PHOTO GALLERY by Thomas Gaines

If
you don’t think tire shake can have lasting affects, just ask Funny Car
racer Bob Tasca. Tasca was feeling the aftereffects of a tough outing
Friday evening following the first day of the National Time Trials at
Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, AZ.

Bob Tasca III, and crew chief Chris Cunningham Friday afternoon.

“It was an ugly, ugly day out there,” Tasca said. “The track was awful
today, it was way over-glued. I can tell you we made nine runs in Las
Vegas and five were the quickest we had ever been. We made seven in
Palm Beach and they were fast. We shook violently the first two runs
here.”

Tasca said at the outset of the season he planned to make the most of
testing in 2009 because of his new alliance with 2008 championship
runner-up Tim Wilkerson.

Spencer Massey is a free man.

He
is free in the sense that his anxiety over making the first run behind
the wheel of a Don “Snake” Prudhomme Top Fuel dragster was consummated
on Friday during the opening day of the National Time Trials at
Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona.

“I was just glad to get that first one out of the way,” Massey said.
“It was really no different than headed into the first round of the
U.S. Nationals or the World Finals when you’re battling for a title;
the first one is an overwhelming hurdle you like to check off your list
of things to do early. That first run left me feeling as comfortable
with this ride as I have been with any in my career.”

A hometown gig and a visit to the home of the blues are the latest additions to the 2009 National Guard ADRL tour.

ADRL officials have announced that after a two-year hiatus, the
National Guard ADRL tour will return to Memphis Motorsports Park on May
22-23 for the ADRL Memphis Drags V. They also announced a return to
familiar territory, Gateway International Raceway on June 19-20 for the
ADRL Gateway Drags II.

The return to Memphis marks the return of the ADRL to the site of what
was perhaps its most defining moment. While surveying a less than
expected crowd turnout during the 2006 race, ADRL Executive VP of
Operations Jessica Alcoke suggested that perhaps the league should give
tickets away to get fans into the seats.

Her idea led to the birth of the successfully complimentary ticket
distribution program currently utilized by the ADRL for all of its
national events.

The leading nitro and sportsman teams flock annually to Firebird
Raceway for the National Time Trials, a week long festival of teams
making test runs in preparation for the upcoming session. The 2009
event will carry more importance than in years past with the recent
announcement of the NHRA's testing limitations to be imposed once the
season starts. We'll be here all weekend bringing you pictures and
stories on what transpires during the course of the event.

IHRA Racers Will Only Be Faced With Points Forfeiture …

The NHRA considers running an IHRA event the same as a test session or
a match race, this according to NHRA Vice President of Operations
Graham Light. The NHRA announced on Wednesday that testing in 2009 will
be limited as a cost-cutting measure.

The NHRA detailed their new regulation using the following verbiage:
Unlimited testing for Top Fuel and Funny Car teams will be permitted
until the 2009 season opener at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Feb. 5. At
that point, and during the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
season (Feb. 5 to Nov. 15), Professional nitromethane teams will be
limited to a maximum of four one-day test sessions. This policy applies
to both the team and driver.

NHRA's definition of testing includes, but is not limited to, any run
or attempted run conducted at any track whatsoever, whether or not it
is an NHRA track or NHRA-sanctioned track. Exhibitions, match racing,
licensing attempts, and the like are considered testing and will be
subject to this testing policy. For example, participating at a two-day
match race will be defined as two testing-session days. Regardless of
the number of runs attempted per day, each day will be defined as one
testing

Class Will Run At All Ten Events ...

For the National Guard American Drag Racing League, it just keeps getting better.

Having already established itself as the fastest growing motorsports
series in the world, the National Guard ADRL continues it growth in
2009 with an eye towards the future. On the heels of the unveiling of
the series' expanded 10-race National Guard ADRL schedule, ADRL
President and CEO Kenny Nowling welcomes the addition of the Extreme
Pro Stock class to the ADRL family of racers.

"This may be one of the most gratifying moments in our brief history,"
said Nowling. "While other series across the country are struggling to
maintain the status quo, we've been able to add to our roster of racing.

"The ADRL staff has worked diligently for the past several months to
put this program together. My personal love for these cars made the
task of bringing championship caliber drivers like Robert Patrick and
Brian Gahm to the ADRL more of a personal crusade."

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson, driving his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac clicked off a string of 6.53’s followed by a stellar 6.527,
212.63 at the team’s second test session at the newly renovated Palm
Beach International Raceway. The atmospheric conditions were what
racers call mineshaft conditions with an adjusted altitude reading of
-1400’ below sea level. The temperature was in the low to mid-50’s most
of the day and virtually no wind. Needless to say, the horsepower from
KB Racing Pontiac was optimal in this environment! The current NHRA
National record for Pro Stock is 6.536, 211.69 set by Anderson at the
2007 AC Delco Gatornationals an event he also won.

The 2009 will be a landmark year for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team and Kenny Bernstein Racing.  It will be a year of change and
a season of celebration as it marks the 30th anniversary of the
Budweiser/Bernstein sponsorship association, the longest sponsor/team
relationship in autosports history.

"We are so proud of our unprecedented water mark for the longest
consecutive partnership in all of autosports," said six-time NHRA
champion Kenny Bernstein.  "We are deeply indebted to August Busch III
and IV, as well as the sports marketing and brand personnel who have
supported our program these last three decades.  We also want to thank
all the wholesalers who have used our race team as a marketing and
sales tool.  It was the collaborative support of all these individuals
who contributed to the longevity of our program.

"Our 30-year tenure with Budweiser says a lot for the sport of drag racing.

Veteran NHRA drag racer David Baca announced the renewed support of
international freight forwarder Mach 1 Global Services, Inc., as
primary sponsor of his Top Fuel dragster on the elite NHRA Full
Throttle Drag Racing series.

After more than a year away from the sport, Baca recently announced his
return to straight-line racing. He bannered Mach 1 Global Services on
his racecar in the past so the relationship is one that's comfortable
for both parties.

"Mach 1 Global Services and I have always had a great relationship and
it's great to make our reentry into NHRA competition together," Baca
said. "I'm very happy to be able to bring such a great sponsor back to
the sport and can't wait to see the success we will generate together
in 2009."

Mach 1 Global Services, which sponsored Baca in 2006, agreed the time was right to rekindle the relationship with Baca.