VP Racing Fuels to Continue Support of NHRA Racers

Courtesy of VP Racing Fuels

Contingency Awards, Top 10 Program, Significant Weekly Track Presence to Continue

SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 11, 2014) VP Racing Fuels today announced it will continue programs to support NHRA Sportsman racers in 2015. “VP Racing Fuels remains committed to actively supporting NHRA Sportsman racers and the wider drag racing market as we have for nearly 40 years,” said Steve Burns, VP’s Founder and Director-R&D. “While VP will no longer bear the title of Official Racing Fuel of NHRA beginning next season, we’ll never abandon the Sportsman racers or forget our friends in the Pro ranks whose longstanding support formed the foundation of VP’s success as a company.”

“Going forward, we’ll continue to post awards for NHRA divisional and national events through the NHRA contingency program as we always have,” Burns said. “We’ll also continue our ‘Top 10’ program including some enhancements, wherein racers who finished in the top 10 in each class in 2014 will be entitled to free or half price fuel at each national event they attend in 2015. This program will be repeated for racers who finish in the Top 10 in 2015, after which they can redeem their fuel awards in 2016.”

VP fuel trucks will be at a great number of NHRA divisional events to provide fuel service in 2015 (schedule attached) and for those events where VP can’t be on site, its extensive dealer network throughout the U.S. and Canada makes VP fuels easy to find. In addition, VP continues to be the Official Fuel of high profile tracks including Atco, Cecil County, Lebanon Valley, Epping, Bristol Dragway, Orlando Speed World Dragway, Gateway Motorsports Park, Royal Purple Raceway, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and many more.

“As racers plan their programs for 2015,” Burns continued, “we encourage them to contact VP Racing Fuels to ensure they get the best fuel for their application where, when and in the quantity they need it.”

For details regarding VP’s contingency programs or to find the nearest VP dealer, racers can contact their regional VP distribution center:
 
VP East (DE) – 302-368-1500; jimkelly@vpracingfuels.com
VP South (GA) – 706-335-3355; robert@vpracingfuels.com
VP Midwest (IN) – 812-466-1175; jason@vpracingfuels.com
VP Central (TX) – 210-635-7744; bhorton@vpracingfuels.com
VP West (CA) – 951-696-5100; mark.ticen@vpracingfuels.com

Racers can also contact VP’s full-time professional Tech Support staff for advice on fuel selection and tuning. They’re readily available to answer questions by phone or email, as well as at the track and on the dyno:

VP Tech Support - 812-878-2025; dragtech@vpracingfuels.com

“With a 40-year legacy of success in racing, VP is looking forward to a very bright future in which drag racers will continue to play an integral part,” Burns asserted.

About VP Racing Fuels
VP Racing Fuels is best known as the World Leader in Race Fuel Technology™, fueling champions in virtually every form of motorsport on land, sea and air since 1975. VP is the Official Racing Fuel of Tudor United SportsCar Championship, AMA Supercross, World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, TORC-The Off Road Championship, Pirelli World Challenge, NHRA Championship Drag Racing, and Rally America, among more than 60 VP-sponsored series and sanctioning bodies.

As part of its retail branding program, gas stations/convenience stores across the U.S. are being branded as VP Racing Fuels, with each providing distribution for VP’s other product lines including ethanol-free VP Small Engine Fuels for 2- and 4-cycle outdoor power equipment; VP Madditive™ performance chemicals; and VP/PowerMaster® hobby fuels for R/C Racing. More information is available online at VPRacingFuels.com, VP-SEF.com or PowermasterFuels.com.

Bell Racing USA to Add NHRA Lucas Oil Series Events

Courtesy of Bell Racing USA

Bell Racing USA is proud to announce their commitment to Sportsman level racing by increasing contingency awards to include all of the LODRS events starting immediately. Contingency claims from the first few races of the LODRS season will be paid retroactively as well. To make a claim from the races that have already been completed please contact Bell racing USA’s NHRA Program Manager Toby Hallett. Toby can be reached at 1-800-237-2700 or via email at thallett@bellracing.com.

Bell Racing USA will require every driver making a claim to have a current SA2010 or equivalent Snell rating, an advertising release, a W9 on file, and a Bell Helmets decal on both sides of the car at the start of eliminations.

Bell Racing USA will have a trackside product display presence at many of the LODRS events although a schedule has not yet been finalized.

“2014 marks the 60th Anniversary for Bell Helmets and we are excited that we can provide a new level of commitment to the Sportsman community” Stated Bell Racing USA’s NHRA Program Manger Toby Hallett. “To provide our customers with superior customer service along with monetary awards for wearing a Bell Helmet is something that we have been working towards for a couple of years, The addition of this program and our trackside product display will help us to do just that.”

For more information about Bell Racing USA and to view a full line of Helmets and accessories please visit www.bellracing.com and for questions regarding the NHRA contingency program go to www.nhra.com.

2014 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional Schedule Released

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

Glendora, Calif. - The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series returns for the 13th season with premier events taking place across the country in all seven NHRA divisions. The 2014 schedule will feature 42 divisional events with a minimum of five in each of the seven divisions. There will also be 26 regional events featuring the 250-mph Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car classes.

The 2014 season will see a return to Orlando Speed World Dragway in Orlando, Fla., Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis and Thunder Road Raceway Park in Gilliam, La. The 2014 season will begin in Orlando Feb. 7-9, and concludes in Las Vegas, Nov. 6-9.

