October 24, 2011

ADRL Honors 2011 World Champions, Special Award Winners At Racer Appreciation And Awards Gala

ENNIS, TEXAS (October 24, 2011)

On the final day of the 2011 racing season, the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) also held its annual Racer Appreciation and Awards Gala.
The memorable event took place Sunday evening at the Champion’s Club at Texas Motorplex, which served as the site of the ADRL’s season-ending LenMar Motorsports World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment, which also finished on Sunday. The world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing league officially recognized its 2011 World Champions – Jason Hamstra (Pro Extreme), Mike Castellana (Pro Nitrous), Dan Millen (Extreme 10.5), Ashley Owens (Pro Extreme Motorcycle), Cary Goforth (Extreme Pro Stock) and Morgan Benfield (Pro Junior Dragster) – to officially conclude a thrilling and record-breaking 2012 ADRL season.
ADRL television personality Brian Olson hosted the event that also trumpeted the 2011 “Battle For The Belts” winners, the World Finals VII event winners and also announced the winners for ADRL Driver of the Year (Cary Goforth), Rookie of the Year (Mahana Al-Naemi), Track of the Year (Virginia Motorsports Park) and Spirit of the Year (T.T. and Angelia Jones).
Hamstra was the points leader from start to finish in Pro Extreme, winning twice and advancing to at least the semifinals in every race but one.
It quickly turned into a dream season for the 2009 ADRL Rookie of the Year.
“It’s been a great year and we had a lot of support,” Hamstra said. “Everything worked out well and it was just a lot of fun.”
Castellana, who overcame cancer during 2010, gave a touching speech after earning his championship trophy.
The New York native won four times in Pro Nitrous and was able to enjoy a storybook season.
“The ADRL has given us a great place to race and I want to thank KH (Al-Thani) for giving us an opportunity to get where we’re at,” Castellana said. “My crew has been unbelievable this year and I have to thank (crew chief) Shannon (Jenkins) for giving me one of the best years I’ve had racing.
“I also have to thank everyone for all the kind words. It all helped out a lot.”
Millen was the only driver in the ADRL who finished his season with a world championship, a “Battle For The Belts” victory and a World Finals VII all on the same weekend.
It was a fitting end for an Extreme 10.5 standout who earned his second straight championship and won four times in 2011.
“It’s just been an excellent year,” Millen said.
Owens’ second straight spectacular season ended with his first world championship. The talented rider won four times in Pro Extreme Motorcycle and re-set the E.T. record (3.964) in also becoming the first PXM rider to reach the 3-second mark.
“I just want to thank Paul (Gast of Fast by Gast). He built me an even better bike for me this year and that means a lot to me,” Owens said.
In one of the most closely contested classes in the ADRL, Goforth had a remarkable and historic year in Extreme Pro Stock. He picked up three wins in what was consistently the biggest and closest class in the ADRL.
“I’ve got the best guys in the world on this team,” Goforth said. “There’s so many great competitors in this class and I’m so proud to be part of it.”
Goforth’s special night didn’t stop there, either.
With three wins and his first ADRL world championship, Goforth was named the 2011 ADRL Driver of the Year, drawing huge applause from the large crowd at the Champion’s Club.
Goforth, who also set the class E.T. record (4.037) during a standout 2011 season, was blown away by the award on what was an emotional night for his family.
“This was a pleasant surprise,” Goforth said. “Jerry Haas has given us the greatest race car in the world. I love the ADRL and this is a wonderful organization to be part of.”
After a spectacular 2011 rookie season, Mahana Al-Naemi was named the 2011 ADRL Rookie of the Year.
Al-Naemi had never driven a Pro Nitrous car in the United States before 2011, but he burst onto the scene with a top five finish in points, one event win and five No. 1 qualifier awards.
Crew chief and class legend Shannon Jenkins accepted the award for Al-Naemi, who was tending to an illness in the family.
“Mahana’s become a very good driver and very good for the sport,” Jenkins said. “I’m sure he would have been glad to accept this award.”
Serving as home of the annual Speedtech U.S. Drags, Virginia Motorsports Park earned Track of the Year honors. The top-notch facility hosted another top-notch event, as fans flocked to VMP for one of the best races of the 2011 ADRL season.
Enoch Love, a Richmond-area native and owner of E-Love Racing, accepted the award on the behalf of Virginia Motorsports Park.
T.T. and Angie Jones were named recipients of the ADRL Spirit of the Year Award for their generosity and selflessness in the Pro Extreme Motorcycle class.
To finish off the Awards Gala, the ADRL also announced its 2012 schedule.
Also getting recognized were the 2011 Battle For Belts winners – Todd Tutterow (PX), Khalid Al-Balooshi (PN), Millen (XTF), Owens (PXM), Richie Stevens Jr. (XPS) and Benfield (PJD).
Earning their World Finals VII Minuteman trophies at the event were Jason Scruggs (PX), Jenkins (PN), Millen (XTF), Dave Vantine (PXM), Tony Gillig (XPS), Chanse Bullock (Summit Racing Top Sportsman), Lee Adkins (Pro Modified) and Kaley Allen (PJD).

ADRL Releases 2012 Schedule, With 10-Race Tour at 10 of Nation’s Top Tracks

ENNIS, TEXAS (October 23, 2011) – Highlighted by the debut of two renowned tracks and a return to two other premier tracks, the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) unveiled its highly anticipated 2012 ADRL Tour schedule on Sunday at its Annual Racer Appreciation and Awards Gala.
ADRL will make its inaugural appearance at both Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn., and zMAX Dragway on the grounds of Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
“It’s a perfect fit – one of the ADRL’s biggest events at the world’s greatest drag strip,” said Christian Byrd, general manager of zMAX Dragway. “Hosting the best eighth-mile drag racers in the world for Dragstock IX is a tremendous addition to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Fall Season of Speed and zMAX Dragway’s ever-expanding 2012 schedule.”
The eighth ADRL campaign will also feature returns to Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis, and Memphis International Raceway, both of which were previous popular stops for the ADRL.
The world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing league will also return to a 10-race schedule in 2012, visiting a number of major markets during a season that will once again span from March through October.
“This 2012 schedule is a tremendous step for the ADRL. Not only are we are going to the greatest drag strips and best markets in the world but we have also had such tremendous support from the track operators in preparing the schedule and developing our plans for 2012,” ADRL Executive Vice President Jeff Fortune said.
The 2012 ADRL Tour will begin at its traditional season-opening venue, Royal Purple Raceway, for ADRL Dragpalooza VIII on March 30-31 in Houston.
In April, the ADRL will make its debut appearance at historic and nationally-renowned Bristol Dragway for the Spring Drags III. That event, sure to be highly-anticipated, will take place on April 20-21 and is another signal of the ADRL’s growth on a national level.
In May, the ADRL will make its second trip to Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. A year after a successful debut, the Northeast Drags II will take place on May 4-5 at one of the most scenic stops on the ADRL Tour.
June will mark the first of two double-race months on the 2012 slate, as well as the return of racing at the ADRL’s home track, Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis. With a new ownership group in place, GMP will host the ADRL and the Gateway Drags IV on June 1-2.
From there, the ADRL will return to one of its hotspots, as the U.S. Drags V at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va. will move to an early-summer date on June 22-23. The race has always drawn big crowds and VMP was also named the 2011 ADRL Track of the Year.
After a great fan response in 2011, the Summer Drags will keep its July spot, as the race will take place on July 13-14 at the popular U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich.
The ADRL will then make its debut at the state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway a month later, as the ADRL’s most historic race, Dragstock, will move to the Charlotte market for the first time.
The annual Dragstock race has become the preeminent event on the ADRL tour, and will look to gain even more prominence in 2012 at the popular zMAX Dragway.
September will mark the second two-race month, as well as the return of Memphis International Raceway to the schedule. The Memphis Drags III will take place at the track on Sept. 7-8, setting the stage for a dramatic finish to the 2012 ADRL season.
With its customary late-September placement, the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags VI will take place on Sept. 28-29 at Summit Motorsports Park, which is widely considered one of the best tracks in the nation.
The 2012 season will conclude in its usual October slot with the ADRL World Finals VIII, which will take place at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas on Oct. 19-21.
“A fantastic season starts with a great schedule. I think everyone can look forward to the biggest and most exciting year ever from the ADRL in 2012,” Fortune said.

2012 ADRL TOUR

March 30-31: ADRL Dragpalooza VIII; Royal Purple Raceway, Houston
April 20-21: ADRL Spring Drags III; Bristol Dragway, Bristol, Tenn.
May 4-5: ADRL Northeast Drags II; Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pa.
June 1-2: ADRL Gateway Drags IV; Gateway International Raceway, St. Louis
June 22-23: ADRL U.S. Drags V; Virginia Motorsports Park, Richmond, Va
July 13-14: ADRL Summer Drags VIII; U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, Martin, Mich.
Aug. 3-4: ADRL Dragstock IX; zMAX Dragway, Charlotte, N.C.
Sept. 7-8: ADRL Memphis Drags III; Memphis International Raceway, Memphis, Tenn.
Sept. 28-29: ADRL Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags VI; Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
Oct. 19-21: ADRL World Finals VIII; Texas Motorplex, Dallas.

October 23, 2011

Sunday wrap up

LenMar Motorsports World Finals

ENNIS, Texas

After a disappointing start to the 2011 American Drag Racing League (ADRL) season, Jason Scruggs sure found a way to end it in tremendous fashion.
On the final drag race of the ADRL season, Scruggs put together a classic performance on Sunday, running a 3.604 at 208.59 miles per hour to knock off Frankie Taylor in the finals of the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Texas Motorplex.

"We're just thankful we've got a good car right now," Scruggs said. "When we were down, everybody was helping us and I can't say enough about all the people who helped us get back on track."

The highlight-filled race served as a fitting end to a record-breaking 2011 season as well.

After Cary Goforth (Extreme Pro Stock), Ashley Owens (Pro Extreme Motorcycle) and Mike Castellana (Pro Nitrous) had already clinched world championships, two others also joined them on Sunday as 2011 ADRL World Champions.

Pro Extreme standout Jason Hamstra clinched his title with a first-round win on Sunday, while Dan Millen became the Extreme 10.5 world champion moments earlier by winning his first-round race.

Millen carried that momentum to earn a World Finals VII win on Sunday, joining a list that also included Shannon Jenkins (Pro Nitrous), Dave Vantine (Pro Extreme Motorcycle), Tony Gillig (Extreme Pro Stock), Chanse Bullock (Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman) and Lee Adkins (Pro Modified).

Scruggs qualified at No. 2 with his first pass in the 3.50s (3.59) on Saturday and stayed in the low 3.60s on Sunday to pick up his second win over the final four races of 2011.

"This is just a wonderful way to end the year," Scruggs said. "I'd be the first to tell you, you're only as good as your last pass, so this lets me go all winter saying I won."

Jenkins proved he still has it, making a number of impressive passes in earning his 10th career ADRL victory.

He went 3.80 in the finals to hold off Burton Auxier, thoroughly enjoying his first driving experience in the ADRL in 2011. Jenkins spent all season up until this weekend as the crew chief for Mahana Al-Naemi (and Mike Castellana), but when a member of Al-Naemi's family fell ill and he couldn't attend the race, Jenkins stepped in.

He ran 3.781 in qualifying and proceeded to be flawless during eliminations as well.

"We had the car prepared, so I thought why not. We brought the car out and it really went well," Jenkins said. "We learned some things for next year, tried some things out and it all worked out very well."

Dan Millen (near) vs Grant McCrary
The storybook season ended with the perfect finish for Millen in Extreme 10.5, as he wrapped up the ultimate weekend trifecta at Texas Motorplex.

After winning the Battle For the Belts on Friday and clinching another world championship early on Sunday, Millen finished the deal by going 3.88 in the finals against Grant McCrary.

