NHRA O'Reilly Spring Nationals - Sportsman
Houston, Texas .
By Bobby Bennett, Jr., Photos by Roger Richards, Brian Wood

SUNDAY FINAL - The Winners

TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR

“It’s been a struggle.  We had some problems.  We broke the frame rails in the car last National Event last year and struggled at the last points race.  Over the winter we re-did the chassis, put new frame rails in it and got everything back on the money.  We went and tested – struggled a little bit in testing.  We came here and Randy Anderson came here to tune the car.   My crew did an awesome job this weekend.  Randy did a phenomenal job.  The car progressed every run - just a great weekend.  It was just one of those weekends that clicked.  My sponsors Landmark Chevrolet stepped-up and helped us get here and Trigent Petroleum, Spear Contracting and Commercial Unity.   Everyone on the car helps us.” - Kebin Kinsley, Kennedale, Texas

TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER

“We had just a great weekend.  We thrashed pretty much all weekend.  We had a major thrash just before the final there.  We did quite a bit of work to the car.  We didn’t think we were going to make it.  We came through and made it and the car just performed excellent.  We had just a super final round deal.  I just want to thank Bar’s Leaks.  They are my sponsor they’re the ones that fund this whole deal and that’s what makes it so we can do this, so I appreciate Bar’s Leaks.” - Bill Reichart, Owosso, MI.

COMP

“It was a good weekend.  We’ve been trying real hard and finally got consistent on the tree and focused.  My brother and Brandon Pesz have been helping out a lot and my parents have been supporting me.  I just tried and focused the best I could and it ended-up being for the best.  We stayed on the green side of the tree luckily, qualified well – overall it was just a great experience.  First one of the year, first race of the year, first win ever in a National Event and any type of an event.  It’s just been a really, really good experience.” - Colt Mikel, Houston, Texas

SUPER STOCK

“It was a pretty okay weekend for us.  I was driving fairly well on the reaction time all weekend.  We were fighting tire spin on the last couple of rounds.  Luckily with the great crew I have we were able to pull it off and beat two of the best heavy hitters in the last two rounds.” - Jerry Emmons, Pasedena, Texas

SUPER COMP

“This is a brand new car.  I had never sat in it until this weekend.  I borrowed-it from a buddy of mine, Russell Mar.  I actually work for IHRA.  I’m the Division Director for 2, 4 and 5.  I was coming out here anyway to kind of visit with the racers and my boss Skooter Peaco said take your car and race.  Things kind of worked out.  After a year out of the car it really feels good.”  - Frank Kohutek, Mesquite, Texas

SUPER GAS

“It was my first National Event so that is always sweet.  That’s that best I’ve ever driven.  It’s kind of rewarding that I got the National Event win to go with it.  I’ve never, ever had so many good reaction times in a row, back to back to back.  I was awesome on the tree and the car was good enough to where it was all I needed to win.  When I gave away the stripe or when I made a mistake I’d get the win.  Everything fell my way and it was just awesome.” Jason Kenny, Kingston, ON.

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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK – The Lone Blown One, Family Tradition and Olympic Gold

(4-1-2006) - All by myself - With the only “blown” Top Alcohol Dragster in attendance for the O’Reilly Spring Nationals in Baytown, Texas, Lee Calloway isn’t at all disappointed more blown cars were here. 

“When you have the only blown car, you get a little more exposure for your sponsors because you get a little more mentions.” 

Despite qualifying in the top half of the field, Calloway lost in round one to Randy Meyer in his A-Fuel Dragster.

Let’s hear it for the girls! - With more women participating in Drag Racing, Lindsey Wood is not exception.  The 2005 Gatornationals Super Comp winner is here in Baytown trying to bring home another trophy.  Wood has only 10 national events under her belt but confesses to racing almost every weekend. 

The bulk of her experience came as a Junior Dragster competitor.

Family Tradition - Johnny Covington and his 21-year old daughter Jana make a Super Comp family. 

Jana, who is in her first NHRA National Event outing said, “I’m very excited.  We have to keep each other ahead or behind enough so we don’t have to run each other.” 

Jana is no stranger to Drag Racing competition.  She first started at age 13 in Junior Drag Racing and has now been running Super Comp since 2003.    Jana also credits her father for instilling the love of drag racing in her heart. 

Back on top - The rule change for the A-Fuel Dragsters still seems to plague many of the top teams, including Aaron Olivarez and Randy Meyer.  Despite the initial disappointment for both teams they both had first round victories.

