Gary Scelzi arrived at South Georgia Motorsports Park on Saturday
during the CSR Eastern Spring Test Nationals presented by Torco’s
CompetitionPlus.com to find a blast of high winds and frigid
temperatures forced the cancellation of the second day of testing. The
three-time NHRA world champion knew he and the Mopar Oakley team had a
tall order of objectives and parts to test in preparation for
Gainesville. Did we mention he was testing two cars back-to-back?

This setback didn’t set the agenda well.

Then he inspected the all concrete racing surface and while the
facility impressed him greatly, he couldn’t help but notice a yellow
film covering the rubber-topped concrete.

“And what is that?” Scelzi asked a crew member who then  explained the substance which happened to be pollen.

Scelzi knew then he was in store for a unique experience.

Marvin Smith Photo

Jerry Toliver will be behind the wheel of a new race car at this weekend's NHRA
Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. The driver of the Rockstar Energy Drink Dodge
Charger R/T Funny Car tested two days this week with a new chassis during the CSR Eastern Spring Test Nationals at South
Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Ga., in advance of the event.
 
The 2000 Gatornationals Funny Car winner made several shakedown
runs down Valdosta's quarter-mile in the new Murf McKinney chassis on Sunday and
Monday. The Rockstar Energy Drink team then packed up and headed to
Gainesville.

Series organizers of the JEGS ProMod Challenge have commissioned noted artist
Dan Dreisbach and his company, Naked Sculpture of Baltimore, Ohio, to create
trophies for the 10-race series. The breathtaking, handmade sculptures of
brushed stainless steel will be awarded to each race winner in 2008.

"I
take a lot of pride in my creations," Dreisbach said. "When it's in someone's
hands, after they've won a race, I want them to say 'Wow, look at the precision,
look at the craftsmanship of this piece.' I want it to be something they're very
proud of having in their trophy case."

Clay Millican will race this weekend's NHRA ACDelco Gatornationals
according to an official statement from the Knoll Gas Motorsports,
SinFuel Choppers, Torco Race Fuels team. This decision came at the last
minute based on superb testing results accrued at the 9th annual CSR
Eastern Spring Test Nationals presented by Torco's CompetitionPlus.com
in Valdosta, Ga.

“Torco was very happy with how the car performed in testing and just
called and said go give it a shot; go win us a gator,” said Millican. 
“Am I happy about it?  You better believe I am.  I’m ready to go race. 
The car has done everything we want it to do, so now what we want it to
do is turn four win lights on in Gainesville, and get my first NHRA
win.  I would love nothing more then to send the Gatornational trophy
to Decatur, Michigan to Evan and hopefully make him feel better.  I
look forward to stepping on the gas for the first round of qualifying
at my first NHRA race of the year”

MONDAY TESTING - QUICKEST RUN IN PRO MODIFIED HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS EXTENDED TESTING

TOP FUEL

Monday's best runs, listed in order of elapsed time, in Top Fuel at the
9th annual, CSR Eastern Spring Test Nationals presented by Torco's
CompetitionPlus.com:

Psn---Num-Driver, Home Town, Car Type-----------------TT-ET----TT-Spd-Top Spd

  1  345 Bruce Litton, Indianapolis IN, Hadman-TFX       4.977  213.03  213.03
  2    3 Brandon Bernstein, Lake Forest CA, McKinney-TFX 4.987  207.98  207.98
  3  141 Bobby Lagana Jr., Scarsdale NY, Hadman-BAE      5.980  151.02  151.02
  4  255 Clay Millican, Drummonds TN, Hadman-BAE          NT  

If you like to collect those 1/64th scale diecast cars, George Doty,
owner of the Hot Wheels Mustang Funny Car, says that Mattel will soon
be releasing approximately 10 replicas of current nostalgia funny
cars.

John Shoemaker, 65, a veteran drag racer from
Sacramento, Calif., died Saturday from injuries suffered when his Nostalgia Top
Fuel dragster crashed at the end of a pass during the first qualifying
session during the Bakersfield March Meet in Bakersfield, California. 

Shoemaker, who had just run a 6.11 elapsed time at 249 mile per hour
pass, failed to slow following the finish line and went off the end of
the track. 

Marvin Smith Photos

Andrew Hines burns out prior to a 6.84 elapsed time.

Track
records, Class records fall by the wayside as testing resumes in Valdosta

A quick glance at dictionary.com reveals the definition of mineshaft
conditions – ESTN – Day 4. At least two professional classes produced
unofficial record times and as for the track records, they took a
beating as well during the 9th annual CSR Eastern Spring Test Nationals
presented by Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com in Valdosta, Georgia’s South
Georgia Motorsports Park.

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown and wife, Billie Jo, welcomed their third child on
Saturday, March 8. Adler Carson Brown was born at 11:31 a.m. at Clarion West
Hospital in Avon, Ind.

Late in the 2007 season, Kevin and Wendy Sims of Kalbones Racing, Inc.
found themselves with a desire to return to the IHRA Alcohol Funny Car
ranks, if for no other reason than to have a little fun. Now mind you,
to the Sims having fun is a very serious business and something they
don’t take lightly.

After assembling what would turn into one top notch team on very short
notice, they set out to test the waters during the final two races of
the IHRA season. The hopes were to get a head start on a possible full
run at the championship in 2008. Driver Laurie Cannister, along with
her husband Dale Cannister as tuner, joined crew chief Mike Couch and
other members already in place on the Kalbones Grill’n Sauce AFC team. 

The proof was in the “sauce” that this newly merged group meant
business. During their first outing, the team won the event at Budds
Creek and qualified #1 at their second event during the World Finals at
Rockingham Dragway.

Now that’s exactly the kind of fun Kevin and Wendy were looking for and
immediately began to make plans for a full season charge in 2008.