Booher Prepared for Second JEGS Allstars Appearance at Route 66 Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Mike Sopko Jr.

JOLIET, Ill. (July 7, 2016) – For the second time in his Top Alcohol Dragster career, Brandon Booher will represent the NHRA North Central Region in the prestigious JEGS Allstars race this weekend. Held in conjunction with the NHRA K&N Filters Route 66 Nationals, July 7-10, the Allstars race will pit eight of the best TAD competitors from across the country against each other. But unlike most of the other competitors, Booher will spend most of his on-track time dialing in his combination for regional competition.

Booher, the 2013 NHRA North Central Region champion, is using his 2016 national event appearances as testing opportunities to prepare for regional events. The AB Construction team’s first national event of the year at Norwalk two weeks ago yielded promising results, but an untimely loose fitting prevented Booher from making a run in the first round of eliminations.

“The testing strategy worked at Norwalk,” Booher said. “The car ran really well in the heat. It would’ve ran better first round, but we can’t really think about that now. Moving on to Joliet, we have the same plan. I’ve got some converter stuff I’m going to test. I’ve got a different set of tires I’m going to test. Don’t get me wrong; if it goes out there on the first pass and runs really well, I’m probably not going to swing for the fences after that. I’ll dial it in. I’m going there and I’m going to put a car down the track that’s different than what went down the track Q3 and E1 at Norwalk, which already was a really competitive car; second or third-low for the session and quickest blower car by quite a bit. That’s sort of the plan.”

Booher certainly considers the prestige and prizes associated with winning the JEGS Allstars race and the NHRA Route 66 Nationals, but he’s intent on getting ready for the next NHRA North Central Regional event in Columbus, Ohio, July 22-24. He currently leads the region points.

“I sort of pigeon-holed myself trying to run the Allstars race (in 2014) and I’ve seen it happen to guys who run that race and they don’t qualify for the national. Not that the national points mean that much to me, but the money definitely matters to a team like ours. Seven grand to win the Allstars, five grand to win the national, plus contingencies on both. It could be a big, big weekend for us. That’s on my mind, but I’m there to test. I’m there to make something better than what I have and go to Columbus with a set-up that’s going to be hateful in the heat. That’s what we need. It’s going to be hot and greasy. My plan as far as the regional points is not let off the gas. I want to lock this deal up. I let it slip through my fingers last year and I’m going to do everything within my power to make sure that doesn’t happen again this year,” added Booher, who finished second in the region championship by 10 points last season.

The AB Construction/Torque MGMT team enters the weekend as the most recent Top Alcohol Dragster team to win at Route 66 Raceway. Booher was victorious at the Burndown at Sundown NHRA regional race at Route 66 in June, winning for the first time with his 11 month old daughter, Adelynn, in attendance.

“We know this track. We know what it’s like to tow back with winning timeslips. We’ve already won races here, there and everywhere, but to come back to our home track where we just won, there’s going to be a certain comfort level,” noted Booher, a Champaign, Illinois native.

Adding to Booher’s aggressive outlook on the weekend is the sting that remains from losing first round at Norwalk.

“I want to rebound from Norwalk. Perform how you want in qualifying, but when it came down to when it mattered, we failed. I’m hungry. I know the guys are. I wouldn’t want to line up against me. I’m going to take no prisoners. We’ll be ready for sure.”

Booher praised the technical and product support from Steve Graves at Quick Drive, Mike Strasburg at B&J Transmissions, MVM Motorsports Products, High Performance Lubricants (HPL), and Goodson Tools for contributing to the team’s performance.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. Crew members include Brian Booher, Pete Brady, Cam Brady, Nate Van Wagnen, and Kirk Wolf. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Race Cars, B&J Transmission, High Performance Lubricants (HPL), Quick Drive, Goodson Tools, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Secures Second JEGS Allstars Berth with Norwalk Win

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

NORWALK, Ohio (May 27, 2016) – Past NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster regional champion Brandon Booher added a race win to his 2016 championship effort as he won the Cavalcade of Stars event at Summit Motorsports Park last weekend. The victory also gave Booher enough points to claim the number one spot to represent the North Central Region in the prestigious JEGS Allstars race in July.

Booher was especially pleased to win the Cavalcade of Stars because he only qualified eighth, barely earning the chance to race on Sunday. Tire shake plagued the AB Construction blown alcohol dragster on all three qualifying attempts, but the versatile driver/tuner found a solution for eliminations that brought him victorious runs of 5.447, 5.447, and 5.413 over Jared Dreher, Ken Perry, and Brandon Greco, respectively.

“I kept trying stuff through qualifying and nothing was working,” Booher stressed. “We’d get back from the run, download the Racepak, and it was as if nothing changed, like I made three carbon copy runs. So I decided I needed to do something drastic and run the car in a manner that I had never done before. That’s what it took. I doubt I’ll use those timing graphs ever again. I put some bars in the chassis that Spitzer had added when the car was built to use if needed to add rigidity to the car. I thought, well, it’s biting too much early and then not biting enough so I’ll stiffen it up and take an educated guess at the timing curve. Did it work? Well, it was more of a trophy-winning Band-Aid. It didn’t run phenomenal, but it ran good enough to win.”

It wasn’t a sweeping performance like the ones that helped Booher earn his first regional championship in 2013, but a dominant performance wasn’t needed to win the race that saw some of the Midwest’s best cars struggle to get down the Norwalk quarter-mile.

“Once we won first round and had lane choice in the second round, I realized I didn’t need to run a 5.32. Should I be able to run a thirty-two? Yes, everyone should be able to. But if you look at the performance, a lot of good cars didn’t make a lot of good runs. My game plan through eliminations was to just go down the track and try to improve. It was good enough to win. It shouldn’t have been. Sometimes you get luckier than the competition,” Booher readily admitted.

The Cavalcade of Stars was the last race for North Central Region teams to lock up their spots in the JEGS Allstars race, which is held in conjunction with the NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Booher’s home track, Route 66 Raceway, in July. The Norwalk win boosted Booher into first place, giving him his second Allstars berth. It’s a high honor for most, but the former Pro Top Outlaws champion won’t let it distract him from his ultimate goal.

“I ran the Allstars once in 2014 and I didn’t do it properly. I treated the Allstars like its own drag race and not what it really is, which is qualifying for a very tough event. I’ll be there and I’ll line up for it, but it’s not the first thing on my mind. My concern is to win the North Central Region again.”

The accomplishment isn’t lost on Booher, though, since his team earned the number one position on the strength of five races. The other three drivers in contention earned JEGS Allstars points at six races.

“If you look at the race count, we’re actually down one race compared to everyone else because we didn’t run Columbus last year. So to win the Allstars spot on one less race than everybody, that’s pretty cool. That’s a real testament to the caliber of car, team and more specifically people that we have in our extremely small-budgeted operation. I don’t think there’s a legal mechanic between any of us, but we’re pretty smart,” said Booher, who missed the Columbus race to be with his wife, Shannon, for the birth of their daughter, Adelynn.

