"Sarge's Car Between Rounds"

This is the "Army Strong" Top Fuel Dragster driven by 4 time and defending NHRA POWERAde (soon to be Full Throttle) Drag Racing Champion Tony Schumacher. Conditions here at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie (south of Ft. Lee/Petersburg),VA are ideal for fans and the cars... Tony's dragster set an elapsed time of 3.771 for the low ET so far...and he's safely in the second round. In the nitro Funny Cars, Robert Hight stopped the clock at 4.005 seconds. Schumacher could clinch title number five here today...but all the planets need to align, i's get dotted and t's get crossed. If Schumacher goes to the final round...

UPDATE: Hillary Will won her second round match...so Tony Schumacher will have to wait until the next to last race weekend at Las Vegas to clinch his fifth Top Fuel title. The top shot shows a little more detail about how the teams spend the 75 minutes between rounds...yes, that piece of metal in the middle of the frame is the engine block, which is freshened up with fresh pistons and sleeves in the block, reassembled, and fired up before each round.

Pro Stock (with the carburetors and gasoline) like this weather as well.

More from Lowe's

If you heard the strains of "Kumbya" near Lowe's Motor Speedway yesterday...it was probably during a meeting between Kevin "Happy" Harvick and "Cousin" Carl Edwards in the NASCAR trailer...reports suggest NASCAR major domo Mike Helton led the chorus in Concord.

Had H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler still been on the job at the "Beast of the Southeast"--we'd have seen a ring materialize in the Lowe's Motor Speedway infield, and 16 ounce Everlast gloves dropped off at the trailers of Messrs. Harvick and Edwards.

My few dinars would have been placed on Mr. Harvick.

We'll update the NHRA Championship Countdown, and snapshot a winner for you here in Dinwiddie later this afternoon.

Happy Harvick, Cousin Carl & Fist City; Helio Cleared for Down Under; Halfway to the Chase

Greetings from Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC...on an Indian Summer day, where the infield is a little less full and tempers in the Sprint Cup garage area are sharp...Kevin "Happy" Harvick was less than pleased with Carl Edwards's performance at Talladega last weekend..."Cousin" Carl wasn't happy with Mr. Harvick's reaction...the result--boys will be boys...lots of ink and TV time...and something to blunt the rainout theatre. Wonder if that bumper on Harvick's mount (above) is "reinforced". Jimmie Johnson and "Cousin Carl" will start on the set by owner points front row here at Lowe's. That will leave Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead to decide the winner of the 2008 version of the Sprint Cup.

Helio Castroneves has the terms of his bond modified, so he can race at the IndyCar finale at Surfer's Paradise, Australia...usually folks charged in Federal Court would surrender their passport...a settlement is more than possible.

Had a chat with Stu Grant, Goodyear's racing boss, on their test at Indianapolis. Just so you know, they were not happy with what happened in late July at the Brickyard. The test went much better than the race, since the new compound put more rubber down on the track, and the tires could go for a fuel stop with all the rubber put down. Stu told me that the new car (a/k/a 'winged wonder') put more of a load on the right side of the car (78 % more) and exhibited more slip than the old car did. Slip, in this case, meant that the contact patch tracked more like a diamond, rather than a rectangle. The engineers in Akron worked on a compound that would compensate for that slip and increased load, and the test showed dramatically improved "rubbering" of the track. The engineers determined all of this by analysis of the rubber dust from the track in July. Bottom line: the findings will help wear at all NASCAR tracks--and may even get to the sporty car brand--Dunlop--and down the road, to a set of high performance tires near you.

We'll rejoin you after the race with a snapshot and quick recap of the race--then head north for Petersburg, VA and the second half of the NHRA's Countdown to One.

Engine Failure Causes Kalitta Crash, so says NJ State Police

The New Jersey State Police released their findings from the investigation into Scott Kalitta's fatal qualifying crash at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, in Englishtown, NJ back in June. The engine suffered a catastrophic failure (speed at the 1/4 mile was 300.73 miles per hour), which in turn blew the body off his Funny Car at speed. That failure caused the parachutes not to deploy fully, Kalitta jammed on the manual brakes, and the car hit a boom on a television truck at the top end at what was approximated at 125 miles per hour. New Jersey's State Police investigates all fatal accidents at auto racing facilities as part of their regulation of the sport. The report also says Kalitta had .02 BAC in his blood when the autopsy was performed. That contravenes NHRA and New Jersey auto racing regulations. For the record, New Jersey's legal limit for alcohol intoxication is .08 BAC. Did the .02 BAC contribute to the crash? The State Police report lists that as a noteworthy/contributory item, but not as the major cause of the crash. I'll suspect Graham Light will read the riot act at the next driver's meeting.

