The Medicine Man - Dr. Jerry Powell

Courtesy of Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association
Photo courtesy of David Smith

Most doctors would probably rather vacation in exotic locales or just play golf, but for Dr. Jerry Powell, relaxation comes a quarter-mile at a time in a 270-mph A/Fuel Dragster.

"A lot of other doctors think I'm nuts," says Powell, who runs a family practice in Kokomo, Ind., and pays for racing by working emergency-room shifts. "I've had some of them say, 'Why would you want to do that?' Save your money for when you retire.' But everybody has to have their own thing, and racing is my thing. Why be 50 or 60 and look back and wish you'd done it? I can do this job until the day I die, and I'm going to race as long as I can."

Powell's interest in the medical profession began when a dump-truck tailgate slammed shut on his hand when he was 6 years old. "One of the first microscopic surgeons in the world was in Indianapolis, and he sewed the tips back on my fingers," Powell says. "That was 1978." Rehabbing for a year, he became increasingly enamored of medicine as he was making a complete recovery from his injuries. It wasn't that long ago that he – like most doctors, presumably – knew little about drag racing, motorsports, or cars in general. Then he went to a track with his dad.

"He used to race sprint cars, but he got out of it when I was born," says Powell, 39. "He'd had a wreck, and my mom told him he had to. His dream was always to own a front-engined dragster, and when I was a junior in college, he bought a piece-of-crap, 30-year-old car that wouldn't pass tech at any track in the country. I was his pit crew. Then he got a rear-engined car and moved up to Super Pro, and when I was a sophomore in med school, stressed out from studying biochemistry and microbiology 24/7, I went to the track with him to get away from it all. One weekend, I asked him what it would take to get the old front-engined car running again so I could drive it. He put an engine in it and I ran the Pro class, had a good time, and went a few rounds."

The car didn't have a delay box or any electronics – just a trans-brake. "It had wheelie bars made out of an old shopping cart – no kidding – but we didn't even put them on because the car didn't make enough power to pick up the front end anyway," Powell says. "I ran it six or seven times before the engine blew itself to smithereens, and it was a hell of a ride. We didn't know anything, and most of the guys we raced didn't know of me as a doctor; to them, I was a guy out having a good time with his dad. For me, racing was a way to get away from medicine and the stress of what I was training to do whenever I had a free weekend."

It still is – he's just going a lot faster now. Powell has progressed from that aging slingshot to Super Pro to the Jegs Super Quick Series to Top Dragster to a blown-alcohol TA/D to his current ride, an A/Fuel Dragster that has run a best of 269 mph. "Right after the first year of NHRA Top Dragster, I bought a bunch of Lencodrive stuff off of Larry Snyder," Powell says. "He put together a Hemi for me because it would run easy 5.90s and blow past guys at the finish line, but it made a lot of people mad. They were like, 'Why's this guy running a five-second car in Top Dragster?' "

NHRA later put a 6.00 limit on Top Dragsters, but by then Powell had already made his way to Top Alcohol. "That was always my dream," he says. "We used to go down to Indy for the points meet, and I always wanted to eventually race an Alcohol Dragster. I just didn't always think it was achievable. Marty Thacker and Bill Reichert were my heroes. Ten years ago, I sure never thought I'd be shaking hands with people like that."

With the blown-alcohol car, Powell achieved a career best last year at the Summit Racing Nationals in Norwalk, upsetting past national event winners Randy Meyer and Mike Kosky with reaction times of .006 and .018 to reach the semifinals. This year, he made the difficult switch to injected nitro.

"It's been a struggle so far, but I really think A/Fuel is the way to go," Powell says. "I was really frustrated at the U.S. Nationals last year. I was killing the Tree every time, but I couldn't run fast enough to get in the race. That blown car would really whack you out of the gate, but by the eighth-mile, it was pretty much over, and that's where this car is just getting going.

"A/Fuel is a whole new beast, and I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I'll ask Tony Samsel, 'Why do you put that much weight on the clutch?' or 'Why do you do that?' I didn't grow up a motorhead – it was always basketball, football, and baseball for me, and then I went to college on an academic scholarship. I didn't really know anything about cars 10 years ago, but now I get almost as much enjoyment out of working on the car as I do from driving it."

Kon Rodz Racing Partners with Flaming River

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Steve Fuhrman/Cyclops Photography

MAPLE, Ont. (July 30, 2012) – Spiro Kontos and his Kon Rodz Racing team are proud to announce a new partnership with Flaming River Industries. The manufacturer of steering products will have a spot as an associate sponsor on the team’s Top Alcohol Funny Car, driven by Cassie Simonton. The partnership between the two is a perfect fit.

“We’re proud to associate with Flaming River and their line of steering components. Whether it’s the 260 mph Funny Car or my street legal hot rods, I demand the best. Flaming River is the best. We’re very happy that our recent success is catching the eyes of companies like Flaming River,” Spiro said.

The Canadian team is coming off a stretch of races that featured such highlights as their first #1 qualifying position and back-to-back national event final rounds. Crew chief Randy Anderson tuned Simonton to final round appearances at Chicago and Norwalk on some of the hottest track conditions seen in recent history. With the addition of Flaming River’s new Funny Car steering box, the team hopes to steer into the Winner’s Circle at a race that is known for hot conditions.

“Between our increased exposure and the excitement around the U.S. Nationals, we’ve decided that Indy is the best place to debut our new partnership,” said Kontos. “The prestigious U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend is a race that everyone wants to win. We feel that we have a great shot at it, and we’re happy to have Flaming River along for the ride.”

Based in Berea, Ohio, Flaming River Industries is a manufacturer of steering components, steering accessories, and electrical components. Their American-made products are available for hot rods, street rods, race cars, boats, and even golf carts. For more information on Flaming River Industries and their innovative products, visit www.flamingriver.com.

Kon Rodz Racing is a NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car team owned by Spiro Kontos, competing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. 25-year old Cassie Simonton drives the team’s 3,000 horsepower Chevy Monte Carlo funny car. Spiro, Cassie, and the whole Kon Rodz Racing team would like to thank the following sponsors for their continued support: Lucas Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, Goodson, BAE, Goodyear Tire, Clevite, Mac Tools, Artist ButchM, Flaming River Industries, and ithreesixty Music Infused Apparel.

