The SEMA Show is the largest trade show of its kind and is attended by more than 50,000 buyers annually.

For the second consecutive year, booth space reservations for the 2011 SEMA Show are up, indicating continuing signs of economic recovery. Exhibitor contract submissions are up 23% and net square feet requested is up 5%. This increase is a strong indicator that in 2011, the SEMA Show is a top priority for manufacturers.

Nowhere else does the automotive specialty-equipment world truly come together than at the SEMA Show; it is the largest trade show of its kind on the planet. Exhibiting at the 2011 SEMA Show can help your company achieve high value and high ROI through exclusive exhibitor opportunities and programs:

• Find new buyers from among the 50,000+ who attend the Show.
• Renew relationships with existing buyers.
• Showcase your new and existing products at the New Products/Featured Products Showcase.
• Free drayage to exhibitors with 1,000 lbs. or less of freight that is transported to the Show in their personal vehicles.
• Special cost-saving opportunities.
• Discounted booth packages through Freeman.
• Exposure to 2,500 domestic and international media.
• Brand and product exposure on SEMA’s websites and publications.
• SEMAphotos.com
• EnjoytheDrive.com, our consumer-facing website.
• SEMA eNews, our weekly eNewsletter.
• SEMA News, our monthly print magazine.
• Rock-bottom SEMA-negotiated hotel rates.

The deadline to participate in the priority space selection is April 29, 2011. Begin the process of exhibiting at the 2011 SEMA Show today by visiting www.SEMAShow.com/buyabooth.

SEMA has created exhibitor prospectuses for each market segment and a general prospectus for exhibitors with products in more than one market. For more information about exhibiting, click on the links below to view the exhibitor prospectus for your market.

• General Prospectus
• Collision & Repair Prospectus
• Hot Rod & Restoration Prospectus
• Mobile Electronics & Technology Prospectus
• Powersports & Utility Vehicles Prospectus
• Racing & Performance Prospectus
• Global Tire Expo—Powered by TIA Prospectus
• Truck, SUV & Off-Road Prospectus
• Wheel & Accessories Prospectus

SEMA and ConvExx Show Management staff members are ready to assist you. Should you have any questions or need further information regarding exhibit space, contact ConvExx Show Management at 702/450-7662, ext. 120, or e-mail SEMA-exhibit@ConvExx.com for prompt, personalized service.

	The 2010 SEMA Board of Directors.

Candidates for the 2011 SEMA Board of Directors election have been announced. In addition to the 17 members vying for a seat on the Board, this year’s election includes voting for the chairman-elect. The chairman-elect plays a critical role in the industry, serving as chairman-elect for two years before transitioning to the chairman of the Board position.

Candidates for all SEMA Board categories include:

Chairman-Elect:

• Doug Evans, Source Interlink Media
• Nate Shelton, B&M Automotive Group

Manufacturers:

• Joel Ayres, Bedslide/Takit, Inc. (incumbent)
• John Brueggeman, 3M
• Jim Chick, Bestop Inc.
• Raymond King, Federal Mogul
• Tim Martin, K&N Engineering Inc.
• Mike Spagnola, Street Scene Equipment (incumbent)
• Brock Weld, BMF Wheels
• Steve Wolcott, ProMedia LLC
• Jeep Worthan, Auto Meter (incumbent)

Distributor/Retailer & Services:

• Greg Adler, Transamerican Auto Parts
• Donnie Eatherly, P&E Distributors Inc (incumbent)
• J.R. Moore, Performance Warehouse
• Famous Rhodes, eBay Motors
• Brock Rude, JR Motorsports
• Van Woodell, Weathers Auto Supply Inc. (incumbent)

Manufacturer’s Rep:

• Jeff Bates, Bob Cook Sales (incumbent)
• Joel Rosenthal, Gantt-Thomas and Associates Inc.

Photos and backgrounds of all of the candidates will be posted on www.sema.org by mid-May.

Election materials, including online voting instructions, will be sent to the primary contacts at eligible SEMA-member companies within the corresponding categories by May 16, 2011, and are due back by June 14, 2011.

