The stars of NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car didn't disappoint in 2014, with record-breaking numbers, dominating performances, a cast of diverse characters new and old, and exciting storylines throughout the Lucas Oil Series season. In no particular order, here are a few of the notable headlines and stories from 2014.
5x TAD National Champion Reichert Retires as Driver/Owner
During the 60th running of the U.S. Nationals, a race he won three times, Bill Reichert announced he would retire as a driver following the NHRA Nationals at Reading. The Michigan driver was winless on the national level this year, but won two North Central Region races and posted a 5th place finish in national points. Reichert's legendary driving career spans two decades, in which he won 28 national events, 54 regional/divisional events, five national championships, and nine divisional championships. His retirement announcement hinted that he might serve as a crew chief in 2015 should the right opportunity arise.
Bill Reichert - Nate Van Wagnen photo
Rookie drivers debut with winning performances
The alcohol categories had a standout rookie class in 2014. Corey Michalek, brother of 2013 TAD rookie Kyle Michalek, made his A/Fuel debut at the 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. Cutting .02 lights in three of four eliminations rounds, Michalek beat Matt Cummings, Randy Meyer, Bill Reichert, and Brandon Booher to win his first-ever TAD national event. High profile bracket racer Mia Tedesco stepped up to TAD in 2014 with Hirata Motorsports, eventually winning the Bowling Green regional and reaching the semifinals at the U.S. Nationals. Young Nostalgia Funny Car driver Cameron Ferre made another step up, driving Larry Miersch's A/Fueler to runner-up finishes at the Mission regional and the Finals at Pomona. Mike Doushgounian won his debut regional race and reached the semis at two national events, driving a Bob Miner-powered, ex-Frank Manzo TAFC. Matt Gill, son of noted east coast TAFC racer Paul Gill, runnered-up at two regionals and won the Gainesville regional.
Mia Tedesco - Nate Van Wagnen photo
Demke, Harker Dominate Maple Grove Weekend
The eventual national champions in both TAD and TAFC, Chris Demke and Steve Harker, displayed their might at the NHRA Nationals held at rural Pennsylvania's Maple Grove Raceway in October. They entered the race knowing three trophies were on the line: the rain-delayed Carolina Nationals Wally, the NHRA Nationals Wally, and the Lucas Oil Series national championship Wally. The national titles were decided on Friday, with Demke beating Bill Reichert and Harker defeating contender Dale Brand in the Carolina Nationals semifinals. The two champs went on to beat Randy Meyer and D.J. Cox, respectively, to win the Charlotte race on Saturday. They completed the sweep on Sunday when Demke beat Duane Shields in the NHRA Nationals TAD final and Harker unleashed a mean 5.429 on John Lombardo Jr. Demke (5.217/277.94 MPH) and Harker (5.429/267.91 MPH) also left with low ET and top speed of the event.
A/Fuel Rule Changes Spark Parity Debate
2014 looked to be an interesting year for Top Alcohol Dragster teams after rule changes for the A/Fuel cars were announced before the 2013 PRI show last December. The nitro-burners would be allowed an extra percent, ten degrees cooler fuel, and an insulated main fuel line. The insulated fuel line was added to the blower car rules later into the season. Drivers and crew chiefs shared their thoughts on the InsideTopAlcohol forums, in the pits, and in this Drag Illustrated round table discussion. Presented without comment, here are a few basic stats from the 2014 season:
A/Fuel: 7 national event wins (Randy Meyer/Shayne Lawson 4, Duane Shields 2, Corey Michalek 1), 16 regional event wins (Rich McPhillips, Jackie Fricke, Bill Reichert, Meyer/Lawson, Shields and Garrett Bateman 2, Jeff Veale, Jared Dreher, Mia Tedesco, and Mike Manners 1), highest national points finish - 3rd (Meyer), Top 10 points finishers - 5, 2 regional championships (Fricke - East and Meyer - Central), quickest run - 5.202 (Johnny Ahten at Seattle and Karl Brounkowski at Houston).
Blown: 9 national event wins (Chris Demke 5, Joey Severance 3, Mike Strasburg 1), 9 regional event wins (Demke 4, Severance 3, Strasburg and Brandon Booher 1), highest national points finish - 1st (Demke), Top 10 points finishers - 5, 2 regional championships (Marty Thacker - North Central and Demke - West), quickest run - 5.217 (Demke at Reading).
Randy Meyer - Megan Meyer photo
Brand New Camaro TAFC Bodies Make Their Debut
The eagerly awaited 2014 Chevrolet Camaro body was released midseason when Jay Blake's Permatex/Follow A Dream team debuted the very first edition with driver Todd Veney at the Maple Grove regional. Jay Payne won the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in his Peak Camaro's debut. Dale Brand was the third Camaro driver, adding a new look to his championship chase at the Carolina Nationals. Impressing in both the looks and performance categories, look for more Camaro bodies to pop up in 2015.
