Schumacher, Ashley and Coughlin Lead Pro Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade SummitRacing.com Nationals
posted by David @ 12:09 AM
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Scott Davis Crashes at SGMP
by Marvin T. Smith
Scott Davis crashed his Top Sportsman car at SGMP today. When I looked up, the Davis car was flying so I shot a burst of four photos of it as it crossed over into the far lane. Note in this photo, the car is completely in the air. Scott was uninjured, but it was a little hard getting him out of his harness upside down.
Scott Davis crashed his Top Sportsman car at SGMP today. When I looked up, the Davis car was flying so I shot a burst of four photos of it as it crossed over into the far lane. Note in this photo, the car is completely in the air. Scott was uninjured, but it was a little hard getting him out of his harness upside down.
posted by David @ 12:04 AM
Friday, April 13, 2007
GeorgiaDragRacing.com Switching Servers
GeorgiaDragRacing.com is in the process of switching servers in order to offer better service for all of our viewers and sponsors. Over the next few days there may be technical issues - including disruptions of service. Hopefully there won't be any problems, but we just wanted to let you know just in case there are a few glitches during the switch-over. Thanks for viewing!
posted by David @ 4:16 PM
WJ Has Vegas on His "To Do" List
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
GM Performance Parts GTO driver hopes to add a Vegas winner’s trophy to his collection
Sugar Hill, Ga., April 11, 2007 – Originally settled by the Mormons in the mid 1800's, the city of Las Vegas was founded in 1905, serving as a water stop for wagon trains and railroads. After originally struggling to survive, this desert oasis was reinvented in the 1930's with the completion of the Hoover Dam and the arrival of legalized gambling, with the first casino, the Northern Club, receiving its license in 1931. Over 46 years later, Las Vegas is acknowledged as the gambling and entertainment capital of the world, hosting over 35 million visitors a year, with people arriving every day hoping to reap the riches at one of the many magnificent casinos.
Among those arriving this week will be Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing team. Like many others, they come to the Silver State planning to win their share. However, their focus will not be on breaking the bank at the slot machines or gaming tables, but rather on conquering the quarter-mile of concrete and asphalt located just outside of the city at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as the world's best quarter-milers compete at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals.
"I have yet to win in Las Vegas, but I see no reason why we can't take care of that minor detail this weekend," said Johnson. "Things are progressing nicely with our GM Performance Parts GTO. Terry (crew chief Adams) seems to be getting a handle on the car, and we've made some gains in the motor department. As a result, we've been sneaking up the qualifying ladder at the last few races. Now, if we can send the driver an alarm clock, we should be in great shape.
"In reality, most everyone in Pro Stock is in similar shape. Fields have been getting progressively tighter, and we’ve been seeing names that are normally in the mix sitting on the sidelines on race day. You just have to have your act completely together to win, which is our game plan going into the weekend."
Although a win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has so far eluded the six-time champion, (making it one of only two stops on the POWERade circuit where WJ has yet to win) Bruton Smith's magnificent multipurpose motorsports facility remains at the top of his list of tracks on which he likes to compete. Catering equally to the spectators, sponsors and racers since 2000, it has already hosted its share of historic drag racing moments, and "The Professor" hopes to add his own entry this weekend.
"It is always a pleasure to race at a Bruton Smith-owned facility," stated Johnson. "Bruton and his management realize that they have one customer, namely the spectators. Without the fans in the stands, there would be no sponsors or racers. Therefore, much like we do with our racecar, they quickly address any issues that may arise, such as the removal of the infamous bump where the tunnel goes under the track.
"Overall, it's a pretty decent track to race on. Naturally, located in the middle of the desert, there can be an issue with sand blowing on it, particularly at the top end. However, the track's layout is designed to contain the problem by minimizing its elevation, and throughout the weekend they are constantly cleaning it.
"In addition, it's located at an altitude of 2200 feet, which significantly reduces the power our naturally-aspirated engines can make. Taking this weekend's forecast into account, I believe we should be running elapsed times in the low to mid 6.70's, but what really matters is that we are competitive with everyone else in our class, which is what we’re shooting for. We’re not about to be overconfident, but I wouldn’t bet against our GM Performance Parts GTO."
Warren Johnson & the GM Performance Parts GTO Racing team By the Numbers – SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals edition:
1 – No. 1 qualifying performances by WJ in Vegas, which occurred at this race in 2005.
2 - The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway final round appearances by WJ
6.45 – WJ's average starting position in 11 Las Vegas starts.
6.587 – WJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in Gainesville, FL
10 – WJ elimination round wins on The Strip, versus 11 losses for a .476 win percentage, making Las Vegas the only stop on the POWERade Drag Racing circuit where WJ does not have a winning round record.