The timing of this report is especially noteworthy, since the NHRA is racing this weekend at the Texas Motorplex at Ennis, Texas, where John Force suffered major injuries last September. That he is even racing, let alone in the Funny Car Countdown to One, speaks volumes about his determination. I think Mr. Force has some unfinished business in the Lone Star State this weekend.

Straight Line Notes

Greetings from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where the American LeMans Series completed a warmup, and the IndyCars are now getting in final tweaks before "knockout" qualifying for the pole for Sunday's race.

The straight line NHRA racers are in the second leg of the "Western Swing" outside Kent, WA. It is the second race for the reduced 1000 foot distance for the nitro Top Fuel and Funny Cars, while a panel of Top Fuel and Funny Car crew chiefs and drivers tries to find a solution that would help to enhance safety in NHRA Pro Drag Racing. This is one committee where the operating parameter is damned if you do, damned if you don't.

With more publicity than ever before, the NHRA cannot--and likely won't--do business as usual after Scott Kalitta's tragic fatal crash. Look what happened to NASCAR before and after Dale Earnhardt was killed.

I received some research on the length of drag racing facilities that was originally compiled by drag racing reporter Bret Kepner. He listed the active venues that hold events (Z Max at Lowe's Motor Speedway has yet to open...so is not listed). The longest facility from the starting stripe , through the sand trap/"kitty litter"/pea gravel pit to a natural barrier (like a public road, lake, railroad track, tree line, etc) is Firebird Raceway outside Phoenix, with a length of 6,458 feet. The shortest is Old Bridge Township Raceway park in Englishtown, NJ--2,488 feet. The average length of a drag racing lane is 3236 feet.

Sandtraps vary from no trap at places like Seattle and Norwalk, OH. The longest sandtrap is found at one of the shortest facilities--Pomona, with 320 feet. The average length of the pit/sand trap is 180 feet. Old Bridge Township Raceway Park has 127 feet.

Thoughts here: The idea behind a sand trap/gravel pit is to dissipate as much energy as possible when a car goes into the trap/pit. So do these traps/pits need to be longer, do they need to be deeper and do they need to be filled with a different blend of materials that would dissipate energy quicker and faster when a car enters?

That's just one angle NHRA should be considering.

My take on this is that the committee ought to be relooking at every way to stop or slow one of the nitro cars (Top Fuel and Funny Cars) after a run if the parachutes and brakes aren't doing the job. Do the brakes need to be more robust? Do the Funny Cars need another system to complement the parachutes mounted to the body? And do they need to be going 330 miles an hour..or would 310 be enough to insure good racing and promote safety? What will be the least expensive way to insure that safety? Redesign of facilities or engines/chassis?

Just my .02

We'll rejoin you with a snapshot of the fast six from IndyCar qualifying.

Enjoy the sculpture from hammersandwelders.com .

Andretti Fast in Practice; deFerran takes ALMS Pole

Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan were 1&2 in practice for tomorrow's IndyCar "knockout" qualifying session. Typical summer heat here at Lexington, OH...Kanaan says the seeds for running well when it's hot are planted in the off season...Kanaan, who lives in Miami, says training in the heat pays benefits on days like this. Marco, as one might expect, thinks the more seat time the better...but won't double up this weekend in the ALMS Andretti-Green Acura...he says he wants to stay sharp for the Indy Car race...and that two road course races in a weekend would take a lot out of a driver. Oval races, says Andretti, are a bit easier on the driver.

There's no racing rust for Gil deFerran (picture, right)...the ex-sporting director for Honda's F1 effort...past CART champion and Indianapolis 500 winner sits on the overall pole for the American LeMans Series here at Mid-Ohio. This was Gil's first pole in 3 ALMS events. LMP2 Acuras sit on the front row...David Brabham from last week's race winning Highcroft Patron racing team is second fastest...the Penske Porsche driven by Timo Bernhard starts 3rd...and in LMP1...Marco Werner (picture, left) and the Audi R10 diesel starts 4th overall.

Gil says the challenge of getting that Acura to go faster is a challenge which seems to bring out the best in his team. He's always been kind of an analytical driver. In a series that allows more technical innovation, analysis is a good thing.

We'll rejoin you with IndyCar qualifying tomorrow...plus a drag racing take on shortening the track for the nitro Top Fuel and Funny Car cars.

