Schumacher, T. Pedregon and Stevens are Number One Qualifiers at the NHRA POWERade Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals

Tony Schumacher sets the pace in Top Fuel with a 4.474, Tony Pedregon leads Funny Car with a 4.703 ( Whit Bazemore is #14 ) and Richie Stevens is #1 in Pro Stock with a 6.735.

WJ picks up spot #2 in Pro Stock, KJ is #4, Greg Stanfield is #11 and Erica Enders qualified in the #16 position. Barry Grant missed the cut with a 20th best 6.821 @ 202.48.
NHRA Recap

"The Main Man" - Bill Tanner 1933-2005

D. Kalitta, T. Pedregon and Stevens Lead Pro Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals

Doug Kalitta is #1 in Top Fuel with a 4.490 and Doug Herbert broke the 5 year old track speed record with a 330.63 mph run.

Tony Pedregon leads Funny Car with a 4.703 @ 325.06. Whit Bazemore is #14 at 4.953 @ 302.55.

In Pro Stock, Richie Stevens put the Don Schumacher owned, Bob Glidden tuned, Mopar sponsored Dodge Stratus in the top spot for 1st day qualifying with a 6.73 @ 205.35 pass. Kurt Johnson makes another strong showing, qualifying #3 with a 6.746 @ 204.51. WJ continues to be near the top with a 5th best 6.762 @ 204.29. Greg Anderson and teammate Jason Line both had problems and did not make their second qualifying attempt. Greg is #7 and Jason is #9. Greg Stanfield's PiranaZ backed Cavalier is #17, Barry Grant is #19 and media sensation Erica Enders is #21 with two more qualifying attempts available.

NHRA Recap

Memories of Bill Tanner by Terry Earwood

If you grew up in the South and were any type of drag racing fan, you know the name Bill Tanner. Sadly, Bill succumbed to cancer at 2 AM February 24. Services will be held Saturday, the 26th, at Memorial Park South, in Flowery Branch, Georgia, 770-967-5555.

Bill was the South's premier Mopar racer, beginning with a slant six Lancer. His 413 '62 "Ramcharger" was virtually unbeatable until the Hemi came along. He briefly campaigned a rare 1966 "D" Dart, named the "Lil Ramcharger", while assisting Larry Lawrence on his former Ramcharger owned '65 Hemi Dodge.

Billy Aiken, owner of Atlanta's Lenox Dodge, helped Bill acquire an original 1968 Hurst built Hemi Dart, one of only 70 ever built. Bill literally "earned a living" with this SS/AA car from 1968 thru 1970, often racing 3 nites a week. This was an era of racing we'll never experience again, and Bill was at the "top of the heap".

In 1970 he was awarded an Eastern version of the Dodge Safety and Performance clinic from Chrysler, which was already represented by the 2 Plymouth teams of Sox and Martin and Don Grotheer, plus Dick Landy's Dodge from the west coast.

Bill was an awesome mechanic, great driver and competitor and a true "racer". He was just a "good ol' Southern Boy" who earned a living doing what he loved, and was great at. He is survived by his wife Katie.

Southern "racing roots" has lost one of it's founders and stars. He taught me all I know.
Terry Earwood

R.I.P. Bill Tanner 1933 - 2005

Terry Earwood called this evening and informed me that Bill Tanner passed away last night. I didn't know Mr.Tanner well, but I did enjoy several visits with him at his home ( interviewing him for our book ). Bill was always nice to me and we shared a lot of laughs on those visits. He had been battling cancer for the last couple of years. Godspeed Mr.Tanner.

