Driver Blog - Peter Walters

2014 was not going to plan for UK Super Pro ET racer Peter Walters and the Team Reloaded / Walters Motorsport team, with engine troubles at the start of the season resulting in poor qualifying and first round exits. Pete's season did however get a lot better when he receiced a phone call from longtime supporter Derek Flynn of  Gold RV:

Derek said, "Hey Pete, fancy getting your Top Methanol Dragster licence?" Derek knew it had always been a dream of mine to drive a TMD, especially an A/Fueler. After I got over the shock of the call, I didn’t hesitate to say yes! Derek and Gold RV have been longtime supporters of drag racing and have had a really positive influence in my racing career through Juniors, Super Pro ET and now Top Methanol. Thanks Derek - Fiona, Gary and yourself have become great family friends and it is a pleasure to have Gold RV on board, especially when I think of what Gold RV have achieved in Super Pro ET and Top Methanol Dragster in the UK, Europe and even Top Alcohol Dragster in the USA.

The licensing runs went really well. The first run wasn't perfect, as I had to get used to 3500 hp, a totally new car and start line routine, although I must say I felt surprisingly relaxed throughout the process. I believe that this is one of my strengths as a driver and with Derek and Dave Wilson I was being carefully tutored by two of Britain's TMD racing legends who between them have made some of the quickest and fastest TMD runs in Europe. We had a few delays on the day, but the excellent Santa Pod crew sorted it between showers and finally I made it down for the half pass.

The second run went a whole lot smoother, as at least I knew what to expect this time. The burnout was the hardest part, having to warm the carbon brakes whilst at the same time keep the revs under control. The second time staging went perfectly, onto the high-side (full fuel) which is one of the most awesome feelings ever: on full fuel and the clutch out and holding it on the brake the engine gets really angry and rattles the whole car about quite violently even on idle and you hear major cackles and banging going on behind you. It's just brilliant!

The lights ran and I was under instruction to nail the throttle for exactly four seconds unless I felt there was a problem, but I went straight down the middle, no problems, crossing half track at around 180 mph and despite lifting that early and pulling the chutes I crossed the finish line in 7.04 seconds smashing my Personal Best to date. The car had been detuned to allow me to get used to it and we even dropped cylinders on that run but it was an absolutely amazing experience.

Unfortunately rain stopped play, meaning that we could not make the full passes required to gain my licence. Derek, dad and Dave quickly sorted that out though and the remaining full passes to get my licence will be done prior to the European Finals, which will hopefully also help Dave and the team with some more run data after a few recent updates. I wish Dave Wilson and the Silverline team all the best for the European Finals... go Grumpy, A/Fuel it for England.

Thanks to Derek, Dave Wilson, dad and everyone who helped on the day. Everyone seemed very happy with the progress we made, it was an awesome experience and I cannot wait to do it again. I am not sure whose smile was bigger after each of the runs - mine, my dad's or Derek’s. Derek has been unwell recently so it was great to see him back at Santa Pod and happy - get well soon mate.

Many of our friends in Super Pro ET have asked "Are you leaving us?" I would like to say that we are and always will be committed to Super Pro ET, which we believe is one of the best Sportsmans classes in British drag racing. And now that we have sorted a competitive tune-up on our spare engine look out Super Pro ET, we are back. I wonder if you can, or if anyone has ever, double enter for both Super Pro ET and Top Methanol? Wow, that would be an amazing weekend, but you never know what may happen in the future, especially when you have Derek, Gold RV, RW and Dave Wilson Racing in your corner.

I can't thank Derek Flynn and Gold RV enough for supporting me. Gold RV Sales and Service Ltd celebrate thirty years in business this year and they are one of the best in the RV business. I love going to their RV Shop as they work on some awesome RVs as well as selling RVs for their customers, and they always seem to have something really interesting around the shop. Contact Derek, Gary or Fiona for anything RV! Old or new, big or small so long as it is American or Canadian, they can fix or get them all. Their web site is at www.goldrv.co.uk.

I also need to thank my dad, Richard; his love and support of my drag racing career is just the best and I feel really blessed for all the support I get from mum Julie, sister Holley and partner Jayne. Thanks to my long-standing crew Mick Slocombe and Tom Watts who also enjoyed the whole experience too, and my good friend Matt Cox who documented the day in photos.