13 – Career WJ Vegas appearances entering the 2007 season
209.69 - WJ's career best top speed, set in Gainesville, FL
Autograph Session: Warren will be participating in the autograph session organized by The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which will be held between 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. this Thursday, April 12 at the ESPN Zone inside the New York New York Hotel and Casino on Las Vegas Boulevard.
TMG Sports Marketing
GM Performance Parts GTO driver hopes to add a Vegas winner’s trophy to his collection
Sugar Hill, Ga., April 11, 2007 – Originally settled by the Mormons in the mid 1800's, the city of Las Vegas was founded in 1905, serving as a water stop for wagon trains and railroads. After originally struggling to survive, this desert oasis was reinvented in the 1930's with the completion of the Hoover Dam and the arrival of legalized gambling, with the first casino, the Northern Club, receiving its license in 1931. Over 46 years later, Las Vegas is acknowledged as the gambling and entertainment capital of the world, hosting over 35 million visitors a year, with people arriving every day hoping to reap the riches at one of the many magnificent casinos.
Among those arriving this week will be Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing team. Like many others, they come to the Silver State planning to win their share. However, their focus will not be on breaking the bank at the slot machines or gaming tables, but rather on conquering the quarter-mile of concrete and asphalt located just outside of the city at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as the world's best quarter-milers compete at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals.
"I have yet to win in Las Vegas, but I see no reason why we can't take care of that minor detail this weekend," said Johnson. "Things are progressing nicely with our GM Performance Parts GTO. Terry (crew chief Adams) seems to be getting a handle on the car, and we've made some gains in the motor department. As a result, we've been sneaking up the qualifying ladder at the last few races. Now, if we can send the driver an alarm clock, we should be in great shape.
"In reality, most everyone in Pro Stock is in similar shape. Fields have been getting progressively tighter, and we’ve been seeing names that are normally in the mix sitting on the sidelines on race day. You just have to have your act completely together to win, which is our game plan going into the weekend."
Although a win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has so far eluded the six-time champion, (making it one of only two stops on the POWERade circuit where WJ has yet to win) Bruton Smith's magnificent multipurpose motorsports facility remains at the top of his list of tracks on which he likes to compete. Catering equally to the spectators, sponsors and racers since 2000, it has already hosted its share of historic drag racing moments, and "The Professor" hopes to add his own entry this weekend.
"It is always a pleasure to race at a Bruton Smith-owned facility," stated Johnson. "Bruton and his management realize that they have one customer, namely the spectators. Without the fans in the stands, there would be no sponsors or racers. Therefore, much like we do with our racecar, they quickly address any issues that may arise, such as the removal of the infamous bump where the tunnel goes under the track.
"Overall, it's a pretty decent track to race on. Naturally, located in the middle of the desert, there can be an issue with sand blowing on it, particularly at the top end. However, the track's layout is designed to contain the problem by minimizing its elevation, and throughout the weekend they are constantly cleaning it.
"In addition, it's located at an altitude of 2200 feet, which significantly reduces the power our naturally-aspirated engines can make. Taking this weekend's forecast into account, I believe we should be running elapsed times in the low to mid 6.70's, but what really matters is that we are competitive with everyone else in our class, which is what we’re shooting for. We’re not about to be overconfident, but I wouldn’t bet against our GM Performance Parts GTO."
Warren Johnson & the GM Performance Parts GTO Racing team By the Numbers – SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals edition:
1 – No. 1 qualifying performances by WJ in Vegas, which occurred at this race in 2005.
2 - The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway final round appearances by WJ
6.45 – WJ's average starting position in 11 Las Vegas starts.
6.587 – WJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in Gainesville, FL
10 – WJ elimination round wins on The Strip, versus 11 losses for a .476 win percentage, making Las Vegas the only stop on the POWERade Drag Racing circuit where WJ does not have a winning round record.
13 – Career WJ Vegas appearances entering the 2007 season
209.69 - WJ's career best top speed, set in Gainesville, FL
Autograph Session: Warren will be participating in the autograph session organized by The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which will be held between 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. this Thursday, April 12 at the ESPN Zone inside the New York New York Hotel and Casino on Las Vegas Boulevard.
posted by David @ 4:09 PM
KJ Works to Hit the Jackpot in Las Vegas
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
ACDelco crew targets successful defense of 2006 SummitRacing.com Nationals title
Sugar Hill, Ga., April 11, 2007 – Throughout the first four races of the 2007 POWERade Drag racing season, Kurt Johnson and his ACDelco Cobalt Racing team have worked tirelessly to establish the consistency necessary to win on a regular basis. There have been glimpses of their tremendous potential, such as their winning performance in Phoenix in February. However, Johnson knows that in order to challenge for this year’s championship, such strong showings must be the rule rather than the exception.
Fortunately, coming into this weekend's SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, NV, the second-generation racer is confident they have gotten a firm handle on their race car, and arrives in the Nevada desert determined to repeat their winning performance from this race a year ago.
