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March 8, 2007 NORWALK, Ohio --
"The plan was to get a jump on construction and stay ahead of the timeline," Mansfield Motorsports Park owner Mike Dzurilla said. "Delays have put us in a situation where everything would have to go perfectly from now on for us to be ready for the race. Quite honestly I don't want to welcome anyone to our first IHRA national event without having everything perfect. I know a lot of racers and fans are counting on me to build a facility every one can be proud of and I don't plan on disappointing them." IHRA President Aaron Polburn echoed Dzurilla's feelings. "Mike has already proved he can build a fan and racer-friendly operation with Mansfield Speedway and proved he knows how to deliver a first class event to competitors, sponsors and fans with his Craftsman Truck race," Polburn said. "I agree with Mike that we only get one chance to make a first impression, so every blade of grass must be in place, every building painted, every road paved before we welcome World Nationals fans to Mansfield Motorsports Park." In the past, IHRA has put on events in facilities that were not quite ready for prime time and could not deliver the customer experience that had been expected. "There is nothing more disappointing for a racer, sponsor or fan than to be excited about a new facility only to park in the mud or to find an amenity not fully functional when they arrive," Polburn said. "We have learned from the past and promised racers that attended those events that we would not put them in that position again. What everyone needs to understand is that this is a long term partnership with Mike and his team at Mansfield and we are prepared to wait the extra three months to ensure our customers have an experience that exceeds their expectations." The Nitro Jam event will return to its June date in 2008. The Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour presented by Mr. Gasket event originally scheduled for the September 21-23 weekend at Mansfield will be postponed until 2008. "Fortunately, the way the schedule worked out this year, Division 3 racers have the luxury of having seven other 'in division' events this season on the schedule so hopefully this move will have minimal impact," IHRA vice president of racing operations Skooter Peaco said. "We apologize for the schedule shuffle, but with seven months notice, our Summit Pro-Am competitors can adjust their schedule to maximize their season and take advantage of the double event weekends at some of the other host facilities until we can get Mansfield on the schedule for 2008."
IHRA 2006 Final point standings (Wins in brackets) KNOLL GAS - TORCO TOP FUEL KNOLL GAS - TORCO NITRO FUNNY CAR TORCO'S COMPETITIONPLUS.COM PRO MODIFIED ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR TORCO'S COMPETITIONPLUS.COM PRO STOCK **-wins tie-break June 2006 Edmonton pit notes and special awards. Best Engineered Pro Car: PM, Carl Spiering, Jordan Station, Ont., '67 Camaro Best Appearing Pro Car: AFC, Nathan Sitko, Edmonton, Alb., '02 Camaro Best Appearing Pro Crew: AFC, Ken Kraus, Great Falls, Mont., '05 Camaro Best Engineered Sportsman Car: SS, Norman Lapointe, Edmonton, Alb., '00 Cobalt Best Appearing Sportsman Car: STK, Cory Thompson, Abbottsford, B.C., '69 Firebird Best Appearing Sportsman Crew: Q-16, Tom Ebertz, Edmonton, Alb., Hadman Dragster DRM REVIEW Editor's Choice: PNOS, Cory Kincaid, Red Deer, Alb., '77 Trans Am FC JEG’S New IHRA Top Stock Sponsor
NORWALK, Ohio (June 4, 2006) – The Ohio-based automotive aftermarket supplier JEG’S High Performance/JEG’S Mail Order has signed an agreement to assume title sponsorship rights to the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Top Stock class. The agreement, which became effective prior to the MOPAR Canadian Nationals at Grand Bend Motorplex June 2 - 4, was put together by class participant Bo Kenney and will continue at least through the remainder of the 2006 eMax Drag Racing Series schedule.
“We’re very happy JEG’S came on board with us,” Kenney said. “Johnny (Coughlin) was very instrumental in it. He has been providing my team with parts and a lot of support. They have wanted to come back into sportsman racing and were looking at the Top Stock class. They are a great company to be associated with and I think they are going to bring a lot to Top Stock. They give us a lot of credibility as far as a major sponsor, and I think they will do a lot for other classes as well. Other racers will be able to look at a Top Stock car and know everything on it is available from their catalogue or JEG’S.com.”
