Vol. 4 Issue 11
NOVEMBER 2013
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OWNER PRESIDENT – Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719
OFFICE STAFF AR/AP – Stacy Robinson 763-421-4400 SALES SUPPORT – Vince Griffith vince@wheelsofthunder.net 651-280-8658 JUNIOR BOSS – Zack Robinson 763-421-4400
EDITORIAL STAFF
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EDITOR/CREATIVE DIRECTOR Betty Schurmann editor@wheelsofthunder.net 763-421-4400
Special Features
Matt Hagan – Off Season .............................4 It’s Always Veteran’s Day for these cars .......14 Ladies, Start Your Engines! ..........................50
Photographers/Writers MYLIE LAVOLD JESSICA KANKE CEAJA PHILP JOHN KRUEGER
TOM EDWARDS JENNA OSTERLUND STEVE CASPER JOHN LENTZKOW
Rally’s & Shows
Mazeppa Hare Scrambles ..........................18
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Princeton Speedway Season Wrap Up .........32
Racing for a Cure – Pro Style ......................38
ADVERTISING STAFF
Staples MN Hare Scrambles........................44
NORTHERN SALES – Scott Robinson scott@wheelsofthunder.net 612-730-3719
Reviews & Tech
SOUTHERN SALES - John Lentzkow John.lentzkow@mchsi.com 319-239-1375
Departments
Wild Hogs Saloon & Eatery ........................10 Garage Built.................................................8
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Calendar....................................................30
$34.99 - PHONE: 763-421-4400 www.wheelsofthunder.net All content published herein is owned exclusively by Midwest Wheels of Thunder Magazine. Reproduction or further dissemination of the content herein is strictly prohibited without the express written authorization of Midwest Wheels of Thunder Magazine.
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ABATE of MN.............................................42
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Game On!..................................................54
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Photo by autoimagery.com
Written by Ceaja Philp
’m not talking about NHRA’s 2011 Funny Car World Champion Matt Hagan’s 2013 race season! This year the Don Schumacher Racing driver came back to fight his way towards another championship, but with a few mishaps the prior 15-time champion John Force was able to come in the take the 2013 title, making him a 16x NHRA World Champion. Hagan fought hard with 8 trips to the finals and 4 wins to his name.
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Matt Hagan “Off Season”
Photo by Sam Dean samdeanphotography.com
This ‘off season’ for Hagan means something not behind the wheel of his Mopar/Rocky Boots/Dodge Charger RT. Rocky became a major sponsor for Hagan’s 320mph DSR Funny Car during this year’s Mello Yello Series. The DSR team works very hard at building business-tobusiness relationships with their sponsors and are proud to announce the opening of Matt Hagan Outdoors, to open this midNovember in Radford, Virginia. The location works well being close to Hagan’s
home and farm in Christiansburg, as well as being only 10 miles from Virginia Tech and surrounded by the mountains. The outdoors is just another place Hagan feels at home. While managing his fast paced race career he also runs his 1000 acre cattle ranch. He is a hands on owner and with his wife Rachel, son Colby, and daughter Penny, finds a way to balance it all. He said one of the things he looks forward to when he gets home is his daily routine on the farm and spending time with his family outdoors, which only adds to his excitement to be hands on with Matt Hagan Outdoors. The retail store is planned to be 9,000 square feet featuring a full line of Rocky Brands products, along with Rocky footwear, Georgia Boot, Durango footwear, and Under Armour to name a few. Hagan said they plan to run apparel to start and eventually expand to a full sporting store.
Photo by autoimagery.com November 2013
From Hagan’s early years of racing quads, circle track, stock car, bracket racing, Pro Mod, to his current NHRA Funny Car, this young champion has seen quite a career in competition. His hard work ethic has made him a successful racer, a successful cattle rancher, and now it will see him add Matt Hagan Outdoors to his already impressive resume. www.WheelsofThunder.net
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1956 Chev 210 Sedan
While Steve Rehbein was recovering from heart surgery in the hospital in 2000, a friend brought him an Auto Trader magazine to help pass the time. He ran across the 1956 Chev and made the phone call to buy the car sight unseen.
Stock Original This is where it all started!
Sound Familiar? Do you have a story of your custom ride? E-mail editor@wheelsofthunder.net and you could be featured with your ride in the next issue!
“This entire project completed by Steve Rehbein, family and friends in their home garages.�
When he was released from the hospital he went to look at the car and it was in different condition than explained in Auto Trader. It was completely disassembled so he made the deal to purchase the car for $750. He took it home and completed the body work in his two car garage in Blaine, MN which took over 1,000 hours.
Then the car was disassembled, painted and wet sanded and buffed by a friend of the family, Steve Berry, in Isanti, MN. For upholstery it was sent to a Carl Cadotte in Lino Lakes, MN for the interior (Also works out of a two car garage).
The frame was sent to Cambridge, MN in a two car garage to his brother-in-law and nephew, Joe Simons Sr. and Joe Simons Jr. for cleaning, blasting, and painting. The engine mounts and transmission cross members and all the suspension work and welding was done by Simons Sr. and Simons Jr. The 468 Cubic Inch big block was built by Simons Sr. They put the body and frame back together and set in the rear end for mock up and a 3� rear mini tub for the big rear tires.
It was then returned to Cambridge for finish work & chrome, stainless bumpers, grill and 3 inch Flow Master exhaust was installed at Austin muffler in Champlin, MN. The car was completed at the 2010 Back to the Fifties Car Show with finished interior door handles and small interior package.
We uninstalled the engine and transmission, wired, plumbed and fired the engine.