Booher passed on appreciation for his family-based crew, as well as team supporters Manley, MVM wheelie bars, Spitzer Race Cars, and HPL Lubricants.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Race Cars, B&J Transmission, Goodson Tools, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Reloaded for Another Regional Championship Chase

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (April 28, 2016) – NHRA North Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster frontrunner Brandon Booher has his AB Construction dragster ready for another run at the regional championship. A simple $2 part forced the 2013 champion to lose a second title by a mere 10 points last fall, so Booher spent the long offseason going over every inch of his car in search of improvements to the consistency and performance.

“I toyed with a few things. We have a different drive unit and transmission that we’re going to be trying when we have time to test it. I changed a few little things in the motor but really just went over the car and improved in a few areas. We should have better parts longevity than last year. It seems like each year we have less and less to do, we just try to improve our package and put out the best possible car within our budget. The plan is to go out there with a quick, consistent race car,” Booher said.

The Champaign, Illinois-based team will run a schedule similar to that of their 2015 season, beginning with the NHRA Lucas Oil Series North Central region opener at Lucas Oil Raceway this weekend, April 29-May 1. 

“Hopefully we’ll do well within the region so we don’t have to hit Earlville and Noble like we did last year. There are a few nationals that I like to hit, like Joliet, Norwalk, Indy and the Charlotte fall race. If the car is on a string, can’t be beaten and we’re not hurting parts then maybe I’ll hit a few more races. We’re just doing this to get away and have fun. If the car sucks then we’ll run less or go test, but I’m confident that we’ll run mid-to-low 5.3s off the trailer,” Booher added.

 In addition to his personal racing schedule, Booher has a full slate of events he will attend to serve his Torque MGMT tuning clients. Even with a wide range of schedules, from MDIR Door Wars races with Mac McAdams to PDRA Pro Extreme dates with ProLine Racing, the schedules all work out.  

“I’m just fortunate enough to work with good people who understand that my gig is a family gig. At the same time, a lot of theirs are the same, whether it’s the sheikh of Kuwait or the father-son Tindle team. They get it and they’ve been understanding.”

Such a demanding schedule has its benefits for the driver/tuner. Though the tune-up decisions don’t transfer well from car to car, Booher is able to gather a wealth of knowledge and experience as he works with a range of tracks, combinations and tuners.

“Sometimes I second-guess myself because you’re taking stuff from a car with a suspension to a car without a suspension. There are so many variables – a screw blower to a non-screw blower, a C-rotor to a D-rotor. Anything I tune I try to put a consistent product out there that isn’t going to hurt parts. My whole philosophy is if you want to win you have to learn how to win. You have to learn how to be consistent.

“More time on the starting line is huge, being able to get a feel for what kind of track surface leads to a certain performance out of a particular combination. I think that’s what makes a guy like Steve Petty, who I have the privilege of working with on the ProLine team, what makes him so dangerous. He’s been doing this so long. He has seen every different kind of track surface, every temperature, every level of rubber build-up and he knows what to do. Working with somebody like that, I just try to keep my mouth shut and pay attention and learn. That makes me a better tuner by default.”

Booher’s trailer also received upgrades over the winter. Fellow TAD competitor Dean Dubbin and his DMP Awnings company reskinned the trailer and built a new state-of-the-art awning.  The AB Construction team also welcomes the support of B&J Transmission and Quick Drive, who join returning Booher Racing supporters MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Race Cars, and Goodson Tools.

Top Alcohol Dragster competition at the Ray Skillman Auto Group Spring Spectacle of Speed, April 29-May 1, begins with one qualifying session at 4 PM on Friday. Two more sessions are scheduled for Saturday, while eliminations will begin on Sunday. To view live video from the event, visit www.nhradiv3.com and click “D3TV”.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING

Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MVM Motorsports Products, MBE Cylinder Heads, Spitzer Race Cars, B&J Transmission, Goodson Tools, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Caps Off Four-Race Stretch with Runner-Up Finish at Carolina Nationals

CONCORD, N.C. (September 23, 2015) – Former NHRA Carolina Nationals event champion Brandon Booher came just one win-light short of adding a second Charlotte Wally to his trophy case this past weekend. Booher fell to 2011 Top Alcohol Dragster national champion Duane Shields in the Carolina Nationals final round, capping off a four-week stretch of races for the family-owned team out of Champaign, Illinois.

“We started in Bowling Green with new cylinder heads from MBE – that definitely picked up our program. Not being able to field a competitive car in hot weather was something that was hurting us before. We could run well in good air, but so could everyone else. Now I feel that we can be competitive anywhere. Then we went to Indy with a new front-half. We had some issues there, then ran well in Earlville. We were able to finish strong this weekend at Charlotte, qualifying solidly in the field and reaching the final round,” Booher commented.

Booher drove his torque-converter-equipped dragster to the No. 4 qualifying spot with a stout 5.325 et at 271.95 mph. His supercharged machine struggled to get off the tricky starting line in the following qualifying sessions and subsequent rounds of elimination. Booher left the line first in all four rounds, first beating Wayne Morris with a 5.424/270.37 mph pass. He used a sizable holeshot to dispatch rookie Josh Hart's 5.428 with a 5.486 et. Booher had to pedal to a 5.509 in the semifinals, but opponent Robin Samsel also struggled to hook up to the zMax Dragway surface. In the final round, the AB Construction dragster was out of the gate first with solid lead, but Shields drove around Booher's 5.444 to win with a 5.318 pass.

“It was good to go to a final round. It would've been that much sweeter to win the Wally, but Duane made a hands-down excellent run in the finals. We bounced back and forth between lanes in eliminations. It was like I was always a run behind. When these things shake and you have to pedal them, it's not good, especially when the guy in the other lane is running a 5.31. I think it was definitely an issue plaguing almost every class. The starting line surface was marginal at best, and the starting line is where these supercharged alcohol cars are at their best. It was a successful outing. It could've been a little better, but nothing to hang our heads over,” Booher said.

The versatile driver/tuner attributed the recent uptick in performance to the efforts of some of his product partners – MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products carbon fiber wheelie bars, and longtime Booher Racing chassis builder Spitzer Race Cars.

Matt (Bieneman, of MBE) and I had been working together on some stuff off and on with Brandon Snider's Pro Extreme car, and I really saw the potential in the MBE heads with what Brandon accomplished with his own car. I was able to secure a set for my car. Matt stepped up big and it's definitely been a great partnership so far and no doubt will continue to be one as we take what we're learning on this car with a small cubic-inch motor on the quarter-mile, and progressing forward. We're already discussing things we want to change for next year.

“Matt and his company definitely are at the top of their game. They have some of the best people operating some of the best machinery. He's at the track, he's involved, he's helping out when necessary and that goes a long way. I think that's something people should consider when they're looking to purchase cylinder heads.

“We also started working with Mike and Frank Valerio at MVM Motorsports Products on the carbon fiber wheelie bars. Previously we were having issues with the moly bars. After tire shake or just general use, they would be bent, bowed and the metal lost memory. That's adding another variable into the tune-up. With the rigidity that the carbon offers, you have something that is no longer a variable. We shook the tires hard on five runs this weekend, and the wheelie bar is as strong as it was the day we got it.

