Megan Meyer to Debut Racers Evolved A/Fuel Dragster at NHRA Gatornationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

Second generation A/Fuel Dragster pilot Megan Meyer will begin her 2016 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster campaign this weekend at the NHRA east coast opener, the 47th Annual NHRA Gatornationals, March 18-20. Meyer will compete in a nitro-injected dragster owned and tuned by her father, 2007 and 2015 Gatornationals event champion Randy Meyer.

“I feel a little extra pressure and a little extra confidence,” Megan said. “We’re confident because we won it last year, but this is a new car and a new driver. This is my first national event so I’m a little nervous about that. It’s a bigger stage than a regional event. We had some great results with this car at Pomona, so I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

Gainesville Raceway is a special place for Megan, not just because of her father’s history, but because of her own as well. It’s where she earned her Super Comp and Top Alcohol Dragster licenses, but she’s never actually competed at the historic track.

“I participated in Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School with my Super Comp dragster when I was 16 years old, and it was a great learning experience to transition from junior dragster to Super Comp. Two years later I was back on the track getting my feet wet with our Top Alcohol Dragster. I remember that day very well because a few of the Top Fuel teams stayed to test, and I felt very privileged to be able to run behind them for the very first time. This experience helped put everything into perspective as to where I could take myself in this sport. I grew better as a driver each time we returned to Gainesville, and last year I made a huge stepping stone of running a 5.29 ET pass and had the help of Dave Hirata to sign off on my TAD licensing pass. So it is very fitting to have my first NHRA National race at the Gatornationals.”

The Gatornationals will be Meyer’s first of 18 events scheduled for her true “rookie” season. One of the aspects she’s most looking forward to is the opportunity to compete on a national level with drivers who she either grew up with, or grew up watching as Randy raced A/Fuel dragsters since before the 22-year old was born.

“There’s going to be lots of tough competition this weekend. I’m thrilled to be able to say that I’m ‘one of the guys’ now. I’m excited to be able to race against Mia (Tedesco). She won the Gainesville regional last weekend. We’ve grown to be really good friends over the last few years because we both come from a bracket racing background,” noted Meyer, who raced to the final round at her Top Alcohol Dragster debut in regional competition last summer.

This is also a debut weekend for Meyer’s primary sponsor, Racers Evolved, an apparel company with designs for racers, by racers. The drag racing and motocross-themed line of apparel includes a “Megan Meyer Signature Series” designed to match the car. In addition to gradually unveiling the Racers Evolved A/Fuel dragster on their Facebook page this week, the company also launched their website.

“The main designs that we’re promoting should all be available to browse. All of the designs will also be available for viewing on my new Augmented Reality hero cards. It’s still very new technology, so there’s a section on the hero card that explains how to use it. We’ll have some giveaways and coupons on the Augmented Reality portion of the card, so it will be interactive for the fans. We’re actually doing a buy one, get one half-off offer if I win the race this weekend. If you’re not at the race this weekend, you can check out the designs at RacersEvolved.com.”

Megan Meyer and the Racers Evolved A/Fuel dragster will take to the Gainesville Raceway quarter-mile for Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying sessions at 10:45 AM and 2:30 PM on Friday, March 18. A third and final qualifying session is scheduled for Saturday at 10:15 AM, followed by first round of eliminations at 5:45 PM. Eliminations continue on Sunday afternoon. FOX Sports will air Lucas Oil Series coverage from the NHRA Gatornationals at 9 PM ET on Thursday, March 24, with four scheduled re-air dates in the following weeks.

ABOUT MEGAN MEYER
No stranger to a life in the fast lane, Megan Meyer grew up around the sport of drag racing. In 2004, at just 10 years of age, she was given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Junior Dragster, alongside her younger sister, and took over the driving duties with no hesitations. Megan stepped up to the Super Comp class in 2010 after a successful career in the Junior Drag Racing League, earning two track championships. She is now making the transition to Top Alcohol Dragster with her father and veteran driver Randy Meyer as her mentor and driving coach. Follow Megan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meganmeyer.racing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/meyersisters), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/meganmeyer.racing).


ABOUT RANDY MEYER RACING
A highly respected member of the NHRA Drag Racing family, Randy Meyer has had a successful career spanning over 35 years of drag racing as driver, team owner, and crew chief from AHRA Pro-Comp to IHRA Top Fuel and NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster. Focusing on the things that brought the team to existence has been the reason that Randy Meyer Racing has been so successful. In 2002 he handed the driving duties over to Gary Ormsby Jr. to become the first Top Alcohol Dragster to run in the teens with a solid 5.135 ET. The following year, Meyer tuned Alan Bradshaw to become the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion. Randy has returned to the driver’s seat since then, and has earned multiple Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 5 and Central Region points championships. For more information on Randy Meyer Racing, please visit www.RandyMeyerRacing.com and like RMR on Facebook (www.facebook.com/randymeyerracing).

