On The Cusp: Interview with Shawn Langdon

Gary Nastase Photo

Shawn Langdon for many years had been looking for an opportunity to showcase his driving ability. He got a tremendous opportunity when over the winter Al Anabi, the 2 Time Defending Top Fuel Championship team with both Del Worsham and Larry Dixon left during the off season. Alan Johnson quickly hired the young hot shoe along with defending NHRA Pro Mod Champ Khalid Al Balooshi to complete their line-up for the 2012 full throttle season. At the most recent O'Reilly AutoParts Nationals at Z Max DragWay, Langdon finally scored his long awaited first national event win, defeating 7-time Top Fuel Champion Tony Schumacher and the US Army Dragster in the final round 3.78 to 3.80. The Avon Indiana resident had finally won.

Toyota Racing Photo

Shawn's career began at age 14, when he won the national championship in the NHRA Jr Dragster league. In 2007-08, Shawn captured The Lucas Oil Drag Racing series Super Comp championship, and in 2009 made his Top Fuel debut contending for Rookie Of the Year. Today, Shawn has his best shot that he has ever had at winning a top fuel championship driving for Alan Johnson Racing. I was able to interview this young gun about a multitude of subjects, one of which were his feelings upon winning his ever national event:

"It was definitely a great feeling, the fact that being 87 races into (my career), and the 18th race with Al Anabi; I obviously wanted to win a lot quicker than that" Said the Avon Indiana resident "The biggest thing about the win is that I didn't get a lot of self satisfaction out it, I just felt so happy for the guys on the team. I was so proud to be part of the team." Shawn added 
"For Sheikh Khalid, and for Alan to restructure the whole team at the beginning of the year, and with the results not coming quickly as we would've liked. But the guys kept their heads up, never gave up. It was just an overall great team effort"

Driving for one of, if not the most respected tuner in the sport in Alan Johnson, a driver knows that he is in very good company. With Alan tuning for some of drag racing's best in Blaine Johnson, Gary Scelzi, Tony Schumacher, Larry Dixon, and Del Worsham, Shawn immediately knew he was in good company when he received the phone call notifying him of his new ride for 2012:

His excellency Sheikh Bin Khalid Al Thani

"It was a very humbling feeling because I thought of Alan Johnson in the highest regard. All of the drivers that he has had driving for him have been some of the biggest names in the sport" A fact not lost on Shawn "For me to get the phone call from Sheikh Khalid and Alan was humbling because I look at it to be very blessed. Definitely one of the nicest phone calls i've ever gotten. I feel so fortunate to be driving for them"

                                                                With just one race down, and 5 to go in the Countdown to the Championship; the win by Langdon and the Al Anabi team showed that peeking at the right time is paramount in winning the Top Fuel Title. The Avon, Indiana native described to me his feelings on the subject:


"At the begining of the year, we made some good runs and it showed signs of improvement but it still wasn't quite there." Said Langdon "Some of the time it would make a good run, it would be a little better than what we thought. Other times it wouldn't. But now I think we have a pretty good handle on the car to get to within a hundredth of what they think it can run" Shawn then said "Even during the Western swing the car would make good runs but it wasn't quite there. But once we got to Indy and Charlotte, the car definitely turned the corner in the right direction"


With races being decided by thousandths of a second, reaction times can be a tremendous difference in determining the winner in drag racing. With Shawn being known as one of the best leavers in the sport, I asked him what makes a driver such as him so good at leaving the start line:

"Thats a million dollar question LOL. I would love to say it takes some special talent. I really think it's just my love and passion for the sport and to be doing what I am doing" Said the passionate Al Anabi Driver "I'm a competitive person, and I will do my best to beat my opponent and not do it half assed. If I'm going to do my best, I am going to give it       my all"


The 2012 season in Top Fuel has been one of the most competitive on record with 7 different drivers winning in the 18 events up to this point. With winners such as Steve Torrence and the resurgence of the Kalitta team and Morgan Lucas, Top Fuel is proving to be a dog fight for the 2012 championship. I asked the Silver Al Anabi Top Fuel Pilot what he felt are the reasons why the TF class is so close:

