Atoka Motorsports Park
kicked off their 2009 season on March 21. The first race of the season showed
what a family sport sand drag racing is. Father and daughter Darwin Beck (Pro
1) and Kristy Chavers (Pro 2) both made it to final rounds. Father and son Jeff
Walton (Pro 3 Quads) and Trey Walton (Pro 4 Quads) were both finalists. Mother
and son, Anita Zurline and Phillip Stephens made it to the Pro 3 Quads Money class
final rounds with Phillip taking the win. Rounding the family affair out,
another father son tandem Howard Ford (Pro 2 Car) and Cody Ford (Pro 4 Quads) were
also finalists. This is not even all of the family combinations racing at the
track. Tim Feuerhelm, of Atoka, took home the Pro 1 Cars Money Class win. Results
and story courtesy Derek Howard. Photos courtesy Lone Star Graphics -- www.lonestargraphics.info .
Read more: Atoka Motorsports Park March 21 Race Results
Sunday
The 2009 NSDA series completed its second race of the
season in Yuma, AZ with some awesome racing on eliminations
day. A first time Top Fuel winner emerged with Shane Switzer taking the win
over first time TF finalist Matt Ludlow. Nick Januik won his first NSDA Top
Alcohol class title over 2008 class champion Mike DeNunzio. Billy Morris scored
his second NSDA Top Eliminator class victory defeating Larry Snow in the final
round. Pro Bracket class winners on the day were Mike Erwin (Pro 1), Steve Anthony
(Pro 2), Charlie Johnson (Pro 3), Brooks Ryan (Motorcycle Pro 1), and Joey
Weaver (Motorcycle Pro 2).
Read more: NSDN Daily Race Coverage - NSDA Yuma March '09
NSDA kicked off its 2009 season with the Winter
Nationals at the Cocopah Casino & Resort in Yuma, AZ February
13-15. All of the excitement of a new season came to a head with huge numbers
being laid down on the fast track surface and close racing in all categories.
Let’s recap the racing action from this event.
Read more: NSDA Yuma Feb '09 Race Recap
In the coming months, NSDN is going to feature
some of the baddest race cars tearing up the sand drag tracks across the
country. This month’s race car is one that has created a buzz all across the
country ever since it hit the track and photos have been posted on the
Internet. This is the Jeep Altered belonging to Bob Gill.
Bob and his son Geoff are no strangers to having some of the nicest race cars
at the track and shaking up the record books. Geoff recently set the Top Fuel
record with a 2.284 in the Gill Bettencourt Racing Top Fuel dragster and he also
holds the C/Pro Jeep record with a 3.210 in the family’s “Black Tie” Jeep. This
latest creation from the Gill Family has turned heads since its introduction to
the sand.
Read more: Featured Race Car: Bob Gill's Pro Mod Jeep
The 2009 sand drag racing season continues on
being a record setting season, on and off the race track. On the track, in the
month of February, both the Top Fuel and Top Alcohol E.T. class records were
lowered at the NSDA Season Opener in Yuma.
Geoff Gill ran a 2.284 to take the record for the first time into the 2.2 zone
while Gary Mink ran a 2.403 to lower the Top Alcohol record dangerously close
to the elusive 2.3 second realm. With the second race of the 2009 NSDA season
coming up in March at the same record setting venue in Yuma, there is little
doubt that the records will at least be challenged and likely lowered some
more.
Read more: Editor's Notes | Mar '09