Megan Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team receive support from the following companies: Lucas Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, GUNK, ARP, Clevite, Taylor Cable, Meyer Truck Center, Herbalife24, Team Racepak, and Copeland Race Cars.

Demke Races to Third Gatornationals Final, Third Final of 2015

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 18) – Top Alcohol Dragster driver Chris Demke raced to a runner-up finish at the 46th Annual NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida last weekend. The Californian driver battled hot conditions all weekend before dropping the final round match to A/Fuel guru Randy Meyer. The final was Demke's third consecutive money round finish since winning the 2014 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national championship.

“One thing about our team is we know how to go rounds,” Demke boasted. “I'm so proud of our team. It was a tough weekend and my crew worked extremely hard to get to the finals. I'm a little disappointed that we weren't able to win the race but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. Knowing Randy Meyer ran a 5.21, we really didn't have anything for him. If the car ran where we had it tuned for, he still would have won.”

Demke qualified the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster in the No. 3 spot with a 5.280/272 MPH performance. Another 5.28 was used to take out Matt Cummings first round, followed by a pair of 5.27 elapsed times to get past the A/Fuel cars of Mike Manners and Rich Bourke. In the final round, Demke and opponent Randy Meyer left the starting line with nearly identical reaction times, but the nitro-injected A/Fueler held the lead for the rest of the race. Demke recorded a 5.33 ET, while Meyer won with a 5.21.

Demke was quick to pass on congratulations to Meyer and his team. The Maddern Racing and Randy Meyer Racing teams have faced off for years in some of the quickest and most prestigious races.

“Congratulations to Randy Meyer, Ted Lake and the rest of his team. They're a great group of people. We run into each other to race all the time and they're a great team. Those were the guys that we didn't want to have to race in the final, but that's racing for you. My hat's off to them. That's a well-deserved win for Randy.”

The Gatornationals was an enjoyable race for Demke and his Maddern Racing team not just because of their performance or the history and prestige surrounding the race, but also because the race has turned into such a social event. Most of the east coast teams come out to play for the first time, and a lot of the racers congregate in one place after the day's racing activities have concluded.

“It's always fun going to Gainesville. It's one of the 'majors' and everyone is there. We stayed at The Lodge, which is right across the street from the Gainesville Alehouse, where all of the Pro teams hang out after the races. It was nice to spend time with all of the race teams. Our team has come of age and the Pro teams know who we are and treat us like we're a Pro team, too.”

Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team have returned to the Maddern Racing shop in California to prepare for their next race, which is currently scheduled to be in Las Vegas. Until then, fans can tune in to watch the Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol coverage from the Gatornationals on ESPN2 on March 28 at 10 AM ET.

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Ron Mann and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Meyer Defeats Reigning TAD Champion for Gatornationals Victory

Courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing
TAN photos

March 18th, 2015 - Kansas-based Top Alcohol Dragster team Randy Meyer Racing traveled south to Gainesville, Florida for the 46th annual NHRA Gatornationals as their first stop on their 2015 tour. With no prior testing before the event, the team had an exceptional weekend to dominate the field and take home the Wally.

Driver and tuner, Randy Meyer, laid down a 5.35 ET at 267 mph for the first qualifying session on Friday at Auto-Plus Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, as his very first pass down the quarter-mile track for the beginning of the year. He followed it up with a 5.29 ET at 271 mph during the second qualifying run, and an improved 5.28 ET at 274 mph for the third and final qualifier, placing him fourth in the 16-car field.

 First round eliminations saw Randy overthrow 13th qualifier, Paul Fishburn, with a 5.32 ET at 271 mph Sunday morning, followed by a 5.31 ET at 275 mph to defeat Rich McPhillips in the second round.

A semi-final victory over Jackie Fricke with a 5.30 ET at 275 by Randy placed him in the final round against reigning Top Alcohol Dragster champion Chris Demke. The two launched off the starting line with similar reaction times, and were together down the track until Randy pulled away, and took the event win with an aggressive 5.21 ET at 277 mph to Demke’s 5.33 ET at 276 mph.