"Everyone is getting smarter, and they're (other teams) are looking at the finer details of the race car. Their not just trying to get the car to go down the track" Said the most recent winner on the circuit "I think it's the multi car teams (IE DSR, Kalitta, Al Anabi, Morgan Lucas Racing) that are helping each other, being able to gather more data to share amongst each other. It's just the way that things are currently going. Those are some big reasons why this year in top fuel has been            so close"



As the NHRA teams tested during the winter months of 2011, the attention was riveted on the canopy that Don Schumacher racing debuted at West Palm Beach Florida aboard the US Army dragster. In the months leading into the 6 race "Countdown", the NHRA for months wrestled with when to approve it for use in drag racing. It was given the green light for competition at the US Nationals. Drivers and teams questioned the timing of approving the canopy. I got Shawn's thoughts and feelings on the subject to which he wasn't shy about stating:

Don Schumacher Racing Photo

"Obviously, I do see the safety side of it (running the canopy vs not running it) and the purpose is to keep the driver completely safe" said the well spoken young driver "My biggest thing was that it was approved right before the "Countdown" If all ten teams that are in the countdown wanted to get it today, it wouldn't be available." Shawn then stated "We (Al Anabi) are not letting things such as that distract us from our goals and that is to make our car running as best as we can and what we         want to do with our team"


With Shawn getting his first national event win under his belt, he currently sits 3rd in points just one round out of the lead in the championship (Behind Tony Schumacher). Some drivers tend to get a little bit of butterflies as the championship gets underway. But the ever cool Langdon sees it this way:

Al Anabi Photo

"Obviously, we want to treat it just like it's another race. We try not to get too wrapped up and get ourselves nervous" The calm Avon Indiana driver told me "You really want to take it one race at a time, keeping it in the back of your mind that there are only 5 races left, and you try as hard as you can to capture as many bonus points as you are capable of" Shawn added "For me as a driver I try not to get too nervous about it (the countdown). I just try and do my job and let the team do their job as well. Im following their lead because they have been in this situation before (with Larry and Del).I'm letting them show me the way"

Many drivers consider themselves to be of the supersticious sort. Putting on their left boot first, or a glove, or even their head sock. Some drivers even have lucky socks, or gloves that they wear. But Shawn decided to grow a "Playoff beard" that has gotten it's own twitter following. "Fear The Beard" has become the rallying cry for the young driver and so I asked if he was a supersticious person himself:


"I think every driver is supersticious in a way. I myself try not get to overly supersticious just because i've been there and have done it before and then something gets messed up" Said the gregarious Langdon "I don't' want to get too wrapped up. The beard thing was just one of those fun things that grew and people started to talk about it more" Shawn then said "When you win, maybe you should shave it much the way Garlits did (67 US Nationals). But I think we will keep it as is and ride this streak as long as we can"

Photo Credit: Al Anabi Racing, Gary Nastase, Toyota Racing, Raceweek Illustrated, Drag Racing Online, NHRA, and DragRaceCentral.com

The Countdown Is On!

Race #2 in the @NHRA "Countdown To The Championship takes place at the Texas Motorplex, the first of the So-Called super palaces of speed. The Texas Motorplex was the first all-concrete stadium-style drag racing facility ever constructed. Built in 1986, The Texas Motorplex has been the place of many drag racing milestones and world record performances. The Billy Meyer-owned facility hosts a number of racing and car show events between March and November each year and also features the Champions Club – an 11,000-square-foot (1,000 m²) facility – that serves fully catered events throughout the year.

“My thinking back then was simple,” Meyer said. “I thought we had a big league sport, but we played in minor league parks. It would be like the Dallas Cowboys playing in a high school stadium. So I had a facility designed with racer safety, sponsors, media and fans in mind. We wanted to invite more fans, race safely on the track and be able to involve the corporate world with our sport.”

One of the unique aspects of the MotorPlex was added in 2004,  starting line balcony seating in front of the tower suites, giving fans one of the most unbelievable views in drag racing.

“Drag racing is unique in that the atmosphere is considerably different than any other sport,” Meyer said. “It operates off multiple senses – smell, sounds, vibrations; a lot of different senses come out versus other sports. People like to see crashes and see things on the edge, but one of the reasons why drag racing unique is because the fatality rate is so incredibly low. People like to watch something that looks dangerous with lots of scary moments, but they also want to see people walk away.”