The ultra-competitive series will feature three sportsman-focused national events during the season, the JEGS SPORTSNational events during the course of the racing season. The JEGS Cajun SPORTSNationals will be held at No Problem Raceway, March 21-23; JEGS Northern SPORTSNationals returns to National Trail Raceway, Nov. 9-21; and the JEGS Pacific SPORTSNationals, Oct. 3-5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Regional, divisional and national championship points as well as a purse of more than $500,000 in seven categories will be up for grabs during the course of the racing season.

"Racers and teams competing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series are such an integral part of our sport," said Morgan Lucas of Lucas Oil Products. "We will never lose sight of the fact they helped build Lucas Oil into the worldwide brand it has become. These people are like family to us and we're honored to continue our support."

Bonus programs available to competitors in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series include the $100,000 JEGS Allstars, and the NHRA Perfectly Strange Performance Award, in which a total of $45,000 is on the table for racers too grab during the season. Individual divisions may also have additional bonus programs available to racers.

Some prominent graduates of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series who have gone on to successful careers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series include Brandon Bernstein, Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon, Courtney Force, Alexis DeJoria, and Jeg Coughlin.

2014 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional Schedule

East Region

April 4-6           Virginia Motorsports Park                Petersburg, Va.

May 23-25           Maple Grove Raceway                      Reading, Pa.

June 13-15          Lebanon Valley Dragway                   West Lebanon, N.Y.

July 18-20          New England Dragway                      Epping, N.H.

Aug. 1-3            Atco Raceway                             Atco, N.J.

Oct. 10-12          Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville         Gainesville, Fla.

North Central Region

April 25-27         Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis        Brownsburg, Ind.

May 16-18           Summit Motorsports Park                  Norwalk, Ohio

June 6-8            Route 66 Raceway                         Joliet, Ill.

July 18-20          National Trail Raceway                   Columbus, Ohio

Aug. 8-9            Gateway Motorsports Park                 St. Louis

Aug. 22-24          Beech Bend Raceway Park                  Bowling Green, Ky.

Central Region

March 7-9           Royal Purple Raceway                     Baytown, Texas

June 20-22          Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park          Tulsa, Okla.

June 13-15          Bandimere Speedway                       Denver

July 25-26          Cordova Dragway Park                     Cordova, Ill.

Aug. 22-23          Heartland Park Topeka                    Topeka, Kan.

Sept. 5-7           Tri-State Raceway                        Earlville, Iowa

West Region

Feb. 28-Mar. 2      Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park         Chandler, Ariz.

March 21-23         The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway    Las Vegas

June 6-8            Mission Raceway                          Mission, B.C.

June 20-22          TBA                                      TBA

July 11-13          Woodburn Dragstrip                       Woodburn, Ore.

Aug. 15-17          Pacific Raceways                         Kent, Wash.

Nov. 6-9            The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway    Las Vegas

NHRA Releases 2012 Full Throttle Series Schedule, Adds St. Louis

The NHRA released the schedule for the 2012 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series on Thursday. The new schedule includes a few changes, including the return of Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis. The Inaugural NHRA Midwest Nationals will take place at Gateway on the weekend of October 5-7, between the Reading and Las Vegas races.

Another major change to the schedule is the flip-flop of the Norwalk and Chicago national events. The Windy City race will be on the last weekend in June, June 28-July 1. The Norwalk race will be one week later, on the Fourth of July holiday weekend, July 5th-8th. The last major impact on the schedule is the Phoenix race. The NHRA Arizona Nationals will return to their winter slot, February 17-19.

The newly release schedule does not indicate which races will include the Top Alcohol classes yet. We'll post the National Event races that include the alcohol categories when they are made available. To see the complete 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule, click here.

TAN U.S. Nationals Review

The most winning Top Alcohol drivers at Indy reigned supreme once again this year, with Bill Reichert and Frank Manzo earning their third and tenth titles, respectively. Both drivers made history with their wins. Reichert is the only TAD driver to win Indy three times. Manzo became the winningest driver of any class at the U.S. Nationals, a feat that was truly under-appreciated by the announcers and the media.

5-time national champion Bill Reichert started off Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations in the #2 qualifying spot, stopping 2011 IHRA Pro Fuel champion Mike Manners, Brazilian Sidnei Frigo, and Chris Demke on his way to the finals. There, he would face Duane Shields, his opponent in the 2008 final round as well. Shields defeated Columbus divisional winner Brian Mans, Richard Bourke, and narrowly beat Brandon Booher before facing Reichert in the finals. Bill Reichert denied Shields his first Indy win, leaving the starting line first and never looking back, 5.32 to Duane's losing 5.36.

It was a real David vs. Goliath match-up in the Top Alcohol Funny Car final round, pairing Division 1 racers Fred Tigges and Frank Manzo. Manzo met up with Brent Henry, Cassie Simonton, and John Lombardo Jr. before running Fred in the final round. Underdog Tigges reached the finals after taking down Steve Gasparrelli, Fred Hagen, and Brainerd winner Kris Hool in earlier eliminations. In the end, Frank Manzo got his 10th U.S. Nationals title, 5.49 to Tigges' 5.59.

Manzo also claimed the #1 qualifying spot (5.55), the top speed of the event (265.22) and the low E.T. of the event (5.46) in TAFC. In TAD, Chase Copeland earned the #1 spot (5.28) and top speed (279.90), while Bill Reichert ran the low E.T. of the race (5.27).

