Compiled by SEMA Editors
 Team NMRA prevailed over Team NMCA with a final score of 9 to 5 in the 12th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing. |
Team NMRA Gets the Win at the 12th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing
After Team NMCA took home the Super Bowl win in 2016, Team NMRA was back and ready to fight it out at the 12th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing, presented by Precision Turbo at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois, July 28–30, 2017. Once all of the standard NMRA classes were run to completion, the winners of each category combined forces to represent NMRA in the Super Bowl battle where they ran against the winners of each NMCA category. When the smoke cleared and the scores were tallied, it was Team NMRA that prevailed with a final score of 9 to 5. Manny Buginga’s shootout win clinched the Super Bowl victory, and Charlie Booze Jr. captured the final pairing against Chevrolet Performance Stock. Team NMRA drivers will receive their own fitted Nitto Tire Diamond Tree championship ring to commemorate the victory. Next up on the NMRA Drag Racing Series schedule is the season finale—the 19th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals—September 28–October 1, 2017, at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
VP Racing Fuels Street Outlaw: Manny Buginga and his ’03 Mustang took the winning pass over Rob Goss with a 4.504 at 167.41 mph.
Edelbrock Renegade: Alton Clements in his Vortech supercharged ’89 Mustang went up against Tony Hobson in the finals, where Clements drove around Hobson and turned the win lights on in his lane.
ProCharger Coyote Modified: Tommy Annunziata in his Whipple-supercharged Peoples Bank ’14 Cobra Jet defeated Haley James-Schneider in the finals with a winning 7.818 at 175.39 mph hit.
G-Force Racing Transmissions Coyote Stock: Charlie Booze Jr. driving Justin Fogelsonger’s “Gold Dust” Mustang defeated Drew Lyons with a 10.249 at 129.68-mph blast.
Richmond Gear Factory Stock: Matt Amrine in his BES Racing Engines-powered ’98 Mustang GT defeated Dan Ryntz when he ran 10.853 at 113.47 mph.
Detroit Locker Truck and Lightning: Bob Dill pushed his ’01 Lightning through to the finals where he met up with Vinnie Telesco. Dill scored a big hole-shot advantage, and his 9.456 at 133.57-mph pass on his 9.28 dial secured him the victory.
Exedy Racing Clutch Modular Muscle: Susan McClenaghan in her ’10 Mustang ran a 9.519 at 134.67 quarter-mile pass on her 9.53 dial-in, while Lloyd Mikeska broke out and handed the win to McClenaghan.
Roush Performance Super Stang: Marvin Knack and his ’11 Mustang GT turned his 12.062 at 113.10 mph pass on his 11.92 dial-in into a winning one over Shelby Wendel.
Aerospace Components Open Comp: Dennis Corn in his ’88 Ford Thunderbird was the winning entry for the class, coaxing the car to a 9.666 at 139.72-mph run on a 9.65 dial-in during the final round of eliminations to mark Gordon Harlow as the runner up.
Race Pages Ford Muscle: Bryan Parker staged against JC Cascio, who had an 11.00 dial-in. Paired with a solid 0.031-second reaction time, Parker’s 12.063 at 106.24-mph trip earned him a visit to the Aerospace Components Winner’s Circle.
QA1 True Street: Cal Hayward reset the record when he ran an elapsed time of 7.374 seconds in his Bullseye Power turbocharged Mustang and took the overall win for the category. Jason Struckman took the 10-second category win with a 10.232-second average while Jack Caldwell averaged 11.024 seconds to earn the win in the 11-second group and Lee Goetz’s 12.022-second average sealed the deal for the 12-second title. The 13-second win went to Doug Johnson, the 14-second win went to Chris Parisi and Dave Urbanski rounded it out with the 15-second win.
Next up on the NMRA Drag Racing Series schedule is the season finale, the 19th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals, September 28–October 1, 2017, at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
 J.R. Todd powered to his first career Funny Car victory last Sunday at the 30th annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. |
Todd, Torrence, T. Gray and Tonglet Take Home Victories at the 30th Annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals
J.R. Todd powered to his first career Funny Car victory last Sunday at the 30th annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway. Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also victorious in their respective categories at the 15th of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. Todd clinched the victory with a 4.049-second pass at 323.27 mph in his DHL Toyota Camry against Tim Wilkerson, who went up in smoke in his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Shelby Mustang during the final round. Todd sits ninths in the standings, while Ron Capps stays in first despite his first-round exit. Matt Hagan and Jack Beckman round out the top three, respectively, in the points standings. Torrence piloted his Capco Contractor/Torrence Racing dragster past Antron Brown’s Matco Tools dragster in the finals, with a pass of 3.784 at 329.42. In Pro Stock, rookie Gray drove to victory with a 6.572 run at 210.05 in his Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro to defeat points leader Bo Butner in the final. Gray remains third in the standings, while Butner stays in first following his runner-up showing. Tonglet finished atop the Pro Stock Motorcycle field with a 6.783 pass at 197.02 on his Nitro Fish Racing Suzuki to narrowly defeat Matt Smith in the final round. Tonglet remains the points leader, while Eddie Krawiec continues to hold on to the second position. The 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues this weekend with the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, August 4–6.
 Jarett Andretti, the 2014 USAC National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year and son of legendary racer John Andretti, will run Greg Weld’s famous blue paint scheme in honor of the company’s late founder, who won the 1967 USAC Sprint Car Series champion. |
WELD Racing and Andretti Autosport Short Track Forge Heritage Partnership
WELD Racing and Andretti Autosport Short Track have announced a heritage partnership that celebrates the company’s 50th anniversary in the design and manufacturing of race wheels. Jarett Andretti, the 2014 USAC National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year and son of legendary racer John Andretti, will run Greg Weld’s famous blue paint scheme in honor of the company’s late founder, who won the 1967 USAC Sprint Car Series. Jarett Andretti and his WELD Racing No. 1 USAC Sprint Car will compete at Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas; Randolph County Speedway, Moberly, Missouri; and Kokomo Speedway, Kokomo, Indiana.