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f you are looking for an evening cruise on your Harley or in you Classic Car during the week, “The Wild Hog” is the place you need to check out. Located about 20 minutes just outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa is one Rocking Bar and Grill where you will meet owner Michelle Jordan with a smile. There is something about this charming lady you will like the minute meet her. One thing I have learned from sales is you are presented with a variety of personalities, and Michelle is a promoter and first class business lady. What a pleasure doing business with Michelle, and now I know firsthand why she is so successful. Page 10
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Written by John Lentzkow
Michelle and her husband Ron are avid bikers and know how to keep their customers coming back for more great food and fun at The Hog. Starting on Wednesday Night during the summer, fun begins with Bike / Car night with cash drawing and prizes. Here you too can experience the fine dining noted throughout the area along with your favorite cocktail and beer so cold it makes your teeth hurt. Judging by the packed parking lot full of classic cars and bikes is a pretty good indication as you drive by this is not your normal bar and grill. Michelle and her husband Ron are avid bikers and know how to keep their customers coming back for more great food and fun at
The Hog. You have to try their signature sandwich, The Wild Hog�. This is large grilled tenderloin with ham and bacon smothered in cheese and special sauce with your choice of side order. Service is great and you may want to share your order, for the portions are huge. Trust me, this Iowa tenderloin you will not soon forget, and requires a cold beer to cool you taste buds with the tangy sauce. One word seems proper here, AWESOME! As you look around, you may ask yourself is this really only Wednesday night, for as many people present it looks like a weekend night. You will find the friendly atmosphere most enjoyable, with family nights scheduled for Tuesday nights. Thursday through Sunday bands are scheduled for your dancing and listening pleasure. The new addition has a huge expansion with wood floor for dancing with a large stage, more tables, and plenty of parking. In addition they serve all your favorite salads, wraps, flame grilled burgers, pizza, broasted chicken, and much more. Breakfast is served every Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Any way you slice it, 5 bands, karaoke, drawings, great food, colorful home folk and people that love to serve; this business has it all going on! After dining and enjoying conversations with some of the locals, you can venture outside to check out the bikes and cars. What are missing are the exotic cars and
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custom bikes one would expect to see or at least a few anyway. Nope, not here. No Porches, no high dollar show bikes, just plain good old rides for which these people take pride in. These are rides they worked on themselves and restored as projects or just plain use them as daily drivers. After all this truly reflects what our magazine is all about, so what better places to share with you about a great “Biker Bar” off the beaten path? After all, we cover everything that has a motor, and we all share the same love and passion regardless at what level we take it.
There is always something going on at the Hog!
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I
am one of 2.8 million living veterans of the Vietnam War and since the 1960’s have enjoyed drag racing. The cars with military and veteran related designs, paint schemes and sponsorships have been among my favorites for decades. I remember seeing a promotional photo of “Big Daddy” Don Garlits doing a burn out on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lexington with the ships tower in the background. That photo was used on the back cover of Don’s book, “Big Daddy”. The Navy logos on the front of the car left no doubt about which branch of the military wanted to be associated with the driver selected as the number 1 drag racer of all time in 2001; the National Hot Rod Association’s 50th anniversary season. Page 14
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Written by Tom Edwards
As I watched the list start at number 50 and go to the top, one driver per week, I thought Big Daddy should be number 1 with John Force next on that prestigious list of racers and that’s how it turned out. During that golden anniversary season, I purchased a limited edition (1,000) copy of The Fast Lane – The History of NHRA Drag Racing. The great looking book, with a matching slip case, had been autographed by drag racing legends Kenny Bernstein, John Force, Wally Parks, Shirley Muldowney and Don Prudhomme. It took years and attendance at several NHRA events but I eventually had my book signed by every Top 10 driver. Having the Professor of Pro Stock, Warren Johnson, Bill (Grumpy) Jenkins, Joe Amato, Don Garlits, Bob Glidden and Dale Armstrong autograph it was a lot of fun.
With my interest in military supported race cars and the backing he had received from the Navy, having Garlits sign the book at the Wally Parks Museum in Pomona, California, was memorable.
Pro stock racer Bob Glidden and I had a nice conversation about the book at the museum. For my wife Cathy and me, that was our home track for 35 years. We always enjoyed seeing the season opening race, the Winternationals and the final event of the year, the Finals. Cathy and I have seen NHRA drag racing at a number of tracks but for us, the Winternationals is still a special race. Bob told me he had a copy of the book but had never seen the leather bound edition. I told him the book was published in San Diego and I was able to pick up my copy in person. The publisher was located about 2 miles from my office, so I called to see if I could stop by and leave a check for the book. I was told that hadn’t been done, but I could get a copy that way, so that was fun. The person I spoke with told me she enjoyed working with those that signed the book. For years I have believed one of the great aspects of following drag racing is the access fans have to the drivers. As their schedules permit during a race or qualifying, they are frequently “at the ropes” in the pit area signing autographs and posing for photos with those that follow the world’s fastest motor sport. The Army decided to support drag racing when they became the primary sponsor for the Funny Car campaigned by Don “The Snake” Prudhomme during the 1974 season. After years of success in Top Fuel, in particular with the Greer, Black and Prudhomme Top Fuel dragster, The Snake opted
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to Tony that during a top end interview after that match up, Cory said he didn’t know how fast Tony was going “but it felt like I was parked”. Fellow Don Schumacher Racing driver and current Funny Car Champion “Fast Jack” Beckman will carry the Mail Terminal Services logo on his Dodge race car and transporter this year at various levels of support including the primary sponsorship at 7 races. MTS is owned by drag racers Karen and Roger Comstock. “Fast Jack” will also
to race a fuel coupe. The John Buterra built car was very similar to one that had been built for Don Schumacher.
At the 2013 race in Brainerd, Minnesota, my wife and I had the opportunity to have Tony autograph a photo we have of the
Years later, the Army became involved with Don Schumacher Racing on a large scale. Their support of Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel and Angelle Sampey and Antron Brown on pro stock motorcycles lead to multiple world championships. In their respective categories, Tony and Angelle are on the list of the most successful racers in NHRA history. As a Don Garlits fan, I found Tony’s current dragster reminiscent of the later Swamp Rat cars built by Garlits that also featured an enclosed canopy. If Don Garlits says it’s a good idea, I don’t believe a long debate on the subject is necessary. He was selected as the number 1 drag racer of all-time for a lot of reasons. Tony and his team clearly have had a handle on their program for years. The 1999 season saw them them break the 330 MPH barrier and win the Top Fuel championship. The 2012 season saw him finish in the Top 5 for the 11th consecutive year. Tony’s win at Indy was the 9th of his career, surpassing the legendary Garlits.
Brainerd scoreboard that showed his record setting 337.58 MPH run. Cory McClenathan was in the other lane. I mentioned
promote the Mail for Wounded Warriors and Hire a Hero projects. That car debuted at the NHRA Arizona Nationals near Phoenix. Fans attending NHRA Mello Yello events this season will have the opportunity to send postcards to this nation’s heroes. The cards will be available at Beckman’s pit and the Don Schumacher Racing pavilions at every race. Along with delivering the postcards, MTS will donate $1 to the Wounded Warriors Project for each card fans complete. As a veteran, I can recall with absolute clarity hearing “Mail call” over the PA system. For those that have been injured while serving this nation and in harm’s way, a little mail with a few words of encouragement or thanks can be just what is needed while overcoming the variety of challenges injured veterans face each day. With the support the military has shown for drag racing for decades, I’m confident the fans, a very “brand loyal” group, will fully support the Mail Terminal Services efforts. During the Brainerd race, a Don Schumacher Racing representative told me the support from fans, nationwide, had been, “incredible”. The War Veterans Welcome Home – POW/MIA Top Fuel dragster, driven by second generation racer Melanie Troxel was, no surprise here, an instant fan favorite. Cathy and I were at the Winternationals in Pomona for the 2007 season opening event
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of the car was in the pit area and we thought the paint scheme was a great way to honor those that had served and made it back to this country. The POW/MIA logo near the drivers area with “You are not forgotten” says it all for everyone that continues to hold out hope for those that have not yet returned home.
when that great looking car made its impressive debut. After the first day of qualifying, Melanie was 9th with a 4.63 second run at more than 322 MPH. Years after the cars final run, I mentioned to Melanie during an autograph signing at a race in Las Vegas that it was one of my favorite cars, ever. With as many years as I have enjoyed the sport, that covers a lot of great cars, many of them record setting and/or historic. Melanie told me the car was great to drive and her interactions with the fans at the always crowded pits were memorable. I don’t doubt it. For Cathy and me, our first view
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Written and photographed by Keith McKenna
Debel is King in 2013!