Jay Payne - Nate Van Wagnen photo
First-Time Winners Add to History Books
While not as many 2013 first-time winners (9), 2014 was a good year for new national event champs. Corey Michalek kicked off his TAD career with a win at the Four-Wides. Mike Strasburg made the most of his opportunity to drive the 2013 championship-winning YNot Racing blown alcohol dragster, scoring his first national event Wally at Norwalk. Randy Meyer Racing driver Shayne Lawson won both of his 2014 national events, first winning Topeka then Dallas. In TAFC, former sand racer Nick Januik won his home race, the SummitRacing.com Nationals in Vegas, in just his fifth national event appearance. Former IHRA AFC standout Dale Brand notched his first and only national event win of 2014 at Topeka. Lucas Oil Nationals winner Scott McVey had to wait until the Earlville regional to finish off the job, but his first national event win was followed up with the regional event win the next day.
Corey Michalek - David Smith photo
Taliaferro Walks Away from Gnarly Collision
Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Mark Taliaferro suffered a horrific collision with the retaining wall while racing at the Northwest Nationals near Seattle. Taliaferro went into tire smoke during the second round of eliminations and was unable to recover, ending up in the opposite wall. Opponent Garrett Bateman watched the accident occur in front of him, as he red-lit, smoked the tires and aborted the run. Fortunately Mark walked away without serious injury and returned to competition at the Las Vegas fall race, eventually finishing 9th in national points.
Five-time NHRA National Champion Bill Reichert announced today that he is retiring from driving in NHRA competition at the end of the 2014 racing season. Reichert, who has compiled one of the most accomplished NHRA resumes ever in his 22-year driving career, is still the all-time low elapsed time record holder in Top Alcohol Dragster at 5.10 seconds. He recorded that elapsed time, as well as a companion 284.75 MPH top speed record, at Houston in 2007. Both are records that will likely never be broken.
In his retirement announcement Bill noted that his racing career has been very satisfying with more career accomplishments than even he could have imagined at its start. Those include 28 NHRA National Event wins beginning with the 1995 Brainerd event. Bill has also recorded 54 NHRA Regional/Divisional wins in 77 final round appearances.
Bill was quick to thank his family and friends for their support throughout his long and fruitful racing career. He also remarked that none of these accomplishments would have been possible without the enthusiastic support of the Bar’s Leaks and Rislone brands of automotive chemicals.
Noting that he competed in a class that required a significant investment, it was Bar’s Leaks and Rislone that had made it possible for him to achieve all that he has. He was honored to have earned their support for so many years and thanked them in closing.
At the end of this season Bill’s recording-holding dragster, as well as his transporter, all of his spare parts, and his support equipment will be available for purchase. Ideally, Bill would prefer to sell his entire turn-key racing operation to one party and be hired to tune the car for its new owner/driver. Lacking that he will be willing to break up his major components and/or be available to tune for another racing team.
Car: NGK/Schepel Auto Group/C.A.R.S. Protection Plus A/Fuel Dragster
Age: 20
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Occupation: Race car driver, President of We Find Parts
Family: Father – Michael, Mother – Cindy, Sister - Natalie
First race car: Jr. Dragster
Favorite music: Country
Favorite sports teams: Pittsburgh Penguins
Favorite racetrack: Palm Beach International Raceway and Beech Bend Raceway
When I'm away from the racetrack I: Train in the gym, work at CARS Protection Plus and We Find Parts, and help work in the shop on all of our other 7 race cars.
Favorite racing memory: Winning my first race when I was 17 in Florida.
Favorite drivers outside TAD: Jason Lynch
I race because: I love how you can’t perfect the sport. You are constantly learning and trying something new. The competition is always top of the line and relentless. You always have to do your best and be on your game.
I race TAD because: it was a class I always thought would be awesome to run, but never thought the opportunity would come, and when it did I couldn’t pass it up.
If I didn't race I would: I never could imagine a life without drag racing. I would have to be involved in some way. But I would keep busy helping run my father’s business and my own.
Family: Parents – Kenny and Chiyo, girlfriend - Molly
Accomplishments: 5x national event winner, multi-time divisional event winner, 2x U.S. Nationals runner-up
First race car: A/Fuel car
Favorite movies: Bloodsport
Favorite music: Anything violent
Favorite TV shows: ESPN and the Food Network
Favorite sports teams: New York Yankees
When I'm away from the racetrack I: Work 24/7, try to go to as many concerts as I can, and find different places to eat.
Top accomplishments: Working at the family business since 1982, working with my family, and being able to win national and divisional events.
Toughest opponent: Whoever is in the other lane, because no one is not tough.
Favorite opponent: Bill Reichert; I consider him to be one of the best ever, and we want to race the best.
Favorite drivers outside TAD: Sean Bellemeur
Personal heroes: My parents and Roland Leong
I race because: genetically I didn't have a chance; my dad always raced. Also, I like the challenge of it and the people that we've met.
I race TAD because: when I started racing I wanted to run nitro. That was right at the time when they [A/Fuel cars] would run really fast or really slow. You had 100% nitro, and it seemed like there was a whole lot more you could do. The biggest reason was because I wanted to run something on nitromethane.
Pre-race rituals or superstitions: I tend to wear the same clothes at every race. If I'm driving there's a couple things in the car that I try to do every time. I have a Saint Christopher's medal on my steering wheel. When we start the car I put my finger on it. If my girlfriend is there we do this thing that I call belly bumps so we have a goofy ritual there.
