Source: Ringers Gloves Media Relations
Date: 02/28/2008

BROWNSBURG, Indiana – I realize it isn’t Monday and that my minute is very late this week. I have good reason, I promise. Before the NHRA race in Phoenix even ended, I was jet-setting on a plane to the Matco Tools Expo in Orlando, Fla., Sunday afternoon.

While I was in the air, a couple Ringers’ supporting racers landed in the finals of the Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird International Raceway.

KB Racing’s Jason Line found himself in the final round, but his outcome wasn’t the same as his teammate’s was in the Pro Stock final at Pomona. Line’s Pontiac GTO steed stumbled shortly after the launch and V. Gaines soared to the Winner’s Circle for his first win in seven years.

In Top Fuel, Ringers’ supporter Larry Dixon and his Snake Racing U.S. Smokeless Tobacco rail challenged David Grubnic’s un-sponsored dragster. This was Dixon’s 78th career final round and he made it a good one. Grubnic dropped cylinders on his pass and Dixon soared down the track with a 4.532-second, 327.19 mph run.

The weather played havoc with all levels of the NASCAR series over the weekend in California. Rained pushed back schedules and even delayed the Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup Series races until days later. The Craftsman Truck Series was able to get their race in on Saturday, before the Nationwide Series event was rain delayed until Monday.

Kyle Busch piloted Ringers’ supporting team, Billy Ballew Motorsports No. 51 San Bernardino County Toyota into Victory Lane before he had to rush off to the final practice of the Sprint Cup Series. Busch shares driving duties of the No. 51 this year with David Stremme. Other Ringers’ supporting teams and drivers in the field included Brendan Gaughan, finishing 12th, Green Light Racing’s No. 07 driven by Mike Bliss, 24th and GLR’s second entry, the No. 08, piloted by Jason White, finishing 30th.

The Craftsman Truck Series has a week off before returning to action at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the American Commercial Lines 200.

After playing the rain waiting game, in California of all places, the Sprint Cup drivers drove onto the track Monday to complete the Auto Club 500 held at California Speedway in Fontana.

Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman finished the second race of the season with a top-10, in the 10th position. His teammate Kurt Busch drove his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge to the checkered flag not far behind in 13th. Their teammate Sam Hornish Jr., was involved in an accident on Sunday in the laps that were completed with Casey Mears, scoring him in 43rd.

The Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for their respective races this weekend.

This year was my first year attending the Matco Tools Expo. All I can say is I have done many trade shows and this one probably had to be one of the busiest I’ve experienced. Over 900 distributors attended this show, even a couple who were from my hometown in south-central Illinois. Ringers would like to congratulate the number one and two distributors for Matco in 2007, John Wolfe (No. 1) and Chuck Deutsch (No. 2) both hailing from the Plainfield/Minooka, Ill.-area, near Joliet. We also would like to thank them for their hospitality on Monday night and look forward to seeing you both at a race soon!

In addition to all the Matco distributors, David Powers Motorsports drivers Antron Brown and Hot Rod Fuller and Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson riders Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec were on hand to sign autographs and pose for pictures throughout the day. It was nice to catch up with Antron, Hot Rod, Diana and Ted from David Powers Motorsports, as well as John Torok, Motorsports Marketing Manager for Matco Tools. I usually see them at the race track, but we all have our own different schedules, it’s hard to get to sit down and have a nice get together with everyone.

This weekend I will be enjoying a weekend in Indianapolis. The Monster Energy AMA Supercross race is in town at the RCA Dome and I will be partaking in that event on Saturday night. The Ringers Gloves Road Show will be back on the NHRA circuit March 13-16 at the ACDelco Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, in Gainesville, Fla.

Ringers Gloves, the Official Gloves of NHRA and title sponsor for the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, 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.

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