Ebben Captures Hometown Trans-Am Series Win at Road America
Cliff Ebben, of Appleton, Wisconsin, earned his second-career Trans-Am Series win at Road America—part of the Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase. Daniel Ramoutarsingh, of La Romain, Trinidad, an
NEWS NUGGETS
DRIVERS FIND STREAK OF SUCCESS BEFORE COUNTDOWN CUTOFF: For Funny Car driver Johnny Gray, Sunday’s eliminations round at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway was all or nothing. Sitting 95 points behind 10th-place driver Bob Tasca entering the event, Gray knew that if he wanted any chance of moving into that 10th-place spot and competing in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship—NHRA’s six-race playoff to determine the world champions—he would have to win at Brainerd. Gray did just that, holding off fellow Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps in the final round to collect his first race win.
DRIVERS FIND STREAK OF SUCCESS BEFORE COUNTDOWN CUTOFF: For Funny Car driver Johnny Gray, Sunday’s eliminations round at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway was all or nothing. Sitting 95 points behind 10th-place driver Bob Tasca entering the event, Gray knew that if he wanted any chance of moving into that 10th-place spot and competing in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship—NHRA’s six-race playoff to determine the world champions—he would have to win at Brainerd. Gray did just that, holding off fellow Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps in the final round to collect his first race win.
NEWS NUGGETS
SOME HOPE FOR COUNTDOWN BERTH WHILE OTHERS LOOK TO SECURE TOP SPOTS IN POINT STANDINGS: Funny Car driver Johnny Gray knows it’s do-or-die time. With just two races left until the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship begins, Gray knows that his 11th-place spot in the point standings is not enough to get him into the Top 10 and into Countdown contention. And he’s not alone. As the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Brainerd, Minnesota, this weekend for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, many drivers are looking for last-minute success to secure their spots in the Countdown.
SOME HOPE FOR COUNTDOWN BERTH WHILE OTHERS LOOK TO SECURE TOP SPOTS IN POINT STANDINGS: Funny Car driver Johnny Gray knows it’s do-or-die time. With just two races left until the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship begins, Gray knows that his 11th-place spot in the point standings is not enough to get him into the Top 10 and into Countdown contention. And he’s not alone. As the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Brainerd, Minnesota, this weekend for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, many drivers are looking for last-minute success to secure their spots in the Countdown.
David Cardey Scores Win at Victorville Raceway Park
Riverside, California, racing star "Dynamite" David Cardey scored his second win in three appearances at Victorville Raceway Park, Saturday, August 6. The 35-year-old racer won his eight-lap heat race by more than a full straightaway. For the 30-lap main event, Cardey was on the outside of the front row and most insiders predicted he would walk away with an easy victory. However, Cardey and the inside pole sitter got together as they came off turn four heading for the start. Cardey caught the right rear of the pole sitter and did a wheelie. Somehow he managed to keep the car under control and only slipped to the fourth spot.
Riverside, California, racing star "Dynamite" David Cardey scored his second win in three appearances at Victorville Raceway Park, Saturday, August 6. The 35-year-old racer won his eight-lap heat race by more than a full straightaway. For the 30-lap main event, Cardey was on the outside of the front row and most insiders predicted he would walk away with an easy victory. However, Cardey and the inside pole sitter got together as they came off turn four heading for the start. Cardey caught the right rear of the pole sitter and did a wheelie. Somehow he managed to keep the car under control and only slipped to the fourth spot.
Falken Tire Weathers Perfect Storm
Declaring “perseverance pays off,” Team Falken Tire survived the storm that hit Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 30 minutes before the finish and took top honors in GT class for the first time in the performance tire manufacturer’s three-year ALMS career. Derrick Walker, Falken’s ALMS team manager, made the comment after previously expressing confidence in Falken’s capability at Mid-Ohio—a track he knows very well from years of competing as a manager and owner of IndyCar teams.
Declaring “perseverance pays off,” Team Falken Tire survived the storm that hit Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 30 minutes before the finish and took top honors in GT class for the first time in the performance tire manufacturer’s three-year ALMS career. Derrick Walker, Falken’s ALMS team manager, made the comment after previously expressing confidence in Falken’s capability at Mid-Ohio—a track he knows very well from years of competing as a manager and owner of IndyCar teams.