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Austin McCoy snakes his way up the side of the ravine on the climb to the top to enter scoring on his way to a 12th place finish Page 18
ne week after the cold sloppy muddy slippery mess that was the rain soaked, penultimate round of the 2013 Staples Hare Scrambles, racers and spectators were relieved to wake up to crystal blue skies and cool temp s on the morning of the final round of the Minnesota District 23 Hare Scrambles series in the picturesque rolling hills of the Minnesota farming community of nearby Mazeppa MN. The Hurricane Hills MX Park played host to a race that would decide who would be champion in many classes. The most anticipated race of the day would decide who would don the 2013 AA-Class championship jacket at the annual racers banquet.
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#617 Cora Reschke. She don t say much, but her speed and dedication speaks volumes, finishing in 6th place in the Macro Class
The Golden Eagles Motorcycle Club prepared a most fun and very challenging course for the bigger classes that would put rider skills as well as a racers resolve to the test. The course had at least a little bit of everything. Riders would experience some river bottom riding, some very rocky dry stream bed sections, a stream crossing, racing down rocky, moss laden, wet slippery log infested first gear crawling gullies, high speed grass track s, motocross sections, skirting the edge of cornfields, all with plenty of elevation changes. With the perfect amount of moisture in the soil to pro-
vide good bite, and the mercury rising into the middle 50 s, the racing was sure to be a real treat. The first race of the day on the line was the premier class. With the class leader Collin Maynard helping out to staff the event the event, that would open the door for the rider who has been nipping at Maynard's heels all season long for the title (Colton Reschke, KTM) to stand atop the podium of the final race of the d23 season. Reschke would race to a almost 2 minute victory over second place racer Jarrett Loegering. #150 Alex Tweeton would round out the top three. A little later in the day, Reschke would also take the victory in the C-Junior class to double up on the hardware to be put in the trophy case at home. A good day, indeed. Before the race, Maynard intimated that next year would see him competing on a Yamaha YZ 125 in the B-class. In the Macro class, Travis Illies would complete 15 blazing laps on his KTM SX50 while KTM mounted Charlie Siebenaler would cross through scoring 14 times to secure second place. However, in the championship points race the positions would be reversed, with Illies coming up only 5 slim points behind Siebenaler at seasons end. Cora Reschke would round out the season third in points.
4th place finisher in the ultra competitive Vet-A class, #926 Ben “Jammin� Graves, ridding hard and looking cool in the vintage style O Neal gear! November 2013
In the C-Class racing action, in the Women's class Yamaha mounted #911 Mary Schriener and KTM mounted #213 Kristi Grote would lock horns in a race www.WheelsofThunder.net
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Forslund won by 28 seconds over #399 Adam Tacheny with third place rider Michael Lund on a Honda, 3+ minutes adrift.
sumed the runner up position. The season championship however went to the day s #2 Koster, who finished the 9 race series only 4 scant points astern of Buchta.
In the 200 B-Class, the race for the top step was a real rock-n-roll affair as eventual race winner #924 Derrick Ruggeberg would complete lap one in second place with Trevor Archibald on point and #231 Chaz Herzog in third. Lap two saw Ruggeberg take the lead with Herzog in second and Archibald in third. Lap three saw the top three riders maintain their positions, but the last lap saw second and third positions get re-arranged.
As the AA-Class lined up for their race, all eye s were on the #11 Honda CRF450 of Dylan Debel and the #63 Husqvarna of current d23 AA champion Nate Ferderer. With only 2 points separating them, the heat was on both racers. Although Debel confessed to feeling the pressure, he didn t show it with his performance. Debel has struggled with his starts all season and always having to make up time. At the drop of the green flag Debel gave a textbook lesson on how to get the party started. Bending his Osseo Motorsport s, Checkpoint Off-Road Honda CRF 450 into the right hand first turn with the #112 KTM of Checkpoint Off-Road owner and president Matt Stavish bar end to bar end on his port side. Stavish was all over Debel and Dylan knew that Stavish meant business.
Womens Class winner and 2013 Champion Mary Schriener threading her way through the rock strewn stream bed with the second place finisher Kristi Grote just out of frame “but HOT on her heels”. The Stream bed would claim many victims on race day.
long battle that would remain so close that you could have thrown a blanket over both of them at most any time in the race. The gap between them was seldom more than ten seconds with Schriener never crossing the scoring barrels more than 5 seconds ahead of Grote. On the first lap, flying through the 1/4 mile long, boulder strewn creek bed, Grote could probably feel the heat coming from the Yamaha of the #911. A basketball sized rock momentarily knocked Grote off line, to give Schriener a short lived few seconds to catch her breath, steeling the resolve of Grote to claw her way back to the lead rider, which she did “post haste”! On the last 2 times through the scoring loop the computer monitor showed Grote to be only 2 seconds behind Schriener on her two stroke steed. After just over one hour and eighteen minutes of intense wheel to wheel excitement, Grote would come up only 2 agonizing seconds behind Schriener, perhaps the longest two seconds of her life. The victor and the runner-up were all smiles at the close of the 2013 season, Grote happy to enjoy support for the 2013 season from Ride100% racing, Parts Unlimited, Larson s Cycle Center in Cambridge MN, CheckPoint Off-Road Racing Suspension and Moose Racing. In the Open-C Class, Winner #451 Jaime Forslund won the race today, but won the season title 4 races ago as he absolutely dominated the class in 2013. In the race Page 20
Coming out of the woods and onto the moto track, Debel could see title contender Ferderer over his shoulder and could see that Nate was on a mission. Try as he might, Debel just couldn t shake Stavish and he knew that Ferderer was on a high speed rail. He knew that the race was going to be won by the rider that would make zero mis-
Jason Bauer Yamaha mounted #5035, entering the section “where clutch and brake levers go to die” the dreaded stream bed. Bauer finished in 16th place in the 250-C Class.