It was the fifth run in the 3.80s for Millen over the weekend as he continues to put together one of the most dominant stretches in Extreme 10.5 history.

"I can't say enough about my crew and the job they did this year," Millen said. "It's just been an excellent year all the way around."

Vantine's first win in Pro Extreme Motorcycle cost Casey Stemper his first victory, as Stemper went red and Vantine coasted to a win with a 4.13.

That the win came against the largest overall field and the quickest qualifying field in ADRL history - all 16 qualified bikes ran in the 4.10s or quicker - made it that much more satisfying for Vantine, who went as quick as 4.09 during eliminations.

"We've been working hard at this. Its feels good and this has been a long time coming," Vantine said. "The last few races, we've really been putting in the time. We really buckled down late in the season and it paid off."

Gillig put together a remarkable day in Extreme Pro Stock to earn his first win, running 4.095 and beating John Montecalvo, a five-time runner-up this season, in the finals on a big holeshot.

It was an incredibly satisfying victory for Gillig, who jumped into the driver's set of Larry O'Brien's Bear's Performance Products 2010 Dodge Avenger for the final three races of the season.

"It's just been a crazy season for me, but I want to thank Larry and this brother (Wayne) for this opportunity. They're great guys and to have Larry step out of the seat, it's just awesome," Gillig.

Gillig, the No. 14 qualifier picked up his first ADRL win thanks to an outstanding effort on the starting line on Sunday. He won via holeshots in every round of what was a record qualifying field, ousting heavy hitters like Dean Goforth and Pete Berner before cutting an .027 light in the finals.

"We just had a great day and I'm just fortunate to have an opportunity like this," Gillig said. "It was just amazing and I just truly enjoyed this day."

After qualifying in the No. 14 position, Bullock was workmanlike in working through the Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman bracket.

He had three straight runs of 4.53 and then went 4.54 in the finals, quickly acclimating himself to Top Sportsman racing.

"I'm just blessed to be doing this. It's only my second Top Sportsman race and to be able to do this, it's just amazing," Bullock said.

Adkins made it two in a row in Pro Modified, earning his third career ADRL victory by going 3.929 to beat Pete Farber in the finals for the second straight race.

Farber ran slightly quicker, but Adkins was better on the starting line and then gracious in celebrating afterwards. "If there's anyone that helped me do anything or get to this point, I want to thank them," Adkins said.

In Pro Junior Dragster, Kaley Allen went 8.044 to beat Morgan Benfield and earn her first career ADRL win.

The 2012 ADRL Tour begins on March 30-31 with ADRL Dragpalooza VIII at Royal Purple Raceway in Houston. It is the first of 10 races that will take place during the 2012 ADRL season.

Battle for the Belts

Saturday Final qualifying and Battle for the Belts (BFTB) results

ENNIS, Texas --

Richie Stevens Jr. couldn't have picked a better time to have his best performance of the 2011 American Drag Racing League (ADRL) season.
The talented Extreme Pro Stock standout got the most out of his CarSafe and Valspar-sponsored Mustang on Saturday, dramatically winning the single-day "Battle For The Belts" shootout out of the No. 8 and final qualifying position.

As part of the featured event during the weekend's LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Texas Motorplex, Stevens wrapped up his magical day with a holeshot win against Cary Goforth in the finals, going 4.07 to claim the BFTB.

"This feels awesome. There's really no other words to describe it," Stevens said. "To come here as the No. 8 seed and just slip into the field, and then beat a team of that caliber in the finals, it's just unbelievable. I can't even begin to say what that's like.

"When you get that first win along with it, that just make it that much more exciting."

Other "Battle For The Belts" winners included Todd Tutterow (Pro Extreme), Khalid Al-Balooshi (Pro Nitrous), Dan Millen (Extreme 10.5) and Ashley Owens (Pro Extreme Motorcycle).

Final eliminations for Sunday's LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment begin at 11 a.m.

Event and world champions will also be officially crowned during the Racer Appreciation and Awards Gala, which takes place Sunday evening at the Champion's Club at Texas Motorplex.

By qualifying for the World Finals, Mike Castellana also clinched the world championship in Pro Nitrous, joining Owens and Goforth as world champions.

Millen and Pro Extreme points leader Jason Hamstra remain heavy favorites going into eliminations.

Stevens, who has six NHRA and three IHRA Pro Stock wins to his credit, started the day by going 4.09 in his Jerry Haas Race Cars Mustang to beat Brian Gahm and get into the field.

He followed that up with exciting victories against Pete Berner and Elijah Morton to meet up with Goforth, who had gone quicker throughout the day.

But Stevens had a .045 reaction time and held off Goforth, kicking off a wild celebration for the CarSafe team.

"I pulled it out when I needed to. Cary had been quick all day long and I knew I had to be on my game," Stevens said. "I had a lot of people behind me and I just felt like it was my day."

Tutterow won the BFTB for a second time, relying on consistency that led to three runs at 3.63 in his new Jeffers Pro Car '67 Mustang. He ran a 3.639 at 210.80 mph during a solo pass in the finals when Alex Hossler broke during the burnout.

"The first one was good, but this win was just as important," said Tutterow, who also won in 2009.

Tutterow put together an impressive stretch to win the belt, knocking off 2010 champion Frankie Taylor in the first round with a 3.634, and following it up with a 3.637 in the semifinals against the likely soon-to-be champion in Hamstra.

The new '67 GT 500 also showed dramatic improvement on Saturday.

"We figured some things out on the car and we felt like we could run consistently," Tutterow said. "I knew this car could perform well and I think it's going to turn into a proven winner."

Millen continues one of the hottest streaks in Extreme 10.5 history, claiming his third straight BFTB after a 2010 ADRL win and a 2010-2011 Arabian Drag Racing League championship.

He went 3.823 at 202.21 mph in the finals against Billy Glidden - tying his world E.T. record and setting a track record - and now stands to make it an even better weekend by wrapping up his second straight world championship.

"I'm amazed by this. It's been an excellent season for us," Millen said. "We don't have a huge team - it's just me and three guys - and I really don't think it's all set in yet."

After going 3.828 to knock off Chuck Ulsch in the semifinals, Millen and his Z-Matrix Solutions-sponsored Al-Anabi Racing Mustang had to stay aggressive against the ultra-talented Glidden, who went a career-best 3.88 earlier in the day.

"I had to put it on kill because of Billy. You're racing the best when you go against him," Millen said. "He's good on the tree and he's consistent, so I was glad the car was working well."

Owens has already made it the best of both worlds, adding the BFTB title to the world championship he clinched last month.

To win the BFTB on Saturday, Owens and the Fast by Gast team put in ample work, swapping out the motors several times. The bike was never at its best but Owens made it work, beating Billy Vose on a holeshot in the finals.

Owens, who has an ADRL-record 13 career wins to his credit, went 4.062 in the championship round to win the BFTB for the first time in his storied career.

"This has just been great. We had to put in a lot of work this weekend for this one," Owens said. "Practically every pass we had to do a good bit of work.

"This just means a lot to finally win the 'Battle For The Belts' after the last two years."

Like Tutterow, Al-Balooshi repeated his 2009 BFTB win with another one on Saturday, this one coming in even more impressive fashion.

Al-Balooshi ran in the 3.70s on two occasions, wrapping up his remarkable night with an event-best - and track record - 3.774 at 198.82 mph against Burton Auxier, the 2010 BFTB winner.

"This has been a very good year for us," Al-Balooshi said. "(Crew chief) Brandon (Switzer) and the team have worked very hard to make the car go fast, and I really appreciate the job everyone has been doing for us."

Al-Balooshi and his new Jerry Bickel Race Cars Camaro went 3.793 in the semifinals against Stan Allen and then never trailed against Auxier.

"Jerry's given us a beautiful car and I'm very happy. It's a car that's running very fast right now," Al-Balooshi said.

In Pro Junior Dragster, Morgan Benfield won her first BFTB title, ousting Tia Tutterow in the finals with a 7.913. A round earlier, Benfield knocked off points leader Trevor Wilson with a 7.910, which was her quickest run of the day.

Final qualifying for Sunday's World Finals VII also yielded an amazing array of performances on Saturday, capped off by record qualifying fields in three classes.

In Pro Extreme, Frankie Taylor and his 3.581 stayed at No. 1, as Mike Recchia's 3.729 in the No. 16 spot made it the quickest PX qualifying field by far. Scruggs' 3.59 has him in second.

Auxier is the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Nitrous thanks to the 3.78 that sent him to the finals in the BFTB. The legendary Shannon Jenkins, driving for the first time during the ADRL season, impressed with a 3.781 to go to second and Rickie Jones' 3.788 from Friday keeps him in third.

Following Millen in Extreme 10.5 is Grant McCrary, who went 3.86 on his final pass of Saturday. Glidden's 3.88 has him in third.

All 16 riders in Pro Extreme Motorcycle went in the 4.10s or quicker, marking an impressive first in the history of the class. The qualifying bump was a remarkable 4.188 and Vose's 4.046 has him in first. Casey Stemper went a career-best 4.051 to jump to second with Owens right behind.

Cary Goforth set the pace in a record-breaking qualifying field in Extreme Pro Stock, running a 4.058. The qualifying bump was an amazing 4.108, with Berner sitting in second.

In Summit Racing Top Sportsman, Keith Raftery blew away the previous quickest run in ADRL TS' short history, running a strong 4.038.

Al-Balooshi is the top qualifier in Pro Modified as well, as his 3.886 is the quickest in the three ADRL Pro Mod races.

In Pro Junior Dragster, Benfield and her .002 reaction time claimed the top spot.

Sunday's final results from the Speedtech Battle for the Belts at Texas Motorplex.

Pro Extreme Belts -- Todd Tutterow, Chevy Camaro, 3.639, 210.80 def. Alex Hossler, Chevy Bel Air, broke.

Pro Nitrous Belt -- Khalid Al-Balooshi, Chevy Camaro, 3.774, 198.82 def. Burton Auxier, Camaro, 3.823, 191.00.

Extreme 10.5 Belt -- Dan Millen, Ford Mustang, 3.823, 202.21 def. Billy Glidden, Mustang, 3.896, 189.60.

Pro Extreme Motorcycle Belt -- Ashley Owens, Hayabusa, 4.062, 169.34 def. Billy Vose, Suzuki, 4.060, 168.49.

Extreme Pro Stock Belt -- Richie Stevens Jr, Ford Mustang, 4.070, 176.01 def. Cary Goforth, Pontiac GXP, 4.064, 176.86.

Pro Jr Drag Belt -- Morgan Benfield, Motivat, 7.913, 82.28 def. Tia Tutterow, Halfscale, 7.929, 80.87.