NEWS NUGGETS
RACE WINS IN SONOMA COME JUST IN TIME FOR COUNTDOWN CLINCHERS: Winning. It’s the force and desire behind every driver and team in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, but sometimes a race win can have more value than one can realize. This was the case Sunday for Antron Brown, Ron Capps, Greg Anderson and LE Tonglet, who stood in the winner’s circle at the FRAM/Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. For Brown and Anderson, their winning performance helped clinch their spots in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs, and for Capps and Tonglet, the win moved them further up the points standings in their respective categories and even closer to clinching their own berths in the Countdown with only three races remaining in the regular season.
RACE WINS IN SONOMA COME JUST IN TIME FOR COUNTDOWN CLINCHERS: Winning. It’s the force and desire behind every driver and team in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, but sometimes a race win can have more value than one can realize. This was the case Sunday for Antron Brown, Ron Capps, Greg Anderson and LE Tonglet, who stood in the winner’s circle at the FRAM/Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. For Brown and Anderson, their winning performance helped clinch their spots in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs, and for Capps and Tonglet, the win moved them further up the points standings in their respective categories and even closer to clinching their own berths in the Countdown with only three races remaining in the regular season.
Brian Deegan Takes Gold in RallyCross at X Games 17
Metal Mulisha founder Brian “The General” Deegan took Gold in the X Games 17 RallyCross competition on Sunday, bringing his total X Games medal count to 13 and continuing his streak of competing in every X Games since the competition’s inception. Deegan won his qualifying heat in Sunday’s RallyCross competition in his Metal Mulisha Rockstar Energy Drink Ford Fiesta, setting him up for the finals. Despite mechanical problems during the practice run, Deegan’s qualifying time put him into great position to later take the top spot on the podium.
Metal Mulisha founder Brian “The General” Deegan took Gold in the X Games 17 RallyCross competition on Sunday, bringing his total X Games medal count to 13 and continuing his streak of competing in every X Games since the competition’s inception. Deegan won his qualifying heat in Sunday’s RallyCross competition in his Metal Mulisha Rockstar Energy Drink Ford Fiesta, setting him up for the finals. Despite mechanical problems during the practice run, Deegan’s qualifying time put him into great position to later take the top spot on the podium.
NEWS NUGGETS
FIRST SEASON WINS FOR BIG NAMES COULD BE START OF ‘SWING’ SWEEP: The surprise in the winner’s circle Sunday as the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals came to a close might not have been who was there, but how long it had taken them to get there. Top Fuel and Pro Stock event winners Spencer Massey and Mike Edwards were making their third winner’s circle appearance in 2011. But it was the presence of 15-time and defending Funny Car Full Throttle world champion John Force, joined by Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Karen Stoffer that may have had the biggest headlines of the day. For Force, it was his first win of the season after all but dominating the series in 2010 en route to his 15th world title, while for Stoffer, it was her first win in four years, dating back to Atlanta 2007, and assumed the points lead heading into the second race of the grueling Western Swing. But while both drivers are relishing their first victories of the season, the all-too-familiar question lingers for all four Denver winners: Can they keep on that performance high and do what few have done—sweep the Western Swing? While Stoffer is unable to accomplish this task, since the Pro Stock Motorcycle category does not compete in Seattle, the opportunity is definitely there for the other three winners.
FIRST SEASON WINS FOR BIG NAMES COULD BE START OF ‘SWING’ SWEEP: The surprise in the winner’s circle Sunday as the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals came to a close might not have been who was there, but how long it had taken them to get there. Top Fuel and Pro Stock event winners Spencer Massey and Mike Edwards were making their third winner’s circle appearance in 2011. But it was the presence of 15-time and defending Funny Car Full Throttle world champion John Force, joined by Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Karen Stoffer that may have had the biggest headlines of the day. For Force, it was his first win of the season after all but dominating the series in 2010 en route to his 15th world title, while for Stoffer, it was her first win in four years, dating back to Atlanta 2007, and assumed the points lead heading into the second race of the grueling Western Swing. But while both drivers are relishing their first victories of the season, the all-too-familiar question lingers for all four Denver winners: Can they keep on that performance high and do what few have done—sweep the Western Swing? While Stoffer is unable to accomplish this task, since the Pro Stock Motorcycle category does not compete in Seattle, the opportunity is definitely there for the other three winners.