So, the finishing order was Ruggeberg first, Archibald second and Herzog rounding the top three positions, with only 5.1 seconds separating the top 3 spots. In the 250-B race, the top three finishers were the only racers in the class to complete 5 laps of the 8+ mile loop. The third place finisher Logan Cipala, actually led the race for the first 24 miles(3 laps) of the 40 miles covered. On lap four Cipala had a racing incident that relegated him to third position and allowed the #310 Honda of Joey Buchta to take the point, and #88 Colton Koster to slot into second. Koster completed the first lap in seventh place, ended lap 2 in 4th place, at the end of lap 3 he was in third place and on lap 4 he as-
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Past D23 Champion Kyle “Smiley” Nelson, always happy to turn a wheel in anger, while in hot persuit of the race leader on the AA Class. The dude s always smiling! November 2013
son a resounding success, given the almost late start to the season (due to late winter snowstorms) and a couple of races that were held in monsoon like conditions. To put on a race is an enormous undertaking,
and all the racers are grateful for the workers who contribute so much time to continue the sport in MN. Cannot wait for next year!!!
”Action” Jackson Moats wheeling his #1529 Yamaha PW 50 to a first place finish in the hotly contested Micro Class. The PW in PW50 stands for “Power Whip”.
takes. The one to make a mistake was Stavish, and Debel finally broke away. On the third lap, Debel pulled into the re-fueling area and his pit crew went to work “like a man on fire”. Time in the pits for gas? 7 seconds in and out! At the beginning of the third lap Ferderer was 18 seconds adrift and mounting a charge. At some point on lap 4, Ferderer had a nasty get-off that would end his race and give the championship to Debel.
#41 Chad Tupper hounding the KTM of #830 Tony Deutsch, looking for a way around at the exit of “The Gully”. Tupper would go on to finish 3rd in the Vet-A class while Deutsch had his hands full with 9th place in the stacked Open-A Class.
Travis Illies #198 layin down a serious disappearing act in the Macro class, for the win. The dude a Premium Wheelman!
By lap four of the five lap scramble, Yamaha mounted #94 Kyle Nelson was mounting a charge that would threaten to snatch the first place gold from the grasp of Debel. Debel would have none of it though. He turned up the wick just enough and remained mistake free till the checkered flag with Nelson only 2 miniscule seconds behind. Fifty three seconds later, Stavish would cross the line in third. Stavish was understandably proud to be on the podium and even more happy that the bike that was ridden to the championship, and the season runner-up were battling all season long on suspension personally tuned by Matt, himself. The waving of the checkered flag marked the close of another successful hare Scramble Season in District 23. A huge thanks to all of the volunteers and sponsors that help to make the 2013 seaNovember 2013
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HWY 169 ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA REGIONAL START DATE END DATE Elk River, MN
JAN. 11
JAN. 12
Elk River, MN
MARCH 1
MARCH 2
ERX GRASSROOTS SERIES MONTH
DATE
ERX Grassroots Race #1
DEC.
19TH
ERX Grassroots Race #2
JAN.
9TH
ERX Grassroots Race #3
JAN.
23RD
ERX Grassroots Race #4
FEB.
13TH
ERX Grassroots Race #5
FEB.
27TH
MAR.
20TH
TENTATIVE ERX Snow Oval Race #6 (Non-points)
ERX LEARN TO RIDE CLINIC L2R Snocross Clinic
MONTH
DATE
DEC.
27TH
Photos courtesy of Art of Light Photography. www.artoflightphoto.net
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January 2014
he Princeton Speedway hosted it first back to back two day race special on September 20 and 21. The two day race show was a huge success with 140 drivers signing in the first night.
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Written by Tami Jo Kuehn Photography by Jacy Norgaard and Bailey Sens
The WISSOTA Street Stocks kicked off the night’s features, however the race was plagued with cautions. Jim Gullikson took the lead and held it as the green continued to fly. Allen Gessell Jr. kept close to Gullikson with Adam Soltis in third. Dave Read ran in sixth and moved past Ryan Kostreba for fifth. Read then moved to Ryan Pommerer’s side and they ran close for laps. While they battled, Gessell, Jr. put the pressure on Gullikson and they began to lap slower cars as the laps ticked by. Gullikson made it to the end and took the checkers
Dean Larson and Kyle Thell led the WISSOTA Mod Fours on the track and Thell quickly grabbed the lead. Larson and Brandon Linquist took the top three as the yellow flew. Linquist secured second while Bryce Bjerken moved next to Larson. Bjerken quickly moved aside Linquist while Josh Abrahamson took fourth. Bjerken fell back while Abrahamson drove to Linquist’s door for second. Abrahamson was faster and stole the point. Abrahamson then spun, however he kept the car going and kept second. Thell was again closing in on lapped cars, and made his way through traffic as the race came to a close and Thell took the win. As the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature began, Tim Johnson grabbed the lead with Bud Martini and Shane Sabraski battling for second. Before you knew it, Sabraski and Martini were aside Johnson and they were three wide for first. Johnson took first with Sabraski grabbing second. Martini moved back to Sabraski’s side but Sabraski held him back. Andy Jones, started in 17th, worked his way into fifth and then moved aside Martini for third. With only a few laps to go, Martini kept him back while Johnson took the checkers. The WISSOTA Super Stocks took the green with Seth Kramer in the lead. Dave Mass moved into second and drove to Kramer’s door while Shane Sabraski moved in. Mass pulled away in the lead while Sabraski slid under Kramer. Sabraski and Mass battled side by side for the lead with Sabraski nosing ahead. Mass held onto second while Tim Johnson took third. Johnson and Mass
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there until the checkers waved. The WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds feature was next on the list, and Travis Schulte grabbed the early lead. Tim Johnson and Shane Sabraski ran on Schulte’s rear as Johnson took the lead. Denis Czech grabbed the middle groove and went between Sabraski and Schulte for second but Czech fell back. Bud Martini then drove past Sabraski and next to Schulte. Czech was back at Sabraski’s door as they battled close for top points. Martini drove to Johnson’s side and took the lead, but Czech grabbed the high side and moved next to Martini. Czech wasted no time and took the lead as the crowd roared with excitement. Czech held back the competition, took the checkers and celebrated on the front stretch by doing doughnuts all over the track surface. were door to door but Mass pulled ahead in second. Dan Gullikson and Kramer were also nose to nose, but Gullikson broke away just in time for the race to end. Sabraski beat out the stiff competition and took the win. The Hornets were the next race for the night and Brandon Mehrwerth jumped into the lead. Erik Gruhlke moved into second but Dannie Burkholder was on the move. Mehrwerth continued to lead with Gruhlke, Burkholder and Terry Blowers in a fight for second. Blowers took the point and flew past Mehrwerth for the lead. Burkholder suffered a flat and the yellow flew with Blowers first on the restart. Mehrwerth quickly grabbed his side and as they came down the back chute, Blowers suffered a flat allowing Mehrwerth to speed away. Mehrwerth led the final laps and took the feature win. Jeff Patchen and Seth Brede led the WISSOTA Modifieds to the green for the night’s final feature. Brede grabbed the lead with Scot Danzeisen in second. Dave Mass and Patchen battled for third with Patchen getting the point. Patchen closed in on Danzeisen but the yellow flew. After back to back cautions, Brede was back in charge with the green waving. Danzeisen remained close with Patchen and Mass at it for third. Mass locked in third and closed in on Danzeisen with two laps remaining. Brede rounded turn four but slipped a bit and Danzeisen took full advantage moving back to his door. Brede got it together and Page 34
lead to finish, taking his first feature win in a Modified. Night #2 of the P-Town Showdown was in full effect Saturday night with 135 cars rolling into the pits. The WISSOTA Street Stocks kicked off the night with Justin Pogones and Ryan Kostreba on the front row. Kostreba nosed ahead of Pogones, but Pogones came back. As Pogones grabbed the lead the yellow flew. Pogones was alone on the restart with Kostreba and Blowers in tow. The battle for second heated up as Kostreba locked in the point. Kostreba began to work Pogones for the lead when contact was made and the #01 turned sideways. Cars scattered and piled into each other as the yellow flew. The Street stocks couldn’t get their race together as caution after caution kept them slow. At the end of the feature it was Jim Gullikson in his Ray’s Auto Body sponsored car who took the win.
