What is Tony Schumacher’s secret for winning a national event?

“Most of the days when we wake up and race a tough car, it builds
momentum for the day,” Schumacher said. “You qualify No. 1 and get a
No. 16 car, you tend to back it down a bit and that always comes back
to bite you.

“[Crew chief] Alan Johnson got up this morning and knew what he had to
do. We are a long way from that 90%, but we are working towards it.
We’re getting it figured out and the car is performing so consistently.
Then you get an opponent like Doug Kalitta, and when you win those
kinds of races, they shine up real nice.”

Driving a Top Fuel dragster is still a blur for Hillary Will, even
as she enters her third season. At Pomona, things got real blurry for
the former Top Alcohol Dragster standout. 

In a qualifying run Saturday, Will became the fastest female driver in the
history of NHRA drag racing with the fifth fastest (tie) lap down the
quarter-mile for any gender with an amazing speed of 334.65 mph. The booming
speed was also the fastest of the event at the Winternationals.

Reigning Australian Supercharged Outlaws Drag Racing
Champion Daniel Reed from Queensland’s Reed Racing team will be making
one last appearance in his Title winning Altered before it is taken by its new
owner after this weekend's (15th–16th February)
Summernationals at the Western Sydney International
Dragway.

Wearing his number 1 plate for the first time this
season, Daniel has had to sit out the year due to a busy work schedule as an
engine builder for the highly successful V8 Supercar team Triple 8
Racing.

However he was quick to accept the offer of making a
one off appearance in the bracket he won last year to assist with the transition
over to the cars new owner.

Although not vying for back to back Championships,
Daniel still has as much hunger as ever behind the wheel and is hoping to give
the car a fairytale farewell victory.

Charles Carpenter’s race shop is set to become a veritable showroom for
classic “shoebox” Chevys as he takes delivery of his brand new Terry
Murphy-built ’55 Chevy. The car will join Carpenter’s original
full-size ’55 and Pat Doherty’s menacing ’57 Chevy, but will take the
place of one of the most unmistakable Pro Modified cars in recent
history: Carpenter’s purple and yellow ’55.

After capturing two Pro Nitrous wins in the Flowmaster American Drag
Racing League presented by the National Guard, Carpenter decided it was
time to part ways with his trusty ride in favor of a lighter car
purposely built for ADRL competition. That decision has ultimately
benefited a fellow “shoebox” fan halfway around the world: Henri
Joosten of Holland.

“It’s going to be tough to see her go, but I think she is going to a
good new home,” Carpenter said of Joosten’s purchase. “Henri has been
racing a ’55 over in Europe for quite some time, and I feel certain he
will be thrilled with the car.”

Three-time POWERade champion (2003-2005) Greg
Anderson gave the Pontiac GXP an appropriate introduction into the competitive
Pro Stock category. Anderson captured his 52nd national-event victory tonight by
defeating defending series champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the all-GM final round
at Auto Club Raceway. Anderson drove the Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GXP to
the raceday pole and never relinquished a performance advantage on race day,
earning his fourth win at the season-opening Winternationals and his third
straight at this event.

Frank Manzo captured his 72nd career national-event victory in the Alcohol Funny
Car category with an all Chevrolet final-round victory over Brian Hough. The
11-time Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series champion earned his 96th career final-round
appearance and prevailed in a championship race that saw the Lucas Oil Chevrolet
run a winning 5.558 e.t. at 260.26 mph to Hough's 5.779 second run at 250.27
mph.

The C5R Corvette of Dale Earnhardt will be on display at this year's
Musclecar Madness at the York Reunion show to be held at the York Expo
Center, York Fairgrounds on July 11-12th.
 
The original vehicle that Dale Sr. ran in the 24 Hours of Daytona just
prior to his last Daytona 500 will be at the 7th Annual Musclecar
Madness show. The car is the actual race car and not a replica.
 
The 7th Edition of the popular York show is presented by York
Traditions Bank and GGS Technical Publications  Services along with
associate sponsors Weis Markets  and Year One.

Cory McClenathan has a multi-year contract with Don Schumacher Racing beginning this season.

He couldn't be any happier.

After a season of uncertainty in 2007, Cory McClenathan is very certain
in 2008. He’s a full-fledged, card carrying member of the Don
Schumacher Racing [DSR] fraternity.

“I floated around so much last year I didn't know where I was going to
land and I think I couldn't have found a better place to be actually,”
said McClenathan. “Things are real good here, obviously we retained
great companies like Fram, Autolite and GM. We brought on some new ones
like Matco Tools, Rockstar and Valvoline. It's a lot different but at
the same time I'm used to change. 

“That book "Who moved my cheese?" has a whole new meaning when it comes
to Cory Mac so I'm very happy and very excited.  Mike Green heading the
crew and it seems like old times again.  I think with each pass we get
more comfortable.  I get more confidence, Mike gets more confidence. 
Mike was always really good with a dragster and I think that's starting
to show now.”

NHRA Announcer Bob Frey best summed up Greg Anderson’s Pomona win by proclaiming, “He came, He saw, He crushed them.”

Anderson established the low elapsed time of the event with a 6.616 
pass at 209.23 miles per hour. Just ask Anderson and he’ll tell you he
expected a battle to the wire with Jeg Coughlin, Jr., his final round
opponent.

“You better bring everything you've got,” Anderson said, when asked
about the competition Jeg Coughlin, Jr. displayed in the final round.
“I knew that no matter what we'd run he was going to be right there or
quicker.  Somehow I had to dig down and find a way to leave the
starting line with him.  He's kind of worn me out a few times on the
starting line but anytime I can be within a couple thousandths of him
on the starting line I feel that I did my job I guess.