March 23, 2012 • ISSUE 5

March 23, 2012 • ISSUE 5
contents
When Nitro Jam returns to San
Antonio it will bring with it
the single biggest drag racing
spectacle seen all year, with over
two dozen nitro machines, half
a dozen jet-powered vehicles,
wheelstanders, the very first
monster truck drag race between
Grave Digger and Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtle and one of the biggest
sportsman showdowns of 2012.
features:
columns:
10
8
56
CSI Norwalk
A Q&A with Top Sportsman ace Mike Thompson Sr.
12
A Lone Star State Of Mind
14
Unbuckled
18
24
28
Taking aim at the upcoming San Antonio Nitro Jam
Behind the scenes with ‘Motorcity Mike’ Sowards
They’re Wild, And Nitro Jam Has ‘Em!
The rebirth of Fuel Altered competition
Cutting, Bending And Welding
Summit SuperSeries dragster build under way
AMSOIL Center Stage
Featuring Deborah Ridenhour’s ‘41 Willys Coupe
As The Cookie Crumbles with Larry Crum
The Last Word with IHRA President Aaron Polburn
departments:
4
6
7
20
22
30
32
40
42
DRM Beat
Nitro Jam Schedule
Pro-Am, Team Finals schedules
Married With Dragsters
Jarrod Holly Feature
Industry News
From Our Grass Roots
Nostalgia Photo
Tech
45
46
48
49
50
52
54
54
55
Divisional Points
Track Directory
Records
Payouts
Racer Connection
SSS/PA Marketing Page
Tournament of Champions
Ad Index
Performance Yellow Pages
Editorial Contributions about IHRA events, tracks, cars, or races are welcome. Send to IHRA DRM-Drag Review Magazine (DRM), 9 1/2 E. Main St., P.O. Box 708, Norwalk, Ohio 44857. DRM reserves the right to edit copy for content, style, length.
Editorial submission constitutes an express warranty by the contributor that the material is original and in no way infringes editorial material. All stories submitted to DRM, whether contracted, unsolicited or unpaid, become the property of DRM and
IHRA. No story submitted for publication may be reproduced or reprinted in another print publication or on the internet without prior consent from IHRA. Also, DRM will not accept for publication material that has been previously published in another
print publication or on the web. If you submit a story that has been previously published in any area you forfeit any claim to compensation from DRM, or IHRA.
Advertising Policy: Placement of an ad in DRM shall be deemed an acceptance by the Advertiser of these terms and conditions: 1. Cancellation: All advertising cancellations must be submitted in writing. Due to the publications lead-times, said
cancellation may not be effective immediately upon receipt. If notice of cancellation is received after an issue has been processed for printing, cancellation will not be effective until the next issue is prepared, and the Advertiser agrees that he is
responsible for published advertising for which notice of cancellation is not received before the effective deadline. 2. Corrections: DRM will be responsible for no more than two consecutive incorrect insertions in DRM. The Advertisers agrees that
it is the Advertiser’s responsibility to notify DRM promptly of any necessary corrections to ads, including Performance Directory ads, and the Advertiser shall be responsible for payment of all insertions after the first two that are correct. 3. Credit:
The acceptance by DRM of an advertising contract with any new Advertiser is subject to approval of a credit application to be submitted by the Advertiser. 4. Collection: In the event that an account is turned over to an attorney or other agency for
collection, the Advertiser agrees that all costs of such collection shall be the responsibility of the Advertiser. 5. DRM reserves the right to decline remaining contractual insertions based on delinquent accounts. 6. Classified ads: will be published in
order received. DRM reserves the right to edit copy for content, style, length. DRM is not liable for ads omitted or printed in error. 7. DRM reserves the right to reject any advertising.
DRM-DRAG REVIEW MAGAZINE (ISSN: 10536248) is published twice a month (once a month in January and December) by the International Hot Rod Association, 9 1/2 E. Main St., P.O. Box 708, Norwalk, Ohio 44857. IHRA membership rates: $50/
year (includes $40/year DRM-Drag Review Magazine subscription @ $3.50 per issue). Periodical postage paid at Norwalk, OH and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2001 by the International Hot Rod Association. No part of this may be reproduced
without the written permission of the publisher. ISSN: 10536248. Change of address: Three weeks notice (include both old and new addresses) is required to prevent interruption in service. Postmaster: send address change form 3579 to DRM-Drag
Review Magazine, 9 1/2 E. Main St., P.O. Box 708, Norwalk, Ohio 44857.
www.ihramag.com
3
hot rod BAck in drAg rAcing
“It is an unbelievable dream to race these cars. I grew up watching
these cars as a kid and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would
get a chance to drive the famed Nanook Fuel Altered,” Maroney said following his championship-clinching race in August of last year. “These cars were
outlawed in the early 70s because they were too dangerous so nobody had
won a world championship with these cars before. It means a lot to me that
I was able to do it for the Hough family and this car.”
And of course, that isn’t the only reason Maroney continues to pilot a Fuel
Altered. For a man who seemingly spent more time in the other lane than his
own and even had a few close encounters with the wall in 2011, Maroney
said that is all part of the magic of this class and a big reason he remains
behind the wheel today.
Ron Maroney took the legendary Nanook to the 2011
Nitro Jam Championship. This season Kyle Hough
will take over behind the wheel, becoming the third
generation of his family to drive the beast.
