Stalba Preparing for 2014 Season with Improved Performance, Additional Sponsors

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photos courtesy of David Smith

HAMMONTON, N.J. (February 12) – Top Alcohol Dragster driver Karen Stalba and her AA Auto Salvage team have been busy over the offseason, doing everything they can to bring home another regional championship. Karen has been securing new additional marketing partners, while her team has been working over every aspect of her nitro-burning A/Fuel Dragster. The New Jersey-based group hopes their efforts will bring the car back to its race-winning ways of 2011.

Stalba, who won the 2011 Division 1 TAD championship, struggled to perform over the last two years, winning once last year. Karen believes her team's work over the winter, as well as the introduction of new A/Fuel rules, will help bring a higher level of performance to the program.

“We found a lot of problems and inaccuracies over the winter. We had a few 'aha moments'. The team has looked over everything, making sure we have a good tune-up and the right components to start with this season. As far as the new rules, I think the added percentage of nitro will help, especially in the hot weather. Before we start playing with the new rules, we need to get our tune-up from last year sorted out,” said the mother of two.

The new rules, introduced to the TAD class in December 2013, are meant to benefit the nitro-injected A/Fuel dragsters. A/Fuel teams are allowed to use 95% nitromethane fuel, up one percent, chilled ten degrees cooler than last year's minimum temperature, running through an insulated main fuel line.

Karen Stalba will hit the track this April with new sponsors and continued support from several team sponsors.

“I'm happy to welcome NGK Spark Plugs and MAHLE to the team, who will be providing us with associate sponsorship. I'd like to thank Kris Zdral at NGK and Bill McKnight at MAHLE for choosing to support our team this year. This will also be our fifth season with Lucas Oil. We'll continue to have AA Auto Salvage, MX Industrial, and Sheetz Electric on-board with us again,” Stalba said gratefully. Karen also extends thanks to Boninfante Friction and Goodyear for the support they have provided.

Karen's family-based team will also be back for another season of NHRA Lucas Oil drag racing.

“We'll have the same crew back again this season,” Karen said. “My dad, Tom Benkovich, and Erick Cindrich, are the co-crew chiefs. They tune the car and maintain it. Larry Bucher will also be back with us. My mom, Margaret, and Erick's wife Donna also come out and help us. It's a great family operation.”

Husband Tom Stalba also helps when he can, but he will be doing double duty this year, racing in many events and several classes, including Comp Eliminator, Super Comp, and Super Gas.

Stalba and the AA Auto Salvage A/Fuel Dragster team plan on attending at least seven regional events and six NHRA Mello Yello series national events, chasing the elusive first national event win. They will start their season at the first East Region event of the year at Virginia Motorsports Park, April 4-5.

Karen Stalba is the 2011 NHRA Division 1 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion. She drives the AA Auto Salvage/Lucas Oil A/Fuel Dragster in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The team's co-crew chiefs are Tom Benkovich and Erick Cindrich. For more information on Karen Stalba and the AA Auto Salvage Racing team, please visit www.karenstalba.com. Fans can follow Karen Stalba on Facebook (www.facebook.com/stalbamotorsports) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/karenstalba).

Stalba Racing receives support from Lucas Oil Products, NGK Spark Plugs, MAHLE, Boninfante Friction, MX Industrial, Sheetz Electric, Goodyear Tires, and Associated Auto Parts of New Jersey.

Stalba, Anderika Complete Comebacks

Courtesy of Todd Veney/Pro Sportsman Association
Photos courtesy of David Smith

At the East Region closer in Cecil County, Md., Karen Stalba, who endured a disappointing title defense last year after winning the 2011 Division 1 championship, got back on top in Top Alcohol Dragster, and incoming points leader John Anderika clinched the championship by personally taking out the only two drivers who had a mathematical shot at overtaking him in Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Stalba, who DNQed at five of six regional event last year and had won just one round so far this season, went from the No. 8 qualifying spot to victory, taking a final-round decision over current points leader Dan Page, 5.51 to 5.70. "For a year and a half, it's been nothing but frustration," Stalba said. "We got lost. Nothing went right all year last year, nothing went right all year this year, and nothing was going right at this race. We smoked the tires on both test runs on Thursday and when we did it again in the first qualifying session, I thought, 'Man, I hope we can just qualify. There were a lot of long faces around here."