Nobody knows: my age – most people don't get it. I guess it's a compliment, or compliment to my parents.
If I didn't race I would: look to work on someone else's race car, just to be out there. I would spend more time working on my personal cars. I'd probably keep my lawn a little more groomed.
Family: Parents John and Lisa Michalek, brother Kyle Michalek, and girlfriend Christine Kotter
Accomplishments: Won TAD debut at 2014 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, first “Search for a Champion” contest winner, 2007 IHRA AFC world champion as a Mark Thomas crew member
First race car: Super Comp dragster
Favorite movie: Inception
Favorite music: It’s always changing depending on the mood. I spend about 45 minutes a day listening to music walking to and from work and I have something on pretty much all day when I’m there.
Favorite TV shows: NHRA ESPN2 broadcasts, Big Bang Theory, and Moonshiners
Favorite sports teams: Louisville Leopards, Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Cleveland Browns
When I'm away from the racetrack I: Work 10 hours a day at my normal job and then I go home and work into the morning on preparing for our upcoming races and sponsorship presentations for next season.
Favorite racing memory: Getting to be out at the track with Kyle
Top accomplishment in racing: Winning the 2014 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. The drivers that we had to go through to get there are some of the most respected wheelmen in the business and it was awesome even to just get the chance to line up against them.
Toughest opponent: I’m still way too new to single anyone out. I respect anyone that can bring a car to the starting line.
Favorite opponent: I haven’t had the chance to compete against Kyle yet, but I think we’re both looking forward to that.
Favorite drivers outside TAD: Clay Millican, Mark Thomas, Pat Dakin
Personal heroes: Both of my grandfathers for their service to the country.
I race because: I’m an adrenaline junkie, I love the competition, and the racetrack brings our family together.
I race TAD because: It is the premier class of sportsman drag racing in the world and it’s one step away from our ultimate goal.
Pre-race rituals or superstitions: Checking the throttle stop, wheelie bar, and parachutes and stretching my lower back one last time before hopping in the car. Racecars aren’t built for tall people!
Nobody knows that I: Eat at least a half of a pack of Oreos at a time, sometimes the whole thing.
If I didn't race I would: I really enjoy my job outside of racing so I think I would be able to function…but let’s not eliminate racing.
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.
One of the original goals of Top Alcohol News is to provide a one-stop outlet for fans of Top Alcohol racing, from the lifelong diehard fan to the "mainstream fan" who is new to the class. In a new series, we'll share opinions and perspectives from a few of the fans of our sport.
I've seen some positive and negative posts today in regards to fans seeking autographs. John Force was at a Busch race at Richmond in the early 90's. I got his autograph on whatever card he was signing and it looked like the Nike swoosh. I'm not a huge fan of his but really appreciate what he has done in the sport. I've heard some great testimonies of people that have interacted with him in the pits, and some less than favorable meetings.
Name any drag racing icon and I'm sure there are fans that have had less-than-ideal meetings with them. These racing heroes are human, for crying out loud! Did you ever have a bad day at your job and snap at somebody? And to think the worst thing that may happen to most of us on the 9 to 5 is a paper cut, a slight bruise, a sunburn, or a sweaty uniform. Not sure what you do to make a buck and pay the rent, but would you want a clamoring audience looking over your shoulder and demanding your time while you performed it? All things considered, we should be grateful for the vast majority of drag racing stars and competitors that share their time in front of and behind the ropes with those that root for and idolize them. When they are less than accommodating, try and cut them some slack.
I've personally never experienced a negative experience with any racer or tuner. That is not to say that some were not available or accessible. The more "savvy" pro racers are certainly more fan accessible; they get it. But if you really want to spend meaningful time in actual meaningful dialogue, wander past the pro pits into the sportsman digs. While still accomplished, talented, and hardcore racers, most will actually stop what they are doing (if they are not too busy) and converse with fans, answering questions. I can't recall a single contact with a sportsman racer that wasn't anything less than enjoyable. I'll single out Chris Demke because [friend and WWSODR member] Eric Allen and I spoke to him at Gainesville after his massive breakage. He could not have been any more engaged in our conversation, sharing as much time as we wanted, in spite of a disappointing and expensive race day. Fans, do yourselves a favor. Don't deny the opportunities to meet and get autographs from pros but don't negate the hard-working sportsman racers. You'll not only expand your love and appreciation for the sport but you'll also encourage and bless a racer that may need it.
Chris Demke and Eric Allen with Allen's rendition of the
Peen Rite dragster at the 2014 Gatornationals
Doug Bonnette is a longtime fan of drag racing, especially enjoying Top Alcohol and Pro Mod racing. Bonnette gets his annual dose of nitro and alcohol at the Gatornationals, making the trip from his home in Winter Springs, Fla. A letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, Bonnette is also a founding moderator of WORLDWIDE SPORT OF DRAG RACING, a Facebook group of fans, drivers, and drag racing insiders from around the world.
Hi everyone and welcome to our first blog entry. We are honored that TAN asked us to create a blog for the 2014 season. We hope you enjoy following our progress both on and off the track.