The Texas MotorPlex has given fans of The NHRA some of the most unforgettable moments over the years. And here are some of those moments:

Nov. 1985: Billy Meyer signs an agreement to host an NHRA event the following September, before ground was broken on the facility.

Jan. 1986: Ground breaks for the Texas Motorplex – designed to be the first post tension, all-concrete, quarter-mile facility specifically created for drag racing.

Sept. 25, 1986: Darrell Gwynn runs 5.280 to set Top Fuel E.T. record with the first national event pass on the track.

April 1997: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first non-NHRA-owned track to host two national events.

1997: The Texas Motorplex opens the Divisional 4 Hall of Fame, becoming the only track to host a hall of fame.

1997: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first facility to build a permanent hospitality structure to host fans in a VIP atmosphere; originally known as The Top Eliminator Club and now known as the Champions Club.

April 9, 1988: Eddie Hill turns in the first four-second quarter mile pass – a 4.990 run.

Oct. 19, 1997: Cory McClenathan makes the first pass in the 320 mph-range – a 321.77 run.

Oct. 24, 1998: Gary Scelzi, John Force, Warren Johnson and Larry Kopp lead the quickest qualifying field in NHRA history.

Oct. 23, 1999: En route to his first, NHRA championship, Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher earns his first national event victory.

Oct. 23, 1999: John Force clinched his ninth NHRA Funny Car championship by defeating Tommy Johnson Jr. in the quickest side-by-side race in Funny Car history. (At that time)

Sept. 23, 2004: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first NHRA track in the country to have starting line balcony seating in the tower suites.

Sept. 26, 2004: Greg Anderson clinches his second consecutive NHRA Pro Stock title at the Texas Motorplex. Anderson clinched the title faster than any other driver in NHRA history.

The track has also given fans some jaw-dropping ET's and record speeds:

Top Fuel: 3.784 seconds by Brandon Bernstein (Sept. 2010); 324.05 mph (521.51 km/h) by Spencer Massey (Sept. 2011).

Funny Car: 4.062 seconds by Matt Hagan (Sept. 2010); 309.63 mph (498.30 km/h) by Jack Beckman (Sept. 2011).

Pro Stock: 6.553 seconds by Jason Line (Sept. 2011); 211.20 mph (339.89 km/h) by Jason Line (Sept. 2011).

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 6.828 seconds by Hector Arana Jr. (Sept. 2011); 196.10 mph (315.59 km/h) by Eddie Krawiec (Sept. 2011).

The Texas Motorplex has been a part of the heritage along with the growth of the sport of drag racing, which wasn't lost on the former funny car driver:

“It’s exciting to be part of the growth of the sport and be connected to a special time in the sport’s history,” Meyer said. “Since the Motorplex was built, the quality of the facilities has greatly improved and it’s nice to be part of that and help the progression of building bigger and nicer places for the sport.”

And as Race #2 in the Countdown gets underway this weekend, be sure to see more history made at the Motorplex. The track that started the concrete craze in drag racing

Article Sources: Wikipedia

The Dynamic Duo Of Pro Mod: Interview with Andrew and Dina Parise

When it comes to Drag Racing, rivalries have formed the very fabric of the sport. And it is not just the fans but even the drivers and teams that have also kept drag racing at the forefront of our sporting lives. Plus the fact that it indeed makes racing much more exciting. 

Andrew & Dina Parise(Courtesy of Roger Richards)

Now just imagine, a husband & wife facing each other for bragging rights. You can sense the tone of conversations that take place at the dinner table or race shop. When you look at the Husband & Wife Pro Mod Duo of Andrew & Dina Parise out of the sate of New York, you will get just that. There motto "When the helmets go on, the Wedding Bands come off" is something that they take quite seriously.