For more information about the 2011–2012 SEMA Board of Directors elections, contact Judi Ritchie at judir@sema.org, 909/978-6671 or Arlene Wood at arlenew@sema.org, 909/978-6689.

	The 2010 SEMA Board of Directors.

Candidates for the 2011 SEMA Board of Directors election have been announced. In addition to the 17 members vying for a seat on the Board, this year’s election includes voting for the chairman-elect. The chairman-elect plays a critical role in the industry, serving as chairman-elect for two years before transitioning to the chairman of the Board position.

Candidates for all SEMA Board categories include:

Chairman-Elect:

• Doug Evans, Source Interlink Media
• Nate Shelton, B&M Automotive Group

Manufacturers:

• Joel Ayres, Bedslide/Takit, Inc. (incumbent)
• John Brueggeman, 3M
• Jim Chick, Bestop Inc.
• Raymond King, Federal Mogul
• Tim Martin, K&N Engineering Inc.
• Mike Spagnola, Street Scene Equipment (incumbent)
• Brock Weld, BMF Wheels
• Steve Wolcott, ProMedia LLC
• Jeep Worthan, Auto Meter (incumbent)

Distributor/Retailer & Services:

• Greg Adler, Transamerican Auto Parts
• Donnie Eatherly, P&E Distributors Inc (incumbent)
• J.R. Moore, Performance Warehouse
• Famous Rhodes, eBay Motors
• Brock Rude, JR Motorsports
• Van Woodell, Weathers Auto Supply Inc. (incumbent)

Manufacturer’s Rep:

• Jeff Bates, Bob Cook Sales (incumbent)
• Joel Rosenthal, Gantt-Thomas and Associates Inc.

Photos and backgrounds of all of the candidates will be posted on www.sema.org by mid-May.

Election materials, including online voting instructions, will be sent to the primary contacts at eligible SEMA-member companies within the corresponding categories by May 16, 2011, and are due back by June 14, 2011.

For more information about the 2011–2012 SEMA Board of Directors elections, contact Judi Ritchie at judir@sema.org, 909/978-6671 or Arlene Wood at arlenew@sema.org, 909/978-6689.

The European Commission proposed earlier this week to ban “conventionally fuelled cars” from all center cities throughout the 27 national European Union (E.U.) by 2050. Insisting citizens could walk, bike or take public transportation, E.U. Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas announced to a packed March 28 press conference that the European Commission is prepared through taxes and regulations to have a zero-tolerance policy of cars within European cities.

“That means no more conventionally fuelled cars in our city centres," he said.

The drastic measures were proposed in order to reduce Europe's dependence on imported oil and cut carbon emissions in transport by 60% by 2050, according to just-released commission documents. Opposition to the proposal has been growing with the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) pronouncing, "a simple call for a decrease in the use of motor vehicles will not provide the easy solution it appears to be because there will not be less demand for the flexible solutions that road transport provides in contrast to other modes.” 

UK Transport Minister Norman Baker, according to the BBC, was a little more blunt noting, “We will not be banning cars from city centres [sic] any more than we will be having rectangular bananas." 

The European Commission proposed earlier this week to ban “conventionally fuelled cars” from all center cities throughout the 27 national European Union (E.U.) by 2050. Insisting citizens could walk, bike or take public transportation, E.U. Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas announced to a packed March 28 press conference that the European Commission is prepared through taxes and regulations to have a zero-tolerance policy of cars within European cities.

“That means no more conventionally fuelled cars in our city centres," he said.

The drastic measures were proposed in order to reduce Europe's dependence on imported oil and cut carbon emissions in transport by 60% by 2050, according to just-released commission documents. Opposition to the proposal has been growing with the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) pronouncing, "a simple call for a decrease in the use of motor vehicles will not provide the easy solution it appears to be because there will not be less demand for the flexible solutions that road transport provides in contrast to other modes.” 

UK Transport Minister Norman Baker, according to the BBC, was a little more blunt noting, “We will not be banning cars from city centres [sic] any more than we will be having rectangular bananas." 