For more information on Kon Rodz Racing, please visit http://www.konrodzracing.com/. Keep up with Cassie and the team on Facebook (www.facebook.com/konrodzracing) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/cassiesimonton and www.twitter.com/konrodzpr )

TAN Driver Blog - Johnny Ahten - TAD

Well, it’s been way too long since my last blog so I apologize for that. Let me fill everybody in on what’s new. I am actually typing this poolside while my kids are swimming and I must admit I’m bit jealous right now. 

Our last outing was the Regional in Sonoma. It turned out to be way hotter than I wanted, reaching 98 degrees on Saturday. When we arrived to park on Wednesday it was a nice 70 degrees with a slight cloud cover. Thursday stayed about the same with the marine layer keeping it cloudy until around noon. We put the car together and were able to make a half track pass at 4pm. Everything looked great, a nice .931 sixty foot and good numbers to half track. Plus the leak down looked great so we were very happy. The next day we had a bit of a weather change and it wasn’t in our favor. The temp went up and we slowed down with each incremental. We threw some at it for Saturday as it got even hotter and ran basically the same run as the day before. In the last session we tweaked it some more and ran another 5.53 so we knew it was a better run because it was the hottest so far. 

First round paired us with Ray Martin and his blown car was running strong in qualifying. We hopped the Stumppuller up and it was about ten degrees cooler for first round, both helped out. We had him covered all the way to the 1000’ clock which is where we suffered all weekend. We were just too fat on the top end running a 5.41 to his 5.38. Congrats to Martin for making it to the final and congrats to Chris Demke for another win for 801Racing!

The best part of the weekend was that I was able to bring my wife Monica and two boys and stay at the track in the motorhome. Summer is great having the kids out of school! My oldest starts football for the first time tomorrow and he is really excited. He really wanted to play tackle so we’ll see how that goes. Mama’s gonna be a mess.

Now that we have Sonoma behind us I have a long list of summer projects which have been put off for racing. Some are at my Dad’s and a whole bunch are here at my house. I hope to knock some out before it’s time to prep the car. That’s about all I can think about right now so I will sign off till the next one.


Johnny Ahten is the driver of the Island Renovations/801 Racing A/Fuel Dragster. Find him on Facebook and Instagram (johnnyahten).

TAN - One Year Later

One year ago today, I started a little news blog focused on the class that seldom receives the attention its racers deserve; Top Alcohol. The goal was to develop a site for everything alcohol, including results, driver features, points standings, links to driver websites, and more. The first few articles received a handful of views.

Now one year later, the page views are through the roof. Thanks to the power of social media, the most popular stories spread like wildfire. TAN has over 500 followers on Twitter and the Facebook page is approaching the same figure. The website is viewed in well over 20 countries.

There are several groups and individuals we have to thank for their part in our growth over the last year.

The Readers - Someone must be reading this stuff! Through our Facebook and Twitter pages, we've been introduced to some of the most loyal fans in all of sports. Alcohol racing fans don't like alcohol racing. They LOVE it. The support and feedback from the readers keep this site going.

The Driver Bloggers - Shortly after the launch of TAN, we sent out a tweet looking for drivers to write  blogs for us. Marie Ferriolo was the first driver to respond. Over the following months, a few other drivers signed on. Now our Driver Blogger list has 10 drivers on it; Marie, Jeff Ashwell, Cassie Simonton, Brandon Booher, Megan McKernan, Blake Alexander, Karen Stalba, Greg Hunter, Johnny Ahten, and Dave Hirata. Their blogs are regularly the most popular posts on TAN.

The Writers - In addition to our own content, we rely on teams and other groups to provide press releases and other news. John Rogers at THR5 Communications not only sends in press releases on a regular basis, but he has also been a big help on the creative side. Todd Veney's results and driver features for the Pro Sportsman Association have been invaluable.

The Drivers and Teams - The drivers and teams who sport our decals on their cars or share our stories on social media play an important role in the growth of TAN. We cannot name all of the drivers who run TAN decals because there are so many, but here are just a few: John Anderika, Mike Kosky, Paul Noakes, Brian Harvanek, Dyno Dave Heitzman, Dave Hirata, and Fred Hagen Jr. It is an honor to see the TAN colors on so many successful cars.

Spiro Kontos/Kon Rodz Racing - Without Spiro's help, we probably wouldn't have our decals on so many of the cars listed above. Spiro stepped up to be the primary sponsor of our 2012 shirts. He also gave me the opportunity to travel with Kon Rodz Racing for the entire schedule. TAN stickers were along for the ride when Cassie Simonton grabbed the first #1 qualifier for Kon Rodz at the Chicago regional, as well as the back-to-back finals at Chicago and Norwalk national events. All of the KRR crew members are also big supporters of TAN.

The Advertisers - Just like a nitro-burning A/Fueler or a screaming supercharged Top Alcohol Funny Car, this site runs on money. Hero Cards by Golden Belt Printing, Cold Hard Art, One Seven West Photography, and 1320 Concepts help us out . There are several other advertisers in the works that will be announced in the next few weeks.

Combine the above supporters and a few behind-the-scenes people and you have a recipe for success. TAN has grown by leaps and bounds over the course of one year. Who knows what the next year holds. We do have a few goals to accomplish before the calendar says July 27th, 2013. We're working on an online store where you can find t-shirts and other merchandise from all of the Top Alcohol teams that offer merch. We want to bring on an additional writer or two to generate original content. Those are just a couple of our plans for the near future.

The first year of Top Alcohol News has been extremely fulfilling for me. I've met so many wonderful people through this project. It has turned into so much more than I could've imagined a year ago. Bring on Year 2!

Thanks for reading,

Nate Van Wagnen
Top Alcohol News editor

Maddern Racing Gets First Win at Sonoma

Courtesy of THR5 Communications
Photo courtesy of Aimee Maddern

Sonoma, Calif.  – After winning the Sonoma Regional race this weekend, Maddern Racing can now mark that off their checklist of things to do. You see, in the twenty or so years that Maddern Racing has been competing, they have won at every track in California except Sonoma. 

“It feels really great to get this win for Jerry Maddern and the team,” said driver Chris Demke. “We had the car to beat all weekend. Our car was the fastest car out there and that made it even better.”

