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 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).

TAN Driver Blog - Kyle Michalek - TAD

 

Hello everyone! It's been two months since our last blog and a lot has happened both on and off the track.

MBR started the 2014 racing season strong at the 5th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina. With Corey driving and Randy and Jared Dreher making the tuneup calls, we were able to take the Champion Spark Plugs/Dreher Motorsports A/fuel dragster all the way to the winner's circle! This win was extra special because it was the first NHRA national event victory for both MBR and Dreher Motorsports.

After about a month off, we returned to our home track, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH, for the 8th annual Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars regional where I took over the driving duties for the weekend. This event is the premier regional event on the NHRA Lucas Oil Series tour, and I was the runner-up at this race in 2013 during my Top Alcohol Dragster debut.

Our plans coming into the event were to take it one step further than last year to hopefully win the race this time around, but it just wasn't meant to be. Severely cold temperatures on Friday night led to tire-shake and an aborted run during Q1. Huge crowds packed the place all day on Saturday, but unfortunately Mother Nature wouldn't give us a break and there wasn't a single car that went down the track the entire day. That left us with one last-ditch attempt to qualify for the field on Sunday morning and a broken clutch linkage after the burnout sent us home early.

Despite the cold and rainy weather, and a DNQ, we still viewed the event as a success. This race marked the debut of MBR's partnership with the Kenan Advantage Group (KAG) who served as the team's primary sponsor during the event. We really enjoyed interacting with the KAG employees and their families at the track. It was fun showing KAG what we do, and why we are so passionate about NHRA drag racing. We really appreciate KAG supporting our team and believing in us.

KAG was also able to interact with race fans throughout the weekend as they actively recruited new mechanics and CDL truck drivers. For more information about great job opportunities with KAG nationwide, you can browse and apply for available positions here (https://intelliapp2.driverapponline.com/c/kenan?r=raceRacecar).

Things have been equally busy away from the race track as well. I finished grad school, accepted a promotion, and began a new job in Houston that I'm currently in the process of relocating to from Ohio. It has been crazy the past two months and there's never a dull a moment!

Looking ahead, we'll be back on-track July 4-6 at the 8th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, OH. Corey will jump back in the driver's seat for this race and it will be his first time competing at the Bader's famed facility. The remainder of the 2014 season after the Norwalk event is yet to be determined, but it is safe to say it has been an eventful year so far!

Nitro or nothin’.

Kyle Michalek

Kyle and Corey Michalek drive the Dreher Motorsports-prepared Champion Spark Plugs/Kenan Advantage Group A/Fuel Dragster. The brothers were the first winners of Champion's "Search for a Champion" contest. For additional MBR information and updates, please “like” the Michalek Brothers Racing Facebook page and follow @MichalekRacing on Twitter and Instagram.

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).

Michalek Brothers Racing and Kenan Advantage Group Gearing up for Norwalk

Courtesy of Michalek Brothers Racing

Kyle Michalek returns to site of runner-up A/Fuel Dragster debut

Just under one year ago, Kyle Michalek quickly found success in the 270 mph Top Alcohol Dragster class during the team’s debut event at the 2013 Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars NHRA Lucas Oil regional event at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH. The team’s runner-up finish validated the partnership between Michalek Brothers Racing (MBR) and Dreher Motorsports as a legitimate contender.

“The runner-up finish during our debut event was both exciting and unexpected,” said Kyle. “Following my runner-up last year and Corey’s win last month at the Charlotte Four-Wide nationals, second place just won’t cut it anymore; we know we have what it takes to get the win.”

The team comes in to this year’s event on a high-note following Corey Michalek’s win at the Charlotte Four-Wide nationals and team partner Dreher Motorsport’s runner-up finish at the NHRA Lucas Oil regional event in Indianapolis two weeks ago. Highlighting the team’s return to competition at Summit Motorsports Park is the newly established partnership between MBR and the Kenan Advantage Group (KAG) as the team’s primary sponsor.

“KAG’s corporate headquarters are only 20 minutes from MBR; it’s very special to be partnered with a local organization that is extremely successful on a national level,” said Kyle. “We are excited to introduce NHRA fans to the great career opportunities available at KAG as a truck driver or mechanic. We plan to use the KAG dragster as a 270mph recruiting billboard.”

KAG is North America’s largest tank truck transporter with more than 9,000 employees, and has the ability to deliver within the continental U.S., Canada, and Mexico. KAG is experiencing strong growth, and is actively seeking commercial truck drivers including company drivers and owner-operators, mechanics, and tank washers to join their growing team, and has partnered with MBR to help recruit new employees. Job opportunities are available nationally, and KAG currently has open positions in 44 states. Please visit the KAG website (https://intelliapp2.driverapponline....enan_445714539) for a full list of available positions or call 877-947-1013. While filling out the online application, be sure to note “Race Car” under the “How did you hear about us?” drop down box and reference Michalek Brothers Racing as the referral source.

2014 marks MBR’s 10th year participating in drag racing competition. Kyle made his first passes in a “legitimate” race car in 2004 down Norwalk’s storied quarter-mile, and returns 10 years later to take on the world’s best semi-professional drivers.

