:::::: News ::::::

STATEMENT FROM WHIT BAZEMORE REGARDING RECENT REPORTS OF HIS MAKING AN INAPPROPRITE GESTURE TO SCOTT

(8-1-2006) - Whit Bazemore denies he was giving anyone "the finger" during Sunday's ESPN2 telecast.

"I was not making an inappropriate gesture to anyone. I was telling a young fan to wait a minute while I went back into the trailer to retrieve a Sharpie," Bazemore said. "If you study the TV footage in slow motion you can see that it is clearly my index finger. It does look suspect in real time, but I would never flip someone off in the presence of fans, especially young ones, who had started to crowd around when I walked out behind the car to pack the parachute.

"Plus, I do not know Scott Kalitta well enough to make that kind of gesture, even jokingly, and I had no reason to do it anyway.

"I am extremely disappointed in ESPN's lack of discretion to air something that is so misleading."

WHO OWNS THE SPONSORSHIP? THE DRIVER OR THE TEAM?

(8-1-2006) - With the recent split of Erica Enders and Victor Cagnazzi Racing and the sponsorship with SLAMMERS, we have witnessed similar situations facing NASCAR and IRL. Ad Age asks the question, "Who owns the sponsorship?"

We've often wondered the same thing.

Who Owns the Sponsorship?

Editors Note - You may required to register (at no charge) to read this article.

TROY CRITCHLEY PREFERS A NICKNAME OTHER THAN SANDMAN

8-9-2006) – Troy Critchley put the Dr. Moon’s Rage AMS ’57 Chevy in the sand, and in the air, at the end of his qualifying attempt on Friday in Martin, Michigan, and in an interview with John Waldie and 1320 TV he explained what happened and how he managed to walk away from the scary crash with no ill effects.

“We seem to be testing the boundaries right now,” he said. “Our other car, the ’70 Cuda, has been 237 miles an hour three times now, but the second time we did it we had problems with the chutes. The chutes went down under the car and wrapped around the rear-end, actually. It’s pretty hard to pull one of these things up – 2700 pounds at 237 miles an hour.

“The Cuda is in the chassis shop, so we put the engine out of it into the ’57. On the pass, I rolled the lights, so I didn’t get a time, but by the computer it did 235 plus, and it had trouble with the chutes again. They crossed over and wrapped themselves around the wheelie bar. It was going too fast and I couldn’t get it stopped. If you had a mile or two you might be able to get it stopped. I thought it was going to slide through the sand, but a header dug in and it flipped once in the air and it landed on all fours again.

"I spent the last month getting used to a HANS device. It felt a little awkward to start with but my hat goes off to those guys. I flipped a car yesterday and I’m not sore anywhere." (Check out the entire video at 1320 TV.com)

PERMANENT FEDERAL INJUNCTION GRANTED TO MSD IGNITION

MSD Ignition has obtained a Permanent
Federal Injunction against Procomp Electronics, Inc. Procomp manufactured an
ignition that was confusingly similar in appearance to the well known red
housing of MSD’s 6AL Ignition Control. With more and more infringement in the
aftermarket, MSD’s top brass got fed up and took the matter to the courts.

DON SCHUMACHER RACING OPEN HOUSE/CAR AND BIKE SHOW

First public open house of the
DSR Race Shop
  Unveiling of the Matco Tools “Tales of the Rat Fink” Dodge
Charger Funny Car
  Sneak preview of the 2008 Dodge Challenger, Rampage and
Gladiator
  Special concert by “Maggie Speaks” courtesy of
Mopar
  Noontime Autograph Session by all DSR drivers and many guest
drivers
  Car Show and Bike Show hosted by the Indy Hi-Winders Car
Club
  Special appearance by the original “Tweedy Pie” built by “Big Daddy”
Ed Roth

WHO NEEDS PRO STOCK? THE BLING IS IN BRACKETS FOR COUGHLIN

Jeg Coughlin’s amazing success in
major E.T. bracket racing events continued this weekend as the former three-time
NHRA World Champion claimed the $20,000 top prize in the AA Auto Salvage
Superbucks race at Atco Raceway.


Racing against a huge field of drag
racing’s best sportsman drivers, Coughlin picked up the first place check after
defeating Shane Carr of Hendersonville, Tenn., in the final round. Coughlin put
an exclamation point on the win with a nearly perfect run in the final when he
left the starting line with a .007 reaction time and then sealed the victory by
running right on his dial-in in his JEG'S Mail Order dragster.