“There was an edge and we took it,” said Randy. “We put it all on the line and it paid off. After a long hard winter it was great to be able to see the sunshine, and get off to a good start for the year.“

“The car ran good and the crew did a great job. I am very proud of my family and my team. It was a bonus in the finals to beat Demke, they have a great car and that’s why they carry the number 1. We are all looking forward to a great outing at our next race in Charlotte.”

After a victorious weekend, the team wasn’t done racing as Randy’s oldest daughter, Megan Meyer, hopped in the driver’s seat of the A/Fuel Dragster to complete her Top Alcohol Dragster license. With a half-track pass, a 1000-foot pass of 5.36 ET at 231 mph, and a quarter-mile pass of 5.29 ET at 264 mph, she was able to successfully get approved to license with NHRA.

“It is a dream come true,” said Megan. “I was so thrilled to know that I was earning my license after we were done testing. I have been waiting for this moment all my life and it is finally here. I cannot wait to continue training this year, and compete full-time next year.”

“I would like to give a huge thank you to my parents and sister for their support and believing in me, and my uncle Rich and the Lindberg Brothers Team for helping us with the car on Monday, as well as Dave Hirata for signing off on the passes. I am very grateful for those who have been there for me throughout the years from when I first started training at Gainesville two years ago. We have an amazing team made up of family members and close friends who know how to make our hotrod one of the best in the field.”

You can find Randy in the winner’s circle on ESPN2 at 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET on March 28th.

The next stop for the Randy Meyer Racing Team is March 27-29 at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, NC for the 4-Wide Nationals.

The Randy Meyer Racing Team would like to thank its other partners on board for the 2015 season: Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, NGK Spark Plugs, GUNK, Quik-Latch Products, Boninfante, Taylor Cable, ARP, Aeromotive Fuel Systems, MAHLE Clevite, Hedman Hedders, Moroso, and Aeroquip.

Follow us on Facebook (/RandyMeyerRacing, /MeganMeyer.Racing), Twitter (@MeyerSisters), and YouTube (Randy Meyer Racing)

Demke Heads to Gainesville with Third Gatornationals Victory in Mind

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 11) – Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster team have headed east in search of their third NHRA Gatornationals victory. The California-based group is eager to add another thrilling chapter to their Gainesville history book, but Mother Nature and a field of east coast competitors won't make it easy.

Demke, the defending NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national champion, is off to a strong start in 2015, having won the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona and reaching the final round at the Phoenix regional event, all while bringing on an additional experimental team car. Maddern Racing is back to running as a one-car team this weekend, though the powerful motor from the “X” car is back in Demke's car, ready to rip off low-5.2 elapsed times at over 270 miles per hour.

“Our team generally does very good at the Gatornationals. We won twice in our last three Gatornationals appearances. Last year was kind of a mess in that that's when we were going through some clutch issues that were hurting parts. Now that we've got that behind us, I look forward to going there and running some very quick times. We've got the engine combination back in the car that was in the car at Maple Grove last year, ready to improve upon that performance,” Demke said, referencing the 5.21/277 MPH run he recorded last fall.

Though the team has the equipment in place, the conditions probably won't be conducive. Rain is predicted throughout the weekend, so making a clean run to qualify is the first priority.

“We get the one run on Friday. When the weather becomes an issue you try to push the envelope as far as possible but you also keep in mind that if you only get one shot you have to get it in the show. You kind of have to go up there to see how fast you can go but obviously you don't want to be over-center. If we can be in the top five after Q1 I would be very happy about that. Then if we get another shot at it that's just bonus time to pour the coals to it and see where we're at,” explained Maddern Racing tuner Adam Rhoades.

The Gatornationals is an especially important race for Rhoades, whose dad, Walt Rhoades, won the Gatornationals twice as a driver.

“This race has always had a special place in my heart because I was able to watch my dad win it in 1987 and he actually won it in 1971 in the Freight Train Top Gas car. We won it in 2011 and that was the 40th anniversary of his first win here so that made it even more special. Then we came back the next year and went back-to-back. It just gives me goosebumps talking about it,” Rhoades added.

Top Alcohol Dragster action at the NHRA Gatornationals, March 12-15 at Auto-Plus Raceway, kicks off with one qualifying session at 11:30 AM on Friday. Due to a threatening rain forecast, two qualifying sessions are set for 10:30 AM and 5:30 PM on Saturday, while first round of eliminations has been pushed to Sunday morning at 9 AM.

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Ron Mann and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

TAN Fan Perspective - Doug Bonnette

One of the original goals of Top Alcohol News is to provide a one-stop outlet for fans of Top Alcohol racing, from the lifelong diehard fan to the "mainstream fan" who is new to the class. In a new series, we'll share opinions and perspectives from a few of the fans of our sport.