Stalba ran a 5.53 on her final qualifying attempt to make the cut and upset No. 1 qualifier John Finke, who dominated qualifying with 5.30s on both runs, including a 5.31 that held up for low e.t., with a 5.51 in round one. Finke drove into smoke and was the third driver in a row not to make it down the right lane, which has always been the lane of choice at Cecil County and was throughout qualifying.

Dan Mercier ran a 6.67 in that lane and lost to Page's 5.52, and No. 2 qualifier Rich McPhillips slowed to a 6-flat in a loss to defending event champ Richard Bourke's 5.66. The only driver to win from the right lane was Jackie Fricke, who ran a 5.47 in Joe Cantrell's JC Auto Glass dragster to edge Wayne Morris, who ran a 5.54 in Cantrell's old car in the only close race of Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations.

Stalba stayed consistent in the semifinals with a 5.48 win over Fricke's up-in-smoke 10.09. Page set low e.t. of eliminations in the other semi with a 5.43 against Bourke, who had trouble firing, made it to the line at the last minute, and struggled to a 5.93.

In the final, Stalba became the only driver in either alcohol class to win in the right lane since Fricke beat Morris in the first pair after the National Anthem with a consistent 5.51 against Page's laboring 5.70. "Low 5.50s usually aren't enough, but on that track and in those conditions, it was exactly what we needed," said Stalba, who last scored two years ago at New England Dragway, also over Page in the final. "We tried something before the final session, it worked, we went further in that direction in eliminations and it worked even better, and the next thing you know, we won the race. It just goes to show that you never know, and hopefully, this was the start of a turnaround."

Anderika struggled in qualifying, ending up fourth in the short five-car field with a best of 5.87, but he came to life when conditions changed in eliminations. He won a crucial first-round race with Dan Pomponio, who won the first two regionals of the season, 5.72 to a tire-shaking 14.08, and beat Todd Veney in the semifinals, 5.70 to an up-in-smoke 9.95. Either of them could have won the regional title with a win at this event.

There was no runner-up. D.J. Cox, who hurt an engine on his only qualifying run, a 5.67, wounded another in a backpedaling 5.84 first-round win over Marie Ferriolo and didn't return for the semifinals. "I could have dragged it up there for the semifinals, taken the Tree, and shut off," he said, "and I could have done the same thing in the final, hoping the other guy red-lighted or crossed the centerline or something, but I'd had enough fun for one weekend."

With the win and the regional championship secured, Anderika putted down the track to a 21.58 at 50 mph for his second career win and second in a row. "This makes all the runner-ups and everything I've ever been through worth it," said Anderika, who was 0-10 in final-round competition from 2008 through June of this year. "We beat both of the guys who could have passed us, and everything happened the way it should have. Not many people knew, but I said at the beginning of the year that this is my last year driving. I'm retiring. Maple Grove is going to be my last race, and this is a perfect way to go out."

TAN Driver Blog-Karen Stalba-TAD

I am getting pretty excited to start the 2012 season. The guys have been working hard to get the car ready and I've been gathering up all the parts for them. We were at the Division 1 Banquet a few weekends ago to get our hardware, and it was a pretty great view from the podium! After many years trying, to go out and win the division with my dad as crew chief is something pretty special. Most of us race with our families, so I know many people have felt the way I do. I have great people beside me. My husband Tommy is going to start his season off in Orlando for the points race, then he is racing Gainesville, so the week in between, we are going where all Champions go -- DISNEY WORLD! Tommy's parents are going with us and it should be a great time...first time taking the kids on an airplane...just me and my mother-in-law. I'll be loaded up with my iPad and Emily's Mobigo to keep the kids busy on the place, and a little Angry Birds on my cell phone should keep them occupied for a bit!