NEWS NUGGETS

POINTS LEADER LINE HOPES TO MAKE IT THREE-FOR-THREE AS SERIES HEADS TO LAS VEGAS: To say that the start of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series for Pro Stock points leader Jason Line has been anything but a surprise may be the understatement of the century. Back-to-back wins to start the season and the points lead, with teammate Greg Anderson close behind in second place, may not have been the position Line thought he’d be in heading into this weekend’s SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip At Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But with the momentum of early-season success pushing his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, Line hopes to make it three wins to start the season, especially at his primary sponsor’s event.

“It’s huge for me,” said Line, referring to a possible win this weekend. “It’s a big deal, and especially right now it’s a big deal for Ken (Black, team owner), because us doing well definitely motivates him and he’s really working hard and he’s trying to get better and get out of that wheelchair. He’s going to make it.”

Line’s greatest competition in Las Vegas may be the man sharing a pit stall with him, as teammate and defending world champion Anderson holds the most wins of any driver at The Strip At Las Vegas Motor Speedway with seven, three of which were at this event.

“(Greg and I) try not to take it too serious,” said Line. “But it’s a tough thing because obviously we both have egos and we both want to win, and not just for ourselves, but we owe it to the rest of the team to do the best job we can because these guys are working hard to give us good hot rods.” But fate itself could be against Line, as only five drivers in NHRA history have ever won three consecutive races to start out the season, the last coming 15 years ago (Jim Yates, Pro Stock, 1996). Can Line make it three to start the year, or will another contender rise from the ranks? Tickets are still available for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals by calling 800/644-4444 or going online at Ticketmaster.com.

GREG BIFFLE VICTORIOUS IN FOUR-WIDE SHOWDOWN WITH JOHN FORCE, MATT KENSETH AND DAVID RAGAN IN PREVIEW OF VISITMYRTLEBEACH.COM FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS: Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle scored an upset victory in a four-wide battle of NASCAR stars versus an NHRA legend today at zMAX Dragway during a race held to promote the second annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 14–17. Defending VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Funny Car champion John Force welcomed Biffle and fellow Roush Fenway Racing drivers Matt Kenseth and David Ragan to his turf today for a four-wide elimination battle in ’11 supercharged Ford Mustang GTs. Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, was the driver with the slowest time on the first pass and the first driver to be eliminated. In an outcome that surprised everyone in attendance, including media and visiting soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Force was eliminated with the slowest time on the second pass.

"They went out there and they did their job and they beat me," Force said. "I beat them on the tree, but I tried to power shift the car and I screwed up. It was pretty cool being out here with these NASCAR kids, even though I lost big today."

The final elimination pass left Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, battling fellow Roush Fenway Racing driver Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford. The race was close, but Biffle emerged victorious, winning the final round with an elapsed time of 13.284 on the world's only four-lane, all-concrete dragstrip.

"I got lucky because I've drag raced in a Mustang before," Biffle said after his winning pass. "It was pretty neat to get a chance to race against a 15-time champion like John Force. It feels good beating him, too. I had a lot of fun out there today."

Fifteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion driver and 17-time champion car owner Force was in Charlotte, North Carolina, today for the race and a media tour promoting the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

"I'm excited to come back to zMAX Dragway," said Force. "There's only one place in the whole world to come see this four-wide racing and that's here. This is a family sport, with families out here racing, so bring the family out and see the stars of the NHRA. I want to see a packed house. Fans should get out of the house and come have some fun at zMAX Dragway."

Tickets are on sale now for the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, April 14–17. Nitro fans can buy two tickets to any day for only $60 and receive a choice of a free upgrade: two event hats, two event shirts, two beer vouchers or two Coca-Cola soft drinks and two hot dogs. To purchase tickets by phone, call the zMAX Dragway ticket office at 800/455-FANS (3267). Connect with zMAX Dragway and stay up-to-speed with all the happenings at the Bellagio of dragstrips on Facebook and on Twitter.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, April 1–3: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes the first of two stops in Sin City and its third stop of the 2011 season. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or go online at Ticketmaster.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Zak Elcock at zelcock@nhra.com.

