In the world of heads-up professional drag racing, perhaps nothing
exemplifies the dog-eat-dog nature of the sport better than words, “Go
Full Throttle or Go Home!”

Beginning in 2009, that’s exactly how NHRA’s top professional series
will be branded, as Coca-Cola North America’s Full Throttle energy
drink succeeds POWERade as the title sponsor of NHRA’s premier
professional drag racing series.  It’s the first major sports marketing
play for the beverage Company’s lead energy drink.

The association between NHRA and Coca-Cola North America, with support
from Coca-Cola Enterprises, includes a two-year partnership extension
through the 2013 season, representing one of the longest running series
sponsorships in motorsports. The new series will be called the NHRA
Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

Before heading to Atlanta to compete in the sixth race of the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series, Funny Car driver Bob Tasca III made a stop
in Dearborn, Mich. to participate in Ford Customer Service Division’s
“Bring Your Child To Work Day” activities.

“I was really excited when FCSD asked me to be a part of this day,”
said Tasca. “One of the best things of being an NHRA driver is talking
with kids at and away from the track about the sport.”

Josh Hernandez, the defending NHRA Jegs ProMod Series champion, will
not be competing in this weekend's NHRA Southern Nationals. He was
originally invited to participate but was forced to withdraw when
sponsor commitments required his presence in Tulsa, Oklahome at an ADRL
event. The Tulsa event was cancelled and when Hernandez re-applied, he
was declined entry.

Hernandez released a statement regarding the situation today.

"We had planned to be at the ADRL event in Tulsa this weekend to represent the
Guard, and because the schedule conflicted with the JEGS Pro Mod event, we had
to decline their invitation to race. It killed me, but, it was the right thing,
and it's what I had to do. I had held out hope that there was a way to make
things work out, but, at the time JEGS required confirmation of attendance, I
couldn't commit," Hernandez said.
 
Because of excessive rain in the Tulsa
area, it was officially announced on April 18 that the ADRL Shelor.com Spring
Drags had been re-scheduled, thus freeing Hernandez to compete at the NHRA event
April 24-27 -- or so he hoped.

 
Dave Connolly will compete in this weekend's NHRA Southern Nationals in
Commerce. Ga., with primary sponsorship from Charter Communications.
The backing will reportedly enable Connolly through Cagnazzi Racing to
compete in the balance of the 2008 NHRA tour and beyond.

“Everything seems to be
going too smoothly and that makes you wonder,” Connolly said in jest, when
speaking with Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com. “Victor Cagnazzi and Steve Barnes
did a great job putting this program together.”

Chris Rivas spent most of his time between events testing at SGMP. (Roger Richards Photo)

Chris Rivas had admittedly not gotten off the kind of start he’d
preferred for 2008. The rider for G2 Racing Team spent much of the
off-team between NHRA events testing their Buell at South Georgia
Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga.

"As long as we can apply the things we learned last week, we will be
dangerous," said the 41-year-old Fresno, Calif., native.  "We should be
a top-five motorcycle again, thanks to the work done by the guys from
G2 Motorsports.

"And we want to do well here because it is the team's 'hometown' race."

Rivas enters the Atlanta race tied for eighth place in the 2008 NHRA POWERade PSM championship battle.

Former gymnast’s worlds
intersect this weekend in Commerce …

Hillary Will may be known as the fastest female
driver (334.65 mph, Feb., 2008 – Pomona, Calif.) in drag racing but
growing up she was an accomplished gymnast. The vastly different worlds
will intersect for her during the NHRA Southern Nationals weekend in
Commerce, Ga.

This weekend the NCAA Gymnastics championships will take place in nearby Athens, Ga.

Officials with the JEGS ProMod Challenge have announced a list of
invitees for the upcoming 12th annual O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals,
which run May 2-4 at Gateway International Raceway in the St. Louis
suburb of Madison, Ill. The 24 racers on the list must accept their
invitations by the close of business Monday, April 28, or risk losing
their spot.

The invited racers, listed in alphabetical order, are Mike Ashley, Joe
Baker, Roger Burgess, Raymond Commisso, Troy Coughlin, Steve Engel, Tom
Gray, Josh Hernandez, Chip King, Mike Knowles, Kirk Kuhns, Harold
Laird, Taylor Lastor, Thomas Patterson, Jay Payne, Shelly Payne, Brad
Personett, Tony Pontieri, Scott Ray, Danny Rowe, John Russo, Rick
Stivers, Tim Tindle, and Eddie Ware.

John Zappia has been
declared the 2007/2008 Top Doorslammer Champion by ANDRA after completing
enough rounds at the Tin Tops run last weekend to achieve an unbeatable lead in
the points with one event to go.

“It’s a huge weight off my
shoulders”, said Zap after the event, “We started this process towards a
Championship in 2003, and a lot of work has gone in by the crew and supporters
in that time. But most of all, it has been our sponsors that have helped us win
this Championship.”

“A loyal set of local
Western Australian sponsors started us off in the early testing, which was
enough to allow the larger sponsors to enter the national series chase. Rentco
Transport Equipment Rentals Pty Ltd was the first to come on board, then Striker
Screening and Crushing, who have added considerable support and infrastructure
to our team.”

The first-quarter segment of the
NHRA Fantasy Drag Racing game presented by Checker Schuck's Kragen ends
after this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in
Atlanta,
and almost 500 players are within 200 points of the leaders. Because a
player's team of eight starting racers can theoretically earn more than
800 points this weekend, the first-quarter championship – including the
official NHRA merchandise and CSK gift cards that go to the top three
players --  is still wide open.

“When the Atlanta results are
final we will reward and recognize our NHRA fantasy game champions,”
said Jim Schoenberger, vice president of marketing for CSK Auto, Inc.
“But then it's on to Madison for the O'Reilly Midwest Nationals, and the beginning of our second quarter game.  NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series fans who didn't register before now have
three more quarterly games to win some pretty great championship
prizes, and 12 more races to qualify for the big Chase for the
Countdown game.”