Final qualifying

Pro Extreme

1 1 Frankie Taylor, Dickinson TX, '05 Corvette 3.581 211.36 211.36
2 8 Jason Scruggs, Saltillo MS, '63 Corvette 3.590 208.07 208.07
3 2007 Joey Martin, Milton FL, '55 Nomad 3.628 207.40 207.40
4 23 Jason Hamstra, Demotte IN, '70 Duster 3.629 210.34 210.34
5 7 Todd Tutterow, Yadkinville NC, '68 Camaro 3.634 210.41 210.41
6 5 Gaylen Smith, Mansfield TX, '59 Corvette 3.645 210.60 210.60
7 6 Alex Hossler, Canton IL, '57 Bel Air 3.664 206.92 206.92
8 2377 Von Smith, Oak Ridge TN, '68 Camaro 3.668 209.01 209.01
9 2 Joshua Hernandez, The Woodlands TX, '05 Corvet 3.673 204.63 204.63
10 48 Brandon Snider, Atmore AL, '63 Corvette 3.685 202.42 207.08
11 1065 Mike Janis, Lancaster NY, '70 Duster 3.692 203.83 203.83
12 381 Mick Snyder, Demotte IN, '63 Corvette 3.701 203.98 203.98
13 1382 Tommy D'Aprile, Port Charlotte FL, '05 Corvette 3.709 201.79 201.79
14 3 Quain Stott, Columbus NC, '63 Corvette 3.715 200.50 200.50
15 4607 Todd Martin, Mustang OK, '53 Studebaker 3.727 193.27 202.27
16 167 Mike Recchia, Roselle IL, '67 Camaro 3.729 199.70 201.79

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 38 Neal Wantye, Louisville KY, '68 Camaro 3.747 200.47 200.74
18 526 Jon Stouffer, Neosho MO, '70 Barracuda 3.774 201.82 201.82
19 2695 Bubba Stanton, Potts Camp MS, '63 Corvette 3.800 204.91 204.91
20 41 Al Suggs, Denham Springs LA, '41 Willys 3.818 198.50 198.50
21 412D Randell Reid, Bridgeport TX, '67 Camaro 3.838 195.51 195.56
22 1130 John Stanley, Hagerstown MD, '68 Camaro 3.853 195.70 195.70
23 18 Larry Jeffers, House Spings MO, '70 Camaro 3.926 189.47 189.47
24 277 Terry Leggett, Pinetown NC, '09 Mustang 4.595 137.16 137.16
25 4004 Shawn Davis, Lake Charles LA, '57 Bel Air 5.197 122.74 122.74

Pro Nitrous

1 1 Burton Auxier, Dixie WV, '68 Camaro 3.780 196.79 196.79
2 77 Shannon Jenkins, Tuscaloosa AL, '68 Camaro 3.781 196.16 196.16
3 75 Rickie Jones, Galesburg IL, '69 Camaro 3.788 195.73 195.73
4 327 Khalid Al-Balooshi, Dubai UA, '68 Camaro 3.793 197.86 197.86
5 4097 Doug Riesterer, Victoria TX, '68 Camaro 3.793 195.56 195.56
6 44 Mike Castellana, Muttontown NY, '69 Camaro 3.805 197.54 197.54
7 360 Bob Rahaim, Grosse Point MI, '69 Camaro 3.816 196.53 196.53
8 4914 Jeff Naiser, Houston TX, '68 Camaro 3.835 192.28 192.36
9 7 Stan Allen, New Iberia LA, '68 Camaro 3.846 194.24 194.24
10 1087 Jim Laurita, Morgantown WV, '70 Camaro 3.860 190.67 191.57
11 369 John Decerbo, Canfield OH, '68 Camaro 3.882 190.11 190.11
12 1063 Johnny Pilcher, Chancellor AL, '63 Camaro 3.885 193.35 193.35
13 8 Steve Vick, Mocksville NC, '68 Camaro 3.902 192.17 192.17
14 4 Jim Halsey, Havre DeGrace MD, '68 Camaro 3.909 193.52 193.77
15 4069 John Hall, Coral Springs FL, '68 Camaro 3.910 187.65 187.65
16 21 Pat Stoken, Eureka MT, '68 Camaro 4.979 98.75 98.75

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 42 Robert Mathis, Baker FL, '69 Camaro DQ

Extreme 10.5

1 9 Dan Millen, Dearborn Hts MI, '11 Mustang 3.828 201.94 201.94
2 36 Grant McCrary, Haslet TX, '08 Stratus 3.860 203.83 204.51
3 4 Chuck Ulsch, Clarksville MD, '68 Camaro 3.870 204.05 204.29
4 5 Billy Glidden, Whiteland IN, '10 Mustang 3.882 190.89 190.89
5 277 Alan Pittman, Greenville SC, '09 Mustang 3.916 196.10 196.10
6 69 Frankie Taylor, Dickinson TX, '05 Corvette 3.918 200.95 201.07
7 3 Todd Moyer, Pasadena TX, '63 Corvette 4.035 201.97 201.97
8 747 Eric Stubbs, Pasadena TX, '63 Corvette 4.044 190.75 191.19
9 37 Rick Thornton, Haslet TX, '08 Stratus 4.105 194.58 194.58
10 74 Jason Carlton, Wauchula FL, '05 Celica 4.107 192.11 192.11
11 2007 'Wild' Bill Devine, Lake Worth FL, '01 Mustang 4.144 0.00 179.85
12 95 Rick Snavely, Los Angeles CA, '07 GTO 4.180 181.28 182.38
13 487 Michelle Wilson, Azle TX, '00 Firebird 4.219 166.09 166.09
14 77 Lamar Swindoll Jr., Baytown TX, '04 Cavalier 4.300 195.59 195.59
15 4312 Chris Shortridge, Temple TX, '02 Camaro 4.483 166.44 166.44

------------ Not Qualified ------------

16 420 Dennis Sugrue, Austin TX, '04 Cavalier NT

Extreme Pro Stock

1 4 Cary Goforth, Holdenville OK, '10 GXP 4.058 177.53 177.53
2 2 Pete Berner, Crete IL, '09 GXP 4.058 176.44 176.44
3 151 Dean Goforth, Holdenville OK, '10 GXP 4.061 177.49 177.49
4 1 John Montecalvo, Center Moriches NY, '09 Cobalt 4.070 175.91 175.91
5 444 Richie Stevens Jr, New Orleans LA, '09 Mustang 4.072 175.91 175.91
6 428 Scott Hintz, Odessa TX, '09 Mustang 4.073 175.87 175.87
7 3 Brian Gahm, Lucasville OH, '07 Mustang 4.076 176.49 176.49
8 4683 Brian Self, Magnolia TX, '07 Cobalt 4.076 175.78 175.78
9 5 Elijah Morton, Jacksonville NC, '07 Escort 4.077 176.19 176.37
10 290 Trevor Eman, Pos Chiquito AW, '11 Mustang 4.082 175.91 175.91
11 6 Bob Bertsch, Willis MI, '07 Mustang 4.082 175.05 175.18
12 256 Buddy Perkinson, Hopewell VA, '08 Cobalt 4.083 175.89 175.89
13 683 Brad Waddle, Salina KS, '08 Mustang 4.092 175.34 175.34
14 397 Tony Gillig, Wauconda IL, '10 Avenger 4.104 175.05 175.05
15 18 David Schorr, Grain Valley MO, '04 Escort 4.107 175.41 175.41
16 7 Cale Aronson, Chillicothe MO, '10 Mustang 4.108 173.85 174.39

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 1594 Kevin Bealko, Bridgeport WV, '11 GXP 4.134 173.36 173.36
18 423 Richard Otwell, Conroe TX, '09 GXP 4.140 173.14 173.14
19 26 Richard Penland, Gastonia NC, '10 Mustang 4.155 173.38 173.96

Extreme Top Sportsman

1 405 Keith Raftery, Lake Charles LA, '68 GTO 4.038 181.01 181.01
2 477F Earl Folse, Raceland LA, '68 Camaro 4.081 180.40 180.40
3 204 Ronnie Davis, Suwanee GA, '63 Corvette 4.101 179.28 179.28
4 6552 Frank Tamez, Takima WA, '69 Camaro 4.135 173.45 173.45
5 5669 Jim Brinkerhoff, Keller TX, '68 Camaro 4.146 172.52 172.52
6 4935 Joseph Mohana, Bourg LA, '57 Chevy 4.196 170.73 171.10
7 4147 Greg Lair, Canyon TX, '05 Grand Am 4.300 165.99 165.99
8 4656 Monte Weaver, Lubbock TX, '63 Corvette 4.324 164.29 164.29
9 22 Rick Snavely, Los Angeles CA, '05 Mustang 4.411 173.92 174.50
10 R488 Randell Reid, Iowa Park TX, '05 Gand Am 4.422 157.58 159.85
11 4643 Les Herod, Jacksboro TX, '63 Corvete 4.439 162.84 165.70
12 436B Kevin Hampton, Artesia NM, '06 GTO 4.520 154.56 154.56
13 400H Travis Leach, Houston TX, '96 Firbird 4.530 158.13 160.58
14 414 Chanse Bullock, Baytown TX, '68 Camaro 4.540 155.33 155.69
15 429 Jimmie Dickey, Lubbock TX, '00 Firebird 4.580 152.68 152.68
16 4076 Matt Crisp, Castroville Tx, '08 Mustang 4.722 147.39 147.50

Pro Mod

1 327 Khalid Al-Balooshi, Dubai UA, '68 Camaro 3.886 194.04 194.04
2 6 Kenny Lang, Grande Pte MB, '69 Camaro 3.910 190.73 190.73
3 1518 Pete Farber, Baldwinville MA, '69 Daytona 3.911 192.49 192.49
4 4262 Dave Pierce, Claremore OK, '68 Camaro 3.915 189.92 189.92
5 2261 Lee Adkins Jr, Lindon TN, '68 Camaro 3.927 189.95 190.11
6 1456 Mike Janis, Lancaster NY, '10 Mustang 3.941 190.75 190.75
7 872 Adam Flamholc, Malmoe , '67 Camaro 3.962 182.60 187.73
8 1940 Terry Housley, Lovdon TN, '53 Corvette 4.059 186.77 186.77

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 47 Jeffrey Cummins Jr, Cypress TX, '11 Camaro 4.116 178.42 178.42
10 5450 Steve Matusek, Olathe KS, '10 Mustang 4.117 188.10 188.10
11 766 Rod Pearce, Granite Bay CA, '70 Camaro 4.127 176.35 178.21

Extreme Motorcycle

1 518 Billy Vose, Buck Mountain PA, '99 Suzuki 4.046 173.29 176.65
2 1134 Casey Stemper, Upper Marlboro MD, '11 Suzuki 4.051 174.35 175.57
3 2 Ashley Owens, Decatur AL, '11 Hayabusa 4.065 173.38 174.21
4 4 Eric McKinney, Hamersville OH, '09 Hayabusa 4.096 172.81 173.36
5 22 Dave Vantine, Hamilton NY, '10 Suzuki 4.096 172.19 174.03
6 1 Kim Morrell, Lox FL, '10 Hayabusa 4.096 168.26 170.62
7 730 Terry Schweigert, Abbotsford BC, '09 Suzuki 4.097 170.92 170.92
8 233 Monte Campbell, Venice FL, '10 Suzuki 4.111 170.51 170.51
9 81 Carlos Wilkerson, Broxton GA, '11 Suzuki 4.121 170.32 170.32
10 5 Ronald Procopio, Raleigh NC, '10 Suzuki 4.140 171.60 171.60
11 3 Travis Davis, Douglas GA, '08 Suzuki 4.144 172.10 172.10
12 1124 Japel Heard, Atlanta GA, '08 Suzuki 4.146 166.97 169.34
13 10 Scott Gray, Ocala FL, '01 Suzuki 4.168 165.66 165.66
14 306 Mohamed Bourashid, KW, '11 Hayaqbusa 4.186 168.11 168.83
15 7 Charlie Prophit, W. Monroe LA, '11 Hayabusa 4.186 165.36 165.36
16 4400 Derrick Holloway, Port Allen LA, '09 Suzuki 4.188 166.93 166.93

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 1302 Chuck Wilburn, Tupelo MS, '11 Hayabusa 4.209 173.25 173.25
18 430 Shane Eperjesi, Lake Dallas TX, '10 Suzuki 4.224 165.94 165.94
19 18 Meshal Alsaber, KW, '10 Hayabusa 4.226 160.27 164.79
20 133 Paul Gast, Grand Island NY, '99 Suzuki 4.243 169.81 169.81
21 605 Len Darnell, Vancouver WA, '09 Hayabusa 4.244 165.78 166.52
22 442 Curtis Nichols, Alvin TX, '10 Suzuki 4.358 160.29 160.29
23 67 Jason Hamilton, Amarillo TX, '07 Suzuki 4.370 161.83 161.83
24 1110 Jeff House, Keller TX, '08 Suzuki 4.382 160.79 163.18
25 454 C.D. Watson, Conroe TX, '11 4.476 150.58 153.49
26 405 Blaine Hale, Midland TX, '10 Suzuki 4.708 156.75 156.75