First-time Indy qualifier Brandon Booher also made history during the NHRA's most prestigious race. Booher is one of a few alcohol dragsters that utilizes a convertor instead of a clutch to put the 3,000 horsepower to the wheels. When he defeated defending event champion Marty Thacker in the finals, he became the first convertor-equipped TAD to win a round at the U.S. Nationals. His 5.42 pass in the semi-finals was also the quickest pass by a convertor car in history. According to Brandon, the car would've ran 5.37 had it made a full, clean run. A very impressive accomplishment for the driver who is in only his second full year in the Top Alcohol Dragster class.

Booher Racing Goes Big at The Big Go

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

Clermont, Ind. – The Brandon Booher-led AB Construction blown alcohol dragster team is on a roll, experiencing a career-best season in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster competition. After qualifying 9^th, the all-volunteer team made it to the semi-finals at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis this past weekend.

First round of eliminations was a rematch from the Norwalk final round. “We knew Marty (Thacker) was going to be tough to beat. He’s a two-time Indy winner, as well as the defending event champion. The car actually shut off at 5.39 into the run due to a faulty RF wire, so it was pretty intense because I could hear Marty right next to me.   Fortunately, I had the better car that run and was able to get the win” said Booher.

The second round opponent’s run was not what the team expected. “(Matt) Cummings ran 5.60’s and 5.70’s in qualifying and first round, so we didn’t expect him to come close to what we would run, but we were ready for whatever he would bring. He left me hanging during the burnout and staging processes, which was very frustrating,” claimed the second-year TAD pilot. Cummings’ starting line games didn’t faze Brandon, as he took the advantage off the starting line and parlayed it into a win, 5.44 to Matt’s 5.46.

In the end, a broken injector nozzle would end their day, causing a torched cylinder head and block in the last few feet of their semi-final round against Duane Shields.

“If the nozzle didn’t break, that would’ve been our first 5.3x pass and we would be going into the finals. I was ahead of Duane until the last few feet before the finish line; we lost by three feet. We did what we could do to win; it was just one of those times where a tiny, simple part will ruin the run. I went over the graph after the run and found that the car would’ve run 5.37 at 266 mph if it stayed together,” Booher said.  “Although the car shut off at 5.309 we still managed the quickest converter equipped pass in racing history with a  5.420;  the 261.47 in the quarters was also a new career best.”

The event was a great example of how far the team has come. After just two short years in the fastest sportsman class in NHRA racing, Brandon and the Illinois-based team have proven that they can run 5.3’s with the best of the best. Booher is now 13^th in national points; the highest he’s been in TAD point standings. The fact that the race team is a low budget, family-owned and operated group makes their accomplishments even more impressive.

Brandon is the first to point out that the success wouldn’t be possible without the support group that he has.

“The crew put in more than their share of work this weekend, as they have at all of our races. We were up until 5 am on Monday morning, got a few hours of sleep, then were back up working on the motor until 45 minutes before the quarterfinals. They had the motor down to a bare block after the semis so I could take it to get repaired. I really appreciate what they do to get the car turned around between rounds, it’s weight off of my back. I want to thank Gary and David at Lenco especially. We were having transmission issues at the Cordova divisional and they got everything sorted out for this weekend.

Brandon and the team are planning on attending a couple more national events this year, in Dallas and Reading. Check in on their future race attendances by visiting the Booher Racing Facebook page, www.facebook.com/booherracing, or on Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing). While you’re there, watch video from the U.S. Nationals on the car’s on-board cameras, set up by Brian Booher and On-Site Computer Repair.

About Booher Racing-The NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by Brandon and Aaron Booher competes at national events across the eastern United States, all of which are televised nationally on ESPN2. To become a sponsor with Booher Racing, contact NVW Motorsports Promotion (http://www.nitronate.com/).

Perkins Looks to Make Brainerd Memorable

Courtesy of THR5 Communications

BRAINERD, Minn. - It has been said travel broadens the mind. Cody Perkins and his 801 Racing Top Alcohol Dragster want to do more than just feed their intellect, they want to have their minds “blown.” This is why the team is traveling to the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. The venue has a reputation as being a place that’s a little on the wild side. 

“I have always heard that it was a fun race,” said Perkins. “I might head over to the Zoo and see what it’s all about, but we are here to race. The field at Brainerd is full of heavy hitters. It is going to be tough, and we want to step up and bring our best effort.”  To do this, Perkins is looking to the past.

“We are looking to build off the string of 5.30’s we ran off, said Perkins. “We have a consistent car, now all we have to do is keep it up. With a little luck, we will be there on Sunday making some noise.”

801 Racing Products is also looking to make some noise. Recently, they started giving away tickets to races on their Facebook page.( https://www.facebook.com/801Racing )The Utah based solid fuel booster manufacturer is now going to be giving way tickets to national events, t-shirts, as well as other goodies. It’s a way of giving back to those who have supported Cody Perkins and 801 Racing. 

“Brainerd might be a one-time thing, or it might just be our favorite race.” said Perkins. 

In the land of a thousand lakes making a splash might be easy, but Cody Perkins and the 801 Racing Team intend to make it a trip to remember.

