George Follmer to be Honored at the Petersen Automotive Museum
For its fourteenth year of celebrating Legends of Motorsport, the Petersen Automotive Museum, along with the Checkered Flag 200 Group, will present a special “Tribute to George Follmer” program to be held at the Petersen Museum
in Los Angeles, Thursday, November 8, beginning with cocktails at 6:00
p.m. The evening’s festivities include a gallery display of George
Follmer-centric race cars and memorabilia supported by eminent
collectors.
NEWS NUGGETS
WILKERSON RALLIES AT INDY TO EARN COUNTDOWN PLAYOFF BERTH; VANDERGRIFF, COUGHLIN ALSO TAKE SPOTS: Veteran Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson added to the drama and excitement of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus by making a tremendous move in Indy to earn the 10th and final Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoff spot in Funny Car. After starting the race in 12th in the points standings, Wilkerson defeated Bob Tasca and Jeff Arend before advancing to the final round and outlasting defending world champ Matt Hagan for the final position. A 10-point oil-violation penalty following his final-round loss to eventual race winner Mike Neff made the final tally even more dramatic as Wilkerson edged Hagan by only seven points. Wilkerson had been outside the top 10 since the second race of the season. Now he will have the opportunity to compete against nine others in the 8,000hp category for a chance at winning the Full Throttle world championship. In Top Fuel, Bob Vandergriff Jr. outlasted Clay Millican and Khalid alBalooshi for the 10th spot. In Pro Stock, Ron Krisher, V. Gaines, Larry Morgan and Jeg Coughlin earned the four remaining berths. Michael Ray, Shawn Gann and Matt Smith claimed the final three spots in Pro Stock Motorcycle. The six-race NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship opens September 14–16 at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, North Carolina, with the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries. For tickets, call the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office, 800-455-FANS (3267). For more on this story, visit NHRA.com.
WILKERSON RALLIES AT INDY TO EARN COUNTDOWN PLAYOFF BERTH; VANDERGRIFF, COUGHLIN ALSO TAKE SPOTS: Veteran Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson added to the drama and excitement of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus by making a tremendous move in Indy to earn the 10th and final Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoff spot in Funny Car. After starting the race in 12th in the points standings, Wilkerson defeated Bob Tasca and Jeff Arend before advancing to the final round and outlasting defending world champ Matt Hagan for the final position. A 10-point oil-violation penalty following his final-round loss to eventual race winner Mike Neff made the final tally even more dramatic as Wilkerson edged Hagan by only seven points. Wilkerson had been outside the top 10 since the second race of the season. Now he will have the opportunity to compete against nine others in the 8,000hp category for a chance at winning the Full Throttle world championship. In Top Fuel, Bob Vandergriff Jr. outlasted Clay Millican and Khalid alBalooshi for the 10th spot. In Pro Stock, Ron Krisher, V. Gaines, Larry Morgan and Jeg Coughlin earned the four remaining berths. Michael Ray, Shawn Gann and Matt Smith claimed the final three spots in Pro Stock Motorcycle. The six-race NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship opens September 14–16 at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte, North Carolina, with the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals presented by Super Start Batteries. For tickets, call the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office, 800-455-FANS (3267). For more on this story, visit NHRA.com.
More Than 300 Attendees Pay Tribute to Linda Vaughn
The Sports Palace at the Lucas Family Estate in Carmel, Indiana, was filled to capacity Wednesday, August 29, with more than 300 attendees, who paid tribute to Linda Vaughn—the “Queen of Speed.” The overall tone of the roasters was one of respect, admiration and love for one of motorsports’ most beloved icons. There were funny stories, but many were tributes to Vaughn’s unwavering love of the motorsports and performance aftermarket communities.
