Ashley Force-Hood’s Mustang for Charity
March 2, 2010 by pikesan · Leave a Comment
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ASHLEY FORCE HOOD’S RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE MUSTANG
TO BE FEATURED AT 48TH ANNUAL WORLD OF WHEELS
YORBA LINDA, CA (March 1, 2010) — Chicagoland’s largest custom car show will feature Ashley Force Hood’s Ronald McDonald House Charity themed NHRA Mustang Funny Car. O’Reilly’s Auto Parts and South Oak Dodge will present the 48th Annual World of Wheels, March 5-7 2010, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Force Hood’s Mustang will be on display as part of the Chicago BrushMaster Kustom Kulture Art Auction with all proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Fans will be able to get their photo taken beside the Mustang throughout the weekend and get an up close look at one of the fastest race cars in motor sports.
Ashley Force Hood campaigned the Ronald McDonald House Charities Mustang at two events (Seattle and Sonoma) during the 2009 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. The attention the car generated for the Ronald McDonald House Charities is something Force Hood is proud to continue into 2010.
“I was thrilled to be able to help raise awareness and donations for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Seattle and Sonoma. BrandSource, one of our major sponsors, is very involved with this organization and their president Bob Lawrence, started talking with us about getting involved in early 2009. We got really excited about all the opportunities to help so this program came together very quickly,” said Force Hood.
“The biggest thing for me was being able to race this amazing looking Ford Mustang. I knew it would draw a lot of attention and I wanted to turn that excitement into donations for Ronald McDonald House Charities. I have so many fans that are children I really want reach out to them and their families to encourage them to give to or volunteer with this great organization.”
In just two previous World of Wheels Custom Car shows, the Chicago BrushMasters have raised over $110,000.00 for the charity. The Kustom Kulture Auction will feature the work of over 100 automotive artists from across the nation. Items auctioned off will include gold leaf lettered, pin-striped and air brushed pieces of Kustom Kulture Art and Automotive Memorabilia.
Auctions will be conducted Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 4 pm and 7pm with a final auction held on Sunday at 4pm. Ronald McDonald himself will be appearing near the Ashley Force Hood Mustang display both Saturday and Sunday 4 pm to 5 pm.
Fans are encouraged to come out and help support Ronald McDonald House Charities in building the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House at 211 E. Grand Ave. in Chicago. At 14 stories, and 86 rooms, it will help keep families together during their child’s time of medical crisis.
The Donald E. Stephens Conventions Center is located at 5555 N. River Road in Rosemont, IL. Show Hours: Friday 3-10:30pm – Saturday 10am to 10:30pm and Sunday 10am to 7pm. Discount tickets can be purchased at any Chicagoland O’Reilly’s Auto Parts retailer. For more information call 708-361-2665.
For additional informationa about John Force Racing contact Dave Densmore, 214-244-0008 or Elon Werner, 214-244-1184.
FOLLOW JOHN FORCE RACING AT www.twitter.com/jfr_racing.com
Ashley Force-Hood Video Preview: 2010 NHRA Season
January 24, 2010 by pikesan · 2 Comments
I can’t say it’s cool when you enter the John Force Racing compound. It’s OVERWHELMING! The people, the parts, the action, I love it!
We (Pikesan and Swanee) first entered the pit area of John Force, Ashley Force-Hood and NHRA Champion Robert Hight at the test and tune at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, AZ to find every team working feverishly, even though, racing for the night was done. It’s obvious, this team works well together, everyone knows their job and they’re ready to rock for the Winternationals in Pomona.
As a huge fan of the NHRA, especially the John Force Racing team, meeting and talking to Austin Coil, then having a short sit down with the charming, yet #2 in the world funny car racer, Ashley Force-Hood was a dream come true. It’s a sure sign that the JFR team loves their fans.
So dig this short interview of loveliest lady of motorsports (Danica, it ain’t even close!) Ashely Force-Hood. After making several full passes, I found her listening to the Vikings, Saints game on TV while working on her laptop.
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It takes a strong woman to compete in a male dominated sport, then to be a calm and professional (one take’s all you need!) as Ashley. About 20 minutes before the interview above, she did this:
I gotta thank the John Force Racing team for getting us so close to the starting line!
No doubt who we’ll be rooting for in the 2010 season of NHRA drag racing. The season kicks off with the fabled and now 50th, Winternationals in Pomona, CA on February 11-14. Take your honey to the race… I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Valentines Day!
Who else is rooting for John Force, Ashley and Robert Hight? Let us know!
NHRA Museum Happenings: Wrap up 2009
If you’ve never been to the NHRA Motorsports Museum, GO! If you haven’t been in a while, GO BACK!! It’s always changing with new cars and interesting people wondering through.
NHRA Motorsports Museum Calendar of Events
(Nov. through Dec. 2009)
Thursday, Nov. 12
Ø Auto Club NHRA Finals Begin www.nhra.com
Ø Museum Open House 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – extended hours and admission is free.
Friday, Nov. 13
Ø Museum Open House – 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Ø New Exhibit Opening – 3 p.m. FREE
Ø Drag Racing Celebrity Book Signing – 5 p.m. FREE
Ø Night of Champions/Auto Club Q&A with NHRA racers – 6 p.m. FREE
Saturday, Nov. 14
Ø Museum Open House – 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Ø Racing Collectible Show – 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. $5 Admission.