"If you really want to know the truth, we were just trying to get our odds up coming into Vegas," joked Johnson. "In all seriousness, things were happening with our race car through the first few races that hurt our performance. It's taken some time, but we have been working to not only find out what to fix, but to also see what we needed to do to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.
"As a result, we've gone over every inch of this ACDelco Cobalt several times. We know what went wrong in Gainesville and in Houston, and have addressed both issues. We made a few test runs in Atlanta last week, and believe everything should be working perfectly this weekend. I’m just as confident as I was coming off the win in Phoenix. We're ready to start swinging for the fences again, seeing if we can hit a home run, and win someone a trip to Las Vegas courtesy of ACDelco."
In only its seventh year on the NHRA tour, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has firmly established itself as one of the crown jewels of the drag racing world and a favorite of both the racers and fans. This magnificent facility has also entrenched itself at the top of Kurt's personal list, as evidenced by his two wins and five final round appearances in his last eight races in the Silver State.
"Las Vegas has been very good to the ACDelco Cobalt crew," said Johnson. "The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is one of the very best facilities we race on, as are all the racetracks owned by Bruton Smith. The racing surface is pretty smooth, the pit area is completely paved and they take excellent care of it. When you combine that with its location in the shadow of the entertainment capital of the world, you come up with a fun place to race. It's shaping up to be a great weekend, and we’re ready to waltz down the boulevard."
This year, ACDelco is teaming with Kurt Johnson to produce the "ACDelco Drive to Win" Sweepstakes, where entrants can win awards, racing trips and prizes, including the grand prize: a 2007 Cobalt SS complete with Genuine Chevrolet Accessories. For more information on Kurt Johnson, ACDelco and the Drive to Win Sweepstakes, please visit http://www.acdelco.com/promotions/drivetowin/
Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team By the Numbers – SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals edition:
2 – KJ wins in Las Vegas, which came in 2005 & 2006
5 – Kurt's Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Final Round Appearances
6 – Top half qualifying starts for KJ in Las Vegas, where his average starting position is 7.08
6.613 – KJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
12 – KJ Vegas starts, dating back to the inaugural race in 2000.
13 – Consecutive years in which Kurt has won at least one national event, the longest active streak in Pro Stock.
20 – KJ elimination round wins at The Strip, versus 10 losses for a .667 win percentage.
209.26 - KJ's career best top speed (in mph) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
699 – Kurt career elimination rounds coming into Las Vegas, with a 447-252 win-loss record.
2006 – KJ's most recent win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which came at this race one year ago when he qualified sixth and defeated Mike Edwards, Erica Enders, Jason Line and Dave Connolly.
Event Schedule:
Friday, April 13: Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 & 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 14: Two qualifying sessions at 12 noon & 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 15: Pre-race ceremonies starting at 10:00 a.m.
First Round of Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
TMG Sports Marketing
ACDelco crew targets successful defense of 2006 SummitRacing.com Nationals title
Sugar Hill, Ga., April 11, 2007 – Throughout the first four races of the 2007 POWERade Drag racing season, Kurt Johnson and his ACDelco Cobalt Racing team have worked tirelessly to establish the consistency necessary to win on a regular basis. There have been glimpses of their tremendous potential, such as their winning performance in Phoenix in February. However, Johnson knows that in order to challenge for this year’s championship, such strong showings must be the rule rather than the exception.
Fortunately, coming into this weekend's SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, NV, the second-generation racer is confident they have gotten a firm handle on their race car, and arrives in the Nevada desert determined to repeat their winning performance from this race a year ago.
"If you really want to know the truth, we were just trying to get our odds up coming into Vegas," joked Johnson. "In all seriousness, things were happening with our race car through the first few races that hurt our performance. It's taken some time, but we have been working to not only find out what to fix, but to also see what we needed to do to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.
"As a result, we've gone over every inch of this ACDelco Cobalt several times. We know what went wrong in Gainesville and in Houston, and have addressed both issues. We made a few test runs in Atlanta last week, and believe everything should be working perfectly this weekend. I’m just as confident as I was coming off the win in Phoenix. We're ready to start swinging for the fences again, seeing if we can hit a home run, and win someone a trip to Las Vegas courtesy of ACDelco."
In only its seventh year on the NHRA tour, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has firmly established itself as one of the crown jewels of the drag racing world and a favorite of both the racers and fans. This magnificent facility has also entrenched itself at the top of Kurt's personal list, as evidenced by his two wins and five final round appearances in his last eight races in the Silver State.
"Las Vegas has been very good to the ACDelco Cobalt crew," said Johnson. "The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is one of the very best facilities we race on, as are all the racetracks owned by Bruton Smith. The racing surface is pretty smooth, the pit area is completely paved and they take excellent care of it. When you combine that with its location in the shadow of the entertainment capital of the world, you come up with a fun place to race. It's shaping up to be a great weekend, and we’re ready to waltz down the boulevard."
