 JOLIET,
IL (June 4-7, 2009) -- An overwhelming number of drivers using Hoosier drag
racing tires fought their way into the finals in the Route 66 NHRA Nationals at
Route 66 Raceway last week. Of the 16 cars making it to the eight sportsman
class finals, 11 of them rode on Hoosier tires. In fact, drivers using Hoosiers
were in seven of the eight finals with six drivers coming away winners.
The six wins also matches the total Team-Hoosier
racked up at the national event in Las Vegas last
April.
Other than Top Alcohol Dragster, every other sportsman class final had at
least one Hoosier-shod driver in it. In fact, four of the seven remaining
finals had both drivers riding on the Hoosier brand.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Eighteen cars were in Joliet competing in the T/A Funny Car class with 13 of
them running on Hoosier tires. So, it wasn't a big surprise that two cars on
Hoosiers squared off in the final round.
In the finals, Frank Manzo (photo) was up against Steve Harker.
Both were driving Monte Carlos mounted atop Hoosier's popular 34.5/17.0-16
C2055 tires.
Harker had his work cut out for him against Manzo who was 10-0 against
Harker in prior events.
Manzo got off the line first with a reaction time of .031 to Harker's
.096.
Manzo went on to claim his 80th national event win with an ET of 5.570
seconds (258.96 mph).
Amazingly, Manzo just recently notched his 100th divisional win and now
claims his 80th national event win.
Add to that, Manzo is now also leading the national points race in T/A Funny
Car.
Manzo also won the Jegs Allstars race on Saturday to double-up on the
weekend allowing him to claim the Jegs bonus money for winning both days.
Each year, the Jegs Allstars race brings together the top NHRA racers in the
eight sportsman classes from the seven NHRA divisions to determine an overall
winner.
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
In Comp Eliminator, Sal Biondo used a pair of Hoosier's 14.0/32.0-15L C07 drag
tires to capture the win.
Biondo posted a stellar .009 reaction time along with an 8.242 (-.0458) ET
to capture the win.
It was Biondo's seventh national event win in Comp Eliminator.
SUPER STOCK
A total of 69 cars were at Route 66 Raceway competing in the Super Stock class.
Hoosier-shod cars accounted for 28 of the 69 cars in the class--more than
any other tire manufacturer. The numbers underscored Hoosier's Super Stock
tires are not only fast, but also are extremely consistent in all race
conditions.
Near the end, the last six
drivers remaining in competition used the Hoosier brand with Chris Chaney and Jeff
Niceswanger squaring off in the final.
While the race was extremely close, it was Chaney capturing his first
national event win in his first ever national event final round
appearance.
Chaney's win came while riding atop a pair of Hoosier's 31.5/13.5R-15 radial
drag tires.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
A huge 80-car field was on hand competing in the Stock Eliminator class with
half of them riding on Hoosier racing tires.
In the end, it was John Shaul settling for runner-up honors by a margin of
less than three feet at the finish line.
SUPER COMP
Seventy-nine cars competed in the Super Comp class at Joliet with 56 of them
trusting the Hoosier brand.
In the finals, Kari Larson ultimately took the win while riding on Hoosier
tires.
For Larson, it was her first national event final round appearance and, as a
result, her first national event win.
SUPER GAS
In Super Gas, 73 cars were on hand with 41 of them riding on the Hoosier
brand.
In the final it was another pair of Hoosier-shod drivers going head-to-head.
Mike Sawyer met Rock Hass with Haas jumping the gun at the start handing the
red-light win to Sawyer.
Sawyer bested the 73-car field using a pair of Hoosier's 33.5/17.0-16 C06
drag tires.
Sawyer also captured the Jegs Allstars win on Saturday and the Jegs
double-up bonus money.
SUPER STREET
Although only half of the 48 cars in Super Street used the Hoosier brand,
towards the end five of the last six drivers remaining in the class were riding
on Hoosiers.
In the finals, Ryan Giacone met Chuck Lowry in yet another all-Hoosier
final.
The pair were lightning-quick off the line with Giacone posting a .009 RT to
Lowry's .018 RT.
Giacone went on to post a 10.953 (.053) ET to Lowry's 10.960 (.060) for a
margin of victory of barely three feet at the finish line.
Hoosier Racing Tire would like to thank all the teams and drivers who
competed on our products at this year's Route 66 NHRA Nationals.
Hoosier would also like to congratulate the six drivers who won their respective
classes as well as the four other drivers who were winners in the Jegs Allstars
event.
On hand at Joliet were Hoosier drag racing product manager Faron Lubbers,
engineers John DeSalle, Jon Huffman and Matt Marlow and track service manager
John Adamo.
Lubbers commented after the race, "We were extremely pleased with
the performance of our tires at Route 66. Eleven of 16 finalists using
Hoosiers, with six coming home winners, speaks volumes for our development
program."
Lubbers added, "When you add in the Jegs Allstars event,
Hoosier-shod drivers took home 10 wins at Joliet in the 16 events in which we
compete. That's more wins than all other tire brands combined."
Hoosier is proud to continue its support of the NHRA Series by sending a
service truck to all national events.
Feel free to stop by the service truck and talk to John Adamo about our
exciting line up of tires.
Find out which tire Hoosier offers that might also put you in the winner's
circle at your next event.
To learn more about Hoosier drag tires contact your nearest Hoosier
Distributor.
For more information on this event and the NHRA Series please
visit www.nhra.com.
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