Jr Dragster

1 2348 Morgan Benfield, Virginia Beach VA, Motivat-Whal 0.002 0.002
2 3 Kyle Dvorak, McHenry IL, Spitzer 0.002 0.002
3 3150 Kaley Allen, Manchester KY, HalfScale-Whaley 0.006 0.006
4 2 Alexander Oppen, Kenosha WI, JRE 0.015 0.015
5 505 Kendall Thiesse, Montreal MO, HalfScale-McGee 0.019 0.019
6 4140 Cole Burk, Magnolia TX, Hardens-Whaley 0.020 0.020
7 4040 Hanna Lisenbe, Joshua TX, Cameron 0.021 0.021
8 5 Tia Tutterow, Lewisville NC, Halfscale-HalfScal 0.026 0.026
9 1 Tyler Allen, Manchester KY, Halfscale 0.028 0.028
10 3170 Trevor Wilson, Battle Creek MI, Hardens-Blossom 0.030 0.030
11 4518 Corey Tankersley, Conroe TX, HalfScale-Whaley 0.045 0.045
12 4067 Mikey Carver, Blooming Groove TX, Spitzer 0.082 0.082
13 4079 Manie Cantrell, Arlington Tx, 0.088 0.088
14 4124 Ashton Call, Amarillo TX, RPC-PP 0.090 0.090
15 62 Josh Carlton, Lake Alfred FL, Bos 0.118 0.118

October 22, 2011

Results after round one "BFTB"

Now that he's here, the talented Extreme Pro Stock driver is taking advantage of the opportunity.
Stevens won the run-off against Brian Gahm and now finds himself in the semifinals after knocking off Pete Berner in the first round of competition.

"We've got one shot left to do well. We slipped into the field and we thought we should at least make it worth our while," Stevens said. "We've got nothing to lose and we're trying to make the best of it. We're hoping to be the underdog.

"Really, just to make it this far has been a blessing. We're all happy to be here."

Stevens' upset win against Berner was one of the many highlights of a wild and highly entertaining first round of the BFTB, which is taking place on Saturday during the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Texas Motorplex.

Stevens will face Elijah Morton in the semifinals after Morton pulled off somewhat of an upset of his own in knocking off defending champ John Montecalvo.

Stevens went a strong 4.10 to beat Berner and thinks his CarSafe and Valspar-sponsored Mustang is capable of running 4.06 to 4.07.

It's all a dramatic improvement from a month ago when Stevens lost in the first round at the Ohio Drags and just slipped into the eight-car BFTB field.

"I screwed up there and I was just lucky to get in the deal," Stevens said. "Now to be going rounds and be running here in the semis, it's just great. We took out some heavy hitters and this is a good car right now.

"I think there's a little more there, too, if we can find it."

The other semifinal in XPS will feature the father-son duo of Dean and Cary Goforth, who has already clinched the world championship.

The Pro Extreme session was highlighted by a pair of impressive runs as Jason Scruggs went a career-best 3.61 to knock off Joey Martin and his 3.62.

Scruggs needed to beat Joshua Hernandez just to get into the first round and he'll now have lane choice against Alex Hossler, who had the wildest run of the day thus far.

Just before reaching the finish line, Hossler's engine went up in smoke and then flames as oil spilled on the track.

He went a 3.68 to advance in pulling off the upset against Mick Snyder.

Jason Hamstra went 3.62 - a career-best for him - and will face Todd Tutterow, who knocked off Frankie Taylor.

Billy Glidden continues to impress with his new motor, as he went a career-best 3.88 at more than 190 miles per hour to knock off Grant McCrary and move to the semifinals in Extreme 10.5.

McCrary had chased down Glidden at previous races, but the Extreme 10.5 legend seems to have made the proper adjustments to not allow that to happen on Saturday.

"When I put it in fourth gear this time and I couldn't see the nose of his car, I felt pretty confident he wasn't going to get by me," Glidden said.

Glidden will now face Frankie Taylor in one semifinal.

The other semifinal will feature Chuck Ulsch and Dan Millen, which has been a feature matchup in two finals this year. Millen ran an impressive 3.87 during his bye run, which has been the best pass of the class this weekend.

In Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Kim Morrell and Billy Vose will meet in a must-see semifinal matchup.

Vose had the quickest round to kick off the BFTB in the class, going 4.04 as he continues to run well.

The other semifinal will feature Ashley Owens and Eric McKinney, which will be a rematch of the finals in Michigan from July.

ADRL Finals pre press

ADRL World Championship Points Scenarios

O’FALLON, MO (October 17, 2011) – It’s going to be one of the biggest weekends in American Drag Racing League (ADRL) history, as world championships will be decided at the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment on Oct. 21-23 at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
Here are the world championship points scenarios in each class.

Pro Extreme
Jason Hamstra now holds a 476-point lead on Joey Martin and a 599-point advantage on Mick Snyder after advancing to the semifinals at the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V.
Snyder would need a monumental weekend in Ennis to get to the top spot – and plenty of help.
If Hamstra qualifies in the 16-car field – and he has done so at every event in 2011 – Snyder will be knocked out of contention. If Hamstra wouldn’t qualify, Snyder would need to win and set both ends of the world record to get a title.
Martin will also need a lot of help and should Hamstra qualify, he would need an epic performance, as he remains nearly five rounds behind.
Martin could gain a world championship by winning the race should Hamstra not qualify, or by finishing as runner-up and setting both ends of the world record.
Should Hamstra just qualify – and that seems to be the likely scenario – Martin would need to win and set both ends of the world record.
Martin’s highest point accumulation at a race this season is 541 points (done twice).
No matter what the others do, Hamstra simply advancing to the second round would automatically clinch a world championship and a $75,000 payout.
Anything outside of the above scenarios would also clinch the first ADRL world championship for the talented Hamstra.
Just by showing up, Hamstra, Martin and Snyder will receive 75 points (25 participation points, 50 points for appearing at every race).

Pro Nitrous
Mike Castellana’s lead against Khalid Al-Balooshi is now 574 points, giving him a huge and nearly insurmountable lead after winning the Ohio Drags.
Mahana Al-Naemi is 675 points behind Castellana, but the most he could earn in Ennis would be 641 points since he did not participate in all the races and thereby can’t earn the 50 points for appearing at every race.
Since he did participate in all of the races, either, Castellana also can’t earn the 50 participation points for the entire season, but he will gain 25 points by appearing in Ennis this year.
That leaves Al-Balooshi with the only shot at tracking down Castellana, who is tied for the overall ADRL lead with four event wins.
But Castellana still has work to do to finish the job and earn the $75,000 payout that comes along with a championship.
Al-Balooshi did earn 638 points at the ADRL Baytown event earlier this year, winning the race (500), qualifying at No. 4 (13), setting both ends of the world record (100) and participating (25).
Since Al-Balooshi has attended all races, he would earn another 50 points in Ennis, meaning a performance like that in October would translate into 688 points. In all, 691 points are at stake should Al-Balooshi qualify in the No. 1 position.
Castellana has been a consistent points earner all year, but did not qualify at Dragstock VIII earlier this month, earning only the 25 participation points.
Combine it all and it’s not impossible that Al-Balooshi could track down Castellana with a record performance.
Should Castellana not qualify, Al-Balooshi would need to win and set one end of a world record since he would also gain qualifying points and full-season participation points.
Should Castellana just qualify, Al-Balooshi would be eliminated from contention, meaning Castellana remains a huge favorite to wrap up his first world championship.

Extreme 10.5
Dan Millen could have clinched at the Ohio Drags, but still remains the odds-on favorite even after losing in the first round.
Currently, Millen leads Frankie Taylor by 358 points (just more than 3.5 rounds) and Billy Glidden by 422 points.
Both Glidden and Millen will earn 50 points for appearing at all the races, while Taylor did not race Extreme 10.5 in Ennis last year, making him ineligible for that.
Taylor, though, can still clinch a world title if a number of factors go his way.
If Millen - who has qualified for every race this year – would somehow not qualify, Taylor could win a championship by finishing as the runner-up and qualifying at No. 8 or better as long as Glidden isn’t the winner the event in Ennis.
Other ways Taylor can win:
Advancing to the semifinals, setting both ends of the world record, earning nine or more qualifying points, and Glidden doesn’t win the race and Millen doesn’t qualify
Advancing to the finals, earning nine or more qualifying points and Glidden doesn’t win and Millen doesn’t qualify
Advancing to the finals, setting a world record and Glidden doesn’t win and Millen doesn’t qualify
Advancing to the finals, setting both ends of the world record, and Millen loses in the first round
Winning the race if Millen doesn’t qualify
Winning the race and qualifying nine spots or higher than Millen if Millen loses in the first round
Winning the race and setting one end of a record if Millen qualifies and loses in the first round
Winning the race, setting both ends of the record, qualifying nine spots or more higher than Millen if Millen qualifies and loses in the second round

Here are the scenarios for Glidden to win:
Advancing to the finals and setting one end of a world record if Millen doesn’t qualify and Taylor doesn’t win
Advancing to the finals, setting both ends of a world record and qualifying in the first spot if Millen doesn’t qualify and Frankie Taylor wins and qualifies at No. 16
Winning the race if Millen doesn’t qualify and Taylor doesn’t finish as runner-up and set both ends of a world record
Winning the race and setting one end of a world record if Millen qualifies and loses in the first round

Millen can clinch a world championship simply by advancing to the semifinals.
Anything outside of the above scenarios would also clinch a second straight ADRL world championship for Millen.

Pro Extreme Motorcycle
Ashley Owens clinched his world championship at last weekend’s Ohio Drags V, where he advanced to the semifinals to build on his already huge points lead.
Owens nearly had the title clinched before the race, but made it official by coming out of the race as a semifinalist and No. 1 qualifier.
The world championship is the first for the ultra-talented Owens, who has the most wins of any competitor in ADRL history.

Extreme Pro Stock
After winning the Ohio Drags V, Cary Goforth is about as close to clinching a world championship without officially doing it as possible.
In winning the race, Goforth now holds a 666-point lead against Pete Berner.
To gain the world championship, all Goforth has to do is show up at the Texas Motorplex to receive his 25 participation points and 50 full-season participation points.
If for some reason Goforth would not appear in Ennis – which is highly unlikely – Berner would still need one of the greatest performances in ADRL history to knock off Goforth.
Berner would have to show up (gaining 75 total participation points), win the race (500 points, plus qualifying points) and set both ends of the world records during the race.
Of course, as long as Goforth’s trailer shows up in Ennis and his car passes tech, it’s a moot point and Goforth, who has three event wins this year, would gain his first ADRL world championship.

