NHRA Newsmakers: Feb. 8, 2006
NHRA Newsmakers Your inside glimpse at the world's fastest motorsport NEWS NUGGETS * CARLSON TO DRIVE SECOND SCHUMACHER PS CAR: After NHRA veteran Jeg Coughlin (Columbus, Ohio) parted ways with Don Schumacher Racing following the '05 season, much speculation as to who would take the vacant seat in the Schumacher Racing Pro Stock entry was aplenty. After one final week of auditions at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Shaun Carlson (Alta Loma, Calif.) was given the official nod. Richie Stevens (New Orleans) will return to drive the other Schumacher-owned Team Mopar/SRT Dodge Stratus. Both cars will be tuned by 10-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Bob Glidden. Carlson, 31, is best known for his strides in the NHRA Xplod Sport Compact Racing Series Pro FWD category, where he built the first sport compact drag car with a tube chassis and was the first FWD builder to run in the eight and nine second zones. What will happen when the raw edge of Xplod Sport Compact Racing meets the tradition of the POWERade Series? Team owner Don Schumacher predicts success. "Shaun brings a whole new perspective and image to our Pro Stock team," Schumacher said. "He's young, hip and energetic and has demonstrated a strong ability behind the wheel of not only a Sport Compact car but a Pro Stock car as well. I'm delighted to have him join our team." * WORKING FOR THIS WEEKEND: The $50 million NHRA POWERade Series kicks off this week in Southern California (Feb. 9-12) with the 46th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. The Series' top drivers already expect a scramble for the 2006 title - and there's no doubt they'll be hoping to start a little momentum in Pomona. Gary Scelzi (Fresno, Calif.) knows he has an extra-large target on his back after he nabbed the 2005 Funny Car world championship title in one of the closest points battles in NHRA history - and he spent his months away from the track getting fit to keep his edge and spending time with his wife Julianne and sons, Dominic and Giavanni. "When the first test session at Vegas came, I thought what I wouldn't give to have another week or two (with family)," Scelzi told national media during a teleconference last week. "When I pulled in the gates in Las Vegas and sat in the car and warmed up for the first time, it was like my first time sitting in a fuel car in 1997. I was so excited to get ready and get going and I was screaming and yelling and high-fiving the guys, saying ''06, let's get it, let's defend.'" * NHRA IN THE NEWS: Reporters from across the nation have already begun their coverage of the NHRA POWERade Series. Check out the latest features and testing coverage at http://media.nhra.com/clips.asp. The link features news clips from North Carolina to California and all points in between. * ENDERS ON ESPN.COM LIVE CHAT: Pro Stock racer Erica Enders (Houston), who will start her second year of competition this weekend, will be doing a live chat on espn.com Thursday morning at 8 a.m. (PT) talking about the season-opening CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals. Click on the headline link to pre-submit a question for one of last year's rookie of the year candidates. NHRA fans can ask a question by clicking the following link. http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=10782 * CAPPS REIGNS AS KING OF KART: There's no doubt that Scelzi, Ron Capps (Carlsbad, Calif.), and Cory McClenathan (Anaheim, Calif.) have what it takes to dominate the quarter-mile - but are those skills any help on a 16-turn, three-quarter mile kart track? You can bet they'll hope so when the elite trio battles for victory at the fourth annual "NHRA Tour de Charity" at Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, Calif.). The event, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (PT) on March 4, has raised more than $30,000 for Speedway Children's Charities over the last three years. The organization serves needy youth organizations in Sonoma County. Fifty fans will get the chance to race with the stars. Cost is $325 and includes a day of karting with the drivers, autographs, lunch, and the chance to compete in a 10-lap timed race for a grand prize and bragging rights that come with being champion of the "NHRA Experience." Capps, Scelzi and McClenathan will compete against each other for the title "King of the Track." In three years, Capps boasts the most wins at two (2003, '05), while McClenathan won the event in 2004. To participate, contact Infineon Raceway at (707) 933-3950 or e-mail dsilver@infineonraceway.com. INSIDE THE NUMBERS * The next time you fill up your vehicle, consider this: each 7,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragster burns 15 gallons of fuel with each pass down a quarter mile track - in less than five seconds. WHO'S HOT! * LARRY MORGAN TOPS PRO STOCK SHOWDOWN: The closest Larry Morgan (Newark, Ohio) came to victory in 2005 was when veteran driver Tom Martino (Farmingdale, N.J.) earned a runner-up finish at the Auto Club NHRA Finals with Morgan's help - but things may just be looking up for Morgan, who won the inaugural Pontiac Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend. Morgan defeated six-time world champion Warren Johnson (Buford, Ga.), who fouled at the start in the final round in his GM Performance Parts Pontiac GTO. Morgan outran Erica Enders (Houston), Mark Pawuk (Akron, Ohio), and Stevens before eliminating Johnson in the finals.