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John
Force extended his lead in provisional qualifying for the second annual
CompetitionPlus.com War Stories competition gaining a 7.06-percent lead
over second place vote getter and former Blue Max crewman “Waterbed”
Fred Miller.

The CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Showdown is a competition of
story-telling with the winners determined by reader vote as competitors
advance on an NHRA-style eliminations ladder. Ladder seeding is
determined by reader vote.

Champion System, a company specializing in the production of
high-quality custom technical clothing, has signed a multi-year
agreement with Don Schumacher Racing to be the official team uniform
supplier, beginning with the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
season.

Based in New York City, Champion System was founded by avid sports
enthusiasts who have combined their strong 20-year knowledge of the
apparel business with their love of all sports. With its roots based in
cycling, Champion System is expanding to include different forms of
motorsports.

Champion System provides a new approach to the custom technical
clothing business. By allowing sports teams, retailers and individuals
to order a full line of custom uniforms with unlimited colors and low
minimums, it has set a new standard in the custom technical clothing
business.

Streaking down the toughest bobsled course in the world, pulling 9.3 Gs with the U.S. Thunderbirds, touring one the most secure
military installations in the world, gracing gaming chips in Las Vegas,
running one of the largest mail order companies in North America --
it's all in a day's work for champion drag racer Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Competing in 24 NHRA national events and winning the POWERade title
will define Coughlin's 2008 season but it hardly describes the daunting
schedule one of the sport's most popular figures kept over the past 12
months.

Coughlin's whirlwind year started in snowy Lake Placid where he helped
NASCAR legend Geoff Bodine raise some much-needed funds for Team USA
Bobsledding. Not surprisingly, Coughlin proved quite adept at handling
a 400-pound competition bobsled himself, finishing third overall
against a group of select NASCAR and NHRA racers despite the fact he'd
never piloted a bobsled prior to the three-day charity event.

Ohio-based racer excited to get back out on the circuit

In 2005 Michael Dakin brought his A-Fuel dragster to the IHRA World
Finals, looking to break into the qualifying field despite long odds.
He was unable to do so, but his trip to “The Rock” left a very good
impression on him. Now, four years later, he will return to IHRA
competition.

Dakin will campaign a 2009 Murf McKinney Top Fuel entry at select ’09 IHRA Nitro Jam events, bringing former Frank Pedregon
and Melanie Troxel tuner Scott Graham along with him. Now the question
will not be if Dakin will make the show…chances are with the best
equipment in his pits and one of the top tuners in the world in his
corner the only question will be where he will end up on the ladder.

Joe Castello's XM Power Shift is no longer on the air- The nightly motor sports talk show on XM 144 broadcast its final show, Friday night, December 5th. The show which covered all forms of racing had a weekly rotation of experts including the NHRA's Alan Reinhart, who discussed drag racing each Tuesday night. Drag racing legends from Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney to current champions Tony Schumacher and Jeg Coughlin made frequent appearances on the radio program. 

First-time entrants “Waterbed” Fred Miller and Don Garlits in the top five vote getters

John
Force ended the first day qualifying for the second annual
CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Showdown as the provisional leader,
leading first time entrant “Waterbed” Fred Miller by 1.51 percent of
the reader voting.

The CompetitionPlus.com War Stories Showdown is a competition of
story-telling with the winners determined by reader vote as competitors
advance on an NHRA-style eliminations ladder. Ladder seeding is
determined by reader vote.

Adds Frank Gugliotta and J.R. Carr to Three Car Pro Stock Team …

Former NHRA Comp eliminator standout turned IHRA Pro Stock racer Richard Freeman will field three Pro Stockers in IHRA competition during the 2009 season.

Former NHRA Comp racer turned IHRA mountain motor Pro
Stock driver Richard Freeman is determined to ensure that he's throwing
out all the stops through his Elite Motorsports team for a championship
in 2009.

Freeman, of Paul's Valley, Okla., will enter the 2009 season with three
Pro Stock teams comprised of himself, current class record holder Frank
Gugliotta and J.R. Carr.

Gugliotta will serve as the team's crew chief.

In a day and age when most teams are scaling back their efforts,
Freeman appears to be pulling out all the stops to win at any cost.

Three-time IHRA Funny Car Champion Rob Atchison and ACE Manufacturing of Bittern Lake, Alberta have joined forces in a three year deal that will see the Atchison family Funny Car compete at races in Western Canada and United States.

“It is really exciting being able to join up with the ACE Racing and
Manufacturing family.” said Atchison. “With all of the instability
surrounding IHRA and the Alcohol Funny Car class coupled with the
addition of my son Wyatt I felt it was time for a change, it is time to
get back to having fun again!  I got a chance to meet Harold Parfett at
the Rocky Mountain Nationals and we hit it off.  We have been talking
racing and throwing ideas back and forth since July.  We are very happy
to finally be able to announce we will be racing with them for the next
three years and possibly beyond.”

Special events such as the Industry Roundtable, Grand Opening
Breakfast, All-Stars Kart Race, and action on show floor all resounding
successes

With
proof in the sheer number of buyers coming through the doors on Opening
Day at the 21st Annual PRI Trade Show, the motorsports industry put on
a remarkable show of strength. The commitment to preview and purchase
the hottest new racing products and precision machining equipment
remained high, with many participants saying their overall impression
was that this show was truly “the best ever.”

After completing the best season of his drag racing career, Terry McMillen, driver of the Amalie Oil Top Fuel Dragster, is making
plans for an even bigger 2009 season. McMillen made five final round
appearances with two wins in IHRA competition in route to a third place
finish in championship points. He also competed and qualified in two
NHRA events, including the 13th spot in the fastest field in NHRA 1,000
foot history during the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals.

"We've been blessed with some of the best partners in the business,"
McMillen said from his Indiana race shop. "It's no secret that this is
probably the toughest economy that most people have faced in their
lifetime. It's been tough on racers, race teams and on families all
over the world. Our partners have remained solid through this down
period and we're focused on helping them grow even more during 2009."