“I
struggled a bit earlier this weekend but today I managed to settle into a nice
rhythm and was fortunate to have the close race go my way,” said Coughlin. “Any
win is special, but this one really feels good because Atco Raceway has some of
the toughest racers in the country and anytime you can win a race here and leave
with the trophy, there’s a tremendous feeling of accomplishment that goes with
it.”

BRING IT TO THE TRACK PRESENTED BY J.W. PERFORMANCE TRANSMISSIONS

Just hot off the press, J.W.
Performance Transmissions is making an effort to educate street racers on the
dangers of street racing. The program “Bring It To The Track” will kick off in
August 2006 with the start of the school year. During the months of August and
September when you send in a picture of your vehicle and an E.T. time slip from
your local track J.W. Performance Transmissions will send you a free log book,
decal kit and an entry to the Roy Hill Drag Racing School. All items are free,
but a $3.00 money order must be included with a return address to cover shipping
and handling fee. For entries outside the continental USA send a quick e-mail to
jwperf@digital.net for a shipping and handling quote. The entry must be
postmarked September 30, 2006!

DEDICATED RACER NEEDS OUR SUPPORT

(8-8-2006) - What do we want to be in life? This is a question we all ask ourselves at some point in time. Some of us want to be the best parents on the face of the planet. Some of us want to be successful in business and reap the financial rewards that go with it.

Then there are those among us who only want to be the best they can be at something they have an overwhelming passion for. Michelle "Mrs. Missile" Davison is one of those people. She has partnered with her husband Paul to be the best they can be in the sport of drag racing.

Their largest dilemma to this point was how to be the best at what they so wholeheartedly loved doing. The worst problem they had to date was being able to afford parts without spending all their hard-earned dollars. This situation was compounded by the fact that these dedicated folks live 8000 miles from the shores of the U.S., in Wellington, New Zealand.

They fronted their newest creation, a blown small block dragster, during the  2005/2006 season with Paul ironing out the bugs in the car so that his wife, who goes by the name of “Mrs. Missle,” could take over behind the wheel. The car showed lots of potential, thanks in great part to the help of their parts supplier, tuner and good friend David Green, New Zealand's two-time Top Doorslammer champion.

This is where that nasty fickle entity known as fate reared its ugly head. Michelle had been complaining of headaches for quite some time, and a CAT scan confirmed the worst. Mrs. Missile had a massive tumor on her brain that required surgical removal. She is now in the first stages of chemo treatment and vows that she will be in HER car by the end of the 2006/2007 season. Those who know her have no doubt that this will indeed come to pass.

Please try to take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to drop Mrs. Missile a quick note and let her know that the drag racing community around the world is pulling for her. She’s a tough, determined and inspirational woman, and we should let her know that we’re behind her all the way.

You can email Michelle at: upperhuttglass@xtra.co.nz

Please keep Michelle in your prayers and in your thoughts. We need all the passion for our sport we can find, wherever it might be.

SAD NEWS TO REPORT

Longtime Lee Callaway crewmember
and family friend Kenny Ruthart was killed in a work related accident at a
Houston chemical plant Saturday evening. Ruthart, 33, known to many as "Mini Me"
had served as bottom end specialist for Callaway's Top Alcohol Dragster team
since 1991.

WORSHAM IN TOP MENTAL SHAPE WITH OFF-WEEK BASIC TRAINING

Funny Car veteran Del Worsham said
he felt "good-tired" after getting back to basics during his "off-week."

He and his crew took their Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Chevy Monte
Carlos to a match race in Salt Lake City City after the Sonoma, California,
race. Worsham said he thought he and dad/team manager Chuck Worsham would have a
leisurely drive in the motorhome up to Brainerd afterward.

But because crew member Warren Bryning had to go home
unexpectedly, Worsham ended up doing clutch work -- or, as he put it, "getting
covered in clutch dust and sweat, busting my knuckles on the race car."

Then he and longtime crew member Steve "Fuel Boy" Brown put the
pedal to the metal last Sunday night and led the team convoy of three big rigs,
two SUVs, and a motorhome in a drive-till-you-drop run to northern Minnesota.

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