The path to the winner’s circle was not an easy one. In Friday’s first round of qualifying the Peen Rite / OSI / 801 Racing Team posted a 5.388/269.67 which was good enough for the second place slot. On Saturday, the Team ramped things up and threw down a 5.308/272.17 shot that got everyone’s attention. It also put them in the number one qualifying position. Sitting on top, the Team decided to sit out the third session and remained at the top spot going into eliminations. The interesting thing is how they managed to do so well while the electrical system had a few issues and seemed to have a mind of its own.

Sunday’s first round of racing saw Bill Dunlap in the other lane. Dunlap’s forward driver cockpit dragster had a great view as Demke 5.394/252.47 was enough to take the win. All was not well in the Maddern Racing camp as the car continued to have some electrical hiccups.  The Team headed back to the pits and prepared for the next round against Don St. Arnaud. This time the race was over at the start when St. Arnaud lit the red bulb. Demke managed to get down the track with a 5.335/2693.83. It was now final round time.  Demke and the crew came to the line knowing they had to win this race. Ray Martin was in the other lane, and he too wanted to win. Demke sat in his Top Alcohol Dragster waiting for the light to activate. His mind wondered back to the Woodburn Regional final. In that race, Demke could only sit and watch as the other car won his race. This time it would be different.  Demke got the light, got down the quarter mile, and claimed his victory with a 5.444/263.10 to Martin’s 5.459/263.92.

“This is our first Regional victory with new sponsor OSI, and associate partners A1 Technologies, and Boninfante Friction Products,” added Demke. “They have shown their support of us, and this is the best way I know of thanking them.”

Electrical issues or not, the fact is that at the end of the day, Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing Team won the Sonoma Regional Trophy. They used every last bit of will, determination, and luck to get the job done. The win also moved them to first place in the Western Region. Valuable points aside, the win gave the Maddern Racing Team the ability to put that big check mark next to Sonoma.  There are other things on that list, and if the Maddern Racing crew and Chris Demke continue with the same Sonoma do-or-die-trying attitude, that list will have a few more check marks. 

...

About Peen Rite - Your source for quality shot peening, glass bead, and abrasive blasting services for over 45 years. We provide low cost solutions, high volume capacity, and a superior level of quality control. Equipped with many specialty machines designed to handle the cleaning and surface preparation for a wide variety of work pieces. PEEN-RITE gives you the ability to stay within your job cost estimation! 

Operational Solutions will challenge itself on a daily basis to provide a unique advanced technical service to our customers. Our team will work to identify the problem, procure the necessary parts, and implement the solution. We will accomplish this with an expertise and professionalism unparalleled in the PET bottle industry. Operational Solutions provides products and services for the PET blow molding industry.  We are the leading independent service and support organization for SIDEL, SIG, and Krones blow molding. We serve customers around the world from our facilities in Kansas City, Missouri and France. Visit us at: http://www.operationalsolutions.com/

We believe true happiness comes from blazing down the blacktop with the pedal to the metal and our hair on fire. The whiter our knuckles get, the better. If it were up to us, cars wouldn't even have brakes, just two gas pedals. It's this never-ending need for speed that drives everything we do. We spend countless hours in the lab and lying awake at night plotting and planning how to get more speed by any means possible. After decades of research and innovation, we've developed a complete line of performance and car care products designed to ensure that your ride lives up to its potential on the street and on the track.  We know what you want. We got what you need. We are 801 Racing.  For more information on 801 racing, please visit: http://www.801racing.com/

Sonoma Regional Gives Ahten Racing a New Perspective

Courtesy of THR5 Communications
Photo courtesy of Ahten Racing

Sonoma, Calf. – The Ahten Racing Team picked up something special from last weekend’s Regional race. It was not a trophy, but it is still valuable. They now have their confidence back.  The new engine combination has been figured out, and they are now looking forward to their next race. 

“Sonoma was like a re-birth of our race team,” said driver Johnny Ahten. “Trying to get a handle on a whole new set-up is sometimes a tricky thing to do, but now we know what we have. I feel confident with the car. If we had a few more runs to fine tune the top end, I think we could have done very well.”

Qualifying started out with the Island Renovations / 801 Racing / Fireman’s Brew Team running a planned early shut-off 5.595/245.45 run. This was a big step forward because the last outing resulted in multiple tire-melting launches. Getting the car to launch and hook to the track gave them a set of data to work with. They came back on Saturday and laid out a 5.532/244.60. Spirits were up in the Ahten Racing camp. In Saturday’s final session, a 5.532/244.60 was put up on the board. The top end charge was the next project that needed attention. The Ahten Racing Team ended up in the number six position going into eliminations.

Sunday’s first round opponent was Ray Martin. Ahten did his job at the tree by getting a big staring line advantage over Martin and was leading the charge to the thousand foot mark. Martin came around Ahten at that point, and ran him down with a 5.384/266.90 to Ahten’s 5.418/248.25.

“It was a good close race, and a real treat for the fans,” added Ahten. “It showed our potential and gave us some juicy bits on the computer. The whole team worked really hard this weekend, as we were a bit shorthanded.  Chuck Costabile really stepped up. I also want to thank Nick Kruger, for helping out on the bottom end and right side of the motor. My Dad and Crew Chief Al Ahten, along with Howard Katano, and Bob Ahten were amazing.”

The Ahten Racing Team are back home now, with a new attitude, valuable data, and the spirit of a teenager with a brand new hot rod. They will rebuild, refresh, and wait. The waiting will be the toughest part, because with a re-birth comes anticipation. The cure will come when the Nitromethane Injected beast comes to life, and rockets down the track.

….

Island Renovations understands the complexity of Hawaii's homes and their customers’ needs. Whether you are looking to build, remodel, or replace your existing windows and doors, Island Renovations is there to provide outstanding service and products to give your home added value with the satisfaction and peace of mind from a company that puts their customers first. Visit us at http://www.islandrenovations.net/

We believe true happiness comes from blazing down the blacktop with the pedal to the metal and our hair on fire. The whiter our knuckles get, the better. If it were up to us, cars wouldn't even have brakes, just two gas pedals. It's this never-ending need for speed that drives everything we do. We spend countless hours in the lab and lying awake at night plotting and planning how to get more speed by any means possible. After decades of research and innovation, we've developed a complete line of performance and car care products designed to ensure that your ride lives up to its potential on the street and on the track.  We know what you want. We got what you need. We are 801 Racing.  For more information on 801 racing, please visit: http://www.801racing.com/ 

Fireman's Brew grew out of two Los Angeles based firefighter's vision to create premium handcrafted beers that would quench their thirsts after an exhausting day on the firelines. Originally created by firefighters for firefighters, Fireman's Brew is now available at bars, restaurants and retail stores throughout Southern California. Visit them at http://www.firemansbrew.com/

Jay Blake: Man on a Mission

Courtesy of the Pro Sportsman Association
Photos courtesy of David Smith

Jay Blake has never let a little thing like not being able to see slow him down. Blinded in an industrial accident in May 1997, he has gone on to accomplish things that he might never have if he was just another mechanic and drag racer, things like inspiring thousands and changing people's lives.