“Norwalk is where I started my driving career 10 years ago; our team has come a long way since that fateful first pass in my Super Pro dragster when I thought I was going to get sick from nervousness in the staging lanes,” said Kyle. “I am very excited to get back in the car after a long break, and always look forward to racing at Norwalk with the hometown support of family and friends. This year will be no different; we plan to have a very strong MBR cheering section that will be supplemented with KAG employees coming out to the track to cheer on the home team. We look forward to hosting KAG, and having the opportunity to show their employees a good time at the races.”

The 8th annual Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars kicks off an action-packed weekend of racing on Friday, May 16 at Summit Motorsports Park with pre-race ceremonies and driver introductions at 6:00 followed by the first round of qualifying at 6:30. The action kicks up a notch on Saturday, the day most notably known for record-breaking crowds of nearly 50,000 fans, with pre-race ceremonies and driver introductions at 3:30, round two of qualifying at 4:00, and the third and final qualifying run under the lights at 7:00. Both Friday and Saturday night will be capped off with the Bader family’s signature firework shows. Final eliminations get underway on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 with the event coming to a close at 5:30. Admission is $20 per day or $50 for the full event.

“This is the premier regional event on the NHRA tour, and it’s a date that we have had circled on our calendar since last May,” said Corey. “The facility is top notch, the fans pack the place wall-to-wall, and some of the best racers in the country will be there putting on a side-by-side show of racing at speeds in excess of 270MPH. Simply put, it’s going to be awesome. We can’t get the KAG car on the track soon enough!”

For additional MBR information and updates, please “like” the Michalek Brothers Racing FACEBOOK page and follow @MichalekRacing on TWITTER and INSTAGRAM.

Nitro in Norwalk - Litton Racing

Courtesy of Litton Racing

The 7th anniversary of the Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars started off with a boom in Norwalk, Ohio.  Fireworks, family events, special access to the pits, and lots of autograph-signing kept the record-breaking attendance of 47,000+ fans revved up the whole weekend.  Bill Litton and Crew Chief Anthony Dicero were also ready to roll right to the finish line and end the weekend with a bang.

Leading up to the event, Dicero made some changes to the tune-up to get full power out of the nitro dragster.  He changed the intake and injector and adjusted the compression height and compression ratio in the motor.  Data from the first run was promising and showed that the car was headed in the right direction.

But the tune-up proved to be a little too aggressive. In the first round Litton got a good light but the car shook the tires. It was a hard tire shake but Dicero saw the positive side.  It proved that the car is more responsive and ready to perform at a higher level.

So hopes were high for the second qualifying run.  The crew backed it down after shaking the tires the night before, but with the hot racetrack it was backed down too much.  Litton ran 5.83 @249 mph. The tires shook again this time and it put out a cylinder but Litton drove through it. 

Qualifying round 3 brought with it cooler track temperatures and better air which could give the dragster a lot more speed.   Unfortunately, the run didn’t quite go as planned – the car smoked the tires at the hit of the throttle and Litton didn’t qualify to move up.       

Despite the setback, Dicero and crew remain undeterred.  “We’re back with a hot rod of a race car.  This race car that wouldn’t respond earlier is now very, very aggressive.”  That new way of thinking means the old tune-up style is out, and the new more conservative approach is in – because the engine makes a lot more power than it did before.  “We just don’t know where over center is so we try to get close but we haven’t found it yet.”

Sometimes you don’t come home with a trophy but you do come home a pocketful of practical wisdom to use next time around.  The good news is there’s always a next time.  “Like Babe Ruth, we aimed for the fence but we swung and we missed.  So, on to the next race.” The next race is the NHRA Division 3 LODRS in Chicago June 7 – 9.

Booher Earns First Career #1 Qualifier

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of Steve Fuhrman

NORWALK, Ohio (May 21, 2013) – For the second race in a row, a simple parts failure prevented Top Alcohol Dragster’s Brandon Booher from turning a solid qualifying effort into late round results at the Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars Lucas Oil Series race at Summit Motorsports Park. The Illinois driver earned his first number one qualifier position but lost first round when his supercharged entry lost oil pressure prior to staging.

Booher set the pace for the weekend in the opening qualifying session, running 5.386 at 267 miles per hour. He struggled in the second session, but so did the rest of the thirteen-car field, which included Division 3 champions Bill Reichert and Marty Thacker. Running in front of a sold-out crowd of over 45,000 fans, Brandon clicked off a 5.403 at 268 mph pass during the final qualifying session on Saturday night. No one beat his first elapsed time, so he would enter Sunday’s eliminations as the number one qualifier for the first time in his four-year TAD career.

“To take it out of the trailer and run that quick was awesome. It’s always nice to get down the track on the first qualifying run. To be in the top half is great, but to be number one is as good as you can hope for. I was trying to push the elapsed time a little lower over the course of the weekend but the conditions just weren’t there. The rest of the alcohol cars proved that; everyone else was struggling to make power,” said Booher, who utilizes a torque converter instead of the class-standard clutch.

Hopes were high leading into Booher’s first round matchup with Paul Fishburn. No problems were apparent until the AB Construction/Torque Management car lost oil pressure on the starting line.

