Confirming a report that first appeared on CompetitionPlus.com yesterday, Ford has named Jamie Allison, a 22-year Ford veteran with experience in engineering, product planning and marketing, as director, Ford North America Motorsports, effective January 1, 2010.
 
Allison will replace current director Brian Wolfe, who has been named to a new position in global product development.

“I’m excited about the challenge of helping take Ford’s racing program forward,” said Allison, who has been part of the Ford Racing management team for just over six years.  “For a kid who wanted to work for Ford Motor Company, to help carry forward a tradition that Henry Ford himself started is something special.

It’s one thing to read about history. Another to watch accounts of it on the History Channel. But nothing quite compares to hearing stories from the men and women who actually lived and breathed the history.

The NHRA community, from race fans to sponsors, from drivers to crew members, will be afforded that rare opportunity when NHRA hosts the Legends Dinner on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010 in the Avalon Room at the L.A. County Fairplex as part of its weeklong celebration of the 50th running of the iconic Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline, which will be held Feb. 11-14, 2010 at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

Top Alcohol/Pro Comp racer Don Woosley passed away at his home in Winchester, Ky.

Woosley, 63, was a ten-time NHRA national event winner and a seven time Division 3 champion, while racing a Blown Alcohol Dragster.

Advertisement

CompetitionPlus.com has confirmed that recently crowned NMCA Pro Street champion Troy Coughlin will return to NHRA competition within the GSA Pro Modified series in 2010. Coughlin will be joined by nitrous doorslammer legend Rickie Smith, who in addition to serving as crew chief will also race his 1968 Camaro.

Smith confirmed that he will serve as Coughlin’s crew chief for the first official season of the NHRA GSA Pro Modified as a professional division.

“I’m excited about this,” Smith confirmed. “I’ve been friends with the Coughlin family for a while and we’ve shared some good times. They are a family that’s into racing and serious about.”

They claim to still hate each other and in 2010, they claim they are going to showcase their disdain.

A handful of prominent drag strips have expressed a serious interest to book in longtime Pro Street rivals Pat Musi and Tony Christian for match races.

A call to Musi on Tuesday revealed that at least one track has sent a letter of intent and Musi says he is in the process of contacting Christian’s representatives to see if the agreement works for his long time adversary.

“I’m trying to reach him,” Musi said. “There’s a 99.9-percent chance that this thing is going to go down.”

Representatives of Ford Motor Company are serious about their increased involvement in NHRA racing, specifically the introduction of the 2010 Ford Mustang into the Pro Stock ranks.

Mose Nowland, Ford Motor Company engine engineer, who has been with Ford since 1955, is happy to report the project is on track and exceeding expectations. Leading Ford back into Pro Stock racing is important to Nowland.

“Well, this project had a little special place for me because it’s something I thought was good for the company, and we hadn’t been doing it,” said Nowland just prior to a recent engine test. “We hadn’t been involved since the Glidden retired, and that was my last involvement.”

Second-generation drag racer Billy Glidden appears to have the same domination tendencies as his famous drag racing father following the first day of qualifying for the third annual CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Show, a month long competition to determine the best story teller in drag racing.

Glidden, who is participating in the competition for the first time, was taken aback by the commanding lead.

“I had better come up with some good stories to stay up there when eliminations begin,” said Glidden, who was working feverishly on his engines yesterday.

Racers and officials of the National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) gathered for one last time in 2009 for the ADRL Racers Appreciation and Awards Gala II at the Wyndham Orlando (FL) Resort Dec. 12, to honor the series’ five world champions and bestow several special awards on participants.

Master of Ceremonies Bret Kepner provided the first “highlight” of the evening when he tripped on stage and suffered a scary pratfall immediately after being introduced by National Guard ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling.

“I think I broke my hip,” Kepner deadpanned when he returned to the microphone, but fortunately, the popular TV personality and drag racing historian injured no more than pride in the fall and was able to laugh it off along with about 350 relieved banquet goers.

All purses are based on a minimum of 64 cars entered in each class. Purse will be pro-rated for each car under the 64-cars-per-class entry.

Super Comp and Super Gas will be an all-run field. Random pairs for first round.

Stock/Super Stock Combo will be a maximum 128 car field.  Laddered for first round based on qualifying on current NHRA index.

The National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) is pleased to announce a multi-year extension of its partnership with VP Racing Fuels that makes VP the official fuel through 2014 for the eighth-mile drag racing series.

“We’re thrilled to extend the agreement and the benefits that accompany our relationship with the ADRL,” VP Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Steve Scheidker said. “With ADRL racers constrained by relatively few rules they're constantly motivated to push the limits of their combinations, which in turn provides an excellent proving ground for VP’s leading-edge fuels.”

Additionally, the massive crowds at National Guard ADRL events offer an ideal opportunity for VP to build awareness for its newest fuels which appeal to a broader consumer base, Scheidker added.