Mike Spitzer and I have been together for around 20 years, from Junior Dragster to Super Comp, Super Eliminator and Pro Top Outlaw, to Top Alcohol and the new Top Alcohol Dragster we had them build in 2010. Anything I need, it gets done. I've said it before, but it's like family there. Indy was a shining example of the kind of service they offer to their customers. I pulled into Spitzer's shop early Sunday morning, broke the news that I needed a new front-half by Wednesday, and they didn't bat an eye. They had other stuff going on, other stuff they could've been doing, but they got it done. That's a pretty big statement right there. They just take care of their customers, and that's one of the reasons why Mike and his team have been successful in this business for decades and he'll continue to be until he decides he doesn't want to do it anymore.

“Those are three big partners that help us whenever they can, and in return we try to translate that quality into results on the race track. For what we have and what we spend, I definitely think it's there,” Booher decided.

As Booher points out, a strong support system of manufacturers is critical to a small team like his, especially one running a torque-converter in a class full of time-tested clutch set-ups.

“You're talking about a combination that was laughed at when it came into the class,” Booher said of his converter-equipped blown alcohol car. “That has transitioned into petitions being drafted against the combination, and negative comments from opponents' crew members on the return road. I just don't see how better-funded teams with full-time crews can complain about the torque-converter set-up being unfair. We operate on a shoestring budget, and as far as crew, I have a carpenter in my father, a network engineer in my brother, and a writer for Drag Illustrated. It's not like there's a bunch of engineers sitting up in the lounge. This is a labor of love. Whatever it takes, somehow, someway – I'm not sure sometimes how it gets done, but it gets done. That drive and determination is what's made us successful. We also couldn't do it with the companies and individuals listed above, among others. They make a world of difference.”

In addition to sitting ninth in NHRA Lucas Oil Series national points, Booher is second in North Central Region points. He must reach the final round at next weekend's regional race in Noble, Oklahoma to overtake Mia Tedesco, who holds a ten-point lead but is out of races to claim. Unfortunately for the 2013 North Central regional champion, he will likely sit out the rest of the season unless sponsorship opportunities arise.

“As it stands right now, Charlotte is our tenth and final race this year. It's been a good season, but there comes a point where you can't spend what you don't have. We're not going to race on credit cards. I have a wife and a new daughter. It's been a heckuva year – a win, two runner-up finishes, and two semifinals in regional competition. Mia just had a little better of a year, and my hat's off to her and the Hirata team for it. If someone wanted to work with us on a marketing partnership, or just wants to see me throw some dice out there, that's the only way it can happen,” Booher admitted.

ESPN2's Sportsman coverage of the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway airs at 7:30 AM ET on Saturday, September 26th.


ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products, Goodson Tools, Spitzer Enterprises, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Earns St. Louis Wally for Newborn Daughter

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

ST. LOUIS (August 11, 2015) – An average stop on the NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional tour turned into a significant occasion for Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Brandon Booher this weekend. Racing at the All-American Hot Rod Showdown at Gateway Motorsports Park, Booher picked up his first event win of 2015 when he defeated A/Fuel rookie Megan Meyer in the final round. It was also Booher's first win since he and wife, Shannon, welcomed their daughter, Adelynn, into the world on July 31st.

“It was great to be back and to get that first win as a dad was pretty special. At the start of the season, before she was born, I promised Adelynn I would get her a Wally. I was hoping I would get it a little sooner, but it's nice that she's actually here to enjoy it. This one will be special,” Booher said of the traditional trophy awarded to NHRA event winners.

Booher qualified fifth in the strong eight-car field with a 5.409 elapsed time. He used a .021 reaction time and 5.427 et to defeat Tripp Tatum and his Anthony Dicero-tuned A/Fueler in the first round, lining up a semifinal match-up with “Miss Mia” Tedesco. Tedesco currently leads the North Central Region points, while Booher is closing in at second. Booher was ready with another quick reaction time and consistent 5.424 lap, easily taking the win over Tedesco's tire-smoking run.

“The second round was the most important one of the year so far. If she went on to win that round and win the event, I think that would've been the championship decided. We killed two birds with one stone there, being able to take her out of the race while also gaining more points.”

The race didn't get any easier from there, as the AB Construction/Goodson Tools team had to face TA/D rookie Megan Meyer in the final round. Meyer, the 22-year-old daughter of world championship tuner/owner/driver Randy Meyer, was strong all day, cutting quick lights and defeating class veterans Robin Samsel and Marty Thacker to reach the final.

“You have to look at it like you're racing her dad, or even a quicker-reacting version of her dad. Randy is one of the best there is at tuning an A/Fuel car and Megan is no doubt proving herself as a driver. I saw two of her lights. One of them was an .02 in testing and she was .05 against me in the final, so she's going to be a handful for a lot of people as she continues to develop as a driver and attend more events.”

The two drivers left the starting line with just two thousandths of a second between them, but Booher picked up enough steam to power to a 5.418-to-5.496 victory.

Booher, who works as a tuning consultant for NHRA Pro Mod and PDRA Pro Extreme/Pro Boost teams, was quick to thank his family and crew for their part in the success.

“I want to thank my dad, Aaron, brother, Brian, and crew member Pete Brady for their hard work this weekend, as well as my wife and daughter for allowing me to go racing. Special thanks also to my mom, Rhonda, and Shannon's mom, Laurie, for lending a hand with Adelynn while I'm away. They make it possible. That's the most important thing to me right now, and it takes a lot help from a lot of people.”

Brandon Booher also offered appreciation for Goodson Tools & Supplies and MVM Motorsports Products, the team's product support partners.

“A lot of the car's consistency goes back to reducing the variables. If the car reacts the same way on every launch because the wheelie bar isn't flexing, you're taking out that variable. We put the MVM carbon fiber wheelie bar on the car at Norwalk, eliminated that variable and we're now able to focus on the finer areas of the tune-up. Props to Mike and Frank Valerio for making such a great product and allowing my job to be a little easier,” Booher said.

Next up for Brandon Booher and the AB Construction/Goodson Tools Top Alcohol Dragster team is the NHRA North Central Region finale at Kentucky's Beech Bend Raceway Park, August 28-30. The biggest race of the year, the 61st Annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Sept. 2-7, will follow.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Goodson Tools, MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Enterprises, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Scores Second Consecutive Runner-Up Finish of 2015

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

NORWALK, Ohio (May 21, 2015) – Brandon Booher is working his way back into championship form in NHRA's North Central region, where he now has back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2015. The for-hire Pro Mod tuner drove the AB Construction Top Alcohol Dragster to his seventh regional-level final round at Summit Motorsports Park last weekend, just two weeks after taking runner-up at the season opener in Indianapolis.

“It was definitely good to be in those final rounds and to acquire the points. Obviously I would've liked to win them both, or at least one. It certainly could've been worse. I suspected a few issues at Indy, though they were overshadowed by other unrelated problems. Those issues made themselves evident at Norwalk, but there was nothing we could do about that at the track. I just had to maintain performance and do my job as a driver,” said Booher, who also tunes the family-owned car.

A threatening forecast for the Norwalk area forced officials to cut Top Alcohol qualifying down to two sessions, though Booher managed to qualify sixth in the eight-car field with a 5.427 elapsed time. Racing in front of over 20,000 people, he left first with a .012 light and ran 5.475 to beat Canadian Jeff Veale in the first round. Booher improved to a 5.440 at 265 mph to defeat Mike Manners in the semifinals, again leading the race from the starting line. The same can't be said for the final round, though, when defending region champion Marty Thacker leaped off the starting line and won with a strong 5.430 performance.