I've seen some positive and negative posts today in regards to fans seeking autographs. John Force was at a Busch race at Richmond in the early 90's. I got his autograph on whatever card he was signing and it looked like the Nike swoosh. I'm not a huge fan of his but really appreciate what he has done in the sport. I've heard some great testimonies of people that have interacted with him in the pits, and some less than favorable meetings.

Name any drag racing icon and I'm sure there are fans that have had less-than-ideal meetings with them. These racing heroes are human, for crying out loud! Did you ever have a bad day at your job and snap at somebody? And to think the worst thing that may happen to most of us on the 9 to 5 is a paper cut, a slight bruise, a sunburn, or a sweaty uniform. Not sure what you do to make a buck and pay the rent, but would you want a clamoring audience looking over your shoulder and demanding your time while you performed it? All things considered, we should be grateful for the vast majority of drag racing stars and competitors that share their time in front of and behind the ropes with those that root for and idolize them. When they are less than accommodating, try and cut them some slack.

I've personally never experienced a negative experience with any racer or tuner. That is not to say that some were not available or accessible. The more "savvy" pro racers are certainly more fan accessible; they get it. But if you really want to spend meaningful time in actual meaningful dialogue, wander past the pro pits into the sportsman digs. While still accomplished, talented, and hardcore racers, most will actually stop what they are doing (if they are not too busy) and converse with fans, answering questions. I can't recall a single contact with a sportsman racer that wasn't anything less than enjoyable. I'll single out Chris Demke because [friend and WWSODR member] Eric Allen and I spoke to him at Gainesville after his massive breakage. He could not have been any more engaged in our conversation, sharing as much time as we wanted, in spite of a disappointing and expensive race day. Fans, do yourselves a favor. Don't deny the opportunities to meet and get autographs from pros but don't negate the hard-working sportsman racers. You'll not only expand your love and appreciation for the sport but you'll also encourage and bless a racer that may need it.

Chris Demke and Eric Allen with Allen's rendition of the

Peen Rite dragster at the 2014 Gatornationals

Doug Bonnette is a longtime fan of drag racing, especially enjoying Top Alcohol and Pro Mod racing. Bonnette gets his annual dose of nitro and alcohol at the Gatornationals, making the trip from his home in Winter Springs, Fla. A letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, Bonnette is also a founding moderator of WORLDWIDE SPORT OF DRAG RACING, a Facebook group of fans, drivers, and drag racing insiders from around the world.

Demke Returning to Vegas Following Gainesville Early Exit

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

LAS VEGAS (March 19) – Maddern Racing driver Chris Demke returns to the west coast this week following a so-so showing at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. The Californian team struggled through qualifying and suffered a second round loss to rival blown alcohol team Ynot Racing and driver Mike Strasburg.

Demke dealt with traction issues on all three qualifying runs, eventually salvaging a 5.351/270 MPH run in the final session to qualify seventh. Tuner Adam Rhoades had the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster tuned up for Chris' first round race with Jared Dreher. Chris ran 5.284 over Jared's 5.364. He was unable to repeat on Sunday, running 5.395 in a losing effort to Mike Strasburg's 5.277.

“We just couldn't see the forest through the trees. We had better air, making more power, we just overestimated the track. We overpowered the track three times in a row. We were too confident. The computer was telling us every time what needed to happen, and we just weren't seeing it,” Chris said, adding, “We weren't accepting the fact that the track wasn't good enough. The evidence was in the Pro qualifying results. John Force, who did very well at the first two races, struggled to qualify. That says volumes right there; those guys were having the same problem.”

A second round exit wasn't the desired outcome for Demke, who won the Gatornationals in 2011 and 2012.

“In racing you're going to lose more than you win and that's just a fact. I try not to let a loss get me down. With that being said, it certainly wasn't what we had hoped for, but we'll pick up the pieces and move on. The odds were stacked against us to win the race three tries in a row.”

Chris and his Peen Rite team won't need to wait long to hit the track again. The 2013 national championship runner-up is racing at the Las Vegas regional this weekend, the first of back-to-back races in Vegas.

“Based on last year's results we should probably do well,” Demke claimed. “Running the Vegas regional this weekend will help us get our tune-up in line for the national event the following weekend. We want to have a good showing at the regional for two big reasons. The regional races have implications towards the national points standings. We also need to do well here to keep our position in the Jegs Allstars points so we can go back to Chicago to try for another Allstars win.