VISITMYRTLEBEACH.COM NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS, zMAX DRAGWAY, April 14–17: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to the “Bellagio of dragstrips” for the only 4-wide national event on the calendar. Defending event winners include Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); Mike Edwards (Pro Stock); and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/455-FANS (3267) or go online at Ticketmaster.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA SPRING NATIONALS, ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY, April 29–MAY 1: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes its first of two stops in the Lone Star State as it heads to Houston and Royal Purple Raceway. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); Matt Hagan (Funny Car); Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock); and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 281/383-RACE (7223) or go online at ExtremeTix.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

THAT NEW CAR SMELL: Funny Car driver Cruz Pedregon on deciding during the off-season to start the season fresh with a brand-new Funny Car: “I was reluctant but felt like we needed to rest our reliable car from two years ago—the 2008 championship car. We ground it out last year, so I felt, ‘Okay, let’s start off with a fresh car.’ That’s making changes that really were not warranted, but we felt like we needed to load our gun, so to speak.”


Pedregon has a runner-up finish and No. 1 qualifier in the first two races of the season.

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1995, NHRA HITS THE WORLD WIDE WEB: On July 26, 1995, NHRA became the first major auto-racing sanctioning body to create a website on the Internet. What started out as goracing.com/nhra and quickly moved to nhraonline.com 16 years ago, has now expanded to not only NHRA.com, but also a major web presence with social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

11: Since the event began 12 years ago, 11 winners of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have gone on to win the world championship in that same year. In 2003, all three event winners (Larry Dixon, Tony Pedregon and Greg Anderson) won the world title that same year.

DID YOU KNOW…

…that Funny Car driver Bob Tasca will attend the final launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour? Tasca was invited to attend the launch by close friend Mark Kelly, commanding astronaut of the mission and husband of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who continues to recover after being critically injured in a shooting outside an Arizona grocery store in January. Kelly was a VIP guest of Tasca’s at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston last year.

"I told Mark, I hope I get the chance to win the Wally for you because if I do, I'm going to dedicate it to you and your family," Tasca said. "Maybe we can get Wally in space."

The 14-day mission is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19. Kelly will be commanding a crew of four Americans and one European astronaut.

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

NEWS NUGGETS

POINTS LEADER LINE HOPES TO MAKE IT THREE-FOR-THREE AS SERIES HEADS TO LAS VEGAS: To say that the start of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series for Pro Stock points leader Jason Line has been anything but a surprise may be the understatement of the century. Back-to-back wins to start the season and the points lead, with teammate Greg Anderson close behind in second place, may not have been the position Line thought he’d be in heading into this weekend’s SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip At Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But with the momentum of early-season success pushing his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, Line hopes to make it three wins to start the season, especially at his primary sponsor’s event.

“It’s huge for me,” said Line, referring to a possible win this weekend. “It’s a big deal, and especially right now it’s a big deal for Ken (Black, team owner), because us doing well definitely motivates him and he’s really working hard and he’s trying to get better and get out of that wheelchair. He’s going to make it.”

Line’s greatest competition in Las Vegas may be the man sharing a pit stall with him, as teammate and defending world champion Anderson holds the most wins of any driver at The Strip At Las Vegas Motor Speedway with seven, three of which were at this event.

“(Greg and I) try not to take it too serious,” said Line. “But it’s a tough thing because obviously we both have egos and we both want to win, and not just for ourselves, but we owe it to the rest of the team to do the best job we can because these guys are working hard to give us good hot rods.” But fate itself could be against Line, as only five drivers in NHRA history have ever won three consecutive races to start out the season, the last coming 15 years ago (Jim Yates, Pro Stock, 1996). Can Line make it three to start the year, or will another contender rise from the ranks? Tickets are still available for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals by calling 800/644-4444 or going online at Ticketmaster.com.

