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BRUCE ALLEN: LIFE AFTER DRAG RACING

After winning 16 NHRA titles – more than legends Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins, Butch Leal, or Ronnie Sox – and contending for the Pro Stock championship year after year, Bruce Allen had a horrific crash with Kenny Koretsky at the 2005 Dallas event and walked away from the sport. He hasn't raced since. He's hasn't even been to a track to watch.

"That last run's not what I want to be remembered for, but the truth is that in some people's minds, it probably will be," Allen said. "If it is, that's fine. I was going to have to quit one day – that was probably as good a time as any. It was a perfect way, actually. All it really did is make us quit a couple of weeks earlier than we were already going to because we definitely weren't planning on racing the next year anyway. As much as we kept saying, 'This is it, we're done,' we somehow kept hanging on for a few more races – until then. Maybe that was God's way of saying it was time."

That 2005 season wasn't Allen's best with the legendary Reher-Morrison team of David Reher and the late Buddy Morrison, but it had been just a little over a year since he'd last appeared in a final and just three years since he'd last won. He didn't have to quit then. He just did. It wasn't like he was afraid to drive after he crashed.

REMINDER: STAMP OUT HUNGER ON SATURDAY

Join Ashley Force Hood and your local mail carrier in helping to stamp out hunger in your local community this Saturday.

Force Hood encourages all race fans to Stamp Out Hunger this year, by simply leaving a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 8. Food items should be in non-breakable containers, such as boxes and cans.

NAPA THUNDER NATIONALS/MMPSA EVENT POSTPONED UNTIL JULY

Due to this weekend’s unfortunate weather forecast the NAPA Thunder Nationals has been postponed to July 9-10, 2010.  “With the cold temperatures and rain forecasted the Mountain Motor Pro Stocks, Alcohol Dragsters, Pro Modifieds, Supercharged Thunder cars and all the other high horse-powered vehicles will have difficulty getting down the track,” said Jason Peterson General Manager US 131 Motorsports Park.  “Safety is our upmost concern and we want to put on a good show for our fans,” Peterson said.  All professionals are expected to return inc

IHRA NITRO JAM ON SPEED DEBUTS THIS WEEKEND

THOMASThe 2010 Nitro Jam season on the SPEED Channel is set to air beginning this weekend with back-to-back showings of the first two Nitro Jam events of the season.

The new season of Nitro Jam will air Saturday, May 8 and will feature the Palm Beach Nitro Jam in West Palm Beach starting at 7 p.m. followed immediately by the Mardi Gras Nitro Jam in Baton Rouge at 7:30 p.m. only on the SPEED Channel.

Also new this season is seven-time IHRA Alcohol Funny Car Champion Mark Thomas calling the action. In addition to being a great storyteller, Thomas is one of the most knowledgeable IHRA historians in the sport. His addition will bring an extra flare to the already thrilling Nitro Jam broadcast.

NHRA STARS SET TO PLAY IN GOLF TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT SCC

One day before they hit the track in Thunder Valley, several of NHRA’s biggest names will take to  the links to see how well they can drive a golf ball during the Seventh Annual Bristol Dragway Celebrity Golf Benefit presented by Alpha Natural Resources on June 17.

The Country Club of Bristol once again hosts the event, which provides each team of four the opportunity to partner with an NHRA celebrity.

Alpha Natural Resources joined forces with the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities last year to support the tournament and returns to the event again this season.

TROXEL TO RUN IN-N-OUT BURGER FLOPPER IN COMMERCE

The In-N-Out Burger Dodge Charger Funny Car is getting a command performance at Atlanta Dragway next week.

Roger Burgess, owner of R2B2 Racing, is entering the In-N-Out Funny Car into the 30th annual Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals, May 14-16, partially as a reward for the progress the team has made thus far and also as a birthday present for In-N-Out Burger chief Lynsi Martinez.

The In-N-Out Burger Funny Car is scheduled to run in eight races this season in the states where In-N-Out Burger has restaurant locations but Burgess said the timing of the Atlanta event was too good to pass up.

BERNSTEIN DOESN'T MISS BEAT AS STATE OF SPORT SCORES 'GOOD' RATING

bernstein_2Complete this sentence: The state of the NHRA drag racing today is _____.
 
That's the challenge Attitude's Competition Plus columnist Michael Knight gave drag-racing legend Kenny Bernstein during his Wednesday radio program, "The Race Reporters" on Voice America's Power Up Motorsports Channel.
 
Bernstein served up a response of realism with a garnish of optimism.
 
"I'm going to use the word 'good,' " Bernstein said. "I'm not going to say fair, and I'm not going to say great. I'm going to say good.

COMMENTARY: WONDERING WHAT WALLY WOULD THINK

mikehead2

CAMARO COMING TO NHRA PRO STOCK IN 2011?

09Chevrolet-Camaro-PROs-finalChassis builder Jerry Bickel confirmed there’s a strong likelihood fans will see a Camaro in NHRA Pro Stock in 2011. At least that’s what he’s working towards.

Bickel confirmed his shop, along with Kirkman Composites, will manufacture the bodies which will eventually be sold to the leading chassis builders. GM has given Bickel and the NHRA permission to reproduce the bodies, which are currently legal for sportsman competition but using the Pro Stock guidelines. Final approval for the Pro Stock will come at a later date.

“We have GM’s blessing and they are working with us,” Bickel confirmed. “When GM dropped out of NHRA Pro Stock, I approached the NHRA about building one. I asked them if [GM] didn’t come back if they’d approve our Camaro body legal for Pro Stock, if I built it to the new NHRA Pro Stock standards.”

GET $25 NHRA TICKETS THANKS TO JOHN FORCE

Race fans can take advantage of the 25th anniversary of the John Force Racing and Castrol GTX marketing partnership. At the upcoming NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga., race fans can purchase $25 tickets to Friday qualifying. Click here for the discounted tickets.

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