I got the opportunity to interview this dynamic duo to get their thoughts and dreams for the sport of Pro Mod Drag Racing. I started by asking Dina what is it about Pro Mod that makes it so exciting for both fans and drivers alike 

"These cars are tough to handle" The excited NY Pro Mod Driver told me "It also keeps the fans coming back. Race fans love Pro Mod of the reasons the drivers do"

Dina added "The fact that our class runs 3 different power plants (Supercharged, Nitrous, and Turbos) creates more diversity for our fans. And then there are the wild paint schemes. It's what many fans have admired about Pro Mod since its inception"

 

 Andrew offered his thoughts on why Pro Mod is exciting to witness: 

"We're always on the edge. Pro Mod drivers get sideways and will pedal the car for the win" Said the Driver also known as "Bam Bam" " Fans love Pro Mod because drivers take it to the edge all the time"

There is difficulty in obtaining sponsorship and/or publicity for any particular racing team in any series. It is what continues to drive those who have a dream to battle the best of the best in Drag Racing. I asked the NY Pro Mod Husband & Wife team their thoughts on this subject:

"(Pro Mod) is such an amazing class. It has some of the bet drivers and tuners" Exclaimed Andrew "Pro Mod brings personality to racing, the drivers talk to their fans and can be themselves"Dina then told of the benefits of adding Pro Mod full time to NHRA schedule could be: 

Dina then told of the benefits of adding Pro Mod full time to NHRA schedule could be:

"Adding us would really open things up for the class." Stated Dina "I believe it would create a better platform for marketing opportunities for individual teams as well as increase the number of peeps in the stands"

As the thrill of the competition for bragging rights heats up, your opponent in the other lane uses certain tricks to take you off of your game. In that process your chances of giving up a thousandth of a second are great, and both Andrew & Dina use that to great effect when facing one another:

"Are you kidding, I live for it. I tree his butt consistently" Dina exclaimed " We don't have the motto "When the helmets go on, the wedding bands come off" for nothing". 

                                                              Of course, Andrew let his feeling be known on the subject:

"She gets off the starting line before me but who gets the trophy is the winner and so far it's been me" The confident Mr. Parise stated "Seriously it is very exciting for me. From the side by side burnouts to all the trash talk in the pits. But to be racing against each other, I wouldn't have it any other way 

Attend any event in drag racing, and ask the fans what their favorite racing series is and their are absolutely no shortages . The more opportunities that a drag racer has to race, the better, and that is something that Andrew & Dina frequently do when and wherever they can. So I asked them which series they enjoy the most:

"Both series are exciting (NHRA and ADRL) For me personally" Answered Andrew "I love the quarter mile racing"

                                                                Dina then gave her thoughts on her favorite series:

"I find it hard to compare" Dina told me "ADRL does now run a Pro Mod class in their series. Although it is only 1/8 mile rather than a 1/4 mile. Given the chance, we would run both series"

Both Andrew & Dina Parise have traveled across the midwest to some of the finest drag strips in the United States, thus the choice as to their favorite strip as well as a majority of racers is clear:

Courtesy of ZMax Dragway

"My favorite drag strip would have to be ZMax DragWay in North Carolina. This is like Trump Towers goes racing" Stated Andrew "The facility and the grounds are amazing" 

Then Dina added:

We have spent quite a bit of time racing and testing at Virgina Motorsports Park, but I love ZMax because it is a racing wonderland"

Courtesy of Shakedownatetown.com

If you walk across the pits at a drag racing event, there is no shortage of makes and models of every type of pro Mod racing car. From Plymouth/Dodge to Chevys and Pontiac GXP's, sheet metal of every manufacturer. Racers tend to have their favorites as far as race cars go, and both Andrew & Dina weren't shy in telling me their favorite and why:

" Well I have been around old cars my whole life and the '53 brings back a lot of memories as a kid"

Then Dina gave her reasons for choosing the '63 chevy as her race vehicle;

"For me I always wanted a '63 split window coupe since I was twelve years old" An excited Dina told me "Although I never imagined it having 2,700 HP & the amazing paint scheme it has".

With a schedule of 10 races, Pro Mod teams and drivers need time to unwind from the stress of running the Pro Mod circuit. From riding MotoCross, driving vintage funny cars, to yes even dabbling in the culinary arts; there are many options at the drivers disposal. Dina described what she does to relax:

" I enjoy working out and as a former professional skater for the Ice Capades, I do like to hit the ice now and then" The Ice princess stated "I enjoy cooking new dishes to prepare to take to the track to feed my boys, LOL".

