NEWS NUGGETS
NEW FACES IN WINNER’S CIRCLE AT PRESTIGIOUS TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS:
Three of the four winners in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
professional categories at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals
presented by NAPAFilters.com were first-time winners at the historic
event. Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Mike
Edwards (Pro Stock) can now add “Gatornationals event winner” to their
resumes, and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) can add “three-time
Gatornationals champ” and “quickest rider in the two-wheel class” to
his. To drivers and fans alike, the Gatornationals is easily one of the
most prestigious events on tour, making the winners’ triumphs
exceptionally special.
NEWS NUGGETS
NEW AND OLD FACES TO MAKE 2012 DEBUTS AT TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS PRESENTED BY NAPAFILTERS.COM: The 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season started at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries for most Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock drivers, but a few will be starting their seasons at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals presented by NAPAFilters.com. Hillary Will, who hasn’t been behind the wheel of a Top Fuel car in a few years, will make her 2012 debut in the Dote Family Racing dragster. Brady Kalivoda also took a break from racing and is coming back in the Warrior Racing Top Fueler for the Dakin family. Rookie Blake Alexander will start his season in Funny Car this weekend as well. Some fan favorites, including T.J. Zizzo, Dom Lagana, Chris “The Greek” Karamesines and Dale Creasy Jr., will also make their first appearances of the season at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals presented by NAPAFilters.com at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, Florida. For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or log on to NHRATix.com.
NEW AND OLD FACES TO MAKE 2012 DEBUTS AT TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS PRESENTED BY NAPAFILTERS.COM: The 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season started at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries for most Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock drivers, but a few will be starting their seasons at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals presented by NAPAFilters.com. Hillary Will, who hasn’t been behind the wheel of a Top Fuel car in a few years, will make her 2012 debut in the Dote Family Racing dragster. Brady Kalivoda also took a break from racing and is coming back in the Warrior Racing Top Fueler for the Dakin family. Rookie Blake Alexander will start his season in Funny Car this weekend as well. Some fan favorites, including T.J. Zizzo, Dom Lagana, Chris “The Greek” Karamesines and Dale Creasy Jr., will also make their first appearances of the season at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals presented by NAPAFilters.com at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, Florida. For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or log on to NHRATix.com.
NEWS NUGGETS
DRIVERS PREPARE FOR TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS AND TRADITIONAL EAST COAST OPENER: With two races already in the record books for 2012, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, Florida, for the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals presented by NAPAFilters.com, March 8–11—the traditional first stop of the season on the East Coast and the season-opening race for the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown looks to continue his string of consecutive final-round appearances and perhaps earn his first win at the historic track. In his 14 years of competition in both the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes, Brown has raced to two final-round appearances at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, but never a win. Respective Funny Car and Pro Stock points leaders Mike Neff and Greg Anderson also hope to keep their final-round streaks alive for 2012. Neff enters the event as the defending race winner, and Anderson looks to race to his third Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals title. Anderson lost in the final round in 2011 to teammate and eventual Pro Stock world champion Jason Line. For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or log on to NHRATix.com.
DRIVERS PREPARE FOR TIRE KINGDOM NHRA GATORNATIONALS AND TRADITIONAL EAST COAST OPENER: With two races already in the record books for 2012, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, Florida, for the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals presented by NAPAFilters.com, March 8–11—the traditional first stop of the season on the East Coast and the season-opening race for the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. Top Fuel points leader Antron Brown looks to continue his string of consecutive final-round appearances and perhaps earn his first win at the historic track. In his 14 years of competition in both the Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes, Brown has raced to two final-round appearances at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, but never a win. Respective Funny Car and Pro Stock points leaders Mike Neff and Greg Anderson also hope to keep their final-round streaks alive for 2012. Neff enters the event as the defending race winner, and Anderson looks to race to his third Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals title. Anderson lost in the final round in 2011 to teammate and eventual Pro Stock world champion Jason Line. For tickets, call 800-884-NHRA (6472) or log on to NHRATix.com.
NEWS NUGGETS
BROWN, NEFF, ANDERSON IN POINTS LEADS AFTER NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS: Top Fuel pilot Antron Brown is right where he wants to be heading into the third event of the season. After racing to back-to-back final-round appearances at the first two races and the win at the recent NHRA Arizona Nationals, Brown is at the top of the Top Fuel standings with a 32-point lead over second-place driver and Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tony Schumacher.
BROWN, NEFF, ANDERSON IN POINTS LEADS AFTER NHRA ARIZONA NATIONALS: Top Fuel pilot Antron Brown is right where he wants to be heading into the third event of the season. After racing to back-to-back final-round appearances at the first two races and the win at the recent NHRA Arizona Nationals, Brown is at the top of the Top Fuel standings with a 32-point lead over second-place driver and Don Schumacher Racing teammate Tony Schumacher.
