center online.