Six-time NHRA champion and
motorsports icon Kenny Bernstein made a surprise announcement
Tuesday that he is stepping out of the cockpit of the Monster
Energy/Lucas Oil Funny Car effective immediately and has hired
well-known Funny Car shoe Tommy Johnson Jr. as his successor.

"I was only contemplating driving one more year," said
Bernstein, "but when Tommy became available at the end of the '07
season, we started to give the situation a lot of thought. We've
been fortunate to win six championships and 69 races, and we have some
milestone performance marks, chief among them becoming the first to
crack the 300-mph barrier.

"I guess we can always look to win one more race or one more
championship, but in reality, I've had a great career and many talented
crewmembers who have helped mold my success through the years. For me at this stage of my life, the right decision is to step away from the cockpit.

JEGS Mail Order has signed a multi-year agreement with NHRA to sponsor all three NHRA SPORTSnationals events.

JEGS Mail Order will renew its sponsorship of two of the events – the
JEGS NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals, April 4-6 at No Problem Raceway in
Belle Rose, La. and the JEGS NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals, Sept. 19-21
at historic National Trail Raceway near Columbus, Ohio – and will
become the new title sponsor of the JEGS NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals,
Oct. 3-5 at Auto Club Dragway at California Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

“JEGS Mail Order is excited to support all three NHRA SPORTSnationals
events,” said Scott Woodruff, director of media and motorsports for
JEGS Mail Order.  “This is a program that we are excited to continue
helping bring to the next level.  As always, the plan is to continue to
add new elements to the race program so that all three events will be
more enjoyable for everyone involved.”

The JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals are NHRA national events designed to
showcase NHRA’s sportsman categories exclusively. Competitors in Comp
Eliminator, Stock, Super Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street
will compete for more than $50,000 at each of the JEGS NHRA
SPORTSnationals events in 2008. NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
national event points will be awarded to drivers in all categories
except Super Street.

Steve Gibbs knows his role and even though it’s not an official title, he has no problem with it.

“I’ve become an elder statesman for some of the things the NHRA does,”
Gibbs said. “That’s certainly not an official title but when you’ve
been around long enough, those kinds of things happen.”

Some of those capacities include delivering eulogies such as the one he
most recently delivered at former NHRA Division 3 icon Bob Daniels
funeral and a special Cacklefest during the NHRA AAA Finals honoring
his former employer and NHRA founder Wally Parks.

“I got a phone call from the NHRA asking me to take care of it,” Gibbs
said. “I would have done anything for Wally. That’s the kind of stuff
that I do.”

Gibbs labels himself “an old retired guy on a pension.”

Karl
Klement announced that Peggy Llewellyn's contract will not be renewed to ride
his Rush Racing Buell in 2008.

"I
really want to thank Peggy for the job she did for us this year," said
Klement, whose NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team finished fourth in points in
their very first year on the POWERade circuit. "Never in my life would I
have thought we'd do that well this quickly. I want to thank Peggy, all the
crew members, George and Jackie Bryce, George Smith, and everybody at G2
Motorsports for making this season so successful.

The Akron Beacon Journal is reporting that veteran jet car racer Art Arfons passed away on Monday at the age of 81.

Arfons was an innovator in Jet Car racing as well as a world speed
record holder and champion Tractor Puller. He was a member of the 
Motor Sports Hall of Fame of America, International Drag Racing Hall of
Fame, International Motor Sports Hall of Fame, National Tractor Puller
Association Hall of Fame and the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame. He
was a veteran of the Navy serving in World War II.

Visit the Torco Race Fuels booth at the Performance Racing
Industry trade show, December 6 – 8, 2007, in Orlando, Florida.
Torco will display their latest products at Booth #2025.

The Mopar Virtual "Duel in The Dirt," scheduled to take place on Dec.
6-7 in the Mopar exhibit at the PRI Trade Show, will offer 40 PRI Show
attendees the opportunity to go head-to-head with eight professional
racers, including drag racers Gary Scelzi, Ron Capps, and Allen
Johnson.

The Knoll Gas – Torco Racing Fuels blown
alcohol dragster Team owned by Evan Knoll earned its second straight Snowbird
Nationals victory this past weekend.  It was the first Top Alcohol Dragster win
for their driver Mick Snyder.  The 3 time division 3 funny car champ made his
first passes in a clutch car last Wednesday and by Sunday he earned his first
event victory.

“We had so much fun this weekend.  I can’t say enough
about Brian and the rest of this team.  I have learned a lot over the last few
days and I can’t thank them enough for giving me the opportunity to come down
here and drive such a great car.  I mean this thing was running low 40s like a
bracket car,” said Snyder.

To help preserve NHRA’s rich history and tradition while seizing on the
success of nostalgic drag racing competition, NHRA has announced the
formation of the “NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series” that will crown
year-end points champions in 14 categories.

 “This new series is an exciting step that will appeal to drag racing
fans young and old,” said Peter Clifford, executive vice president and
general manager, NHRA. “It’s a great way to introduce the younger
generation to the history of our sport and give fans young and old a
glimpse of racing the way it used to be.”

The NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series will kick off with the famed
March Meet at Bakersfield, March 7-9, and conclude Oct. 10-12 at the
California Hot Rod Reunion presented by Automobile Club of Southern
California back at Bakersfield’s Auto Club Famoso Raceway.