Thanks to Dave Wilson for allowing me to drive his Nitro Beast, I just loved it! And thanks to all the crew on the day, Dave 'Grumpy' Wilson, David Wilson, Ricki Packham, James Blackman, Alistair 'Mole' Cole and Fiona Flynn.

Two goals I set myself when I started drag racing in Juniors were to win a Super Pro ET National Championship and to drive a Top Methanol Dragster, so I am half way there! We are working on the other half...

Photos courtesy of Dan Smith/Santa Pod

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.

TAN Driver Blog - Jeff Ashwell - TAD

 

 

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog, so I will try and fill you all in since I left off in June when I had just completed my cross grade requirements from Top Alcohol Funny Car to Top Alcohol Dragster. We knew this year would be a learning curve as we had been a funny car team for many, many years. We just weren’t prepared for just how steep that curve would be.

Early in our season we fought the tune up and clutch settings and had difficulties in keeping the blower belt on the car. We sent our fuel system stuff to Randy Anderson to be checked out and also bought a duel idler pulley set up which seemed to help. I must also say a big thank you to our fellow TAD drivers, owners, and tuners, who came over to offer their help and input on what was causing our performance issues. We were kind of at our rope's end and having new sets of eyes with more TAD experience than us offering advice was a huge help, and we are very grateful.

The camaraderie in the alcohol pits is second to none and we are very grateful for all who answered our questions and steered us in the right direction. We may be competitors on the track, but we are still a tight knit community. Once we got a baseline tune up, we wanted to see what we could do with it.

We decided last minute to head to Las Vegas for the national and divisional event, as well as Pomona. We’ve done this trio of races before in 2010, but didn’t have a lot of success. We were hoping to improve on that. This might not be huge to some teams but we were super pleased to have qualified for both the Vegas and Pomona national events. There were around 23 cars entered. Just making the show was a big accomplishment to us.

We didn’t qualify at the Vegas divisional, but we knew it would be tough to qualify with so many good cars in attendance and only 8 spots. We were also happy that we didn’t hurt any parts and with small tuning changes, we were able to consistently improve on our elapsed times on every run. I ran my personal best of 5.50 at over 258 mph in Pomona.

Next year we just want to go out and improve on this year and to be more competitive. You have to be able to run 30’s and 40’s to be competitive and have a chance on race day. We want to qualify for every race we attend and hopefully win some rounds. As we approach Thanksgiving, I know I’ve been blessed to be able to drive this top alcohol dragster and have a great group of guys with me. I have my Dad, Greg, and my brother, Todd. Isaac Bese and Scott McDonald have been with us a very long time also, and we are all looking forward to our sophomore season next year. I just want to thank all our friends and the great fans that have supported our team this year. Thank you to our sponsors, Walery’s Pizza and Wilson’s NAPA Auto Parts. Happy Holidays and see you all in 2014.

 

 

Jeff Ashwell is the driver of the Wilson's Napa/Walery's Pizza Top Alcohol Dragster. Find Ashwell Racing on Facebook and Twitter.

TAN Driver Blog - Dave Hirata - TAD

Summer Vacation

So what does a Top Alcohol Dragster owner/driver do during a 4.5 week layoff? Work on Top Alcohol Dragster? That’s what I should be doing. But reality is I have a real job. Hirata's Lowell Body Shop, Lowell Automotive and Hammer'd restos and customs is what fuels my life fire. It’s why I have opportunities in life. Racing is in my blood. Genetically I didn’t have a choice. But our business is my real life. Lowell body shop was established in 1956 by my parents. It’s all I know and do. It’s the only job I’ve ever had. I just heard this saying, "if you love what you do, it is NOT a job" So true.

What really gives me the opportunities I have are my FANTASTIC EMPLOYEES. They make it happen...and to them, THANK YOU. I leave and the place does not miss a beat. I could probably work from home, but I was sternly told by my office manager, Nicole, that will NOT happen.