About the only thing the eternal optimist from Cape Cod, Mass., can't do is drive his race car, which is fine with him – he never wanted to anyway. "The dream was never about driving," Blake says. "It was always about working on the car." He does more than just work on a race car, though; he's the crew chief and owner of the Permatex/Follow A Dream Top Alcohol Funny Car, and for him, drag racing isn't a hobby. It's who he is and what he does.

When he's not leading his team at events across North America or helping prepare his car for the next race, Blake demonstrates the power of positive thinking, determination, and teamwork – the foundation of Follow A Dream, the non-profit organization he formed in the late 1990s – through speaking engagements before tens of thousands of people at sponsor displays, vocational and technical schools, and corporate/business gatherings.

"Speaking is just as rewarding as racing," says Blake, who has been featured on CNN and the Today Show and in the New York Times and the Boston Globe. "In some ways, it's more rewarding. I used to get nervous, and every once in a while I still do, but I enjoy it. I guess it's like driving: It's not something you just show up and do; you need to take time to get your head together and get psyched up. I like big groups the best. I'd rather speak to 500 people than 20 because I draw on the energy in the room. Sometimes, I can hear people's reaction, and when there's total silence, it speaks volumes."

Blake's story is a powerful one. He teetered on the brink of death following an industrial accident when he was 30 and woke up to find that he'd lost his vision and his sense of taste and smell. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he made the difficult decision to not just go on but to lead a life that convinced others that their dreams were closer to their grasp than they realized.

"People limit themselves so much," he says. "We don't look hard enough at what the possibilities are. If I could see, I'd be just another guy with an Alcohol Funny Car. Doing this full time makes me different from other racers. Plus, let's face it: my story is different than the next guy's." Practicing what he preached, Blake formed his own race teams, first in Super Comp, now in Alcohol Funny Car, and, in the future, with a nitro car on the NHRA Full Throttle tour.

"For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to work on a fuel team," he says. "No one was ever going to hire me, so I figured the only way to do it was to start my own team. I was going to go get 3 million bucks and have my own car, which, obviously, wasn't realistic, so I went with what I knew, Super Comp, which I could afford. Only there would be 120 cars at every race, I blended in with everybody else, and I realized that I was never going to get any real sponsorship."

It had to be fuel racing or alcohol racing. "I figured, 'The heck with it. I'm lucky to be alive. What do I have to lose?' I'd already gone through a divorce. The things that I had were family, friends, and kids, and they weren't going anywhere. If I lost my house, it was only a house, and I could just go live somewhere else. I can't do that now – I'm remarried and have more kids and more responsibilities – but decided I was going for it. It was just my brother, Jimmy, and me in the beginning, and a lot of great people have been there along the way. It's still that way, and I thank every person who's volunteered and every sponsor who's been a part of it, especially Permatex."

Blake bought Frank Manzo's championship-winning Dodge Avenger before the 2003 season, and just two years later, driver Dave Ray wheeled it to the team's first national event victory, over Bob Newberry at the 2005 Houston event. Ray won the 2006 Gatornationals, where tuner Tom Howell guided the car to the No. 1 qualifying spot (5.57) and low e.t. (5.56), and finished the year with a victory at the Finals in Pomona. Current driver Todd Veney has won three divisional events since 2010.

"That first win at Houston was incredible, and the Gatornationals and the World Finals are two of the biggest races in the world, but the most rewarding part of all this is when you realize that you've actually made a difference in people's lives," Blake says. "When you hear that you've changed someone's life, changed the way they view things…nothing is ever going to take the place of that. I don't look in the rear view mirror too much. You need to look back sometimes and be proud of what you've accomplished and realize that what you're doing is working, but you always have to keep going. As I tell people sometimes at my speaking engagements, you don't have to get hit in the head as hard as I did to wake up and follow your dreams."

TAN Driver Blog - Jeff Ashwell - TAFC

Well, since things didn’t quite go as planned for us at the recent Lucas Oil Regional in Woodburn I want to take a few minutes to talk about our longtime sponsor, Wilson’s NAPA Auto Parts - TWGW, Inc. We are very fortunate to have been associated with this great family run entity for so many years now and I want to take the opportunity for everyone to read about this 10 time recipient of NAPA Auto Parts Five Star Excellence Program, which is awarded to independent owners based on sales and customer service criteria. Wilson’s NAPA is one of only 4 independent store owners nationally to have won this prestigious award consecutively since its inception back in 2001. Read further to learn how Tony and Gail Wilson started this great company to now celebrating their 25th year with NAPA Auto Parts in 2012.