“The oil pump locked up on me just before I went in to pre-stage. It was fine when we warmed it up in the pits. I did the burnout, backed up, revved it up, then I watched the oil pressure drop to zero as I was getting ready to pre-stage. I let it run for a second then said something to my dad over the radio. He saw the belt shredding as the motor was running so I shut it off,” Brandon recalled.

The former Junior Dragster driver had no choice but to shut the motor off to avoid damage. Fishburn went on to shake the tires early into his single run – adding salt to Booher’s wounds.

“You’re racing the eighth qualifier, your car isn’t running, then you sit there and watch your opponent shake the tires eighty feet out and shut it off. It’s tough. We have the solution, but you hate to find these things first round.”

The weekend had its positives despite the early exit, according to Brandon.

“We got a lot of great data from the three runs we were able to make, so I think we’ll go into Joliet stronger than we’ve been at the past two races. Hopefully we can parlay the success we’ve had in qualifying into eliminations. If we can do that, we have a car that’s capable of winning rounds and winning races.”

Booher Racing is a Champaign, Illinois-based Top Alcohol Dragster team, competing in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Former Junior Dragster driver Brandon Booher pilots the family-owned AB Construction blown alcohol dragster. The team owns the world record for quickest and fastest converter-equipped TAD. Booher Racing receives support from Motorsports Unlimited, Goodson Tools, Spitzer Race Cars, and Torque Management. To learn more about Booher Racing, please visit www.nitronate.com/booher.

For news and results throughout the 2013 season, follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing). 

Thacker, Foster Win Norwalk, Earn Allstars Bids

Courtesy of Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association
Photo courtesy of Steve Fuhrman

At the Lucas Oil Series event at Norwalk, which again hosted a capacity crowd Saturday and had fans lined up for miles both directions, Marty Thacker sealed a spot on the Jegs Allstars team with his first Alcohol Dragster victory since 2011, and Chris Foster beat John Anderika in the Top Alcohol Funny Car final for the second year in a row.

Thacker defeated 28-year-old rookie Kyle Michalek in a close final, 5.40 to 5.45, and never ran out of the 5.40s all weekend. "We were trying to get into the .30s in the final, and we might have made it if I'd wrung out 2nd gear another 100 or 150 rpm," he said. "He pulled on me through the middle and I pulled on him at the top end. It sounded like his car was fading a little at the end, but I've raced those A/Fuel cars too many times to ever take anything for granted."

It was Thacker's first victory since the national event at Norwalk two years ago; last year was the first year since he moved to NHRA competition with a screw blower that he didn't win at least one race. "Last year was tough on us, but that's over now," said the two-time U.S. Nationals champion, who defeated recent Indy regional winner Bill Reichert in a rematch of that Indy final in round one, 5.41 to 5.54. "To stand a chance against Bill, you've got to get to him early. The longer the race goes on, the better he gets."

Thacker's Rapid Transit/Total Flow team stayed in the .40s in the semifinals with a 5.49 against returning veteran Paul Fishburn despite Thacker stepping off the gas not far past the 1,000-foot clocks. "It nosed over, and I couldn't hear him beside me, so I took a chance," he said. Fishburn's car lurched forward and deep-staged when he brought the motor up, and, trying to avoid a foul start, he had a cautious.223 light.

Michalek, who, with brother Corey earned a sponsorship by winning Champion Spark Plugs' "Search For a Champion" contest, reached the final in his very first start in an A/Fuel Dragster. Driving Jared Dreher's car, he qualified No. 2 with a 5.39, easily won the first round when Jeff Veale kicked a rod on the burnout, and defeated Robin Samsel on a holeshot in the semi's, 5.48 to 5.47.

With the win, Thacker joins Reichert on the North Central Jegs Allstars team under the new two-drivers-per-region format. "We made the team for seven or eight years in a row, but that was a long time ago now," he said. "It'll be great to be a part of it all again in Chicago next month."

In the Top Alcohol Funny Car final, Foster defeated Anderika in a rematch of last year's finale – this time by a more comfortable margin, 5.65 (low e.t. of eliminations) to 5.72. Last year, the cars were separated by just two-thousandths of a second at the stripe.

Foster had low e.t. of all three rounds after qualifying in the middle of one of the closest fields in class history. The top seven cars were within three hundredths of a second, from Anderika's off-the-trailer 5.63 to Ray Drew's seventh-best 5.66. Half the field ran a 5.66, and John Bojec set the bubble with a 5.75.

Foster won the opening round with a 5.70 when Drew's car lost the crank trigger near the top of low gear. In the semi's, he advanced easily with a 5.69 when reigning North Central region champion Mickey Ferro went up in smoke right off the line. Anderika won the other semifinal when recent Indy regional winner Andy Bohl was charged with a red-light despite leaving with Anderika. The front of Bohl's Mustang body was deemed to be too low, which led to a -.069 foul and a 1.17 60-foot time.

The win landed Anderika in a final for the ninth time in his career and the second time in 2013. He's been to two regional events this season, reached the final at both, and qualified No. 1 at both – both times with a 5.63.