 

 

801 Racing is a privately held company based in Salt Lake City, Utah that produces a unique and innovative ‘solid fuel technology.’ Named Pulse Power Boost, it comes in a solid red ball and is a fuel boost catalyst that completely dissolves in the fuel tank. The increase in power is next to immediate as it fully dissipates once dissolved. The product works in gas, alcohol and diesel engines. Pulse Power Boost will come packaged in a sealed pouch or in an embossed display tin. 801 Racing's, Pulse Power Boost is targeted at the racing community for all forms of motorsports that need an edge against the competition in the other lane or to get out ahead of the pack and stay there. For more information on 801 racing, please visit: www.801Racing.com 

 

Top Alcohol News Brainerd Preview

The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals marks the 17th race on the NHRA Full Throttle series tour; the 11th where the Top Alcohol classes compete. We'll take a look back at previous event winners, as well as a look forward, to drivers that we think have a good chance of winning the race this year.

Previous Event Winners
2010-Chris Demke/Frank Manzo
2009-Bill Reichert/Frank Manzo
2008-Brandon Lewis/Mick Snyder
2007-Bill Reichert/Frank Manzo
2006-Steve Torrence/Bob Newberry
2005-Morgan Lucas/Cy Chesterman

Drivers To Watch

Bill Reichert (TAD)
The 5x national champion has 2 divisional wins and 1 national event win this year. Reichert has three wins here, so he'll be hard to beat.

Chris Demke (TAD)
The driver of the Peen-Rite/Cleanboost car has a 2011 win record that mimmicks Reichert's; 2 divisionals and 1 national. Demke clicked off 5.2x runs round after round in Seattle, proving his blown car can keep up with Reichert's A/Fueler.

Jim Whiteley (TAD)
Winning the Jegs Allstars race and taking runner-up in Chicago, Whiteley has good momentum heading into Brainerd. Jim also has a pair of wins this year, one divisional and one national event.

Tom Carter (TAFC)
The Jawbreaker has only one win this year, the SGMP divisional, but has had success here before. Carter runnered-up here in 2010, losing to Frank Manzo.

Roger Bateman (TAFC)
Warming up the seat for Annie Whiteley, Bateman has a pair of divisional wins this year. With six national event final appearances, Roger is bound to break through for a win in 2011. Considering there are only 9 cars entered, none of which are Frank Manzo or Tony Bartone, Bateman has a good chance to win.


Be sure to follow us on Twitter for round-by-round results from Brainerd. Check back here this week for press releases from the teams.

Broken Power Connector Ends Maddern Racing's Weekend Early in Seattle

Courtesy of Nancy Matter

Kent, Wa. --  At the  conclusion of qualifying for the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Kent, Wasington, the Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster remained in the pole position.  Their stellar performance of a 5.246 seconds at over 272 miles per hour is recorded as the second fastest pass ever in a blown alcohol dragster.

It is the 12th time that the Peen Rite/Clean Boost partnered team has earned the #1 qualifying position.  They were deemed as the team to beat in eliminations.

“It was an abrupt ending in the semi finals” noted Demke, “the car was so consistent and lady luck was seemingly in our favor.

“The car launched and knew I caught the tree just ahead of Megan, and then the engine just quit.  After further evaluation, we discovered a broken engine power connector and our weekend was over”.

The Maddern Racing Team sends a big congratulations to their friends and fellow competitor’s, Joey Severance for their win in Seattle.

The Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster Team will next be racing at the 30th Annual running of the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, August 18th to 20th, 2011.

For more information on Maddern Racing, please log on to:  www.MaddernRacing.com

For more information on Clean Boost Performance Oil, please log on to:  www.cleanboostoil.com

Little Issues Limit Perkins to Semi-Final Finish in Seattle

Courtesy of THR5 Communications

Kent, Wash.  - Cody Perkins had a few issues this last weekend at the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle. The issue he is most proud of was running his career best time of 5.326 @ 264.86. The other little issues would have more of an effect on his plans to win the race.

It was during Friday’s qualifying that Perkins, piloting his 801 Racing Dragster, ran his big number to put him in the number three qualifying position. The whole team was excited with the 5.326 run and wanted more. 

“I really wanted to run a twenty, said Perkins. “We were comfortable with our set-up and we were ready to set it on kill”

Unfortunately, the third qualifying session on Saturday was cancelled due to the small car count and other conditions. Cody and the team were really looking forward to the opportunity to step up their game and go for the top qualifying spot. They would have to wait another day to go down the track.

On Sunday, during first round action, Cody got out of the gate first with a .018 light and took the win with a stellar 5.336@ 263.77 to beat James Butler. The 801 Racing team was fired up and looking forward to another round. This was when the first little issue was noticed. A spark plug tube had come loose. It was not a big deal because it had happened right at the end of the run. The team moved forward and prepared for their next round.

In the semi-finals, Cody faced Joey Severance. This was when that little issue from the last round popped up. The spark plug tube came loose again this time earlier in the run and caused some loss of traction. Cody gave it all he could, but Severance took the win light. On the bright side, the engine was fine, just a little dirty.

“I hate losing, said Perkins. “In fact, I’m not a good loser, but I’m happy for Joey since he went on to win the race.”

The semi-final loss spelled the end of the weekend for the 801 Racing Dragster, but Cody and his family will deal with those issues for their next race in Brainerd, MN.  Cody will be taking a little chip on his shoulder to the Minnesota race, and is planning on giving the other teams some issues.