The only original Fuel Altered competitor still on the
active list is Randy Bradford, pilot of Bradford’s Fiat.
The 64-year-old racer is thrilled that the class has a
new audience and a new home in Nitro Jam.
“I often tell people that I rarely drive the car, I just hold on for six
seconds,” Maroney said. “It is an adrenaline rush like you wouldn’t believe
accelerating from zero to 230 miles per hour in the blink of an eye. If there
is one thing that can be said about a Fuel Altered it is this – you have to
see it to believe it.”
And that magic will continue in 2012 as Fuel Altered headlines all
eight Nitro Jam events and brings Fuel Altered racing back into the spotlight for a new generation of fans.
“It is great to see real racing return to the limelight,” Maroney added.
“If fans want to experience what it was like in the glory days of drag racing,
this is it. This is what real racing is all about.”
www.ihramag.com
13
From left, Kathy Fisher and Kevin Fisher inspect new chassis with Travis Colangelo of American Race Cars.
The Reality
n
a
m
s
t
r
o
p
S
f
o
Racing
Married With Dragsters
Video Series Returns
With a New Look
Kathy Fisher with engine builder Stan Ray of Ohio Crankshaft.
Performance by Fisher Racing announces the return of the online
video series, “Married With Dragsters.” Lima, Ohio’s Kathy and Kevin
Fisher take you on their off-season journey that includes everything from
building a brand-new dragster to revamping the team’s Top Dragster with
a whole new combination.
Varying in content from its freshman season, season two of “Married With Dragsters” is dubbed “New Car Build” and features thirteen
episodes of the husband and wife sportsman drag racing duo visiting
with some of the top manufacturers and companies in drag racing today,
including American Race Cars, Ohio Crankshaft, Moser Engineering and
Abruzzi Racing Transmissions and Converters.
“This season of Married With Dragsters is certainly taking a different
turn from our first,” said Kathy Fisher, who can not only be seen on camera,
but handles all editing and producing for the series. “We are making a ton
of changes to our equipment, starting with building a new dragster with
American Race Cars. My old car was a ’98 Boulton hardtail. She was used
when I got her back at the end of 2003, so I can’t even imagine what a new
car from American with all the right pieces is going to be like.”
While Kathy will be seen going through the steps needed to get a new
car together before the start of the team’s season, Kevin will share the process of major changes taking place to his Top Dragster, as he looks to shake
off the trial-and-error of the last couple of years, “From what was between
the frame rails to the chassis itself, we have a lot of work to do and we won’t
be playing with nitrous anymore,” he said. “Stan Ray and the crew at Ohio
Crankshaft are preparing a whole new combination and it’s that new Pro
Charger sitting out front that we are most excited about.”
Every aspect of the craziest off-season the Fishers have tackled in
many years will be featured weekly on “Married With Dragsters” – New
Car Build, thanks to the numerous companies that have partnered for the
project. “For the most part, everything that is going into the new American
dragster is coming from the same list of manufacturers that we have trusted
for a decade or more,” she said. “Starting right with Moser Engineering,
Ohio Crankshaft, Moroso, K&N Engineering, Mickey Thompson, XS Power
Batteries, Wilwood, Auto Meter, Amalie Oil, Simpson, K&R Performance Engineering, Dragon Racing Fuels, Jaz Products, Hawk Performance, B&M
20 March 23, 2012
Kevin Fisher and Stan Ray.
Racing, Biondo Racing, House of Payne Performance, Flatout Gaskets, all
our ceramic and powder coating from Aesthetic Finishers and I look forward
to another fantastic DuPont Hot Hues paint scheme laid down by Todd’s
Extreme Paint.”
Kevin points out some of the new items that the team is anxious to
learn about and begin to utilize for the coming season, “We have heard a
ton of great things about Jiffy-Tite and their quick connect fluid fittings. It
American Race Cars co-owners Travis Colangelo, left, and Mark Horton, right,
with Kevin Fisher.
Tom Kundrick of Micky Thompson Performance Tire and Wheels helps Kathy
select new hides for her dragster.
will be great to have those on both cars,” he explained. “With the new engine
combination, we are getting some great technical help and advice from several important sources including Jim at Weldon Pumps and Chris at Hedman
Hustler Hedders.”
“And yes, we are finally coming into the modern racing age,” he said
with a laugh. “We are also making a huge upgrade by installing a DataMaxx
logger from Computech Racing on the Top Dragster and will finally have the
information that we have been lacking.”
“It’s all quite an undertaking,” Kathy admitted. “building a new car and
changing over Kevin’s is enough in itself, but when you add in all that is involved with producing a video project like this, to be honest it can be rather
overwhelming on top of my plethora of other day-to-day duties. What drives
me is an end product that I know all the partners can be proud to be associated with. “Married With Dragsters” is a pretty unique concept among the
sportsman racing ranks. The plan for 2012 is for the thirteen episodes of the
New Car Build to slide right into season three which will showcase us out on
the road, putting all the new equipment to the test and chasing points.”
“I don’t think folks will be disappointed,” Kevin added. “So far, the new
season has received rave reviews.”
If you missed out on any episode from the abbreviated season one and
to follow along during the first of two full seasons in 2012, visit www.marriedwithdragsters.com or subscribe to CompetitionPlusTV on YouTube.
Travis Colangelo and Kathy Fisher in the American Race Cars shop.