This year, ACDelco is teaming with Kurt Johnson to produce the "ACDelco Drive to Win" Sweepstakes, where entrants can win awards, racing trips and prizes, including the grand prize: a 2007 Cobalt SS complete with Genuine Chevrolet Accessories. For more information on Kurt Johnson, ACDelco and the Drive to Win Sweepstakes, please visit http://www.acdelco.com/promotions/drivetowin/
Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team By the Numbers – SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals edition:
2 – KJ wins in Las Vegas, which came in 2005 & 2006
5 – Kurt's Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Final Round Appearances
6 – Top half qualifying starts for KJ in Las Vegas, where his average starting position is 7.08
6.613 – KJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
12 – KJ Vegas starts, dating back to the inaugural race in 2000.
13 – Consecutive years in which Kurt has won at least one national event, the longest active streak in Pro Stock.
20 – KJ elimination round wins at The Strip, versus 10 losses for a .667 win percentage.
209.26 - KJ's career best top speed (in mph) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
699 – Kurt career elimination rounds coming into Las Vegas, with a 447-252 win-loss record.
2006 – KJ's most recent win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which came at this race one year ago when he qualified sixth and defeated Mike Edwards, Erica Enders, Jason Line and Dave Connolly.
Event Schedule:
Friday, April 13: Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 & 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 14: Two qualifying sessions at 12 noon & 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 15: Pre-race ceremonies starting at 10:00 a.m.
First Round of Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
posted by David @ 4:01 PM
KJ Works to Hit the Jackpot in Las Vegas
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
ACDelco crew targets successful defense of 2006 SummitRacing.com Nationals title
Sugar Hill, Ga., April 11, 2007 – Throughout the first four races of the 2007 POWERade Drag racing season, Kurt Johnson and his ACDelco Cobalt Racing team have worked tirelessly to establish the consistency necessary to win on a regular basis. There have been glimpses of their tremendous potential, such as their winning performance in Phoenix in February. However, Johnson knows that in order to challenge for this year’s championship, such strong showings must be the rule rather than the exception.
Fortunately, coming into this weekend's SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, NV, the second-generation racer is confident they have gotten a firm handle on their race car, and arrives in the Nevada desert determined to repeat their winning performance from this race a year ago.
"If you really want to know the truth, we were just trying to get our odds up coming into Vegas," joked Johnson. "In all seriousness, things were happening with our race car through the first few races that hurt our performance. It's taken some time, but we have been working to not only find out what to fix, but to also see what we needed to do to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.
"As a result, we've gone over every inch of this ACDelco Cobalt several times. We know what went wrong in Gainesville and in Houston, and have addressed both issues. We made a few test runs in Atlanta last week, and believe everything should be working perfectly this weekend. I’m just as confident as I was coming off the win in Phoenix. We're ready to start swinging for the fences again, seeing if we can hit a home run, and win someone a trip to Las Vegas courtesy of ACDelco."
In only its seventh year on the NHRA tour, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has firmly established itself as one of the crown jewels of the drag racing world and a favorite of both the racers and fans. This magnificent facility has also entrenched itself at the top of Kurt's personal list, as evidenced by his two wins and five final round appearances in his last eight races in the Silver State.
"Las Vegas has been very good to the ACDelco Cobalt crew," said Johnson. "The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is one of the very best facilities we race on, as are all the racetracks owned by Bruton Smith. The racing surface is pretty smooth, the pit area is completely paved and they take excellent care of it. When you combine that with its location in the shadow of the entertainment capital of the world, you come up with a fun place to race. It's shaping up to be a great weekend, and we’re ready to waltz down the boulevard."
This year, ACDelco is teaming with Kurt Johnson to produce the "ACDelco Drive to Win" Sweepstakes, where entrants can win awards, racing trips and prizes, including the grand prize: a 2007 Cobalt SS complete with Genuine Chevrolet Accessories. For more information on Kurt Johnson, ACDelco and the Drive to Win Sweepstakes, please visit http://www.acdelco.com/promotions/drivetowin/
Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team By the Numbers – SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals edition:
2 – KJ wins in Las Vegas, which came in 2005 & 2006
5 – Kurt's Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Final Round Appearances
6 – Top half qualifying starts for KJ in Las Vegas, where his average starting position is 7.08
6.613 – KJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
12 – KJ Vegas starts, dating back to the inaugural race in 2000.
13 – Consecutive years in which Kurt has won at least one national event, the longest active streak in Pro Stock.
20 – KJ elimination round wins at The Strip, versus 10 losses for a .667 win percentage.
209.26 - KJ's career best top speed (in mph) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
699 – Kurt career elimination rounds coming into Las Vegas, with a 447-252 win-loss record.