Oct. 18, 2011

Biggest Payouts In ADRL History To Be Awarded At LenMar Motorsports World Finals VII Presented By Summit Racing

O’FALLON, MO (October 17, 2011) – It’s not a stretch to call the upcoming LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment one of the biggest events in American Drag Racing League (ADRL) history.
There is another certainty as well: the event will feature the biggest payouts in the history of doorslammer racing.
With the highly-anticipated World Finals spanning three days on Oct. 21-23 at Texas Motorplex, the world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing league will award nearly three-quarters of a million dollars to drivers over the weekend, making it the most lucrative race in ADRL and doorslammer history.
Of that, more than $355,000 will be awarded to the drivers who finish in the top 10 in points, and world champions will also be crowned in five classes (Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Extreme 10.5, Pro Extreme Motorcycle and Extreme Pro Stock).
An additional $182,500 will be awarded to drivers competing in the “Battle For The Belts,” the one-day elimination shootout that takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22.
The BFTB features the top eight competitors in six classes and these ADRL competitors will be competing for as much as $25,000
Eliminations for the World Finals will take place on Sunday and the ADRL will hand out an additional $181,000 in event prize money.
The opportunity is certainly grand for drivers in Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous. A handful of drivers in both classes have an opportunity to win $110,000 over the weekend.
Winning the world championship in either class would give the champion $75,000, while they could also earn an additional $25,000 for winning the “Battle For The Belts” and $10,000 more for taking first in the World Finals.
Jason Hamstra is the current points leader in Pro Extreme, while Pro Nitrous driver Mike Castellana holds a commanding lead in that class and only needs to qualify to clinch his first ADRL World Championship.
“It’s coming down to crunch time, but this is what makes it fun,” Hamstra said. “There’s a lot of pressure there, but it’s what we love to do.”
Castellana’s relaxed approach has been beneficial in his standout Pro Nitrous season and he’ll look to add to his four event wins with a similar mindset in Ennis, Texas.
“This team has just been unbelievable. It’s just a great group of guys preparing the car and with Shannon (Jenkins) tuning, you couldn’t ask for much more,” Castellana said. “It’s really just allowed me to relax and have fun this year, and it’s truly been incredible.”
In Extreme Pro Stock, Cary Goforth has the opportunity for one remarkable weekend.
Just by showing up, Goforth can clinch his first ADRL world championship, which nets him $50,000.
Should Goforth would the event – he has an XPS-best three wins in 2011 – and take the BFTB as well, Goforth, whose six events wins is tied for the most in class history, could earn an impressive $78,000.
“I’m just lucky to be here and it would be a dream come true to win a championship,” Goforth said. “It could be something you could always look back on.
“This whole team deserves this. I’m so proud I can get this for them. They all deserve this.”
Dan Millen, Frankie Taylor and Billy Glidden are still in contention for the biggest prizes in Extreme 10.5. All are competing for the world championship, though Millen holds a commanding lead and remains the odds-on favorite to repeat as the world championship.
Should Millen take all three, he would earn $48,000.
Ashley Owens has already clinched the $10,000 by winning the Pro Extreme Motorcycle world championship and could make it $22,500 by winning the BFTB for the first time and adding to his four event victories in his record-breaking 2011 season.
The world championship presentation take place on Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Racer Appreciation and Awards Gala, which takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the spacious Champions Club at Texas Motorplex.

Team “O” Motorsports To Bring “Race For The Heroes,” Supporting The Wounded Warrior Project, To World Finals

O’FALLON, MO (October 7, 2011) – Team “O” Motorsports has a special tribute planned and will be racing for a worthy cause at the American Drag Racing League’s (ADRL) LenMar Motorsports World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment.
Working with Capstone Fuel Management, the Texas-based Team “O” Motorsports is bringing the “Race For The Heroes,” supporting the Wounded Warrior Project, to the ADRL’s season-ending race, which takes place on Oct. 21-23 at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
Leading up to the event, Team “O” will be making several appearances in the Dallas area to promote the fundraising effort that supports the nationally recognized Wounded Warrior Project.
“Our marketing partner, Capstone Fuel Management, as well as everyone on Team ‘O’ is proud to represent this worthwhile ‘Race For The Heroes’ cause,” Team “O” Motorsports Marketing Manager Gary Lidiak said.
“We will be using a number of volunteers for our midway booth for the ADRL World Finals and we are really looking forward to bringing the ‘Race For The Heroes’ and the Wounded Warrior Project to a stage as big as an ADRL national event.”
Team “O” Motorsports’ ’68 Pro Nitrous Tim McAmis Race Cars Camaro will have special “Race For The Heroes” graphics for the event, serving as a display car for public appearances and at the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII presented by Summit Racing Equipment, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest events in ADRL history.
On the track, Team “O” will be represented by a Capstone Fuel Extreme Pro Stock GXP driven by Richard Otwell and a ’68 Pro Nitrous Camaro driven by Jeff Naiser.
Naiser will also be driving in the “Battle The Belts” on Oct. 22, which features the top eight drivers in each class competing in a one-day shootout. Naiser is currently sixth in points in a highly-competitive Pro Nitrous class.
“Our cars will be part of a huge weekend in the ADRL and they will also provide awareness how important the Wounded Warrior Project is,” Lidiak said. “We are absolutely thrilled to be given the opportunity to honor the heroes of our country and bring this event to the ADRL.”
Formed in 2002, the Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors of the United States Armed Forces.
The Wounded Warrior Project works to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs
“This is such a phenomenal and worthwhile cause. We are excited for this upcoming event and seeing our partnership continue to develop with the Wounded Warrior Project,” Lidiak said.

Summit Equipment Ohio Drags V

(September 25, 2011)

Castellana Leads Winners List At Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V, Closes In On Championship.

NORWALK, OH

A year ago, Mike Castellana wasn’t sure he would be racing in 2011. Now, the Pro Nitrous standout is on the verge of a world championship in the American Drag Racing League (ADRL).Castellana had another race to remember on Saturday, running 3.799 at 197.42 miles per hour to knock off Stan Allen in a great side-by-side race during the finals of the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V at Summit Motorsports Park.

A year after being diagnosed with cancer, Castellana is now cancer-free and has four wins in 2011. The Al-Anabi Racing driver also maintains a near-insurmountable points lead heading into the final event of the season, the LenMar Motorsports World Finals, which takes place Oct. 21-23 at Texas Motorplex.“I wasn’t even sure I was going to race this year,” Castellana said. “I was just happy to be here racing, and I came out and enjoyed myself all year. This team has just been unbelievable.”
Several other teams were just as impressive on a nearly-flawless day at Summit Motorsports Park where fans were treated to frenetic action and two world records. After rain wiped out the first day of the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V, Saturday started with two qualifying rounds and ended with unbelievable performances in eliminations.
Other winners included Alex Hossler (Pro Extreme), Grant McCrary (Extreme 10.5), Jeremy Teasley (Pro Extreme Motorcycle), Cary Goforth (Extreme Pro Stock), Scott Wasko (Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman) and Lee Adkins (Penske Truck Leasing Pro Modified).

Goforth set a new world record in XPS, going 4.037 en route to his event win, while Billy Vose set a new speed record in PXM at 180.77 mph.
Like Castellana, Goforth extended his points lead and now has a commanding advantage heading into the World Finals after going 4.069 at 177.62 mph in the finals against Doug Kirk.
“I’m very happy and very lucky to do this,” Goforth said. “I knew this win means a lot to my dad (Dean) and I really wanted to try hard and get this for him. “This whole team deserves this. I’m so proud I can get this for them. They all deserve this.”

Castellana’s hold on the points lead in Pro Nitrous looked in danger after he didn’t qualify his ’69 Camaro at Dragstock VIII two weeks ago in Rockingham. But Castellana rebounded in a major way in Norwalk, qualifying in the No. 12 spot and making improvements throughout. He knocked off Jeff Naiser with a 3.833 in the semifinals and then set a track record with his 3.799 against Allen, who just missed his second straight win.
“We stumbled in Rockingham and we were devastated,” crew chief Shannon Jenkins said. “We came back and raced like we know we can, and this is great.”

Goforth had similar sentiments after an incredible Saturday that saw him take the No. 1 qualifier spot, set a new world record and end with a win. In a must-see semifinal matchup against Pete Berner, who is second in points, Goforth went a blistering 4.037 in his Jerry Haas Race Cars GXP to beat a red-lighting Berner.
“We’re lucky to be here and it would be a dream come true to win a championship,” Goforth said.

Hossler won’t win a world championship in Pro Extreme, but he did ensure a berth in the one-day “Battle For The Belts” shootout at the World Finals with his first win of 2011.
It didn’t come in dramatic fashion, as Joshua Hernandez went red just before Hossler’s belt broke on his Garrett Race Cars Al-Anabi Racing ’57 Chevy.
Hossler, though, wasn’t about to complain about a victory that came during a year filled with struggles. “This year has just been a nightmare and it’s been tough to have any confidence,” Hossler said. “Hopefully we’ve found a home with our team and we’ll definitely take this.
“It’s nice to have a little luck come our way.” Hossler didn’t run quicker than a 3.71 on Saturday, but he took advantage of opportunities, ousting points leader Jason Hamstra in the semifinals after Hamstra’s Duster got loose. Hossler also credited his new team that is headed by crew chief Howard Moon. “Howard and all the guys worked their tails off,” Hossler said. “These guys are all working hard, and we’re trying to get this car on track.”

The win for McCrary in Extreme 10.5 was big on several levels. He had predicted a run in the 3.80s this weekend in Norwalk, and it happened in the finals against Chuck Ulsch when he went a career-best 3.849 at 200.86 mph. It was enough to slip past Ulsch’s 3.887 in what ended up as another marvelous drag race, giving McCrary his first ADRL win and a spot in the “BFTB.” “I knew we could go fast if we could stay on the throttle the whole time,” McCrary said. “I said it could go a 3.84 or a 3.85, and we got that 3.84. I’ve raced against Chuck for years and that was a lot of fun racing him.” McCrary and his Fast Forward Innovations (FFI) turbo-charged Stratus picked up steam as the day went along, knocking off Billy Glidden in the quarterfinals with a 3.906. “This is freaking awesome. I can’t describe it,” McCrary said. “We worked our butts off and I’m already looking forward to (the World Finals)."

In just his second race in the ADRL, Jeremy Teasley picked up his first victory, riding a Rob Hunnicutt-owned bike to a 4.04 at 176.10 mph in the finals against Travis Davis.
“I never thought it would come this fast,” Teasley said. “It was just a little bit of everything. This bike had a lot of passes with Rob, and it couldn’t have worked out any better.”
Teasley consistently ran in the 4.10s through qualifying and the early part of eliminations before finding his groove in the semifinals. Facing Vose, Teasley went 4.037 to ensure his spot in the finals. A round later, Hunnicutt was overcome with emotion.
“To see him get that win light, I’m just speechless,” Hunnicutt said. “This bike just goes straight every pass.” Davis knocked off points leader Ashley Owens in the semifinals, but Owens, who was the No. 1 qualifier, was able to clinch the world championship in PXM for the first time on Saturday.

Racing less than an hour from home, Scott Wasko thrilled the big turnout of family and friends that cheered him on, as he knocked off Glenn Butcher in the Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman finals with a 4.359 at 155.78 mph.
Butcher was trying to become the first two-time winner in Summit Racing TS, but Wasko’s family-based team won out.
“This is just fantastic,” Wasko said. “Any win is memorable, but I just love fast doorslammers and to be a part of this, it is just awesome.”

In the Penske Truck Leasing Pro Modified class, an ADRL veteran took out an ADRL newcomer, as former Pro Nitrous winner Lee Adkins went 3.903 at 191.59 mph to knock off No. 1 qualifier Pete Farber. Farber went 3.95 in qualifying, but Adkins saved his best for last, overcoming a broken transmission on his ’68 Camaro earlier in the day.
“I love this. To win in ADRL Pro Nitrous and now to do it in Pro Modified in the same car, this is great,” Adkins said. “We’ve got a good car and these guys just busted their butts.”

In Pro Junior Dragster, Trevor Wilson picked up his second win of the season, going 8.23 at 68.43 mph to knock off Kaley Allen.

The ADRL finishes its 2011 season next month with the LenMar Motorsports World Finals VII, which takes place Oct. 21-23 at Texas Motorplex. The three-day event will include the “Battle For The Belts” and officially crown world points championships.