The fun never ends at MBR, and our off-season has been busy to say the least. Kyle has completed his master's degree program at Malone University, and Corey has been working hard on our new website (www.michalekbrothersracing.com). Check out the new pages and be sure to "Like” Michalek Brothers Racing on Facebook and follow @MichalekRacing on Twitter to stay in the loop regarding MBR contests and merchandise giveaways. We will be giving away FREE Champion t-shirts once we hit 500 "Likes" on Facebook.
On the racing front, we sold our Super Comp dragster to a family in Australia (we never would have guessed it would end up going to the other side of the world)! That sale helped free up some funds, but since we spend money just as fast as it comes in, both of us have been working hard on sponsorship and marketing initiatives. We are very proud to have renewed our partnership for the 3rd straight year with Champion, Fel-Pro, Speed-Pro, and Sealed Power. We could not participate at this level without their generous support.
Earlier this week we announced the Kenan Advantage Group (KAG) will join MBR as a new partner during the 2014 season. KAG will be our primary sponsor for the Norwalk regional event in May, and we are very excited about the partnership possibilities. KAG hopes to tap into the diverse NHRA fan base to recruit new employees for their growing business. We look forward to spreading the word about truck driving, mechanic, and tank washing career opportunities with KAG throughout the United States. You can browse and apply for available positions here (https://intelliapp2.driverapponline.com/c/kenan?r=raceRacecar).
On track, we have a lot to be excited about in 2014. Our schedule currently contains three races and we'll kick things off this weekend at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina. This event will mark Corey's debut in Top Alcohol Dragster competition. Kyle will return to the seat at our next stop in May for the Norwalk regional event where we hope to take care of some unfinished business from last year's runner-up finish. We will also be competing at the Norwalk national event in July. Our race efforts will once again be in conjunction with Dreher Motorsports who will supply the power and know how to help get us to the winner's circle.
We’ll be back soon with a recap from Charlotte and Corey’s thoughts on his first race. Nitro or nothin’.
Kyle and Corey 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.
DETROIT (March 11) – 21 year old aspiring A/Fuel Dragster driver Marina Anderson debuted her nitro-injected dragster at the legendary Detroit Autorama at Cobo Hall last weekend. The dragster's completion, four years in the making, is one step towards Marina's goal of becoming an A/Fuel driver.
“It's exciting to finally debut the car after four years of planning, financing, and fabrication. To unveil it at the Detroit Autorama, a show that my dad and I have attended for many years, makes it that much more special,” said Anderson, a recent college graduate with a dual degree in economics and supply chain management.
Marina, her father Scott, and family friend “Dragster” Dave Daunheimer of Competition Fabrications, meticulously worked to build almost every part of the car, from chassis components and tinwork to wiring and plumbing. The engine was prepared by noted A/Fuel tuner Jerry Darien. In addition to being involved in every step of the build, Marina is also the team owner, managing the business end of the team.
“Since we started this project, my dad insisted that I would be involved in the build, as well as the business side, so I would have a better respect for the car. I helped with a lot of the fabrication, but I'm also in charge of finding sponsors, ordering parts and materials, and the other tasks involved with running a race team,” Marina added.
The efforts of the Villa Park, Ill.-based group were rewarded at the Autorama this weekend, as the Anderson Family Dragster (AFD) was received well by the Detroit crowd.
“We were awarded first place in the Dragster category. After four years of hard work, we have a first place trophy from one of the most prestigious car shows in the country. It wouldn't be possible without the help from Competition Fabrications and Zrodz Custom Paint,” Marina commented.
The aspiring driver received plenty of media opportunities through the course of the weekend, all starting with a full article running in The Detroit News.
“The Detroit News did a whole article on me and the Autorama debut of the car. On Friday morning I did an interview with Detroit radio station WDET 101.9 FM. During the show I also had the opportunity to talk about the car and drag racing with a few local news channels. I received a lot of practice in front of the camera,” said Anderson, who earned her Super Comp license at age 17.
Now that she has a complete A/Fuel car, Marina and her family-based team plan on testing and upgrading Marina's license.
“We'll have the car out at the Lane Automotive car show in May, then I plan on testing and licensing at Route 66 Raceway in June. We're looking at running a few of the later regional races, but we don't want to rush into racing. We're a new team with a new car and a new driver, so we want to make sure everything is ready before we start competing.”
Anderson Family Dragster is an A/Fuel Dragster team with plans of competing in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' Top Alcohol Dragster class. The car is owned and driven by 21 year old Marina Anderson, a recent college graduate. Marina and her team receive support from Competition Fabrications, Zrodz Customs, and The Midnight Moon Alpaca Ranch.
OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 26) -- Lucas
Oil Products co-founder Forrest Lucas will be inducted into the International
Drag Racing Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2014 in a banquet on March 13
in Gainesville, Fla.
The Lucas Oil Products
International Drag Racing Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will take place at the
Paramount Plaza Hotel & Suites on the Thursday before the NHRA
Gatornationals at Auto-Plus Raceway in Gainesville.
Lucas is being honored for his
longtime support of drag racing at all levels, from sponsorship of Sportsman
racers and racing all the way to the NHRA Top Fuel class.