Then Andrew describes what he does to relieve stress:

"Somebody told me that if racing were easy, everyone would be doing it. I have a heavyweight bag that gets quite a bit of use". Said the driver known as "Bam Bam" "This is a very stressful sport, and you need recharge yourself from time to time"

Before becoming a Pro Mod driver, Dina as she stated earlier was a professional skater in the Ice Capades. Part of that training served her well in preparing her for driving in the highly competitive Pro Mod class:

"Believe it or not, the worlds aren't that far apart. When I skated in the show, I did a few numbers where I flew over the audience, hung on by a rope by the wrist & spun around" The Adrenaline Junkie Stated "I've traded my skates for tires, but we travel from week to week. The fans greet us at our pit." Dina added "I'm still a showgirl at heart. I think that part will never leave me"

Throughout the interview, both Andrew & Dina have shared a love for the sport of Pro Mod drag racing, as well as love for their loyal fans. They have shared so much during the course of the interview and one subject they shared with me was their sense of humor. Dina shared with me their wedding that occurred one April Fools Day 

" Everything from the invitation on was a detailed goof. Even our guests had to come dressed in 50's clothing" Said the very jovial Dina "My brother was Andrew's best man. He gave us candy rings to exchange in the ceremony. To this day day, Andrew still debates that we are actually married! HA! SUCKER!" Dina added "I have no fear of being the goofy one, and usually that will make Andrew hide under a rock. I live for that kind of stuff! I will do something funny then hit em' with "Well, you married it" LOL

Andrew then jokingly describes Dinas' sense of humor:

"Well how can I say this correctly, my wife is just nuts; plain and simple. She was an ice skater and she hit her head a couple of times. That's the excuse we use a lot." Stated the Jovial Andrew

In drag racing, the fans are of the utmost importance, and vise versa with the drivers and teams. Fans are there to help encourage the drivers & teams thru the tough losses. Racers will also tell you that none of what they do is possible without the fans' support as Andrew & Dina told me:

"You take away the fans, what do you have left? When we go to a race track, you want to be the best you can be for your fans" The grateful Andrew stated "Yes we do have a sickness but we do this because of the people who support us." He added "Look, I am the first to grab a child out of the pit area and put them in my car (for a picture). I love seeing the faces of the parents because it gives you a feeling that nothing else can"

Dina then ended the interview by saying:

"We as (Drivers & Teams) keep the Pro Mod class exciting and our fans keep it going! So the more support the better. Anything the fans can do to continue to support Pro Mod, please do! And a big thank you to our Parise Racing fans who have been so supportive"

A gigantic thank you to Andrew & Dina Parise for the distinct privilege of interviewing them both. They are two of not only the finest racers in the land, but the finest human beings in the world. I greatly appreciate Andrew and Dina sharing their thoughts and dreams with me in this interview which would not have been possible without their support. God Bless them both and may they return to racing very soon

PARISE RACING ROCKS!

(All Photos Courtesy of Parise Racing Unless Otherwise Noted)

Dare to Dream: An Interview with Alexis De Joria

With the ultra stressful 3 week western swing now over, most of the NHRA Drivers take advantage of the break between events. Most drivers choose to relax by taking a vacation with family or just stay at home to relax. But some such as Tequila Patron Funny Car Rookie Alexis DeJoria got the opportunity to ride along with the US Air Force in an F-15 Jet Fighter. For Alexis, it was definitely a dream come true when she found out she would indeed get to ride along:

Alexis Showing off her f-15 tattoo

"I was so amazed! It was something we had talked about for a while & I tried to plan for so long." Said The Excited Funny Car Rookie  "It was always something that hoped was going to happen, but it never really felt real. When I found it was actually going to happen, and we had set a firm date & everything had been cleared, it was a whole different story! I was beyond thrilled and so so excited! It was a dream come true." DeJoria then added  "I did, as a child, have a dream that I wanted to be a fighter pilot"

Now that the dream of flying in an f-15 had been realized, the process of preparing for her ride-along was quite long. The training, making her g-suit, to the schooling of dealing with situations while on the ride-along all made the end result well worth it to the Funny Car Rookie:

Egress Training

"Well there was a lot of clearance that I had to go through from the base, and the Air Force, which was almost two years in the making". De Joria Stated "When it came down to go to Boise and do the ride-along, I had to come in the day before to get fitted for my g-suit and go through other training. Then I had to get to the base very early the morning of the ride-along to go through egress training, which is basically where they train you as to what to do in the possibility of ejecting from the plane." Alexis then added "I also had to go through hanging harness training, visit the base hospital for a medical check-up and then go over a flight plan with my pilot. After all of that, it was finally time to fly!"