It all started back in December 1987 when Tony Wilson and his wife Gail purchased their first store in Newberg, Oregon – sold their house, cashed in all profit sharing, and went for broke. Against all odds, they survived their first year and sales at that first store are still strong today.
They have been expanding their operation, and more family members have purchased shares to help run what has become a 14 store operation.  Here are some highlights of their expansion:
January 1996 they purchased their second store in Wilsonville, Oregon which now also serves as TWGW, Inc. corporate headquarters.  
December 1999 Tony and Gail purchased 2 locations in South Lake Tahoe, a town where Gail was raised.  They enjoyed owning these stores until 2006, when expansion in Oregon required more of their time.
December 2000 they purchased Salem, Oregon. The first thing they did was move to a more retail friendly location in April 2001 and then kept this store for 5 years until they sold it back to Genuine Parts Company (NAPA Corporate).
April 2001 TWGW, Inc. purchased both the Albany and Corvallis, Oregon stores and in April 2002 they moved the Albany store into a 6000 square foot building where they still are today.
September 2001 Tony’s cousin Eric Wilson and his wife Tina moved from Idaho to Oregon, bought shares of TWGW, Inc., just in time to acquire another store in the Keizer, Oregon area.
May 2002 brought another expansion with the purchase of the Canby, Oregon location.  They expanded the store in June 2007 from 4500 square feet to 6000 square feet allowing for a larger sales area for retail customers.
July 2002 TWGW, Inc. went a different route and opened their first IBS or Integrated Business Supply in Canby, Oregon. This is a national program that NAPA rolled out.  TWGW, Inc. supplies the inventory inside their customers’ place of business, provides their customer with computers and employees, and manages their inventory.  The IBS then is able to save both time and money by having the NAPA jobber obtain all of their parts at a greatly reduced rate, and only pay one statement.  It is a win-win situation for all involved.
September 2003 The Wilsons purchase the Molalla, Oregon store.
July 2004 Tony’s sister Marcia and her husband Jerry Schaecher purchased stock in the company.  Marcia had been a long time employee-since 1990, and Jerry since 1999.
December 2005 The company purchased two new locations, one in Silverton, Oregon and the other in Mt. Angel.
January 2008 They purchased the Sandy, Oregon store and moved to a retail friendly location, with new inventory, furniture, fixtures, and computer equipment. The Sandy location saw sales increase 20% in their first 2 years open.
March 2008 TWGW, Inc. opened the Sherwood, Oregon location under a new program that was being offered by NAPA. Sherwood had been an open market for the previous 10 years, so the company received incentives to open the doors in the Sherwood location by April 1^st.  NAPA Headquarters realizes that it is difficult to invest so much money in a ground-up store, and then have to wait so long for ROI (return on investment). The Wilsons felt very fortunate to be considered for this special program, and they could not pass it up!
April 2010 saw the Wilsons open their first “Heavy Duty NAPA Truck and Trailer Parts Store in Aurora, Oregon. Customer base comes from the truck stop locations nearby right off Interstate 5, and the farmers in the area. The store also serves their heavy duty customers in all of their other locations, with one central location for inventory.
September 2010 saw the acquisition of the “Hood River Group”, consisting of 3 stores in the Columbia River Gorge area – Hood River, Stevenson, and Bingen. There is now the Valley Group (12 stores) and the Hood River Group (3 stores), with separate accounts receivable and inventory ordering. In 2012 they decided to merge the two groups to keep part numbers and account numbers consistent at all locations.
March 2011 TWGW, Inc. opened their second IBS location in the fleet maintenance shop of a large construction company in Woodburn, Oregon. The Wilson’s are looking forward to growing this business as they did with their first IBS back in July 2002.
December 2011 The second generation of Wilsons’ begin purchasing shares-Robert and his wife, Katie move back from the Hood River Group and expand their responsibilities as new owners
February 2012 Earlier this year TWGW sold the Silverton and Mt. Angel stores back to the previous owners, who are also good friends of the Wilsons, they wanted to get back into the NAPA business.
April 2012 Company website Wilsons-NAPA.com  is born, thanks to a second generation contribution from Jeff Wilson.  
One thing the Wilsons have learned over the years is that they truly value owning stores in smaller communities, where they can tailor the inventories to the specific needs of each market, and grow not only business relationships, but friendships as well.  
Ashwell Racing has been associated with Wilson’s NAPA for a very long time now and we hope the partnership can continue for years to come. You can follow them on Twitter @WilsonsNAPA and on Facebook.

Next up for us is the 2nd Annual Night of Fire at Woodburn Dragstrip July 27-28th and the NHRA Northwest Nationals August 3-5. See you at the races.

Jeff Ashwell is the driver of the Wilson's NAPA/Ashwell Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car. Follow him on Twitter at @AshwellRacing.

Demke, Whiteley Successful at Sonoma

Courtesy of the Pro Sportsman Association/Todd Veney

At the Western Region event in Sonoma, Calif., Winternationals and Gatornationals champion Chris Demke earned his first regional victory of the season in Top Alcohol Dragster and rookie Annie Whiteley her third in Top Alcohol Funny Car, both from the No. 1 qualifying spot.

Demke, shut out since his Gatornationals victory in March except for a Jegs Allstars win last month (which doesn't count for points), paced the field in qualifying with a 5.30 and in eliminations overcame the electrical gremlins that have plagued the team for weeks for his first win ever at Sonoma. "This team had won at every track in California – Pomona, Bakersfield, Sacramento, Palmdale, Fontana – except this one," he said.

Demke nearly remained winless at the picturesque facility in the wine country north of San Francisco but had just enough to take out Ray Martin in the final, 5.44 to 5.45. "The engine shut off and came back on twice on that run," said Demke, who survived a close one in which both drivers made their first runs out of the 5.30s all day.

Demke's engine shut off completely at the 5.2-second mark in round one, but he still coasted to a 5.39, 252 win over Bill Dunlap's one-of-a-kind, driver-forward car. A 5.33 in the semi's took care of past Winternationals runner-up Don St. Arnaud and set up a final-round match with Martin, who had qualified with a 5.40 and had run consistent times of 5.38 against Johnny Ahten and 5.39 against Joey Severance. Another run in that range would have been enough in the final, but Martin slipped to a 5.45. Demke was away first with a .068 light and won by half a car length with a 5.44.

"It seemed to shut off for a long time both times," Demke said. "I was saying, 'No, this can't be happening,' but it came back on both times. Now, that's disturbing – it feels like your head's going to hit the dashboard. It would have run another 5.30-something, no problem, if that hadn't happened, but it still ran just good enough to win."

Whiteley had no such problems, laying down the best runs of her young Top Alcohol Funny Car career in the semifinals and final. After qualifying No. 1 for a very fast field with a 5.62 and winning a tight first-round race with Clint Thompson, 5.62 to 5.63, Whiteley unloaded one of the great runs of all time in the semifinals, a track-record 5.508, against Steve Gasparrelli, who bowed out with an otherwise fine 5.65 at nearly 261 mph.

"They run a lot better when you hit your shifts," joked Whiteley, who considers Sonoma her favorite track. "Until that run, the car kept feeling like it was going to wash out on me, and I kept short-shifting. I told [crew chief Roger Bateman] that I didn't know why I couldn't get past that spot, and he said he didn't know either and suggested that we switch lanes. I had no idea that run was a 5.50. All I knew was that it was the smoothest run I made all weekend."