Catch Up Weekend

• Laptop crashes are no fun...especially at a race track. Hence, no pix or blogging from a popular win by Bobby Rahal's driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay, at Watkins Glen International.
• EJ Viso has the mumps, and won't be racing tonight at Nashville, where Helio Castroneves is on the pole...Helio's Indy Car ship needs to be righted...and with the Captain, Roger Penske, returning to the track...the inspiration sits on the pit box.
• The NASCAR beat media has gone ga-ga over the rumor that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama would sponsor the BAM Racing machine in a one race deal at Pocono Raceway in August. Chris Jenkins of the AP did some homework, called the Obama campaign, and Jenkins reported the Obama campaign said (in so many words) "that dog won't hunt". I wonder whether Grant v NASCAR drove that few million dollars away.
• So Tony Stewart and Gene Haas combined to form Stewart-Haas Racing for 2009 and beyond. An interesting development...but not one that deserves the wall-to-wall coverage it is getting. On a personal business level, I wish "Smoke" great success as an owner.
• This is the first weekend of the NHRA's 1000 foot experiment...and still the nitro Top Fuel cars ran over 300 miles an hour and covered 1,000 feet in under 4 seconds at Bandimere Speedway outside Denver, the first part of the Western Swing. Shortening the distance for nitro cars an interim measure which will buy the NHRA time as their newly convened panel studies the issue on how to enhance nitro car (Top Fuel and Funny Car) safety. Bandimere has installed a cooling system under the 1/4 mile track...a first.
• Senator John Warner (R-Va.) is a distinguished public servant, who is retiring from the Senate. Warner's record in national defense issues cannot be faulted. His suggestion that the 55 mile an hour speed limit be reinstituted is not such a good idea, and, like those who oppose drilling for our own oil in our own country, relies on outdated thinking not grounded in the real world of today. In 1973, when edition one was tried, the fleet of cars on the road was mostly comprised of carbureted V8 rear wheel drive sedans. That rear wheel drive V8 configuration exists mainly in today's full size sport utility fleet. You would be hard pressed to find a new car or truck that comes with a carbureted engine. Most of the vehicles sold in the US are front wheel drive. So technology has advanced, and it will continue to do so, if driven by the market. Want proof? Look at Honda's sales numbers and compare them to sales of manufacturers that rely primarily on SUVs to make their profit in the past few months. The market will take care of the problem if it is allowed to work, by increasing supply (which means drilling for oil in United States possessions and offshore, accelerating the use of E85 and its manufacture from cellulosic ethanol, more use of bio diesel and enhancing economy with real world improvements like more five and six speed automatic transmissions on even the smallest of vehicles) to meet our demand. The drilling technology has advanced since edition one of the "energy crisis". As for conservation: it will come naturally with more real world improvements like five, six and even seven speed automatic transmissions, better fuel management thanks to direct injection, and more efficient aerodynamics. The hybrid, fuel cell and all electric vehicles are only part of the answer and should be further developed. As more five speed automatics replace older three and four speed automatic transmision cars...the efficiency will go up.
• The enforcement of a 55 mile an hour speed limit also poses a public safety issue: We need our policemen to protect us from murderers, sex offenders, robbers, and those whose actions pose a forcible threat to our lives and property. As eyewash with a 55 mile an hour speed limit, state and local governments would take cops off the job they do best--protecting our neighborhoods, since all law enforcement is local--and in essence turn them into "tax collectors" with stepped up 55 mile per hour speed enforcement operations, because that is an easier way to raise revenue than taxes. That is, unfortunately, easier for governments than actually enacting policies that facilitate an increase in supply of fuels whether locally or nationally.
• In my opinion, the ideal car (and this comes from someone who's driven more than 770 to produce a national radio program) is one that is fast, safe, functional and thrifty. That would mean the car would have to have a 9 second or faster 0-60 time; a five star front and side crash rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat four, carry their luggage and entertain them; not cost an arm and leg to insure and maintain and get between 20-22 miles per gallon in traffic and 30-34 miles per gallon on the highway. That is why GM's Chevy Tahoe and Yukon SUV hybrids are such an engineering feat. They won't get 30 on the highway...but to have a three ton SUV move from a standing start to almost 25 miles an hour on electric power...that is neat. There will be more on this in next week's Radio-Road-Test. You can go to our road test data page to see how mileage and acceleration function in the real world.
• All things equal, we'll resume our blogging from the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course when the ALMS and IndyCar Series have a double header weekend next week.

NHRA Shortens Nitro Cars to 1,000 Feet As Kalitta Investigation Continues

This made our news desk after our "Race-Talk" program was produced. You'll notice the answers to some questions I asked on Sunday, June 22.