Memorial Park South Funeral Home
4059 Falcon Parkway
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
(770) 967-5555

Viewing Feb. 25th 7-9PM
Service Feb. 26th 11 AM at the Chapel

William Tanner 1933-2005

Bill Tanner photos

WJ Aims to Maintain Forward Progress in Phoenix

Contact:Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

GM Performance Parts Team Targets Third Win at Firebird Raceway

Sugar Hill, Ga., February 21, 2005 - When Warren Johnson powered his way to the final round at the opening event of the 2005 POWERade Drag Racing season in Pomona a week ago, his performance raised a few eyebrows in the Pro Stock pit area. Despite his innumerable accomplishments and strong career record at Pomona Raceway, many of the so-called "experts" had forecast that he would struggle at the first few races with his new, untested race car and engine combination.

However, displaying the form that had carried him to six championships and 92 career national event wins, Johnson took a GM Performance Parts Grand Am that had never made a full pass, dropped in a brand-new DRCE 3 engine and posted an impressive runner-up finish. This may have surprised some of the railbirds, but it was all part of "The Professor's" plan.

"Although we were certainly pleased with our two teams' performances in Pomona, I wouldn't say we were surprised by our showing," said Johnson. "On one hand, Kurt's ACDelco Cavalier was a proven package at the end of last year, making good, consistent runs, which we felt we could help by injecting additional horsepower.

"In addition, my team came to California with a new GM Performance Parts Grand Am, which was a standard production Haas car. With so many of those going down the racetrack, we felt we could be competitive as long as we put enough steam under hood. Based on what we had seen on the dyno during the winter, we were confident of both cars doing well, and they did.

"This weekend, Johnson and his veteran crew will look to elevate their level of performance even higher at the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals in Phoenix, AZ. A key component in the execution of this strategy will be the 1,300-horsepower DRCE 3 engine under the hood of their race car. The Johnsons stand alone as the only competitors using the third generation of the GM Drag Racing Competition Engine in competition, with WJ having used it almost exclusively since last year's race in Gainesville, FL. Although it has admittedly been a challenge, the team's efforts are finally starting to pay off.

"We made the decision during the off-season to concentrate our efforts solely on the DRCE 3," explained Johnson. "After all, it is the future of the GM Pro Stock engine program. With a year's worth of development, including many long days and nights during the off-season, the two DRCE 3's currently in our race cars are better than anything we've ever had in the DRCE 2's. In fact, the NHRA was so impressed with it in Pomona that they tore us down on Sunday night.

"With the first two races being held on the West Coast, we realistically couldn't test, so we elected to bring both engines back to the shop after the Winternationals. Time spent on the race track takes a different toll than time on the dyno, so we wanted to go over them thoroughly and make sure everything was in order for Phoenix.

"As the second stop on his "School's Out" tour, Johnson will be competing in his 21st race at Firebird International Raceway, which matches the number of NHRA national events held at the Arizona quarter-mile. With two wins in six final round appearances in the desert, he certainly knows his way to the winner's circle. However, as he explains, the unusual conditions will make it a stern test for the entire field.

"Firebird Raceway has a very challenging racing surface, which is complicated even further by the combination of the high winds and sand that blow over it from the desert," detailed Johnson. "Our goal this weekend, as always, is to do a better job than our competitors of adapting to what the track will give us. We'll take the data from Pomona, go over our notes from years past to determine the nuances at Firebird Raceway, adjust our GM Performance Parts Grand Am accordingly, and keep moving forward."

Notes on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Grand Am racing team entering the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals:
* WJ is a Firebird Original: This will be WJ's 21st appearance at Firebird Raceway, having competed in all 20 previous national events. In his 20 previous starts, he has two wins in six final round appearances, with a 36-18 elimination round record for a .667 win percentage.
* WJ Starts Strong in the Desert: Warren has six No. 1 qualifying performances in Phoenix (including five in a row from 1995 - 1999), and a stellar 2.65 average starting position. WJ's worst starting position at Firebird is 6th, which he did once in 2000.
* One year ago: Warren qualified fourth with an elapsed time of 6.797 seconds at 203.86 mph, and lost to his son (and eventual race winner) Kurt Johnson in the quarter-finals.
* Most recent Phoenix win: 2001, when he qualified third and defeated Bruce Allen, Jeg Coughlin, Mark Pawuk and Brad Jeter.

