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 JohnsonDrag racing couple finds love in fast lane
I now pronounce you ... adversaries.
This year, driving for opposing Funny Car teams, husband and wife NHRA racers Tommy Johnson Jr. and Melanie Troxel will test their 4-year-old marriage on the quarter-mile, with their second outing of the year this weekend at Firebird International Raceway near Chandler...
Read full story by Richard Gray in the East Valley Tribune
Tags: drag racing, Funny Car, Johnson, Melanie Troxel, NHRA, race, racing, Tommy Johnson, Tommy Johnson JrTroxel makes presence felt – Los Angeles Times
Former top fuel driver ranks third for today's finals in funny car at the Winternationals, but her husband fails to make the field of 16.
She is married to funny car driver Tommy Johnson Jr., and when she made the off-season transition from top fuel dragsters to the class in which her husband competes, much was made of Melanie Troxel's marriage...
Read the full story by Martin Henderson in the L.A. Times
Tags: Funny Car, Johnson, Melanie Troxel, Tommy Johnson, Top FuelTroxel, Johnson share marital rivalry
POMONA - Drag racing's history is full of rivalries among family members.
From the father-son battle between Warren Johnson and son Kurt in Pro Stock, the daughter vs. father face-off of Ashley and John Force in Funny Car, to the husband and wife meetings between John Smith and Rhonda Hartman-Smith in Top Fuel, relation and rivalry go hand in hand.
This season, a new one has emerged, with Tommy Johnson Jr. and his wife, Melanie Troxel, who unlike the others...(Snip)
First-year Funny Car driver Melanie Troxel gets down the quarter-mile track in 4.90 seconds and 316.45 mph during qualifying run at NHRA POWERade Winternationals in Pomona, on Thursday, Feb.
Tags: drag racing, Force, Funny Car, John Force, Johnson, Melanie Troxel, NHRA, Pomona, Powerade, racing, Tommy Johnson, Tommy Johnson Jr, Top FuelSummit Racing Equipment, Kenny Bernstein Racing to Team up
by Susie Arnold, Kenny Bernstein Racing
TALLMADGE, Ohio -- Summit Racing Equipment, the world’s largest direct mail and Internet supplier of high performance automotive parts, and Kenny Bernstein Racing have reached a new sponsorship agreement for 2008. Under this agreement, Summit Racing Equipment will become an associate sponsor of Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein and Monster Energy Drink Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr. during the upcoming season.
“Obviously, Kenny Bernstein is a drag racing legend and...
Tags: Bernstein, Brandon Bernstein, drag racing, Funny Car, Johnson, Kenny Bernstein, racing, Tommy Johnson, Top FuelSponsor Hiatus Teams and Drivers Scrambling
January 13, 2008 by Robert
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The surprising withdrawal of Torco Racing Fuels from race team sponsorship for the 2008 season has many high profile teams and drivers scrambling for new sponsors so they can compete this season.
As quoted in the Peoria Journal Star:
Don Prudhomme lost sponsorship for Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr., who moved to Kenny Bernstein's team, so Prudhomme is only running a Top Fuel car for Larry Dixon this season.
Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith is looking for work and Pro Stock driver Dave Connolly may start this season on the sidelines, as may Funny Car driver Mike Ashley. (Editor's note, Ashley has since signed a deal with ProCare Rx for 2008.)
Read full story at the Peoria Journal Star
Dale Creasy Jr., Bobby Lagana Jr., Scotty Cannon, Ricky Smith, Matt Hagan and others from the IHRA series are also impacted by the Torco Racing Fuels pullout.
POWERade champions crowned and silly season roars to life as year ends
The 2007 POWERade Drag Racing Series roared to a spectacular conclusion in the fourth quarter with Tony Schumacher, Tony Pedregon, Jeg Coughlin, and Matt Smith earning the hardware in their respective categories. The final installment of NHRA.com's year in review points out all the exciting happenings of October, November, and December.
Aside from the four champions being crowned, the final quarter was highlighted by "Hot Rod" Fuller's big double win in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas and Dave Connolly's incredible streak of five victories in a row. Whit Bazemore, Chip Ellis, and Peggy Llewellyn all lost their jobs, while previously dismissed professionals Angelle Sampey, Antron Brown, and Tommy Johnson Jr. all managed to find new rides for 2008.
Tags: Antron, Antron Brown, Brown, Burkart, car, drag racing, Force, Ford, Funny Car, John Force, Johnson, NHRA, Pedregon, Phil Burkart, points, Powerade, racing, Tommy Johnson, Tony PedregonOn the Run with Tommy Johnson Jr. driver of the Skoal Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo Funny Car
Posted Chevy Cars on Sunday, December 16th, 2007. I had so much going on this winter that it seemed like I was away from home more than during the racing season.
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