NHRA SHORTENS RACE DISTANCE FOR TOP FUEL AND FUNNY CAR CLASSES TO 1,000FEET AS INTERIM SAFETY STEP WHILE KALITTA ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

GLENDORA, Calif. (July 2, 2008) -- As the investigation continues into the tragic accident that took the life of driver Scott Kalitta, NHRA announced today that beginning at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colorado, both the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes will race to1,000 feet instead of the traditional 1,320 feet or one-quarter mile.This is an interim step that is being taken while NHRA continues to analyze and determine whether changes should be made to build upon the sport's long standing safety record, given the inherent risks and ever-present dangers associated with the sport.
This interim change was made by NHRA in collaboration with professional race teams. NHRA believes that racing the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes to 1,000 feet will allow NHRA and the racing community time to evaluate, analyze and implement potential changes based on the safety initiatives outlined last week.
With the change, fans will still be able to enjoy the sights, sounds and thrill of NHRA nitro racing with speeds around 300 mph and quick elapsed times to 1,000 feet.
Over the years, NHRA has implemented many initiatives to enhance safety including measures to limit speeds from increasing, personal protective gear, vehicle improvements, and track enhancements such as sand traps,catch nets and concrete barriers the entire length of the drag strip.
In the wake of the tragic series of events that took Kalitta's life, the following technical issues are currently under investigation: 1) what might be done to reduce engine failures; 2) parachute mounting techniques and materials as well as identifying a parachute material that could be more fire resistant; 3) exploring whether there is a way to increase brake efficiency when cars lose downforce due to the loss of the body; 4) analyzing additional methods that might be developed at the top end of the race track to help arrest runaway vehicles; 5)considering whether current speeds should be further limited or reduced to potentially improve safety.
"The board members of the Professional Racers Owners Organization (PRO) wholeheartedly and unanimously support this decision," said its president Kenny Bernstein. "We want to thank NHRA for listening to our input and suggestions to incorporate these changes. It is not lost on any of us that this constitutes a change in our history of running a quarter-mile, but it's the most immediate adjustment we can make in the interest of safety which is foremost on everyone's mind. This may be temporary change and we recognize it is not the total answer. We will continue to work hand in hand with NHRA to evaluate other methods of making Top Fuel and Funny Car competition safer so that we might return to our quarter-mile racing standard. We also want to thank Connie Kalitta for his invaluable input. He has been a rock through these difficult times."
-30-

That's what the NHRA's saying. Some of the insiders suggest these changes needed to be made a while ago. That's extreme Monday Morning Quarterbacking. However, the sanctioning body acted decisively--and didn't wait 7 months to publish a study or change things to find out what works.

"Rainout Theatre at Richmond"

This is Danica Patrick's Dallara Honda getting ready to go back in the transporter after a strong shower cut back the practice before tonight's qualifying. USAC has sprint cars and Silver Crown cars on the property as well.

The qualifying session for Saturday night's SunTrust Indy Challenge is slated to begin at 7:30 local time.

Now that I have some time to digest what NHRA announced on their investigation into Scott Kalitta's fatal crash...

~What they found seems consistent with what happened on the video. Of course, there may have been other video that was recorded but not used by ESPN, and that video was likely reviewed.

~The top end at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park has a gradual concrete curve which was designed to funnel out of control cars that may have shot through the "kitty litter/sand/etc". back into the "kitty litter" to slow the cars down. But when a car gets airborne, that curve would seem to serve like the pocket of a baseball glove once all of the crashing against the television camera boom was complete. This can be illustrated by looking at an aerial photo of the facility.

~The Ford/Delphi "Blue Box' evidently survived the explosion and crash, and is yielding some valuable information. You can thank Dan Davis...the soon-to-retire boss of Ford Racing...for greenlighting this project, which put the data recorder in each Funny Car this season.

~Engine failure with 7,000+ horsepower is a fact of life. It can be mitigated with stronger engine parts...but stronger parts trade power for reliability. Power in a nitro funny car or Top Fuel car translates to speed.

~Parachute mounting: The inflation of the parachutes didn't happen. Does one suppose that an auxiliary chute could be mounted to the chassis of the Funny Car, set to deploy if the body blows off?

Just some thoughts as the straight line guys get ready for racing at Norwalk Ohio. We'll keep our eyes on the sky...and rejoin you with some qualifying highlights.