"I'm real happy that Don Garlits
has appreciated what he's seen us do over the years with drag racing," Lucas
said. "He's a very nice person, and I appreciate what he's done for drag racing
over the years, too. He's been a huge part of it, not only as a racer but he
started the museum to keep the story of it all. It's a big piece of history he's
taken care of single-handedly."
The Don Garlits Museum of Drag
Racing was opened in 1984 to chronicle the history of the sport. The
International Drag Racing Hall of Fame is housed in the museum.
Lucas will be inducted alongside
several other legends of the sport: John Abbott, Al Bergler, Frank Hawley, Tom
Hoover, and Warren Johnson.
"It's a big deal to me, not ever
having been a racer, but being appreciated for the fact that we've been a big
part of it," Lucas said. "I think we've helped drag racing get where it's at,
and it's nice to be appreciated."
Lucas will be presented at the
banquet by NHRA President Tom Compton.
"We got into drag racing to start
with because that's where all the auto parts stores were," Lucas said. "They
were all part of it, and we wanted to be in front of them, so we got into drag
racing.
"Then (son) Morgan was interested
it in, and (wife) Charlotte was, too. It was a fun thing for us, but it was also
business. We made a business out of it, and consequently a lot of other people
saw our success and followed us with sponsorship. It caused a lot of sponsorship
money for teams as well as NHRA itself.
"We made it work, and we also had
a good time with it. We're still having a good time with it."
Pittsburg, PA: As Mia Tedesco continues her ascent through the NHRA Lucas Oil Series ranks, she’ll add a new category to her resume in 2014. Tedesco, a 20-year-old driver of the recognizable C.A.R.S. Protection Plus backed machines, has earned valuable experience and achieved immense success in Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Dragster, and a multitude of bracket classes and machines. This season, she’ll take her talents to the quickest and fastest NHRA sportsman category: Top Alcohol Dragster.
Tedesco will team with the Hirata family, wheeling their A/Fuel dragster at a limited schedule of 7 NHRA Mello Yello Series events in 2014.
“We’re really excited for Mia to take the next step in her racing career,” expressed Mia’s father and team owner Michael Tedesco. “We’re excited not only about the opportunity to compete in Top Alcohol Dragster, but to do so with quality people like the Hirata family. We’re proud to be a part of their team and we look forward to a great future together.”
While Tedesco, who earned her A/Fuel license last season, is excited about the opportunity, she is also adamant about remaining true to her roots. She will continue to compete in the Super Comp and Super Gas categories throughout the season, and the team will also attend as many big dollar bracket events as possible.
“The Hirata’s have provided me and my family with an incredible opportunity,” expressed Tedesco. “I feel extremely blessed to take the next step in my racing career and to be surrounded with such professional and talented people. At the same time, I’ve had a lot of fun and I’ve learned so much in the ‘super’ and bracket classes over the past few seasons. I feel like I’ve come a long way as a driver, but there is still so much to learn. I don’t want to give that up.”
As a result, Tedesco will drive either her C.A.R.S. Protection Plus backed Super Comp dragster or Super Gas Cavalier in addition to the A/Fuel machine at the NHRA Mello Yello series stops in Gainesville, FL; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Norwalk, OH; the prestigious US Nationals in Indianapolis; NHRA’s second stop in Charlotte, NC; and Reading, PA. At this point, the team has no plans to compete in the TAD category on the regional level, which will allow her to pursue her dream of a Lucas Oil Division Series championship in both Super Comp and Super Gas alongside teammate Jason Lynch.
“Last season I finished 2nd in the NHRA Division 2 points standings with the Super Gas car,” she explained. “My teammate and mentor, Jason Lynch won the championship; so it was pretty cool to finish 1-2 and there is certainly no one that I’d rather come in second to. But getting close down the stretch was a great experience, and it just made me more hungry and determined to accomplish that goal. With our schedule this season, I’ll have another opportunity to chase that dream in both of the ‘super’ classes, so I’m very happy and excited about that.”
While Tedesco has quickly earned a reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the sportsman ranks, she’s also caught the watchful eye of several professional teams, drivers, and owners. Among them, Schumacher Racing owner and NHRA legend Don Schumacher, whose team is also backed by C.A.R.S. Protection Plus:
“We’re not only thrilled to be affiliated with C.A.R.S. and Michael Tedesco again in 2014 but we also are excited to see how Mia progresses this year in her A Fuel Dragster. That’s a giant step toward getting her into a Top Fuel Dragster and I know that’s hers and her father’s goal.
“She’s proven to be a very good racer. It will be a big adjustment going from Super Comp to A Fuel but I’ve been very impressed with how well she has patiently moved up the ladder. I am definitely looking at her for the future.”
In addition to C.A.R.S. Protection Plus, the Tedesco Racing team will feature backing from We Find Parts, a company that Mia Tedesco started with the help of her father Michael. We Find Parts sells used and aftermarket parts to dealers, service shops, or individual consumers. We Find Parts offers their customers no hassle purchases, as they do all of the research to find the best available part, and offers all parts (including engines, transmission, etc.) with free shipping and a warranty.
Mia Tedesco and Jason Lynch will kick off their 2014 campaign this weekend with the NHRA Division 2 opener in Orlando, FL. Tedesco will make her Top Alcohol Dragster competition debut at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL March 13-16.
