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The 4th annual CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open
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The latest news from the East Coast’s largest test session
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Pre-entries received as of January 15(1-15-2004) - The following pre-entries have been received for the 4th annual CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open at Virginia Motorsports Park. Pre-entries for CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open as of January 15, 2004 Pro Modified 1. Scotty Cannon
1. Robert Patrick
1. Mike Moran Nostalgia Pro Street 1. Kevin Parent Top Alcohol Funny Car 1. Mick Snyder
1. Frank Jonkman – Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car Sportsman 1. Carlos Wells (Top Sportsman) Virginia Motorsports Park begins track preparation for fourth annual CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open
(1-15-2004) – Virginia Motorsports Park has taken the first steps toward preparing for the official IHRA preseason test session during the weekend of March 11-14 in Dinwiddie, Va., located outside of Richmond. The award-winning drag racing facility, which hosts the IHRA ACDelco Nationals in late-May, is undergoing improvements to its existing record-setting surface. Freeburn Track Grinding was retained to grind the entire quarter-mile and work began this week. “It’s all about staying ahead of the game,” explained Pierce. “We take pride in our racing facility and it’s our objective to always keep Virginia Motorsports Park better than it has to be. This week’s work is laying the groundwork for a velvety smooth track surface. With that said, we expect even quicker times and faster speeds. “In a little over sixty days, we will open our gates for the official IHRA preseason test event – the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open, and we are going to make sure that the top professional and sportsman drivers have the necessary testing they need headed into the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals in San Antonio. “Of course, it won’t hurt them when they run the ACDelco Nationals here a couple of months later. Each week that we run on this surface makes it even better.” IHRA’s master track prepsman Jim Weinert is quick to point out that VMP is taking steps to make a good track even better. He is expected to be on hand at the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open where 6.0s in Pro Modified and 6.4’s in Sunoco Pro Stock are expected to be common. “The work they are doing will help in getting rid of some
of the grooves on the top end,” explained Weinert, who track-prep
prowess is largely regarded in the sport. In 2002, the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open yielded tremendous
elapsed times in the Pro Modified and Sunoco Pro Stock ranks. Pro
Modified racer Al Billes recorded a 6.112 and former IHRA Pro Stock
World Champion Gene Wilson blasted out a 6.51 in Charlie Hunt’s
Cougar. Cannon and Patrick plan new season with an appearance at 4th annual CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open(1-5-2004) – Pro Modified’s winningest Pro Modified driver Scotty Cannon and veteran Pro Stock runner Robert Patrick are among the early pre-entries for the 4th annual CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open hosted by Virginia Motorsports Park located outside of Richmond, Va. Both drivers are returning to familiar territory during the weekend of March 11 – 14 after branching off into new areas of competition. Cannon, of Lyman, SC, left the Pro Modified ranks after claiming his 6th IHRA World Championship in 1998 to pursue a career behind the wheel of a Nitro-burning Funny Car. At the conclusion of the 2003 season, he announced his intentions to return to the class that he helped to pioneer in the late-Eighties. Oakley will sponsor his Hemi-powered 1953 Studebaker. Cannon is excited about returning to VMP, this time behind the wheel of a doorslammer. “I’ve wanted to run this event for the last few years,” explained Cannon. “Bobby Bennett has been on me for a few years to come down and run, but it never worked out with our Funny Car schedule. Our schedule will be pretty full for the next few weeks with testing and match races. This will be our final warm-up before headed to Gainesville and then on to San Antonio.” Patrick, of Fredricksburg, Va., will be making the trek to VMP in order to put a new Jon Kaase powerplant residing between the fenders of his Ford Escort through its paces. Almost a decade ago, the former multi-national event winner crossed the tracks into the 500-inch Pro Stock arena. He recently made the announcement to return to the Sunoco Pro Stock ranks. “The testing time will no doubt help us out a lot,” explained Patrick, who campaigns the team along with his father Eli Patrick. “I’ve always loved Virginia Motorsports Park and I’m really happy for the chance to run down there again.” The mountain motor division has also received entries from former
Pro Stock world champion Mike Bell, Frank Gugliotta and John Montecalvo.
In Pro Modified, Cannon will be joined by local favorite Mike Johnson,
Joe Boniferro and Ralph Andreacchi. Also testing that weekend will
be nitro flopper driver Frank Jonkman and Pro Street racer Mike
Moran. Pre-Entry Opened For CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open
(12-14-2003) - In an effort to give attending drivers as much publicity as possible, the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open is open to pre-entry registration. The third annual event will be held at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie Va., during the weekend of March 11-14, which is two weeks before the IHRA Texas Nationals in San Antonio, Texas. This unique gathering will feature everything from Pro Modifieds to mountain motor Sunoco Pro Stocks to various sportsman entries in test mode. Also on hand will be a couple of Top Fuelers, Funny Cars and Nitro Harley-Davidsons. There will be a special Chicago style eliminations program on Saturday in the professional divisions in exchange for the test time. The Spring Open will provide professional drivers the opportunity to test provided that they participate in a special "Chicago Style" eliminations program on Sunday. Pre-entry is encouraged for the professionals as it not only assists the VMP crew with determining parking space as well as publicity for the event. If you have a sponsor, this would be a great way to garner publicity for them. Professional teams that pre-enter will be given free entry for three crewmen. Sportsman drivers that wish to test and tune during the event can receive a cost break by pre-entering. The standard fee for the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open will be $75 at the gate for the entire weekend and $25 per day if a driver does not wish the entire program. However, if they pre-enter, the fee drops to $65 for the entire event. Checks or money orders must be made payable to Virginia Motorsports Park.They may be sent to the following address: Virginia Motorsports Park Deadline for pre-entry is March 4, 2004 A special e-mail address has been set up for those that wish to pre-enter online. Online pre-entries can be e-mailed to springopen2004@aol.com. The following information must be included with each pre-entry. The FastNews Network and DragRaceCentral.com will provide daily coverage of the event.
CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open returns to Virginia Motorsports Park for fourth annual running as official IHRA pre-season test event(12-13-2003) – For the fourth consecutive season, drag racers will get their shot at preparing for the upcoming season courtesy of the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open hosted by Virginia Motorsports Park located outside of Richmond, Va. The event will provide four days of testing for professional and sportsman drivers beginning on March 11th and concluding on March 14th. Details on special programs and sponsors will be released in the coming weeks. One of the trademarks of the event has been the Chicago Style eliminations format featuring Pro Modified, Sunoco Pro Stocks and alcohol-burning Funny Cars. Previous winners include Alan Pittman, Mike Ashley and Steve Vick in Pro Modified and Chris Holbrook, Gene Wilson and Carl Baker in Sunoco Pro Stock. Event coordinator Bobby Bennett is pleased that the event is returning to its original date and will be contested before the season begins. “I really have to thank Bill Bader for giving us the chance to present a real pre-season event,” explained Bennett. “Last year’s scheduling conflicts provided an obstacle, but this year things have returned to normal. This event promises to be even larger than in year’s past and I am very thankful to be aligned with Brian Pierce and the hard-working staff at Virginia Motorsports Park.” VMP’s Brian Pierce is excited with the potential that this event provides. “Over the last four years we have created a good event designed to both help the racers and give race fans a chance to get out of the house after a long winter,” Pierce said. “We are looking forward to working with the staff at CompetitionPlus.com and the racers that plan to attend. This is going to be great.” Last year, the event was held the week before the IHRA national event in Rockingham. This season the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open will be contested two weeks before the IHRA season opener in San Antonio, Texas.
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