GREG BIFFLE VICTORIOUS IN FOUR-WIDE SHOWDOWN WITH JOHN FORCE, MATT KENSETH AND DAVID RAGAN IN PREVIEW OF VISITMYRTLEBEACH.COM FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS: Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle scored an upset victory in a four-wide battle of NASCAR stars versus an NHRA legend today at zMAX Dragway during a race held to promote the second annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 14–17. Defending VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Funny Car champion John Force welcomed Biffle and fellow Roush Fenway Racing drivers Matt Kenseth and David Ragan to his turf today for a four-wide elimination battle in ’11 supercharged Ford Mustang GTs. Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, was the driver with the slowest time on the first pass and the first driver to be eliminated. In an outcome that surprised everyone in attendance, including media and visiting soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Force was eliminated with the slowest time on the second pass.

"They went out there and they did their job and they beat me," Force said. "I beat them on the tree, but I tried to power shift the car and I screwed up. It was pretty cool being out here with these NASCAR kids, even though I lost big today."

The final elimination pass left Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, battling fellow Roush Fenway Racing driver Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford. The race was close, but Biffle emerged victorious, winning the final round with an elapsed time of 13.284 on the world's only four-lane, all-concrete dragstrip.

"I got lucky because I've drag raced in a Mustang before," Biffle said after his winning pass. "It was pretty neat to get a chance to race against a 15-time champion like John Force. It feels good beating him, too. I had a lot of fun out there today."

Fifteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion driver and 17-time champion car owner Force was in Charlotte, North Carolina, today for the race and a media tour promoting the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

"I'm excited to come back to zMAX Dragway," said Force. "There's only one place in the whole world to come see this four-wide racing and that's here. This is a family sport, with families out here racing, so bring the family out and see the stars of the NHRA. I want to see a packed house. Fans should get out of the house and come have some fun at zMAX Dragway."

Tickets are on sale now for the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, April 14–17. Nitro fans can buy two tickets to any day for only $60 and receive a choice of a free upgrade: two event hats, two event shirts, two beer vouchers or two Coca-Cola soft drinks and two hot dogs. To purchase tickets by phone, call the zMAX Dragway ticket office at 800/455-FANS (3267). Connect with zMAX Dragway and stay up-to-speed with all the happenings at the Bellagio of dragstrips on Facebook and on Twitter.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, April 1–3: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes the first of two stops in Sin City and its third stop of the 2011 season. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or go online at Ticketmaster.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Zak Elcock at zelcock@nhra.com.

VISITMYRTLEBEACH.COM NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS, zMAX DRAGWAY, April 14–17: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to the “Bellagio of dragstrips” for the only 4-wide national event on the calendar. Defending event winners include Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); Mike Edwards (Pro Stock); and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/455-FANS (3267) or go online at Ticketmaster.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA SPRING NATIONALS, ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY, April 29–MAY 1: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes its first of two stops in the Lone Star State as it heads to Houston and Royal Purple Raceway. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); Matt Hagan (Funny Car); Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock); and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 281/383-RACE (7223) or go online at ExtremeTix.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

THAT NEW CAR SMELL: Funny Car driver Cruz Pedregon on deciding during the off-season to start the season fresh with a brand-new Funny Car: “I was reluctant but felt like we needed to rest our reliable car from two years ago—the 2008 championship car. We ground it out last year, so I felt, ‘Okay, let’s start off with a fresh car.’ That’s making changes that really were not warranted, but we felt like we needed to load our gun, so to speak.”


Pedregon has a runner-up finish and No. 1 qualifier in the first two races of the season.

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1995, NHRA HITS THE WORLD WIDE WEB: On July 26, 1995, NHRA became the first major auto-racing sanctioning body to create a website on the Internet. What started out as goracing.com/nhra and quickly moved to nhraonline.com 16 years ago, has now expanded to not only NHRA.com, but also a major web presence with social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

11: Since the event began 12 years ago, 11 winners of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have gone on to win the world championship in that same year. In 2003, all three event winners (Larry Dixon, Tony Pedregon and Greg Anderson) won the world title that same year.