“I look forward to going to Vegas. It's a world-class facility. The track is always prepped well. I'll be glad to be racing closer to home; I was so jet-lagged all weekend at Gainesville. Vegas is a very familiar place for our team. We have a lot of data to look back on, data that will hopefully help take us to the winner's circle.”

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, and LA X-Ray.

Whiteley Completes Comeback with Quarterfinal Finish at Gainesville

Courtesy of Todd Veney

After an enormous thrash that most teams wouldn't even have attempted, Annie Whiteley's J&A Service/YNot Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car team was right back at the top at the Amalie Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., Whiteley's first national event appearance of the season. Just days before Whiteley and crew pulled into Gainesville, the entire left rear of her Mustang body was obliterated by a tire explosion at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series regional event in Houston.

The YNot team, led by veteran crew chief Roger Bateman, got Whiteley's old car from Topeka to the East Coast, where the body from her 2012 car was grafted onto her current chassis. Right out of the box, the car showed its potential when Whiteley stormed to a 5.59 in the first qualifying session, followed by a 5.54 in last-shot qualifying that positioned her No. 4 in the 16-car field. "I still can't believe they got all that work done in such a short amount of time," she said. "It was as good as new, right from the start."

In the opening round of eliminations Saturday evening, Whiteley put away Canadian Paul Noakes, who won the 2013 Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pa., in his most recent appearance. Whiteley stormed to a 5.54, the second-quickest run of the round, to cover Noakes' 5.66. Everything came to a screeching halt in the quarterfinals Sunday afternoon against Australian Steve Harker when her engine was silenced by, of all things, a broke throttle linkage.

"We left, and I was heading out toward the wall a little," she said. "I was about to shift, and it just quit. I wasn't sure what was going at first because all of a sudden everything just stopped. It's a bad way to lose but it's not like I absolutely had him covered. He ran a 5.58, low e.t. of the round.”

The highlight of the weekend for the YNot team came in Pro Mod, where son Steven advanced to the quarterfinals in his NHRA national event debut. He qualified sixth of nearly 30 entries with a career-best 5.900, just missing the 5.80s, then took out veteran Mike Knowles in the opening round of eliminations before falling to eventual winner Mike Castellana in the quarterfinals despite an outstanding 5.91.

Duane Shields Wins Big at Gainesville

Courtesy of Rich Bailey

(Gainesville FL) Duane Shields cleaned house in Gainesville and took home just about everything in the Top Alcohol Dragster class that wasn’t nailed down. It was a flawless double victory at the NHRA Amalie Oil Gatornationals for Duane driving the PEAK A/Fuel Dragster. “The car is now responding very well to our tuning and we are able to hop it up when needed and tune it to the track conditions. The car is running good which also gives us a chance to learn more,” Duane explained.

On Friday, before setting his sights on his third Gatornationals title, Duane won the postponed Houston Regional Top Alcohol Dragster final. In that race, Duane took an easy win over Mike Strasburg who lost traction at the starting line. Duane posted a 5.28 which was also low ET for the second round of qualifying.

Duane qualified 4th overall with a 5.28 at 272 MPH which set up a first round meeting against Dan Page driving Art Gallant’s car. At the hit Duane was out of the gate first and scored a 5.36 at 272 MPH win over Page’s 5.43 at 263 MPH. “They made a very good run against us and we were side by side all the way down,” Duane said.

In round two, Duane took on Matthew Cummings. Cummings was noticeably late off the line and again it was another total domination for the PEAK team as they advanced to the semi finals with a 5.38 at 272 MPH over Cumming’s 5.95 at 197 MPH.

In the semi finals, it was a race between two former National Champions, Bill Reichert and Duane Shields. Both drivers proved why they are former champs since they had identical reaction times as both cars left the line with 0.75 lights. Reichert managed a slight lead but Duane grabbed the lead at 330 feet out and never looked back as Reichert dropped a cylinder. Duane took the win with a 5.30 at 273 MPH over Reichert’s 5.43 at 262 MPH. “That was a critical race and we left at the same time. Bill had some slight problems but we were able to make it all the way down the track with a strong run,” Duane said.

In the finals, Duane raced the Gatornationals’ defending event champion, Rich McPhillips. At the hit McPhillips got a sizable starting line advantage but then he began to drop cylinders. As was the case in the previous round, Duane was able to gain enough momentum to blast past his opponent and take the win with another consistent and highly competitive run. Duane won the Gatornationals title with a 5.33 at 266 MPH over McPhillips’ 5.47 at 261 MPH. “Rich was my toughest opponent all weekend. I saw his car next to me for a long time. I dropped a cylinder and I was holding on to the steering wheel hoping he wouldn’t pass me at the finish line,” Duane said after the win.