September 23, 2011

Saturday Qualifying To Start At 9 A.M. After Rain Wipes Out First Day Of Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V

NORWALK, OH (September 23, 2011) – After steady rain led to the cancellation of racing on the first day of the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V at Summit Motorsports Park, the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) announced a schedule change for Saturday’s racing.
There will now be two rounds of qualifying on Saturday for all classes, with the first scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
The second round of qualifying is slated for 12 p.m., with eliminations set to follow in all classes at its regularly scheduled time of 3:30 p.m.
The inclement weather didn’t allow for any racing on Friday, leading ADRL officials to decide on two qualifying sessions on Saturday before eliminations for what is another impressive turnout of competitors.
“By having two rounds of qualifying before eliminations on Saturday, it will give fans and competitors the best experience possible for this race,” ADRL Director of Competition Tom Grooms said.
The Ohio Drags V is the final ADRL race before October’s LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VII, giving ADRL competitors one last opportunity to get into the “Battle For The Belts” field.
With strong car counts in every class, the cooler temperatures and ideal track conditions at a notoriously fast track could lead to a memorable day of racing on Saturday.
“With the ideal weather forecast for Saturday, the good news for the fans and competitors is we could see world record times in every class,” ADRL Executive Vice President Jeff Fortune said. “This is an important and highly-anticipated event and there are a number of standout drivers competing for a world championship in every class.
“There is a lot on the line for this race and everyone will be pulling out all the stops to do well, and we want to give everyone the best opportunity to see this world-class racing at a wonderful facility.”

September 21, 2011

Event preview

The American Drag Racing League (ADRL) returns to Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio for the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V on Sept. 23-24.

With increased purse payouts for each race, a new World Championship format with major championship payouts and expanded live online broadcasts during eliminations, there is considerable excitement and anticipation surrounding the world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing league as it returns to Summit Motorsports Park.

This race is also the final event for ADRL competitors to qualifying for the one-day “Battle For The Belts” shootout that takes place on Oct. 22 at Texas Motorplex. The event in Norwalk will also include a 12-car Pro Modified field.

The gates open at 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, with the first round of qualifying on Friday set to begin at 12 p.m. On Saturday, the racing will begin at 12 p.m. with the final qualifying session. The first round of eliminations starts at 3:30 p.m., with a special jet-car and monster truck pass concluding the evening on Friday and Saturday.

To see the track records and previous winners of the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags, please visit www.adrl.us/schedule/summit-racing-equipment-ohio-drags-v.

September 20, 2011

Remembering Bert Jackson

O’FALLON, MO (September 16, 2011) – Cale Aronson was thankful for one last moment with Bert Jackson last Friday at Rockingham Dragway.
Aronson shared a conversation with Jackson in the staging lanes, just minutes before the fatal accident that claimed Jackson’s life.
Their conversation wasn’t anything remarkable, just the normal ribbing and joking Aronson came to expect of a man he admired a great deal.
It’s the final memory Aronson will have of the 51-year-old Glen Allen, Va. native, but one that is consistent with the type of person Aronson excitedly grew to know over the past few years.
“I got to cut up with him in the staging lanes right before his last run, and I have never been so glad I talked to someone at one particular time as I am about that,” Aronson said. “He was an honest competitor who was thoughtful, courteous and always going above and beyond what was expected of him.
“Saying he will be missed is not even the beginning of how we all feel. He was willing to sacrifice so much to be there. He was beloved by all in the pits and nobody ever said an ill word of Bert Jackson, because he was nothing but pure gold.”
Jackson truly left an indelible impression on everyone in the American Drag Racing League (ADRL), but especially so in the incredibly close Extreme Pro Stock class.
His good nature, talents as a driver, and dedication to his family was noticeable to anyone who came into contact with Jackson.
His character was undeniable to anyone who got to know him, which simply made what happened last Friday all that much harder to swallow.
During the third qualifying session at Dragstock VIII, Jackson lost control of the car, resulting in a high-speed fatal crash.
It instantly left everyone in the ADRL shocked and saddened after the sudden loss of a man who meant so much to so many.
“Bert was a great guy. What I always liked about him is when you buckled in to run him, whether he won or lost, he was always the same person,” XPS driver Brian Gahm said. “He was the same guy all the time. He always had a smile on his face and he was a first-class guy.
“This just leaves you with a big hole in your heart.”
Gahm wasn’t the only one who was left permanently impressed with Jackson’s unwavering and uplifting personality.
When asked to talk about what they remembered most about Jackson, a man of deep faith and strong family values, others in the XPS class shared similar sentiments.
“Out of all the racers I’ve ever known and watched lose, some might get quiet and some may go so far as to throw their helmets, but Bert was the only one I knew to smile every time, win, lose or draw,” XPS driver John Montecalvo said.
“I beat him at Virginia on my way to the finals and the media wanted me for an interview after our run. I looked over and Bert was rolling up my parachutes for me, waving me to go on over to the interview. He was just that kind of guy.
“I always enjoy seeing all of our competitors at the events, but especially Bert. He will be terribly missed. But there’s no doubt that Bert Jackson was a winner in more ways than we realize. He will be long remembered in drag racing."
That character and demeanor will keep his memory alive forever.
His laugh and his personality had a unique way of drawing people in, which helped form incredible friendships within the class.
In turn, everyone within the class became his fans, creating a memorable scene during Jackson’s runs and his successes.
“Bert was always the same person, smiling and happy to be racing at the track and with his friends,” Aronson said. “He started really running well last season, and everyone in our class was very glad to see that and enjoyed his success with him.”
As a driver, Jackson was an outstanding talent.
He drove a striking purple 2007 GTO owned by Enoch Love, who shares with Jackson the strong family values that made the team so admirable.
Jackson and Love were committed to an entire ADRL season in 2011 and were sixth in points before the tragic accident.
Jackson had plenty of success before 2011 as well, advancing to the 2006 IHRA Spring Nationals in Rockingham.
In the ADRL, Jackson was having his finest season to date in 2011.
He was a consistent competitor and advanced to two semifinals, including one at his hometown track, Virginia Motorsports Park.
At the Speedtech U.S. Drags IV in August, Jackson was beaming all weekend, enjoying his run as the crowd favorite in a memory the entire team will surely hold close to them.
Earlier in 2011, Jackson showed his driving prowess at the Spring Drags in April at Palm Beach International Raceway.
He knocked off current points leader Cary Goforth in the quarterfinals, a rarity in a class where Goforth has been so strong on the starting line.
Even in defeat, it’s a memory that Goforth will always remember.
“He got the last laugh here, but I will get him back when I see him again,” Goforth said.
Goforth continued, marveling about a man he said he was privileged to know.
“Bert was a unique guy; a wonderful human being who made anyone he was close to a better person by being their friend,” Goforth said.
XPS driver Trevor Eman was in the opposite lane during Jackson’s fateful crash.
Like so many others, he was deeply saddened by the turn of events.
“This turned the entire Extreme Pro Stock class upside down as I’m sure it did for all of the ADRL,” Eman said. “We are all deeply saddened by this loss. He was a great competitor and friend, always smiling, always a wonderful person to be around.
“He will be missed. Bert may not line up beside me again, but there’s no doubt that he’ll be with all of us every time we race.”
The following morning after Jackson’s passing, the ADRL held a touching memorial service that honored a man respected by everyone.
Moments after the service was completed in front of a huge gathering of friends, family, drivers and others, the XPS class held their own special dedication for Jackson.
With Eman leading the way, the entire XPS class staged a “missing man” formation with a towed procession down the track.
The moving and emotional tribute struck a chord in everyone who saw it, all because of the type of person Jackson was.
“It just doesn’t seem real. I can still see his trailer 20 feet from ours and it seems like he should walk around the corner,” Montecalvo said. “There wasn’t a dry eye here all weekend. Bert was a guy that everyone wanted to have around. With him, family was first and racing was second. That was his passion.”
It was a passion he carried out exceptionally well, creating a legacy that will always be remembered.
His passion behind the wheel earned him respect as a driver, while his kind-hearted and compassionate nature made him special as a friend, father and husband.
The memories of him will always live on.
“We will never, ever forget him, I can promise you that,” Gahm said.

September 13, 2011

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. --

Frankie Taylor found the perfect birthday present for his wife - an American Drag Racing League (ADRL) win at Rockingham Dragway on Saturday.
The defending Pro Extreme world champion wrapped up Dragstock VIII in thrilling fashion, going 3.622 at 210.47 miles per hour to knock off Jason Scruggs in the finals of the ADRL's biggest annual race.

That it came on his wife Cindy's birthday made it all even more special.

"This just became a very happy birthday for my wife now," Taylor said. "This makes her day."

Saturday started with a special and poignant memorial service for former Extreme Pro Stock driver Bert Jackson, who was killed in a tragic race accident during qualifying on Friday.

Racers, friends and teammates paid tribute to Jackson and XPS racers staged a grounded "missing man formation" before racing started at the historic track.

Following the touching tribute, the ADRL's standout performers shattered several track records, delivering a number of memorable moments in front of an energized overflow crowd.

Joining Taylor in the winner's circle were Stan Allen (Pro Nitrous), Dan Millen (Extreme 10.5), Billy Vose (Pro Extreme Motorcycle), Scott Hintz (Extreme Pro Stock) and Travis Harvey (Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman).

It was Taylor's first win at the track and his Jeffers Pro Cars Corvette delivered all weekend. He was the No. 1 qualifier with a 3.597 and then took out points leader Jason Hamstra in the finals before knocking off the red-hot Scruggs, who won last month in Virginia.

"This is the biggest race to win and to get it, words can't describe it," said Taylor, who also credited CN Blocks for the win. "The last couple races, Scruggs has been kicking butt, so to beat him when he's doing that, it's amazing. To beat him at the Rock, it's an honor. He's the man."

Stan Allen picked up his second career ADRL win, but this one will undoubtedly hold a special place in his heart.

Allen went 3.876 at 192.82 to beat a red-lighting John Decerbo in the finals and instantly knew the magnitude of the victory.

"To win at the Rock, it's just amazing," Allen said. "Of all the races to win, this is the place. The competition in this class and at this race is just so intense, to get this is just phenomenal."

Allen's new '68 Camaro from David Janes Race Cars is just three races old but it rounded into shape at Rockingham, going as quick as 3.845, which came in a thrilling semifinal win against No. 1 qualifier Khalid Al-Balooshi.

"Round after round, the car just worked," Allen said. "The car just felt good."

It took some time for Dan Millen's 2011 Jerry Bickel Race Cars Mustang to round into form but everything quickly changed after a quick call to the builder after the first round of eliminations

Millen was dynamite from that point, running a 3.867 in the semifinals before turning it up with a track-record time of 3.855 in the finals against Chuck Ulsch.

"I had been going left for a while, so I gave Jerry Bickel a quick call and he gave me a couple things to try," Millen said. "It's probably something I shouldn't have tried at that point in the race, but it worked out.

"It was just great of him to do that. He's just a great guy."

Millen further cemented his points lead in XTF, but it took another brilliant showing against Ulsch in the finals for the second straight race.

"Anytime you race Chuck you have to be ready," said Millen, who has now three of the past four races. "We had it as aggressive as we could."

Billy Vose pulled off what was arguably the biggest win of the event, as he ended Ashley Owens' perfect mark in PXM with a holeshot victory. Owens went 3.999 in the finals, which served as the back-up to his record run of 3.964 from the semifinals, but Vose had a .018 reaction time and claimed his first win of the year.

Owens had won every event he entered in 2011, but Vose put an end to that by claiming his second Dragstock victory.

"This feels great," said Vose, who went 4.05 on the run. "We've had two races with the bike and there's still a lot we can improve on. But the great thing about this is winning for (bike owners) T.T. and Angie Jones. They've done so much for this class, helping everyone out.

"I just had to do my part and I did my job on the tree."

Scott Hintz also did his job on the tree, as his Jerry Haas Race Cars Ford was quicker off the line against John Montecalvo, making his 4.108 stand up against the defending world champion's 4.08 in the Extreme Pro Stock finals.

After the win, an emotional Hintz dedicated the win to Bert Jackson and his team.

"This feels great, but I'm just glad I was able to do this for Bert. He was a great friend and competitor and he meant a lot to all of us," Hintz said.