January 29th, 2014 – Texas resident, Chase Copeland, has been selected to drive the Randy Meyer Racing Team’s second Top Alcohol Dragster at select NHRA and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series (LODRS) event races for the 2014 season. Chase, who is new to the Kansas-based team, was accepted by owner Randy Meyer, for his previous driving experience and proven winning record in Top Alcohol Dragster.
Fielding two A/Fuel Dragsters is not new for Randy Meyer; he believes adding a second Top Alcohol Dragster, and fourth race car to team, will help guide him in the future when his daughters, Megan and Rachel Meyer, step up from the Super Comp ranks, to Top Alcohol Dragster.
“After talking to several potential drivers, I felt Chase had the best credentials to drive my second car. His driving record speaks for itself; he is a well experienced and diverse driver, and he has the ability to win races with an A/Fuel car, and skills to help the crew,” Randy said. “We welcome him to the Randy Meyer Racing Team, and we are excited to see what 2014 holds for us.”
Chase got his start with drag racing at the age of 12 in the Junior Dragster field. He then moved on to compete in Drag Boats and in the NHRA Pro Mod class until 2009 when legendary Gene Snow asked him to pilot his Top Alcohol Dragster. Chase, who drove for Snow until 2012, won his first LODRS divisional and two NHRA national events, as well as multiple runner-up finishes. He also earned the 2010 Division 4 Points Championship, and held a consecutive top 10 points finish in the NHRA national points championship from 2010-2012.
"I am honored to be considered by Randy Meyer Racing to drive the second car for their team,” said Chase. “I haven't been in the seat in a year, and I am excited to get back behind the wheel. I think 2014 is going to be a great year and can’t wait to get back to the track!”
With Chase as the pilot, Clay Copeland, Chase’s father and knowledgeable racer, will also join the Randy Meyer Racing Team to be the crew chief and team leader for the second dragster. Chase and Clay plan on bringing several sponsors to NHRA drag racing.
Written by Nate Van Wagnen Photos courtesy of David Smith, Steve Fuhrman, Michalek Brothers Racing
One of the original goals of TAN was to highlight anyone and everyone from the alcohol pits - drivers, crew chiefs, crew members, sponsors, etc. In a new series of articles, we'll feature some of the younger personalities that can be found in the alcohol pits. Thirty alcohol insiders under the age of 30. If you have a suggestion for a Thirty Under 30 feature, email us, post on our Facebook page, or tweet it to @TopAlcoholNews.
Ohio-born brothers Corey and Kyle Michalek joined the alcohol ranks as drivers in 2013 after several years working as crew members or drivers of their Super Comp dragster. They most recently worked for Pat Dakin's Top Fuel Dragster team after winning two IHRA world championships with Mark Thomas' popular Ethanol Alcohol Funny Car team. The brothers stepped up to run the Dreher Motorsports A/Fuel dragster at select races in 2013 with continued funding from Champion Spark Plugs, which they originally acquired through their winning 'Search for a Champion' contest campaign. We caught up with Corey and Kyle before the holidays to discuss their past, the future, and how they use social media to benefit their racing efforts.
Corey Michalek
Age: 25
Hometown: Louisville, OH
Residence: New York City
Occupation: Art Director at
Wondersauce, a digital ad agency
Racing Job: Co-owner/co-driver,
Michalek Brothers Racing
Race Car: Dreher Motorsports A/Fuel
Dragster
Best ET/MPH: 5.55/261
Favorite Drivers: Clay Millican, Mark
Thomas, Pat Dakin, and Jared Dreher
Favorite sports: football – Cleveland
Browns and Ohio State, basketball – Cleveland Cavaliers
Favorite TV shows: NHRA ESPN2
broadcasts, The Big Bang Theory, and Moonshiners
Favorite movies: Inception, Dumb and
Dumber, the classics
What's on your iPod: A wide range of
music; anything to fit my mood
What's in your fridge: I live in New
York so I usually eat while I'm out.
Hobbies: Basketball, running – I try
to stay in shape when I'm away from the track.
Proudest Accomplishments: Winning an
IHRA world championship with Mark Thomas, watching Kyle reach the
finals at his debut race (Norwalk regional), and getting my A/Fuel
license.
Goals: Qualify at each race we attend
in 2014
Kyle Michalek
Age: 28
Hometown: Louisville, OH
Residence: Louisville, OH
Occupation: Production supervisor at
Ariel Corporation
Racing Job: Co-owner/co-driver,
Michalek Brothers Racing
Race Car: Dreher Motorsports A/Fuel
Dragster
Best ET/MPH: 5.398/263
Favorite Drivers: Mark Thomas, Pat
Dakin, Clay Millican, and Jared Dreher
Favorite sports: College sports –
Ohio University Bobcats, high school football
Favorite TV shows: Boardwalk Empire and
Eastbound and Down
Favorite movies: Spinal Tap,
Caddyshack, Best in Show and Ghostbusters
What's on your iPod: All metal –
classic metal, new metal – it's all on there
What's in your fridge: Anything my wife
buys – I haven't been grocery shopping since 2009 (laughs)
Hobbies: Running, water-skiing, and
tubing. Working on my Masters degree takes up most of my time.
