Sunday May 20th at Mason-Dixon Dragway is the 29th Annual Mid-Atlantic Mopar Meet, with five bracket racing classes.

Class I (7.00 – 13.99) pays $600 Win, $250 Runner-Up. Class II (7.00 – 16.99) pays $350 Win, $150 Runner-Up. Street (10.0 – 19.99) pays $150 Win, $75 Runner-Up.

The other two classes are Trophy and Slant Six. Entry fee is $35. Gates open 8:00 am, with racing starting at 12:00.

Visit masondixondragway.com for more information.

The Heartbeat of America powers its way into Virginia Motorsports Park May 18th – 20th for the Super Chevy Show presented by Chevy Performance.

The largest all-Chevrolet show in the country will be headlined by Extreme Chevy Pro Mods and 300 MPH Jet Cars. The huge Chevy Car Show features nostalgia and new generation classes, plus Super Chevy Magazine will be on site with expanded show coverage. Chevy lovers can buy, sell, and trade at the Chevy Swap Meet or find great deals on new Chevy Parts in the Manufacturer’s Midway.

Saturday’s race classes include a Bonus Race (pays $1,200 Win, $500 Runner-Up, $200 Semis, and $100 Quarters). Sunday’s racing includes Bracket 1 (aka Super Pro, pays $3,000 Win,, $1,500 Runner-Up, $500 Semis, $200 Quarters, and $100 Eighths), Bracket 2 (aka Pro ET, pays $1,500 Win, $600 Runner-Up, $200 Semis, $100 Quarters, and $75 Eighths), DOT Street (pays $1,000 Win, $400 Runner-Up, $125 Semis, $100 Quarters, and $75 Eighths), and 4.90 Index (1/8 mile, pays $1,200 Win, $600 Runner-Up, $150 Semis, and $75 Quarters).

Gates open 8:00 am each day. Visit Virginia Motorsports Park’s Super Chevy page HERE for more info.

Gates open 11:00 am, with time runs at 2:00 pm. For more information visit Elk Creek online at www.ElkCreekDragway.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 26th and MONDAY, MAY 28th: Top ET pays $5,000 Win, $1,000 Runner-Up, $500 Semis, and $50 Round after 3rd Round win. Footbrake pays $1,000 Win, $300 Runner-Up, $100 Semis, $50 Quarters, and $25 Eighths. Jr. Dragster pays $500 Win, $150 Runner-Up, $50 Semis, and $25 Quarters. SUNDAY MAY 27th: Top ET pays $7,500 Win, $2,000 Runner-Up, $1,000 Semis, $100 Round after 3rd Round win. Footbrake pays $1,000 Win, $300 Runner-Up, $100 Semis, $50 Quarters, and $25 Eighths. Jr. Dragster pays $1,000 Win, $300 Runner-Up, $100 Semis, and $50 Quarters.

ENTRY FEES: Top ET is $100 each on Saturday and Monday, with $50 buy backs 1st or 2nd round. Top ET is $200 on Sunday, with $100 buy backs 1st or 2nd round. Enter the weekend for $300. Footbrake is free entry all weekend, with $30 buy backs 1st or 2nd round each day. Jr. Dragster weekend entry is $100, with $25 buy backs on Saturday and Monday, and $50 buy backs on Sunday.

SCHEDULE: Gates open 3:00 pm on Friday May 25th for a Test & Tune beginning at 5:00 pm. Gates open 8:00 am Saturday – Monday.

For more information visit www.rockinghamdragway.com.

The AHDRA-Northeast Nitro Nationals come to Atco Raceway Saturday & Sunday, May 19th & 20th. Racing gets going Saturday with qualifying at 10:00am. On Sunday eliminations for Pro classes kicks off at 12:00 pm.

Sportsman classes include V-ROD ($400 Win, entry $60), VRD ($450 Win, entry $80), DRAGGIN BAGGER ($450 Win, entry $80), HOT STREET ($400 Win, entry $60), SUPER GAS ($400 Win, entry $60), SUPER SPORT ($400 Win, entry $60), SUPER ELIM ($400 Win, entry $60), SEP ($400 Win, entry $60), and ET ($400 Win, entry $60).

For more information on the AHDRA Northeast Nitro Nationals visit www.ahdra.com.

• Another rim screw question

• Vacuum pump

• removing axles

• Race Fuel Octane

• 10 bolt pinion yoke on a 12 bolt pinion gear?

• not the typical pinion angle question

• Chilling fuel?

• gear selection?

Numidia Dragway has something for everyone in their 2012 season. Whether you race Super Pro, Pro ET, Stock, Super Stock, a .90 class, or nostalgia, the track has events for you.