Whiteley stayed in the left lane for the final against Phoenix Regional winner John Lombardo Jr., who had been running low 5.60s all day. Lombardo, who had eliminated Keeter Ray in the first round and Shane Westerfield in the semi's with almost identical runs of 5.602 and 5.601, lost traction immediately and slowed to an 11.10 while Whiteley disappeared into the distance with a 5.53 – more than a half-tenth quicker than anyone else had run all weekend.

It was the third win of Whiteley's first full season behind the wheel of an Alcohol Funny Car and the first at which her husband, Top Alcohol Dragster points leader Jim Whiteley, didn't also score. "Las Vegas was special because it was my first win, and Tulsa was special because the final was my first full run at night and because Jim won right in front of me," Whiteley said. "This one was awesome because of that 5.50. Roger and the Strasburgs given me a phenomenal car."

Reichert Wins Third in a Row, Ferro Victorious at Columbus

Courtesy of the Pro Sportsman Association/Todd Veney
Photos courtesy of Steve Fuhrman

Backed into a corner after losing early in his first two regional starts, Bill Reichert won his third straight to complete a perfect regional season and put himself in position to challenge runaway points leader Jim Whiteley for the Alcohol Dragster championship. Mickey Ferro had a much tougher time the negotiating the treacherous National Trail Raceway surface but managed to eke out the win in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Reichert, upset in the first round at both Indianapolis and Norwalk, followed up his Maple Grove and Chicago wins by stopping Robin Samsel in the Columbus final, 5.40 to 5.84. "You try not to think about the pressure of having to win three races in a row for a perfect three-win regional season, but in the back of your mind, it's always there," said Reichert, who won every national championship from 2006 to 2010 and settled for second last year. "I just tried to concentrate on winning each round and dealing with the conditions."

An iffy track and oppressive heat kept drivers in all classes fighting for traction all weekend. "The track was hot, and the air was, too," Reichert said. "A lot of cars smoked the tires ahead of us in the first round, and it seemed like every time another one did, we'd take a little more timing out of it. We didn't want to, but we had to for the car to be able to get a hold of the track."

Running in the last pair of the round, Reichert pounded alternate Dave Heitzman in a rematch of the Chicago final with a 5.35 (low e.t.) that surprised even him. "I definitely didn't think the car would run that good, and we weren't even trying to, but that's the number that came up," he said. After a 5.41 against fellow title contender Randy Meyer in the semifinals, Reichert ran a consistent 5.40 in the final to deny the veteran Samsel.

Ferro struggled with the conditions all weekend but persevered to win his third race this season and second in a row in the North Central Region. "That was ugly," he admitted. "We lucked out. The track got hot and greasy and we couldn't get a handle on it. The car would leave hard every time, but it would get out there and start moving around on me and I'd have to short-shift it or just shut it off. "

Ferro qualified No. 2 behind Norwalk winner Chris Foster, who had everybody covered in qualifying with a 5.64, but in the first round, Foster went up in smoke and lost to many-time IHRA event winner Tony Bogolo, 6.12 to a shutoff 13.26. One pair later, Ferro defeated Brian Harvanek in the best race of the event, 5.74 to 5.79. "We had everything – clutch, transmission ratio, timing – backed way down," Ferro said, "and I made it." In round two against Paul Noakes, he didn't.

"The car started getting sideways, I saw the cones coming, and I stepped off of it," Ferro said. "We were just too aggressive downtrack. This was the kind of race where you probably could just run off the main jet and the barrel valve and count on the track to give you the wheel speed you need."

Ferro strapped a holeshot on Bogolo in the final, .099 to .257, and still won despite having his car shut itself off in the mid-range, coasting to a 6.35 at 187 mph. Bogolo chased him down but fell three-hundredths of a second short with a 6.23, 227.

"They say a win's a win, and I can think of times I've run 5.50s and got sent home, but this isn't the kind of thing I'm going to feel too good about," Ferro said. "When I look at this trophy, I'm not going to feel the same as I will when I look at other ones that I feel we really earned. I guess the important thing is that this weekend helped us keep pace with the other cars going for the championship, but we can't have another one like this and expect to win."

Finke, Manzo Win at New England

Courtesy of the Pro Sportsman Association/Todd Veney
Photos courtesy of David Smith

Before a packed house at the Eastern Regional event at New England Dragway, John Finke had a .006 reaction time in the under-the-lights Top Alcohol Dragster final and ran a consistent 5.36 to stop No. 1 qualifier Richard Bourke. In Top Alcohol Funny Car, defending event champ Frank Manzo overcame a rare late light to run down John Anderika by seven-thousandths of a second, 5.60 to 5.69.

"This is one of the best wins I've ever had – definitely the best one that wasn't a national event," said Finke, a three-time national event champion. "I almost didn't believe it when I got out of the car at the top end of the track. I thought 'I did win, didn't I?' because I never saw my win light come on. I didn't know for sure until the crew came down there flashing the lights at me."

Finke had endured five runner-ups since his last victory, at the Englishtown Division 1 event in 2009. "The last couple of years were pretty tough," he said. "We got close a few times but could never get the job done."

If it hadn't been the best divisional/regional outing of Finke's career, it would've been the best of Bourke's. The New Jersey driver qualified No. 1 with a career-best 5.25 and took out Lebanon Valley winner Dan Mercier in round one with a 5.27. After a close win over Dan Page in the semifinals, he slipped to a 5.48 in the final.

Finke had the best reaction times of his career: a .015 in the first round against reigning world champ Duane Shields, a .022 against East Region points leader Rich McPhillips, and the .006 in the final against Bourke.

After a .054 reaction time in the first round and a .034 in the semifinals, Manzo slipped to a .139 in the final and made his first run all weekend that wasn't in the 5.50s. "I saw Anderika way out there at half-track and thought, 'Oh, he red-lighted,' " said Manzo, who still trailed Anderika at the 1,000-foot clocks. "Then I looked up at the scoreboard and saw that it wasn't on and thought, 'I've got a lot of catching up to do.' I wrung that thing's neck in 2^nd gear and still wasn't sure if I was going to get him." With an 8-mph edge, he barely did, 5.60, 259 to 5.69, 251.

It would have been a second holeshot win in a row for Anderika, who took out Norwalk national event winner Paul Gill in the semifinals, 5.71 to Gill's tire-shaking, backpedaling 5.70. "I never saw Manzo the whole way," said Anderika, who lost the Norwalk regional final to Chris Foster earlier this year by an even closer margin: two-thousandths of a second. "But you're running Frank, so you never take anything for granted. I never even looked for my win-light that time. I looked for his, and when we crossed the finish line, there it was."