2006 – KJ's most recent win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which came at this race one year ago when he qualified sixth and defeated Mike Edwards, Erica Enders, Jason Line and Dave Connolly.
Event Schedule:
Friday, April 13: Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 & 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 14: Two qualifying sessions at 12 noon & 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 15: Pre-race ceremonies starting at 10:00 a.m.
First Round of Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
TMG Sports Marketing
ACDelco crew targets successful defense of 2006 SummitRacing.com Nationals title
Sugar Hill, Ga., April 11, 2007 – Throughout the first four races of the 2007 POWERade Drag racing season, Kurt Johnson and his ACDelco Cobalt Racing team have worked tirelessly to establish the consistency necessary to win on a regular basis. There have been glimpses of their tremendous potential, such as their winning performance in Phoenix in February. However, Johnson knows that in order to challenge for this year’s championship, such strong showings must be the rule rather than the exception.
Fortunately, coming into this weekend's SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas, NV, the second-generation racer is confident they have gotten a firm handle on their race car, and arrives in the Nevada desert determined to repeat their winning performance from this race a year ago.
"If you really want to know the truth, we were just trying to get our odds up coming into Vegas," joked Johnson. "In all seriousness, things were happening with our race car through the first few races that hurt our performance. It's taken some time, but we have been working to not only find out what to fix, but to also see what we needed to do to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.
"As a result, we've gone over every inch of this ACDelco Cobalt several times. We know what went wrong in Gainesville and in Houston, and have addressed both issues. We made a few test runs in Atlanta last week, and believe everything should be working perfectly this weekend. I’m just as confident as I was coming off the win in Phoenix. We're ready to start swinging for the fences again, seeing if we can hit a home run, and win someone a trip to Las Vegas courtesy of ACDelco."
In only its seventh year on the NHRA tour, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has firmly established itself as one of the crown jewels of the drag racing world and a favorite of both the racers and fans. This magnificent facility has also entrenched itself at the top of Kurt's personal list, as evidenced by his two wins and five final round appearances in his last eight races in the Silver State.
"Las Vegas has been very good to the ACDelco Cobalt crew," said Johnson. "The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is one of the very best facilities we race on, as are all the racetracks owned by Bruton Smith. The racing surface is pretty smooth, the pit area is completely paved and they take excellent care of it. When you combine that with its location in the shadow of the entertainment capital of the world, you come up with a fun place to race. It's shaping up to be a great weekend, and we’re ready to waltz down the boulevard."
This year, ACDelco is teaming with Kurt Johnson to produce the "ACDelco Drive to Win" Sweepstakes, where entrants can win awards, racing trips and prizes, including the grand prize: a 2007 Cobalt SS complete with Genuine Chevrolet Accessories. For more information on Kurt Johnson, ACDelco and the Drive to Win Sweepstakes, please visit http://www.acdelco.com/promotions/drivetowin/
Kurt Johnson & the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team By the Numbers – SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals edition:
2 – KJ wins in Las Vegas, which came in 2005 & 2006
5 – Kurt's Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Final Round Appearances
6 – Top half qualifying starts for KJ in Las Vegas, where his average starting position is 7.08
6.613 – KJ's career best elapsed time (in seconds) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
12 – KJ Vegas starts, dating back to the inaugural race in 2000.
13 – Consecutive years in which Kurt has won at least one national event, the longest active streak in Pro Stock.
20 – KJ elimination round wins at The Strip, versus 10 losses for a .667 win percentage.
209.26 - KJ's career best top speed (in mph) recorded in October 2006 in Richmond, VA
699 – Kurt career elimination rounds coming into Las Vegas, with a 447-252 win-loss record.
2006 – KJ's most recent win at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which came at this race one year ago when he qualified sixth and defeated Mike Edwards, Erica Enders, Jason Line and Dave Connolly.
Event Schedule:
Friday, April 13: Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 & 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 14: Two qualifying sessions at 12 noon & 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 15: Pre-race ceremonies starting at 10:00 a.m.
First Round of Eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
posted by David @ 4:01 PM
The Bazemore Bulletin
The prerace release of 20-time NHRA winner Whit Bazemore and the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Top Fuel team
Contact: Ted Yerzyk
Eighth annual Summitracing.com Nationals
April 12-15, 2007
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas
"I'm looking forward to the Vegas race. I want to get back to racing where I love it. We thought about Eric Medlen a lot at Houston and it wasn't a fun place to be. I want to get back to racing in a good place. We've got a good car and a good team. We're going to go there with an aggressive state of mind. That's what it takes to be successful. I'm excited to go to Vegas."
Bazemore Las Vegas Notebook
Last year, Bazemore qualified 10th (4.799 seconds) at The Strip at LVMS. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to then teammate Ron Capps.
