Spring has always been a time for renewal. So it’s appropriate that Maple Grove Raceway’s track construction has wrapped up as April gives way to May.
 
The $300,000 project, which needed a snowplow in order to begin on time March 4, was finally finished late last week when the last of the asphalt was put in place from the end of the extended concrete launch pad to 250 beyond the finish line.
 
The project, which was completed in seven weeks, included:

When Mike Garland was 5 years old, he began building model cars.

Little did he know, a youthful endevour would become a lifelong passion.

Now, nearly 50 years later, Garland is still active in building some of the finest model Funny Cars and other race cars out there.

ROCKY, a manufacturer of premium outdoor, work and western footwear, returns as the primary sponsor of Doug Kalitta’s 8,000-horsepower Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster at this weekend’s, April 30 - May 2, AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill., at Gateway Int’l Raceway just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis.
 
After a wildly successful initial foray as Kalitta’s primary sponsor at the NHRA national event in Norwalk, Ohio, last June, ROCKY Boots has increased their involvement in 2010 with Kalitta Motorsports and NHRA drag racing. The event this weekend is the first of three NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events scheduled for racing action for the ROCKY Boots Top Fuel Dragster. Kalitta will also pilot the specially designed ROCKY Boots race car in Norwalk again in late June as well as in the Charlotte, N.C. event in September.

Almost two months after crashing his Dodge Avenger during the NHRA Arizona Nationals, Vinny Deceglie has a new car from Rick Jones. He tested the new Mopar for the first time yesterday at Cordova Dragway Park in Illinois. (Mike Garland Photos)

2009 NHRA Funny Car champ Robert Hight knows about speed and control. The fifth year professional Funny Car driver enjoys powering his Auto Club Ford Mustang down NHRA race tracks all across the country at speed in excess of 300 mph but as an avid baseball fan Hight also enjoys watching a 95 mph fastball fly from a pitcher’s hand towards home plate. On Wednesday, April 28, 2010 Hight will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the St. Louis Cardinals game versus the Atlanta Braves.

“I grew up playing baseball in Northern California and love the game. I am really thrilled to have this opportunity. I have been able to enjoy a number of exciting experiences since I won the Funny Car world championship but being able to get down on the field of Busch Stadium and throw out the ceremonial first pitch will be really cool,” said Hight a former catcher. “I want to thank AAA Missouri for the opportunity to represent them and I hope I can bring the heat on Wednesday as well as at Gateway International Raceway over the weekend.”

Dale Creasy, Jr., driver and owner of the Tek Pak / Beaver Shredding Chevy Impala SS Nitro Funny car, will make his season debut this weekend during the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Int'l Raceway. Creasy last raced in NHRA competition at Brainerd and Richmond last season.

"I'm just looking forward to getting back on the track," Creasy said. "There's nothing like a little nitro and Full Throttle drag racing to get your heart pumping."

St. Louis is a track that Creasy has fond memories. "I remember getting my first round win of 2002 against Frank Pedregon," Creasy said. "It really meant a lot to me. It was the first year we had a full sponsorship with Craftsman and at the time they were the event sponsor. So it meant a lot for our team to win a round at their race."

Danny Rowe made a fast turnaround to his race program following an uncharacteristic DNQ at the season-opening NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series event at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway in mid-March.

What a difference a few weeks can make.

In early April, he raced to victory at Houston Raceway Park and with his NHRA Wally in hand, served notice that he intends to be a player in the world championship title chase in NHRA’s newest touring series.

Sometimes it’s easy for drivers to get lost in the shuffle of headline performers.

Gary White, however, took his turn in the American Drag Racing League (ADRL) spotlight with a historic run in his turbocharged, six-cylinder Team Titan Scion Friday at the Hardee’s Georgia Drags VI in Adel, Ga.

White clocked a 3.99-second time at 182.45 mph in the Extreme 10.5 class at South Georgia Motorsports Park.

Because of the many branches and variations of Pro Modified’s inceptions, it’s difficult to pinpoint the first purpose-built chassis for the class. However, when it comes to the third largest island in the United States, finding the inaugural home-built Pro Mod isn’t as difficult.

Puerto Rican sport compact chassis builders, PMS Race Cars, has broken from their traditional roots to build their native Hector Estrada a brand new 1963 Corvette to race in the ADRL’s Pro Nitrous division. The car made its debut last weekend at the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags in Valdosta, Ga.

“There’s a lot of racing down here, mainly sport compact,” said Erik Maldonado, half-owner of PMS Race Cars along with Georgei “Chucky” Gonzales.

The Boninfante name will continue to have a presence at Maple Grove Raceway in 2010.
 
Boninfante Performance Clutch Parts, based in Yeadon, Pa., has agreed to a sponsorship program for this season. The package includes a grandstand sign and sponsorship of the Cacklefest during the Geezers Reunion at The Grove presented by Yuengling.