KJ Looks to Translate "Trey" into Third Phoenix Win

Contact:Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

ACDelco Prepares to Defend Title at Firebird Raceway

Sugar Hill, Ga., February 21, 2005 - Coming off his semi-final finish at the season-opening event ten days ago, ACDelco Cavalier pilot Kurt Johnson enters this weekend's Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals as he did in 2004, sitting third in the POWERade championship standings. In fact, Johnson's 2005 performance in Pomona was identical to the previous year's, having qualified second and then being eliminated by his father, six-time champion Warren Johnson.

Naturally, Johnson hopes to continue this trend of duplication as he looks to defend his popular win at this event from a year ago. However, the second-generation racer believes his team is in an even better position in 2005 as a result of some extremely hard work during the off-season, and a solid performance in California.

"Our ACDelco Cavalier's performance in Pomona has us pumped up going into Phoenix," stated Johnson. "It's only one race, but we appear to be back near the top of the charts. I'm sure our competition has been doing their homework over the last two weeks, and that race is already behind us, but it's still an accomplishment anytime you can run both the top speed and low elapsed time of the event in this category.

"Besides, we haven't exactly been sitting around since then. We brought the DRCE 3's my father and I used back to the shop, went over them thoroughly to check that everything was in optimum condition, made a few adjustments based on our findings, buttoned them up and sent them to Arizona. We won't really know until Sunday evening, but I think we'll be in good shape this weekend.

"The primary difference in Johnson's attitude comes as a result of the efforts of the engine room at their shop in Sugar Hill, GA. Focusing solely on the DRCE III engine, which the team has nicknamed "Trey", the Johnson-led crew made significant progress over the winter, which, combined with a proven and predictable race car, gives the team a solid and competitive foundation, with even further improvement anticipated as they continue to learn this powerplant's intricacies, all of which will play an important role as they look to tame a difficult Firebird Raceway surface.

"We are still very early in the development process of the DRCE III," detailed Johnson. "In fact, at this point, we are barely beyond simply assembling the necessary pieces. We will not get into any in-depth r & d until after Phoenix. However, it has already shown the potential of being a very good piece, which has a beneficial effect on the entire program.

"For example, one year ago, we had absolutely no room for error. In order to qualify, we needed to make an almost perfect run. Now we know that if we make a decent run, we'll be solidly in the show. You still need to be perfect to win, but we're headed in the right direction. Qualifying second in Pomona gave us a real boost, and we ran even better on Sunday. The ACDelco Cavalier feels like it wants to go, and it's still a work in progress.

"I'm sure Firebird will present its usual challenges. The racing surface is actually better than it looks and could be a low 6.70-second track. Over the years, I've been fortunate to have done fairly well there, and we're planning to keep it up this weekend. We're looking for another strong qualifying effort, after which we'll see if we can take care of business and successfully defend our win from last year."

Notes on Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Chevy Cavalier racing team entering the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals:
* KJ's Career at Firebird Raceway: This will be Kurt's 13th appearance at Firebird Raceway. In his 12 previous starts, he has two wins, with an 18-10 elimination round record for a .643 win percentage.
* Kurt Qualifies Well in Phoenix: KJ has started final eliminations in the top half of the field at 11 of his 12 previous races at Firebird, with the sole exception being his 13th place effort in 1996. Kurt also has one No. 1 qualifying performance in Arizona, which came in 2000, and an average starting position of 5.17.
* One year ago - Defending Champion: Kurt qualified fifth with an elapsed time of 6.803 seconds at 204.35 mph, and defeated J.R. Carr (who red-lit), his father Warren Johnson, Greg Anderson (on a holeshot) and David Connolly for the 28th win of his career.

Event Schedule:
Friday, February 25 - Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 & 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 26 - Two qualifying sessions at 12:00 noon & 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 27 - Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by the first round of eliminations at 11:00 a.m.

