Teams

Gray Getting Closer to Next Pro Stock Win

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Shane Gray and the Gray Motorsports Pro Stock team are enjoying the best string of events that they’ve experienced in a very long time, and as the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour heads to the heart of America for the 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka this weekend, Gray and his horsepower-obsessed cohorts are eager to extend their successful run and expand upon accomplishments that have been a long time coming.

Last weekend in Atlanta, Gray raced to the closing round of eliminations for the third consecutive event; in Charlotte at the four-wide race several weeks ago, the second-generation drag racer put together a better combination than this challengers to qualify all the way up in the No. 3 position and then move through eliminations. The Denver, N.C.-based Gray graduated to the last act and came up short at what he has considered his home track for the past few years, but the stage was set for positive and rather immediate future results. Read more

Herzog Contracting Returns to T-Ped at Topeka

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Tony Pedregon Racing and Herzog Contracting Corp., specialists in heavy/highway and railroad construction, announced they will partner for the NHRA Kansas Nationals May 17- 19, at Heartland Park-Topeka.

Pedregon’s nitro Funny Car team is enthusiastic about having Herzog back on board for the eighth race of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Read more

Black Iguana Backing Enders-Stevens at Topeka

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Erica Enders-Stevens’ Pro Stock car will return to it’s stealth-black paint scheme when she takes to Heartland Park Topeka in her new BLACK iGUANA-backed Chevrolet Camaro this weekend at the 25th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals.

Enders-Stevens has inked an initial two-race marketing partnership with Tomball, Texas-based DGI Beverage, creators of the innovative pouch drink. The wildly popular NHRA racer will continue her Championship hunt with Cagnazzi Racing, introducing the BLACK iGUANA brand of packaged cocktails to drag racing fans nationwide. Read more

Hagan Happy with New Team Chemistry

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series returns to Heartland Park Topeka, May 17-19 for the NHRA Kansas Nationals and 2011 Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan is in contention for his first career win at Heartland Park as well as another Funny Car championship.

Hagan, in his Magneti Marelli/Rocky Footwear Dodge Charger recently raced to his first win of the season at Charlotte, breaking a 23-race winless streak. Last weekend at Atlanta, when Hagan raced to the No. 1 qualifying position he ended a 29-race drought from the top of the qualifying order. Read more

Bernstein Battled Back Pain on Way to Atlanta Top Fuel Final

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Race Coverage, Teams | Leave a comment

Brandon Bernstein gutted out an impressive performance through draining back pain to reach the Top Fuel final round of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals May 10-11, at Atlanta Dragway.

The final was Bernstein’s first since winning the season finale in Pomona, Calif., last year, and it propelled him up two spots to seventh in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings for Top Fuel.

But it was hardly easy. Bernstein walked gingerly Saturday and was visibly in pain when he got in and out of the race car. Read more

Vandergriff Seeks Success Among Friends and Family in Atlanta

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

When the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series visits Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA, May 3-5, for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Bob Vandergriff Jr. will be racing at a track less than an hour from his house.

Vandergriff won the SpringNationals in Baytown, TX, just last weekend and the resident of Alpharetta, a suburb north of Atlanta, will be looking for his fourth career Top Fuel victory with many of his friends and family in the stands rooting him on. Read more

Determination Defines Davis at NHRA Southern Nationals

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

It’s always a bonus to race close to home and that’s the case this weekend for veteran Top Sportsman racer Ronnie “The King” Davis as the Suwanee, Georgia-based golf cart dealer heads to nearby Atlanta Dragway for the 33rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. Read more

Roy Hill Carrying Momentum into NHRA Southern Nationals

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Back-to-back successful race weekends have ignited Roy Hill’s 2013 season and the drag racing legend is carrying that momentum into the 33rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA.

After qualifying second in Super Stock at the NHRA Gatornationals in March, Hill made an uncharacteristic early exit when he turned on the red light in round one. His fortunes would soon turn around, however, when he and team driver Craig Hankinson went rounds at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in April. From the third qualifying spot, Hankinson advanced to the semi-finals while Hill bowed out in the second round. Read more

Rowe Refocuses After Semi-Final Finish at NHRA Houston

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Despite a valiant effort, a three-peat at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals wasn’t meant to be for Danny Rowe, driver of the Agave Underground Pro Modified Camaro, who qualified second and made it through to the semifinal round at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston. Read more

Busy Week Ahead for TF Champ Brown in Atlanta

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Antron Brown could use a break from a racetrack, and he’ll get that this week before the NHRA Southern Nationals May 3-5, at Commerce, GA. He’ll also get some reminders of how rewarding the life of a driver is even when you are in a little slump.

Brown and Don Schumacher Racing’s Matco Tools Top Fuel Dragster team remain second in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series points despite losing in the opening round of the past two events including last Sunday at Royal Purple Raceway, near Houston.

If anything, the popular driver from near Indianapolis, could use a little respite before the seventh event of the season opens Friday at Atlanta Dragway, to close out the season’s first stretch of three or more consecutive race weekends. Read more

Hight Rearranges Schedule on Way to Atlanta

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Robert Hight had planned to start his race weekend by attending the Mello Yello Champions Banquet on Wednesday night in downtown Atlanta. This prestigious event is a celebration of new and previous NHRA champions and as the 2009 Funny Car champion Hight has a standing invitation to attend.

Unfortunately, just like unpredicted rain showers at a race track sometimes your plans have to change. Hight will be foregoing the Champions Banquet due to business obligations in Yorba Linda, Calif., and will instead travel to the East Coast on Thursday. Read more

Lucas to Make 200th TF Start in Atlanta

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals has been site of some significant moments in the career of Morgan Lucas and he will reach another milestone during this weekend’s event.

In 2009, Lucas collected his first career victory at the track in the GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster and this weekend at Atlanta Dragway he’ll be making his 200th career Top Fuel start. Read more

Line Picks Up 30th Career PS Win at Houston

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line (above) reached a milestone in Houston this past weekend (Apr. 26-28), as he wheeled his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to a win at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway to earn the 30th victory of his professional career in his 63rd final round. Read more

Hight Addresses AAA Texas Ford Auto Skills Competitors

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

On the night before Robert Hight and his AAA Texas Funny Car team will attack the Royal Purple Raceway Park race track in Baytown, TX, the 2009 Mello Yello Funny Car champion talked up competitors of a different caliber.

Hight was the keynote speaker at the AAA Texas Ford Auto Skills Banquet held Apr. 25, at San Jacinto College on the eve of the 64^th annual state competition. Read more

Butcher to Debut New Garret Camaro at X-DRL Bristol

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Drag Illustrated in Features, News, Teams | Leave a comment

When Glenn Butcher rolls up for round one of Top Sportsman qualifying in the X-treme Drag Racing League’s (X-DRL’s) Thunder Valley Madness this weekend (Apr. 26-27) at Bristol Dragway, he’ll be driving a brand-new Garret Race Cars-built ’69 Camaro. Read more