801 Racing is a privately held company based in Salt Lake City, Utah that produces a unique and innovative ‘solid fuel technology.’ Named Pulse Power Boost, it comes in a solid red ball and is a fuel boost catalyst that completely dissolves in the fuel tank. The increase in power is next to immediate as it fully dissipates once dissolved. The product works in gas, alcohol and diesel engines. Pulse Power Boost will come packaged in a sealed pouch or in an embossed display tin. 801 Racing's, Pulse Power Boost is targeted at the racing community for all forms of motorsports that need an edge against the competition in the other lane or to get out ahead of the pack and stay there. For more information on 801 racing, please visit: http://www.801racing.com/ 

Alexis DeJoria and the Tequila Patron team Wins Seattle National Championship

Courtesy of Allison McCormick

Venice, CA (August 8, 2011) - As her Top Alcohol Funny Car career winds down and her transition into the Fuel Funny Car category continues, driver Alexis DeJoria and the Tequila Patrόn team have worked countless hours to achieve their goal of visiting the winner’s circle at least once this season.  Sunday afternoon in Seattle they did it.  In a history-making moment, Alexis, who is only the second woman to ever win a Top Alcohol Funny Car National event, and the Patrόn team achieved their goal at the NHRA Northwest Nationals

“It’s been five years in the making!” says Alexis. ” Everything just came together for us this weekend! Every round was so crucial, and we were running so consistently. To go from not qualifying at our last race, to qualifying in the 3^rd spot, and to have a consistent car in every round is just unheard of. And to do it in the second to last race [as a TAFC driver] was huge! Even though I felt confident about my car, you just never know; it’s a 50/50 chance. It’s so sentimental to me to have this win, especially as I’m wrapping up my Alcohol career. It feels so great to wind things down on such a positive note!”

Having almost a month off from their last race, the Patrόn crew had a chance to make some adjustments to the car, which proved to be extremely valuable. The team ran consistently quick and fast throughout qualifying, ending up number three with an elapsed time of 5.63 at 256.89 mph respectively.

During the first round of eliminations, Alexis made a clean, straight 5.65 at 260.11 mph pass and swept the win, advancing her to Sunday’s eliminations. On Sunday morning, Alexis was up against driver and long-time friend Sean Bellemeur. “I have a ton of respect for Sean and was nervous about going up against him. It’s always tough to go up against your friends” says Alexis. Although it was his best run of the weekend, he was no match for Alexis and her award-winning Tequila Patrόn car. Alexis not only won the round, but had the fastest speed of the event at 261.02 mph.

Going into the semi-finals, Alexis’ expected opponent was unable to make the call, giving Alexis a single to the final round. Alexis had her best times of the weekend during this round with an elapsed time of 5.624.

With only one other woman (Bunny Burkett) ever to have won a TAFC final round, and the fact that this was her second to last chance to ever win a National event before she moves to the Nitro Funny Car class, the pressure was on for Alexis as she made her way to the starting line. Alexis had lane choice against opponent and previous Seattle National winner, Brian Hough. With an elapsed time of 5.611 and with a speed of 260.26, Alexis was able to take the win! 

“The feeling of winning is unreal! I was so calm going to the starting line but at the end of the race, when I realized I had won, I was overcome with emotion. I couldn’t even get out of the car! I had to sit there for a second and just collect myself. Our Tequila Patrόn team has had many ups and downs throughout our three years of competing together in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class and to have an opportunity for the team to visit the winner’s circle in Seattle is very gratifying for everyone who has worked so hard to achieve this NHRA Lucas Oil championship trophy” said Alexis. “To work this hard, and get through these rounds and beat these other teams that are so good and that we have so much respect for is just so humbling. It took my breath away.

Alexis and the Tequila Patrόn Top Alcohol Funny Car team will compete one last time at the biggest race of them all, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Labor Day weekend and will work to ride this momentum into the winner’s circle once again.

About Alexis DeJoria

Alexis DeJoria, daughter of the famed John Paul DeJoria, of Paul Mitchell Systems and Patrόn Spirits is currently the Top Female Top Alcohol Funny Car Racer. Her team, Stealth Motorsports, co-operated by Alexis, is one of the few female-owned and operated teams in the industry. Alexis made racing history when she competed in the first ever ‘woman vs. woman’ race in her class in 2010, and she is the 2^nd woman ever to win a Top Alcohol Funny Car race. Alexis is the female world record holder for the fastest and quickest speeds, and her car is currently the second fastest car in the world in the TAFC category. Alexis is also well-known for her infamous 2009 Englishtown, NJ crash.

Alexis, who had all the opportunity in the world to pursue any type of career, felt strongly about doing something she is passionate about, and she is proud to encourage and inspire young women to go after their dreams. Alexis’ need for adrenaline drove her to pursue the unlikely profession of auto-racing. The determination to ‘blaze her own trail’ continues to drive her and push her to higher levels in the dangerous, male dominated sport of drag racing. Alexis will transition into the Nitro Funny Car category in the Fall of 2011. She will be the fourth member, and second Funny Car driver for the infamous Kalitta Motorsports team.

Alexis is originally from Los Angeles, CA and currently resides in Venice, CA.

Media Contact info:

Alexis DeJoria and members of Alexis DeJoria Racing are available for interview. Hi-res images available upon request. Please contact Allison McCormick at (561) 279-7827 x306 or allison@alexisdejoria.com

Top Alcohol News Seattle

Sunday
7:30 PM EST-Alexis DeJoria earns her first national event win in Top Alcohol Funny Car. Her 5.61 defeats Brian Hough's 5.64. DeJoria is now one of two women to win an NHRA national event in TAFC; Bunny Burkett being the other.