Dan Gullikson took first, Dave Mass second and Tim Johnson, Shane Sabraski and Kevin Burdick ran three wide for third as the WISSOTA Super Stock feature began. Burdick and Sabraski pulled ahead of Johnson and Sabraski took third. Gullikson was in charge as Dave Read joined the battle for second with Sabraski and Mass. Sabraski took the position as Mass suddenly spun in turn two and the yellow flew again. Sabraski now had Johnson at his side while Gullikson continued to lead. Gullikson rocked the high side with Sabraski and Johnson following his path. They drove in that order until the checkers flew and Gullikson took the trophy.
Corry VanMil and Josh Abrahamson battled side by side for first as the WISSOTA Mod Four feature began. Laps ticked by and VanMil and Abrahamson continued to battle. Abrahamson finally broke away while VanMil settled in second. Larson then crept up on VanMil as the yellow waved. Abrahamson led through four cautions until a few laps were done. Kyle Thell moved up on Larson and VanMil and took third while Larson stole second. Thell then cruised aside Larson, took second and shot by Abrahamson for the lead. Thell stayed
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Matthew Dibb and Jared Zimpel brought the Hornets to the green and Dibb took the lead. The caution lights flickered on a few times but Zimpel moved to Dibb’s door after the final restart and they raced side by side. Zimpel nosed ahead into the lead with Dannie Burkholder moving to his side. Burkholder and Zimpel drove door to door but Burkholder finally broke away and took the lead. Zimpel moved back to Burkholder’s side but Staff Sargent Dannie Burkholder held Zimpel and Dibb and took the feature win. The WISSOTA Modifieds feature not only closed out the show, but also wrapped up the 2013 racing season. Jamie Davis grabbed the lead and Justin Jones took second as the green flew. Dustin Nelson, Jason Thoennes, Jeremy Nelson and Scot Danzeisen battled for top points as the laps went by. After a caution, Thoennes moved next to Davis but Davis pulled away in the
lead. Thoennes ran second but Danzeisen came on strong and moved to his side. Danzeisen took second and made the pass on Davis for first without hesitation. Jones and Thoennes drove side by side for third with Shane Sabraski closing in. They all caught slower traffic and as Jones moved down to lap a car, he made contact and Thoennes spun out. Danzeisen was first on the restart and he kept the lead the remaining laps until the checkers waved. The staff and management of the Princeton Speedway would like to send out a big and sincere thank you to everyone who helped make the 2013 race season the success that it was. Keep your eyes on the website at www.princetonspeedway.com and facebook by searching Princeton Speedway for all the up to date racing information. We look forward to seeing everyone back in 2014.
www.PrincetonSpeedway.com
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RACING FOR A HOPE - "PRO STYLE"
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PRO KART • BURNSVILLE, MN
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RACING FOR A HOPE - "PRO STYLE"
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American Bikers for Awareness, Training and Education
The motorcyclists across this country enjoy a lot of freedom and to most of us that’s what the ride is all about - freedom. Most of us like to decide when we ride, what we ride, where we ride, and what we wear when we ride. We like to own our ride. Unfortunately there are forces out there that are working against us and they want to limit or take away our freedom of the road.
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The battle to protect our right to ride free is a two front battle; we have to fight at the state level and at the federal level. Organizations like American Bikers for Awareness, Training, and Education of Minnesota (ABATE of MN) work hard at the state level to protect our rights. At the federal level we have the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) in Washington D.C. The MRF works with state level organizations to promote freedom of the road and motorcycle safety. I know all of this sounds kind of boring and most riders just want to ride, but our lifestyle is under attack on both fronts and we have to take these threats seriously. If we don’t the “American Biker” may disappear someday. Unity is the key to winning these battles and that is where the MRF comes in. Every
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year in September the MRF hosts a motorcycle rights and safety conference called Meeting of the Minds (MOTM). The conference is held in a different state each year and motorcyclists from all over the country gather to exchange ideas and to discuss the issues that the motorcyclists of this great country face. This year the conference was held in Columbus, Ohio the last weekend in September and it was a huge success. The weekend started off with representatives from all of the states in attendance reporting on some of the issues that they are dealing with at home. Issues like helmet laws, handlebar height laws, equal access, profiling, impaired riding, rider training, public awareness, distracted driving, and many more. Later on in the conference there were breakout sessions conducted by experts in the field of motorcycle rights and safety. Some the topics discussed at these breakouts were; What Do You See When You Ride, Accident Scene Preservation, Understanding The Constitution, Ride Smart, State Legislative Summary, Dissecting the Center for Disease Control (CDC) study on Helmet Laws, just November 2013
protect the rights of all street riders that enjoy freedom of the road in the United States and we do it by uniting riders from all over the country. Meeting of the Minds 2014 will be the 30th Anniversary for the conference and it will be held in Kansas City, Missouri in late September. The MRF has been in the freedom fighting business for a long time and with your help we can keep on fighting. To find out more about the MRF go to www.mrf.org Todd Riba ABATE of MN Legislative Director 952-239-0929 to name a few. There was also a Legislative Planning session; this is where representatives from all of the states in attendance give direction to the MRF for the coming year. One of the issues that the MRF is currently working on is defunding motorcycle only checkpoints. Currently the Federal government is offering money to states to conduct motorcycle only safety checkpoints. The state of Georgia is using this money to single out riders that are headed to Daytona
November 2013
for Bikeweek. These checkpoints do absolutely nothing to promote motorcycle safety. They are nothing more than harassment and profiling which in turn is a waste of your tax dollars and these checkpoints could come to a state near you if we don’t stop them. The MRF is working on H.R. 1861 in the U.S. House of Representatives, this bill would defund motorcycle only check points and as a bonus it would encourage federal agencies to stay out of the helmet law business, those decisions are best left to the states. Another issue that the state motorcycle rights organizations have asked the MRF to work on is the Center for Disease Control’s study on mandatory helmet laws. The study is filled with errors and funny numbers and the CDC has no expertise in this area. The MRF believes that riders are the experts in this area and we also have a problem with being labeled as a disease. The MRF is working hard on these issues and many more in an effort to www.WheelsofThunder.net
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F
#1688 Colton Olson in hot pursuit of off-road racing glory in the Premier class. Colton went on to finish in 9th place. Page 44
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or the last two years the Hare Scrambles races held each October at the Moto-City Motocross Park, just outside of Staples MN in the beautiful northern lakes region, have been very dusty, dry affairs. Last years event was so very dusty, that while photographing at the event, there were times that the particulate level in the air was so high, the auto-focus wouldn t work on my camera. Definitely not the case this year. As a matter of fact, it was so wet, that motocross practice scheduled on Saturday( the day before the event) was cancelled because of heavy persistent rain. November 2013
Husqvarna Racings #63. Multi-time District 23 champ Nate Ferderer, locked in a “battle royal” for another Hare Scrambles title. With one race to go and 3 points behind Dylan Debel, the last race of the season will be exciting.