Simonton Looks to Keep Momentum Going in Columbus

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo Courtesy of Kon Rodz Racing

HEBRON, Ohio (July 18, 2012) – Following their most successful three-race stretch to date, Cassie Simonton and the Kon Rodz Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car team plan on keeping the momentum rolling at this weekend’s Buckeye Fuel Wars at National Trail Raceway. The fourth race on the team’s NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional tour will be another opportunity for the team to flex their muscles in conditions that they love; heat and humidity.

“Randy (Anderson) knows how to get the car down a hot track. The data from Chicago and Norwalk will help with the hot and humid weather that is predicted. The track isn’t a national event track like the previous two races, so the track surface will be a bit different, but we’re not worried about it,” Cassie said.

The hard-working crew members got a much-deserved break after Norwalk, allowing them to recuperate after two consecutive four-round Sundays. That break is over, and they’re ready to get back to winning rounds.

“It was nice for the team to get a few days off after Norwalk. Now we’re back at it in Columbus, servicing everything so we’re ready for the weekend,” said the driver who not only wheels the 3,000 horsepower Funny Car, but works on it, too.

Back-to-back national event final rounds must add to the pressure of competing in the competitive Top Alcohol Funny Car class, right?

“It does add some pressure,” Simonton says. “We have a great car and the team is working really hard, so I want to keep that momentum going for them. We all want to continue winning rounds so we can get our first event win. I do better under pressure, so I think that added pressure will help me.”

Cassie and the Spiro Kontos-owned Kon Rodz team will get their first qualifying shot at 4 pm Friday. TAFC gets two more sessions on Saturday, with first round of eliminations scheduled for noon on Sunday.

Kon Rodz Racing is a NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car team owned by Spiro Kontos, competing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. 25-year old Cassie Simonton drives the team’s 3,000 horsepower Chevy Monte Carlo funny car. Spiro, Cassie, and the whole Kon Rodz Racing team would like to thank the following sponsors for their continued support: Lucas Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, Goodson, BAE, Goodyear Tire, Clevite, Mac Tools, Artist ButchM, and ithreesixty Music Infused Apparel.

For more information on Kon Rodz Racing, please visit http://www.konrodzracing.com/. Keep up with Cassie and the team on Facebook (www.facebook.com/konrodzracing) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/cassiesimonton and www.twitter.com/konrodzpr ).

Ahten Looking for a Thrill Ride in Sonoma

Courtesy of THR5 Communications
Photo Courtesy of Chuck Costabile



Sonoma, Calf. – Johnny Ahten and his Ahten Racing Team are happy to be descending. Not in their racing program, but they are eager to be racing closer to sea level. Their last three races have been at high elevation tracks. Racing at Sonoma Raceway in this weekend’s Regional race changes all that. 

“With good weather we could be racing at 1800ft, whereas we have been used to racing at over 3000ft,” said Ahten.  “We like Sonoma, since we seem to run well there. We have run in the 20’s, and even runnered-up.”

Some changes will have to be made to the Island Renovations / 801 Racing / Fireman’s Brew Dragster. The Ahten Racing team lead by crew chief Al Ahten, will use elements from their Tucson IHRA win, with changes for altitude. Assisting the elder Ahten will be Howard Katano, Bob Ahten, Kevin Colvell, and Chuck Costable.

“We are bringing just about the whole gang out here,” added Ahten. I’ll be in the motorhome with the wife and kids, and we might even check out Six Flags after the race.”

As if driving a Nitromethane Injected Dragster wasn’t enough of a thrill ride, Johnny Ahten is looking give it a ride in Sonoma.  “I want to kick people’s teeth in,” said a confident Ahten.  “We know our new engine combination can make gobs of power, we have to step up and apply it to the track. We have been studying the computer numbers from our last race and know what we have to do.”

This bravado from Johnny Ahten is somewhat of a departure for the mild-mannered Fire Captain.  The confidence comes from knowing he has the power to win, and the poise of a professional Drag Racer to keep focused. His crew behind him, Ahten has amped up his car, and his demeanor. That can only mean some heartbreak for the cars in the other lane. 

…  

Island Renovations understands the complexity of Hawaii's homes and their customers’ needs. Whether you are looking to build, remodel, or replace your existing windows and doors, Island Renovations is there to provide outstanding service and products to give your home added value with the satisfaction and peace of mind from a company that puts their customers first. Visit us at http://www.islandrenovations.net/

We believe true happiness comes from blazing down the blacktop with the pedal to the metal and our hair on fire. The whiter our knuckles get, the better. If it were up to us, cars wouldn't even have brakes, just two gas pedals. It's this never-ending need for speed that drives everything we do. We spend countless hours in the lab and lying awake at night plotting and planning how to get more speed by any means possible. After decades of research and innovation, we've developed a complete line of performance and car care products designed to ensure that your ride lives up to its potential on the street and on the track.  We know what you want. We got what you need. We are 801 Racing.  For more information on 801 racing, please visit: http://www.801racing.com/

Fireman's Brew grew out of two Los Angeles based firefighter's vision to create premium handcrafted beers that would quench their thirsts after an exhausting day on the firelines. Originally created by firefighters for firefighters, Fireman's Brew is now available at bars, restaurants and retail stores throughout Southern California. Visit them at http://www.firemansbrew.com/

Demke Goes to Finals at Woodburn

Courtesy of THR5 Communications
Photo Courtesy of the Pro Sportsman Association

Woodburn, Ore. – Whenever you go fishing there are a few things that are bound to happen. Sometimes you catch your limit, and sometimes the big one gets away. At their first trip ever to Woodburn Dragway, Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing Team came away with a few keepers, but the catch of the day eluded them. That’s fishing, or in this case, Drag Racing.

The weekend started out with a whopper. In the first round of qualifying the Peen Rite / OSI / 801 Racing Dragster ripped off a 5.322/269.86. That blast put them in the number one qualifying position.  It also gave them the track record at Woodburn Dragway. This was the kind of statement the Team was looking to make. They serviced the car and returned to the line in anticipation of lowering the record. In the second qualifying session, there was a tug on the line, but it wasn’t the big fish.  A wire had come loose and the car coasted down the track. Back in the pits, the wire was zip tied in place. The decision was then made to sit out the third qualifying session, as they still held the top spot.