Falken Tire Introduces ’12 Porsche GT3 RSR to Compete in New Season of ALMS
In its quest to extend the momentum generated in the 2011 American Le Mans Series (ALMS), Team Falken Tire has taken delivery of a brand-new ’12 Porsche GT3 RSR chassis. The car was sent to Derrick Walker’s race shop in Indianapolis in preparation for competition in the GT class and will make its season debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring March 17.
In its quest to extend the momentum generated in the 2011 American Le Mans Series (ALMS), Team Falken Tire has taken delivery of a brand-new ’12 Porsche GT3 RSR chassis. The car was sent to Derrick Walker’s race shop in Indianapolis in preparation for competition in the GT class and will make its season debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring March 17.
Irwindale Speedway Cancels Season
Irwindale Speedway, which opened in 1999, has canceled the 2012 season and appears to be closing, according to the Los Angeles Daily News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Irwindale was considered among the best short track and drifting facilities in the nation. However, last Saturday, workers were dismantling the pit grandstand and taking apart storage areas, according to the Daily News report. In addition, the large billboard bordering the San Gabriel Valley River Freeway was not lit up and the track's website was taken off the Internet.
Irwindale Speedway, which opened in 1999, has canceled the 2012 season and appears to be closing, according to the Los Angeles Daily News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Irwindale was considered among the best short track and drifting facilities in the nation. However, last Saturday, workers were dismantling the pit grandstand and taking apart storage areas, according to the Daily News report. In addition, the large billboard bordering the San Gabriel Valley River Freeway was not lit up and the track's website was taken off the Internet.
NEWS NUGGETS
NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES RETURNS TO FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY FOR SECOND STOP OF 2012: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to Firebird International Raceway for the 28th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, February 17–19, with a ticket special the whole family can enjoy. Children 12 and younger will receive free admission to the NHRA's February return to Arizona when accompanied by a paying adult. The NHRA's second event of the 2012 season will allow all NHRA fans an opportunity to see and meet all of the drivers who will be racing at speeds of more than 320 mph during the 17-race regular season in hopes of qualifying for the Countdown to the Championship—the NHRA's six-race playoffs.
NHRA FULL THROTTLE SERIES RETURNS TO FIREBIRD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY FOR SECOND STOP OF 2012: The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to Firebird International Raceway for the 28th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals, February 17–19, with a ticket special the whole family can enjoy. Children 12 and younger will receive free admission to the NHRA's February return to Arizona when accompanied by a paying adult. The NHRA's second event of the 2012 season will allow all NHRA fans an opportunity to see and meet all of the drivers who will be racing at speeds of more than 320 mph during the 17-race regular season in hopes of qualifying for the Countdown to the Championship—the NHRA's six-race playoffs.
NEWS NUGGETS
2012 NHRA FULL THROTTLE SEASON BEGINS WITH O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS: Three months after the final pass of the 2011 season at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to the historic facility for its 2012 debut this weekend with the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, presented by Super Start Batteries, February 9–12. The biggest names in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing will return to action in hopes of starting their campaigns for 2012 NHRA Full Throttle world championships off right with a win in the birthplace of drag racing—Southern California. With temperatures expected to stay in the mid-70s and clear skies in the forecast all weekend, the 52nd annual season opener is expected to have some of the best weather and racing conditions that teams and drivers could imagine.
2012 NHRA FULL THROTTLE SEASON BEGINS WITH O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS: Three months after the final pass of the 2011 season at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series returns to the historic facility for its 2012 debut this weekend with the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, presented by Super Start Batteries, February 9–12. The biggest names in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing will return to action in hopes of starting their campaigns for 2012 NHRA Full Throttle world championships off right with a win in the birthplace of drag racing—Southern California. With temperatures expected to stay in the mid-70s and clear skies in the forecast all weekend, the 52nd annual season opener is expected to have some of the best weather and racing conditions that teams and drivers could imagine.
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of
Southern California, will host a Speed Freaks Panel Discussion about
what it’s like to plan and drive some of the world’s fastest vehicles,
Saturday, February 18, from 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Open to all with paid
museum admission, the panel discussion will be held before the annual
Sidewinders Award Banquet.
NEWS NUGGETS
ROOKIES PREPARED FOR O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS AND START OF 2012 NHRA FULL THROTTLE SEASON: Just one week remains before the beginning of the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season at the 52nd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries, February 9–12, at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. For three drivers, the season-opening race will mark their first full-season debuts as competitors in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
ROOKIES PREPARED FOR O’REILLY AUTO PARTS NHRA WINTERNATIONALS AND START OF 2012 NHRA FULL THROTTLE SEASON: Just one week remains before the beginning of the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series season at the 52nd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Super Start Batteries, February 9–12, at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. For three drivers, the season-opening race will mark their first full-season debuts as competitors in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.