“I had to make a tuning call that I didn't want to make, but I knew Marty would run right about where he did, and you know he's dynamite on the line, so I wanted to go out there and run 5.36-38. It was close, it just rattled the tires and I had to pedal it. At that point I could see too much of his car. I knew I wasn't going to catch him so I just lifted. No need to beat the parts up to get a better losing et,” Booher explained.

The issues plaguing the torque-converter-equipped dragster have been resolved for the team's upcoming home race, the Burndown at Sundown NHRA North Central regional event, June 5-7, at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago. There, Booher also plans to debut a prototype wheelie bar for the Top Alcohol Dragster class.

“We've been having some issues with the wheelie bar bending, so Frank and Mike Valerio of MVM Motorsports Products stepped up to work with us on debuting a carbon fiber dragster wheelie bar, similar to the MVM bars you see on a lot of the NHRA Pro Mods and PDRA Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous doorslammers. It will be a lot more rigid, stronger and it's carbon fiber, so it just looks cool.”

Brandon Booher was sure to thank his father and team owner, Aaron Booher; brother and main crew member Brian Booher; and crew members John Halloran and Nate Van Wagnen for their work at Norwalk.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Goodson Tools, MVM Motorsports Products, Spitzer Enterprises, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Kicks Off 2015 Season with Indy Regional Runner-Up Finish

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (May 7, 2015) – A long offseason of hard work was met with reward last Sunday as Top Alcohol Dragster driver Brandon Booher raced to his sixth NHRA regional event final round and first money round since winning Norwalk last year. Racing at the Spring Spectacle of Speed NHRA North Central Region event at Lucas Oil Raceway, Booher fought his way past two of the top blown alcohol cars in the country before falling to one of the class's rising stars in the final round.

The weekend started positively when a test pass on Thursday yielded a 5.361/265 mph time slip. Drama started in qualifying, though, beginning with a broken blower belt on Friday's run. A torque-converter seal broke on Saturday's first pass, then the top blower pulley broke during the final session. Making matters worse, the team later found out that a brake rotor came off during the burnout. Booher and team worked through the night to secure parts, ultimately finishing repairs on Sunday morning after a quick nap.

“Very few teams carry spare brake rotors and blower pulleys. Thankfully we were able to get a rotor from Anthony Dicero. Shawn and Ron Cowie and their crew chief, Bill Moore, let us use a spare pulley and snout, then we ended up racing them first round. We wouldn't have been able to race on Sunday if it weren't for the parts provided by those teams,” Booher gratefully noted.

The drama continued on Sunday morning, as the team found a broken exhaust spring after warming up the car before first round. The team thrashed to replace the spring, making it to the staging lanes with just enough time to line up alongside Northwest hitter Shawn Cowie. Booher won the race on the starting line, leaving first with a .029 reaction time, powering through with a 5.364 et to beat Cowie's 5.334.

“I knew I had to be on my game on the tree. He has a quick car, no doubt. We should be able to run right with them but we were down on some performance with the converter I switched to after busting the seal in qualifying. It's not like you can switch one to the other. They all have their unique properties and power curves. It would be like someone running a Crower clutch on Q3 then having to switch to a Leanders clutch for first round. So I was pleased to hit the nail on the head and run a thirty-six,” said Booher, a for-hire blown alcohol tuner.

The AB Construction dragster left the starting line first in the two subsequent match-ups, first against defending North Central regional champion Marty Thacker in a 5.409-to-5.438 semifinal race. A .022 holeshot in the final wasn't enough to beat No. 1 qualifier Mia Tedesco and the Hirata Motorsports A/Fuel dragster.

“It was nice to go to the finals again. We had a shot. We had lane choice, we just couldn't keep pace with them. They made a nice pass and deserved the win,” Booher admitted.

Brandon and the AB Construction team are now looking ahead at their next race, the Cavalcade of Stars NHRA North Central Region event at Summit Motorsports Park. The Norwalk, Ohio facility was the site of Booher's most recent win and where he set his career-best elapsed time, a 5.305.

“That race was like Disneyland; the track was killer and the air was good. As long as the surface is good I think we can get close to that this year. I'm going to try something different in the converter and see what that yields. Maybe we will see a twenty. I hope to make Q1 safe enough to get in the field. Then I'll look at the weather and see when our shot will be. If it's Q2, then we'll throw some jam in it and see what it does.”

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Goodson Tools, Spitzer Enterprises, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Looking for Resurgence at Bowling Green Regional

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of David Smith

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (August 20) – A breakout 2013 season had Brandon Booher and his AB Construction team primed for a national championship chase as the 2014 season began. They kicked off the year with a runner-up finish at the Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte then a win at the Norwalk regional. Their luck turned for the worse after that, falling in the first and second round at most races, even failing to qualify twice. Booher, who drives and tunes the family-owned Top Alcohol Dragster, hopes to turn things around for the better at this weekend's NHRA North Central Region event in Bowling Green.

“To go from the year we had last year and starting this year strong to struggling with issues and the car not running these last few races has been tough. It's no shortage of work or effort on anyone's part, it's just issues we've had to chase. It's been tough but that's part of the deal. We just need to plug away and get our car back to running where it should.

“After switching literally everything except my driving shoes and firesuit, we thought we had it figured out in St. Louis. The same issue persisted so I came back home, looked at my notes and realized that it was a certain part that I tried. It looked good on paper but it just caused the car to run very poorly. That part has been switched out and now we just need to go to Bowling Green, make some solid hits and get ready for the U.S. Nationals. It would be nice to roll into Indy with a win,” Booher said.

In addition to confidence in the changes he made since the last race, Brandon is fueled by past success at Beech Bend Raceway. He reached the first final round of his TAD career here in 2009, and was well on his way to another final last year.

“This year we've seemed to struggle at the tracks where we excelled last year and vice versa. Last year we won the Joliet and Columbus regionals; this year we didn't qualify at both. Last year we struggled at the Norwalk regional; we won it this year. So following that line of thinking we should do well at Bowling Green. We hurt a lot of parts at this race in prior years, though we didn't have any issues last year. We qualified number one and went to the semifinals where I was double-oh red. I'm looking to improve on that and gain some points,” Booher commented.

Those valuable Lucas Oil Series points are important to Booher, who last year won the NHRA North Central regional championship and finished third in NHRA national points. Though he's slipped to fourth in regional points this year, he's still set on a second championship.

“I'm not giving up on this regional championship yet. I'm sure a lot of people have counted me out based on the last few races but there's a number three on that car for a reason. I hope to prove wrong anyone who thinks I got dumb or forgot what I'm doing.

“It's going to take a good car,” Booher said of what's necessary to repeat last year's points finishes. “I can drive the car well so most of the time that isn't an issue. I just need to have the car behind me. I think our performance in the past proves that it's a contender. If we can pick up a few wins and the right people go out at the right time we can still have a very successful season.”