“Going into eliminations with some good numbers going down the track is much more comforting then Gainesville.  We really stumbled in Gainesville.  To put a couple of good passes down – even the .45 was solid.  It wasn’t where we wanted to be but it was a solid run.  We are happy with the .31.  I feel pretty confident,” said Olivarez. 

Team work and Fun - Charlotte Lucas, mother to Top Fuel driver Morgan, is doing some winning of her own in Super Comp.  Winning in the first round of Super Comp, Lucas is well on her way to bringing home a championship soon. 

“It’s so much fun.  I don’t get enough seat time to be sure of what I’m doing so when I do something that happens to be right, it always makes me feel better.  It shows my crew chiefs are not working in vain.  When the boys tell me something, I just try to do what they say.  My biggest thing is I’m not cutting good lights, I’m not doing this, I’m not doing that, but I’m probably harder on my self then anyone else.  The point is, the boys brag on me no matter what I do. 

Go for the Gold - Olympic Silver and Gold medalist Marty Northstein is all too familiar with competition.  The former Championship cyclist turned Top Alcohol Funny Car racer is enthusiastic to be racing his first NHRA National Event. 

“I’ve been a fan of drag racing my whole life.  I’ve been a fan of Motorsports my whole life.  I’ve grew-up around cars and became good friends with Whit Bazemore and Mike Dunn and they introduced me to the world of drag racing.  I went through Frank Hawley’s Super Comp school and went to Frank’s Top Alcohol school.  Once I did that I was pretty much hooked.” 

Northstein plans to run his AutoTrader.com and Dent Wizard backed car at 9 or 10 events.    

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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - The Snowman’s new driver; Ashley’s Houston slump and Hometown Boy plays ball

(3-31-2006) - And the leaders are – Top Alcohol Dragster – Bill Reichert (5.348, 269.78), Mark Woznichak (5.649, 253.23), Competition Eliminator – Frank Aaragona (G/EA, -.699), and Super Stock – Gilbert Johnson, Jr. (GT/IA, -1.191).

Quick Company in the first session – Duane Shields set the pace for the TAD division with the quickest 5.3-second run of the first session. Bill Reichert was the second quickest. His 5.399 put him ahead of the 5.4-second barrage from Ashley Force, Lee Callaway, Steve Torrence, Joe Windham and Arthur Gallant.

Danny Townsend was the quickest of the Top Alcohol Funny Cars with a 5.662, 252.19.

Snowing the competition - NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster rookie Spencer Massey is filling the shoes of the legend Gene Snow as driver of his A/Fuel Dragster.  Massey reached the finals twice in as many races on the divisional tour and this weekend will make his debut on the national level this weekend.

Massey, 23, of Fort Worth, Texas, started his journey to the cockpit of the "Snowman" A/Fuel Dragster by crewing for Snow and several other prominent A/Fuel and Top Fuel teams over the past few years.  While crewing for him, Snow developed Massey's driving skills starting in the Jr. Dragster ranks, then a 7 second dragster and on to the A/Fuel car.  Massey is quick to point out his experience working on the car has helped accelerate the learning curve of being a rookie driver.

"This has been my life goal to drive one of these cars," said Massey.  "I'm very fortunate to have this opportunity to drive for Gene.  It has definitely helped working on these cars for so long.   I think it has made me a better driver knowing the in's and out's of the car."

Snow, who was ranked No. 26 in NHRA's Top 50 drag racers of all time, is adjusting to the perspective of being outside the car, rather than inside.

"I can't really say if being outside the car has helped my tuning," commented Snow.  "I do enjoy watching the car from the outside, however.  When I was driving I kind of developed a reputation for shutting it off early.  Being the driver, owner and tuner, I could feel when the car had dropped a cylinder, so I would just shut it off because I have to pay for it if it blows up.  I don't think Spencer is just going to go out there and blow the car up, but I think he will push the envelope a little harder because he's more focused on his job as a driver - winning rounds."

"People have come up to me and asked me why I'm putting someone else in the car," stated Snow.  "One, I'm not quite sure I'm ready to get back in the cockpit after that crash last year.  I'm not uncomfortable putting Spencer in the car because I've watched him develop through the ranks.  He's warmed our car up probably a thousand times.  He does nearly everything exactly like I did it.  Except he cuts much better lights than I do.  He's picked up on the good habits of mine, and not the bad ones."

