Coming off their partial season in 2007, Doug Winters will hit the ground running in 2008.  His ’57 Chevy Nitro Coupe / Outlaw Pro Mod will continue to carry the Torco banner for Mach Series Accelerator even though he won’t be officially sponsored by Torco Race Fuels.
 

Tommy Johnson, Jr. admitted the continual references pointing out he’s one-half of a Funny Car couple hasn’t gotten on his nerves yet. He was expecting the aggravation, though.

“It's not as bad as I expected it to be actually,” Johnson said. “I guess I was preparing for the worst so anything less would be fine with me.  It's been alright, it's been good although I wish we could both get in the show, it might get a little heavier then.”

Johnson raced in Phoenix with his wife Melanie Troxel, driver of the Gotham City Racing Dodge, serving as his unofficial cheerleader and supporting cast. Just two weeks earlier, Johnson took up the pom-poms as Troxel was the second qualifier and he missed the cut in Pomona.

He was patient . . . waiting for his turn to come.  And when it did, Kyle Cultrera grabbed it and didn’t let go.

 

The prize was his first NHRA Division 2 Super Comp victory Sunday at Gainesville, Fla. The fact it came in just his second series race in his first season of competition in one of the Lucas Oil Series’ toughest categories . . . well, that was much faster then he dared dream.

 

Cultrera, of Eliot, Maine, is 17, but he had been prepping for a day like that to come along for as long as he can remember.  “My dad (Steve, who works on Jeg Coughlin’s Pro Stock Chevy at Victor Cagnazzi Racing) used to race Competition Eliminator and I have been going to the races with him since I was old enough to walk, so I have been around it all my life,” Kyle Cultrera said.

 

His search ended when he rented his winning ride from Thomas Stalbas for the full season.

Many drivers will use IHRA national events scheduled on off weeks for the NHRA tour to work out some kinks and test in a competitive situation for NHRA competition. Terry Haddock, the Washington-based driver who finished third in IHRA points standings last season, is taking the opposite approach.

Founder Tom Harmsen will be braving the winter elements, remaining OUTSIDE and SLEEPLESS for 72 hours to raise awareness for this wonderful cause.  Volunteers will be on hand during the event to accept donations.  The goal is to bring in $125k in donations to help disabled children and offer scholarships to those disabled students wishing to further their education.  Donations will also be accepted in the following cities:  Charlotte , NC .  Valdosta , GA. Atlanta , GA. Oakland , CA. San Diego , CA .  Online Donations are also available, as well by U.S. Mail.

With March being disability awareness month, it gives Hollywood 's Dream Foundation the perfect opportunity to gain local, regional, and national support to those children less fortunate.  Hollywood 's Dream Foundation seeks to fulfill dreams of any magnitude for the youth in our midst.  This is an opportunity for society to come together and lift up the hearts and spirits of this youth.

Funny Car legend Pat Foster needs our help.

Foster remains hospitalized in Post Falls, Idaho recovering from heart problems he experienced on the day before Thanksgiving. Several prominent members of the drag racing community have organized a fund-raiser to defray the costs of Foster’s family support. They have been by his side since he was hospitalized and with that said; the temporary lodging and other expenses have piled up.

Boyd Coddington, the creative visionary who took hot rodding to an art form and custom wheels to a new level dies at 63.  Coddington who was a long-time diabetic died from complications that were brought on from a recent surgery. It was Coddingtons' ever forward-looking view at the design and art of the hot rod and his unconditional desire to create the finest quality cars that became the "Boyd Look".

"It is a major loss for the automotive enthusiasts and hot rod aficionados around the world.  Boyd Coddington did so much more than create automotive trends, he also built the finest hot rods.  He was entertaining on his TV Show (TLC's- American Hot Rod) and an ambassador who educated.", said Harry Hibler, former publisher of Hot Rod Magazine.

Coddington who grew up in Idaho was a car enthusiast from a young age.  At age 12, young Boyd traded his prized shotgun for a Model A Ford, this began the legacy of the "Boyd Look".  Moving to Southern California to chase his dreams of chrome and customizing, he first worked as a shop machinist at Western Gear.  Then in the 1970's, Coddington found work as a maintenance repairman and machinist at Disneyland.  Coddington would recount fondly his experience at Disneyland and the companys desire for perfection, a trait that he instilled in everyone who worked at his hot rod shops.

During the off season the Pro Top Outlaw organization has been working hard to ensure that 2008 will be their best season yet.  Two time series champion, Phil Esz, announced at the end of the 2007 season that he would be stepping out of the driver’s seat and taking over the responsibilities of running the organization.  The series, based out of Cincinnati, offers something for everyone with an array of dragsters, funny cars, altereds and pro mods all running heads up against one another during competition.

Over the winter, the organization is excited to announce they have teamed up with Goodson which will be the series title sponsor.  Dave Monyhan, national sales manger at Goodson, is coming on board as well to be the official announcer.  And the infamous, Nitro Joe Jackson will be on hand at each event serving as the Goodson PTO event coordinator.  In addition, the Pro Top Outlaws will have a sponsor support trailer at each event provided by W&M Enterprises, Inc.  The trailer will be equipped with official Pro Top Outlaw hero cards, designed by McSnyder Designs, that you can have signed by your favorite driver, souvenir t-shirts, literature on the series and various sponsors, as well as other items at each event.

The Top Alcohol Funny Car Team of Nancy Matter is very proud to announce their new multi-year associate marketing partnership with Drag Strip Girl. The apparel and accessory company based in New Hampshire prides itself with having the most hip, yet casual drag strip attire. Drag Strip Girl Apparel is perfect for on and off the track, and appeals to women as well as young girls throughout the drag racing community.

JEGS Mail Order will bring the exciting world of ProMod drag racing to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series as an exhibition class for the eighth year in a row in 2008 with the JEGS ProMod Challenge. Hosting 10 events this season, the JEGS ProMod Challenge begins March 13-16 at the 39th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

"This is an exciting time for ProMod, the drivers, their sponsors, and the multitude of fans across the country and around the world," driver and series organizer Troy Coughlin said. "We've seen the competition grow from a small exhibition deal in 2001 to full 16-car fields of extremely well-matched racecars in just seven years.

Matt Hartford made a name for himself racing four-cylinder, turbo doorslammers on the NHRA Sport Compact series. He’s prepared to give the same effort to establish a reputation on the big stage of 500-inch NHRA Pro Stock racing.

Hartford is driving the David Nickens Stratus for a limited amount of races in 2008.

“I'm going to try to run Pro Stock as much as I humanly can but what that means?” Hartford said. “I don't know.”

Hartford made the Phoenix field, his second consecutive qualifying race. He’s not shy about showing his excitement, either.

”This is great,” said Hartford. “David's great to work with.  How long this deal lasts I don't know but we're going to enjoy it while we can.  Any seat time is good seat time.  I've got Mike Sullivan up there telling me how the world is round and if I listen to him and David then I should be pretty good.”

Seven-time IHRA Alcohol Funny Car World Champion Mark Thomas will have a different look this season. The mop-topped farmer from Ohio will be the first drag racer to drive a 2008 Impala SS body in competition.

“There is another Impala SS out there, I know there is an NHRA driver who has one, but I don’t think he will be on the track before us,” Thomas said. “Other than that I don’t know of anyone else who has one. And you should see this thing…it is thoroughly wild. It looks like a Batmobile. The wind tunnel numbers on this thing are incredible so we’re expecting to be very fast.”

How fast? Well, Thomas has a number in mind.