In the off season, we keep pretty busy. With all of Tommy's race cars, he always has something going on, and we've had some house issues, and the business is always pretty busy. Our son, Paul, is playing Ice Hockey two days a week and it is so stinking cute to see those little 5 and 6 year olds skating around. He loves it. He starts kindergarten next year...feels like just yesterday that I was taking a year off of racing to have him.

I need to get back to the track so I can start walking again to get rid of the extra pounds I gained over the winter! Only good thing about extra weight is that my firesuit pants won't fall down so easily! There is always a ton of cooking and eating going on in my house...all I've done since we stopped racing is cook. Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year's-Poker Game...yes, we had a basement full of 40 guys playing cards in front of a wall of Wallys and we had a feast of food. I love to cook, so I don't mind much and it is always a good time. Even Stat Guy Lewis Bloom made it out for the evening. I make Sweet Potato Ravioli that Tommy goes nuts over...I had to find something to do with the cases of sweet potatoes that the local farm friends bring us! Tommy says I need to sell them to help fund the race car. If I tried that, I don't think I'd ever make it out of the kitchen to actually race! Well, off to sleep...gotta snooze while the kids do so that I can get over this bad cold I have. Until next time!

Karen Stalba is the driver of the AA Auto Salvage/Stalba Motorsports A/Fuel Dragster. Find Stalba Motorsports on Facebook, follow Karen on Twitter at @KarenStalba and check out http://www.karenstalba.com/





TAN Driver Blog-Karen Stalba-TAD

Hello everyone, it's Karen Stalba. Thank you for taking time from your daily life to catch up on mine. It's late-December and freezing here in New Jersey. The holidays are always busy and with Christmas coming, family members keep asking what I want. I have a terrific family and come January 14th, we will have that great Division 1 Top Alcohol Dragster Championship Trophy, so that should about do it! The box of Arias Pistons that arrived at the shop the other day were a good start though! I did however see a commercial for the Crafstman Universal Toolkit. I sure could use that here in the house. My kitchen counter usually looks like a mini Auto Body Shop, fixing cars and diecasts for our son. I'm pretty handy, but I always have to walk way out to the shop or trailer to find tools.

Some of us on the Stalba Team were in Orlando for the PRI show a couple of weekends ago and had a great time. The show was pretty casual; not overly crowded, which worked out great because it gave us a chance to talk to our suppliers and meet some face to face for the first time.

Just as good as the show was, so was the nightlife for the one night we were able to get out. Tommy and I had a couple of kid-free days (first away together in several years without the munchkins!) so it was crazy to be out and not have to worry about rushing home. We visited a fun place called Howl at the Moon, which featured a great band and a great crowd. Stalba Motorsports was well-represented in the crowd and on the mirrors behind the band....thanks to several friends who put up some dollars to give us some praise in shoe polish! Thanks also to Lucas Oil Products for coming on board again for the 2012 season. We hope to make them proud.

The new Regional Schedule for the Top Alcohol categories has raised a lot of questions, and we are still waiting to hear all the details as they become available, but it should be an interesting year. I know that everyone has their opinions on how to fix things, but for now, we will see how this works out. I am pretty happy they let us have 4 regions. I hope for the growth of the category that car counts do in fact improve and the tracks can promote us and provide a quality show for their attendees. Maybe we can find ways to help our tracks provide a quality show and increase awareness.

We are tentative for the Gainesville regional, but there is a lot to be done between now and then. With some end-of-year fuel shut-off problems we found, we would really like to do some testing before we travel so far. I noticed in testing at Atco that the fuel shut-off was off after my test run, and I didn't do it myself. To be sure, on the next pass, I glanced at it a couple times (not easy to look down going over 200 mph), but I watched it try to work it's way shut. So without the remote shutdown safety devices that are normally present divisional and national events, I noticed the problem. If that has been happening all year, then we found a major source of holes in our aluminum parts that go up and down! Thanks to the PRI show, we met up with Watterman pumps and bought a fuel shutoff with a detent. That should solve the problem!

