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San Antonio Raceway/IHRA media luncheon


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IHRA Hooters Racing Series, Media Luncheon, 2-27-03

Re; Amalie Motor Oil Texas Nationals at San Antonio Raceway,

Presented by Ancira Cars, Trucks and R.V.’s

By J M Hallas

This weekend San Antonio Raceway hosts the inaugural Amalie Motor Oil Texas Nationals with more than 400 teams from all across the country rolling into the newly made over track. The Texas Nationals will be the first of twelve scheduled championship events, finishing with the World Finals at Rockingham. The race features everything for Top Fuel dragsters to the weekend bracket racer. Also on the slate are Bob Motz’ 200 MPH jet Kenworth, Queen of Diamonds, jet dragster and a wheel standing school bus. Imagine that showing up at the bus stop. This will be the first IHRA national event for San Antonio in 20 years, as drag racing continues to climb to #2 in motorsports, only behind NASCAR. IHRA has been in existence for 32 years, and Texas boasts the most sanctioned tracks in the nation and second in membership behind Ohio.

Track owners, Todd and Judy Zampese and crew have been working nearly 24/7 since the announcement of this race was made back in November. 7,500 new seats have been added to already new facility, along with a new sign and other track improvements to prepare for this national event.

Director of Communication, Promotions and Public Relations, Jim Marchyshyn, emceed the luncheon, with food catered by Hooters, and several local Hooters girls. Mr. Marchyshyn joined IHRA in 1999, after the series was bought by long time friend Bill Bader.

Mr. Bader, a 7 year racing veteran himself, made a bid to purchase the IHRA series in 1998, and bought the remaining shares in 1999 to become sole owner. Besides being series owner, he also owns Norwalk Raceway Park, and has promoted concerts, owned restaurants and a construction company. Since the purchase, IHRA has increased in operational size by three times, and financially by seven times.

Series sponsorship comes from the Hooters restaurant chain, which joined IHRA in 2001. While Amalie Motor Oil, the official oil of the IHRA, as well as Ancira Cars, Trucks and R.V.’s are signed on as race sponsors. Chuck Buis and Andrew Bornstien from Amalie, who joined IHRA in 1999, were on hand, along with San Antonio’s own, Ernesto Ancira.

Driver appearances included, Dr. Tom Clanton, who by trade is an oral/maxi-facial surgeon, besides being the driver of a top dragster. Dr. Clanton stated he’d trade all his degrees, for just one Iron Man award, given to each class champion.

Houston native Thomas Patterson, who won his first national event in Canada last year, debuted his new radical Willy’s Pro Modified. The Pro Mods are the fastest door slammers to hit the track with every combination you could imagine. Cars range from Corvettes to Studebakers, while engines include fuel injection, nitrous injected and supercharged.

Pro Stock driver, Harold Martin unveiled the new paint scheme on his AC/Delco Grand Am designed by renown artist, Sam Bass. Mr. Martin is also a G.M. engineer, who is credited with several patents, and know as the King of EFI(Electronic Fuel Injection).

Two of drag racing’s most well know class, Top Fuel concluded the show. These ground pounders produce over 6,000 horsepower, going 0-100 MPH in about 8/10 of a second. They can give you 5g launch, with a 4g shutdown. That’ll get your attention quick. Bruce Litton, driver of the Lucas Oil car, came in fresh from testing in Phoenix. Also on hand was two-time IHRA Top Fuel Champ, Clay Millican, pilot of the Werner Transportation dragster. Mr. Millican won 11 of the 12 events last year, breaking his own record of six in a row. He also holds both ends of the Top Fuel records, putting down a 4.61 second pass for ET(elapsed time) best, and a top end speed of 326.63 MPH.

Racing action starts this Friday at 8:30 AM with Sportsman qualifying, followed by the first round of Pro qualifying at 1:00 PM. Saturday includes rounds three and four of Pro and round three of Sportsman qualifying and eliminations, along with the “Night of Fire” that features the jet dragsters and wheelie bus. Sunday concludes the program with final eliminations, which start at 8:30 AM for the Sportsman classes and high noon for the Pro classes.

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