Schumacher and holeshot wins

Jim Hawkins, DRO statistician, was impressed with Tony Schumacher’s performance at Houston, where he won three rounds on holeshots. His holeshot record prior to Houston was 11-13. That’s 11 wins out of 459 round wins as holeshots. That's only 2.4% of his wins via a slower ET but superior light. 

“With Alan Johnson horsepower, he didn't need to win via great lights and reflexes... or did he?” asks Hawkins. Last year Tony won three rounds on holeshots and ranked second in the total number of holeshot wins in Top Fuel behind Antron Brown's four. [4/1/2009]

What’s the Vegas line?

Fred Crespi, oddsmaker for the sports book at The Palms Resort & Casino in Las Vegas likes Larry Dixon, Del Worsham and Jason Line to win Sunday’s NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals finals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Dixon, a past winner at The Strip at LVMS, is listed at 3/1, just ahead of defending champion and perennial favorite Tony Schumacher (4/1). Worsham is listed at 4/1, just ahead of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car points leader Ron Capps (5/1) and Ashley Force Hood (also at 5/1). Line’s line is 5/2, ahead of defending Pro Stock champ Jeg Coughlin Jr. (3/1).

The NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals will kick off Thursday evening with a free driver autograph session from 6-8 p.m. in the Key West Room at The Palms Resort & Casino (www.palms.com). Drivers scheduled to appear include Tony Schumacher, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Cruz Pedregon, Ron Capps, Antron Brown, Jack Beckman, Kurt Johnson, Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon, Urs Erbacher, Matt Hagan, Jeff Arend, Johnny Gray, Kenny Koretsky, David Baca and Bob Bode. Many more are expected to join the festivities. [4/1/2009]

Meadors takes first win

Goodguys Rod & Custom Association President Marc Meadors broke through for his first event win last weekend at the Super Chevy Show at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, CA, racing in the Nitro Coupe/Pro Mod exhibition class.

Driving in only his second competitive race, Meadors and 24-year-old crew chiefs Jason Bunker and Jeff Accacian took the Red Line Oil-backed Goodguys Racing supercharged '69 Camaro to successive eighth mile runs of 4.64, 4.38, 4.24, 4.18 and a 4.22 atover 177mph  in the final to defeat renowned Pro Mod racer Paul Athey. Meadors also carded the weekend's best reaction times in each round of competition..

Built by Tim McAmis Race Cars in Hawk Point, Mo., the Camaro is a full tube chassis Pro Mod equipped with a 450-inch Brad Anderson Hemi blown on alcohol sporting a massive 14-71 Kobelco Supercharger, Waterman fuel pump, Lenco three speed and a three-disc Molinari clutch.

Meadors' ultimate goal this season is to compete in  both Carl Weisinger’s  World Street Nationals in Orlando and Mel Roth’s  PSCA sanctioned Street Car Super Nationals at the Strip in Las Vegas. Next up for the Goodguys Racing team is the West Coast Outlaw Pro Mod Association exhibition race April 24-25 at Sacramento Raceway, during the 28th Annual Funny Car Fever event.   (Jeff Burk photo)[4/1/2009]