With the training complete, the moment had finally arrived for the daughter of John Paul DeJoria to step into the cockpit of an F-15 jet fighter. The entire flight lasted for an hour, however it seemed as if it had lasted longer than that to Alexis. She even took control of the jet and told me what some of the tricks she performed:

Flight suit fitting

We did a straight vertical climb right after takeoff, which was awesome." As the excited FC Rookie explained to me. "We did some formation flying with another F-15, we did barrel rolls,  broke the sound barrier when we reached Mach-1, and that was really cool. Pretty much anything that that plane could possibly do, it seems like we did it"

Then Alexis explained how great an appreciation she has for all that the Military does for the USA:

"I always have had a great appreciation for the military, but you definitely have a greater respect for what they go through when you’re up there experiencing what they go through on a daily basis." Alexis told me "The g-forces they experience are so intense, add to that being up there for long periods of time, and then trying to fight in a battle- it’s all just very intense. I definitely have a whole new respect for them.

Time to Fly!

Both the F-15 and the 8,000 BHP of a nitro funny car are a joy to both driver and ride, but each has it's own tendencies. With funny cars Having such a short wheelbase it can become difficult at times to control. Likewise a fighter jet having to deal with wind, weather and turbulence when traversing the skies. As we ended the interview I asked Alexis which was more fun, the F-15 or a Nitro Funny Car:

Thanking the boys for such a great time



Photo Credit Courtesy of Alexis DeJoria Racing 

They’re both very fun in different ways! Totally different experiences, so it’s hard to compare the two, but I definitely love both of them!

Congratulations to Alexis DeJoria for having a dream realized, flying aboard an F-15 fighter jet. For many years, the dream of flying for anyone in any type of aircraft is exilerating. Having family involved within the aerospace industry for almost 50 years, to see Alexis and her dream come to fruition is a joy.

 You Rock Alexis

The NHRA Weekend experience

On the weekend of July 27,2012 I decided to take a trip up the west coast to the Napa Valley wine country to Sonoma California, and take in the 25th Annual NHRA Sonoma nationals. But instead of it being just a one day affair it became a three-day weekend, and both the drive and weather couldn't have been more enjoyable. The California country side drizzled with the morning dew gave such a beautiful scent pleasing to the palette, and the livestock dotting the hillsides and and farmland left me with the impression of appreciating life and the blessings that come with being a city boy. These are things, some of which I have never seen.

       I arrived in Sonoma on friday afternoon and as I unpacked my luggage, there came across me this sense of anticipation. This would be my first visit to Infineon Raceway, one of the premiere racing facilities in the world. From the track staff to the ticket takers, all had such a tremendous smile on their faces which made you feel more than welcomed. And they seemed just as excited as the spectators who arrived thru the afternoon to partake of the NHRA experience.

         Making my way thru the garage area on friday afternoon, various race teams went about the business of preparing their cars for the 2 friday evening sessions which is a tremendous experience to watch. Being up close & personal with many of the NHRA's top drivers is another one of the most awesome experiences of the race weekend. I met Ryan Elliott, crewman of the of the Tire Kingdom Dodge Charger Funny Car out of the Don Schumacher Racing Stables and was surprised with a tour of the teams' hauler. Ryan introduced me to each member of the team and their various job duties, and then was surprised with hospitality for the entire weekend for showing my support to the team. Wow, what an experience. So as the weekend went on, Johnny Gray became one driver one driver many fans wanted to see capture the event win. 

        Saturday morning was another picture perfect day in the Napa Valley as the last 2 qualifying sessions were held. I arrived at the track and began walking the garage area with the foreboding grandstands providing a perfect back drop thru the morning haze. Temperatures in the afternoon were a bit warmer than friday which made the track trickier to qualify on. Tony Pedregon, driver of the STP Toyota Camry Funny Car failed to qualify while most of the positions remained unchanged.

            I ran into a friend of mine in Steve Emerson, his wife and 2 children. I converse with Steve quite frequently thru twitter about our affinity for drag racing. Our love for the sport was brought to fruition via LiveOctane and their blog contest just a few months ago, and just the opportunity for those who entered was a great blessing. Me included.

