The Grease Monkey Thunder on the Mountain event, a round of the NHRA
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Bandimere Speedway, is in the books. 
Grand Junction, Colo., racer Jim Whiteley took his Top Alcohol Dragster
to the winner’s circle for the second time in two weeks and Roger
Bateman, Winnipeg, Manit., won his second Top Alcohol Funny Car title
of the season.

Whiteley was the event’s No. 1 Top Alcohol Dragster qualifier and due
to a short field of cars, there were only two rounds of eliminations
instead of three. However, Whiteley more than earned the win when he
ousted Denver’s Eugene Tumbarello in the first round and then laid down
a 5.580-second, 259.26 mph pass to beat Ed Schmeeckle of Gothenburg,
Neb., in the final.  Schmeeckle ran 5.649 seconds at 252.85 mph in his
first final-round appearance of the year.

Racing Halts NHRA Atco Raceway Event

There is a soft mist falling at Atco Raceway and the weather forecasts call for heavier rain. Race officials have decided to pull the plug on racing this weekend. This event in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series will be completed during the second scheduled LODRS event at Atco Raceway, October 2nd through 4th .

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After two days of rain delays at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
at Pacific Raceways, Sunday’s eliminations went off without a hitch. 
And for Top Alcohol Dragster racer Shawn Cowie it was worth the wait. 
The Delta, B.C., resident won his fifth race in as many tries.  Steve
Gasparrelli, West Covina, Calif., didn’t mind the setbacks, either, as
he wheeled his Top Alcohol Funny Car to the winner’s circle for the
first time this year.

Cowie went into eliminations from the No. 1 qualifying spot and squared
off against No. 2 qualifier Joey Severance, Spanaway, Wash., in the
final.  Cowie laid down a 5.370-second, 268.81 mph pass which was more
than enough to cover Severance who slowed to a 16.152-second run at
52.69 mph.  Severance was also runner-up to Cowie at the division’s
race last week at Spokane County Dragway.

Gasparrelli, who claims the NHRA Pacific division as his home, took on
Clint Thompson of Klamath Falls, Ore., in the final.  Gasparrelli made
the best run of the weekend, a 5.585-second, 257.38 mph effort, against
Thompson.  Thompson ran 5.651 seconds at 252.19 mph.

As witnessed by his NHRA-leading five national event victories this
season, reigning Pro Stock world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. loves race
day. This weekend at the 12th of 24 races on the Full Throttle
schedule, Coughlin should be twice as happy as the most successful
racer on the '09 tour because he will have two chances to race for a
trophy in his JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt.

Aside from the national event itself and a chance to improve on his
NHRA-best, 109-point lead in the world rankings, Coughlin will compete
in the 25th annual K&N Horsepower Challenge, a special
race-within-a-race for Pro Stock's top eight drivers.

"I love race day; it's what I get up for," said Coughlin, who turns 39
a few days before the race begins. "To have two chances to win this
weekend, in my home state, no less, obviously makes this a very big
event for us. I can't wait to get started."

Greg
Anderson will lead the K&N Horsepower Challenge field as the No. 1
seed for the sixth consecutive year as the lucrative special event
takes center stage June 27 during the third annual Summit Racing
Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park.

A purse of $76,000 is available for the eight drivers competing in the
K&N Horsepower Challenge. The winner of the 25th annual K&N
Horsepower Challenge will earn $50,000. The runner-up will earn
$10,000, the two semifinalists $3,000 each, and the four first-round
finishers $2,500 apiece.

Anderson, from Charlotte, N.C., qualified No. 1 at six of the 24 NHRA
Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events where drivers could earn
K&N Horsepower Challenge points. It is Anderson’s seventh career
appearance in the bonus event.

As surprising as it sounds, the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
hits its official mid-point race this weekend – No. 12 of 24 – and Pro Stock superstar Greg Anderson is still looking for his first victory of the season.

Anderson’s 2009 campaign hasn’t started in the fashion that the
three-time Pro Stock world champion has grown accustomed. By this point
in most seasons, he’s usually won a handful of events, advanced to a
bunch of final rounds, claimed several top qualifying efforts and is
working on plans to extend his series points lead.

Not this year.

Dark clouds usually dissipate after a brief storm. However, if you’re Jerry Eckman, those clouds are still lingering - a painful reminder of the relentless storm he’s weathered for more than a decade.

Eckman’s wearied eyes speak without his lips moving. If they could convey a message, more than likely they would utter, “Enough.”

He used to bite his lip, opting for silence.

Now Eckman is ready to talk. Friendships be damned, political correctness be damned. He wants his life back.

In the final rounds of qualifying at the Grease Monkey Thunder on the
Mountain event, a round of the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at
Bandimere Speedway, Grand Junction, Colo., racer Jim Whiteley moved to
the top of the Top Alcohol Dragster class while Roger Bateman,
Winnipeg, Manit., stayed at the top of the Top Alcohol Funny Car field.

Whiteley took the top spot away from Earlville, Iowa’s Richard Putz who
failed to improve on Friday’s initial qualifying pass of 5.610 seconds
at 253.66 mph.  Whiteley laid down a 5.527-second, 259.21 mph pass to
take the lead.  Denver’s Eugene Tumbarello is the No. 4 qualifier.

Bateman did not improve on his first qualifying run but the
5.912-second, 244.43 mph pass was enough to keep him atop the field. 
Kirk Williams, Glenwood, Iowa, moved up to the second spot with a
5.948-second pass at 241.54 mph.  Firestone, Colo., resident Paul
Anderson is the No. 4 qualifier.

After several days of researching alternatives, the management at
Summit Motorsports Park, home of the upcoming Summit Racing Equipment
NHRA Nationals, will replace the asphalt from the eighth-mile to the
finish line to alleviate drainage problems that have occasionally
plagued the track the last year.

Officials first detected a problem during last weekend's Super Chevy
event at the facility as water was seeping up through the track
surface. The Bader family, which owns the track, consulted with NHRA
Senior Vice President-Racing Operations Graham Light and facilities
consultant Wayne McMurtry and numerous engineers to determine the best
course of action.

Core samples were taken and it was determined that the root of the
problem was the high level of sand in the top inch and a half of the
asphalt mixture, which was retaining water and not allowing it to seep
down into the earth.

To add to your Father's Day relaxation, we have compiled a few videos
for your viewing pleasure. We found these gems on YouTube.com which
feature the early years of drag racing. This two part documentary
focuses on the early years of drag racing with a large focus on Stock,
Super Stock and Pro Stock. Classic footage from Indy, Beeline and other
historic venues. As an added bonus, we've also included the 1971 NHRA
Winternationals in Pomona, Ca.