INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — What a racing weekend! The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series crowned a couple first-time winners in Commerce, Ga., as the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) celebrated a first-ever ALMS winner in Long Beach, Calif.
The Full Throttle Drag Racing Series visited the Atlanta Dragway over the weekend for the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals. At the end of Sunday and even the beginning of Monday, three Ringers' supporting teams landed in the Winner's Circle.
After making his first career start in 2004, Morgan Lucas hadn't appeared in a final round since 2005, but all that came to an end, as did collecting the elusive first career Top Fuel Wally on Sunday. Lucas raced against friend, former Top Alcohol dragster racer and No. 1 qualifier for the event, Spencer Massey. Massey, who also races for a Ringers' supporting team (Snake Racing), appeared in his first career NHRA Top Fuel final. While their cars both ran great all day long, when their rails hit the finals, it was a pedal-fest to the finish and Lucas happened to be the first one to arrive at the 1,000-foot finish line, with a 5.23-second, 162 mph run. Not the prettiest run for a win, but still a win regardless.
Even though he won the 2008 Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle specialty race in Indianapolis in September and the 2008 Pro Stock Motorcycle championship in November, there was one thing still missing from Eddie Krawiec's mantel and that was his first race Wally. Well he finally collected it on Sunday against Pro Stock Motorcycle newcomer Douglas Horne with a 6.90-second, 192.91 mph run.
The Pro Stock class had to wait until Monday to race, but an NHRA Wally and a win is still considered a win, no matter what day you have to race on...we all know that after the Pomona finals in February weren't concluded until Tuesday. Mike Edwards has been a qualifying machine so far in 2009 with three No. 1 qualifying positions, but he still hadn't picked up that first win of the season, until today. Edwards defeated reigning Full Throttle Pro Stock champion with a 6.645-second run.
The NHRA has a weekend off before heading to Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., for the O'Reilly Midwest Nationals, May 1-3.
In Long Beach, Calif., the IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights and the ALMS all competed on the streets of Long Beach.
On Saturday and Sunday, two Ringers' supporting teams celebrated with their drivers in Victory Lane. The first team to reach victory lane was former Indianapolis 500 winner and team owner Gil de Ferran and his de Ferran Motorsports team. The No. 66 XM Radio Acura has had many close calls on wins, but didn't collect one until its second full season in the ALMS ranks.
Sunday saw both the Firestone Indy Lights and the IndyCar Series in action on the 1.96-mile street course. Prior to the IndyCar race, the No. 26 AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing Firestone Indy Lights entry led every lap to collect the Firestone Indy Lights Grand Prix of Long Beach trophy. The No. 27 AFS/AGR team car started in the 18th position and rallied to an eighth-place finish at the end of the event.
Three of the four Andretti Green Racing entries finished in the top 10 of the Grand Prix of Long Beach, with the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven/Dr. Pepper Dallara finishing on the podium in third and the No. 26 AFS Dallara coming home in the sixth position. The No. 27 Formula Dream Dallara was involved in a crash, but was able to return to the race, finishing 20th.
The teams of Andretti Green Racing will return to competition this weekend at the Kansas Speedway for their respective events.
The teams of NASCAR's Penske Racing both raced under the lights in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday Penske Racing's Justin Allgaier went out to make his qualifying attempt for the Bashas' Supermarket 200 and lost control of his No. 12 Verizon Dodge in turns three and four, forcing the team to bring out the backup car. While Allgaier had to start 42nd, his hard driving and remarkable pit crew enabled him to move up through the field and collect yet another top-10 finish of the season in eighth.
Ringers' supporting driver Brendan Gaughan started in the 17th position and also collected a top-10 finish, right ahead of Allgaier in seventh.
Saturday night saw a duel in the desert as the Sprint Cup stars and the drivers of the Penske Racing trio took to the track for the Subway Fit Fresh 500, with all Penske teams finished in the top 20. Kurt Busch piloted his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge home to a podium finish in third place, while Sam Hornish Jr. drove his No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge home to a career-best finish in ninth place. David Stremme brought the No. 12 Penske Dodge home in 18th.
Both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series will head to the Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for their respective events, while the Camping World Truck Series joins the Indy Racing League in Kansas.
Another series that will join the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series in Alabama is the ARCA RE/MAX Series. On Sunday in Rockingham, N.C., the No. 25 Billy Venturni-owned, Ringers' supporting team scored a win in the North Carolina 200.
That's it for this week! Ringers' is preparing for the FDIC Show (firefighters conference and exhibition) here in Indianapolis this weekend at the Lucas Oil Stadium and Indiana Convention Center. Should you be in the industry and in the area for the show, make sure you come see Ron and me at booth 3106 in the Main Hall to see what new things we have in store for 2009 in the fire/rescue industry!
One last night note, a Happy Birthday to Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series sportsman racer Ryan Herem. Herem celebrated his 23rd birthday on Saturday.
Ringers Gloves, an ISO 9001:2000 certified company, is the title sponsor for the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Ringers Gloves is a full-line manufacturer of high-end, task specific gloves, SFI 3.3/1, 3.3/10, 3.3/20 racing gloves, UnderX protective undergarments, UnderX Performance gear, crew shoes, as well as a full line of accessories for every need. Isn't it time you bring in the Ringers? Check us out at www.ringersgloves.com.