My dad and Erick have been spending a lot of time in the shop getting things ready. I couldn't do this without them. Erick is meticulous and keeps everything looking beautiful. The timing was perfect for him to be getting out of Funny Car racing to join up with us.

Next stop for us is the Division 1 Banquet in Hershey, PA. We haven't been to the banquet since Tommy last won the Division in Super Comp, one of his six Division 1 Championships. I hope someday I'll be able to catch him in that category. I always say I am going to get some doll hair and dress up my two Wallys with long, dark hair so that I can quickly point out those Wallys on the wall of fame that are actually mine! The banquet is always a fun time to catch up with everyone. I'm still working on my speech, and with Bob Frey in attendance, I have a huge standard to try and meet!

Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. In the meantime, you can check out my website, http://www.karenstalba.com/, or follow me on Twitter, @KarenStalba, or find us on Facebook at Stalba Motorsports.


Karen Stalba is the driver of the Division 1-based Stalba Motorsports/Lucas Oil Products Top Alcohol Dragster. You can follow her on Twitter at @KarenStalba.

TAN Reader's Choice Awards-TAD Divisional Champion

The Reader's Choice for Crew Chief of the Year is Jerry Maddern, tuner of the Chris Demke-driven Peen-Rite Top Alcohol Dragster.

This is the third week in the Top Alcohol News Reader's Choice Awards. To vote, place your vote on our Facebook wall or tweet it to us on Twitter. If you are not on these social networks, send your vote to us in an email. Another way to vote is the poll on the right side of this website. This week's category is....

2011 Top Alcohol Dragster Divisional Champion of the Year
This award recognizes the reader's choice for the Divisional champion of the year in the Top Alcohol Dragster class. The nominees are below:

Division 1-Karen Stalba
Driving a former Morgan Lucas car, Karen Stalba secured the Division 1 championship with a win at the Epping race, along with back-to-back runner-up finishes at Atco and zMax Dragway. Stalba's only first round loss came at her first race of the season. 33 point lead over #2 Mike Kosky

Division 2-Duane Shields
Also the 2011 National champion, Duane Shields experienced one of his best seasons yet. His first win of the season came at his second race, at Cecil. Other highlights include 3 more wins and a runner-up finish. Shields' performance was not as consistent, with 3 first round losses. 190 point lead over #2 Rich McPhillips

Division 3-Bill Reichert
5-time National champion Bill Reichert secured another Division 3 championship, thanks to 4 wins and a pair of runner-up finishes. Like Stalba, Reichert fell short in round one once. Though he didn't take the National title again, he impressed in D3. 148 point lead over #2 Marty Thacker

Division 4-Mike Manners
Known for his sleek, Spitzer-built "The Shredder" A/Fueler, Mike Manners had a successful season in Division 4 competition. He secured the title with a pair of runner-up finishes, sandwiched in between a set of wins. Manners also won the IHRA Pro Fuel Dragster championship. 64 point lead over #2 James Thompson Jr.

Division 5-Randy Meyer
National Championship tuner Randy Meyer resumed his winning ways in 2011. Acting as team owner, crew chief and driver, Meyer multitasked his way to the championship. Starting off the season with a runner-up finish at Cecil, he went on to win the Great Bend and Cordova races. 32 point lead over #2 Richard Putz

Division 6-Joey Severance
One of the two Blown Alcohol drivers to win a divisional championship this year, Joey Severance used his supercharged bullet to reach the finals of every divisional that he entered. He lost in only two of those final round appearances, out of seven finals. This propelled Joey to a potential National championship, but Duane Shields ultimately took that honor. 105 point lead over #2 Ray Martin

Division 7-Jim Whiteley
The other Blown Alcohol pilot to win a division title, Jim Whiteley began his 2011 campaign for the championship with a runner-up finish at Chandler, Arizona. His performance picked up later in the season, where he won three races along with another runner-up. Whiteley's YNot Racing team will also continue to field an Alcohol Funny Car in 2012 with Annie Whiteley behind the wheel. 42 point lead over #2 Chris Demke