The Sports Palace at the Lucas Family Estate in Carmel, Indiana, was filled to capacity Wednesday, August 29, with more than 300 attendees, who paid tribute to Linda Vaughn—the “Queen of Speed.” The overall tone of the roasters was one of respect, admiration and love for one of motorsports’ most beloved icons. There were funny stories, but many were tributes to Vaughn’s unwavering love of the motorsports and performance aftermarket communities.
NMCA WEST World Street Finals Moves to Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield
The Flowmaster NMCA WEST series has announced that its final event, the Nitto Tire NMCA WEST World Street Finals, has moved and will now take place at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California, the weekend of October 26–28, 2012. This event was originally to be held at the Fontana dragstrip, which has been temporarily shut down pending the building of a sound wall as part of a court order. Racers and fans will descend upon Famoso's raceway to see the best in West Coast street-legal drag racing that includes 200+ mph Pro Street cars, wild outlaws, nostalgia street cars, True Street racing, bracket racing and more.
The Flowmaster NMCA WEST series has announced that its final event, the Nitto Tire NMCA WEST World Street Finals, has moved and will now take place at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California, the weekend of October 26–28, 2012. This event was originally to be held at the Fontana dragstrip, which has been temporarily shut down pending the building of a sound wall as part of a court order. Racers and fans will descend upon Famoso's raceway to see the best in West Coast street-legal drag racing that includes 200+ mph Pro Street cars, wild outlaws, nostalgia street cars, True Street racing, bracket racing and more.
NHRA
NEWS NUGGETS
MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS ACTION RESUMES SEPTEMBER 8–9: Two days of persistent rain showers from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac forced NHRA officials to postpone the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis until September 8–9. Qualifying for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series categories—Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle—will reopen with two sessions (11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.) Saturday, September 8, and eliminations will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 9. The NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Funny Car, the $100,000 bonus race within a race, will be run on Saturday, September 8, with the first round starting at 12:30 p.m. ESPN2’s coverage will air Sunday, September 9, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EDT). Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx will also continue qualifying Saturday, September 8, and the rest of sportsman eliminations are scheduled for Saturday. Tickets from Sunday, September 2, will be honored Saturday, September 8. Tickets from Monday, September 3, will be honored Sunday, September 9.
MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS ACTION RESUMES SEPTEMBER 8–9: Two days of persistent rain showers from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac forced NHRA officials to postpone the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis until September 8–9. Qualifying for the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series categories—Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle—will reopen with two sessions (11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.) Saturday, September 8, and eliminations will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 9. The NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Funny Car, the $100,000 bonus race within a race, will be run on Saturday, September 8, with the first round starting at 12:30 p.m. ESPN2’s coverage will air Sunday, September 9, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EDT). Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx will also continue qualifying Saturday, September 8, and the rest of sportsman eliminations are scheduled for Saturday. Tickets from Sunday, September 2, will be honored Saturday, September 8. Tickets from Monday, September 3, will be honored Sunday, September 9.
NHRA
NEWS NUGGETS
NHRA ANNOUNCES MELLO YELLO AS SERIES SPONSOR FOR 2013: The Coca-Cola Co. has extended its relationship with the NHRA and will continue its longstanding association as title sponsor of NHRA’s premier series through the year 2018. In addition, beginning in 2013, Mello Yello, The Coca-Cola Co.’s citrus-flavored soft-drink brand, will be the new series title sponsor: The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Sharon Byers, senior vice president of sports and entertainment marketing partnerships at The Coca-Cola Co., and NHRA President Tom Compton jointly made the announcement in downtown Indianapolis at Monument Circle on the eve of the start of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus.
NHRA ANNOUNCES MELLO YELLO AS SERIES SPONSOR FOR 2013: The Coca-Cola Co. has extended its relationship with the NHRA and will continue its longstanding association as title sponsor of NHRA’s premier series through the year 2018. In addition, beginning in 2013, Mello Yello, The Coca-Cola Co.’s citrus-flavored soft-drink brand, will be the new series title sponsor: The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Sharon Byers, senior vice president of sports and entertainment marketing partnerships at The Coca-Cola Co., and NHRA President Tom Compton jointly made the announcement in downtown Indianapolis at Monument Circle on the eve of the start of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus.