Bazemore qualified first at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748, 323.04) and 2003 (4.788, 324.44). He has 30 career poles.
Bazemore powered his Matco Tools Funny Car to low elapsed time of the meet at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748 seconds) and 2003 (4.788 seconds). He has earned low E.T. honors 25 times.
Bazemore raced his Funny Car to top speed of the meet at LVMS in 2001 (323.04 mph) and 2002 (325.85 mph). He has earned the top speed of the meet 27 times in his career.
Bazemore has advanced to the final round at The Strip at LVMS five time. He also has been to the final round at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash. five times.
Bazemore enters the Las Vegas race ranked fourth in the POWERade standings. He trails teammate and points leader Rod Fuller by 47 points.
At the last race, Bazemore earned his 30th career pole by driving to a run of 4.514 seconds at Houston. He became the 15th driver in NHRA history to qualify No. 1 in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.
Baze Banters About Las Vegas...
Las Vegas:
"Secondhand smoke and money"
The Strip at LVMS:
"A great race track"
Favorite Las Vegas-area cycling route:
"Lake Mead"
Favorite local restaurant:
"Smith & Wollensky"
Favorite The Strip at LVMS memory:
"Winning there in '05"
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings
1. ROD FULLER (1) 307 - - - -
2. J.R. Todd (2) 291 -16
3. Tony Schumacher (1) 266 -41
4. WHIT BAZEMORE 260 -47
5. Larry Dixon 239 -68
6. David Grubnic 228 -79
7. Melanie Troxel 214 -93
8. Brandon Bernstein 213 -94
9. Doug Kalitta 170 -137
10. Joe Hartley 153 -154
Whit Bazemore's Career Results at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
2000 No. 10 1st round—Al Hofmann
2001 No. 12 Runner-up—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2002 No. 1 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 3 1st round—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2004 No. 3 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 1 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2003 No. 6 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2004 No. 10 Runner-up—Phil Burkart, Jr.
2004 No. 4 1 st round—Cruz Pedregon
2005 No. 12 WINNER—Tony Bartone
2005 No. 14 1st—Cruz Pedregon
2006 No. 16 Semifinals—Ron Capps
Bazemore's Las Vegas Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Thurs., April 12, 5-6:30 p.m. Silverton Hotel & Casino
7-8 p.m. ESPN Zone at New York, New York
Fri., April 13, 3:30/6:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, The Strip at LVMS
Sat., April 14, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, The Strip at LVMS
Sun., April 15, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, The Strip at LVMS
Bazemore's Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.507 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 MPH (TF) Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—333.25 MPH (FC) Joliet, Ill. June 2004
Summitracing.com Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
April 14, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
April 15, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
April 15, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
www.matcotools.com
www.davidpowersmotorsports.com
Contact: Ted Yerzyk
Eighth annual Summitracing.com Nationals
April 12-15, 2007
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas
"I'm looking forward to the Vegas race. I want to get back to racing where I love it. We thought about Eric Medlen a lot at Houston and it wasn't a fun place to be. I want to get back to racing in a good place. We've got a good car and a good team. We're going to go there with an aggressive state of mind. That's what it takes to be successful. I'm excited to go to Vegas."
Bazemore Las Vegas Notebook
Last year, Bazemore qualified 10th (4.799 seconds) at The Strip at LVMS. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to then teammate Ron Capps.
Bazemore qualified first at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748, 323.04) and 2003 (4.788, 324.44). He has 30 career poles.
Bazemore powered his Matco Tools Funny Car to low elapsed time of the meet at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748 seconds) and 2003 (4.788 seconds). He has earned low E.T. honors 25 times.
Bazemore raced his Funny Car to top speed of the meet at LVMS in 2001 (323.04 mph) and 2002 (325.85 mph). He has earned the top speed of the meet 27 times in his career.
Bazemore has advanced to the final round at The Strip at LVMS five time. He also has been to the final round at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash. five times.
Bazemore enters the Las Vegas race ranked fourth in the POWERade standings. He trails teammate and points leader Rod Fuller by 47 points.
At the last race, Bazemore earned his 30th career pole by driving to a run of 4.514 seconds at Houston. He became the 15th driver in NHRA history to qualify No. 1 in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.
Baze Banters About Las Vegas...
Las Vegas:
"Secondhand smoke and money"
The Strip at LVMS:
"A great race track"
Favorite Las Vegas-area cycling route:
"Lake Mead"
Favorite local restaurant:
"Smith & Wollensky"
Favorite The Strip at LVMS memory:
"Winning there in '05"
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings
1. ROD FULLER (1) 307 - - - -
2. J.R. Todd (2) 291 -16
3. Tony Schumacher (1) 266 -41
4. WHIT BAZEMORE 260 -47
5. Larry Dixon 239 -68
6. David Grubnic 228 -79
7. Melanie Troxel 214 -93
8. Brandon Bernstein 213 -94
9. Doug Kalitta 170 -137
10. Joe Hartley 153 -154
Whit Bazemore's Career Results at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
2000 No. 10 1st round—Al Hofmann
2001 No. 12 Runner-up—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2002 No. 1 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 3 1st round—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2004 No. 3 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 1 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2003 No. 6 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2004 No. 10 Runner-up—Phil Burkart, Jr.