            Sunday came along and the conditions were ideal in every respect. Fast speeds & lightening quick ET's were the order of the day in Funny Car, and Johnny Gray and his team didn't show any signs of slowing in their quest to capture the Sonoma Nationals. Gray ran elapsed times of 4.075, 4.115 , 4.092 and 4.142 in winning the event. What made the weekend especially sweet for Don Schumacher Racing, Antron Brown and his Matco Tools Top Fueler won, completing the "Double Up" for the second consecutive week

      

As the event drew to a close, I made my way to the pit area of Johnny Gray's team to join in the celebration of him and his team winning the Sonoma Nationals. Crew Chief Rob Wendland, assistant chief Rip reynolds, and Mechanics Mathew Archer, James Wingo, Ed Tyler. Jason Hemphill, Levi Brubaker, Ryan Elliott and Kirk Kenaga exchanged high fives with one another & myself. It was such an experience sharing  an fantastic moment with the team. 

           After the racing is complete, one of the 

nicest aspects of the event experience is being able to hang out in the winners circle with the event winners all of the pro classes. Being able to pose with and ask questions of the winners just adds to the weekend excitement that is NHRA Drag Racing.

                                                                                       

 As I left Infineon raceway on a long drive to return home, I reflected back on what a tremendous experience the entire weekend was. As a fan of racing in general, one tends to really grasp the totality of all that the NHRA provides to not only its drivers and teams but to he most important people, its fans. The autographes, pictures with their favorite driver, hero cards, shirts of all colors, die casts , flags as well as tremendous side by side racing mean a lot to the spectator during this time of economic uncertainty. What made the weekend unforgettable for me was seeing Johnny Gray and the Tire Kingdom dodge Charger and the camaraderie of everyone and how we all shared the joy of watching skilled drivers applying their trade. To me that is why the NHRA will always be one of the greatest motorsports on the planet


Photo Credit Courtesy of NHRA and Jay Selig

A Heartfelt, Meaningful Victory For The Boss

For any drag racer, there are certain victories that seem to stay with you for quite sometime. On July 1 2012 at the 15th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals Presented By Super Start Batteries at Route 66 Dragway, Antron Brown experienced that feeling in winning on the very weekend his team owner, Don Schumacher was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. In an interview with Antron from his home in Indiana on July 4th, I asked him what that victory meant to him and his Matco Tools team:

Photo Courtesy of Toyota Racing

"That was very heartfelt, very meaningful for our 2 crew chiefs Mark Oswald & Brian Coradi, myself and the whole Matco Tools Team". Antron  excitedly stated "It was one of those days where if you wanted to win a race for your boss, that'd be the way to do it. "It was one of those signature days & we really had to weather the storm" Antron then added "It was a day where you had to go fight for your money, we were fighting for our money. Incredible day the way it happened"


As most of the spectators knew on that hot July1st afternoon, the weather changed dramatically. From hot & humid to raining, thundering & lightening & windy conditions; crew chiefs were sent scrambling to adapt. But Antron credits The Matco Tools Team and their clutch guys:

"You have to give credit to Mark and Brian (co crew chiefs) making the right calls each and every round. Our Clutch guy Tony came up a couple times & Brad our assistant crew chief; they were plotting to try and get all they could out of that race track" However, Brown gives a tremendous amount of credit to the @NHRA safety safari: "Tip your hat to the NHRA Safety Safari crew. Track Temp was over 120 degrees and we're running low 3.80's and thats just phenomenal

Photo Courtesy of The Drag Racing News

Antron gives additional credit to DSR Track guru Tommy Johnson jr as well: 

"The thing about rain when it washes off the track, it would make it tighter, but the hard part was when the sun came out full force, and it would bubble up the rubber, but the track stayed tight" Antron confidently stated "Our track guru Tommy Johnson Jr. came up and said the track hasn't fallen off, it's still good. So we have lots of confidence in Tommy out there & we just put our pedal to the metal"

Top fuel this season has more competitive than ever, with races being decided by thousandths of a second. The evolution of Top Fuel racing has not changed much in the last few seasons and Antron feels that is one of the main reasons for the class being so close:

 Brown wins a close race over Shawn Langdon(Courtesy of Toyota Racing)