Team Falken Driver Vaughn Gittin Jr. Takes Third at Formula Drift Round 6 "After Dark" in Vegas
Team Falken Driver Vaughn Gittin Jr., took the final step on the podium with his third-place finish at the late-night run in Vegas, keeping him in the lead in the points standings for the final showdown for the Formula D championship to be decided in October. Qualifying fifth in his Monster Energy/Falken Tire ’13 Ford Mustang on a new track configuration at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Gittin Jr. glided through the Top 32 and Top 16 rounds. Falken teammates Justin Pawlak, also in a ’13 Falken Tire Ford Mustang, qualified ninth, and Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara was 17th. By the Top 8 Round, only Gittin Jr. was left, and he moved on to the Top 4 Round only to lose to Fredric Asabo during a “one more time.” In the Final Round, Gittin Jr. defeated Robbie Nishida for third, while Asabo lost to eventual Vegas winner Rhys Millen.
Team Falken Driver Vaughn Gittin Jr., took the final step on the podium with his third-place finish at the late-night run in Vegas, keeping him in the lead in the points standings for the final showdown for the Formula D championship to be decided in October. Qualifying fifth in his Monster Energy/Falken Tire ’13 Ford Mustang on a new track configuration at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Gittin Jr. glided through the Top 32 and Top 16 rounds. Falken teammates Justin Pawlak, also in a ’13 Falken Tire Ford Mustang, qualified ninth, and Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara was 17th. By the Top 8 Round, only Gittin Jr. was left, and he moved on to the Top 4 Round only to lose to Fredric Asabo during a “one more time.” In the Final Round, Gittin Jr. defeated Robbie Nishida for third, while Asabo lost to eventual Vegas winner Rhys Millen.
Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) will bring the spectacle of rallycross racing to the 2012 SEMA Show.
NEWS NUGGETS
LUCAS, CAPPS, ENDERS, KRAWIEC COLLECT BRAINERD VICTORIES: Ron Capps raced to the Funny Car victory last Sunday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and moved into the Full Throttle Series points lead for the first time this season with one race remaining before the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the penultimate regular season event in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Capps powered away from 15-time world champ John Force in the Funny Car final round to take his third win of the season, third at Brainerd Internationall Raceway (BIR) and 36th of his career.
LUCAS, CAPPS, ENDERS, KRAWIEC COLLECT BRAINERD VICTORIES: Ron Capps raced to the Funny Car victory last Sunday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals and moved into the Full Throttle Series points lead for the first time this season with one race remaining before the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the penultimate regular season event in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Capps powered away from 15-time world champ John Force in the Funny Car final round to take his third win of the season, third at Brainerd Internationall Raceway (BIR) and 36th of his career.
John Force to Join Dave Despain During the 2012 PRI Trade Show's Grand Opening Breakfast
On the morning of November 29, 2012, Dave Despain will present a live version of his Wind Tunnel TV program that airs on Speed Channel during the Grand Opening Breakfast on opening day of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show. And joining him this year will be 15-Time NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car Champion and driver of the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang John Force. Over the years, such respected racing figures as Bobby Rahal, Humpy Wheeler, Dale Inman, Smokey Yunick, Jack Roush, Robert Yates and many more have participated as speakers at the Grand Opening Breakfast.
On the morning of November 29, 2012, Dave Despain will present a live version of his Wind Tunnel TV program that airs on Speed Channel during the Grand Opening Breakfast on opening day of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show. And joining him this year will be 15-Time NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car Champion and driver of the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford Mustang John Force. Over the years, such respected racing figures as Bobby Rahal, Humpy Wheeler, Dale Inman, Smokey Yunick, Jack Roush, Robert Yates and many more have participated as speakers at the Grand Opening Breakfast.