NHRA Update on Kalitta Crash Investigation

This is the official word so far from the sanctioning body on the events which claimed the life of Scott Kalitta:

"NHRA RELEASES INITIAL FINDINGS FROM TRAGEDY AT ENGLISHTOWN; ANNOUNCES INITIATIVES MOVING FORWARD
GLENDORA, Calif. (June 27, 2008) - While still conducting its investigation into the details of last week's tragic accident that took the life of driver Scott Kalitta, NHRA announced today some of its initial findings and subsequent steps being taken to continue its efforts to make the sport safer.
The loss of Scott Kalitta, a passionate champion driver and devoted family man, still weighs heavy on the hearts of everyone at NHRA, as we reflect on his many accomplishments and pass along our deepest condolences to his wife Kathy, his sons Corey and Colin, his father Connie, his cousin Doug, the entire Kalitta family and team, and all those he left behind.
It has been determined that a tragic series of events took place that fateful afternoon. An engine explosion near the end of the run resulted in separating most of the car's body from the chassis. The car's parachutes did not blossom, and the vehicle continued down the right side of the shut down area at a high rate of speed. It went off the top end of the track, up into the right catch net pole, and hit the television camera boom beyond the end of the sand trap before coming to a rest. This sequence of events resulted in the passing of the two-time world champion and veteran second-generation driver.
The New Jersey State Police investigation team was on site the same day,working with NHRA officials as both conducted their investigation. Once it becomes available, NHRA will analyze the State Police report for any additional information on the incident. NHRA also continued its own investigation by bringing mechanical engineer and accident reconstruction expert David McCandless, M.S. M.E., P.E., to the site.McCandless is an independent engineer with more than 15 years of experience in reconstructing vehicular accidents. McCandless workedwith NHRA officials, members of the Kalitta race team, and officers from the New Jersey State Police accident investigation team on site. McCandless examined and analyzed the vehicle, the track and other data,and his investigation is still underway. The Delphi technical team and Ford recovered and are analyzing the "Blue Box" data recorder data and NHRA is using this data and analysis in its investigation.
After its preliminary investigation, NHRA identified several areas to analyze and determine whether changes should be made to build upon the sport's long standing safety record, given the inherent risks and ever-present dangers associated with race cars traveling a quarter mile at more than 300 mph.
Technical Issues to be Investigated
* Engine failure. NHRA, working with the Kalitta race team, has examined the engine, and will work with the Kalitta team and other teams to analyze what might be done to reduce such incidents in the future.
* Parachute materials. Since the parachutes did not blossom,NHRA will work with parachute manufacturers and suppliers and SFI to analyze parachute mounting techniques and materials. Even though fire does not appear to have prevented the chutes from blossoming in this situation, NHRA also will work with manufacturers and suppliers to identify a parachute material that could be more fire resistant.
* Brakes. Research will be conducted to explore whether there is a way to increase brake efficiency when cars lose downforce due to the loss of the body.
* Shutdown Area. In light of this tragic incident, NHRA is looking into the shutdown area. NHRA has requested data from FIA regarding design and make-up of runoff areas in other forms of motorsports to see if it has any useful application to the unique forces in drag racing. Together with the racing community and outside groups, NHRA will research and analyze catch nets and restraint devices that are used in other applications, including military applications. In addition, NHRA will analyze additional methods that might be developed at the top end of the race track to help arrest runaway vehicles, given the speed, mass and other factors synonymous with NHRA drag racing.
* Speed. NHRA has implemented many initiatives to enhance safety including measures to keep speeds from increasing, personal protective gear, vehicle improvements, and track enhancements such as sand traps, catch nets and concrete barriers the entire length of the drag strip. NHRA is considering whether current speeds should be further limited or reduced to potentially improve safety. To analyze this issue NHRA will develop a task force that also includes members of the racing community to evaluate how to reduce the speed of Top Fuel and Funny Car vehicles.
NHRA will continue to seek and welcome input from race teams on these and other issues in the coming weeks and months ahead. NHRA will release additional information from its ongoing investigation as it becomes available, as well as provide updates on the recently announced initiatives.
-30-"

We'll take some time to digest all of this over the weekend.

Englishtown 2008--Somber Day in NJ at the Lucas Oil Supernationals

Greetings from Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ...where a tragic qualifying accident took the life of Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta on Saturday. The video is posted on our Google partner, YouTube.

The Kalitta teams won't be competing...and what you see above is an impromptu memorial in their pit area to Scott, who leaves a wife (Kathy) and two sons (Corey and Colin). His dad is the legendary Connie Kalitta.

There are more than a few questions to be asked and answered:

What caused the explosion near the end of the run that blew off the body? The parachutes are mounted to the body of the Funny Car, and must deploy to slow the cars. The two blocks you may have seen from the back of the car in the video were likely the undeployed parachute.

What exactly did the car hit at the end of the runoff area?

Is the runoff area at Raceway Park large and effective enough to stop a Nitro Fuel or Funny Car suffering a catastrophic failure of its brakes and parachutes?

What, if anything, can be done to mitigate or prevent future crashes of this type?