Big Money Races
Numidia Dragway has become synonymous with guaranteed-payout, big money gambler races, and 2012 will be no different. Saturday May 26th will be $5,000 Electronics and $5,000 Footbrake races, Sunday May 27th will be their Summit Series ET Bracket Races with enhanced payouts; $2,500 for Super Pro and $1,500 for Pro ET. Monday May 28th will be $5,000 Electronics and $5,000 Electronics gambler races.

Friday June 15th – Sunday June 17th will be the 2nd Annual Super Bucks In The Hills, with three straight days of big money bracket racing for Electronics and Footbrake cars.

October will once again be Big Bucktober. Saturday October 6th and Sunday October 7th each feature a $5,000 Electronics and a $5,000 Footbrake race. Saturday October 13th and Sunday October 14th each feature a $2,500 Pro, a $2,500 Footbrake and a $1,000 Street ET race. Saturday October 20th and Sunday October 21st feature a $5,000 Electronics race on each day.

Events For Class Cars and other special events
Saturday June 9th will be the Combo In The Hills and The .90 Nationals. The Combo is a big money race for Stock and Super Stock race cars. The .90 Nationals is a big-money race for 10.90, 9.90, and 8.90 NHRA and IHRA index cars. The Mid Atlantic Super Gas Association will be at the track on Saturday June 30th and Sunday July 1st.

If nostalgia racing is more your thing, then Numidia’s got plenty for you, like Saturday May 19th with North East Timing Organization and The East Coast Gassers, Sunday May 20th with NETO, and Saturday & Sunday July 14th and 15th with NETO and the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Drag Racing Association.

Other events include National Dragster Challenge on Sunday June 3rd, the East Coast Diesel Nationals on Saturday July 21st, and the AHDRA Liberty Nationals on Saturday & Sunday September 8th & 9th.

For more information about Numidia Dragway and its 2012 season, visit www.NumidiaDragway.com.

In publicizing events here at The Dragtime News I’ve come across all different racing clubs and organizations in various parts of the country. I'm actually seeing a trend away from bracket racing as part of a sanctioning body's ET points program. One thing I’ve noticed is when it comes to all-out, high-MPH heads-up racing, they do it big in Texas. That’s why, even though I don’t currently focus too much coverage on the Southwest part of the country, I thought you’d like to learn about one particular group that’s come to my attention. The High Velocity Impact Racers of Houston Outlaw Racing is gearing up to roll into Dallas Raceway (which is under new management) in Crandall TX for their Texas vs. the World race on June 8th & 9th, 2012. The event will include a Gambler’s Race on Friday night June 8th for the Outlaws. This race will be Winner Take All with a $500.00 entry. There’ll also be a Friday night Winner Take All Gambler’s Race for Radial 275 or 28/10s with an entry fee of $200.00.

The Outlaw True Tens are fast cars on small tires that run on the ragged edge of "traction vs. disaster." In addition to the Outlaw True Tens, other classes include True Street, Index Racing and JR Dragsters, all running heads-up.

They’ll also have Pro Mods joining them this season in a Gambler’s Race on Saturday June 9th. They’ll run the top qualified fields (8 or 16 or 32 x $500.00 depending on how many show up) and a non-qualified Jack Pot race with the additional entries. The entry fee for this race is $500.00, winner take all.

Visit www.HoustonOutlawRacing.com to learn more. It’s a forum with lots of information and photos of many of their cars. I'm sure a quick Google search will find videos of their cars in action, too.

If you’re a racer of the FoMoCo variety then Friday & Saturday May 11th & 12th is for you at Rockingham Dragway. It’s Fun Ford Weekend, with Ford ET bracket racing classes including Pro Fast Ford (1/8th mile, $1,000 Win, $300 Runner-Up, $150 Semis, $75 Quarters, $40 entry, 30 car minimum), Quick Ford (footbrake, 1/8 mile, $600 Win, $200 Runner-Up, $100 Semis, $50 Quarters, $30 entry, 30 car minimum), Street Ford (DOT tires & street legal, 1/4 mile, Trophy Win, Trophy Runner-Up, $20 entry), and Tuff Truck (Ford trucks, 1/4 mile, Trophy Win, Trophy Runner-Up, $20 entry).

Other classes include Open Comp (.500 Pro tree, full body only, dial is qualifying time with a tenth breakout, ¼ mile, $800 Win, $250 Runner-Up, $125 Semis, $65 Quarters, $40 entry, 30 car minimum), 6.0/7.0 Combo Index (.400 Pro tree, 1/8th mile, $500 Win, $200 Runner-Up, $75 Semis, $30 Entry, 20 car minimum), and True Street (1/4 Mile, street legal, .400 Pro tree, $250 Win to quickest car based on the average of three runs).