DID YOU KNOW…

…that Funny Car driver Bob Tasca will attend the final launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour? Tasca was invited to attend the launch by close friend Mark Kelly, commanding astronaut of the mission and husband of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who continues to recover after being critically injured in a shooting outside an Arizona grocery store in January. Kelly was a VIP guest of Tasca’s at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston last year.

"I told Mark, I hope I get the chance to win the Wally for you because if I do, I'm going to dedicate it to you and your family," Tasca said. "Maybe we can get Wally in space."

The 14-day mission is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19. Kelly will be commanding a crew of four Americans and one European astronaut.

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

NEWS NUGGETS

POINTS LEADER LINE HOPES TO MAKE IT THREE-FOR-THREE AS SERIES HEADS TO LAS VEGAS: To say that the start of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series for Pro Stock points leader Jason Line has been anything but a surprise may be the understatement of the century. Back-to-back wins to start the season and the points lead, with teammate Greg Anderson close behind in second place, may not have been the position Line thought he’d be in heading into this weekend’s SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip At Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But with the momentum of early-season success pushing his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, Line hopes to make it three wins to start the season, especially at his primary sponsor’s event.

“It’s huge for me,” said Line, referring to a possible win this weekend. “It’s a big deal, and especially right now it’s a big deal for Ken (Black, team owner), because us doing well definitely motivates him and he’s really working hard and he’s trying to get better and get out of that wheelchair. He’s going to make it.”

Line’s greatest competition in Las Vegas may be the man sharing a pit stall with him, as teammate and defending world champion Anderson holds the most wins of any driver at The Strip At Las Vegas Motor Speedway with seven, three of which were at this event.

“(Greg and I) try not to take it too serious,” said Line. “But it’s a tough thing because obviously we both have egos and we both want to win, and not just for ourselves, but we owe it to the rest of the team to do the best job we can because these guys are working hard to give us good hot rods.” But fate itself could be against Line, as only five drivers in NHRA history have ever won three consecutive races to start out the season, the last coming 15 years ago (Jim Yates, Pro Stock, 1996). Can Line make it three to start the year, or will another contender rise from the ranks? Tickets are still available for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals by calling 800/644-4444 or going online at Ticketmaster.com.

GREG BIFFLE VICTORIOUS IN FOUR-WIDE SHOWDOWN WITH JOHN FORCE, MATT KENSETH AND DAVID RAGAN IN PREVIEW OF VISITMYRTLEBEACH.COM FOUR-WIDE NATIONALS: Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle scored an upset victory in a four-wide battle of NASCAR stars versus an NHRA legend today at zMAX Dragway during a race held to promote the second annual VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 14–17. Defending VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Funny Car champion John Force welcomed Biffle and fellow Roush Fenway Racing drivers Matt Kenseth and David Ragan to his turf today for a four-wide elimination battle in ’11 supercharged Ford Mustang GTs. Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, was the driver with the slowest time on the first pass and the first driver to be eliminated. In an outcome that surprised everyone in attendance, including media and visiting soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Force was eliminated with the slowest time on the second pass.

"They went out there and they did their job and they beat me," Force said. "I beat them on the tree, but I tried to power shift the car and I screwed up. It was pretty cool being out here with these NASCAR kids, even though I lost big today."

The final elimination pass left Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, battling fellow Roush Fenway Racing driver Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford. The race was close, but Biffle emerged victorious, winning the final round with an elapsed time of 13.284 on the world's only four-lane, all-concrete dragstrip.

"I got lucky because I've drag raced in a Mustang before," Biffle said after his winning pass. "It was pretty neat to get a chance to race against a 15-time champion like John Force. It feels good beating him, too. I had a lot of fun out there today."

Fifteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion driver and 17-time champion car owner Force was in Charlotte, North Carolina, today for the race and a media tour promoting the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

"I'm excited to come back to zMAX Dragway," said Force. "There's only one place in the whole world to come see this four-wide racing and that's here. This is a family sport, with families out here racing, so bring the family out and see the stars of the NHRA. I want to see a packed house. Fans should get out of the house and come have some fun at zMAX Dragway."