Television Schedule:

Qualifying: Saturday, February 26 - 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. (Repeat) Sunday, February 27 - 3:00 - 5:00 a.m.

Eliminations: Sunday, February 27 - 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. (Repeat) Monday, February 28 - 2:30 - 4:30 a.m.

NHRA2Day: Sunday, February 27 - 1:30 - 2:00 p.m.
(Please consult your local listings for exact times, as the schedule is subject to change.)

Platt & Payne Mustangs

Randy Payne dropped a line to say that he is getting stronger and he recently checked the progress of the new Platt & Payne 2005 Mustangs in Atlanta. Randy said they are coming along nicely and the first one should be completed by the end of March.

BAZEMORE OFF TO STRONG SEASON START, HEADS TO PHOENIX FOR ROUND 2

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Feb. 21, 2005) - Whit Bazemore is off to a healthy start to the 2005 POWERade Drag Racing Series, driving the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing. He opened the year with a semifinal-round finish at the season-opener at Pomona (Calif.) Raceway, and landed in third place in the point standings.

The two-time U.S. Nationals champion expects even better results at the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals this weekend at Firebird Raceway, now that the mechanical problems he and crew chief Lee Beard experienced in eliminations at Pomona have been resolved.

"We're very optimistic going to Phoenix because the Matco Tools Dodge ran competitively at Pomona," said Bazemore, who defeated teammate Ron Capps and No. 1 qualifier Tony Pedregon in eliminations there, "but we had a couple of things that were holding back the performance on race day. We're excited because we feel that, when we get back on track with those things fixed, the car's performance should really pick up quite a bit.

"Firebird's quarter-mile could be tricky, depending on the heat," continued Bazemore, who has not won here. "If it's hotter it could fall off considerably. But if it's like it was in testing (mid-60 degrees ambient temperature on Jan. 28-30)) then the track should be really good, and you could see the same sort of record times that we saw at Pomona (4.681 ET for Tony Pedregon; 331.53 top speed for Gary Scelzi)."

Still seeking his first Funny Car crown after two runner-up finishes (2001 and 2003), Bazemore feels his team, one of eight now campaigned by Don Schumacher in the POWERade series, is growing in the right direction. "The team has expanded considerably since 2001 and we've had some people come and go," he said. "I'm excited. I feel good about the people we have. Ed McCulloch (Capps' crew chief) has been a really strong addition to the team. (Capps' co-crew chief) Dan Olson is involved, Zippy (Mike Neff, Gary Scelzi's crew chief), and Lee of course. Right now the four of them are working together and sharing information.

"That's the only way I think we can seriously and strongly challenge for a championship - to uitlize the brain trust that we have to its fullest extent like some of the other teams do. If it were everybody out on their own then naturally we wouldn't be as strong.

"I think everyone realizes that and we're all aiming toward a common goal. It's working out really well."

SCHEDULE:
On Friday, Feb. 25, professional qualifying sessions are scheduled for 3 and 6 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 26, pro qualifying sessions are at noon and 3 p.m. On Sunday, Feb. 27, pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m., followed by final eliminations at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:
Saturday, Feb. 26, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 9 p.m. (ET). On Sunday, Feb. 27, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET)

WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS:

* Two-time U.S. Nationals champion, 1997 and 2001
* Tied in third in 2005 Funny Car point standings after one event
* Qualified No. 2 at 2004 CSK Nationals, lost second round to Del Worsham
* Qualified in the top two in nine events in 2004, four times in No. 1
* No. 6 in 2004 Funny Car points, with two wins, five final rounds
* First Funny Car driver to break 325-mph barrier (U.S. Nationals 2001)
* Career quickest ET is 4.713 seconds, career fastest speed is 333.25 mph, both set at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 in what was at the time the quickest and fastest speed in Funny Car history
* Won three times in 2003, runner-up five times
* Has 17 career Funny Car event wins
* Took the 2003 championship chase to penultimate race in Las Vegas in an exciting final round against eventual champion Tony Pedregon
* Was second twice in the Funny Car championship in 2001 and 2003, third in 1997 and '99 and has finished in the top five six times and 12 times in the top 10 since 1992
* Age 41, born in New York City, an avid cyclist, lives in Indianapolis with wife Michelle, a competitive amateur cyclist
* 2005 is his fifth season with Don Schumacher Racing