There won't be two ladies in the Winner's Circle, as Joey Severance gets the holeshot win over Megan McKernan. McKernan's Truck Lite A/Fueler didn't have enough power to drive around Severance and his 5.53 run.

5:20 PM EST- TAFC/TAD Semi Finals
Alexis DeJoria gets a bye run into the finals, as Keeter Ray is unable to make the call. She runs her weekend-best 5.62. Brian Hough takes the win over Doug Gordon, who spun the tires real hard off the line. DeJoria will have lane choice over Hough in the finals.

Joey Severance takes out Cody Perkins, 5.38 at 258 MPH to a losing 5.39 at 262 MPH. Puff of smoke out of Perkins' car, oil on the track. We're down for a bit. Megan McKernan gets the upset win, as Chris Demke's car shuts off and coasts. McKernan runs a 5.39 at 262 MPH. It should be a close race in the finals, but Severance gets lane choice by just .002.

4:00 PM EST- What a great round of racing in the Top Alcohol quarterfinals. In TAFC, Alexis DeJoria takes out Sean Bellemeur, Keeter Ray moves on around Shane Westerfield, Brian Hough got the holeshot win over Steve Gasparrelli, and Doug Gordon gets the upset win over #1 qualifier Roger Bateman. It will be Ray vs. DeJoria and Gordon vs. Hough in the semi-finals.

In TAD, Joey Severance starts off the round by defeating a wheelstanding Ashley Bart. Chris Demke proves his 5.24 run in qualifying wasn't a fluke by running a 5.26, while Blake Alexander ends his chance on the starting line with a red light. Next, Cody Perkins in the 801 Racing blown alcohol car takes out James Butler. Megan McKernan and Ray Martin are the last pair, McKernan moves on with a 5.47. In the semi's, Demke vs. McKernan and Perkins vs. Severance will be the match-ups.

10:30 AM EST-TAFC did run first round yesterday, TAD will run first round today due to low car count. Here's a summary of first round eliminations in TAFC:

Top Alcohol Funny Car
Roger Bateman (#1)-Bye
Doug Gordon (#8) def. John Evanchuk (#9)
Steve Gasparrelli (#4) def. Jim Peters (#13)
Brian Hough (#5) def. Jeff Ashwell (#12)
Shane Westerfield (#2) def. John Lombardo Jr. (#15)
Keeter Ray (#7) def. Kris Hool (#10)
Alexis DeJoria (#3) def. Ken Webster (#14)
Sean Bellemeur (#11) def. Clint Thompson (#6)

Saturday
3:00 PM EST-Due to rain delays, the third session of qualifying was cut. First round of eliminations has been moved to Sunday morning. Here are the match-ups:

Top Alcohol Dragster
Chris Demke (#1) vs. Blake Alexander (#8)
Megan McKernan (#4) vs. Ray Martin (#5)
Joey Severance (#2) vs. Ashley Bart (#7)
Cody Perkins (#3) vs. James Butler (#6)

Top Alcohol Funny Car
Roger Bateman (#1)-Bye
Doug Gordon (#8) vs. John Evanchuk (#9)
Steve Gasparrelli (#4) vs. Jim Peters (#13)
Brian Hough (#5) vs. Jeff Ashwell (#12)
Shane Westerfield (#2) vs. John Lombardo Jr. (#15)
Keeter Ray (#7) vs. Kris Hool (#10)
Alexis DeJoria (#3) vs. Ken Webster (#14)
Clint Thompson (#6) vs. Sean Bellemeur (#11)

Friday
7:30 PM EST-Here are the updated Top 5 after two sessions of qualifying. Final qualifying order:

Top Alcohol Dragster
1. Chris Demke-5.24 @ 272 MPH
2. Joey Severance-5.32 @ 267 MPH
3. Cody Perkins-5.32 @ 264 MPH
4. Megan McKernan-5.40 @ 266 MPH
5. Ray Martin-5.42 @ 266 MPH

Top Alcohol Funny Car
1. Roger Bateman-5.57 @ 256 MPH
2. Shane Westerfield-5.61 @ 257 MPH
3. Alexis DeJoria-5.63 @ 256 MPH
4. Steve Gasparrelli-5.64 @ 258 MPH
5. Brian Hough-5.64 @ 252 MPH

We'll be back tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 EST/12:30 PST for the final qualifying session. First round will be run at 3:30 PST.

5:30 PM EST-After the first session of Top Alcohol qualifying, here are the Top 5:

Top Alcohol Dragster
1. Chris Demke-5.24 @ 272 MPH
2. Cody Perkins-5.32 @ 264 MPH
3. Joey Severance-5.35 @ 266 MPH
4. Megan McKernan-5.41 @ 262 MPH
5. Ray Martin-5.50 @ 259 MPH

Top Alcohol Funny Car
1. Roger Bateman-5.60 @ 256 MPH
2. Steve Gasparrelli-5.64 @ 258 MPH
3. Alexis DeJoria-5.65 @ 266 MPH
4. Brian Hough-5.68 @ 253 MPH
5. Shane Westerfield-5.76 @ 246 MPH

One of the big highlights of the session was Chris Demke's 5.24 pass, which is the second-quickest pass for a blown alcohol dragster in the history of the class. He holds the #1 spot by just over .08. The second session of TAFC qualifying begins in just under an hour. Follow us on Twitter for live results throughout the weekend.