Written and photographed by Keith McKenna
With intermittent rain falling at the start of the first race of the day, the Premier class, the Girls-Class and Juniors would be the first racers to turn a wheel in anger through the motocross portion of the track. A track that was littered with pools of standing water that could swallow a mini moto bike whole. Not much for standing water in the woods, but the soil was really greasy, especially on the opening lap, along with the wet muddy tree roots and rocks. In the premier class, the class king on the day was Collin Maynard on his PowerBand Racing
6th place finisher in the 200-C Class seen snaking his way through the burch forest while holding station to the finish. November 2013
KTM, who dominated the fracas, leaving no doubt who it was that wanted the win the most. Maynard would go on to build up a lead that would amount to more than 3 minutes at the end of the 1 hour +1 lap race. In the AA class race Husquvarna mounted Team Northstar Off-Road s #63 Nate Federer was tied in points with #11 Dylan Debel, racing for Osseo Motorsports on a Honda CRF450. Before the race, Debel reported that he was suffering in the throws of a raging flu and that he was looking forward to having this day s race behind him. Both riders though, would have to contend with #94 Kyle Nelson who has been riding like “A man on Fire” lately. Off the starting line, Debel would be in 4th after the first few corners with Ferderer getting an uncharacteristically bad start in last place off of the line, and Nelson in the lead. Debel knew he needed to get ahead before the woods for any chance of gaining an edge. He passed multi time champ Matt Stavish and Craig Holasik but couldn t reel in Nelson. Ferderer passed several riders on the moto track and went into the woods in 5th place in the wet, slick conditions. Both Debel and Ferderer reported after the race of making several costly mistakes during the race, while it appeared that Nelson set his bike on hyper-drive to build up a sizable lead. Midway through the race, Ferderer caught his shifter in a deep rut and bent it back to the foot peg and had to www.WheelsofThunder.net
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the end of the opening lap, but steadily worked his way up to second place in class at the finish. The Iron Man award though goes to a women in the 250-B class. Finishing in 8th place on her Kawasaki KX250, exhausted, and I mean pushed to the limit, was #727 Amanda Johnson completing her 6 laps in two hours, six minutes and 41 punishing, relentless seconds. Amanda always rides the Big Boy races and humbles plenty of her B-Class competitors.
#229 Austin McCoy testing the traction in the woods enroute to a slipping and sliding 9th place finish in the Premier race.
complete most of the lap revving his Husqvarna in first gear. Once back in the fueling area, he made hasty repairs and resumed the race. At the checkered flag the first bike was that of Yamaha mounted #94 Kyle Nelson who completed 9 laps of the 6 mile course. Second went to a very hard charging Nate Ferderer also with 9 laps. Third went to an ailing and exhausted Debel on his Honda CRF450 with Matt Stavish finishing just off of the podium in fourth. In the AA-class, it is all coming down to the last race of the year in the rolling hills of Mazeppa MN, where there are sure to be fireworks.
In the Women's race, First place finisher Susan Voss showed up to the track only intending to watch her father in his race, when one of her competitors, Kristi Grote, who was working the event, offered up her KTM for Voss to compete on. When Grote learned that Voss didn t bring any riding gear of her own, because she was not planning on riding the event, Grote offered her fully stocked gear bag too. Voss went on to win the race by over three minutes on a bike she s never rode before, in gear that was not her own. And the icing on the cake? She didn t have to wash the totally mud caked bike afterward! SWEET DEAL,, Right? Second place was the #225 of Miranda Tweeton and third went to birthday girl Jessica Curtis. The top six finishers in the women's race were on KTM motorcycles. In the Junior race, #106 Collin Maynard kept up his winning ways by grabbing the
Third place finisher Dylan Debel in the hotly contested AA-Class chasing down his rival over the big ugly log crossing on his Osseo Powersports, CheckPoint Off-Road Honda CRF450, for the 2013 Championship, while trying to fend off the effects of the flu virus that had Dylan praying for the end of the race to be near. Debel would go on to finish in 3rd Place in the hotly contested class.
holeshot on his PowerBand Racing KTM, setting the throttle to boil and railin the motocross with authority to claim the checkers. In the PeeWee class, behind the race winner Dalton Kittock, a battle raged between
In the Open-A Class, Dan Illies had his hands full all race long with the Kawasaki #135 of Andy Foley. Illies never had more than a thirty second lead on eventual second place finisher Foley throughout the 8 lap tussel. In the end, Illies KTM only headed Foley by 10 seconds at the flag. Brian Grote road a smart race to finish in third position in the treacherous conditions. Congrats goes out to the rider of the KTM #310, Joey Buchta for enjoying the spoils of victory in the 250-B race. From the drop of the green flag, Buchta took off like a scalded cat and was never headed for the entire seven laps. The hard charger award of the class goes to the second place rider, Colton Koster who was in seventh place at
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Honda CRF mounted Pat Terres cleaning the log crossing in championship style on the third lap of the Open-A race, working hard for his 6th Place finish, but making it look easy.
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Elijah Buchholz and Brady Kittock in third with only six seconds separating second place from third. Great day for the Kittock racing family with the “two youts” in the Kittock clan in Victory circle in the PeeWee class.