Duane is not only happy that he now has a consistent car, he is excited that some of his new crew members finally got to celebrate a win. “Some of my newer crew members have never won a Wally before so this win is for them to enjoy,” he said. Duane would like to thank PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil, Final Charge, Blue Def, NGK, GRP and Brad Anderson Enterprises.

Whiteley Overcomes Houston Tire Explosion to Race in Gainesville

Courtesy of Todd Veney

Annie Whiteley will be in Gainesville this weekend for the Amalie Gatornationals after her team completed a massive rebuild following a tire explosion at the Lucas Oil Series regional event last weekend in Houston. In the first round of eliminations against eventual finalist Jay Payne, severe tire shake caused part of Whiteley's wheelie bar to break off and puncture the left rear tire, setting off a massive explosion that blasted a hole in the entire left rear of her J&A Service/YNot Racing Mustang body.

"I've never been through anything like that," said Whiteley, who has finished in the Top 5 in the NHRA national standings in each of her two seasons in Top Alcohol Funny Car. "It was shaking when I left and I was just trying to make it through low gear, and all of a sudden … BOOM. I didn't know what was happening. Then stuff started raining down on me. It felt like the whole car was coming apart."

Whiteley ended up in Payne's lane but kept the car off both walls and climbed out to discover that the chassis was completely intact. In fact, she'll be at the wheel of the same car days later in Gainesville – just not with the same body, though it, too, eventually will be back.

"The whole left rear of the body is pretty much gone, but that can be repaired," said crew chief Roger Bateman. "They'll stick it back in the mold, redo it, and it'll be as good as new." The Mustang body off her old car will be on the chassis from Houston when qualifying begins Friday in Gainesville.

Whiteley is slightly sore on her left side but otherwise completely uninjured. "It's a good car, and I'm fine," she said. "It was the loudest sound I've ever heard, and it took a minute to figure out what the heck was going on, but we're going to be in Gainesville, and I'll be ready to go."

Randy Meyer Racing Kicks off 2014 in Texas

Courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing

Baytown, TX – The Randy Meyer Racing Team visited Baytown, Texas for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series NHRA South Central Divisional Showdown at Sundown event at Royal Purple Raceway this past weekend to kick off their 2014 race season.

Team-owner Randy Meyer and his two Top Alcohol Dragster team struggled to go rounds at this event. The bad weather caused many problems, including canceling the crucial testing session before the race. For the first qualifying session on Friday, Randy wasn’t able to make the 8-car field as he struggled to get off the line. Chase Copeland, the driver of the team’s second A/Fuel Dragster, also struggled with his first qualifying pass, but was able to make the field with a 6.52 e.t. at 257 mph.

The race schedule was moved up to finish the event on Saturday to make up for the incoming rainstorm on Sunday, which caused racers to lose the third qualifying session. With only one more chance to qualify, the team did what they could to step it up in the cold temperatures. Chase claimed the sixth spot with a quicker pass of 5.64 e.t. at 264 mph, while Randy was also able to enter the field in the seventh spot with a 5.67 e.t. at 256 mph.

For the opening round of eliminations, Randy was up against Duane Shields, the number two qualifier. Randy launched off the starting line first, but immediately spun the tires. He managed to backpedal to recover the run, but Shields was too far ahead to catch. Chase faced David Brounkowski, the third qualifier, but lost due to a late reaction time. Although Brounkowski hurt his motor on the run, Chase wasn’t able to get around him, but he was able to make a clean run with an improved time of 5.48 e.t. at 261 mph.

“Because of the rain and cold, we weren’t able to get data from testing,” Said Randy. “We plan to test in Valdosta, Georgia to get it sort out. The car acts like it wants to run good again, it has lots of power, but we are not quite there yet.”

Chase added, “The first outing went very well. We really needed our testing days that were rained out, but for no data on the second car the team did great. I look forward to Gainesville; with the information we got at the regional event the car shows great potential! Thanks again to Randy Meyer Racing, Lucas Oil, NGK, Belzona Industrial Solutions, Rezner Trailers, and Gunk for this great opportunity!”

The team is excited about the start of the season with both cars running strong. Their next race will be in Gainesville, Florida for the NHRA GatorNationals. Sportsman racing will air on ESPN2 March 29th from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET/7:00 AM – 8:00 AM PT. Make sure to visit our Facebook Page (/RandyMeyerRacing) for race updates.