We have some more routine stuff to post...like the link to our interview with Warren Johnson, the "Professor of Pro Stock"...and some more observations.

Danica Patrick Makes Racing History

Patrick became the first woman to win a major open wheel auto race by passing Helio Castroneves with two laps to go, to win the Indy 300 at Twin Ring Motegi. Castroneves finished second; Scott Dixon, third. If you think Graham Rahal got some publicity for his win in St. Petersburg, you have seen nothing. I was working late here in Long Beach, and only got to see a monitor with the images. It is a big deal to see a dream come true--you could see it in Danica's eyes

NASCAR will certainly not be pleased in private that the first major auto racing win for a woman came in the IndyCar series. Shirley Muldowney, of course, has three NHRA championships and multiple wins--for purposes of this discussion, drag racing is in its own category.

$100,000 for Bad Nitro--Don Schumacher Racing gets whacked in the wallet

NHRA announced a fine of $100,000 was levied on Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) for what the sanctioning body called a "fuel violation" prior to eliminations here at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. The announcement lacked specificity, but stated a reference to the fuel regulations on Page 64 in the 2008 Rule Book. Schumacher Racing was fined for a violation of the regulations on nitromethane (the fuel that is used in Top Fuel and Funny Cars). Nitromethane has to be supplied from official suppliers that NHRA designates. Fuel anywhere on the grounds (in the race car, or anywhere else) can be tested at anytime. The penalty (and we quote from the rule book here (Section 4-General Regulations):

"Any participant who violates any rule regarding nitromethane shall be banned from competition at the applicable event, or shall be subject to such other penalty deemed appropriate by NHRA."

How can they tell bad nitro: It must have some sort of dye (like the diesel fuel you buy at the pump) which will change color if the nitro has been sensitized or contaminated.

Short take: DSR's drivers keep their points (at least for the moment)...but the organization gets a six figure whack in the wallet. It's easier to make up the dollars than points.

DSR fields not just Tony Schumacher and Cory McClenathan in Top Fuel. Gary Scelzi, "Fast Jack Beckman" Jerry Tolliver and Ron Capps drive Funny Cars under the DSR banner. Capps and McClenathan have advanced to the semi finals.

UPDATE: Schumacher is appealing the fine. He came into the press room, and explained that he had a supply from a previously unapproved (since Gainesville it's been approved) nitromethane supplier. Under the letter of the regulation, it's illegal. Under the spirit, there's a difference in opinion, which concerns money and suppliers.

Kevin Harvick and NHRA Top Fuel Racing

The 2007 Daytona 500 winner and wife DeLana flew up from Phoenix this morning to take in the sights, sounds and smells of NHRA Powerade Drag Racing. They experienced 16,000 Top Fuel horsepower lighting off at one time by standing near the Christmas tree (the lights on the starting line) when Bob Vandergriff (with whom he is exploring the options of another NHRA team) met Antron Brown in the first round of eliminations. Brown advanced.

Harvick says the talks are in the early stages; he says the venture would help give his other sponsors some added value. He also says that NHRA Drag Racing is popular among other drivers in the Sprint Cup garage area.

It cannot hurt that H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler is building a drag strip at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Mystery solved...Who's #1 at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals for Eliminations





The question we posed yesterday about a pushrod engine turning 10,300 rpm has been answered by one of Pro Stock's best--Jason Line, who qualified 2nd behind Kenny Koretsky. It's Kenny's first career #1 starting position. Jason told me that the engines make nearly 1,400 horsepower on two four barrel carburetors and racing gasoline. That's 1,400--or 175 horsepower per cylinder. Line should know...he fairly lives in the dyno room. Greg Anderson is not a slouch in that department either...Anderson helps build those monsters, and drives both of the Keith Black Summit Racing Pontiac GXPs in testing. The bump (the time that a driver had to beat to make final eliminations) was an ET (elapsed time) of 6.775 by Matt Hartford.





In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher's time from yesterday (4.510) held up...and the US Army driver takes his first #1 qualifier of 2008. Doug Kalitta qualified 2nd. The bump was an ET of 5.017 by Steve Chrisman.



Funny Car Qualifying was the most interesting of the final qualifying runs. Like last year, John Force did not make it through Funny Car qualifying here at "The Strip", so his quest for 1,000 final round wins will have to wait until Atlanta. "We'll take our whipping and race (his three other cars) tomorrow" said the 14 time champion. In Houston, Robert Hight did not qualify for eliminations. Today, the John Force Racing driver ran the best run of qualifying on his last pass to become the number one qualifier, knocking Tim Wilkerson back to number 2. Hight was timed at 4.849. Last time he was here in October, he was also the top qualifier, but the racing gremlins that prowl the pits bit him...and he ended up losing the Funny Car title to Tony Pedregon by less than one round of points. The bump was an ET of 4.997 by "Fast Jack" Beckman. For the record, John Force ran a 5.020. This is what differentiates NHRA Pro Drag Racing--because there are no provisionals given to any driver--the true definition of "go or go home".