Gates open Friday at 2:00 pm with a Test & Tune from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm. Gates open Saturday at 8:00 am, with time trials at 10:00 am and eliminations at 1:00 pm. Visit www.RockinghamDragway.com for info.

Atco Raceway’s Super Saturday is coming up on May 12th. Classes include Outlaw 10.5, Drag Radial 275, Outlaw Drag Radial, 8.50 Index, 10.0 Index, 11.50 Index, Top Sportsman, and Top Dragster.

Gates open at 9:00 am, with qualifying at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm, and eliminations at 5:00 pm. For more info visit www.atcoraceway.com.

In every class of motor sport, engine power is increasing in impressive leaps. Even small displacement engines now produce horsepower that only ten years ago was considered the realm of highly refined and exotic mills hundreds of cubic inches larger. And sizeable cubic inch power plants regularly produce over 1,000 horsepower in street trim with a cast aluminum intake manifold and a single carburetor. There seems to be no end to the power potential.

Cylinder head technology with increased air flow and combustion chamber design has led the charge. Many of these advances have been accomplished by improving the performance of the valve train, achieved largely by state-of-the-art test and development equipment such as the Spintron, and also by the latest computerized machining centers.

Article continues HERE...

CamaroGuys.com is continuing their support of the Super Chevy Show in 2012 and is giving Gen 5 Camaro bracket racers at all 12 events a chance to win the CamaroGuys.com Gen 5 Challenge award. Beginning with the kick-off event for the season at Palm Beach International Raceway in March, the racer with the fastest 5th Generation Camaro at each of the 12 Super Chevy Show events will take home the limited edition trophy created specifically for the challenge winner by CamaroGuys.com. Each specially-designed trophy is crafted on the company’s waterjet machine and given a bright chrome finish for racers to proudly display. In addition, each Winner and Runner-Up will receive a special t-shirt to commemorate their performance.

For more information about Super Chevy 2012, visit superchevyshow.com; for more information about CamaroGuys.com, visit www.CamaroGuys.com.

We welcome Mark Williams Enterprises and RockSolid Floors to our list of supporters of The Dragtime News. Mark Williams Enterprises manufactures a full range of racing axles, spools, rear end housings, steel, aluminum or carbon fiber driveshafts and disc brake kits. Visit www.markwilliams.com to see all of their products.

RockSolid Floors manufactures the RockSolid Polyurea Garage Coat® floor coating system. A one part system, it has no mixing and no measuring; just shake, pour and roll. I installed it in my garage (read the article HERE). Visit www.rocksolidfloors.com to learn more.

In addition to Mark Williams Enterprises and RockSolid Floors, we'd like to thank these other supporters of The Dragtime News:

• ATI Performance Products, www.atiracing.com. ATI manufactures competition transmissions, Treemaster converters, torsional Super Dampers, Compu-Flow valve bodies, flexplates, and adapter kits.
• Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels, www.mickeythompsontires.com. Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels designs, develops and distributes specialty tires and wheels.
• Moroso Performance Products, www.moroso.com. Moroso manufactures over 3,000 products, from oil pans and oiling systems, to ignition wire, ignition components, valve covers, fuel system equipment.
• Numidia Dragway, www.numidiadragway.com. A beautiful NHRA ¼ Mile facility in Numidia, PA, and “The Home of The Guaranteed Payout.”
• Performance Racing Industry, www.performanceracing.com. PRI connects manufacturers of racing products with racing retailers, race engine builders, race car builders and professional race teams.
• Portatree Timing Systems, www.portatree.com. Manufactures professional drag track timing equipment, practice trees, test tracks, and weather stations..
• Road Runners Performance, www.roadrunnersfx.com. Performance parts retailer that carries many of the top manufacturers.
• S & W Race Cars, www.swracecars.com. S&W Race Cars' award winning race cars are used by many of the leading NHRA & IHRA professional and sportsman race teams.
• All the racers who have purchased Dragtime News t-shirts and Photos.

The Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Drag Racers Association has announced it’s 2012 race schedule.

Points races are May 6th, Island Dragway; May 20th, Quarter Aces; May 26th & 27th, Beaver Springs Dragway; June 9th, Cecil County Dragway; June 17th, Atco Raceway; June 24th, Island Dragway; July 14th, Numidia Dragway; August 4th, Maple Grove Raceway; August 19th, Quarter Aces; September 1st & 2nd, Beaver Springs; October 6th, Atco Raceway; October 14th, Quarter Aces; and October 20th, Cecil County Dragway.