Million-Dollar Race Welcomes VP Racing Fuels as Official Fuel
Promoter Randy Folk has introduced VP Racing Fuels as the Official Fuel of the Million Dollar Drag Race, scheduled October 19–22, at Montgomery Raceway Park in Montgomery, Alabama. As part of its sponsorship, VP will provide trackside fuel service throughout the event. Celebrating its 22nd consecutive year, The Million offers racers across the country an opportunity to compete for more than $300,000. The race now features more than 300 entries in the main Million event, and more than 600 racers competing in the three companion races, which pay $25,000 as the top prize each day.
NMCA All-American Nationals Thursday Test and Tune Announced
For the first time, NMCA will offer a full Thursday Test and Tune, August 24, open to All-American Nationals competitors. One of the largest street-car drag-racing events of the year, the 16th Annual Honeywell Garrett NMCA All-American Nationals takes place at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, the weekend of August 24–27, 2017. This is one of three events that also features the Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series and the best in LSX drag racing. The NMCA All-American Nationals, by E3 Spark Plugs, features Xtreme Pro Mods, Radial Wars, Factory Super Cars, Street Outlaws, Nostalgia Super Stockers and more. The All-American Nationals also features a large manufacturers midway, a musclecar and hot-rod car show on Saturday and Sunday, and special race classes, including the F.A.S.T. group, a Top Sportsman Challenge and the Chevrolet Performance Challenge Series. Meet “Street Outlaws” TV stars Derek, BoostedGT and Kayla Morton on Saturday as they sign autographs, take pictures, and make wheels-up passes down the track. For more information visit www.NMCAdigital.com/OH.
 Richie Morris Racing operates a two-rider program with Shayna Texter and GNC1 Rookie of the Year Jarod Vanderkooi. |
E3 Sponsors Richie Morris Racing to Compliment Official Spark Plug Status With American Flat Track Racing
Earlier this year, E3 Spark Plugs partnered with American Flat Track Racing to become the series’ official spark plug. American Flat Track Racing features customized dirt-track motorcycles capable of reaching speeds up to 140 mph. Comprised of two classes, AFT Twins and Singles, and sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, E3 is the designated official spark plug for both classes for 2017. In addition to the company’s partnership of American Flat Track Racing, E3 recently inked a sponsorship program with Richie Morris Racing (RMR) in 2017. RMR operates a two-rider program with Shayna Texter, riding in Singles and fresh off a win at Rolling Wheels, and GNC1 Rookie of the Year Jarod Vanderkooi, who recently moved to flat track from road racing and is riding twins.
Total Truck Centers Is Off to the Truck Races at Bristol
The AAM Group has announced that its Total Truck Centers marketing program will sponsor Wendell Chavous’ #49 Chevrolet Silverado at the UNOH 200 NASCAR Camping World Series race to be held August 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway. In addition to putting the Total Truck Centers logo on the hood, back and sides of Chavous’ Premium Motorsports truck, the program plans to include the driver’s image on many of its promotional marketing materials throughout the coming year. This partnership will put the Total Truck Centers brand on display during a nationally televised NASCAR event at one of the sport’s premier venues. To generate additional exposure for the race, Total Truck Centers has challenged the inside and outside sales teams of its affiliated warehouses to promote the event using the #Totaltruck49 hashtag on their social media platforms.
Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Welcomes Tom White
Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame (ORMHOF) Chairman Mark McMillin has welcomed Early Years of Motocross Museum founder Tom White to the ORMHOF Board of Directors. White raced on to the Orange County, California, motorcycle scene in the ’70s. He co-founded White Brothers Cycle Specialties in 1975, building the company to one of the largest motorcycle parts distribution companies in the United States. His career as a racer, business owner and collector was recognized in 2014, when he was inducted into the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Hall of Fame.
“I was only doing my job.” That’s how 2017 Hall of Fame inductee GiGi Carleton described her 50-plus years of working for Petersen Publishing Company and, more recently, the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Foundation. But as the late Robert Petersen's executive assistant and special events coordinator and in later years party planner for trade show exhibitors and advertisers, she played a pivotal role in the marketing and promotion of motorsports across the United States, and her dedication and perseverance were instrumental in organizing and successfully launching the inaugural SEMA Show 50 years ago.
Of all the members of the automotive specialty-equipment industry who have influenced the growth of SEMA since the turn of the millennium, few have left a greater impression, and done so with more dedication, than outgoing SEMA Board Chairman Doug Evans. From his work on behalf of the SEMA Action Network to the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network and the SEMA Launch Pad, to name only a few, there’s scarcely been an initiative within SEMA during the past two decades that Evans hasn’t worked to promote. His tireless efforts to expand SEMA’s partner outreach and his advocacy on behalf of motorized recreation have earned him the admiration of the specialty automotive market worldwide.
Passion: If a person can be described in a single word, it would be hard to find one more apt for Barry Meguiar, president and third-generation leader of the car care products company that bears his family name. Becoming the leader of this small family business with a dozen employees and transforming it over four decades into a global company offering up 100’s of products in 120 countries, Meguiar has worked unceasingly to popularize the specialty automotive market, and he’s done it with an unyielding passion—for his products, for his profession, for his industry and, most of all, for his customers, the millions of “car guys” whose cause he has championed tirelessly.