Alexis DeJoria Racing Team Looking Forward to First Appearance in Seattle

Courtesy of Allison McCormick

Venice, CA (August 3, 2011) -- The Alexis DeJoria Racing team is getting ready to head north and make their debut at the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, WA this weekend.

This will be the team's second to last race before driver Alexis DeJoria makes the highly anticipated transition into Nitro Fuel class. With Seattle being only one of two opportunities left to win a National event in the Alcohol car, Alexis and crew are looking forward to getting the car back out on the track after almost a month off.

"I'm looking forward to Seattle this weekend. I used to race here a few years back with my old race team," says Alexis. "It's a good track, and you can go really fast. We have the second fastest car in the world right now in the Top Alcohol Funny Car categor, so I'm eager to to see what our car can do on this track. Plus, it'll be interesting to go somewhere our team has never been before."

For Alexis, this race is especially sentimental, as she has been with her team in the Alcohol car for three years now. "It would mean so much to stand in the winner's circle and show fans how far we've come in these years. We've broken records, won awards, and made racing history. To add a National win to that would just be awesome," adds Alexis.

The Alexis DeJoria Racing team will compete this weekend at the 24th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, WA, August 5th-7th.

About Alexis DeJoria
Alexis DeJoria, daughter of the famed John Paul DeJoria, of Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Spirits is currently the Top Female Top Alcohol Funny Car Racer. Her team, Stealth Motorsports, co-operated by Alexis, is one of the few female-owned and operated teams in the industry. Alexis made racing history when she competed in the first ever 'woman vs. woman' race in her class in 2010, and she is the 2nd woman ever to win a Top Alcohol Funny Car race. Alexis is the female world record holder for the fastest and quickest speeds, and her car is currently the second fastest car in the world in the TAFC category. Alexis is also well-known for her infamous 2009 Englishtown, NJ crash.

Alexis, who had all the opportunity in the world to pursue any type of career, felt strongly about doing something she is passionate about, and she is proud to encourage and inspire young women to go after their dreams. Alexis' need for adrenaline drove her to pursue the unlikely profession of auto-racing. The determination to 'blaze her own trail' continues to drive her and push her to higher levels in the dangerous, male dominated sport of drag racing. Alexis will transition into the Nitro Funny Car category in the fall of 2011. She will receive assistance from the Kalitta Motorsports team.

Media Contact info:
Alexis DeJoria, and members of Alexis DeJoria Racing are available for interview. Please contact Allison McCormick at (561) 279-7827 x306 or allison@alexisdejoria.com

Perkins and 801 Racing Looking to Heat up Seattle

Courtesy of THR5 Communications

Kent, Wash, - Cody Perkins and his 801 Racing Top Alcohol Dragster are not worried about a heat wave this weekend, in fact, they are counting on it. Hot track temperatures, heated rivals, and giving a scorching show for the fans is all part of the plan.

"Hot and slick is our kind of track," said Perkins. "The hotter it gets - the better. Earlier in the year, we ran a 5.38 in Topeka on a 130 degree track, so we are pumped up for this."

The Top Alcohol Dragster class at Pacific Raceways is also going to be tricky. A smaller entry list means the 801 Racing team will have to be on their game to advance come elimination time.

"It's a stout field," said Perkins. "Its going to be tough to just get out of the first round."

Perkins knows about working with tough conditions. While prepping the car for this race, he spent five straight hours cutting Aluminum and Magnesium while working on engine components. He was covered from head to toe in bits of metal. Changing a flat tire on the team camper on the way to the race was another "dirty job".

"The boys from 801 Racing saw me changing the tire by the side of the road and stopped by to see what was going on," said Perkins. The Utah based Solid Fuel Technology Company bosses are attending their first major event this weekend and are looking forward to seeing their car and driver run hot tires down the track.

Cody Perkins plans on bringing the heat, and if all goes as planned, the heat will be on everyone else's mind.

801 Racing is a privately held company based in Salt Lake City, Utah that produces a unique and innovative 'solid fuel technology.' Named Pulse Power Boost, it comes in a solid red ball and is a fuel boost catalyst that completely dissolves in the fuel tank. The increase in power is next to immediate as it fully dissipates once dissolved. The product works in gas, alcohol and diesel engines. Pulse Power Boost will come packaged in a sealed pouch or in an embossed display tin. 801 Racing's, Pulse Power Boost is targeted at the racing community for all forms of motorsports that need an edge against the competition in the other lane or to get out ahead of the pack and stay there. For more information on 801 racing, please visit http://www.801racing.com/.

Chris Demke and Maddern Racing Begin Three Race "Northern Swing" in Seattle

Courtesy of Nancy Matter

Kent, Wa. -- As the Peen Rite/Clean Boost Top Alcohol Dragster Team makes their way north for their first of three races on a Northern Mini Tour, they hold close in their hearts the memory of last year's Northwest Nationals in Kent, Washington.

As the winners of that event from 2010, which to this day remains secondary, this is also the one year anniversary of fellow competitor Mark Niver's untimely "perfect storm" fatality. The two teams were to compete against one another in the final round.

"This race has a lot of history for us from only one short year ago" noted Demke, "in Mark's honor, we hope we can win back to back events.