Non-points races are June 9th, Beaver Springs; June 14th – 16th, Bowling Green, KY; July 13th & 14th, York Reunion; and July 15th, Beaver Springs Reunion.

For more information about MANDRA, visit www.mandraracing.com.

DRAW's auction will be held at the NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park on Saturday June 2nd. DRAW needs donations of items by May 20th. Items of interest from manufacturers and professional racers would be signed pictures, tool boxes, tools, racer apparel like team shirts and helmets, jackets, "team crew member for a day,” and gift certificates. For more info email Pat Shaeffer of DRAW at minitvw@yahoo.com.

Burnouts. We love doing them, but do we know how to do them properly? In a recent issue of National Dragster, David Reher had a great column entitled "Are Burnouts Abusing Your Engine?" I thought his article was so important that I referenced it here earlier this year as a must-read.

On a separate occasion, I had a conversation at The PRI Show with Milodon about a new oil pump they came out with because racers were breaking regular oil pumps on the burnout due to excessive shake.

Article continues HERE...

Engine philosopher Jon Kaase (Jon Kaase Racing Engines, Winder, Georgia) had an idea that nagged. For too many years, he’d watched the ubiquitous 302 amass part upon improved part, but observed nary a deviation from the original cylinder head configuration. He thought he could produce cylinder head castings that looked like ordinary Windsor 302/351 parts on the outside but inside would be entirely different from the original blueprint. Article continues HERE...

If you saw my coverage from The 2011 PRI Show (here) then you saw an item about RockSolid Floors and their Garage Floor Coating System.

When I met them I had just had a 20' x 30' garage built and was in the market for a coating system. I was intrigued by their product and wanted to try it.

See the photos and read about my experience HERE...

I came across a very interesting and informative technical paper on the website of Mark Williams Enterprises (www.markwilliams.com) in which various types of axles are discussed. I thought it would make a good read here for the visitors of The Dragtime News, especially for those of you who are in the process of perhaps building a new rear for the upcoming season.

The paper compares the differences between flange axle , full floater and live axle type, as well as safety aspects of each.

Article continues HERE...

Article continues HERE...

Article continues HERE...

for a second and think about the way a crankshaft is designed. On one end, you have your flywheel, torque converter, or a clutch. On the other, you have your timing chain / belt / gear drive, and then a small “snout” sticking out on which to bolt your damper and any needed accessories. In between all of that, you have a main caps and bearings that hold your crankshaft in the motor.

Article continues HERE...

We were on location September 22nd - 25th, 2011 at US-13 Dragway in Delmar, DE for the NHRA Division 1 Bracket Finals. The weather made it one of the most frustrating Bracket Finals in memory. It rained, it stopped, it would rain again, and so on all the way to Sunday. We did the best we could with the photo coverage.

Part III, which includes a special section highlighting the photography of Englishtown Super Pro racer Joe Siebert, is now published HERE, or start at the beginning with Part I HERE,

We were on location June 3rd, 4th and 5th at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ for the NHRA SuperNationals.

Click HERE to see all the photo coverage

I recently took the Dodge to the monthly car show on Main Street in Woodbridge, NJ to talk to people and spread the word of bracket racing and supporting your local dragstrip.

Click HERE to see the photos.

On Saturday May 14th I went to Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ for the 25th Annual Mopars @ E-Town.

Click HERE for the coverage.

On Sunday May 1st, I took the Dodge to Atco Raceway in Atco NJ for the Philadelphia Modifiers Yesteryear Drags.

Click HERE to visit the coverage.

(Photo by Performance Racing Industry)

We went on location at The 2010 Performance Racing Industry Show in Orlando, Florida.

CLICK HERE for a report from the show floor.

We were on location September 15th -18th, 2010 at US13 Dragway in Delmar, DE for the NHRA Division 1 Bracket Finals.

CLICK HERE for the coverage.

We visited and raced at Numidia Dragway on Saturday, September 4th, 2010 for their $5,000 Electronics and $5,000 Footbrake races.

CLICK HERE to view the coverage.

We spent four days on location photo-covering the event; all classes from Stock Eliminator to Top Fuel.

Click HERE for photo coverage.

Click HERE for photo coverage of The 35th Annual Snap-On Tools Night Of Thrills held on Saturday, June 19th, 2010 at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ.

We visited and raced at Numidia Dragway on Saturday May 29th, 2010 when the track had their Memorial Day Weekend big-money races. CLICK HERE to view.

If you like what you see, then GET ON THE LIST! Send an email to info@dragtimenews.com and tell me you want to be added to the email list; you'll receive an alert email every time I update the site.