Jack Beckman Wins in Phoenix
Jack Beckman beat Robert Hight to win his fourth Wally in Phoenix at the 24th annual Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway. Beckman qualified his Don Schumacher Racing, Valvoline,Mail Terminal Series Dodge 15th on Saturday. Jack Beckman out ran Mike Neff, then Gary Scelzi, and Jim Head (in that order). To get to the final round, Robert Hight had to beat Gary Densham, independent Bob Bode, and Tommy Johnson, Jr.
Bob Bode deserves special mention, because his self-sponsored AR-BEE Transparent Products Monte Carlo has qualified and competed in both Pomona and Phoenix. He came back from a huge engine explosion on Saturday, that also destroyed the body of his car, to compete against Jack Beckman in second-round eliminations. His performance this season has been better than many big name racers so far. Bob is still looking for sponsors for the 2008 season. If you are interested in having your company's name, or even your own name, on the side of a competitive NHRA Funny Car, please go to Bob Bode's site to learn more about sponsoring his car for a race, or even a season.
Tags: Beckman, Bob Bode, Dodge, Funny Car, Gary Scelzi, Hight, Jack Beckman, Jim Head, Johnson, King, Mike Neff, NHRA, Phoenix, Pomona, race, racing, Robert Hight, Scelzi, Tommy JohnsonHeat ratchets up as NHRA rolls into Arizona
Heat shows up in a variety of ways. For some, heat means pressure – a mental game. For Tony Pedregon, heat was something he could feel.
Pedregon’s Q Horsepower Chevy Impala SS exploded in the first round at the season-opener in Pomona, Calif., instantly propelling the reigning POWERade Series Funny Car champ back to the center of attention in a category already ripe with story lines. Since the accident there’s been no rest for Pedregon...
Read full story at Thats Racin
Tags: Chevy, Funny Car, NHRA, Pedregon, Phoenix, Pomona, Powerade, Tony PedregonScelzi brimming with confidence heading to Phoenix
FRESNO, Calif. (Feb. 19, 2008) - Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series world champion Gary Scelzi is brimming with confidence heading into the second round of 24 events in the 2008 NHRA season, the NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway, just outside of Phoenix, this weekend.
The driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing is ready to settle into a long season battling for a second Funny Car crown, now that the opening event of the year in Pomona, Calif., is over...
Read full story at Don Schumacher Racing
Tags: Dodge, drag racing, DSR, Funny Car, Gary Scelzi, Mopar, NHRA, Pomona, Powerade, race, racing, ScelziBeckman poised for accelerated performance in Phoenix
With the first of 24 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series national events of 2008 in the books, "Fast" Jack Beckman is poised for an improved performance of the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car he drives for Don Schumacher Racing in this weekend's second national event of the year.
Beckman advanced to the quarterfinals at the season-opener in Pomona, Calif., and left tied in fifth place in the point standings with...(snipped)
From the Don Schumacher Racing site:
Mail Terminal Services will continue its "Mail from Home" program in 2008. Fans at each NHRA national event will have the opportunity to sign special cards at the DSR hospitality area and at the U.S. Army Racing Zone in the midway area, which MTS will then ship, free of charge, to the troops in war zones overseas.
Tags: Beckman, Dodge, drag racing, DSR, Funny Car, Jack Beckman, NHRA, Pomona, Powerade, racingThis Week in Ford Racing – NHRA: Interview with John Medlen
The Ford BOSS 500 engine made its competition debut two weeks ago at the NHRA POWERade season-opener at Pomona in Mike Neff’s Old Spice Funny Car Mustang. Crew chief John Medlen says he was very encouraged by what the new engine showed.
JOHN MEDLEN – Crew Chief, No. 7701 Old Spice Ford Mustang Funny Car – WERE YOU ENCOURAGED BY WHAT YOU SAW OUT OF THE NEW ENGINE IN ITS DEBUT AT POMONA?
Read the full interview with John Medlen at The Frontstretch
Tags: Ford, Funny Car, John Medlen, Mike Neff, NHRA, Pomona, Powerade, racingSchumacher, Hight, Anderson grab first 2008 POWERade glory in Pomona
...Like Schumacher, Hight continued his love affair with Pomona's pavement, winning his second straight race and third overall at his hometown facility. This time it was Pedregon on the losing end in the final as Hight's 4.861 at a blower-belt-tossing 284.39 mph in the Auto Club of Southern California Ford Mustang defeated Pedregon's 4.879 at 322.50 mph in his Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Impala SS...
Read the full story by Rob Geiger, Sr. at NHRA.com
Tags: Chevrolet, Ford, Hight, NHRA, Pedregon, Pomona, Powerade, race, Robert Hight, WinternationalsFunny Car driver also in cash race
Perhaps the most competitive battleground in the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series is in its Funny Car class, and miles per hour aren't the defining standard.
The real competition involves sponsorships and the cubic dollars racers spend in an effort to not only go fast, but win a championship. The cars, capable of covering the Pomona Raceway quarter-mile drag strip at the Winternationals in a few ticks over four seconds and reaching speeds of 330 mph, are the focal point in sponsor...
Read full story at the Daily Breeze
Tags: drag racing, Funny Car, NHRA, Pomona, Powerade, race, racingPedregon sent for evaluation after first-round incident
Defending NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car champ Tony Pedregon was transported to Pomona Valley Medical Center Hospital for evaluation after his Q Horsepower Chevy Impala suffered an engine explosion ...
Tags: Chevy, drag racing, Funny Car, NHRA, Pedregon, Pomona, Powerade, racing, Tony Pedregon