"We're running very consistent right now and the weather is supposed to be good. It's unfortunate that there's a low car count for the dragsters at this event, neither here nor there, we're aiming towards valuable points for the National Championship."

The Maddern Top Alcohol Racing Team goes into this event in fourth place within the Lucas Oil National Points Championship Series.

Upon completion of the Northwest Nationals, The Peen Rite Team will head to Brainerd, Minnesota and finish up their Northern Swing at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

Qualifying for the 24th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Northwest Nationals for the Top Alcohol Class begins Friday, August 5th, 2011 with two qualifying attempts at 12:30 AM and 3:30 PM. Qualifying continues on Saturday, August 6th at 12:30 PM with first round of eliminations slated for 3:30 PM. Final Eliminations begin on Saturday, August 7th at 11:00 AM.

For continuous Northwest Nationals drag racing coverage, please log on to: http://www.dragracecentral.com/

For more information on Maddern Racing, please log on to: http://www.maddernracing.com/

Top Alcohol News Seattle Preview

After two weeks off of national event competition, the Top Alcohol categories will be back on track in Seattle for the O'Reilly Auto Parts Northwest NHRA Nationals. Here's a look back at the event winners from 2004-present:

2010 Winners-Chris Demke/Sean O'Bannon
2009 Winners-Courtney Force/Doug Gordon
2008 Winners-Mark Niver/Brian Hough
2007 Winners-Thomas Bayer/Clint Thompson
2006 Winners-Sean O'Bannon/Brian Hough
2005 Winners-Steve Federlin/Clint Thompson
2004 Winners-Duane Shields/Dennis Taylor

Drivers to Watch:

Chris Demke (TAD)-The defending event champion, Demke is currently 4th in points with one national event win and two divisional wins. With only 8 dragsters entered as of August 1st, the Peen Rite blown alcohol car is highly favored to win the event.

Cody Perkins (TAD)-After earning his first national event win at Topeka this year, Perkins is another favorite heading into the Seattle race. Expect to see the 801 Racing team in the later rounds.

Joey Severance (TAD)-Sitting at 10th in points, Joey Severance has proven he can go rounds in 2011, with two divisional wins and a runner-up finish at the Las Vegas national.

Doug Gordon (TAFC)-Though he has yet to win in 2011, Gordon has two wins at this event, in 2009 and 2006. His odds are looking good.

John Lombardo Jr. (TAFC)-The Napa Auto Parts team has two wins and a runner-up in divisional competition this year, but is looking for the first national event win of 2011. Will it come at Seattle?

Roger Bateman (TAFC)-Also with two wins and a runner-up finish in divisional competition, Bateman is a favorite to win here.

Stay tuned to Top Alcohol News throughout the week for team press releases. We'll also keep you updated on the results from Seattle all the way through the event. Also, follow us on Twitter and "like" us on Facebook for results and more!

Points Update

It's a slow news weekend, as Top Alcohol doesn't have any races this weekend. On "alcohol-free" weekends, we'll do a points update. The Top 10 in national points, as well as the points leaders in each division.

Top 10 (TAD/TAFC) 
1-Duane Shield/Tony Bartone
2-Bill Reichert/Frank Manzo
3-Jim Whiteley/Todd Veney
4-Chris Demke/John Lombardo
5-Randy Meyer/Mickey Ferro
6-Marty Thacker/Jay Payne
7-John Finke/John Bojec
8-Rich McPhillips/Kris Hool
9-Dan Page/Chris Foster
10-Joey Severance/Roger Bateman

Div. Leaders (TAD/TAFC)    
D1-Dan Page/Frank Manzo
D2-Duane Shields/Mark Billington
D3-Bill Reichert/Chris Foster
D4-Ryan Copeland/Tony Bartone
D5-Randy Meyer/Kris Hool
D6-Joey Severance/Steve Gasparrelli
D7-Chris Demke/John Lombardo

Check Top Alcohol News throughout next week for press releases, interviews, and news stories. As we get this site going, we'll start posting more and more. Please include us on your distribution list for press releases, we'll try to post them as we receive them.

We need your help! Top Alcohol News has gotten lots of traffic during it's first few days, but in order to increase exposure for the teams and sponsors on this site, we need more. Please share this site with all of your friends that are interested Top Alcohol racing. Post links on your Facebook profile or Twitter account and we'll return the favor. The Top Alcohol News Facebook page should be online this weekend, so we'll be posting links to racer's fan pages.

Competition Plus just posted a great article on reigning Top Alcohol Dragster national champion Bill Reichert. You can read it here.

Top Alcohol News "First Edition"

Welcome to Top Alcohol News. Throughout the season, we will be posting all of the latest news, press releases, and driver interviews that pertain to the Top Alcohol categories. Along the side of this blog, you'll find links to race team websites, social media profiles, and drag racing news sites. If your team would like their site to be added to this list, please send us the link and team/driver name.

In addition, please add us to your distribution list for press releases. Our email address is (topalcoholnews AT gmail DOT com). We will try to post press releases as soon as we receive them.

Our goal at Top Alcohol News is to promote the top alcohol category and it's drivers, teams, and sponsors. In the next few days, we will set up a Facebook page and Twitter account dedicated to Top Alcohol News. We're always up to hearing new ideas that will improve the readers' experience on Top Alcohol News, so shoot us an email if you have an idea!

Nate Van Wagnen
Top Alcohol News Editor