With that, the race car got put on the back burner to catch up on some real work. I also got a phone call from Route 66 Raceway a few weeks ago.  They chose my mom and dad to be their "LEGENDS" for that evening. It was a very thoughtful thing to do from them. Not a bad year for my parents - Garlits Hall of Fame, got a Norwalk nationals win, and a Legends award. In turn, we also did a little testing at Joliet that night, too. So I did get some race car action in.

Now starts our second Midwestern swing. We start at Bowling Green, move on to the U.S. Nationals and then off to Iowa. Three weeks of misery/fun coming up.  Now, what I really have to look forward to after the Iowa race is 3 days of punk rock at Riotfest in Chicago. Now there is a reason to go to work…Remember, opportunities?

 

Dave Hirata is the driver of the Hirata Motorsports/Schepel Auto Group A/Fuel Dragster. For more information on Hirata Motorsports, visit www.HirataMotorsports.com or like 'Hirata Motorsports' on Facebook.

Insight Propels Ahten to Second Round at Seattle

Courtesy of THR5 Communications
Photo courtesy of Johnny Ahten

Kent, WA. – Fans and racers at the line were treated to something special at last weekend’s Northwest Nationals for the first round of Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying. First, there was the sight of the newly wrapped Stump Puller and matching crew uniforms. Then there was the sight of a 5.274/264.60 on the scoreboard. Close to Johnny Ahten’s career best, the team has put forth the effort necessary to return them to the 5.20’s. Research, testing, and attention to detail had a lot to do with the strong qualifying sessions and advancement into the second round.

“The car felt strong and I knew it was going to be a run,” said Ahten. “Our testing really paid off and I am very proud of my crew. Our battles with tire shake and fuel issues have been a real pain. This just goes to show what can happen when you put together a plan and keep an eye on the goal. That 5.27 and second qualifying position was just the wake-up call to remind ourselves and others what we can do,” added Ahten.

The last round of qualifying saw the Stump Puller continue to strut its stuff with a strong 5.343/267.22. That would keep Johnny #2, and set up a match-up with Greg Sereda. First round action saw Johnny get the advantage and never look back. His 5.390/263.26 bested Sereda’s 5.553/255.58 to get the win.

“Saturday was a whirl-wind day for us,” added Ahten. “Friday’s rain-out dampened everyone’s day, but Saturday was a blast. We had an autograph session with some of the other Sportsman drivers under the Mello Yellow tent. It was a great chance to meet the fans and the place was packed.  Saturday was also the first appearance of our new wrap, new crew shirts, and new major associate sponsorship with Combust Filters. I really want to thank Combustion Technologies for choosing Ahten Racing to showcase their line of by-pass filtration systems. We use and love their CleanBoost 70W Oil. I would also like to thank Island Renovations who provided us with new crew uniforms to match the car,” Ahten concluded.

The Ahten Racing team headed into Sunday eliminations with confidence. Waiting in the other lane would be previous World Champ Duane Shields. At the flash of the light, Johnny left the line with the advantage but at 1.9 seconds into the run a cylinder lost fire and began spewing out raw nitro. Tried as he could, Johnny could only watch as Shields took to the win. The carnival ride that was the Northwest Nationals for Johnny Ahten had come to an end. Strong numbers and data will carry Johnny and the Ahten Racing team forward, as they continue to have their sights set on quick times and victory.

…

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

The Combust Filters Oil By-Pass Filtration System provides 3 Micron filtration, 100% Water Removal, Soot Removal, Extended Engine Life, Pollution Prevention, and Reduced Oil Consumption. By keeping the oil free of moisture contamination and particulates larger than 3 microns, your engine oil will have reduced Oxidation, Nitration, while maintaining required oil viscosity and TBN for proper lubrication. Our system incorporates only the best technology and quality construction for ease of use and installation. Features include an easy to read pressure gauge, 2 sizes of spin-on filters (7” and 12”), a push button oil sample valve, and a custom flow fitting to ensure a continuous proper flow. No internal moving parts to wear out!  Visit us at: www.combustfilters.com

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

TAN Driver Blog - Johnny Ahten - TAD

As I write this I’m at the fire station in the evening after we finished cleaning up from dinner.  We live at the fire station 1/3 of our lives; we cook, eat, exercise, train and fight fire together.  It is my family away from home. In a lot of ways it is similar to the crews in drag racing.  They always say there has to be chemistry on a drag racing team and it’s no different here with my fire brothers. 