Big thanks go out to all of the crew and volunteers that helped to put on the event and successfully dealt with the conditions that Mother Nature provided on the race day. It
was truly a test for the racers, workers and spectators. Now on to the season finale. It s gonna be a “barn burner”.
A big winner in Staples was the #106 of Colin Maynard with wins in both the Premier Class and also in the C-Junior event. Colin is sponsored by PowerBand Racing.
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Written By Tom Edwards
WOMEN HAVE MADE THEIR MARK IN THE WORLD’S FASTEST MOTORSPORT! The National Hot Rod Association was established in 1951 and is the largest motorsports sanctioning organization in the world. For years, it was a male dominated sport. To quote Bob Dylan, "The Times They Are A-Changin'. That change began in 1965 when Shirley Muldownney, "The First Lady of Drag Racing" launched a career that earned her the status of an auto racing legend. She won 3 NHRA Top Fuel championships earning titles in 1977, 1980 and 1982. During the 1980 season, she won 4 of the 8 events she entered in the then 10 race season. Long time drag racer Connie Kalitta was the crew chief for her first title and their relationship was the basis for the film Heart Like a Wheel. The 1982 championship tied her with Big Daddy Don Garlits for Top Fuel titles. In order to get a license to drive a Top Fuel dragster, you have to make 3 successful runs down a quarter mile drag strip within predetermined speeds and elapsed times.
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The current quarter mile best for those marks are 337.58 MPH and 4.42 seconds. My wife Cathy and I were at Brainerd International Raceway when Tony Schumacher made that 337 run. For the 1,000 foot races, those numbers are 332.18 MPH and 3.70 seconds. Although you don't have to match those numbers to earn a license, your runs have to be within a range 3 other drivers consider competitive. Once that is done, they will sign your license and you are, literally, off to the races. Don Garlits was the first driver to sign Shirley's license. Upon seeing that, one of the other drivers said "I don't think she's strong enough". When she heard that and, never at a loss for words, she replied "I'm going to drive it, not pick it up". Shirley's career nearly came to an end following a spectacular crash during a race in Canada. Sidelined for more than a year and a half and after 9 weeks in 2 hospitals and multiple surgeries, she climbed back into the seat of a new pink dragster for test runs at Firebird Raceway in Arizona. Among the many highlights of her storied career is winning the Top Fuel title at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis; the biggest and oldest race on the NHRA tour. During its Golden Anniversary
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season in 2001, a panel of writers and historians familiar with the sport voted on the top 50 drivers of all time; she was number 5 on that list. Always accessible to her many fans, Shirley Muldowney has been and, even after her retirement from driving following the 2003 season, continues to be, one of the most popular racers in motor sports.
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rounds. Her efforts earned her the "Sportswoman of the Year" award from Billie Jean King's Woman's Sports Foundation. The award was well earned and helped raise the profile of professional drag racing. Melanie owns an automotive tool shop in her native Colorado. For the 2011 season she was at the wheel of the In-N-Out Burger Funny
In drag racing, multiple World Championships are not confined to the 4 wheel 300 MPH set. As a matter of fact, the most successful female drag racer in the history of the sport navigated race tracks on 2 wheels. When you cover the quarter mile in less than 6 seconds at more than 190 MPH, you're a racer. As a 6 year old, Angelle Sampey enjoyed her first ride on a motorcycle in what proved to be a look into her future. The registered intensive care nurse from Louisiana won the fourth race she entered and finished seventh during her rookie season. The following year she was fifth and in 1999 moved up to second place. In 2000 she earned her first championship and made it 3 in a row with titles the following 2 years. She was half of the
first all-female Pro Stock Motorcycle final during the 2002 campaign when Karen Stoffer was in the other lane. Angelle reset the elapsed time record with a blistering run of 6.87 seconds during a race in New Jersey. She qualified number 1 at 42 races and has 41 "Wally's", the event championship trophy named for NHRA founder Wally Parks. She won approximately 72 per-cent of the time she activated the starting line Christmas tree. Now retired from a very successful 13 year racing career, Angelle has moved on to the next chapter in her life. November 2013
As is the case with other forms of motorsports, drag racing also maintains involvement from one generation to the next. Circle track racers the Petty's, Earnhardt's, Andretti's and Wallace's have all been multi-generational drivers. Funny Car, Top Fuel and Pro Mod driver Melanie Troxel is the daughter of former Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Mike Troxel, so she has been around the sport since her childhood. The paint scheme on her 2007 Top Fuel dragster was, in a very short time, extremely popular with race fans across the country. Featuring the stars and stripes, the car had War Veterans-Welcome Home, the POW/MIA flag and the Vietnam Veterans of America logo on the side body panels. As a Vietnam veteran and long-time NHRA member, seeing the car make its debut at the first race of the season, the Winternationals in Pomona, CA was as memorable as it was emotional. A salute at more than 300 MPH to those that have served this country was an unforgettable experience. I was wearing a Vietnam veteran’s hat when I visited the pit area and Melanie graciously allowed me close up access to the car so I could take some photos. I promised not to start it. Team owner Evan Knoll had offered to donate all of the proceeds from the sale of hats, shirts, etc. associated with the car to a number of veterans groups. He had a talented driver behind the wheel. Driving a car that accelerates from zero to 100 MPH in less than a second is not for everyone. During the 2006 season Melanie became the eighth female driver, and the sixth in Top Fuel, to win in a professional category at an NHRA race when she won the Winternationals. During the year she had 2 wins in 9 final round appearances. She started the season in record setting fashion when she went to 5 consecutive final
Car. Melanie also competed in all 10 Pro Mod races on the NHRA schedule that season. She is the only driver in NHRA history to earn a spot in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Mod winner’s circles. Another second generation driver that has driven a nitromethane powered Funny Car, Ashley Force Hood is the daughter of 15 time Funny Car champion John Force. During the 2004 season she drove a Top Alcohol Dragster and won the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. It is the most prestigious race on the tour. For the year she won the Division 4 Top Alcohol Dragster championship and was the Divisions Rookie of the Year. Staying in a Top Alcohol Dragster for the following season, she had 2 runner-up finishes. Having earned her Funny Car license during test runs at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2006, she moved into the pro ranks the following year. At the race in Atlanta, she became the first woman to defeat her father. Having fol-
lowed drag racing for years, it was the first time I saw John kiss a driver that beat him. During an appearance on Good Morning America with Angelle and Melanie, Ashley www.WheelsofThunder.net
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moved from John’s team to tune Brittany’s dragster. She earned a degree in education from Cal State-Fullerton. Her car features an enclosed canopy, a feature an increasing number of Top Fuel drivers are opting to use. Nitro Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria is a member of the Kalitta Motorsports team.