2004 No. 4 1 st round—Cruz Pedregon
2005 No. 12 WINNER—Tony Bartone
2005 No. 14 1st—Cruz Pedregon
2006 No. 16 Semifinals—Ron Capps
Bazemore's Las Vegas Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Thurs., April 12, 5-6:30 p.m. Silverton Hotel & Casino
7-8 p.m. ESPN Zone at New York, New York
Fri., April 13, 3:30/6:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, The Strip at LVMS
Sat., April 14, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, The Strip at LVMS
Sun., April 15, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, The Strip at LVMS
Bazemore's Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.507 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 MPH (TF) Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—333.25 MPH (FC) Joliet, Ill. June 2004
Summitracing.com Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
April 14, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
April 15, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
April 15, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
www.matcotools.com
www.davidpowersmotorsports.com
posted by David @ 3:52 PM
The Bazemore Bulletin
The prerace release of 20-time NHRA winner Whit Bazemore and the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Top Fuel team
Contact: Ted Yerzyk
Eighth annual Summitracing.com Nationals
April 12-15, 2007
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas
"I'm looking forward to the Vegas race. I want to get back to racing where I love it. We thought about Eric Medlen a lot at Houston and it wasn't a fun place to be. I want to get back to racing in a good place. We've got a good car and a good team. We're going to go there with an aggressive state of mind. That's what it takes to be successful. I'm excited to go to Vegas."
Bazemore Las Vegas Notebook
Last year, Bazemore qualified 10th (4.799 seconds) at The Strip at LVMS. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to then teammate Ron Capps.
Bazemore qualified first at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748, 323.04) and 2003 (4.788, 324.44). He has 30 career poles.
Bazemore powered his Matco Tools Funny Car to low elapsed time of the meet at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748 seconds) and 2003 (4.788 seconds). He has earned low E.T. honors 25 times.
Bazemore raced his Funny Car to top speed of the meet at LVMS in 2001 (323.04 mph) and 2002 (325.85 mph). He has earned the top speed of the meet 27 times in his career.
Bazemore has advanced to the final round at The Strip at LVMS five time. He also has been to the final round at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash. five times.
Bazemore enters the Las Vegas race ranked fourth in the POWERade standings. He trails teammate and points leader Rod Fuller by 47 points.
At the last race, Bazemore earned his 30th career pole by driving to a run of 4.514 seconds at Houston. He became the 15th driver in NHRA history to qualify No. 1 in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.
Baze Banters About Las Vegas...
Las Vegas:
"Secondhand smoke and money"
The Strip at LVMS:
"A great race track"
Favorite Las Vegas-area cycling route:
"Lake Mead"
Favorite local restaurant:
"Smith & Wollensky"
Favorite The Strip at LVMS memory:
"Winning there in '05"
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings
1. ROD FULLER (1) 307 - - - -
2. J.R. Todd (2) 291 -16
3. Tony Schumacher (1) 266 -41
4. WHIT BAZEMORE 260 -47
5. Larry Dixon 239 -68
6. David Grubnic 228 -79
7. Melanie Troxel 214 -93
8. Brandon Bernstein 213 -94
9. Doug Kalitta 170 -137
10. Joe Hartley 153 -154
Whit Bazemore's Career Results at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
2000 No. 10 1st round—Al Hofmann
2001 No. 12 Runner-up—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2002 No. 1 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 3 1st round—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2004 No. 3 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 1 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2003 No. 6 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2004 No. 10 Runner-up—Phil Burkart, Jr.
2004 No. 4 1 st round—Cruz Pedregon
2005 No. 12 WINNER—Tony Bartone
2005 No. 14 1st—Cruz Pedregon
2006 No. 16 Semifinals—Ron Capps
Bazemore's Las Vegas Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Thurs., April 12, 5-6:30 p.m. Silverton Hotel & Casino
7-8 p.m. ESPN Zone at New York, New York
Fri., April 13, 3:30/6:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, The Strip at LVMS
Sat., April 14, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, The Strip at LVMS
Sun., April 15, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, The Strip at LVMS
Bazemore's Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.507 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 MPH (TF) Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—333.25 MPH (FC) Joliet, Ill. June 2004
Summitracing.com Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
April 14, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
April 15, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
April 15, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
www.matcotools.com
www.davidpowersmotorsports.com
Contact: Ted Yerzyk
Eighth annual Summitracing.com Nationals
April 12-15, 2007
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas
"I'm looking forward to the Vegas race. I want to get back to racing where I love it. We thought about Eric Medlen a lot at Houston and it wasn't a fun place to be. I want to get back to racing in a good place. We've got a good car and a good team. We're going to go there with an aggressive state of mind. That's what it takes to be successful. I'm excited to go to Vegas."
