For Casey Pekarek of Chesterland, Ohio, her dream of giving her husband,
Dale, the ultimate wedding anniversary gift began when she read in the
newspaper about the special “ROCKY Rocks!” poster contest being held by
Kalitta Motorsports and ROCKY Boots at this past weekend’s running of
the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.

Team Kalitta fans who attended the event in Norwalk were asked to
create a poster that contained the phrase “ROCKY Rocks!” in
commemoration of ROCKY Boots’ primary sponsorship of Doug Kalitta’s
8,000-horsepower No. 50 Top Fuel dragster at the event. All contest
participants were given a special edition ROCKY/Team Kalitta hat, but
the Pekareks also won the Grand Prize, to be honorary pit crew members
for Team Kalitta during Sunday’s final eliminations at Summit
Motorsports Park, after their design was deemed to be the most creative
by Team Kalitta/ROCKY Boots dragster crew members.

The National Guard American Drag Racing League (ADRL) announced today several rule clarifications related to the use of superchargers in its Pro Extreme and Extreme 10.5 classes.

While 2009 has so far been plagued with financial woes and a variety of problems for sporting events across the globe, for the International
Hot Rod Association, the start to the 2009 season has ironically been
one of its most competitive beginnings in the nearly 40 year history of
the sanctioning body.

For only the second time in IHRA history there have been no repeat
winners through the first four races of the season as a dozen different
drivers have claimed wins in three professional categories heading into
the midway point of the ’09 Nitro Jam season.

If that trend continues in Edmonton this weekend, it will mark the
first time in IHRA history there have been repeat winners through the
first half of the schedule.

The Friday schedule at the ADRL Hardee’s Summer Drags in Topeka, Kan., was ambitious but by 8 PM, it became impractical.

Blame it on the rain.

When rain postponed last month’s ADRL Summer Drags in Martin, Mich.,
after the first round of eliminations, the decision was made to
complete the event on the Friday of the Topeka event.

True to form in going its own way, the National Guard American Drag
Racing League (ADRL) is already confirming the first race date for its
2010 national event tour.

“Why wait when you have good news? Everyone had such a good time a few
weeks ago that we want to make sure they mark their calendars now for
May 28-29, 2010, and our return to Memphis Motorsports Park (MMP) with
the Quarter-Max Memphis Drags III,” National Guard ADRL President and
CEO Kenny Nowling said. “Hopefully, we can make attending this event a
real Memorial Day weekend tradition for Memphis race fans.”

Nearly four months after the official start of the 2009 racing season,
Charles Carpenter is ready to start his season over again.

Since crashing his unmistakable ’55 Chevy in early March, both
Carpenter himself and the car have healed at almost the same rate, and
both are looking to make their return to the National Guard ADRL Pro
Nitrous scene at this weekend’s ADRL Hardee’s Independence Drags III in
Topeka, KS.

“I’m just now getting to the point where my back feels like it’s almost
back to normal and I can get back in the driver’s seat,” said
Carpenter. “Coincidentally, the car is ready to go at the same time.”

This is a story about losing a member of the a family. Anyone who
has ever had to make the tough choice to say goodbye to a family pet,
will understand the pain and the heartache now felt by seven-time world
champion Rickie Smith and his family.

While this story might originally been just another notebook item,
Rickie Smith was kind enough to share with all of us his family's grief
so that all of use might take a moment to give an extra hug, pat on the
head, rub of the belly or whatever it is we do with our pets, who
easily and quickly become members of our family.

This is the story of Sassy, the 16-year old dachshund, who has passed
into doggie heaven leaving behind a family stricken by grief, as if she
was a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, or another close member of
a family.

Rest in Peace, Sassy, your family and the drag racing family has lost a friend. - Editor

John Force Racing just took delivery of a truckload of 2010 Mustang Funny Car bodies. When they hit the strip remains a mystery.

“I don’t know yet,” Fourteen-time NHRA champion John Force admitted,
suggesting that it would most likely be later in the season.

“It may be during the Countdown,” Force guessed. “We haven’t even
looked at them other than a glimpse from the back of the trailer.”

The game plan is for all of the Ford teams, the four within the JFR
stable along with Bob Tasca III and Tim Wilkerson to debut the
aerodynamically improved bodies simultaneously.

Pete Farber and Jeff Blasi drove to victory Saturday night as the
Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association concluded the Rumble at The Grove in thrilling fashion.
 
The late evening finish topped a long day at Maple Grove Raceway that
featured an early morning flea market that drew dozens of vendors and
the 11th round of the Sunoco Race Fuels Money Trail.
 
Farber needed to defeat veteran racer Tommy Gray to claim his victory
in the Blower/Turbo class. The Baldwinville, Mass., resident drove his
1969 Daytona to a quick finish of 6.110 seconds at 234.09 mph down the
quarter-mile. He had nearly a half-second better reaction time over
Gray’s ’68 Camaro and then took the holeshot.

Trevor Ashline, CEO of Safety Solutions, recently issued the following
statement regarding statements about the company's product line.