mentioned that her mom, John's wife Laurie, was at the race. When asked which car her mom stood behind at the start of the race, Ashley said "She stood in the middle"! At a January 2011 press conference, John Force Racing announced that Ashley and her husband Daniel were expecting their first child. She has not drive a race car since and is currently serving as President of John Force Entertainment. Ashley’s sister Courtney Force, the youngest of Laurie and John’s daughters, drives the Traxxas Ford Mustang Funny Car. As preparation for piloting a 300 MPH
she became Miss Hurst Golden Shifter, a title she earned after her contract as Miss Union 76 expired. Linda retained the Hurst title into the 1980’s. The fan friendly Georgia native is also known as a great ambassador of the sport. It is a title few, if any, in the sport would dispute. In the 1960’s she joined Big Daddy Don Garlits and NASCAR legend Richard Petty on a tour of military bases in Vietnam. Linda is a member of the Drag Racing Hall of Fame. She is on a short list of women to operate and have an ownership of a Top Alcohol Funny Car team. Her NHRA career began in 2005 in the Super Gas category. Alexis made her professional debut at the 2011 Texas Fall Nationals. During that season she won her first TA/FC title while competing at the Northwest Nationals, her first national event win. Driving for legendry drag racer Connie Kalitta puts Alexis on one of the premier teams in motorsports. Among the most well know women in the sport didn’t establish herself as a driver or crew chief. Linda Vaughn has been a fan favorite since the 1960’s and has an encyclopedic knowledge of drag racing. In 1965
nitro fueled race car, Courtney was at the wheel of a Top Alcohol dragster from 2008 until the conclusion of the 2011 season. Turning pro in 2012 she debuted at the Winternatonals held at her home tack in Pomona, California. She has a Communications degree from Cal State- Fullerton and is a national spokeswoman for Ford Motor Company’s Driving Skills for Life initiative. She is the 2012 NHRA Road to the Future (Rookie of the Year) Award winner.
On the list of women to win in a professional category at an NHRA race, you will find Shelly Anderson, driver of a Top Fuel dragster. She is the daughter of Brad Anderson. His company, Brad Anderson En-
Brittany Force became the first member of John Force Racing to compete in the Top Fuel category. While driving a Top Alcohol dragster in 2010 she qualified number 1 at the opening event of the season, the Winternationals at her home track in Pomona, California. Her crew chief, Dean Antonelli Page 52
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terprises manufactures the cylinder heads used by a number of race teams. Prior to the start of her driving career, she was the crew chief on her father’s Alcohol Funny Car. Her husband, Jay Payne, drives an Alcohol Funny Car. Like Brittany and Courtney Force, Shelly is also a graduate of Cal State-Fullerton; she holds a degree in communications. With women doing well in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle, it was just a matter of time before the other professional category, Pro Stock, had a woman back behind the wheel. Erica Enders Stevens began her drag racing career
in 1995 in a Junior Dragster and was the "Driver of the Year". For the 2000 season she had moved up to the Sportsman ranks and won the "Sportsman Rookie of the Year" award. She joined the pro ranks in 2004, the first woman to do that in Pro Stock since the 1993 season. In 2005 she was the first female in Pro Stock history to reach a final round during a race in Chicago. During the 2006 race in Topeka, she became the first woman to have the number 1 spot on the qualifying ladder. Her life story is the basis for the Disney movie Right on Track. During the 2011 season, she became the first woman since 1977 to qualify number 1 at the Winternationals. In July 2012 Erica became the first woman to win a Pro Stock title when she defeated Greg Anderson at the Chicago race. Since then she has added titles at the Seattle and Brainerd races. Erica supports the Progeria Research Foundation.
track to continued success in a sport that routinely draws more than 100,000 fans to all 23 national events. In polite society, "Ladies first" has been the rule for many years. That's also becoming more common when it comes to reaching the finish line at drag strips.
Women have had a significant impact on professional drag racing. Based on the number of female drivers currently in the Sportsman ranks, there are a lot more on the way. Clearly, the ladies are on the fast
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H
ey “Wheelies!” Great to be back with you and nice to see we’ve had our first snowfall of the season. And before Thanksgiving!
First of all, congratulations goes out to everyone who took in the inaugural Wheels of Thunder Motorsports show at the Minneapolis Convention Center. SO much work went into this event and we’re all looking forward to an even bigger and better showing next year. With summer now officially in our rear view mirror, we begin moving from dirt, bikes, fast cars, big rigs and break out the Snowmobiles and prep for all that winter will bring us.. GameON! hopes you are as excited as we are for the change of Seasons….and this issue of Wheels of Thunder is a textbook full of amazing pictures and unforgettable stories. It’s loaded with sponsor information to help you too. GameON! TV is one-stop shop to catch up on the variety of professional, college & high school sports. GameON! will also bring you updates on all the outdoor events that dot our regional landscape. So, whether you live in the Metro area or beyond, you can catch us in the Dakota's and western Minnesota via MidCo Sports Network. GameON! does what no other TV sports interview show (in the region) does. We offer a diverse and entertaining half hour of TV as we bring you the most visible and popular Minnesota sports figures. From the Vikings, the NBA Timberwolves, the NHL Wild, the Twins and we visit with the Lacrosse Swarm. There's NASCAR and we're all over your favorite drivers.GameON’s teamed up with Wheels of Thunder and just like you, we also enjoy the most comprehensive race magazine and website to be found! Wheels of Thundermagazine gets it and gets you the latest information, amazing pictures and all those terrific stories to the most passionate motorsports fans in the country! Each and every week GameON! comes to you in crystal clear full High Definition and our first APP (it's free to for Apple & Android phones) is available for your use! GameON! TV is now offering a weekly PODCAST available @ our show website www.GameOnTvMN.com. It's full of bits and pieces of sports from the region and what's ahead on our weekly TV show. GameON! still serves as the lead-
in to the award winning FOX NFL pre game show on FOX's MY29 here in the Twin Cities during the NFL Season. This show is interactive so we'd love to hear from you! Visit our Facebook site (friend us @ GameON on facebook), our website @ www.gameontvmn.com and 24/7on twitter #gameontvmn. You can also join us for a live taping at Bar Abilene in Uptown Minneapolis Monday night’s. GameON! Host Rod Simons can also be heard on the new radio home for your Minnesota Twins @ KTWIN 96.3. Rod hosts a variety of shows on KTWIN. So, please join us for all that sports offers us here in our great neck of the woods, via Wheels of Thunder, GameON! and KTWIN radio! I've said it before and I'm saying it again! Get off the couch and get your GameON! Be a part of the exciting effort we're putting on! Here's to the good things ahead! Hope to see you at an upcoming GameON! taping!! Keep your GameON!
November 2013
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Find us on Facebook “Wheels of Thunder”
November 2013
November 2013
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