In the days leading up to the ADRL’s Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza V at Houston Raceway Park, Charles Carpenter spoke of wanting to experience deja vu of his breakthrough win in Houston in 2007.

Carpenter definitely felt deja vu, but unfortunately it was more
reminiscent of one of the lowest points in his career, a devastating
crash in 2004, instead of one of the highest points.

Scotty and Scott Cannon had a simple plan headed into the ADRL Hardees Georgia Drags in Valdosta, Ga.

They would drop in to Mooresville Dragway, make a few laps with the
Modzilla/Cannonball Racing team, try out some new parts and pieces,
then head to South Georgia Motorsports Park.

It was a good plan with high expectations. If only fate saw it the same way.

“Benny Alfonse has given us the resources for a first class season, and
we want to deliver,” Scotty said, speaking of the new team owner who
recently purchased his race operation.

“We recently tested Mooresville Dragway and tried out some new parts
and pieces. On our third pass we encountered a broken piece of Mike
Janis’ header on the track and prematurely ended our test session.”

Andy Kelley will race at the NHRA Summit Southern Nationals in
Commerce, Ga., thanks to a one-race sponsorship from Atlanta-based
Serenity Limousine Service.

Serenity Limousine, a luxury
transportation company, owned by former NHRA Top Fuel racer and current
Hedman Husler Hedders general manager and director of motorsports Chris
Vandergriff, plans to take advantage of the big stage to promote his
thriving limousine business.

Kelley’s J. Ed Horton-fabricated
Dodge Stratus Funny Car will be wrapped in a special edition Serenity
Limo and Hedman Husler theme for the event.

Shannon Jenkins will have his nitrous injected Camaro at the ADRL Hardees Drags in Valdosta, Ga. Whether
it rolls out of the trailer at South Georgia Motorsports Park [SGMP]
remains to be seen. However, what is certain is Jenkins will be leading
the four-car Al Anabi Racing charge into the second event on the
ten-race National Guard ADRL Series.

Jenkins will fill the primary role of crew chief this weekend,
wrenching Mike Castellana, K.A. Balooshi, Rickie Smith and Burton
Auxier. This appointment comes one race after the multi-time Pro
Modified world champion and touted nitrous expert drove his way to a
semi-final finish at the ADRL Dragpalooza V event at Houston Raceway
Park.

Jenkins, nicknamed the Iceman, got a head start on his new role by
orchestrating a successful test session recently at Gainesville
Raceway. Of the four cars, it was Balooshi that soloed the best for the
new maestro with a 3.88, 194 mph lap.

On April 5, 2009, Jeff Miles was witness to something he’s never seen in drag racing before.

The owner of Carolina Dragway in Jackson, S.C., contends that his track
played host to only the second known “TIE” drag race in the history of
the sport and he’s got the time slips to prove it.

“When I saw the win lights on both sides I thought the stupid computer
had messed up,” Miles said. “That was my initial thought and I did some
investigation and started adding some numbers, I realized this was not
something out of the norm.

Gary Bingham drove his Stroupe-built, Doug Herbert Performance Parts
Grand Am to his second win of the season in only three races at last
weekend’s IHRA Division 9 Pro Am event at Mooresville Dragway. Bingham
started off the year by capturing the Top Sportsman title at the IHRA
Mardi Gras Nationals in Baton Rouge, La. just one month ago and now
stands with a 2-1 win record for the year. As the ’94, ’95, and ’96 Top
Sportsman World Champion, Bingham is no stranger to the winner’s
circle; yet he remains humble in his approach and grateful for every
win.

“In the words of Bret Kepner, ‘Unbelievable!’” said Bingham of his win.
“This is an incredible start to our year, and we’re just so thankful.
If I heard it once this weekend, I heard it ten times- we’re all just
thankful to be out here racing. There are a lot of racers who are
sitting on the sidelines this year, and we were almost in that group.
Now to be through our third race of the year and to have two wins is
simply unbelievable. It’s amazing how quickly events can be turned.”

A special money-saving ticket package has been unveiled that will allow
fans to visit legendary Thunder Valley, Bristol Dragway, May 15-17 for
the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals and zMax Dragway in Charlotte Sept.
17-20 for the NHRA Nationals for only $199.

A section of permanent grandstands is being installed at O’Reilly
Raceway Park at Indianapolis on the east side of the world-famous
dragstrip, home of the annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by
Lucas Oil. The construction of the grandstands began in March, and late
April has been targeted as the completion date.

The new grandstands will be of aluminum construction, offer seat backs,
and feature a section for handicap seating. The grandstands also will
provide a six-foot landing at the top of the bleachers. The new seating
unit will replace temporary wooden bleachers that the facility had used.

B.R.A.K.E.S., the charity organization dedicated to promoting teen safe
driving, announces it’s partnership with SPEED’s hit television show
“PINKS All Out”.  The 501(c)(3) foundation will aid the show in its
effort to promote the public service message that racing should be
taken off the streets and viewers should ‘take it to the track’.

“‘PINKS All Out’ has really taken off for SPEED, the show reaches
thousands of drag racing fans across the country” said Doug Herbert,
NHRA Top Fuel Driver and founder of B.R.A.K.E.S.  “The producers at
SPEED realize that with the show’s success comes a certain level of
responsibility.  They want to encourage grassroots racers, especially
young drivers, to keep the racing at the race track and off the
street.  When they asked B.R.A.K.E.S. to help deliver that message I
was thrilled,” Herbert added.