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2008 HEMI CHALLENGE STARTS THIS WEEKEND
It’s time for drivers in the NHRA Super Stock/A-HEMI (SS/AH) division to go back to work. After the crowning of 2007 Mopar HEMI Challenge champion Rick Houser at the Aug. 31 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals HEMI Challenge event, 1968 Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Darts are set to do battle once again on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Jegs NHRA Northern SPORTSnationals. This event is the first of three 2008 Mopar HEMI Challenge points events scheduled for this year.
Two additional 2008 Mopar HEMI Challenge events will take place this fall. The NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals HEMI Challenge is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, in Fontana, Calif., and the NHRA Pennsylvania Dutch Classic HEMI Challenge event will take place on Oct. 21 at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. In 2008 three HEMI Challenge Race Series stops are scheduled — Mopars at the Strip in Las Vegas; the Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals in Louisiana; and the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis where the 2008 champion will be crowned. For more detailed information go to MoparMax.com. (James Drew photo) [9/27/2007]
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BOOHER WINS PTO SEASON FINALE;
ESZ CLINCHES SECOND STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
The Farm PTO Nationals at Farmington Dragway in Mocksville, NC, turned out to be an exciting finish to the 2007 Pro Top Outlaw Series season. Brandon Booher qualified #3 for the eight-car field and earned his first win of the season defeating Tom Mueller. Phil Esz earned his second straight Pro Top Outlaw championship holding off Booher and Mueller who finished second and third, respectively.
After three rounds of qualifying, Adam Trauth took the #1 qualifying spot by covering the eighth mile in 3.890 seconds. He was the only driver to run in the 3.8’s all weekend. Trauth lost to eventual winner Booher in the semi-finals when he red-lit and coasted to the finish. Booher ran a 3.97 to earn lane choice into the final round against Mueller, who defeated Esz in the other semi-final match-up. In the final, Booher had a single run when Mueller could not get his car started. He thundered down the track in 3.92 seconds to earn the win.
During the event, Phil Esz clinched his second straight Pro Top Outlaw championship in just his second year on tour. Esz, who earned wins at the first three events of the season including his home track Edgewater, beat out Booher who finished just under three rounds of racing behind in the points.
To find out more about the Pro Top Outlaw Series go to www.ProTopOutlaws.com. [9/27/2007]
SPEED BUMP IN SMITH’S PLANS FOR CHARLOTTE AREA TRACK?
A special meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 1, by the Concord (NC) City Council to consider stopping Bruton Smith from adding a drag strip to the Lowe’s Motor Speedway complex. Some council members have concerns about how noise and fumes from the track might affect nearby residents and businesses.
Motorsports activities are allowed on the land where the strip would be built under its current zoning. Council members would consider changing the definition of the zoning to specially exclude drag racing facilities, City Manager Brian Hiatt said.
Since work has already begun on the $60 million facility and it meets current zoning laws, the Agent has to wonder whether this will get anywhere. Stay tuned. [9/27/2007]