After completing his first season as Top Fuel team owner and driver,
Terry McMillen has set his sights even higher for the 2009 racing
season. McMillen was two for two in NHRA starts last year (Atlanta /
Las Vegas), including a spot in the fastest 1000ft field in NHRA
history at the fall Vegas event. McMillen's NHRA season will begin at
the Gator Nationals in Gainesville, Florida.

IHRA success also came often for McMillen and his Amalie Oil sponsored
machine. With four final rounds in a row (five total) and one win,
McMillen is planning to hit the ground running again this season when
they pull in to Baton Rouge for the IHRA season opener.

"We've worked harder and spent more money this off-season than we ever
have before," McMillen said from his Indiana race shop. "We've never
been more prepared to begin a season than we are right now."

McMillen hopes his off-season spending spree will pay big dividends.
Besides the usual parts and pieces required to make a Top Fuel Dragster
go fast, McMillen made a significant off-season acquisition in veteran
tuner Doug Kuch. Kuch, who stepped in mid-season last year as
consultant, will tune the Amalie Oil entry during the 2009 campaign.

$50,000 Up For Grabs Through Championship, Shootout Structure …

The new NHRA Pro Modified series sponsored by Get Screened America and
contested at ten NHRA Full Throttle Series events will operate on a
first come, first served, and spaces are filling up quickly for the 24
available spots. This news comes from series administrator Matthew
Brammer.

The series signed a contract that will ensure its existence through 2011.

“This is a really exciting time for Pro Modified fans,” Brammer said.
“There’s a lot of work to do in a short period of time before
Gainesville arrives and we are working double time to en sure all the
details are handled properly.”

If
you don’t think quitting nitro racing is like a junkie trying to kick a
drug habit, just spend a few minutes with former Top Fuel racer Paul
Romine. He’ll set you straight.

Sadly, he speaks from experience.

“I’ve tried building street rods,” Romine explained. “I’ve tried
fishing. I’ve tried Harley-Davidsons. I’ve tried everything there is
since I quit driving in 2003. It’s driving me crazy.”

Romine, who hails from Indianapolis, has reached a compromise with his
addiction. He’s not planning on returning to the cockpit of a Top Fuel
dragster, but a dose of nitro is certainly on his agenda.

Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels will continue the Associate Sponsorship of Dan Fletcher. A 57-time NHRA

Joel Gelfand Photo

national
event winner, Fletcher is ranked in the top 10 on the NHRA all-time
winners list and also has numerous IHRA wins to his credit.
 
“Dan has been a member of ‘Team M/T’ for many years,” stated Carl
Robinson, Motorsports Manager, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires &
Wheels. “It’s just awesome that we can continue to support his racing
program. Dan is one of the most focused and dedicated touring sportsman
racers on the planet. His winning record speaks for itself.”

Greg Krenik Reverts to Part-time Racing in Championship Defense Season …

Being a champion doesn’t excuse one from the harsh reality of a troubled economy.

That’s the hard lesson AHDRA (All Harley Drag Racing Association) Pro Modified champion Greg Krenik has found out.

Krenik has been taken out of contention for the 2009 season before it
even began. He’s not completely out of racing but a limited schedule
makes a successful championship defense all but impossible.

Following the conclusion of a recent on-line poll period, all votes
have been tallied and the winners of the 2008 DragRaceCanada.com
Canadian Drag Racers of the Year Awards program have been determined.

The awards, presented by DragRaceCanada.com co-sponsor Lucas Oil
Canada, helps to acknowledge top achievements in Canadian drag racing
during the past season.  2008 marked the 5th year for the prestigious
program.

Edmonton,
Alberta’s Tim Boychuk, who seemingly broke the mould by winning twice
in IHRA Top Fuel national competition last year gathered two
nominations, winning both the Pro Driver of the Year and also Most
Improved/Up-and-Coming Driver honors.

He’s Always Thinking Outside of the Box …

Jack Beckman battled the flu to win the 2008 title in Phoenix.

Winning a national event has more far-reaching benefits than just
earning a nice payday and the accompanying championship points. At
least that’s how defending NHRA Lucas Slick Mist Nationals champion
Jack Beckman sees it.

"It's always fun to go back to a race as the previous event champion,"
said Beckman, who defends his title in Phoenix this weekend ranked
eighth in the standings after one event in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle
Drag Racing Series. "You usually get your name in the fan guide and in
the program and the announcers talk about you a little bit more. So
that's always cool.”

Last season’s victory was important in the grand scheme of his
championship aspirations, but the real push towards the title came much
later in the season.

NHRA has extended the fan relief program, announced earlier in the
year, to the upcoming ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals (March 12-15) at
Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway, and the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA
Southern Nationals (April 16-19) at Atlanta Dragway.

For both the Gainesville and Atlanta events, NHRA has announced $20
adult general admission tickets on the spectator side grandstand of the
respective race facilities on professional qualifying and elimination
days (Friday through Sunday).  A total of 1,500 tickets per day are
available at the $20 price, representing a total of 4,500 tickets for
each event.   The $20 ticket is available for advance purchase only, on
a first-come first-serve basis by calling (800) 884-NHRA and mentioning
the “fan relief offer”.

NHRA has again teamed up with Ticketmaster to eliminate the convenience
fees on fan relief $20 adult general admission tickets purchased at
ticketmaster.com.  Fans can visit the appropriate event page at
Ticketmaster.com and enter the password “Relief” in the “promotions and
special offers” box to take advantage of the offer.  Race fan relief
tickets purchased through Ticketmaster.com can be picked up at will
call for no charge or can be delivered for a fee. 

As part of a three-year deal which extends through the 2011 season,
NHRA has announced that Get Screened America will run Pro Mod Challenge
exhibitions at 10 NHRA national events in 2009. The Get Screened
America Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx debuts March 12-15 at
the 40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. 

Capps Combines Caution and Aggression in One Potent Combination …

Ron Capps believes a driver is only as good as his last run, not to mention his last race.

His last run was a final round win; his first since the 2007 season.
It’s a feat that enables him to open Friday’s NHRA Lucas Slick Mist
Nationals from the rear of qualifying, the most advantageous spot in
what is usually a baseline session.

Capps and tuner Ed “Ace” McCulloch can watch the competition and make
tuning changes while awaiting their opportunity to make a tuning run.
That opportunity can be the determining factor as to whether they calm
down the NAPA Auto Parts Dodge or turn the wick up and go for the
jugular early in the event.