I have been completely overwhelmed preparing for the Seattle national and regional events.  My dad, as usual is busy in the shop, and Shark and I have been super busy servicing the Freightliner toter for our road trip.  We overhauled the wiring, serviced the engine, cooling, A/C, bathroom, etc.  And you know I had to keep my wife happy while I’ll be gone so we installed new granite counters this past week too.  I really wanted to bring mama and the kids with me, but the timing just didn’t work out.  We usually bring the motor home with the family to Sonoma and stay at the track.  It is my wife’s favorite track to visit.  The kids love to go to Discovery Kingdom on Monday too!  It’s a bummer that there isn’t one regional race for an Alcohol car in the home state of the NHRA!  What’s up with that?  When I started Alcohol dragster in 2004 we attended Sacramento, Bakersfield, Fontana, and Sonoma.

We attended the Nitro Night of Fire in Bakersfield as a test session and that place was packed!  It was the maiden voyage for our newer truck and trailer and we have been working on resolving some tire shake issues.  Things went well, so I hope we can continue progressing in Seattle. Well, look for us in Seattle. Come by and say hi!  Check us out on instagram - ahtenracing, and Facebook, Johnny Ahten Racing.

Johnny

Johnny Ahten is the driver of the Island Renovations/Fireman's Brew A/Fuel Dragster. Find Johnny and the Ahten Racing team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

TAN Driver Blog - Dave Hirata - TAD

Winning Ugly

I don’t believe in 13 being bad luck. When I was told how long it was since my last National win, I did some math: I was in my 30's (something), they don’t even run TAD at that event any more, we were called Federal-Mogul dragsters, and I ran a completely different motor brand (I will elaborate on 13 years ago).

The best part of my win at Norwalk was for my crew: Molly, Grayson Biehn, Chris Wells, Brian & Byron Inouye. These "mad ants" have never experienced a win with me. They have stuck it out through mostly thin lately. Seems like we have turned the corner here and I hope we can be a competitive car more often. (Super Bowl champs: the St. Louis Rams – for real) Also, this is my first win with my "car partners”: Schepel Auto Group, NGK Spark Plugs, Lucas Oil, NAPA Service Auto Parts, Impact, R&R Connecting Rods, and Protect The Harvest. We need them to race at this level and I glad I can finally report a win to them. (13 years ago “Smooth” by Santana & Rob Thomas was longest on the #1 billboard)

As spoiled racers, my "basking in glory" really lasted until I hit the Ohio turnpike. I had 5.5 hours to think about "damn, why did that car run so bad those last two runs?" Well here we are, car torn down, engine out and fixing a few things. (13 years ago the Yankees won the World Series. I’m sure no one cares about that except me.)

What made the last two runs so much more emotional for me was the fact that I had NO idea we won. I just figured when the car shook in the semi's and Brandon Booher shot out past me that we were done. I was wondering why ESPN was not near Brandon's car. I thought that was strange. The camera man pointed at me: holy crap, we won. Same thing in the finals. Our car shook and just shut off. As the NHRA track staff pushed me off the track at the short turn, I thought it was nice that one man congratulated me on our final round appearance. With my back toward the starting line, I took off my gear and heard Ray Martin's crew and horns blowing off. Really, I turned around and it was our crew. I just found out he red lit. WOW. It was definitely  our day.

The winner circle, friends, fans, pictures, and high fives were so much fun. (Barbie & Ken Addams family was a popular toy 13 years ago.) And to top it off, the best track owners in the business, the Bader's, presented me with a billet ice cream scoop. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. A big thank you to them as they’re the BEST OWNER OPERATERS AND STAFF. (13 years ago Angelina Jolie married Billy Bob Thorton. Since I won I’m sure she'll be calling me back.)

Dave Hirata is the driver of the Schepel Auto Group/NGK A/Fuel Dragster. To find out more about Dave and the Hirata Motorsports team, visit them online at HirataMotorsports.com and Facebook.