"This win will always hold a special place. It was one of the saddest things I've ever experienced. It was horrible and very tragic, and I'm just happy to get this win in Bert's honor."

Hintz won for the second time in 2011 with an outstanding performance at the starting line. He posted reaction times of .002 and .003 in earlier wins and delivered a .023 reaction time against Montecalvo in the finals.

"John's a great competitor and you just have to go up, do the best you can do and see what happens," Hintz said. "We're getting (to that elite level). We're making some gains, but we like flying under the radar."

Racing in Summit Racing Top Sportsman for the second time in 2011, Travis Harvey had a weekend to remember.

Driving an '06 GTO, Harvey, who lives less than 90 minutes from the track, put on a show in front of family and friends, knocking off Dylan Stott in the finals with a 4.247 at 146.34 mph.

"This was great from the start. I had a lot of friends and family here, and I just owe this to the team owners, Jeff Miller and John Lassiter," Harvey said. "It was a little nerve-wracking, though. I had never raced in front of that many people."

In Pro Junior Dragster, Ryan Crews knocked off Shannon Bell, running 7.914 at 82.61 mph.

The ADRL returns to action on Sept. 23-24 with the Summit Racing Equipment Ohio Drags V at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio. It will be the final race for ADRL competitors to qualify for the "Battle For The Belts" shootout.

August 15, 2011

DINWIDDIE, Va. -- Speedtech US Drags IV

Speedzone Photos from Virginia are here

The 2011 American Drag Racing League (ADRL) season has been the most frustrating of Jason Scruggs' highlight-filled career.
But that tune changed in a major way on Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park.

One of the pioneers and most successful drivers in the ADRL's Pro Extreme class, Scruggs struggled like never before this season, but that only made his performance during the Speedtech U.S. Drags IV that much sweeter.

Scruggs wrapped up a thrilling weekend with a career-best 3.63 at 206.70 miles per hour, knocking off Mick Snyder in the finals of what immediately became one of the most memorable weekends of his career.

"We've won two championships and a lot of races, but we've never struggled this bad. After knowing how it felt to struggle that much, to win this race after all of that feels better than those championships," Scruggs said. "It was the most exciting win I've ever had."

It sent a huge VMP crowd home happy and they had plenty to cheer about on Saturday.

The winners list also include Mike Castellana (Pro Nitrous), Dan Millen (Extreme 10.5), Ashley Owens (Pro Extreme Motorcycle), Dean Goforth (Extreme Pro Stock), Glenn Teets Jr. (Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman) and Mike Janis (Pro Modified).

World records were set in two classes as well, and the largest ADRL field in 2011 turned in one of the finest performances of the year in front of a delighted and energetic VMP crowd.

Scruggs provided the final highlight of Saturday's fast-paced action, knocking off Mick Snyder with his best pass of the weekend. He went 3.66 or better in every run during eliminations - finally finding a rhythm with his converter combination - knocking off points leader Jason Hamstra in the semifinals with a 3.64.

"We've had so many guys helping us and we just appreciate all of it. I have to thank Speedtech and Hoosier Tires, Garrett (Race Cars) for sticking with me the whole time, and, of course, my dad, my crew, my wife and my kids," Scruggs said. "It felt like we had a good hot rod out there this weekend."

Burton Auxier set a new world record in Pro Nitrous, destroying the old mark with an unbelievable 3.746 during the first round of eliminations.

But his car broke in the semifinals against the consistent Castellana, who went 3.82 or 3.81 in every elimination round to pick up his third win this season.

The Al-Anabi Racing driver then strengthened his points lead in the competitive PN class, going 3.827 at 196.19 mph to beat Jeff Naiser in the finals.

Castellana also watched No. 1 qualifier and teammate Mahana Al-Naemi crash hard into the wall during semifinals, though he went 3.812 moments later to move to the finals.

"You have to be fast, but you have to be consistent, too," Castellana said. "We just didn't want to do anything crazy. This is great. Winning never gets old."

In Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Ashley Owens and his Fast by Gast bike made history in two major ways.

Not only did he pick up his 13th career win, which is a new ADRL record, Owens also became the first rider in PXM history to reach the illustrious 3-second mark.

He did it first in the quarterfinals, going 3.989, and then followed it up with a new world record pass of 3.977 at 179.42 mph in the finals.

"That was the culmination of two years of work," team owner Paul Gast said. "We never could have dreamed to have this much success, but with the work and effort we've put in, it really feels good. After so many 4.01 and 4.02s, we felt like it had to happen."

Owens also needed every part of that 3.977 in the finals, as Casey Stemper nearly won due to a .007 reaction time. Owens barely tracked him down, edging him out by just .003 in a spectacular final round that came after the class had its quickest qualifying bump in history (4.21).

"He was out there on me. I thought I was going to run out of track," said Owens, who has four wins in 2011. "I'm just happy to get the win light. We put in a lot of work and to get two 3s and win, it's a great weekend.

"I can't thank Paul enough. This bike is just unreal and we needed every bit of it."

Dan Millen used every bit of power from his Jerry Bickel Race Cars 2011 Mustang, going 3.883 at
The time broke a track record and it was just enough to edge out No. 1 qualifier Chuck Ulsch, who went 3.897 in the championship round.

The victory, which is the second in three races for Millen, also allowed him to pass Billy Glidden for the points lead.

"We had it all hanging out there. The car was maxed out," Millen said.

"Compared to the beginning of the year, this stretch has really brightened our season. The middle part of the year has really put us in a much better position. Our goal coming in was to get ahead of Billy and we did that."

Dean Goforth celebrated his second career win and first since 2009 when he went 4.095 at 174.91 to slip past defending world champion John Montecalvo.

Goforth's Jerry Haas Race Cars-built GXP was quicker off the line, leading to an emotional celebration in the winner's circle.

"This means a lot to me, but my crew is awesome and they won this race. They made it all possible," Goforth said. "This is just wonderful.

"Jerry has really given us a good car. I really think it's the best one he's every built, and (Sonny's Racing Engines) has given us great horsepower, too."

In Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman, Glenn Teets Jr. went 4.373 at 161.04 mph to knock off Sandy Wilkins in the finals.

Wilkins had a perfect reaction time of .000 in the semifinals to slip past No. 1 qualifier Ronnie Davis, but Teets had a great .015 reaction time in the finals to celebrate a win in a big and wildly-competitive Summit Racing Equipment Top Sportsman class.

"This was great. I've never felt anything like that," Teets said. "Just the atmosphere and the fans, this was like heaven. This is the kind of racing that I love."

The debut of Pro Modified in the ADRL was also a rousing success, as the eight-car exhibition featured a number of standouts runs.

None could top Janis in eliminations, however, as he put together back-to-back runs of 3.914, including one in the finals against Khalid Al-Balooshi. The holeshot win on Saturday also comes 10 years after Janis' first victory at VMP.

"This track has always been good to us and just to win, period, is special," Janis said. "We saw a lot of encouraging things and it was just a great weekend."

In Pro Junior Dragster, Trevor Wilson ousted Tia Tutterow in the finals, going 7.979 at 80.94 mph to get the win.

The seventh stop on the nine-race 2011 ADRL Tour - Dragstock VIII - takes place on Sept. 9-10 at Rockingham Dragway.

May 10, 2011

ADRL Maple Grove:

ADRL Gets Record Performances At Penske Truck Leasing Inaugural Northeast Drags At Maple Grove

David Smith photos

MOHNTON, PA (May 7, 2011) – There were world records set in two American Drag Racing League (ADRL) classes in the league’s first trip to Maple Grove Raceway.
But due to a four-hour rain delay and the track curfew, the Penske Truck Leasing Inaugural Northeast Drags did not crown winners in its five professional classes (Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Extreme 10.5, Pro Extreme Motorcycle and Extreme Pro Stock).
Per the policy in the official ADRL rulebook, the event is considered complete and competitors will be awarded purse and points up to the finished point in the race.
Extreme Pro Stock, Pro Extreme Motorcycle and Extreme 10.5 concluded its semifinal matchups, while Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous completed their quarterfinal rounds before the event was called due to the track curfew.
Steady rains also delayed racing more than four hours during the afternoon.
When racing was able to resume, the ADRL and Maple Grove Raceway worked diligently to get as much of the event completed as possible.
“We were working at a record pace trying to get these last rounds in,” ADRL Director of Competition Tom Grooms said. “The competitors did a great job getting ready to race quickly and the track and prep team did a great job getting the track ready.
“We still had a lot of great times and had an incredible show. It was also very impressive the amount of fans that stuck it out.”
Even in its shortened state, the Penske Truck Leasing Inaugural Northeast Drags included numerous memorable moments as several competitors shined in the ADRL’s first visit to Maple Grove Raceway.
Frankie Taylor again had the final say in Pro Extreme, at least when it came to records.
During Saturday's final qualifying session, Joey Martin backed up his 3.584 from Friday with a 3.596, giving him the ADRL PX record of 3.584.
Martin had the record for a mere six hours, as Taylor ended back on top, going 3.60 in the first round of eliminations, good enough to back up his incredible 3.581 from Friday. That makes Taylor the record-holder, something he is always shooting for.
"We had a good time," said Taylor, who was sponsored by Nitro Fish for this weekend's race. "It's a great facility."
Martin suffered more rough luck when his car wouldn’t start before the first round of eliminations.
Taylor fell in the quarterfinals to Todd Tutterow. Other Pro Extreme semifinalists included J.R. Todd, Alex Hossler and Mick Snyder,

who has advanced to the semifinals in all three ADRL races in 2011.
In Pro Nitrous, Khalid Al-Balooshi is once again the class’ quickest and fastest driver in the ADRL.

Al-Balooshi kicked off the first round of eliminations in fine fashion, driving his Speedtech Camaro to a blistering 3.786 at 200.53 miles per hour on a solo run.
The incredible speed is backed up by Friday’s 200.38 mph - the first 200 mph PN run in history - and the 3.786 became the world E.T. record after Mahana Al-Naemi couldn't back up his 3.776, giving him both ends of the record.
"He's comfortable in the race car and confident in the team," crew chief Brandon Switzer said.
Other Pro Nitrous semifinalists included Bob Rahaim, who made his first semifinal appearance in the ADRL, Fredy Scriba and Steve Vick.
In Extreme 10.5, Chuck Ulsch and Dan Millen were the two finalists. Ulsch was the No. 1 qualifier and had the quickest and fastest run of the event in the class, going 3.89 at 204.94 mph.
Millen advanced to the finals with a 3.90.
Ashley Owens and Eric McKinney both advanced to the finals in Pro Extreme Motorcycle. Owens was his usual dominant self, running an incredible 4.02 in the semifinals. McKinney had his best run of the day come in the semifinals when he went 4.12.
In Extreme Pro Stock, Cary Goforth and Brian Gahm were the final two drivers.

Cary Goforth went a weekend-best 4.05 to beat his father, Dean, in the semifinals, while Gahm used to holeshots to move to the finals.
Pro Junior Dragster was the lone class to be completed. In the final, Eric Bardekoff beat Morgan Benfield, running an 8.00.
“Maple Grove was a great experience for us,” ADRL Executive Vice President Jeff Fortune said. “The crowd really enjoyed the show the ADRL drivers put on all weekend.”
The fourth stop on the 2011 ADRL Tour comes on June 17-18 at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Ks. for the Independence Drags V.