The NHRA Lucas Oil Series North Central Regional race at Beech Bend Raceway, Aug. 23-24, is a Saturday-Sunday event with qualifying at 1 and 5 PM Saturday and eliminations beginning at noon on Sunday. The AB Construction team will head to Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis following eliminations.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world – 5.30 seconds at 275 MPH. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Goodson Tools, Bell Helmets, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Severance a Slight Favorite for TAD Title at Midseason

Courtesy of Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association

Joey Severance is the leader at the clubhouse in Top Alcohol Dragster this year, the top-ranked driver halfway through the season. Severance, who was in the title hunt right down to the final day of the 2011 season, has three wins in just six starts – back to back to back at the Phoenix regional, Las Vegas regional, and Las Vegas national. The three times he has lost – at the Winternationals, Kansas Nationals, and last week's Acton, Montana regional – he was off the starting line first, twice with reaction times in the teens.

With his nemesis, 2012 and 2013 world champ Jim Whiteley, now retired, this might finally be the year for Chris Demke, who has finished second in the standings in three of the past four seasons. Demke grabbed the early points lead with perhaps the best performance of his career at the Winternationals, where he dominated with a barrage of 5.20s. He stumbled to a first-round loss and four second-round losses in his next five starts but rebounded with a final-round win over Severance last weekend in a battle of the class' top two drivers this year.

Chris Demke - TAN/NVW photo

Right behind them in third place is Duane Shields, who led the standings until last weekend, when Severance appeared in his fourth final of the season and took over the top spot. Shields, who has finished in the Top 5 six times, including 2011, when he won the championship, has two wins but also six first-and second-round losses that could come back to haunt him. He won the rain-delayed Houston regional final and the Gatornationals on the same weekend, but he's been out after the second round in his last four races.

Hovering in fourth place is Bill Reichert, who has finished not just in the Top 10 but in the Top 5 for 10 years in a row and almost certainly will again in 2014. By his lofty standards, it's been a quiet season so far (no national event victories yet), but he's amassed an enviable 11-4 record, back-to-back national event semifinals to open the season, and a pair of regional wins. He reached the semifinals at the Gatornationals and 4-Wide Nationals and won the regionals at Indianapolis and Chicago.

Without attracting much attention, Mike Strasburg has put together a solid season, his first in an alcohol car in more than a dozen years. Driving the dragster Whiteley wheeled to the championship last year, the part-time Top Fuel racer has put up a 9-4 win-loss mark, reached two regional event finals, and won one, two weeks ago in Denver. He's yet to be beaten in the first round and despite not running as many races as other title contenders, still has a solid shot at the title.

Back east, Jackie Fricke is having the finest season of her career. She's a career-high sixth in the national rankings, has two final-round appearances to her credit, and broke through at Lebanon Valley Dragway for her first NHRA win.

Jackie Fricke - David Smith/PSA photo

Seventh-place Mark Taliaferro surprisingly has yet to win a race with championship-winning crew chief Norm Grimes, but it's hardly been a disaster. In just five starts so far in 2014, he's been to the final round three times – at the Las Vegas regional, where he fell to Severance; at the Houston national, where he lost to Randy Meyer; and at the Denver regional, where he lost a close one to Strasburg.

Meyer is in eighth place, but his car is in first. If you add the points from Shayne Lawson's back-to-back wins at the wheel of Meyer's A/Fueler at the Kansas Nationals and the Tulsa regional to Meyer's total of 265, it comes to 435, enough for what would be a 32-point "lead" over Severance. The car is on a three-race win streak, including Meyer's Spring Nationals victory, and Lawson's recent Tulsa win came in an all-Randy Meyer Racing final over Chase Copeland.

Tied for ninth and rounding out the Top 10 are Brandon Booher and Canadian Jeff Veale, who each have a win in five starts this year. Booher, who won four races and the North Central Region championship in his breakout 2013 season, took the Norwalk regional this year and was runner-up at the 4-Wide Nationals. Veale earned his first career NHRA title at the Richmond regional and was runner-up to Fricke at Lebanon Valley.

 

Brandon Booher - TAN/NVW photo

 

JEGS Allstars: A battle of NHRA Sportsman ranks' brightest stars

Courtesy of Scott "Woody" Woodruff

2013 JEGS Allstars TAD & TAFC team champions

 

CHICAGO (June 24) -- An incredible field of the best NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series drivers from across North America will converge at Route 66 Raceway this weekend for the 30th annual JEGS Allstars competition.

This year's field includes 79 drivers representing 33 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. The group will compete for individual and team honors and a share of more than $120,000 at stake during the event, which will once again be held in conjunction with the Route 66 NHRA Nationals. Of special note, each qualifier and the 10 champions will be rewarded a newly designed trophy handcrafted by master sculptor Dan Dreisbach of Naked Sculpture.

The JEGS Allstars competition is a unique event that crowns individual champions in 10 separate eliminators, in addition to an overall team champion. Racers qualify for the prestigious event by earning points in their home divisions during yearlong battles in the following NHRA Lucas Oil categories: Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, and the exciting Top Dragster and Top Sportsman classes.

In 2013, the host team from the NHRA North Central Division pummeled the competition for a record-breaking seventh overall team title. Led by Top Dragster racer James Monroe and Top Sportsman racer John Scali, the North Central team accumulated 1,300 points, finishing well ahead of the Southeast Division team, which scored 1,000 points.

As defending champions, Monroe and Scali will have the opportunity to return and defend their titles. They will be joined by fellow returning champions Bill Reichert (Top Alcohol Dragster), Dale Brand (Top Alcohol Funny Car), Mike DePalma (Comp), Mike Crutchfield (Super Stock), Sherman Adcock Jr. (Super Comp), Kevin Moore (Super Gas), and Casey Grubb (Super Street).

The 2013 JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car team champions.
When NHRA announced two years ago that Top Alcohol competition would be divided among four regions rather than the traditional seven divisions, JEGS immediately devised a plan to keep the popular cars in the Allstars competition. As a result, Top Alcohol teams will compete for a special "regional" trophy, also designed by Dreisbach.

The Alcohol Dragster field is stacked with former world champions Reichert and Randy Meyer leading the way along with former Allstars winner Chris Demke and rising star Brandon Booher.

With 10-time Allstars winner Frank Manzo enjoying a well-deserved retirement, the Top Alcohol Funny Car title is once again wide open with current defending champ Brand facing a lineup that includes Clint Thompson, Dan Pomponio, and Todd Veney, three drivers currently ranked in the top 10.

The Northeast Division team is tied with the North Central team with seven overall wins and will be looking to break that tie against a team anchored by world champions Frank Aragona Jr. (Comp), Byron Worner (Super Stock), and Ray Sawyer (Super Gas).

Perennial Allstar Adcock will be the cornerstone of a very competitive Southeast Division team that also includes three-time world champion David Rampy (Comp) along with second-generation racers Robbie Shaw (Stock) and Ray Miller III (Top Dragster). The Southeast Division team has a long history of success in the JEGS Allstars competition, having won six overall titles in addition to their runner-up finish last season.

The defending champions from the North Central Division boast a stacked lineup that includes world champion Ray Connolly, Top Dragster specialist Marco Abruzzi, and Super Stock ace Jeff Dona.