Team Falken's Dai Yoshihara Takes First at Formula Drift's Round 5 at Evergreen Speedway
Team Falken’s Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara took first at Evergreen Speedway’s Formula Drift “Throwdown” and took the lead in the 2011 Championship. It was the first win for Falken at Evergreen and the second win for Dai this season. Driving the Discount Tire/Falken Tire Nissan S13 (240SX), Dai qualified fourth, while teammates Tyler McQuarrie and Justin Pawlak were first and second, respectively, after Friday’s qualifying session. Defending Formula Drift champion and teammate Vaughn Gittin Jr., qualified 12th, Darren McNamara in 19th and Falken privateer Ross Petty 25th. Four of the five Team Falken drivers made it through the Top 32 round. Justin Pawlak, who has been leading the Formula D standings virtually all season long, failed to move forward due to a mechanical failure; however, he remains second in the 2011 Championship, just 15 points behind Dai.
Team Falken’s Daijiro “Dai” Yoshihara took first at Evergreen Speedway’s Formula Drift “Throwdown” and took the lead in the 2011 Championship. It was the first win for Falken at Evergreen and the second win for Dai this season. Driving the Discount Tire/Falken Tire Nissan S13 (240SX), Dai qualified fourth, while teammates Tyler McQuarrie and Justin Pawlak were first and second, respectively, after Friday’s qualifying session. Defending Formula Drift champion and teammate Vaughn Gittin Jr., qualified 12th, Darren McNamara in 19th and Falken privateer Ross Petty 25th. Four of the five Team Falken drivers made it through the Top 32 round. Justin Pawlak, who has been leading the Formula D standings virtually all season long, failed to move forward due to a mechanical failure; however, he remains second in the 2011 Championship, just 15 points behind Dai.
NEWS NUGGETS
POINTS LEADERS HOPE TO MAKE HISTORY WITH WESTERN SWING SWEEP: Seven drivers. In the 22-year history of the famed Western Swing, the grueling three-races-in-three-weeks summer stretch that includes stops in Denver; Sonoma, California; and Seattle, only seven drivers have ever won all three races. And of those seven, none have ever swept the swing twice. With the NHRA Full Throttle Series heading to Bandimere Speedway in Denver, the first of the three stops in the Western Swing, many drivers are hoping to make history by becoming the eighth name to be added to the famed list that includes NHRA greats Joe Amato, John Force, Cory McClenathan, Larry Dixon, Greg Anderson, Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown. Top Fuel points leader Del Worsham is one of those. Since making the switch from Funny Car to Top Fuel, Worsham has won an impressive five races in six final-round appearances, including two consecutive wins heading into the event this weekend. He currently sits 131 points ahead of his closest competition, Spencer Massey, entering the summer racing stretch.
POINTS LEADERS HOPE TO MAKE HISTORY WITH WESTERN SWING SWEEP: Seven drivers. In the 22-year history of the famed Western Swing, the grueling three-races-in-three-weeks summer stretch that includes stops in Denver; Sonoma, California; and Seattle, only seven drivers have ever won all three races. And of those seven, none have ever swept the swing twice. With the NHRA Full Throttle Series heading to Bandimere Speedway in Denver, the first of the three stops in the Western Swing, many drivers are hoping to make history by becoming the eighth name to be added to the famed list that includes NHRA greats Joe Amato, John Force, Cory McClenathan, Larry Dixon, Greg Anderson, Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown. Top Fuel points leader Del Worsham is one of those. Since making the switch from Funny Car to Top Fuel, Worsham has won an impressive five races in six final-round appearances, including two consecutive wins heading into the event this weekend. He currently sits 131 points ahead of his closest competition, Spencer Massey, entering the summer racing stretch.