Ford Wins NHRA Manufacturers Cup

FORD WINS NHRA MANUFACTURERS CUP BEHIND ‘ONE FORD’ TEAM EFFORT; CONTINUES YEAR OF CELEBRATION

· Ford earned its first NHRA Manufacturers Cup since 1982 and its fourth ever behind the efforts of wins, runner-ups and No. 1 qualifiers in Funny Car, Pro Stock, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator categories.

· This win marks the second major Manufacturers award earned by Ford’s iconic Mustang model in 2011. The first, the NASCAR Nationwide Series Manufacturers Championship, was clinched two weeks ago.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Nov. 15, 2011 – It’s official: Ford Motor Company has won the 2011 NHRA Manufacturers Cup award – its first since 1982 and the second earned by Ford’s iconic Mustang model in a major racing series this year.

Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing, accepted the award during the NHRA Full Throttle Series banquet in Hollywood, Calif. on Monday, once the final points were tallied.

This is Ford’s fourth NHRA Manufacturers Cup award. Besides 1982, the Blue Oval also brought home the title in 1964 and 1965.

“This is a special honor to accept in a special year at Ford,” Allison said. “The Manufacturers Cup is another honor in what has been a truly remarkable year at Ford Racing.”

In 2011, Ford Racing has been celebrating its 110th anniversary. On Oct. 10, 1901, Henry Ford won his first – and only – race, upsetting the most famous racer in the country. Because of that victory, he was able to attract the investors who helped him start Ford Motor Company less than two years later.

Two weeks ago, Ford also clinched its first NASCAR Nationwide Series Manufacturers Championship since 2002 with the Ford Mustang, the model that also drove Ford to the NHRA title.

Points are earned for wins, runner-up finishes and No. 1 qualifiers in Funny Car, Pro Stock, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator.

“Our commitment at Ford to NHRA runs deep and with true dedication,” Allison said. “We are thankful for all teams that wear the Blue Oval with pride, and for those who have helped contribute to this championship.”

Congratulations to Ford and all their involvement in Motor Sports. They have one of the best programs in the sport and it just keeps getting better.

The NHRA Auto Club Finals in Pomona 2011

This being the final race of the year, and the most exciting because the outcome decides who the NHRA Champions are, lived up to it's expectations. The atmosphere was full of energy and anybody who was anybody was there experiencing all the excitement. I got there on Friday morning, and dropped off a box of twinkies to Clay Millican as he was getting ready for qualifying. His nickname on twitter is "The Twinkie King". Clay takes the time for his fans and treats them like royalty. If you go to an NHRA event, please make sure you stop by to see Clay and you'll know exactly what I mean. Also, don't forget to follow Clay on twitter. You can "Like" his Facebook page at Clay on Facebook

During the course of the weekend I met up with WFO Joe and took some pictures of him interviewing some of the drivers. This was very fun and it was cool to capture the moments of him interviewing. Please follow WFOJoe on Twitter and listen to WFO's broadcast of the NHRA every Tuesday at WFO Radio 7:00 pm EDT

As I made it into Terry McMillen's pit, I get a warm welcome every time I see him and the team. Terry says "Your late! We start on Thursdays here"! You got to love his sense of humor. I was dressed in my McMillen Team Jersey and I felt like part of the crew. Friday I hung out in Terry's pits and took pictures of the Terry, the team, and the fans stopping by to see Terry and hoping to get a picture. The kids love that Terry lets them sit in his dragster to experience the feeling and get a picture taken in the cockpit. The fans can then go to Terry McMillen's Facebook Page to view and download their pictures. Terry is so fan orientated and his passion for the sport is easily detected in all he does. You can also follow Terry on Twitter. It also was Veterans day and many vets stopped by to see Terry and the team. Terry also had a tribute of all the Armed Forces on his Top Fuel Dragster.

Next year will even be more exciting for Terry McMillen and stay tuned for more exciting news to come from the McMillen Camp for the 2012 season.

Sunday was the most exciting day of the NHRA Event. I met up with a representative of the NHRA down at the Drivers Introductions where we discussed possibilities of the Nitro Twitter Group involvement in the NHRA. We have our fingers crossed of great things to come for the NTG. We had a great showing of member there in Pomona and captured a few pictures with the members and WFO Joe. Windy Arend assisted in taking pictures of us all and we also got one with her in the group picture as seen below. Vivian @NitroDoll and her family, @NHRAPhil, @WFOJoe, @windyarend, @ThommyNoodlez, @Rich_in_Saugus and more friends. We had the most wonderful time.

Then the finals began, and each round got more intense as the top contenders all made it through the first round. By the semi finals it was time to bring it all or go home. In Top Fuel it was Del Worsham of Al-Anabi Racing matching up with Spencer Massey of DSR to see who will be the Champion since Larry Dixon already was eliminated by Tony Schumacher. The crowd went wild as Del Worsham won his first championship in his 21 years of Driving in the NHRA. That was the most intense race of the year.

