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NHRA 2012 SEASON — ALEXIS and COURTNEY WILL BE A STORY
January 31, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
The O’Reilly’s Winter Nationals at Panoma Ca. kicks off the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Series this weekend,Feb.9-12. Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock divisions dominate the series. For the 2012 season the Funny Cars could prove to be the most intersting division. More on that later.
Top Fuel — Among the fastest-accelerating machines in the world, 7,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters are often referred to as the “kings of the sport,” and with good reason. They are capable of covering a quarter-mile in 4.4 seconds at more than 330 mph. Powered by a supercharged and fuel-injected 500-cubic-inch adaptation of the famed Chrysler Hemi engine, Top Fuel dragsters can burn up to 15 gallons of nitromethane fuel during a single quarter-mile run. Constructed of chromoly steel tubing and carbon-fiber composite, Top Fuel cars are 25 feet long and weigh 2,250 pounds in race-ready trim.
Del Worsham driving the Al-Anabi Top Fuel Dragster was the 2011 Champion. Del has since retired and will be the crew chief for the Al-Anabi Funny Car that will be driven by Alexis DeJoria. The plot thickens in the Funny Car section.
Funny Car – Similar to their Top Fuel counterparts but with a shorter wheelbase and a carbon-fiber body that loosely resembles a production-based automobile, Funny Cars routinely run in the 4.7-second range and are capable of speeds in excess of 330 mph. Funny Cars are powered by the same supercharged and fuel-injected 500-inch engines as Top Fuel dragsters. Funny Cars are also similar to Top Fuel dragsters in that they do not use a transmission but rather transmit power to the huge Goodyear rear slicks through a multistage clutch assembly that is activated by timers.
Matt Hagan driving the DieHard Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing was the 2011 Funny Car Champion.
Here’s where things get really fun. For the 2012 season we have Alexis DeJoria, a good driver and daughter of billionaire Paul Michell Hair Co. CEO Paul Dejoria, going againist Courtney Force, daughter of legendary Funny Car driver John Force and sister of former driver Ashley Force, for Rookie of the year award in The Funny Car series. John Force is still an active driver while Ashley has started a family and has retired from driving. Ashley was a very good driver.
ALEXIS
I regret to say that R2B2 Racing has cancelled it’s Funny Car teams so as of the writing of this article Melanie Troxel and Leah Pruett do not have rides.
Pro Stock — Often called “factory hot rods” because of their resemblance to production-based automobiles, Pro Stock cars are some of the most technologically advanced machines in drag racing. Built around a sophisticated tube chassis and four-link rear suspension, Pro Stock cars must conform to precise measurements and weigh no less than 2,350 pounds. Pro Stock engines use two carburetors and spec gasoline and are restricted to a maximum of 500 cubic inches. They can rev to more than 10,500 rpm and make in excess of 1,300 horsepower. A competitive Pro Stock car can run in the 6.6s at more
Jason Line driving the Ken Black Summit Racing Pontiac GXP was the 2011 Pro Stock champion.
Erica Enders is one of the most capable female drivers in any racing venue, drives in the Pro Stock Division. Watch for Erica to be one of the top conteners for the 2012 Pro Stock championship.
IT WAS A GREAT WEEKEND OF GRAND AM RACING FOR FORD
January 29, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
The #61 Roush Performance Mustang Boss 302R GT co-driven by Jack Roush Jr. and Billy Johnson won, as in first place, the Continental Tire Series race on Friday. They beat a host of BMW and Porsche teams.
At the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona Saturday and Sunday Michael Shank Racing’s Ford Riley took 1st and 3rd place while Starworks Motorsport’s Ford Riley took 2nd place and Starworks Motorsport’s Ford Riley . The picture below is The winning Michael Shank Racing’s winning #60 Ford-Riley DP. 
In the GT class of the Daytona 24 hours Stevenson Motorsports’ Camaro GT.R finished in 4th place, the highest of any AmericanCar. By finishing 4th the Camaro finished a head of a plethora of Porsche, Audi, and Ferrari teams.
AmericanCars RACING THIS WEEKEND!
January 22, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
The Continental Tire Series, the second level of Gand Am Racing, starts the 2012 racing season this Friday, 1/27/12. The race is a 2.5 hours race on the sports car track of The Daytona Speed Way. The race will not be televised until 2/04/11. The race is just a prelim for the Rolex Grand AM 24 hour at Daytona. The Grand Am Rolex 24 Hours starts Saturday 01/28/12.
The big boys in The Continetal are the GS (Grand Sport) cars. A list of the AmericanCar teams are below. The remainder of the GS cars are a host of BMWs, Porsches, with a mix of a few other brands.