Top Stock is a heads-up muscle car class that features everything from 1960s classics to late model fuel injected sports cars. The class is run at nine of the 11 eMax Drag Racing Series event on the 2006 schedule.
“We’re thrilled JEG’S came on board with us to sponsor the Top Stock class,” IHRA President Aaron Polburn said. “I think this is a perfect marriage between a class dependent on a wide array of aftermarket parts and a sponsor who can showcase a great deal of product. I’m very confident this will be a big win-win situation for everyone involved.”
Kenney thinks the IHRA had a lot to do with JEG’S coming on board.
“(Vice President of Racing Operations) Skooter Peaco knew, if we put the big purses out there it would make the class attractive for a major sponsor,” he said. “That’s what happened with JEG’S. Once JEG’S looked at the value IHRA was going to provide for them they decided it was a good place for them to be. And they thought this class would be the right class because the cars go fast and JEG’S has everything cars need to go fast. You name it, you can get it from JEG’S.”
For more information on JEG’S High Performance/JEG’S Mail
Order, please log onto www.jegs.com. June 6, 2006 Points standings after Grand Bend Last Race: Grand Bend, Ontario, June 2 - 4, 2006 Next Race: Edmonton, Alberta, June 23 - 25, 2006 (Wins in brackets next to name) Driver / Points KNOLL GAS - TORCO TOP FUEL KNOLL GAS - TORCO NITRO FUNNY CAR KNOLL GAS - TORCO PRO MODIFIED
KNOLL GAS - TORCO PRO STOCK NORWALK, Ohio --
As Nick Kontonicolas of C. Trade Group and McMillen finalized the agreement with eMax for the Top Fuel car, the idea of increased involvement in the sport was being discussed. "After a few introductions were made, IHRA and eMax began discussing the possibilities," said McMillen. "Through those conversations the eMax Drag Racing Series was born." eMax, through its subsidiary EntertainMax, will deliver a multi-tiered activation program through IHRA. EntertainMax, a multimedia, entertainment and broadcasting company, will partner with the sanctioning body, which enters its 36th year in 2006. As part of the announcement, EntertainMax will deliver cross-promotional entertainment packages, including a live concert series to be held during select national events for the 2006 season. The company will also provide marketing and promotional support, including advertising during IHRA's exclusive television broadcast on SPEED Channel. "EntertainMax offers a unique opportunity for IHRA to further increase the entertainment value of our national events while tapping into segments of the American public un-touched by the drag racing world," said IHRA President Aaron Polburn. "We're excited to welcome eMAX on-board. The depth of the company and its various divisions will make for a strong partnership with limitless possibilities." "The eMax family of companies has an expansive reach and we intend on using all our resources to promote this sponsorship of the IHRA Drag Racing Series," said Nick Kontonicolas, CEO/President, C. Trade Group, the company responsible for this experiential partnership. "Coupling this partnership by sponsoring Terry McMillen's Top Fuel dragster, the most coveted class in the sport, we will increase their visibility and add to the enthusiasm already surrounding IHRA drag racing."The EntertainMax Top Fuel dragster will be debuted by McMillen during spring testing events and at the 5th annual Amalie Oil Texas Nationals presented by Ancira Cars, Trucks and RVs and the San Antonio Express-News at San Antonio Raceway, March 24-26. McMillen will compete in Top Fuel after several successful seasons driving the Amalie-sponsored "InstiGator" Alcohol Funny Car, which will receive associate-sponsorship from eMax as well. eMax replaces Hooters Restaurants as title sponsor of the IHRA Drag Racing Series. Hooters is now the presenting sponsor of the street legal racing and lifestyle event series, Kumho Street Warriorz presented by Hooters. About EntertainMax: EntertainMax http://www.entertainmax.net is a multimedia, entertainment and broadcasting company that offers high-quality products and services focused in the areas of pre-recorded music, feature films, TV production, concerts, sporting events and merchandising. EntertainMax Worldwide also owns independent record labels, studios and is in the process of launching a 24-hour broadcast network. About eMax Holdings Corporation: eMax Holdings Corporation http://www.emaxcorp.com, is a diversified holding company investing in multimedia, entertainment, communication, broadcasting, high-end technologies, and real estate and finance industries through five corporations. eMax Holdings Corporation holds stock interest in EMAX Ventures, Inc.; Artists Innovations, Inc.; Spider Technologies, Inc.; EntertainMax Worldwide, Inc.; and Gold Rush Investments Corp. About C Trade USA: C. TradeUSA, Inc.(C. Trade Group), http://www.ctradegroup.com, a privately held company with extensive National and International business relationships, is part of the C. Trade Group of Companies. The C. Trade Group of Companies has extensive holdings in the United States as well as in China, Latin America, Greece, and Bangladesh. C. Trade's portfolio of companies specializes in biotechnology, environmental remediation, water purification and remediation, and automotive consultation services. C. Trade Group, Inc.'s President, Nick Kontonicolas, is an experienced, well-seasoned professional investor and corporate venture capitalist. He constantly seeks out new and revolutionary technologies which can be seamlessly integrated within his network. About IHRA: Headquartered in Norwalk, Ohio, International Hot Rod