In Funny Car, there was even more excitement as Matt Hagan was looking to win the Championship, but had to get by Jack Beckman, Robert Hight, and Cruz Pedregon. Beckman and Hight had gone out then it was Matt Hagan facing Cruz Pedregon in the Semi Finals. As Matt Hagan of DSR passed the finish line first and won, the crowd again went ecstatic as Matt just won the 2011 NHRA Funny Car Chamionship.

I would like to congratulate the winners of the NHRA Auto Club Finals who were TF - Del Worsahm, FC - Matt Hagan, PS - Greg Stanfield, and PSM - Andrew Hines. I would also like to congratulate the NHRA 2011 Champions who were: TF - Del Worsham, FC - Matt Hagan, PS - Jason Line, and PSM - Eddie Krawiec. You all had a great year and are so very deserving of this Championship.

Below is a link to the pictures I took at the Pomona NHRA Finals 2011

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We'll see you next year!

Bob Tasca III News

TASCA RETURNS TO POMOMA ONE YEAR AFTER CLEARING WAY FOR MIRACULOUS 15th FORCE CHAMPIONSHIP WIN   ·       One year ago, Bob Tasca III stepped up with what will always be remembered as one of the greatest passes of his career – a first-round win against Matt Hagan that opened the door for Ford teammate John Force to win his 15-career NHRA Full Throttle Series championship title.   ·       Once again, the battle for the Funny Car championship rages on as the Series enters its final race of the year, the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, with the Blue Oval once again the underdog. Every point will be crucial with two Fords, driven by Mike Neff and Robert Hight, still in the hunt, with fourth-place Neff in the best position to win.   POMONA, Calif., Nov. 9, 2011 – One year ago, Bob Tasca III stepped up with what will always be remembered as one of the greatest passes of his career.   Around him, a battle was raging for the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Championship title and another Ford Mustang driver, none other than 14-time champion John Force, was in trouble. Like so many times in his life, Force was the underdog, looking for a way to put a lot of bad luck behind him. He needed a point man – a blocker who could clear the path to his unbelievable 15th-career championship.   In the way was Don Schumacher Racing pilot Matt Hagan, a fresh-faced farmer from Virginia who seemed to have luck and a healthy dose of momentum on his side. Hagan, seeking his first world championship title, had certainly done the work to get himself there. But there was one driver who could swing the door for Force wide open.   That was none other than Bob Tasca III, in the driver’s seat of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane and FordParts.com Ford Mustang.   To understand the remarkable coincidence this was, one must first know the story behind it.   Tasca’s grandfather Bob Tasca Sr. was the one who first advised Ford Motor Company to take Force into the fold – a decision that seems easy now, many years and championships after the fact.   It was Bob Sr. who early in the sport’s history engineered a fan letter campaign that persuaded Ford to get involved with the burgeoning quartermile races born in Southern California. Through the years and at racetracks across the country, later with grandson Bob Tasca III in tow, Bob Sr. remained active in the sport that demonstrated his “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” philosophy and scored plenty of wins of his own with his “Mystery” cars and driver Bill Lawton.   Fast forward a few decades, to the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, 2010.   Bob Tasca III, a self-described “Ford kid” who literally grew up with the Ford brands Motorcraft and Quick Lane that were now on his car, had Force’s destiny in his hands - and he played his part flawlessly.   Force went rounds that day, winning the race and the championship. It was much more than a race – it was a statement clearly made, that even through losing a teammate and surviving an incredible accident of his own, Force was back.   Tasca, a self-motivator that is every bit the hard worker Force is, clearly remembers what it was like to pull up to the starting line, knowing that pass would be one of the most memorable of his career, even if it wouldn’t bring him his own championship title.   “It was one of those weekends that you could live to be 1,000 and never experience something like that,” Tasca said. “A lot of things had to happen for that drama to play out. We had to qualify poorly. Matt qualified great. Clearly, we had to step up in that first round and then John had to go on to get to the finals. It was an amazing thing to be part of. You could drive a lot of years and not be part of anything like that.”   Now, one year later, John Force Racing’s Mike Neff, the formidable driver/crew chief combo, is in much the same position his boss was in last year, after a string of first- and second-round losses erased the lead he’d built after earning a runner-up finish at the first race of the Countdown to the Championship, in Charlotte.   “I think it (2010) was maybe one of the most drama-filled championships we’ve ever seen, and now we’re right back here again,” said Tasca, who with Ford driver Tim Wilkerson is ready to bring his best as blocker. “You’ve got teammate Mike Neff in position to win the championship and clearly, he’s behind the eight ball. A lot of things have to happen for him to win, but it happened last year – it can happen again.”   The best stories are always about the underdog, after all

Del Worsham/Al-Anabi Racing -On the Road to the 2011 NHRA TF Championship

Who would have thought in the beginning of the NHRA 2011 Full Throttle Series that Del Worsham would be in contention to win it all at the NHRA Auto Club Finals in Pomona. Driving a Top Fuel Dragster for Al-Ananbi Racing and being a part of one of the greatest racing teams within the NHRA must be one of the greatest thrills of his career.