A solid South Central Division team includes Slate Cummings, who is racing in two classes (Super Stock and Stock) for the third straight year, and Super Comp rep Austin Williams, who is perhaps the hottest Sportsman driver in the country this season. Past world champion Jimmy Lewis also gives the South Central Division team a hope of collecting another overall championship.

Amazingly, the West Central Division team has never won the JEGS Allstars overall title but has the manpower to do so this year as their impressive lineup includes world champs Bruno Massel Jr. (Comp), Gary Stinnett (Super Comp), and Phil Unruh, who is making his second straight appearance in the Top Dragster class.

The team from the Northwest Division has a lot to prove after scoring just 300 points in last year's competition. A repeat would be almost unthinkable because the 2014 team includes veteran Comp driver Ralph Van Paepeghem, Joe Sorensen (Super Stock), and Casey Plazier (Stock). Historically, the Northwest Division has won two overall JEGS Allstars team titles (1988 and 2005).

The squad from the Pacific Division, who claimed the 2012 overall title, will be looking to regain the top spot, and there is no reason to think it can't with a team that features reigning NHRA world champions Alan Ellis (Comp), Justin Lamb (Stock), and Rick Beckstrom (Super Gas).

The JEGS Allstars program has been a breeding ground for some of today's best-known Mello Yello Series Pros. Reigning Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. has been an Allstars representative for the North Central division six times, winning the Super Gas class twice. Other past Allstars participants include Top Fuel drivers Morgan Lucas (Top Alcohol Dragster, 2003 and 2004; won in 2003), current Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon (Super Comp, 2005-07; won in 2005 and 2006), and Spencer Massey (Top Alcohol Dragster, 2007 and 2008; won in 2007) as well as Funny Car drivers Tim Wilkerson (Top Alcohol Funny Car, 1995) and Jack Beckman (Super Comp 2004 and 2005; runner-up in 2004).

While the JEGS Allstars is a highlight competitive event, camaraderie between racers and their crews is evident, especially during Friday evening's racer appreciation barbecue, which is open to all of the JEGS Allstars competitors, their families, and crews.

 

2013 JEGS Allstars Division 3



Booher Enters Burndown at Sundown as Defending Event Champion

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

JOLIET, Ill. (June 5) – Defending Burndown at Sundown Top Alcohol Dragster event champion Brandon Booher is back at Route 66 Raceway this weekend with hopes of adding another NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional event Wally to his trophy case. Booher, who won his first-ever NHRA event win at this race last year, faced challenges to prepare for the weekend and expects even more when the race begins.

“We had some issues at Topeka, issues that we've been fighting all year. Whenever the temperature is over eighty degrees the car just doesn't run well. I think we have those issues fixed – we'll find out this weekend. I expect the car to perform as well as it has here in the past,” Booher said.

Booher and his AB Construction/Torque MGMT team swept the 2013 Burndown at Sundown, qualifying No. 1 with a 5.328 ET and winning the race over national championship runner-up Chris Demke. Brandon went on to claim his first NHRA North Central regional championship.

“This is where we sort of kick-started our regional championship chase last year, winning the first of three races in a row. Although we've had some bad luck so far this year, we're actually ahead of the ball with a runner-up at Charlotte and a win at the last Lucas Oil race at Norwalk. We need to get the points up early. Last year's championship chase went until the end of the year – I want to wrap it up as early as possible. Getting an early lead and maintaining it will be huge,” Booher added.

The Booher Racing team was close to missing the race due to engine issues until fellow Top Alcohol Dragster competitor JP Gutierrez and Detroit-based Champion Performance saved the day.

“It was looking like we weren't even going to make the race. [Crew member] Cam Brady and I drove all night after Topeka, pulled the motor and took it to a machine shop for new sleeves. Up until Monday, nothing was done on it. We were in a tough position until JP Gutierrez and Champion Performance fixed it, working until 2:30 AM on Wednesday. It's been a constant effort to prepare for this race,” said the Champaign, Ill.-based driver.

Challenges will continue throughout the weekend, as a conflicting appointment will likely prevent Brandon from making both of Saturday's scheduled qualifying runs.

“Evening qualifying sessions are great for the fans and performance, but Q2 and Q3 are at 4 and 8 PM on Saturday. My sister-in-law's wedding is at 5 PM on Saturday. My plan is to put the car in the top half of the field on Friday's run so I can show support for those who support me. So if all goes according to plan, you will not see me Saturday. We'll be back for eliminations on Sunday,” Booher confirmed.

Friday's Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying session is scheduled for 4 PM CST. Eliminations begin at noon on Sunday. For information and results from the Burndown at Sundown NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional event, please visit www.route66raceway.com.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Bell Helmets Torque MGMT, and PK Construction.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Booher Lowers Personal Record, Wins Norwalk Regional Race

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

NORWALK, Ohio (May 20) – Booher Racing Top Alcohol Dragster driver Brandon Booher prevailed over adverse conditions, a stacked field, and mechanical issues to claim the Cavalcade of Stars NHRA North Central regional race title last weekend.

Qualifying alone was challenging enough for any of the nineteen Top Alcohol Dragster teams who showed up from all over North America to race in front of the legendary Norwalk crowd. Booher was on a decent run during Friday's session until a torque converter issue slowed down the AB Construction dragster to a 6.09. Brandon and his crew put a new converter in the car for the remainder of qualifying, which was shortened to just one session on Sunday morning due to Saturday rain storms.

“Luckily the conditions were very similar to those of the Reading national event last year, the race where we ran this particular converter. Though I had very little data, it was quality data. I was able to look back on areas of improvement from those runs and work that into the set-up for Norwalk. With the capabilities of the other cars trying to qualify, I knew I had to throw a number up on the board to qualify well and set us up for a good race day,” said Booher, whose 5.312/268 MPH run was enough to qualify second.

Warming track temperatures caused Brandon to pedal on his first round pass against Richard Bourke, but the AB Construction entry was well-ahead of a tire-smoking Bourke. Booher ripped off a career-best 5.304 pass in the semifinals, taking out Cavalcade of Stars grand marshal Bill Reichert in the process. While impressive, the competitive driver/tuner was looking for more; perhaps his elusive first 5.2 run.

“I actually thought it would've been a little quicker. I made some changes after qualifying, and it was two hundredths quicker to the sixty foot in the first round before I had to pedal it,” Brandon recalled.

The win over Reichert, who is widely considered to be the best in the Top Alcohol Dragster business, was a confidence booster for Brandon and his team.

“That was a huge upset. I talked to Bill at the end of the track and said, 'Now I'm one for three hundred against you. Every time we run you we break something.' I can tell you the dates, rounds, and locations – I've never been able to beat him.”

With a pair of strong runs under his belt, Booher went into the final round against fellow blown alcohol driver Marty Thacker. The pair of supercharged machines didn't take to the Summit Motorsports Park quarter-mile until almost midnight. The race was over before it started, as Thacker had mechanical issues and hopped out of his car by the time Brandon backed up from his burnout. Booher took the tree, shook the tires on the cold track surface, and idled to his fourth regional event victory.

Brandon Booher and the AB Construction/Torque MGMT Top Alcohol Dragster team will next compete at the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, May 23-25.

 ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Bell Helmets, Torque MGMT, and PK Construction.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Regional Champ Booher Ready for Challenge at Cavalcade of Stars

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

NORWALK, Ohio (May 14) – Reigning NHRA North Central Region Top Alcohol Dragster champion Brandon Booher returns to Summit Motorsports Park this weekend for his second Lucas Oil Series regional event. The now-storied Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars event, May 16-18, is known for sold-out crowds of almost 50,000 fans, but it has also become one of the largest regional events in the country in terms of car counts. Booher expects to compete against a packed field of challengers from around the country this weekend.

“I think it's going to be a tough field. With the A/Fuel rule changes and the projected forecast being cooler temperatures, it's going to be especially tough. It wouldn't surprise me if we have sixteen to twenty cars fighting for eight spots. It will be important for us to go A to B on the first qualifying run so we can put a good number on the board and have something to build on for the following sessions,” said Booher, who was the No. 1 qualifier at last year's Cavalcade of Stars.

The three-time regional event winner is coming off of a runner-up finish at the Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte and a first round loss at the Indy regional event just a few weeks ago.

“We made some changes after Indy to improve performance,” Brandon noted. “I'm confident going in that my car will pick up where we left off on Q1 at Charlotte, where we can bang off a low 5.3 right off the bat. It's going to take at least that just to qualify this weekend.”

Another factor Booher and his AB Construction team must consider is the weather. With cool temperatures and daily cloud cover compounding the already-cool evening qualifying sessions, the versatile driver-tuner will have his work cut out for him.

“It's sort of a double-edged sword. The track is known for being excellent. On the other hand, the cool ambient temperatures during the day will make it hard to get enough heat in the track by the time we run. It could be a tricky track to get down. I almost hope that it is tricky because that's an area that I'm well-versed in with the power management aspect. Whatever we're facing, we'll make it work,” Booher concluded.

The Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars presented by Budweiser is one of the few events where the Top Alcohol drivers and teams are the stars of the show. Festivities will begin on Friday at 6 PM with pre-race ceremonies and driver introductions, followed by a 7 PM qualifying session. Brandon will participate in the track autograph session at 1 PM before driver intros at 3:30 and qualifying sessions at 4 and 8 PM. Eliminations begin at 1 PM on Sunday. For tickets and event information, visit www.summitmotorsportspark.com.


ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional champion-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Bell Helmets, Torque MGMT, and PK Construction.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Driver Profile - Brandon Booher

Driver: Brandon Booher

 

Car: AB Construction Top Alcohol Dragster

 

Age: 31

Hometown: Champaign, Ill.

Occupation: Owner/tuning consultant, Torque MGMT

Family: Wife – Shannon, Dogs - Gretzky and Jackson

Accomplishments: 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Champion, 3x regional event winner, 2013 Carolina Nationals winner

First racecar: Junior Dragster

Favorite movies: The Hangover and Donnie Brasco

Favorite music: Anything and everything; classical to country to rap to the Frozen soundtrack

Favorite TV shows: House of Cards and Breaking Bad

Favorite sports teams: Chicago Blackhawks

When I'm away from the racetrack I: Work on the race car and hang out with my wife and our dogs.

Favorite racing memory: Our first national event win at Charlotte

Top accomplishment in racing: First converter car in the 5.3s

Toughest opponent: Bill Reichert

Favorite opponent: Duane Shields

Favorite drivers outside TAD: Brandon Snider (PDRA Pro Extreme)

Personal heroes: My dad, Aaron

I race because: I enjoy the competition.

I race TAD because: It's heads-up, you do everything yourself, it's the premier Sportsman class.

Pre-race rituals or superstitions: I always strap myself into the car. I'm usually the last driver to strap in.

If I didn't race I would: Be involved in politics

 

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/booherracing

Twitter username: @booherracing

Instagram username: @booherracing

Website: Coming soon!

 

 

Booher Starts Season with Four-Wide Runner-Up

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

CONCORD, N.C. (April 15) – As he anticipated, Top Alcohol Dragster driver/tuner Brandon Booher started his 2014 season in the same way he ended his last season; running in the low five-thirties and racing to the final round. The Champaign, Ill.-based driver overcame powerful A/Fuel competitors and parts breakage to persist through eliminations at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway near Charlotte last weekend.

Booher made a statement in the opening qualifying session, posting a 5.324/274 MPH blast down the race track. He backed it up with consistent 5.330 and 5.327 elapsed times during the later two qualifying sessions, but it was his first run of the season that was good enough to place him sixth in the field of nitromethane-injected A/Fuel dragsters.

“It's what I wanted the car to do,” Brandon said of his first run. “I knew we could pick up right where we left off. That sort of went with the plan of getting down the track and having something to tune off of. The 5.32 at 274 was exactly what we wanted, but things didn't go as swimmingly as I would've liked after that run.”

Booher narrowly escaped his Saturday first round race against Rich McPhillips. Brandon had to pedal his blown alcohol dragster, ultimately knocking off the supercharger and burning a piston. The numbers were astounding; Booher left the starting line first with a .037 reaction time, McPhillips with a .038. Brandon was first to the finish line with a 5.447 elapsed time, McPhillips with a 5.448. Just two thousandths of a second separated the two.

Eliminations continued on Sunday, when Booher automatically defeated Don Nolan, who red-lit. The 2013 NHRA North Central Region TAD champion won his semifinal match over Jackie Fricke with a 5.369/270 MPH run. The Booher Racing team's good day went bad less than an hour later. Brandon had to be pushed back after the burnout for his final round race against Corey Michalek, then broke shortly after leaving the starting line. All damage assessed; an annihilated transmission, a connecting rod through the engine block, and a hurt crank. Still down after losing the race, the team went to work on the car, removing the spent engine and replacing it with a new one for the next race.

“The guys are hard workers; they know how to work and they know stuff has to get done. The last thing I was worried about was if there was a problem, whether or not we'd get it fixed. This weekend it seems like things were stacked against us as far as attrition rate and parts breakage. It was nothing that anybody did wrong, it was just one of those things that happens. The guys did great. The final round was definitely not their fault,” Booher claimed.

A preventable issue kept the AB Construction dragster from making a final round run at the trophy, leaving the ultra-competitive Booher extremely disappointed in the final outcome.

“We just didn't have enough time to do all of the required maintenance. We literally had eighteen minutes from the time the car pulled into the pits until the time we had to head to the staging lanes. I suppose both teams were dealing with the same amount of time, we just had more maintenance we needed to do. The car suffered a lot of damage in the final, and that all could've been avoided with fifteen more minutes of turnaround time,” Brandon commented.

The race results from this weekend's race at Charlotte told Brandon and his team that while they have a car capable of winning races, it won't be easy.

“There are some strong cars out there. I believe we're one of them. Look at how many A/Fuel cars were running in the five-twenties this weekend. As eliminations came around, things just sort of went our way. We got very lucky first round against Rich McPhillips. That's a car that can and has run five-twenties. Then Jackie (Fricke) smoked the tires mid-track. We had a good car, but going forward it's going to be tough.”

Brandon and the AB Construction/Torque MGMT. Top Alcohol Dragster team will next race at the NHRA North Central Region season opener in Indianapolis, April 25-27.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional champion-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Torque MGMT, Bell Helmets, and PK Construction.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

TAD Regional Champ Booher Kicking off 2014 Campaign at Four-Wide Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of David Smith

CONCORD, N.C. (April 8) – NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster regional champion Brandon Booher is back in the United States after a two-month racing series took him to Qatar to work as a tuning consultant. The torque converter-savvy Booher is starting his 2014 campaign at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway this weekend, April 11-13.

