Federal-Mogul Drag Racers Lead 50th Anniversary Edition Of NHRA Competition into Georgia

    COMMERCE, Ga., May 3 The 50th Anniversary edition of NHRA
drag racing brings all eight of its Federal-Mogul sportsman
categories to Atlanta Dragway this weekend for the Advance Auto Parts NHRA
Southern Nationals.  The event begins with sportsman qualifying today and
continues through Sunday's final eliminations.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000525/DETH025LOGO )
    The seventh of 24 national events in the annual NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag
Racing Series, the Southern Nationals is another important stop in the season-
long celebration of NHRA's 50th Anniversary.  Series sponsor Federal-Mogul
Corporation, a global manufacturer of automotive components, is partnering
with NHRA in several promotions and special programs to involve automotive
aftermarket professionals and racing fans in commemorating the achievement.
    "NHRA's 50th Anniversary coincides with what's turning out to be the most
exciting sportsman drag racing season in history," said Jay Burkhart, vice
president of marketing for Federal-Mogul.  "The partnership between NHRA,
sportsman racers and Federal-Mogul's Sealed Power(R) engine parts, Champion(R)
spark plugs and Fel-Pro(R) gaskets brands is stronger than ever."
    One of the 50th Anniversary promotions -- the Sealed Power "Power Team" --
allows professional engine rebuilders to qualify for three levels of exclusive
NHRA 50th Anniversary premiums, including a custom-embroidered leather jacket
with classic "biker cut," collector's trading-card set of NHRA drivers and
events, and a die-cast Top Fuel Dragster.
    Racing fans can purchase a full range of exclusive collectibles by
visiting Federal-Mogul's new Web site link at
http://www.federal-mogul.com/promotions .
    The Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series covers all competition within NHRA's
largest categories: Federal-Mogul Dragster, Federal-Mogul Funny Car,
Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Super Comp, Stock, Super Gas and Super
Street.
    In addition to title sponsorship of all sportsman competition, Federal-
Mogul's strategic marketing partnership with NHRA includes the Sealed Power
Low-Qualifier Award, which rewards top qualifiers in five categories at
divisional and national events.
    Sealed Power engine parts -- Federal-Mogul's premier brand of internal
engine components -- also is an official brand of NHRA, the first marketing
partnership of its kind within the engine components category.  The Sealed
Power product family comprises a complete system of internal parts --
including pistons, piston rings, camshafts, bearings, valves and valvetrain
components, timing products and oil pumps -- for virtually any domestic or
import engine.
    This weekend's event is expected to continue one of the hottest
"technology" rivalries in all of motorsports: the battle between "blown-
alcohol" and "nitro" entries in the Federal-Mogul Dragster (FMD) category.  A
majority of FMD competitors are still fueled by alcohol, with extra power
coming from a supercharger.  Nitromethane-fueled FMD entries, a growing trend,
are not permitted to utilize superchargers, yet typically create more
horsepower on the track.  Yet that increased power comes at the price of
consistency; the most consistent FMD driver in the world is Rick Santos, whose
alcohol dragster has claimed the national class championship for four straight
years.
    Atlanta Dragway has been one of the few tracks where "nitro" dragsters
(look for an "A/FD," which stands for "A/Fuel Dragster," on the cars' wings)
have had consistent success.  In fact, each of the top five qualifiers in the
FMD category here last year were powered by nitromethane, and event champion
Dave Hirata drove an A/Fuel car to a final-round win over blown-alcohol entry
Douglas Foley.
    "The engine technology in every Federal-Mogul racing category is becoming
more sophisticated with each season," said Federal-Mogul Engine Parts Brand
Manager Peter Meyers.  "It's interesting to see the engine brands chosen by a
driver like Rick Santos, who also rebuilds automotive engines for a living.
Sealed Power and Fel-Pro technologies from Federal-Mogul play major roles in
Rick's engines and in hundreds of engines at the track every weekend."
    In addition to Hirata, returning racers who won at last year's Southern
Nationals are four-time defending national champion Frank Manzo (Federal-Mogul
Funny Car), Brian Browell (Competition Eliminator), Peter Biondo (Super
Stock), Tom Dauber (Stock), Rod Fuller (Super Comp), Steve Drummond (Super
Gas), and Johnny Nolin (Super Street).
    Headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, Federal-Mogul Corporation is an
automotive parts manufacturer providing innovative solutions and systems to
global customers in the automotive, small engine, heavy-duty and industrial
markets.  The company was founded in 1899.  Visit the company's Web site at
http://www.federal-mogul.com for more information.  Federal-Mogul's press
releases are available by fax through Company News On-Call; call 800-758-5804,
ext. 306225.

                    MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT -  Click Here
               http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X38841316