The Randy Meyer Racing Team would like to thank their partners: Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, NGK Spark Plugs, Quik-Latch Products, Boninfante, Taylor Cable, Motor Medic, Belzona Industrial Solutions, Rezner trailers, ARP, MAHLE Clevite, Hedman Hedders, and Moroso.

Demke Going After Third Gatornationals Wally

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 13) – West Coast Top Alcohol Dragster heavy hitter Chris Demke and his Maddern Racing team are heading east from their Southern California shop towards Florida, going after their third NHRA Gatornationals trophy. The excitable Demke is eager to return to Auto-Plus Raceway to further his place in Gatornationals history and start playing with the east coast A/Fuelers for the first time this season.

Chris and his Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team made the trek to Gainesville twice in the past few years, returning to California with the Wally both times.

“Some of the best performances in NHRA history were run at this track. Additionally, Maddern Racing has a great history at Gainesville. We came here in 2011 and 2012 and won it both years. Our team's tuner, Adam Rhoades, also has a history at this race, as his father, Walt, won the Gatornationals in 1971 and 1987. The track has a lot of history with NHRA and with our team,” Chris said. “It's also where I proclaimed myself as 'the new sheriff in town' in one of my ESPN2 interviews.”

The NHRA Gatornationals, March 13-16, serves as the east coast season opener. For that reason, most of the east coast and midwest A/Fuel cars haven't had many opportunities to play around with the new A/Fuel rules announced over the winter.

“I know they're chomping at the bit to start playing with that extra percent of nitro that they're allowed to use this season. Looking at the first couple of races so far, some of the teams have struggled to manage the extra nitromethane. On the other hand, it looks like the other teams have been able to figure it out in two or three runs. It certainly won't be easy this weekend. We just need to be on our game and run every run to our full potential,” Demke commented.

The Peen Rite blown alcohol dragster team will be looking to return to the winning ways with which they started the season at the Winternationals.

“We just need to pick things up where we left off in Pomona. We struggled with some technical difficulties at the Phoenix regional, but I think we have all of that behind us. We're ready to hit the track in Gainesville. The air looks like it should be decent; I think we have the right tune-up for the conditions,” Chris concluded with confidence.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the NHRA Gatornationals starts on Friday with sessions at 11:15 AM and 5 PM ET. A final qualifying session is at 10 AM on Saturday before first round of eliminations at 4 PM. Eliminations conclude on Sunday afternoon.

 Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, and LA X-Ray.

Driver Blog - Cassie Simonton - TAFC

New Season, New Challenges!

Finally the 2013 season is underway and I can’t be more excited about it. We started our year like we normally do by going to Valdosta, Georgia to test then off to the Gatornationals. The two weeks leading up to our first test session were a bit crazy. I was busy getting the race car ready to run, doing interviews, and getting everything lined up for our sponsors. I didn’t have much down time and I loved every minute of it. 

Before we headed to Valdosta we spent two weeks in North Carolina getting the race car ready to go again. I must admit that I was excited to head down south in February. I thought it was going to be warmer down there, but it seemed the further south we went the colder it got. I guess it was nice a few weeks before we showed up so they said we brought the bad weather with us. Go figure!  During those two weeks we were busy servicing all the vehicles, grinding floaters, doing body work, and putting new decals on the car. I think after all the decals I have put on the car and trailer lately I am going to start a new business called Stickers by Sassy (lol). 

After two cold, rainy weeks, we were ready to head to warm, sunny Georgia. I couldn’t wait to get back in my car and start making passes again. After being out of the car for 6 months the first pass is always a little nerve-racking. We were short handed for our test session so one of my other crew members Patrick was given the job of buckling me in for those two days. It is not an easy job to do between the 7 point harness, hybrid, chin strap, radio, air hookup and the fact it all has to be hooked up a certain way. I am pretty sure he was ready to give up on it after the first pass when it took us about 20 minutes to get me in the car. He got it down after that one but I’m sure he was more than happy to give that job back to Londos when we got to Gainesville. One of the best parts about working with a team is all the memories and stories that are made throughout the season. That will be one of many I am sure we can laugh about later looking back on the season. We only made two short passes while we were in Valdosta but we were happy with what we saw so we packed up and headed to Gainesville for our first race of the season. 

I was also very excited to debut my new Sparco fire suit at Gainesville. We struggled during qualifying but I got in on the last pass by pedaling the car to 5.81 @ 255 mph. That put us in the lucky thirteen spot going into first round against Dale Brand. We made our best pass of the weekend first round, running a 5.67 @ 256 but it was not enough to take out Dale Brand’s 5.58. That was not how we were hoping to start our season but we learned some things and we were excited to head to Charlotte for our next race.