Tickets are on sale now for the VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, April 14–17. Nitro fans can buy two tickets to any day for only $60 and receive a choice of a free upgrade: two event hats, two event shirts, two beer vouchers or two Coca-Cola soft drinks and two hot dogs. To purchase tickets by phone, call the zMAX Dragway ticket office at 800/455-FANS (3267). Connect with zMAX Dragway and stay up-to-speed with all the happenings at the Bellagio of dragstrips on Facebook and on Twitter.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

SUMMITRACING.COM NHRA NATIONALS, THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, April 1–3: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes the first of two stops in Sin City and its third stop of the 2011 season. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock). For tickets, call 800/644-4444 or go online at Ticketmaster.com. For media credentials, please contact Media Relations Manager Zak Elcock at zelcock@nhra.com.

VISITMYRTLEBEACH.COM NHRA 4-WIDE NATIONALS, zMAX DRAGWAY, April 14–17: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to the “Bellagio of dragstrips” for the only 4-wide national event on the calendar. Defending event winners include Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel); John Force (Funny Car); Mike Edwards (Pro Stock); and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 800/455-FANS (3267) or go online at Ticketmaster.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Public Relations Michael Padian at mpadian@nhra.com.

O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA SPRING NATIONALS, ROYAL PURPLE RACEWAY, April 29–MAY 1: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series makes its first of two stops in the Lone Star State as it heads to Houston and Royal Purple Raceway. Defending event winners include Larry Dixon (Top Fuel); Matt Hagan (Funny Car); Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock); and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle). For tickets, call 281/383-RACE (7223) or go online at ExtremeTix.com. For media credentials, please contact Director of Media Relations Anthony Vestal at avestal@nhra.com.

HE SAID, SHE SAID

THAT NEW CAR SMELL: Funny Car driver Cruz Pedregon on deciding during the off-season to start the season fresh with a brand-new Funny Car: “I was reluctant but felt like we needed to rest our reliable car from two years ago—the 2008 championship car. We ground it out last year, so I felt, ‘Okay, let’s start off with a fresh car.’ That’s making changes that really were not warranted, but we felt like we needed to load our gun, so to speak.”


Pedregon has a runner-up finish and No. 1 qualifier in the first two races of the season.

60 YEARS IN NHRA HISTORY

1995, NHRA HITS THE WORLD WIDE WEB: On July 26, 1995, NHRA became the first major auto-racing sanctioning body to create a website on the Internet. What started out as goracing.com/nhra and quickly moved to nhraonline.com 16 years ago, has now expanded to not only NHRA.com, but also a major web presence with social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

11: Since the event began 12 years ago, 11 winners of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway have gone on to win the world championship in that same year. In 2003, all three event winners (Larry Dixon, Tony Pedregon and Greg Anderson) won the world title that same year.

DID YOU KNOW…

…that Funny Car driver Bob Tasca will attend the final launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour? Tasca was invited to attend the launch by close friend Mark Kelly, commanding astronaut of the mission and husband of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who continues to recover after being critically injured in a shooting outside an Arizona grocery store in January. Kelly was a VIP guest of Tasca’s at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston last year.

"I told Mark, I hope I get the chance to win the Wally for you because if I do, I'm going to dedicate it to you and your family," Tasca said. "Maybe we can get Wally in space."

The 14-day mission is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19. Kelly will be commanding a crew of four Americans and one European astronaut.

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

The photo gallery on www.enjoythedrive.com contains more than 2,000 photos of the vehicles that helped the SEMA Show shine in 2010. The database of images can be search through various key words, including vehicle make, vehicle model, model year and more.

Highlighted for this week are Lexus vehicles with custom touches that made the trip to Las Vegas.  

The photo gallery on www.enjoythedrive.com contains more than 2,000 photos of the vehicles that helped the SEMA Show shine in 2010. The database of images can be search through various key words, including vehicle make, vehicle model, model year and more.

Highlighted for this week are Lexus vehicles with custom touches that made the trip to Las Vegas.