Del Worsham who was born on February 11, 1970, began his NHRA career in 1990 right in Pomona, Ca. Del made his first professional start 21 years ago at the NHRA Finals in Pomona. He competed primarily in the Nitro Funny Car series. He did split his time between Top fuel and Funny Car between 1993 and 1995. After starting the last race of the 1990 season, Worsham began his professional drag racing career in 1991 driving his father's Nitro Funny Car. Seven races into the season, he won the Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia In doing so, Worsham, who was 21 years old at the time, became the youngest driver ever to win a Funny Car event. He continued his early success by winning the Summernationals in Englishtown, New Jersey, less than three months later. At the conclusion of the 1991 season, Worsham finished sixth in the Funny Car points standings and was named the NHRA Rookie of the Year.

In 1993, Worsham participated in select Top Fuel races, ultimately starting eight times in the Top Fuel Series. He recorded a top speed of 300.20 mph while participating in Top Fuel. In the Funny Car Series, he finished runner-up only once, losing to John Force at the Winternationals in Pomona, California. Worsham continued to particpate in both the Top Fuel Series and Funny Car Series in 1994, starting 12 and five races, respectively. After an engine exploded during one of his races, Worsham missed 12 weeks of the season to heal the burns he sustained. In total, he advanced to the Quarterfinals three times and failed to advance each time. 1995 was the last year Worsham raced in the Top Fuel Series until the 2011 season. He raced only twice in the Top Fuel Series, however, while he made 17 starts in Funny Car. He made it to the semifinals once, and he finished 16th overall in the Point Standings. In 1997, Checker-Schuck’s-Kragen Auto Parts became the primary sponsor of Worsham's team. From 1997 to 2008 Del raced with the family own car and then that ended at the end of 2008. In 1998, Worsham advanced to the Final Round at the inaugural race at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois, marking the first time in six years he advanced past the semifinal round. He would lose to Whit Bazemore, however, and finished the season in 10th place in the Point Standings. NHRA presented the 1998 Blaine Johnson Award to Del and his family at the end of the season. This prestigious award was created by NHRA to commemorate late Top Fuel driver Blaine Johnson, who died during a crash in August 1996 at the U.S. Nationals. According to the official NHRA website, "the award is presented to the individual, team or family who best demonstrates perseverance and dedication to NHRA Drag Racing."

In September 2008, Worsham was named the new driver of the Al-Anabi Racing Funny Car, effective after the 2008 NHRA Funny Car season. The Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing Team debuted in 2009 with Del as their Funny Car driver, who was entering his 18th year as a professional NHRA driver. Worsham, who qualified for all 24 Funny Car events, advanced to the semifinals six times that year and won three of those races to advance to the Final Round. He won in all three of his Final Round appearances, his first multi-win season since 2005. His victories came at the O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals (Madison, IL), the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals (Bristol, TN), and the Virginia NHRA Nationals (Richmond, VA). He would qualify for the Countdown to One NHRA Playoffs for the first time in his career,[1] and he would place seventh in the Funny Car Point Standings. In 2010, Del qualified for all the Funny Car events for the second consecutive year, and he made it to the semifinals seven times. He only advanced to the Final Round once, however, and lost to Bob Tasca at Englishtown, New Jersey. Worsham would again qualify for the NHRA playoffs, beginning in ninth place in the Countdown to One. He improved three places in the playoffs, finishing in sixth place in the Funny Car Point Standings, his best finish since 2004. At the end of the 2010 season, Al-Anabi Racing announced that it would not run in the Funny Car Series in 2011. Del, along with teammate and 2010 Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon, would each drive an Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel dragster in 2011.

Del is on one of his best seasons ever in 2011, and with the Finals coming this weekend he has the chance to become the NHRA Top Fuel Champion for 2011. He is only 2 points back of first place Spencer Massey for DSR. In Maple Grove this year, the Top Fuel final was the quickest side-by-side race in NHRA history as Del Worsham’s Al-Anabi Racing dragster recorded the quickest run in NHRA history, 3.735 at 323.81 Best of luck to you Del and Al-Anabi Racing for an outstanding year of racing in the NHRA Full Throttle Series. Good Luck in the Finals in Pomona.

If you ever run across Del at the track and he is walking in the pits area, he will always stop to say hi, take a picture and sign an autograph. He definitely loves his fans. This is the type of person that makes the NHRA the greatest community in Motorsports!

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