Association (IHRA), a division of Live Nation, professional, semi-professional
and local level racing provides competitive opportunities for drivers
at all levels. The eMax Drag Racing Series is an 11-event North American
professional drag racing circuit. In 2006, the series will be comprised
of eight events in major cities throughout the United States and three
in Canada. The Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Championship consists of competition
at national events and 35 events in six regional divisions, while
IHRA's Summit SuperSeries is conducted nearly every weekend at over
90 IHRA-sanctioned tracks. Providing a safe environment to develop
future stars, IHRA offers the PM-1 Junior Dragster Racing Series for
youths ages 8-17. Stand-alone events include Live Nation's entertainment-filled
"Thunder Jam" shows and the street legal racing and lifestyle
event series Kumho Street Warriorz presented by Hooters. More information
can be found at www.ihra.com.
Revised 2006 schedule With the addition of Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car as a professional class to the Hooters IHRA national event line-up, IHRA wanted to make things easier on all racers, both sportsman and professional. The original 2006 national event schedule had too many conflicts, so to accommodate as many racers as possible a new schedule was formulated that would move a number of events to weekends where there would be no conflict with NHRA events.
“I don’t know why we hadn’t done this in years past, but it makes perfect sense,” IHRA President Aaron Polburn said. “Why force racers to make a choice if it isn’t necessary? We think this will help both organizations in the long run and should definitely help our professional and sportsman car counts.”
“I’m excited with the additions IHRA has made to its professional show. Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car as a professional class in ’06 is a very big deal. We look forward to working with IHRA to make the Skull Gear World Nationals the greatest show in drag racing,” Norwalk Raceway Park President Bill Bader, Jr. said. “The Skull Gear World Nationals is IHRA’s biggest event and we are actively working to make the weekend even bigger and better than ever before. Now that this is behind us hopefully we can put all the rumors and speculation behind us. We are ready to focus on what is important, building our event and putting on a great show for the fans.”
The 2006 IHRA National Event Schedule
5th Annual Amalie Oil Texas Nationals presented by Ancira Cars, Trucks and RVs San Antonio Raceway, San Antonio, TX…...………………………….March 24-26
36th Annual Spring Nationals presented by Castrol Rockingham Dragway, Rockingham, NC.……………………………..April 21-23
7th Annual Mopar Canadian Nationals presented by Castrol Grand Bend Motorplex, Grand Bend, ON…..…………………………June 2-4
4th Annual Western RV Rocky Mountain Nationals presented by Torco Budweiser Motorsports Park, Edmonton, AB…………………………June 23-25
4th Annual Motor City Nationals presented by GM Performance Division Milan Dragway, Milan, MI……………………………………………….July 7-9
5th Annual ACDelco Canadian Nationals Toronto Motorsports Park, Cayuga, ON……………………………….July 21-23
25th Annual Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, Martin, MI………………………………….Aug. 4-6
29th Annual Skull Gear World Nationals presented by PPG Norwalk Raceway Park, Norwalk, OH………………………………….Aug. 24-27
11th Annual Amalie Oil North American Nationals New England Dragway, Epping, NH……………………………………Sep. 8-10
15th Annual Torco Race Fuels President’s Cup Nationals Maryland International Raceway, Budds Creek, MD…………………Sep 29-Oct. 1
11th Annual IHRA World Finals Rockingham Dragway, Rockingham, NC………………………………Oct. 20-22
IHRA Institutes Nitro Funny Car Class for 2006 Sanctioning body and Torco Racing Fuels enter three-year agreement
Race fans coming to Hooters IHRA Racing Tour national events in 2006 will get a bigger dose of nitromethane than in seasons past. Torco Racing Fuels owner Evan Knoll and the International Hot Rod Association have reached an agreement that will create the Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car class, a professional class that will be part of IHRA’s schedule at all 11 national events during the next three years.