Brandon spent most of his “offseason” in Qatar, joining Brandon Snider's ADRL Pro Extreme team as a tuning consultant. After working on and running the blown-alcohol Pro Mod almost daily, Booher is excited to be back to tuning and driving his AB Constuction/Torque MGMT dragster.

“When I got back from Qatar, I was almost burnt out from racing. We basically ran a full season's worth of runs in six weeks straight. I slowly started getting things ready, but the season starting on the west coast really motivated me to get everything ready for our season. Now I'm fully prepared to start off right where we left off,” Brandon said, hinting at his first-ever national event win at the Carolina Nationals here last September.

The Top Alcohol Dragster landscape has been altered slightly since the Booher Racing team last raced. Two-time national champion Jim Whiteley retired from the class. The rival nitro-injected A/Fuel teams were awarded three beneficial rule changes over the winter. Despite the changes, the Illinois-based driver is set on maintaining the routine and mindset that took him to two national event finals last year.

“I'm still going to follow the same plan that we had through all of last year; take small steps to improve in qualifying so we have a solid, consistent tune-up capable of going rounds on Sunday. The rule change doesn't bother me; you still need to get down the track and reach the finish line first. I'm just going to concentrate on putting the best package out there for the guys with me and the people who support us and see where we end up. Hopefully it's in the winner's circle,” Booher claimed.

Never one to rest on his latest performances, the 31-year old driver/tuner has set strict benchmarks for his upcoming title chase.

“I always want to improve. Elapsed time-wise, I know we can improve; I plan to do that this weekend. I have new goals for myself and my team to take what was a consistent mid-to-low 5.3s car and turn it into a low 5.3-to-mid-5.2s car. I know we can do it, it's just a matter of getting out there and doing it.

“Performance-wise, we're defending our Lucas Oil Series regional championship. We're also currently leading the Jegs Allstars points for the North Central region. I want to maintain that lead so we can race for our first Allstars title at my home race at Joliet. As far as national points, I believe we have a car that's capable of winning the national championship. We'll see how Charlotte goes. Not that this race will dictate how the whole season will go, but it will give us a good idea,” Brandon concluded.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals begins on Friday with runs scheduled for 12:15 and 3:45 PM. Teams will get one final session at 11 AM on Saturday before entering eliminations at 3 PM. Eliminations continue on Sunday.


ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Torque MGMT, and Bell Helmets.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

2013 Year in Review

2013 was one of the most exciting years of alcohol racing in recent history for a variety of reasons. Presenting some of the top stories from 2013.


Shawn Cowie Returns with Dominating Wins
Returning to the seat after a two-year recovery from a life-threatening motorcycle accident, Shawn Cowie completed the most impressive comeback in drag racing, possibly any sport. Shawn drove his Bill Moore-tuned blown alcohol dragster to the No. 1 qualifying position at the first Woodburn regional, going on to win the race with a final round victory over friendly rival Chris Demke, 5.41 to 5.43. Cowie did it again at the Northwest Nationals, where he qualified No. 4 and defeated Garrett Bateman in the finals.

First-Time Winners
Of the sixteen national event TAD winners, four were first time winners - Gord Gingles, Brandon Booher, Robin Samsel, and Johnny Ahten. Five TAFC drivers received their first big Wallys in 2013 - Dan Pomponio, Jirka Kaplan, Annie Whiteley, Shane Westerfield, and Paul Noakes.

Troy Case photo

 



Rule Changes
Torque converter-equipped cars started the season with a 50-lb weight break, new for 2013. That break was rescinded earlier this month. Also announced earlier this month was an adjustment to the fuel-related limits for A/Fuel cars. The new rules will allow nitro-injected entries to run 95% nitromethane (up 1%), chilled to 40 degrees F (down 10 degrees), through an insulated main fuel line.

Parity Achieved
The Top Alcohol Dragster class saw extremely close competition in 2013, with the blown alcohol and injected nitro cars claiming eight national event wins each. The two combinations are also equal in national Top 10 finishers and regional championships. Season-best performances are also very close - 5.215/275.9 for blown and 5.227/276.58 for A/Fuel. For a complete look at the 2013 parity in TAD, check out Brad Littlefield's comparison for National Dragster.

Manzo and Whiteley go out on top
Eventual national champions Jim Whiteley and Frank Manzo both announced their retirement from Top Alcohol driving late in the season. Whiteley won an outstanding eight of twelve final rounds in 2013, locking up the national title at the Toyota Nationals and the West Region title a week later at the Vegas regional. Manzo started a midseason charge with a win at Brainerd, going on to win Indy, Charlotte2, Las Vegas2, and the Finals at Pomona. He finished the season with a 151-point lead over John Lombardo in the national standings.

New Crop of TAD Drivers
Several new faces joined TAD in 2013 - Rishi Kanick, a Top Dragster driver from Trinidad and Tobago, Jeff Ashwell, who previously drove TAFC, Ashley Sanford, a young sand dragster standout, Kyle Michalek, winner of Champion's Search for a Champion contest, JP Gutierrez, a Top Dragster driver and former nitro crew guy, and Jonathan Pickett, driving his family's blown car. Corey Michalek, Megan Meyer, Sadie Floyd, and Jake Sanders also started or completed the licensing process during the season.

Severance's Save
A broken oil line sent Joey Severance's blown alcohol dragster towards the centerline during eliminations at the AAA Texas Fall Nationals, close to barrel-rolling. The clip of Joey's near miss went viral and made ESPN2 highlight reels for the balance of the season.

Booher, Anderika Win Regional Titles with Converters
Brandon Booher (TAD) and John Anderika (TAFC) continued to show the potential of torque converters in 2013. Booher qualified No. 1 at five regional events, winning three of them. He broke through to win his first national event at the Carolina Nationals at Charlotte, also running one of the fastest blown alcohol speeds in history (275.39). Brandon secured the North Central region TAD title and finished No. 3 in national points. Anderika won two of five finals to win the East Region TAFC title. Jirka Kaplan also experienced success with his automatic TAFC, winning the Topeka national event.

Bartone, Jackson split
National championship contenders Tony Bartone and team owner Rick Jackson decided to go their separate ways towards the middle of the season, leaving Bartone looking for a new ride and Jackson looking for a new driver. Tony and longtime tuner Steve Boggs were back at the Topeka regional with Mickey Ferro's car. Bartone and Ferro shared the driving duties at the remaining races. Jackson finished the season with Von Smith driving at the Vegas and Pomona races.

Lombardo, Jackson Form Alliance
Top 5 driver/team owner John Lombardo Jr. announced an alliance with Rick Jackson Racing during the fall Las Vegas national event. The Jackson-Lombardo Racing team will debut a new Hadman-built Mustang at the 2014 Winternationals, with Lombardo behind the wheel, Jackson making the tuning calls, and primary support coming from NAPA Auto Parts and Lucas Oil. John's 2013 Central Region championship-winning car will be used for displays and appearances in national and regional event markets.