SCHUMACHER RACING HOLDS OPEN HOUSE
Don Schumacher Racing opened its 100,000-sq. ft. drag-racing facility doors in Brownsburg, Ind., to the public on Friday, Sept. 1, for the first time since the state-of-the-art building opened in February 2005. In six hours, an estimated 3,500 fans, drivers, VIPs and NHRA drag-racing participants passed through.
Classic cars and custom motorcycles were displayed in the Car and
Bike Show hosted by the Indy Hi-Winders Car Club. Proceeds from the Car and Bike Show, a raffle of an assortment of autographed and custom products from DSR partners, as well as voluntary donations and food and beverage revenue directly benefited Riley Hospital for Children in
Indianapolis. In total, the inaugural event raised over $14,000 for the hospital. (Mark Westfall photos) [9-5-2006]
KENNY BERNSTEIN RETURNS TO FUNNY CAR SEAT
At the U.S. Nationals Kenny Bernstein announced his 2007 return to competition in a Funny Car with Ray Alley as his crew chief. People may have forgotten that Alley was his crew chief before Dale Armstrong.
Here's a photo from the NHRA Regional winner's circle at Bowling Green, KY, in 1981 of Bernstein with Alley and Whit Bazemore. The Agent can’t help but wonder how the other crew chiefs are going to welcome Alley as a competitor after he has been looking closely at their operations as the NHRA Director of Top Fuel & Funny Car Racing for the past several years. (DRO file photo by Tom Schiltz) [9-5-2006]
‘FLASH’ GORDON MINEO KILLED
Former drag racer Gordon Mineo, his wife, daughter and son-in-law, were killed in a crash with another speedboat while participating in the “Highroller Poker Run” on Lake Texoma in Oklahoma on Sept. 2. A fifth person was killed in the crash, while the driver of the second boat survived. Mineo, 61, was driving a 2001 Eliminator, a 36-foot offshore race boat powered by two helicopter turbine engines, at the time of the crash. He also organized the Poker Run, which was not a timed event. Authorities will investigate the cause of the crash. Mineo raced dragsters from the 1960’s through the ’90s. [9-5-2006]