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus, jstropus@earthlink.net

VALSPAR COMMITS TO DON SCHUMACHER'S EIGHT-TEAM OPERATION

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 21, 2005) - Valspar, which earlier this year came on board Don Schumacher Racing's organization in the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series as an associate sponsor of the Team Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge Stratus Pro Stock car driven by Richie Stevens Jr., has committed to all eight DSR teams.

Founded in 1806 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., Valspar is the sixth largest paint and coatings company in the world. Its broad portfolio includes decorative and protective coatings for wood, metal and plastic in the industrial markets, interior and exterior decorative paints and aerosols for architectural use, coatings and inks for rigid packaging containers, automotive and fleet refinish products, floor coatings, and specialty polymers, composites and colorants.

"Having Valspar join our Don Schumacher Racing family as an associate sponsor on all eight of our teams is an honor and privilege," said team owner Schumacher. "Our goal is to build on that association by providing Valspar a uniquely visible arena to continue to showcase its products, with an aim toward Valspar becoming the paint supplier to our other business partners."

"We are really excited about the exposure we have already received as part of Don Schumacher's eight-team organization," said Randy Tinsley, Valspar's motorsports program manager. "In the past we have been the primary sponsor on one car, but now to have our name on six cars and two motorcycles in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series is just unbelievable.

"What Don Schumacher has done for us as far as our identification on each car and on the trailers is concerned is just incredible," Tinsley continued.

Valspar is not a sponsor in name only. The Schumacher Racing vehicles and trailers are painted and/or clear-coated in Valspar products and Gary Scelzi's helmet and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus Funny Car sport Valspar's House of Kolor brand logo.

"We are more dedicated to the sport this year than we have ever been," added George Krul, general manager of Valspar's automotive refinish division, based in Grand Prairie, Texas. "We've always been committed to Richie Jr. and Sr., of course, but this is the first time we're dedicating a motorsports manager to the entire program.

"With this kind of exposure and the kind of commitment we've made to Schumacher Racing, dedicating people to the program is what we're really excited about. We're going to have Valspar people at the track, customers at the track, and everybody who has already been at the season-opening Pomona event is really excited about the hospitality they received from Schumacher and his entire organization."

Don Schumacher Racing is the largest team in NHRA pro history, and includes Whit Bazemore, driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus, and Gary Scelzi, in the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus, in the Funny Car class, as well as reigning Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher, in the U.S. Army Dragster, Antron Brown and Angelle Sampey, on the U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycles, and Pro Stock Car drivers Jeg Coughlin Jr., in the Jeg's Mail Order/Mopar Dodge, and Richie Stevens Jr. in the Team Mopar HEMI-powered Dodge Stratus.

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus, jstropus@earthlink.net

G Squared Motorsports Announces AHDRA Sponsorship Program

Courtesy Jerry Battle

AMERICUS, Ga. (February 15, 2005) – G Squared Motorsports, Inc. (G2) is proud to announce that it has signed on as a sponsor of the AHDRA Street Pro Class for the 2005 AHDRA motorcycle drag racing season, including the following cash awards distributed based on season ending points:

Champion $3,000

Second Place $2,000

Third $1,000

Fourth $750

Fifth $500



G Squared Motorsports is owned by George Smith, part owner and Chairman of the Board of S&S Cycle, Inc. of Viola, WI and George Bryce, owner of Bryce’s Star Racing and six-time NHRA championship winner.