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Remembering Shelly - A year ago this weekend, Top Alcohol Dragster racer Shelly Howard was killed in a testing accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the days and months following her tragic death, her team, led by crew chief and now team owner Tom Conway, has carried on, winning the class championship last year with Steve Torrence behind the wheel.

Here in Houston this weekend the team will be honoring Shelly, and her son Brian, who was also killed in the incident, in a special way.

“When Shelly got killed last year, actually it was a week ago this weekend, I bought all the operation and Steve started driving for me,” said Conway. “We’re going to wear the [Shelly Howard Racing] team shirts this Sunday as a little tribute to her.”

When asked how the team has coped since Howard’s death, Conway said “Winning the championship certainly helped, but we think about her every day. I’m sure she’d be proud to see what we did for her. 

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Changing Fortunes - Ashley Force's victory two weeks ago in the ACDelco Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway ended three years of frustration at a Florida track on which she always had excelled, but never won. This week, the 23-year-old daughter of drag racing icon John Force will try to effect a similar reversal of fortune in her return to Houston Raceway Park.

Force has reached the semifinals every time she has raced at HRP for California car owners Jerry Darien and Ken Meadows. She did the deed twice in the Spring Nationals and twice in the track's Lucas Sportsman Series race that's as far as she has advanced.

Now, however, with her Castrol dragster pounding out consistent 5.20 and 5.30 second quarter mile times, she believes she has a car capable of going the distance.

"We finally got a win at Gainesville," she said, "where it seems like we always were losing in the final (twice in three appearances), so maybe that's a good sign (for the Spring Nationals)."

I’ll go when I’m good and ready - Ashley’s primary focus this year is on helping Darien and Meadows win their first series championship. She plans to continue testing a Castrol Ford Funny Car in anticipation of eventually moving up in classification and, ultimately, racing against her father, winner of more races (119) and series championships (13) than anyone else in history.

"There's no schedule," John Force, her father, said. "She'll move up when she's ready, whether it's next year or the year after that or whenever. There's no rush. She needs as much seat time as she can get. When Eric (Medlen) and Robert (Hight) started driving, they already knew about (Funny Cars) because they had worked on them as mechanics.

"Ashley is starting from scratch so she still has a lot the learn. But I'm proud of her. I always said that all I wanted was for her to love this sport as much as me and I think she does."

In a perfect world, Ashley not only would earn a breakthrough victory this week at Houston, she also would share the winners' circle with her dad. That's happened just once since she began driving (at the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Finals in Pomona, Calif.), but the two came close at Gainesville where the elder Force was runner-up to Ron Capps in Funny Car.

Fine Tuning - Former World Champion Randy Meyer has started-off the 2006 season on a winning note. After going to the final round just weeks ago in Gainesville, Meyer went on to win last week in Memphis.

“Our plan is to take what we have and start fine-tuning it,” Meyer said. “We want to get things a little bit smoother then what they are. The conditions and track there will be different so we will have to approach that differently. We are there to win. That is the only reason we go. Our goal is to win. I think we will run pretty good numbers. We have in the past. I think we probably still hold the track record [in TAD] from a few years past. The conditions should be pretty good there this time of year, they usually are.”

Meyer, from Spring Hill, KS, has finished in the top 3 nationally and won the Lucas Oil NHRA Division 5 Championship for the past two years straight.

Flying South to rebound – Mick Snyder and his family are headed to Houston, Texas to participate in the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA POWERade Spring Nationals for the first time in the history of the team. Snyder just wants to redeem himself after a dismal Gainesville performance.

Snyder, the 24 year-old, two-time defending Division 3 champion, knows the pressure is on.

“We didn’t start off the year exactly like we would have wanted,” Snyder said. “We were kind of behind the eight ball after the first qualifying pass and we just never got back on track. It was only one race though; everyone has an off weekend sooner or later. We went home and went about our normal routine and feel confident coming into this weekend.”

Will’s Roots – PR rep turned Publisher turned NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car rookie Will Hanna will be returning to his 'roots' during this weekend's event at Houston Raceway Park. The 26 year-old made his first laps down a drag strip just over 13 years ago behind the wheel of a Jr. Dragster here and hopes to have a 'breakout' event in front of his hometown fans in the Advanced Transmission Center/Clack Motorsports Monte Carlo.

Hanna hopes to do well in front of his hometown family and friends.

"Honestly at this point in the game, I'm more focused on getting this car to run right, and doing my job as a driver," said Hanna. "I guess being the rookie and not being expected to win, I don't feel as much pressure. We just want to go out there and do the best we can, collect some good data and make a good showing.”

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