We'll rejoin you from "The Strip" on Sunday.

Day Two--SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals Qualifying

The snapshot above is a picture of the new design for the Chevy Impala of defending NHRA Powerade Funny Car Champion Tony Pedregon. The Palms is an establishment located a few miles south of here, where I'm told there are games of chance and accommodations which are sumptuous.

Some stories: Houston Pro Stock winner Greg Anderson did not make the 12 provisional qualifiers Friday. Anderson, driving a Pontiac sponsored by the event sponsor, has two chances to make final eliminations. If the car does not go fast enough, it goes home, sponsor and point standings notwithstanding. Update: Anderson is 9th after the third round of qualifying, and looks to be safely in final eliminations.

John Force has won 996 rounds of eliminations in his storied NHRA career. To win 1,000 this weekend, he would have to advance to the final round of eliminations and win. This is not a question of if, but when.

The weather will be hot on Sunday afternoon...so the two rounds today will go a long way to help the crew chiefs get their tune-up right.

Every one of the drivers I talk with is jacked up about the first annual Carolina Nationals, to be held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on September 11-14, 2008. The construction is proceeding almost as rapidly as the nitro cars in ideal conditions (like last night, when Tony Schumacher ran the 4.51..which will likely stand through this hot afternoon session).

We'll post the fastest of the pro categories...and tell you who went home after the second round of pro qualifying.

Greetings from "The Strip" at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

10,300 rpm on gasoline with a pushrod V8? That's what the engine in "Professor" Warren Johnson's Pontiac was turning when it expired at Houston. Amazing what happens when the valve train gets out of sync with the piston.

One could not ask for better weather...high 70s to low 80's, a little breeze...and the ad hoc airshow (thanks to the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base--home of the Thunderbirds--and the place where Air Force fighter pilots hone their considerable skills).

We'll blog some pictures, tidbits and comments throughout the weekend...while we're getting interviews for future editions of "Race-Talk".

SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION: As "Race-Talk" enters its 16th year of national syndication, we think it's important to remind you why I cover all forms of auto racing. The "Cliff Note" version is that covering auto racing is not unlike going to a buffet, and loading your plate up at the dessert station--you miss the variety, and have a limited experience. I pick up observations at NHRA Powerade Nationals, Sprint Cup extravaganzas, sports car races, open wheel races and FIA Formula One races that help me explain what goes on and put it in context. There are interesting things in all forms of racing that cross the so-called boundaries. It also helps me detect what Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf once referred to as "bovine scatology". You don't deserve and I will not knowingly try to foist any of that BS on you. I will always identify comment and opinion as such, and double check facts before I blog something or say something on either "Race-Talk" or "Radio-Road-Test".

More later.

New York International Auto Show 2008

Gas is going north of $3.50 a gallon around the LA area...higher elsewhere. What's a car person to do?

At the NYIAS...electric commuter...hybrid and fuel cell cars were in evidence...no doubt inspired by the $10 million genius prize for the first affordable automobile that will get 100 miles per gallon of gas. Mitsubishi's take on this concept is pictured above.

That day is not as far off as we might think.

But for us unreconstructed car guys...Chevy showed an interesting twist on the HHR...with a 260 HP turbo 4, stick, all wheel discs, and some handling tweaks...and still well above 25 on the highway if you keep your foot out of the turbo. The HHR (also pictured above) bridges the gap between the '53 Chevy Suburban and cars for today.

Show notes: We catch up on our reading on our "Race-Talk" program...but we'll tell you that Lewis Hamilton is fastest at Seepang coming off a victory at the season opening Australian GP. The NHRA is off this week...back on next (yes, I REALLY can read a schedule)...the Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock winners at Gainesville...Defending Series Champions Tony Schumacher, Tony Pedregon and Jeg Coughlin, Jr. They are in action at Houston next weekend.