Smith commented, “G Squared’s support of the AHDRA is part of our company's overall effort to work with S&S Cycle to promote increased participation in V-Twin drag racing. G Squared is the exclusive distributor of affordable and competitive S&S engine packages developed this past season that are now available to help bring new racers to the sport.”

In 2004, G Squared Motorsports and rider Chip Ellis captured a page in the history books in the AHDRA Street Pro class at Bristol, TN. Chip recorded the first run ever in the 8’s riding the G Squared S&S #46 Tribute Street Pro Bike. He ran an 8.995 in the semi-finals and then backed up that national record by running even quicker in the finals with an 8.963. Not only was it Chip’s debut at the AHDRA, but also his first race for the G2 team and first event ever on a V-Twin.

G2 also competed in the 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing sanction with its 160” S&S Cycle Pro Stock racing engine. With Ellis at the helm, the G2 Motorsports Buell snagged the No. 1 qualifying spot at the 50th Anniversary U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, IN and followed that up by qualifying No. 4 in Reading, PA. The team then stormed into Las Vegas, qualifying No. 2 and winning the event. G2 ended the season at Pomona with a second No. 1 qualifying spot and the fourth quickest pass in Pro Stock Motorcycle history.

At its design, manufacturing and testing facilities in Americus, GA, G Squared Motorsports develops late-model hot rod V-twin chassis and complete turn-key motorcycles for both the street and strip. The company also stocks a full line of S&S engines, parts and accessories for drag racing enthusiasts, as well as for other motorcyclists, dealers and distributors.

For more information regarding G Squared Motorsports, call 229-924-0031, or visit their website at www.g2motorsports.net.

G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS, INC.


MEDIA CONTACT: Ruth Olson

Bryce’s Star Racing Announces AMA/Prostar Contingency Sponsorship Program

Courtesy Jerry Battle

AMERICUS, Ga. (February 15, 2005) – Bryce’s Star Racing announces that it is implementing an innovative new contingency sponsorship program for all entries in the eight-race tour of the 2005 AMA/Prostar motorcycle drag racing sanction.

With a possible total payout of over $66,000, this exciting new cash back bonus program rewards the racer for purchases made from Star Racing.

During the 2005 racing season, the winner of each class at every race will receive 10% cash back on all purchases from Star Racing as of that race (maximum of $500). The runner up will receive 5% cash back on all purchases from Star Racing as of that race (maximum of $250). The more parts purchased, the more cash back. (Cash back on parts purchases only).

“We’re racers ourselves,” said Jackie Bryce, Star Racing’s VP of Operations. “We know that a racer needs to find the best deals on parts. We have a huge inventory of parts in stock at competitive prices. Our experienced staff knows that when you’re racing you need quick service and you need the parts to be right. This new contingency sponsorship program is our way of giving back to the racing community. The more you buy the more you win!”

Since its inception in 1980, Star Racing has grown into one of America’s premier motorcycle racing and R&D facilities. Owned by George and Jackie Bryce and located in Americus, Georgia, Star Racing houses a mail-order motorcycle parts business and machine shop. George Bryce is one of the all-time winningest figures in Pro Stock Motorcycling and has won six national championships and 66 event wins as rider, owner or coach in 113 final rounds of NHRA competition.

With 25 years of experience, the Bryce’s have put together extensive inventory of motorcycle parts and accessories. Available via toll free phone, or the online store, their warehouse contains ignition and head components, valves, sprockets, gaskets, chains, wheels, brakes, nitrous systems, carbs, pistons and rings, clutch plates and chassis components. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff will ensure that you get the parts you need quickly and at a competitive price.

For more information regarding Star Racing products, call 1-800-841-7827 or visit their website at www.starracing.com.

Wheelstanding Maverick photo by Marvin T. Smith

Marvin T. Smith photos from SGMP

Marvin T. Smith photos from SGMP February 19, 2005