Proudest Accomplishments: Winning the
Search for a Champion contest, winning the 2005 world championship
with Mark Thomas, and going to the final at the Norwalk regional
event earlier this year.
Goals: Establishing ourselves within
the class, gaining more seat time, and continuing to progress within
the sport, ultimately Top Fuel.
Tell us about your crew background with
Mark Thomas.
Kyle Michalek - I started with Mark directly after
graduating high school. What's unique about our situation is we grew
up playing football, basketball, and swimming. We never turned a
wrench on any type of race car at any time before graduating high
school. Drag racing was just something we watched on TV or maybe went
to a race or two, but never participated. Mark was a family friend
and he asked us to come out to his shop and check out the race car,
which we thought was really cool. Shortly after that, I went to my
first national event as an “honorary crew member” - I cleaned oil
pans, wiped off the car, and basically did anything to stay out of
the way while still feeling special, that I was out there. That ended
up working out very well. I kept going to races with Mark and my
responsibilities increased. I ended up working on the bottom end for
him all the way through college. During my last year with him, 2006,
we won the championship.
Corey came along after he graduated
high school. He worked with me and then he took over my duties after
I graduated from college.
How did your crew experience help
prepare you for running your own program?
KM - As we were working with Mark as
crew members, we both decided that we wanted to drive. I bought my
first race car, an old Woody Gilmore Top Fuel car that had been
converted into a Super Comp car. We rebuilt that and raced it for a
couple of seasons while racing simultaneously with Mark.
Corey and I can say that everything we
learned about racing, from the mechanical standpoint, came from
working with Mark Thomas. We really had no idea what to do
mechanically before that point. We were very ambitious and wanted to
learn. Fortunately he was a good teacher and along with his crew gave
us that opportunity to learn.
Corey Michalek - Mark was
actually the one who got us hooked up with Pat Dakin a few years down
the line. Kyle started doing the clutch on Pat's Top Fuel car. I
started assisting him a few races in. That was our first foray into
anything competitive within the NHRA side of things. Pat showed us
the process of running a Top Fuel car at the highest level of the
sport, and how much more attention to detail was required. It's like
ten thousand times more work than the alcohol car.
Corey, how did you get into the multimedia
side of things?
CM I had no mechanical knowledge when
Kyle started working with Mark. I wasn't really interested in
anything motorsports. My dad had taken us to a few races, but I just
didn't have the bug yet. He actually had to bribe me to go to the
IHRA World Nationals at Norwalk that year, promising a trip to Cedar
Point after the race. I took my video camera to keep me occupied
while Kyle worked on the car. I recorded everything from the run to
the maintenance in the pits. I enjoyed the storytelling aspect of
working with the camera. I started making videos for Mark to use for
sponsorship proposals or speaking engagements. At that point, that
was how I felt I was a part of the team, by helping out with the
marketing side of things.
I later worked on brochures and hero
cards for Mark. It ended up being something that I was passionate
about, so I went to school for it. Multimedia and design are parts of
my job at Michalek Brothers Racing, but it's also what I do for my
legitimate, full-time job.
What role did social media and multimedia play in your Search for a Champion win?
CM - The basic premise behind the
Search for a Champion contest is you need a two-minute video that
best depicts why you're a 'champion' – it's all about your
character, the way you present yourself, and your efforts on and off
of the track. The base part of our campaign was showing what we do
best through our video. 33% of the judging for the contest is voting,
so social media became a vital part of winning. We used Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram – we did everything we possibly could to get
our name out there in front of family, friends, and drag racing fans.
Through social media, we connected with WFO Radio, other racers,
Competition Plus, and various other different web domains within the
drag racing world in order to get our name out there. For the first
year of the Champion contest, we not only won over the Champion
judges, but we also had the most active fan base. That was really
cool to see everyone get behind us.
KM - When it comes to social media,
Corey solely handles that aspect of our operation and does a good job
of using social media creatively, but also effectively. Most of the
content we release is purposeful. We try to make it worthwhile for
anyone who is following us. I think that's been helpful over the last
few years, as we are seeing more followers liking what we post. It's
beginning to pick up steam in that area.
Can you talk about your relationship
with Champion and how it's grown since winning the contest?
CM - We just released our announcement
that we're heading into our third year with Champion Spark Plugs. To
get involved with Champion in the first place was an accomplishment,
but we're very proud that we were able to continue that relationship
over the last two years. We're looking forward to another year with
them this year.
Going back to where it all began, the
opportunity to go from being an unsponsored, unknown race team to a
team who is involved with a Fortune 500 company, that was about as
big of a shot in the arm as you could ask for. That has opened up so
many more avenues for us as we pursue additional partners. We're able
to have that on our resume – it adds a lot of legitimacy to our
team. The group at Federal-Mogul has been great to work with. They're
very supportive of anything that we want to do. As far as what you
look for in a sponsor, we're very fortunate to be affiliated with the
group of Federal-Mogul brands.
The Search for a Champion contest is in
it's third round. We still continue to play an active role in helping
to promote that contest as an attest to all of the great things that
can come about from being involved in the contest. Champion has shown
that they're a group who is willing to take care of racers,
especially grassroots guys who are just getting started, such as
ourselves.