Bazemore Las Vegas Notebook
Last year, Bazemore qualified 10th (4.799 seconds) at The Strip at LVMS. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to then teammate Ron Capps.
Bazemore qualified first at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748, 323.04) and 2003 (4.788, 324.44). He has 30 career poles.
Bazemore powered his Matco Tools Funny Car to low elapsed time of the meet at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748 seconds) and 2003 (4.788 seconds). He has earned low E.T. honors 25 times.
Bazemore raced his Funny Car to top speed of the meet at LVMS in 2001 (323.04 mph) and 2002 (325.85 mph). He has earned the top speed of the meet 27 times in his career.
Bazemore has advanced to the final round at The Strip at LVMS five time. He also has been to the final round at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash. five times.
Bazemore enters the Las Vegas race ranked fourth in the POWERade standings. He trails teammate and points leader Rod Fuller by 47 points.
At the last race, Bazemore earned his 30th career pole by driving to a run of 4.514 seconds at Houston. He became the 15th driver in NHRA history to qualify No. 1 in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.
Baze Banters About Las Vegas...
Las Vegas:
"Secondhand smoke and money"
The Strip at LVMS:
"A great race track"
Favorite Las Vegas-area cycling route:
"Lake Mead"
Favorite local restaurant:
"Smith & Wollensky"
Favorite The Strip at LVMS memory:
"Winning there in '05"
2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings
1. ROD FULLER (1) 307 - - - -
2. J.R. Todd (2) 291 -16
3. Tony Schumacher (1) 266 -41
4. WHIT BAZEMORE 260 -47
5. Larry Dixon 239 -68
6. David Grubnic 228 -79
7. Melanie Troxel 214 -93
8. Brandon Bernstein 213 -94
9. Doug Kalitta 170 -137
10. Joe Hartley 153 -154
Whit Bazemore's Career Results at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver
2000 No. 10 1st round—Al Hofmann
2001 No. 12 Runner-up—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2002 No. 1 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 3 1st round—Tommy Johnson, Jr.
2004 No. 3 Second round—Ron Capps
2003 No. 1 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2003 No. 6 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon
2004 No. 10 Runner-up—Phil Burkart, Jr.
2004 No. 4 1 st round—Cruz Pedregon
2005 No. 12 WINNER—Tony Bartone
2005 No. 14 1st—Cruz Pedregon
2006 No. 16 Semifinals—Ron Capps
Bazemore's Las Vegas Schedule
Date & Time Event and Location
Thurs., April 12, 5-6:30 p.m. Silverton Hotel & Casino
7-8 p.m. ESPN Zone at New York, New York
Fri., April 13, 3:30/6:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, The Strip at LVMS
Sat., April 14, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, The Strip at LVMS
Sun., April 15, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, The Strip at LVMS
Bazemore's Career-Best Performances
E.T.—4.507 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—329.75 MPH (TF) Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007
MPH—333.25 MPH (FC) Joliet, Ill. June 2004
Summitracing.com Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)
Date & Time (ET) Coverage
April 14, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights
April 15, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day
April 15, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage
www.matcotools.com
www.davidpowersmotorsports.com
posted by David @ 3:52 PM
Sunday, April 08, 2007
COLD CONDITIONS STOP SUMMIT BRACKET SERIES EVENT AT ATLANTA DRAGWAY
RACE DATE: April 7, 2007
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Summit Bracket Series race at Atlanta Dragway
(Saturday, April 7 - Atlanta Dragway) Atlanta Dragway racers were a bit disappointed, but understanding, of the decision to call off the Summit ET Series event scheduled for Saturday, April 7, 2007. Because the unseasonably cold temperatures created a safety hazard on the track, Atlanta Dragway officials cancelled the race.
Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing area of Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2004 events, including the 27th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals on April 26 - 29, may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to
www.atlantadragway.com .
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Summit Bracket Series race at Atlanta Dragway
(Saturday, April 7 - Atlanta Dragway) Atlanta Dragway racers were a bit disappointed, but understanding, of the decision to call off the Summit ET Series event scheduled for Saturday, April 7, 2007. Because the unseasonably cold temperatures created a safety hazard on the track, Atlanta Dragway officials cancelled the race.
Sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), Atlanta Dragway is located just off I-85 at Exit 149 in the Banks Crossing area of Commerce, Georgia. Information on all 2004 events, including the 27th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals on April 26 - 29, may be obtained by calling the track office (706-335-2301) or logging on to
www.atlantadragway.com .
posted by David @ 10:10 PM