52 GS Rehagen Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
51 Gs Roush Performance / Mustang Boss 302R
49 GS Roush Performance / Mustang Boss 302R
61 GS Roush Performance / Mustang Boss 302R
9 GS Stevenson Motorsports / Camaro GSR
17 GS BTE Sport / Mustang Boss 302R
62 GS Mitchum Motorsports / Camaro GS.R
6 GS Mitchum Motorsports / Camaro GS.R
7 GS Starworks Motorsport / Mustang Boss 302R
15 GS Starworks Motorsport / Mustang Boss 302R
158 GS Miller Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
87 GS Vehicle Technologies / Dodge Challenger GS.R
48 GS CKS Autosport / Camaro GS.R
49 GS CKS Autosport / Camaro GS.R
54 GS Jim Click Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
50 GS Jim Click Racing / Mustang Boss 302R
The Roush #61 team co-driven by Jack Jr. was the most successful AmericanCar team in 2011.
This is Ashley McCalmont, a CanadianGirl, who will be codriving the CKS Racing Camaro.
The less powerful cars in the Continental series are the ST (Street Tuner). The lone AmericanCar in the ST is the Ford Foucus. The ST division is dominated with BMWs, Hondas, and VWs. 
There was no AmericanCar entry in this division last year.
2013 MUSTANG SHELBY GT500 — 650hp
January 18, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
In response to the 580 hp Camaro ZL1, Ford has developed the 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500. The 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, which goes on sale late 2012, sports a supercharged 5.8-liter V8 and a new optional Performance package. Ford says the aluminum engine, which is rated at 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, is “the most powerful production V8 engine in the world.” The 2013 Shelby GT500
Ford said it has reworked virtually every key component of the driveline, fitting a larger, more-efficient TVS supercharger, new cross-drilled engine block and cylinder heads, updated cam profiles, a new carbon-fiber driveshaft and upgraded clutch, transmission and axle. To handle the additional torque while still delivering reasonable fuel economy, the six-speed manual transmission was regeared and beefed up. The optional Performance package bundles SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers and a Torsen limited-slip differential. An optional Track package adds an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler. Among the additional features on the 2013 Shelby GT500 are a new launch control system, Brembo brakes, revised aerodynamics and new forged-aluminum wheels measuring 19 inches in front and 20 inches in the rear, all with Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar G: 2 tires.
The Mustang will have 70 more hp and a slightly lower curb than the Camaro. The Camaro will have advantage in some electronic driving stablity gadgetry. Estimated pricing for the two cars Mustang GT500:$60,000, Camaro ZL1:$47,000
WRONG AGAIN — MILKA DUNO IS BACK FOR 2012
January 17, 2012 by tom · Leave a Comment
We’ve followed Milka Duno for a while and I perdicted she would not have a 2012 ride. I was so wrong again and I’m so happy I was so wrong. Please see the press release below:
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec 19, 2011) – Milka Duno and her #63 Ford Fusion Sheltra Motorsports team left a solid impression after three days of ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards testing at Daytona International Speedway last weekend. Setting fast time in two separate sessions, Duno and her Sheltra Motorsports team often found themselves atop the speed charts at the famed 2.5-mile oval, proving they will be a team to watch when the ARCA Racing Series makes their return to Daytona in February 18th, 2012 for the season opening event. The event is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED.
Below this picture is the story we did on Milka early in 2011 including the video of Milka and Danica’s run in.
Milka Duno is a Venezuelan born model and race car driver. Her racing career is unusual because of her late start. She was introduced to the sport when she was invited to a driving clinic by a car club in Venezuela and did not start racing until she was 24. Prior to racing her background was primarily academic. Duno holds master’s degree in Organizational Development, Naval Architecture, Maritime Business, and Marine Biology, and she has prior experience working as a naval engineer.
Milka currently competes in the ARCA Racing Series and formerly in the Indy Racing car Series. She is the highest finishing female driver in the history of the 24 hours of Daytona.
However, Milka is best known for her cat fight with Danica Patrick. SEE VIDEO. The incident took place after a practice session at the 2008 Mid-Ohio IRL race, where Milka was clearly not practicing good judgment or just a lack of driving skills. Danica had a legitimate argument.
Milka was technically banned from the IRL in 2010. In a release, the IRL stated that “Duno requires immediate and substantial improvement to her driving during the remaining events on the 2010 schedule,” adding “if the improvements are not met, the league may impose other penalties at its discretion”. The ban was issued after the cat fight and after Ashley Judd, movie star and wife IRL driver Dario Franchitti, complained that Milka was danger to the other drivers. I’m thinking that Danica and Ashley were getting tired of watching their husbands ogling Milka and took proactive measures.
Sheltra Motorsports has signed Milka Duno to run the full 2011 ARCA Racing Series season. The 2010 championship winning team will aim to defend their title in 2011 while making history with the first female driver to win a major motorsports championship. The Venezuelan-native Duno, will also look to pilot her orange and blue No. 63 CITGO SUPERGARD Dodge to ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2011. After the first two races of the season Milka is in 19th place in the ARCA points standing. The next ARCA race of the 2011 season is May 1st
