‘DIGGER DAN’ HEADED CROSS COUNTRY TO INDY GOODGUYS RACE

Headlining the Top Fuel division at the June 6-8 Goodguys event in Indianapolis is “Radar” Roger Lechtenberg, who drives Dale and Kat Suhr’s Iowa-based “Orange Crate” dragster. A field of over fourteen 250-mph dragsters are pre-registered to battle it out for Indy glory, including 66-year old Dan Horan Sr. (shown) who will tow all the way from Southern California to run his 1971 Don Long nostalgia top fuel dragster. For you Fuel Coupe junkies there will also be and eight-car field of those nitro burners. (photo courtesy Goodguys) [6/3/2008]

PEDREGON, CAPPS WILL DO IT IN THE DIRT

Here’s a rendering of the late model car Ron Capps will drive June 4 at the Prelude to the Dream.

In preparation for Wednesday’s fourth annual Old Spice Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, Cruz Pedregon spent a few days at Selinsgrove Speedway in central Pennsylvania, driving Jim Bernheizel's 800-horsepower Lazer Chassis Late Model Stock Car, the same type of car he'll pilot in Eldora.

"Dirt is the great equalizer," said Pedregon, who will be joined in the race by fellow NHRA Funny Car driver Ron Capps. "There are some big name guys racing in this thing but some of them have never raced on dirt or it's been a long time since they have. It's a lot different than pavement. You're sliding around that track sideways and car control is at a premium.

"I expect to qualify in the top half and hold my own on race day. I'm not going to race crazy, but I think Ron and I can more than hold our own and make the drag racing fans proud. Ron's a great racer. He'll do a good job. If we get some breaks, who knows."

Drivers scheduled to compete at this year's Prelude to the Dream include
Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth,
Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Bill Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Robby Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Dave Blaney, Clint Bowyer, David Reutimann, Kenny Schrader, J.J. Yeley, Red Farmer, Aric Almirola, and Ray Evernham.

The fans in attendance as well as the viewers tuning in through HBO's pay-per-view option will take comfort in the fact that all of the proceeds from this race are earmarked for the Victory Junction Gang Camp II in Kansas City and the Tony Stewart Foundation. Stewart hopes to raise more than $1 million this year. [6/3/2008]