When did you decide that A/Fuel was the
next step?
CM - It would've been the late summer of
2012. We were wrapping up our first season with Champion while we
were racing our Super Comp car. We both knew that we ultimately
wanted to grow in the sport. We were kind of at a crossroads as far
as what we wanted to do next. We had the funding to put together a
great Super Comp car and have a lot of fun with that, or we had the
opportunity to go a different direction. We agreed that racing Super
Comp any further wasn't going to accomplish any of our future goals.
We both decided to put the Super Comp operation up for sale and begin
looking at opportunities in the Top Alcohol Dragster class.
We specifically chose A/Fuel because of
the similarities in the driving procedures to those of a Top Fuel
car. We both had aspirations to move up to that class, so we thought
this was the best option to help us prepare for that opportunity.
I don't think either one of us regret
that decision. We haven't been able to race as much, as it's more
expensive, but we're very happy with what we've done so far. Kyle
licensed with Anthony Dicero at the beginning of 2013. We were able
to hit the ground running when we began racing with the Drehers. We
had a successful year racing with them. Kyle went to the finals at
the Norwalk regional and qualified for his first national event (also
Norwalk), then I finished up the year by licensing at Indy in
October.
KM - It just came to a point where we
had to decide how to move forward. A/Fuel looked like it was the most
logical next step. We went all-in and so far so good.
Where do you see yourselves going
forward in the class?
CM – As of right now, the deal that
we have going with the Drehers is something that we're very pleased
with. Jared and Randy pretty much mentored us through everything that
we know about A/Fuel racing. We really like the family operation.
Everyone at Dreher Motorsports was very welcoming – Jared, Randy,
his wife Joyce, Jared's girlfriend Tracy, and Red, as well as the
rest of their crew and family. Their track record speaks for itself. We're
very fortunate to have the opportunity to drive their car. So right
now I feel like we're at a good spot. If it ever came down to the
point where they needed to run more races, we'd totally understand –
it's their car and we respect that. We would maybe look at running
with someone else only because of the fact that we need to get out
and run, but I think we're very happy with what we're doing now.
There aren't any plans to go out and
purchase our own operation just because of how well our current
situation is working out. With us living in different states and
having full-time jobs, it would be too difficult to maintain our own
operation.
The self-promotion of the alcohol
classes has been a big topic lately. As someone who has used social
media to grow your efforts, how do you see social media playing a
role in how alcohol teams promote themselves?
CM - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and now even Vine are all tools that I
believe the Top Alcohol community needs to really be serious about
embracing. Most of the teams have created profiles for each of the
networks, but they haven't fully taken advantage of what they have to
offer. Harnessing the power of these platforms can dramatically
increase their digital footprint and strengthen their case when
talking to future sponsors about how their online network away from
the racetrack can provide them a greater ROI.
The free press
and fan impressions that teams can get on these channels is something
that they can't afford to miss out on. On the computer or on the go
with mobile phones, fans are constantly consuming this information
and social media is the easiest way to keep teams and sponsors top of
mind.
One of the biggest things that I think teams need to
keep in mind is being conscious about posting meaningful content. A
thoroughly planned media strategy and testing multiple content themes
is crucial to having success on social networks. Throwing out 25
posts a day is more likely to lose you followers than anything else.
Look at what your favorite brands or sponsors are doing on Facebook
and Twitter...the posts that are the most successful are that way for
a reason. Modeling your content after theirs is a great starting
point. Well thought-out, to-the-point posts are what give your
followers something of value and that is what they're after...even if
it's only a few times a week. This is definitely a shining example
where quality is better than quantity.
Some of the
professional teams that do it really, really well are Force and
Schumacher. They're constantly doing giveaways, chats with their
drivers, and interacting with their fans. These are some of the most
well-established brands in drag racing and what they're doing on
social media should be viewed as the benchmark for all of us to model
our digital strategies off of.
The ability to interact with
some of their favorite teams/drivers is one of biggest draws of
social media for racing fans. Fan mail is no longer nearly as
relevant anymore because social media is so personable and it's real
time, on demand. Teams can easily communicate with and establish
relationships with their fans with a quick response to a tweet or by
responding to a video question. The fans are what make this sport
special and they are what allows us to race, so we can't afford to
not capitalize on every opportunity to interact with them.
At the track, I think the alcohol teams are doing great things. The
racing is phenomenal. The efforts of the Pro Sportsman Association,
with their autograph sessions, I think that's great. I was very
impressed with some of the regional races, like Norwalk's Cavalcade
of Stars. I think that race's attendance was greater than that of
their national event because of the way the Baders promote it. They
really put on a show, with a parade of the cars and the drivers; it's
phenomenal. However, I think there's a lot left to be gained away
from the track online.
KM - Just being able to put faces with the cars is important. The Pro
teams have been able to differentiate themselves from the alcohol
teams through their online presence, but also through their more
comprehensive television package, which isn't an option for the
alcohol guys. For fans who want to relate to the drivers or who want
more information about what's going on on-track, social media is the
best option.
To keep up with the Michalek brothers during the 2014 season, like Michalek Brothers Racing on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram at @MichalekRacing.
