Ahten's Pomona Thrill Ride Comes to an End

Courtesy of THR5 Communications
Photo courtesy of Costabile Productions

Pomona, CA. – Johnny Ahten’s homecoming at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona didn’t quite go as planned. A rained out Thursday session, a tire-shaking first qualifying attempt, and finally a wheels-up charge to the centerline kept Ahten from racing come eliminations time. It’s the nature of Drag Racing. Sometimes you receive a gift, like a red light in the other lane, and sometimes you don’t qualify. The NHRA World Finals will not be remembered by Ahten Racing as a failure, but a motivational experience that has them fired up about 2013.

“We have raced for the last three weekends and have learned quite a lot about our car, our tune-up, and ourselves,” said Ahten. “We needed data on the new combination and I believe we have enough to start making the changes necessary to step up. It’s an imperfect process that takes time and effort. Pomona taught us that. I really want to thank my Crew Chief Al Ahten, Howard Katano, Bob Ahten, Chuck Costabile, and Kevin “Shark” Colvell. The Island Renovations / 801 Racing / Fireman’s Brew Team will carry on. We can’t wait to get back to the shop and start working on the car for next year.”

There were some good things to come out of the Ahten Racing’s time in Pomona. First off they had a chance to celebrate the end of the season racing with their fellow racers. Secondly, friends stopped by the Ahten Racing trailer to chat and share old memories. And last but not least, Firefighters, fans of Fireman’s Brew, and 801 Racing Teammates were all a big part of making this Pomona trip special.

As a driver and competitor, Johnny Ahten wants another run. Being limited to two blasts down the quarter mile was just not satisfying. It will have to be enough to hold Ahten and the team over until next year. Refining the tuning process with Ahten will be his Dad and Crew Chief Al Ahten. Together, father and son will work on what when wrong, as well as what they see to be successes. Johnny and Al Ahten came to Pomona years ago, stood side by side, and lived the Drag Racing experience. Now they will need to tap into that wealth of knowledge in preparation for the future. The Winternationals will be here in no time, and the never say quit attitude of Johnny Ahten and the Ahten Racing Team will make sure they are ready to run.

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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 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: 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, Denver, and Chicago. Visit them at www.firemansbrew.com

TAN