The 2nd annual American Drag Racing League (ADRL) Gatorz Ohio Drags,
set for Aug. 22-23, at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio,
suddenly became much more significant in the 2008 world championship
picture.

With the recent cancellation of the ADRL national event at Tulsa,
Oklahoma, only two opportunities remain for competitors to earn more
points and clinch a berth in the Battle for the Belts showdowns that
will determine the ADRL’s 2008 world champions. The Ohio event is
followed by the ADRL’s Hushpower Dragstock V at Rockingham (NC)
Dragway, in September.

The Battle for the Belts pits the top eight points earners in the
ADRL’s four pro racing classes against each other in Friday-night
eliminations at the 2008 season ender this October at the Texas
Motorplex, near Dallas. Points earned in Saturday’s race at Dallas will
actually count toward the 2009 championship chase.

 The Flowmaster American Drag Racing League (ADRL) presented by the
National Guard announced today that the 2nd annual Shelor.com Spring
Drags, originally postponed to Oct. 3-4 at Tulsa Raceway Park, has been
canceled due to scheduling conflicts.

With the Tulsa State Fair also set for the early October weekend, ADRL
and track officials considered moving the ADRL date a few weeks later,
but the 4th annual ADRL World Finals are scheduled for Oct. 24-25, at
Dallas, Texas, and it would have placed too much strain on ADRL racers
and officials, series president Kenny Nowling explained.

“In the current economic climate we just couldn’t ask our teams to make
long tows out west on subsequent weekends,” Nowling said. “Plus, the
logistics of having back-to-back national events would have been
prohibitive.”

Len Imbrogno has held high ranking positions with race teams and sanctioning bodies.

He’s even tried his hand at driving a nitro car and that experience was
enough to convince him he’s better off on his current side of the
fence.

Imbrogno now serves as General Manager for Kenny Bernstein Racing, but
back in the day, in 1979, he drove a low-budget Funny Car for
Ohio-based team owner Ken Thornburg.

“That's when it was fun to drive,” Imbrogno said. “It's amazing; you
couldn't run an alcohol car today on the budget we ran those cars on
back then.”

Clay Millican’s long and sometimes agonizing wait to
officially begin his 2008 NHRA Top Fuel racing career ends this weekend at Maple
Grove Raceway near Reading, Pa. 

Millican will be flying the familiar – and colorful –
Nitro Fish banner and Hope4Sudan on the Brad Hadman-built dragster in the Toyo
Tires Nationals, Friday through Sunday. 

“I’m so excited,” said the effervescent Millican, whose return was
hastened by one race, thanks to sponsorship from Kenny Koretsky’s apparel
company.  “The Captain (Koretsky’s
nickname) called and said if we came back a race earlier than we planned, we
should do it at his home track of Maple Grove with Nitro Fish on the car.

CompetitionPlus.com has learned from multiple places sources that
once-approved to the NHRA nitromethane supplier Wego Chemical Company
approached the NHRA with an offer to sell their 53-gallon drums of
100-percent nitro as a additional distributor and was turned down. The
NHRA was reportedly given a commitment by Wego to sell their fuel
throughout the remainder of the season for $1400.

Former IHRA racer Jerry Williams picked up his second Probe Pro career
Fun Ford victory at Bristol with Dale Brinsfield behind the wheel.
Their brand new Jerry Haas built 2008 Shelby Cobra has posted the
quickest times ever for a nitrous car in Fun Ford history.

Bristol
has always been a favorite stop along the Fun Ford tour. For a number
of racers, it became even sweeter as the 17th annual FFW Thunder Valley
Nationals was the scene for some important wins in quests for the 2008
season championship.

Probe Pro saw Dale Brinsfield score his second consecutive season
victory as he scored 1 6.450/219.65 win over defending champion David
Schorr was forced to shut off after getting crossed up. Several new
faces were competing this year as Seth Johnson and Mike Bellew made
their debuts. Todd Amandus made another appearance in his camouflage
colored Mustang with Dennis Lugo making the tuning calls as he sped to
a 6.843.

Two-time NHRA Funny Car champion Frank Hawley and the new
Rite Aid Pharmacies Racing Dodge R/T Funny Car he will be driving in this
weekend’s Toyo Tires Nationals will be visiting the Wyomissing Rite Aid Pharmacy
Thursday from 9 a.m. until noon.

Hawley
will answer fans’ questions and sign autographs during the
appearance.

CompetitionPlus.com received these photos of the soon-to-be-debuted
1957 Chevy from Al-Anabi/Awesome Motorsports and driven by Von Smith.
Howard Moon is scheduled to wrench this slick classic Chevrolet and
could test this week in Valdosta, Ga.

Del Worsham honestly believed a No. 4 qualifying effort at the NHRA
Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., signified his fortunes were
changing for the better. Then he lost in the first round on a holeshot
to his closest rival for a playoff spot.

Worsham characterized his first round hole shot loss to Bob Tasca III, as a "crushing blow."

"It's a crushing blow, because it's on me and we had it right there in
our hands to make a strong move for the Countdown," Worsham said. "It's
not over yet, and we still have two more races to go before the 10
Countdown spots are filled, but I'm the guy in the car and that was the
best I had right then. I wasn't distracted, I did everything like I
always do, and that was just the best I had. I'm a little frustrated at
myself, but I'm just crushed for all these people in our pit who came
to cheer us on.

"The way this all set up, with us having to race Tasca in the first
round, made the drama just about as thick as it can get. It was so
tense in the pit hardly anyone was talking, but we felt really good
about the car and really good about the tune-up. It ran just about
flawlessly, and our 4.25 was right there with just about all the best
runs in the round. We just didn't get there first. Like I said, I don't
have an easy answer because I did the best I could, and it wasn't
enough. It hurts in a lot of ways, but we're not folding up and
quitting. We're going straight to Reading to win that race."

The real challenge in Tony Schumacher’s nine victories has not been in winning

Tony Schumacher won his ninth national event of the 2008 season;
he's within two wins of tying Joe Amato's career wins mark. (Auto
Imagery Photo)

the events, but in finding a unique method to describe the victory to the media and also the drag racing community.

Schumacher collected his 50th career victory on Sunday and ninth of the
2008 season. He’s just two wins short of tying Joe Amato’s Top Fuel
career victory mark.

“This has been an incredible run for the U.S. Army team,” said the
five-time world champion. “I can assure you that we’re enjoying every
minute of this. Of course, the most important thing is that we keep
winning for our Soldiers. It’s all about our brave men and women.”