Sunday saw the Maddern Racing Team geared up for an expected good day of fishing. The car was quick, and they knew they had something for the competition.  The first round of eliminations held a chance to cast all their lines with a bye run. The car responded with a 5.338/265.87. In the second round, Chris Demke was up against Megan McKernan. A 5.350 at 267.45 was laid out on the table to McKernan’s 5.396 at 266.42. So far it was a good day of fishing; they had two keepers in the boat, and it was time to go for the big one. The final round match up saw Gregg Lawrence in the other lane. Demke got a sizable advantage at the start, but then the car hazed the tires. Tire shake followed, which caused the same wire that came out in round two of qualifying to pull out of the connector. Demke could only sit and watch as Lawrence raced to the victory, his victory. This would be the one that got away. 

“Running as well as we did really says something about the ability of our car and Team,” said Demke. “The car ran some really great numbers, and getting the track record at Woodburn Dragway is special.  I love this track. It’s so smooth and well prepared. It was also great to connect with so many great fans. I have never been here, but the fans knew me. On the return road they were at the fence cheering us all the time. I just wish we could have landed the big one.”

The 2012 Woodburn Regional race will be remembered by the Maddern Racing crew as a missed opportunity to get a win and the points that are associated with it. It will also be remembered as a great weekend of racing a track record run, two passes in the 5.30’s, and a shot in the finals. As fish tales go, this could be remembered as the one that got away. But it’s not the end of the season, just the end of this fishing trip. Now it’s on to another pond, and the opportunity to land a few more keepers.  That elusive big fish is still swimming, and Chris Demke and the Maddern Racing gang are not going to quit until it’s theirs. 

...

About Peen Rite - Your source for quality shot peening, glass bead, and abrasive blasting services for over 45 years. We provide low cost solutions, high volume capacity, and a superior level of quality control. Equipped with many specialty machines designed to handle the cleaning and surface preparation for a wide variety of work pieces. PEEN-RITE gives you the ability to stay within your job cost estimation! 

Operational Solutions will challenge itself on a daily basis to provide a unique advanced technical service to our customers. Our team will work to identify the problem, procure the necessary parts, and implement the solution. We will accomplish this with an expertise and professionalism unparalleled in the PET bottle industry. Operational Solutions provides products and services for the PET blow molding industry.  We are the leading independent service and support organization for SIDEL, SIG, and Krones blow molding. We serve customers around the world from our facilities in Kansas City, Missouri and France. Visit us at: http://www.operationalsolutions.com/

We believe true happiness comes from blazing down the blacktop with the pedal to the metal and our hair on fire. The whiter our knuckles get, the better. If it were up to us, cars wouldn't even have brakes, just two gas pedals. It's this never-ending need for speed that drives everything we do. We spend countless hours in the lab and lying awake at night plotting and planning how to get more speed by any means possible. After decades of research and innovation, we've developed a complete line of performance and car care products designed to ensure that your ride lives up to its potential on the street and on the track.  We know what you want. We got what you need. We are 801 Racing.  For more information on 801 racing, please visit: http://www.801racing.com/

Lawrence Surprises in TAD, Payne Sweeps in TAFC at Woodburn

Courtesy of the Pro Sportsman Association/Todd Veney

At the Les Schwab Challenge Western Regional event at Woodburn Dragstrip, Gregg Lawrence came from the last spot in the field to take down championship contenders Joey Severance and Chris Demke for Top Alcohol Dragster honors, and all-time great Jay Payne outlasted a top-flight field of Top Alcohol Funny Cars for his second victory of the season and passed idle Frank Manzo for second place in the national standings.

Lawrence upset Severance, the two-time defending event champion and pre-race favorite, in the opening round with a steady 5.55. Severance, a co-owner of the track, shook the tires off the starting line and slowed to an 8.57 after the chutes deployed. Lawrence soloed in the semifinals and met Demke, who set the track record (5.32) in qualifying, in the final.

Demke, who ran a 5.33 in the first round and a 5.35 in a semifinal win over Megan McKernan, coasted to a 17.96 after a wire to the six-shooter became disconnected when the car rattled the tires in low gear. Lawrence, who got quicker and quicker in every round, scooped up the win with his best run of the weekend, 5.53.

"I saw his nose out there for a split second, and then he was gone," Lawrence said. "Like Bob Frey always says, that's why they don't run these things on paper. I expected to run a 5.40-something – that's what we were running last year, and we probably could have done it again. But it wasn't going to run a 5.30, so why go up in smoke trying? If Chris ran what he'd been running, there's nothing we could have done. But if he stumbled, a 6.0 would have been enough anyway. We had a long time to sit there and think about it, but we left things pretty much alone, and it all worked out."

It was Lawrence's third divisional/regional victory and his first in nine years. All three have come at Woodburn, his home track. Lawrence, who lives just 15 minutes from Woodburn in Salem, Ore., defeated Darren Nicholson in the 2002 final and Severance in 2003.

"This meant so much more to me and my team than it probably would have to Demke or Severance," Lawrence said. "Those guys are so good and have won so many times, it would have been just another win for them. Who knows how many more races they'll both will win before this year is over, but to us, this weekend meant everything."

Alcohol Funny Car distilled to a fitting final between the drivers who tied for No. 1 in qualifying with matching 5.661s: Steve Gasparrelli, who got the top spot on the basis of his faster speed, 259.59 mph to 255.31, and Payne.

Low e.t. was reestablished three times in eliminations, first by Brian Hough, who ran a 5.63 to beat Jason Rupert's 5.79 in the opening round. Payne followed two pair later with a track-record 5.61 in a come-from-behind win over Sean Bellemeur, who was out first with a .004 reaction time.

Payne outdid himself in the semifinals with Woodburn's first 5.50, a 5.599 opposite Hough's game 5.65. Gasparrelli, who won the Mission event in his most recent regional appearance, defeated Shane Westerfield in the other semi, 5.67 to 5.73, and anything close to that would have been enough to win the final, where both drivers made their worst runs all weekend.

After leaving almost simultaneously with .060 lights, Payne got the best of a wild race, 5.76 to 5.80, leading by a full tenth at the 330-foot mark but by just four-hundredths at the stripe. Payne, who had raced just once since he edged Gasparrelli in the Houston final, has reached at least the semifinals in every outing this year and now trails leader Tony Bartone by just 20 points in the national standings.