Final Qualifying

Pro Extreme

1 1 Frankie Taylor, Dickinson TX, '05 Corvette 3.581 210.11 210.11
2 2007 Joey Martin, Milton FL, '55 Nomad 3.584 207.11 207.88
3 99 JR Todd, Indianapolis IN, '57 Bel Air 3.641 210.08 210.08
4 6 Alex Hossler, Canton IL, '71 Camaro 3.659 210.60 210.60
5 23 Jason Hamstra, Demotte IN, '70 Duster 3.664 209.23 209.23
6 3 Quain Stott, Columbus NC, '63 Corvette 3.680 206.67 206.67
7 381 Mick Snyder, Demotte IN, '63 Corvette 3.690 207.56 207.56
8 7 Todd Tutterow, Yadkinville NC, '68 Camaro 3.704 206.42 206.64
9 2377 Von Smith, Oak Ridge TN, '68 Camaro 3.708 208.75 208.75

10 1065 Mike Janis, Lancaster NY, '70 Duster 3.767 200.62 200.62
11 167 Mike Recchia, Roselle IL, '67 Camaro 3.844 194.86 194.86
12 2 Joshua Hernandez, The Woodlands TX, '57 Bel Air 3.856 195.45 195.45
13 277 Terry Leggett, Pinetown NC, '09 Mustang 3.884 188.67 188.67
14 7721 Jay Diedrich, Firebaugh CA, 3.952 188.46 188.46
15 51 Tommy Gray, Baltimore MD, '06 GTO 4.003 192.77 192.77

16 7238 Bret Williamson, Campbell CA, '68 Camaro 4.009 192.17 192.17

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 1130 John Stanley, Hagerstown MD, '68 Camaro 4.093 191.65 191.65
18 8 Jason Scruggs, Saltillo MS, '63 Corvette 4.598 134.35 134.35
19 89 Elliott Thompson, Horsham PA, '53 Corvette 5.387 118.38 118.38

Pro Nitrous

1 14 Mahana Al-Naemi, Tuscaloosa AL, '69 Camaro 3.776 197.71 197.71
2 1 Burton Auxier, Dixie WV, '68 Camaro 3.804 196.30 196.30

3 44 Mike Castellana, Muttontown NY, '69 Camaro 3.822 198.64 198.64

4 327 Khalid Al-Balooshi, Dubai UA, '68 Camaro 3.823 200.38 200.38

5 75 Rickie Jones, Galesburg IL, '69 Camaro 3.829 195.00 195.00
6 369 John Decerbo, Canfield OH, '68 Camaro 3.834 190.35 190.35
7 360 Bob Rahaim, Grosse Point MI, '69 Camaro 3.838 194.60 194.94

8 1994 Ed Burnley, Pasadena MD, '67 Camaro 3.898 192.14 192.14
9 4 Jim Halsey, Havre DeGrace MD, '68 Camaro 3.923 194.18 194.18
10 1311 Joe Dunne, Wolcott , '68 Camaro 3.933 191.78 191.78
11 1916 Fredy Scriba, Abingdon MD, '63 Corvette 3.943 187.03 187.03
12 4069 John Hall, Coral Spgs FL, '68 Camaro 3.946 188.75 188.75
13 6 Randy Weatherford, Danville VA, '68 Camaro 3.952 188.17 189.82
14 7 Stan Allen, New Iberia LA, '68 Camaro 3.957 187.52 187.52
15 1087 Jim Laurita, Morgantown WV, '70 Camaro 3.980 183.84 183.84
16 8 Steve Vick, Mocksville NC, '68 Camaro 4.023 188.02 188.02

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 103 Todd Fontana, Fair Lawn NJ, '68 Camaro 4.082 178.85 178.85
18 1401 Matt Guenther, Livonia NY, '41 Willys 4.098 180.62 180.62
19 151 Dan Stevenson, Bolingbrook IL, '70 Camaro 4.132 157.78 157.78
20 21 Pat Stoken, Eureka MT, '68 Camaro 4.156 154.23 154.85
21 237 Chris Patrick, Stockbridge GA, '41 Willys 4.179 178.19 178.19

22 1118 Ted Smith, Smithfield PA, '68 Camaro 4.356 169.89 169.89
23 1112 Vinny Budano, Hicksville NY, '68 Camaro 4.698 105.85 105.85
24 420 John Bartunek, Pearl River NY, '09 Camaro 4.881 109.26 109.26

Extreme 10.5

1 4 Chuck Ulsch, Clarksville MD, '68 Camaro 3.912 202.61 202.61
2 9 Dan Millen, Dearborn Heights MI, '11 Mustang 3.931 200.56 200.56
3 5 Billy Glidden, Whiteland IN, '10 Mustang 3.972 184.67 184.67

4 77 Lamar Swindoll Jr., Baytown TX, '04 Cavalier 3.993 197.42 197.51
5 1040 Andy Jensen, Nescopek PA, '68 Camaro 4.092 180.91 180.91
6 69 Frankie Taylor, Dickinson TX, '05 Corvette 4.143 200.32 200.32
7 50 Jim Widener, Batesville IN, '00 Cougar 4.169 175.46 175.46
8 3 Todd Moyer, Passadena TX, '63 Corvette 4.342 163.24 177.42

------------ Not Qualified ------------

9 8 Kenny Doak, Pipersville PA, '70 Chevelle 4.345 169.91 183.87
10 2007 Bill Devine, Lake Worth FL, '01 Mustang 5.957 146.61 157.43

Extreme Pro Stock

1 151 Dean Goforth, Holdenville OK, '10 GXP 4.064 177.88 177.88
2 2 Pete Berner, Crete IL, '09 GXP 4.069 177.91 177.91

3 1 John Montecalvo, Center Moriches NY, '09 Cobalt 4.074 177.14 177.14
4 5 Elijah Morton, Jacksonville NC, '07 ZX2 4.078 176.56 176.97
5 4 Cary Goforth, Holdenville OK, '09 Cobalt 4.082 177.95 177.95
6 397 Tony Gillig, Wauconda IL, '08 Cobalt 4.091 176.35 176.35
7 3 Brian Gahm, Lucasville OH, '07 Mustang 4.094 176.65 176.65
8 983 Steven Boone, Waeverville NC, '06 Cobalt 4.095 176.49 176.49

9 444 Richie Stevens Jr, New Orleans LA, '09 Mustang 4.096 176.10 176.10
10 290 Trevor Eman, Pos Chiquito AW, '11 Mustang 4.098 176.40 176.40

11 683 Brad Waddle, Salina KS, '08 Mustang 4.102 176.44 176.44
12 197 John Pluchino, Commack NY, '06 Escort 4.109 175.71 176.24
13 171 Larry O'Brien, Lakeshore ON, '10 Avenger 4.123 175.11 175.89
14 1152 Tony Pontieri, Ontario ON, '07 Cobalt 4.126 175.64 175.64
15 6 Bob Bertsch, Willis MI, '07 Mustang 4.128 175.37 175.37
16 1320 Bert Jackson, Glen Allen VA, '07 GTO 4.129 175.62 175.64

------------ Not Qualified ------------

17 7 Cale Aronson, Chillicothe MO, '10 Mustang 4.138 175.71 175.71
18 1594 Kevin Bealko, Bridgeport WV, '11 GXP 4.180 171.71 171.71

19 26 Richard Penland, Gastonia NC, '10 Mustang 4.239 172.32 172.32

20 431 Lester Cooper, Laurinburg NC, '09 Mustang 4.886 110.74 110.74

Extreme Motorcycle

1 2 Ashley Owens, Decatur AL, '10 Hayabusa 4.054 176.10 176.10
2 4 Eric McKinney, Hamersville OH, '09 Suzuki 4.136 168.89 170.47
3 5 Ronald Procopio, Raleigh NC, '10 Suzuki 4.139 169.10 169.27
4 730 Terry Schweigert, Abbotsford BC, '09 Suzuki 4.143 170.64 170.64

5 81 Carlos Wilkerson, Broxton GA, '11 Suzuki 4.151 165.23 165.23
6 11 Matt Smith, King NC, '10 Bagger 4.155 171.73 171.73

7 22 Dave Vantine, Hamilton NY, '10 Suzuki 4.166 170.82 170.82
8 1134 Casey Stemper, Upper Marlboro MD, '08 Suzuki 4.172 169.64 169.64
9 133 Paul Gast, Grand Island NY, '99 Suzuki 4.174 169.96 173.83
10 109 David Norris, Bryans Road MD, '11 DNR 4.208 166.33 167.57
11 1 Kim Morrell, Palm Beach FL, '10 Hayabusa 4.216 165.19 167.95
12 7919 Robert Hunnicutt, Hughesville MD, '10 Suzuki 4.222 166.52 168.37
13 208 Larry Berg, Arthur WV, '00 Suzuki 4.302 163.08 163.08
14 518 Billy Vose, Buck Mountain PA, '99 Suzuki 4.312 163.99 163.99
15 77 Angie Smith, King NC, '10 Buell 4.451 159.01 159.01

Top Sportsman

1 100H Tyler Hard, Harrisburg PA, '68 Camaro 4.316 164.03 164.03
2 33 Glenn Butcher, Doylestown OH, '68 Camaro 4.337 163.12 163.12
3 193 Ronnie Proctor, Harpers Ferry WV, '02 Mustang 4.379 163.55 163.55
4 333 Marco Abruzzi, Warren OH, '68 Camaro 4.379 161.30 161.30

Extreme Jr Dragster

1 251 Anthony Stanco, Richmond VA, Halfscale 0.000 0.000
2 2 Alexander Oppen, Kenosha WI, Hercules 0.001 0.001
3 1904 Tayler Weatherford, Danville VA, Racetech 0.001 0.001
4 1269 Bryan Bardekoff, Commack NY, Halfscale 0.008 0.008
5 1447 JC Gloyd, Mt Airy MD, Halfscale 0.012 0.012
6 2348 Morgan Benfield, Virginia Beach VA, Motivat-Whal 0.016 0.016
7 505 Kendall Thiesse, Montreal MO, HalfScale-McGee 0.028 0.028
8 3 Kyle Dvorak, McHenry IL, Spitzer 0.032 0.032
9 203 Shannon Bell, Chesapeake VA, Mike Boss 0.047 0.047
10 1409 Eric Bardekoff, Commack NY, GMS 0.049 0.049
11 5 Tia Tutterow, Lewisville NC, Halfscale-HalfScal 0.066 0.066
12 3170 Trevor Wilson, Battle Creek MI, Hardens-Blossom -0.135 -0.135

ADRL To Feature Four-Car Top Sportsman Exhibition For Penske Truck Leasing Inaugural Northeast Drags At Maple Grove

O’FALLON, MO (May 3, 2011) – The world’s premier eighth-mile drag racing league will offer even more racing this weekend.
The American Drag Racing League (ADRL) announced on Wednesday that it will run a four-car Top Sportsman exhibition at Friday and Saturday’s Penske Truck Leasing Inaugural Northeast Drags, which takes place at Maple Grove Raceway.
The four-car Top Sportsman exhibition will feature Tyler Hard, Marco Abruzzi, Glen Butcher and Ronnie Proctor, all of whom are recognized standouts in the widely-popular Top Sportsman class.
Top Sportsman is a popular class for full-bodied cars, with competitors running in a dial-in E.T. format.
“We’re thrilled to have these top sportsman competitors coming to Maple Grove Raceway,” ADRL Director of Competition Tom Grooms said. “Many of our drivers came up through the Top Sportsman ranks and it’s only natural for our organization to expand to get back to the grassroots of our sport.
“The ADRL is responding to the wishes of the fans as well as the racing community with a class and format that is an excellent fit to our fast and exciting show.”
Currently, this special exhibition is only scheduled to run at Maple Grove, but its inclusion at the Penske Truck Leasing Inaugural Northeast Drags sets up the possibility of adding a new ADRL class in the future.
The Penske Truck Leasing Inaugural Northeast Drags at Maple Grove Raceway is the third stop on the nine-race 2011 ADRL Tour.
“There are literally hundreds of these cars sitting in shops looking for a place to race, and the ADRL may be the place to provide them an opportunity to race and compete,” Grooms said. “Top Sportsman provides great racing and I’m sure ADRL fans will love the diversity it brings to our program.”