“This is a big, big deal,” IHRA President Aaron Polburn said. “We knew, as we look to continue IHRA’s growth, this was a necessary step because Nitro Funny Car is one of the the most popular classes in drag racing. Evan Knoll was interested in helping us do this because, quite frankly, Evan is a drag racing fan and knows what people want to see at the strip. I’m really excited and already counting down the days until the ’06 season starts.”
Knoll is excited about the opportunity to bring the nitro Funny Cars back to IHRA competition. He's also excited about the future as well.
"You couldn't help but see the fan reaction to Mike Ashley and Del Worsham in Rockingham," Knoll said. "The place went crazy. We need to capitalize on that. A lot of things have transpired in this sport lately that makes this decision an easy one and a smart one as well. I think you are going to see the face of drag racing changing in the near future and we want to be a part of it at Torco Racing Fuels, Torco Pro Nitro and Knoll Gas Energy.
"I can't wait for 2006."
Torco Racing Fuels Pro Nitro Funny Car will have a purse and payout structure that mirrors the revamped IHRA Top Fuel’s. Also, each entry in the class will receive a free can and driver entry as well as eight crew passes. A revised 2006 IHRA schedule will be released next week and nine of the 11 ’06 events will be scheduled on “non-competing” weekends, this meaning IHRA will revise as to not hold races on the same weekend as Powerade NHRA national events.
The new class will also have no effect on IHRA’s popular Alcohol Funny Car class, which will remain a professional class with the same payouts and purses.
“People love nitro, and we’re going to give it to them in large doses starting next season,” Polburn said. "With such a great sponsor teaming up with us to bring IHRA fans such a great class I expect great things.”
The Torco Racing Fuels Nitro Funny Car Ironman winner at Hooters IHRA national events will take home $23,000. The runner up wins a cool $16,000 while semifinalists will receive $13,000 each. Qualifiers in the eight-car field are guaranteed $10,000 while the #9 and #10 qualifier will win $3,000.
The 2006 World Champion will win $150,000 while the runner up will take home $50,000. The third place finisher will net $25,000 while the fourth place finisher will win $15,000 and the fifth place finisher $14,000.
The total dollar amount up for grabs next season will be $1,475,000 in Torco Racing Fuels Nitro Funny Car.
Torco Race Fuels will have all grades of its popular fuel on site at all IHRA Hooters national events. Torco Race Fuels is the official race fuel of the IHRA
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2006 National event coverage IHRA San Antonio National coverage
is here 2005 event coverage Rockingham I and San Antonio coverage is on this page (scroll down). Virginia Nationals coverage is here Grand Bend Mopar Nationals is here Rocky Mountain Nationals coverage is here IHRA Milan coverage is here IHRA Toronto coverage is here IHRA Martin coverage is here IHRA Norwalk coverage is here IHRA Budds Creek coverage is here IHRA Epping Coverage is here IHRA Rockingham II coverage is here.
Photos courtesy Guy Van Syckle Rocky Mountains 2003,
Rocky Mountains 2004,
Rocky Mountains 2005
Roger Dean had a rough go in this qualifier
Bill Ancona struggled as well.
Doug Foley is ahead of last year's start but he did not want a first round no show
Louie Allison had a career best et and mph in the semis
Todd Paton had a lousy start to the year as well.
Funny Car
Atchison is way ahead of last years pace with the win at San Antonio
Terry McMillen showed well for his sposnor at their home event.
Mark Poyser got a gift in round one but could not make the semi final call.
Jim Sickles was two car lengths back at the stripe in round one.
Burl Brown was one of three non qualifiers
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