RANT: A final note about alternative fuels: The reason the Internet is so popular and so effective...is because it is unfettered by a bunch of taxes. Basic economics teaches you that taxing an activity is the best way to depress that activity (are you listening, New York?). If this country were serious about getting more cars and trucks to run on E85 (85% ethanol, 15 percent unleaded gasoline) or bio-diesel (a diesel fuel derived from plant based oils); then it should not collect fuel tax on E85 or bio-diesel--ever. Our farmers, if given the chance, can surely grow enough of anything to make the raw materials for ethanol (they are even making ethanol from cellulose--a building block of plant life like trees, etc.) AND feed the rest of the world. And for those of you who say the government needs that revenue...I say balderdash! The economic activity that would be generated by the market driven conversion to E85 would unleash a boom which would generate more tax revenue derived from activity which is taxed (income). GM has a couple of million E85 cars already in service. Retrofits would drive an aftermarket. And it would once again become profitable to drill for oil in the US of A. This stuff is no different from cassette tapes, vinyl records, and CDs. There will always be a market for them--as there would be for 100% hydrocarbon fuels. The users understand that there would be an extra cost to use hydrocarbon fuels (present tax structure). Justice Learned Hand's words about arranging affairs so as to legally avoid paying taxes (by using a tax free alternative) ring especially true.

As for electric & hybrid cars--they are a great engineering exercise. Until they all yield gas powered performance and range, they will be a nice "feel good" purchase. Yes, the Highlander Hybrid gets V8 0-60 numbers (7 second range) and V6 fuel economy (mid to high 20's combined). But when people need to drive 5-600 miles per day...and they can't wait for a battery stack to charge...the internal combustion engine is still the prime mover of our economy. /RANT.

Random Musings/NHRA/NASCAR/IndyCar

One of the last (if not THE last) auto racing pioneers died, when Wally Parks passed away at 94 last week. Parks founded the National Hot Rod Association which, in terms of rank and file members, is the world's largest auto racing sanctioning body. Its Powerade Pro Drag Racing Series has better attendance than all other series, except for NASCAR. The organization was founded to get racers off the street. It is the most fan and media friendly (big deal--media friendliness and $2 gets a cup of high end coffee somewhere) auto racing series in the world.

Dario Franchitti is not going to defend his IndyCar driving title and Indy 500 win in 2008. He opted to join Chip Ganassi to take the place of David Stremme in a second Ganassi Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup entry, and is on a fast track to NASCAR's top division, in much the same manner as Juan Pablo Montoya--who will likely be the last Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year (the series changes names to the Sprint Cup in 2008). Ganassi will wax folks at Daytona (think about a Daytona Prototype with Montoya, Scott Pruett, Scott Dixon and Franchitti in the 24 hours) in that part of Speedweeks.

And the sanctioning body itself has been busy, with the signing of Nationwide Insurance as the title sponsor for its Triple A series (Busch Series until the last race); and Coors Light as the official beer of NASCAR. The Aflac Duck will likely get plucked; Allstate's Good Hands will likely get slapped, and the Good Neighbors of State Farm won't be as welcome...Brian France is already making noises about giving Nationwide a preferential position as the official insurance provider of NASCAR--he hopes to avoid the black eye situation with at&t v Nextel/Sprint with the new seven year sponsor.

There are always unintended consequences to actions...and with freezing out sponsors with money...the chill will ultimately fall on the teams.

Straight Line Points from the NHRA

We do like to mention what happens in the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing series, which is the best kept secret in all of auto racing, with better attendance than the IndyCar series, the Champ Car World Series and both of the sports car series.

Winners at Texas were Larry Dixon-Top Fuel; Tony Pedregon-Funny Car and Dave Connolly-Pro Stock. Here, courtesy of NHRA, are the points:

ENNIS, Texas - Point standings for the eight drivers in each class whohave qualified for the NHRA playoffs, following the 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec at Texas Motorplex, the 20th of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series (after 21 races, the top four drivers in each class will advance to the two-race championship round at Las Vegas and Pomona):

Top Fuel
1. Larry Dixon, 2,297; 2. Rod Fuller, 2,252; 3. Tony Schumacher, 2,247;4. Brandon Bernstein, 2,221; 5. Bob Vandergriff, 2,200; 6. WhitBazemore, 2,147; 7. Doug Herbert, 2,136; 8. J.R. Todd, 2,130.

Funny Car
1. Tony Pedregon, 2,259; 2. Robert Hight, 2,243; 3. Jack Beckman, 2,213;4. John Force, 2,191; 5. Ron Capps, 2,188; 6. Gary Scelzi, 2,186; 7.Mike Ashley, 2,176; 8. Jim Head, 2,072.
Pro Stock

1. Dave Connolly, 2,408; 2. Greg Anderson, 2,356; 3. Allen Johnson,2,204; 4. Jeg Coughlin, 2,188; 5. Jason Line, 2,170; 6. Kurt Johnson,2,159; 7. Larry Morgan, 2,138; 8. Warren Johnson, 2,102.