"Everyone's working with the same parts & pieces. AJ (in reference to Alan Johnson) left our DSR stable a few years back formed his own team with 2 competitive cars" The DSR Top Fuel Pilot states " Then on top of that, you have Morgan Lucas hiring Aaron Brooks & Rod Centorbi (assistant crew chiefs for Al Anabi) and his team mate Brandon Bernstein, both are running well." Antron went on to add this about his good friend Steve Torrence " He went out and built a whole new race team, hiring guys that were available from other teams and adding Richard Hogan a phenomenal crew chief. I think everyone did do their homework, doing the necessary things to win. All three of our DSR cars are pushing each other as well"

Safety is of utmost importance in racing especially in the volatile world of Nitro Drag Racing. In the 1st round of eliminations at Route 66 Dragway, Antron's teammate Tony Schumacher suffered a catastrophic engine explosion with fire engulfing the cockpit . DSR has been developing a canopy system to reduce the risk of fire. Antron offered his take on when he hopes the canopy will be approved:

"Trust me, if it were up to me, we'd have the cockpit on our car.  I think it's getting very close, we're waiting for testing results to come back & They're (NHRA) are looking at everything" Says the ever excited Brown "They're not only looking at the performance advantage, they want to make the inside of the structure (cockpit) is even better" He added  "Don (Team Owner) and Crew Chief Mike Green have been full speed ahead on it's development. I think you'll definitely see the cockpit before the end of the year . I hope to we can use it on our cars this year, if not definitely next year" Antron told me known that the view of the driver is the same if not better after winter testing:


"When I got in Tony's car, it was definitely perfect for me, I could see everything. You see just as much as you would see without a cockpit on a race car" Brown excitedly said "You can see your front wheels, see the front of your car. All the stuff you'd normally see" Antron also described the comforts of the cockpit "It's quiet, very comfortable & blocks the glaring sunlight that comes over the top of the car that blinds your eyes & blocks out your dashboard. It doesn't damper your vision at all"


Experiencing the Force of nearly 5g's of pull at the hit of the throttle, unleashing 8.000 plus horsepower, the importance being physically fit is great. It helps the body and the mind prepare for the blast down the 1,000 ft. track run after run. Brown, the Indiana resident spoke of the importance of being fit and ready for the entire full throttle season:

Photo Courtesy of Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger

"When the competition is where it's at, you have to take every advantage that you can get. In every class, you can;t have a bad race especially when the countdown begins" Said the energetic Matco Tools  Driver "You have 6 races to win the title. So when it comes to NHRA racing, your mindset has to be at  top level. You have to bring your A+ game every round and I try to go with that mindset every round & every event. Antron then added "That's why I stay as physically fit as possible week in and week out. The more rounds you win, thats your champion"


The Don Schumacher Racing Team in both Top Fuel and Funny Car has been at or near the top of the class for the last few seasons. But as the competition heats up going into the countdown, momentum can change in an instant. Coming off the win at Route 66 Dragway, Antron and the entire DSR stable must stay focused even as the teams currently holds the top three positions in points:

"It feels good but we just gotta keep our heads down & stay focused" Said the humble NJ native " Honestly can't let the stuff that happened to us at the beginning of this year to affect us, those races are gone. Honestly, when your running the countdown like this, what you do during the season means nothing. It sends a statement that your team is strong, but you have to be strong for 6 races" Antron added "That's the way our series is shaping up to be. Ive been there before. Our DSR team knows how to pick it up at the right time"

Photo Courtesy of Toyota Racing and Mark J. Rebilas

Antron Brown is a family man first and foremost when he travels the NHRA circuit. With a wonderful wife and three children, he makes the most of his time with his family. They travel with him during the season. Many racers always wonder of their children will follow in their footsteps. Antron states he supports his children in whatever profession they choose:

"I'll be fully supportive" says the proud father "My biggest deal when I was growing up was, without the support of my parent's; I wouldn't be where i'm at. I want to support my kids in whatever they want to do. I don't push them to do anything. I don't push them to race, or push my daughter to dance or singer whatever she does" The Proud father of three finished by saying "I just want them to do what they are happy doing. If they put their full force behind what they're doing, they can be successful at it"

Thanks Antron (Photo: Jay Selig)