We had a month off in-between races so I was more than ready to get back into the car at Z-Max Dragway for the 4-Wide Nationals. Wednesday night I got the opportunity to go to the NHRA vs. Nascar Charity Softball game with Courtney Force and Sarah Adams. I got to hang out in the dugout and had a great time cheering on our NHRA boys. NHRA got the win over Nascar, 19-5.  

Last year we had a great running car at this race but had some bad luck first round and lost due to a broken fuel pump. We were hoping to make up for that this year! The first qualifying pass was a handful. It shot right over to the centerline when I left the starting line then shot over towards the wall. I couldn’t bring it back so I had to shut it off early. It still ran a 5.89 and I was out of it around half track so it probably would have been a pretty good pass if it went straight. The second qualifying pass she went right down the groove and ran a 5.69 @ 255 mph. First round we ran a great 5.55 @ 261 mph to get the win over Andy Bohl, the defending race winner. Second round I was paired up with Dale Brand again. We were hoping to even up the score from Gainesville but we both had tire shake and he was able to recover quicker and took the win.

On Saturday, I got to meet and show around Hunter from Off Axis Paint. They are one of our new sponsors for this year. Off Axis is going to be painting 3 of my new Bell Racing helmets. They do amazing work and I can’t wait to see my new helmet when it is finished.

 Work in progress

Our next race is May 17-19^th at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio for the Cavalcade of Stars regional race. I always look forward to running there because the fans and staff are amazing. I hope to see you there!

Cassie Simonton is the driver of the Kon Rodz Racing Top Alcohol Funny Car. Fans can find her and the team on Facebook and Twitter (Twitter.com/CassieSimonton and Twitter.com/KonRodzPR). 

Foster Hoping to Rebound in Charlotte

Courtesy of Foster Racing
Photo courtesy of David Smith/Pro Sportsman Association

CONCORD, N.C. – Former two-time NHRA Division 3 Top Alcohol Funny Car Champion Chris Foster will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing first round loss at last month’s Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., during this weekend’s Dollar General 4-Wide Nationals at Z-Max Dragway just outside of Charlotte.

The Foster Racing/DragRaceHose.com Mustang ran career numbers in Gainesville and hopes to build on them in Charlotte, a track known for record performances.  Prior to Gainesville, Foster had been 5.54 (at Charlotte last year), and ripped off runs of 5.52, 5.50 and 5.52 in qualifying to place him second in qualifying, just .004 off the pole.  The team lead by Will Hanna is cautiously optimistic heading into Charlotte.

“We let one get away from us in Gainesville,” said Foster.  “We had a good running car and the car just made a freak hard move to the right, right off the line.  Then it had the front end up and got out in the marbles before I had a chance to get it corrected.  It was just a freak deal.

“We look at Charlotte last year as another race we let get away from us,” Foster continued.  “Will and the guys have the car running on a string right now.  After losing in the first round in Gainesville, we all can’t wait to get back to the track to try to redeem ourselves.  You get excited as it is going to race in Charlotte.  It’s a fast track.  Hopefully we can make a good showing for DragRaceHose.com, Goodridge Hose & Fittings, NRE X-1 Heads, Hoosier Tires, McNiece Racing, Motorsports Unlimited, RBS Superchargers, Manton Rockerarms, Red Line Oil, and Ace Clutches.”

Qualifying begins on Friday with two sessions for the alcohol cars, followed by one final session Saturday morning.  Eliminations begin Saturday afternoon with round one and final eliminations will conclude the event on Sunday.

Follow the Foster Racing team on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FosterRacingTAFC.

TAN Driver Blog - Dave Hirata - TAD

 Steve Fuhrman/Cyclops Photography

After a disappointing 2012 season, the team can only look upward for 2013.  We just could not find the sweet spot consistently last year.  We hired the best out there in Steve Boggs but the stars never lined up like we thought.  Steve is one of the best ever.  I learned tons from him.  But not every combination of parts, pieces, and personal always work.  I totally respect Steve and we still talk.  We now just have to move on and do what we think we know.

We just went back to a combo of the past that ran .30's.  We finished top 3 in our division.  We feel it is a baseline and hopefully improve from there.  We CAN NOT thank our partners enough who stuck with us last year and who are all back this year.  We owe them and will work to give them the support they deserve.  We got the best of everything to contend: parts and pieces, support and CREW.  THANK YOU ..........ALL OF YOU.

The team looks to bring it home from Gainesville in a few weeks.

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