Junior Pippin is an enthusiastic 56-year-old Pro Stock Motorcycle rider who just wouldn't give up. Entering the Lucas

Les Welch

Oil
NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway, Pippin had yet to win a
round. Race after race Pippin bowed out in the first round as he
struggled to find the right combination for his Buell.

All that changed when Pippin, qualified 14th, roared down the
quarter-mile beating Andrew Hines on a hole shot. Pippin's .027 light
versus Hines .073 gave him just enough advantage to hold old the more
powerful V-Rod ridden by Hines.

Pippin was literally walking on air back at his trailer following the round win, his first ever.

Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Rinnai Tankless Water Heater nitro
Funny Car, has joined forces with the Hampton Inn - University Place
for his return to NHRA competition at the 2nd Annual Carolinas
Nationals at the new zMAX Dragway in near-by Concord, N.C. on Sept.
17-20.
 
Located just six miles from zMAX Dragway, the Hampton Inn is right in
the heart of Charlotte's University area entertainment district and is
in walking distance to dozens of restaurants and night clubs.

Chris Rini closed the Mooresville Mad Dawg season in the same fashion he began – with a trip to the winner’s circle.

Rini
overcame the loss of lane choice to beat multi-time series champion
Ronnie Gardner in the final round of eliminations at Mooresville
Dragway in Mooresville, N.C.

"I can't say enough about ATI Performance, Speedtech, Car Quest, my engine builder Charlie Buck and my crew," said Rini.

The
victory came with an abundant share of struggles. Rini tweaked the
chassis set-up through every round, eventually making the field on the
bump spot for the eight-car field. A call to chassis builder Jerry
Bickel and a four-link change put Rini on the right path.

Bruce Boland, the reigning, and two-time Pro Modified Racing Association Champion continues to dominate the PMRA series, as the Hamilton,
Ontario-based racer won the PMRA event during the Stratford Spectacular
Hot August Nationals presented by Ideal Supply & NAPA Auto Parts
Sunday in Grand Bend, Ontario.
 
Driving the B&B Racing 1967 Chevy Nova, Boland eliminated Ike Maier
of Schomberg, Ontario in the final with a 4.10-second, 177.90-mph
winning pass over Maier’s 4.203-second, 165.65-mph run.
 
Boland paced the field in the fourth event of the 2009 PMRA tour,
qualifying number one with a 4.092-second, 181.15-mph pass. Boland took
out number five qualifier Jason Kalso of Clarkston, Michigan, in his
1970 Barracuda in the semi-final, and defeated Jack Grainy of North
Tonawanda, New York in the opening round.

Tony Pedregon raced to his third Funny Car victory of the season Sunday
at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

Morgan Lucas, Greg Anderson and Hector Arana also were winners in their
respective categories at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
event. Only two races remain in the NHRA regular season before the
six-race playoffs – the Countdown to 1 – begins Sept. 18 at zMAX
Dragway near Charlotte, N.C.

The number of available Countdown to 1 playoff berths decreased by nine
following Sunday’s final eliminations at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals
in Brainerd, Minn. Four Top Fuel, one Funny Car and four Pro Stock
Motorcycle riders qualified for the right to battle for their
respective championships beginning at next month’s NHRA Carolinas
Nationals in Concord, N.C.

Teammates Morgan Lucas and Shawn Langdon, along with Spencer Massey and
Cory McClenathan secured their positions in Top Fuel leaving two
available positions with two qualifying races left.

John Force’s announcement after the 28th annual Lucas Oil Nationals
created a far bigger stir than did his advance to the semifinals at
Brainerd International Raceway.

Faced with the possibility that son-in-law and teammate Robert Hight
might not make the 10-driver lineup for the NHRA’s Countdown to One
playoffs, Force dropped a bombshell Sunday night.

“I said I wouldn’t shuffle my crew chiefs for three races,” said the
14-time series champion, “but I am moving a driver. Today, (I think) I
earned enough to get my Castrol Mustang into the Countdown. It’s not
secure, but it’s close enough. To be safe, I should have gone one more
round, but I didn’t (so) I’m going with what we’ve got.

There was no fire, the burst panel was still in place and yet Bob
Tasca, III was covered in something as he sped down the track in his
first round run against Jim Head in the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at
Brainerd Int'l Raceway.

“It was the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me,” admitted Tasca
as he awaited his second round run. “I hit the gas, it shook, I caught
it and as I was rolling back in it broke the fire bottle bracket off,
the bottle dropped and it activated itself. I remember seeing all this
fluid rush at me and its amazing how your brain processes it. In my
head, first I thought it was oil and then I thought it was fuel. Then
for whatever reason I saw the foam coming down on my visor and I wasn’t
hot so I knew I wasn’t on fire so I rolled back into it and I remember
saying going through the finish like 'man if this is oil it'll be a bad
day if it lights up' because I was soaked and really couldn’t see. It’s
amazing how you can drive one of these cars almost blindfolded. I saw
the cone go by at the finish line, I knew Head had to be in trouble and
(we) got the win light.

“That win felt awesome,” said Hector Arana, after capturing his second Pro Stock Motorcycle race of
the season. “It couldn't get any better. To win over here at the home
track of Lucas Oil, sponsored by Lucas Oil, having Forrest and
Charlotte and my family, friends and the fans who treat us very well
here. From the moment I got here I felt relaxed.”

With the victory, Arana clinched a spot in the Countdown to One, an
accomplishment he failed to achieve last year. Guaranteed a spot in the
run to the title, Arana says this gives the team the opportunity to try
some things they might not have otherwise felt comfortable trying.

“The pressure is off,” he said.

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the
28th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway,
the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series -