Sunday, Nov. 15
Ø Museum Open House 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Admission is free.
Free Museum admission and extended weekend hours during Auto Club NHRA Finals, Nov. 12-15. Free Tram Service from Pomona Raceway (Gate J) to Museum.
Wednesday, Dec. 2
Ø Annual Holiday Twilight Cruise and Toy Drive
4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is Free!
Bring a new, unwrapped toy for disadvantaged kids of the Pomona Valley.
Saturday, Dec. 12
Ø Retro Holiday Slide Show with Charles Phoenix
8 p.m.
Fee – Tickets available online at Retro Holiday Slide Show Tickets
For more information, please contact the Museum at 909-622-2133 or visit us online at www.museum.nhra.com.
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Gate 1/Fairplex, Pomona, CA 91768
Join us at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Calendar of Events (Nov. through Dec. 2009)
Thursday, Nov. 12
Ø Auto Club NHRA Finals Begin www.nhra.com
Ø Museum Open House 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – extended hours and admission is free.
Friday, Nov. 13
Ø Museum Open House – 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Ø New Exhibit Opening – 3 p.m. FREE
Ø Drag Racing Celebrity Book Signing – 5 p.m. FREE
Ø Night of Champions/Auto Club Q&A with NHRA racers – 6 p.m. FREE
Saturday, Nov. 14
Ø Museum Open House – 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Ø Racing Collectible Show – 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. $5 Admission.
Sunday, Nov. 15
Ø Museum Open House 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Admission is free.
Free Museum admission and extended weekend hours during Auto Club NHRA Finals, Nov. 12-15. Free Tram Service from Pomona Raceway (Gate J) to Museum.
Wednesday, Dec. 2
Ø Annual Holiday Twilight Cruise and Toy Drive
4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is Free!
Bring a new, unwrapped toy for disadvantaged kids of the Pomona Valley.
Saturday, Dec. 12
Ø Retro Holiday Slide Show with Charles Phoenix
8 p.m.
Fee – Tickets available online at http://www.charlesphoenix.com/charles-phoenixs-retro-holiday-slide-show/
For more information, please contact the Museum at 909-622-2133 or visit us online at www.museum.nhra.com.
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Gate 1/Fairplex, Pomona, CA 91768
NHRA Record Holding Bass Player
Talented Bassist Gene Schwartz hangs up his guitar for a weekend of racing at the Auto Club Famoso Raceway, Oct. 16-18
BAKERSFIELD, CA – Gene Schwartz is a former NHRA record holder in his 1952 Chevy, but underneath his racing suit Gene can’t stop singing the blues. That’s because his “day job” is as a bass player. For over 30 years, Gene played bass for legendary blues guitarist Robert Lockwood Jr. When not jamming on his bass guitar, Gene has managed to build his skills as a champion racecar driver setting National records in the 60s to present day.
The Euclid, OH resident has made the annual trip to the National Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Kentucky on numerous occasions, but has yet to visit McFarland, CA for the California Hot Rod Reunion. Fans of both Gene’s music and his racing raised money to surprise him with an all-expense-paid trip to the California Reunion this October. Gene was surprised, thrilled and eager to join fans and friends at the Reunion.
Gene’s car will be a sure crowd pleaser. His ’52 Chevy racecar is one of the few nostalgic gassers that uses a “stick shift” and uses his patented 9000 rpm for a thrilling starting line launch. Now, he’ll be rocking and rolling down the strip in his Chevy, an exact duplicate of the car he ran in the 60s. Don’t miss this talented racer, also considered “the best white guitar player in America” according to Lockwood.
– More information about the California Hot Rod Reunion –
Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by calling the Reunion Info Number at 909.622.8562. Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com.
Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by Auto Club of Southern California.
Nostalgia Drags “Top 5″ at NHRA Museum’s CHRR
Start getting excited NOW! Mark your calendars for October 16-18 in Bakersfield California for the best of Nostalgia drag racing at the California Hot Rod Reunion. It’s a “Reunion” because is more than just a huge gathering of vintage styled racers and the real-deal, too valuable and historic to actually race diggers… it’s a social gathering of friends and competitors from all over, but certainly the hot rod-packed southern California scene where the 1320-craze started. The Reunion includes 3 days of nostalgia drag racing, a car show of hot rods, a growing swap meet and manufacturers midway and a gathering of drag racing legends from years gone by.
If you can make it to only 1 drag race, make this one. (pssss… bring your camera!)
Press release from the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Top 5 Things to See at the 18th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Automobile Club of Southern California
Auto Club Famoso Hosts Vintage Drag Race Event, Oct. 16-18
BAKERSFIELD, CA (Sept. 1, 2009) – The cackling noise a vintage dragster makes when fired up. Rubbing elbows with legendary racers. These are a few of our favorite things to see and do at the 18th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Automobile Club of Southern California.
Make sure to add these things to your bucket list, to do list or whatever list when at the Reunion scheduled for the weekend of Oct 16-18 at Auto Club Raceway Famoso–more commonly known as Bakersfield. High on anybody’s list, the Reunion is a great weekend of vintage drag racing, the finals of the NHRA Heritage Series and a cool time for all the family.
1. Justice Bros. Car Care Products Spotlight Award: This year the Spotlight highlights the team of Stone, Woods & Cook, voted the Favorite Race Car ever in an NHRA.com poll. On display will be both the first and last cars: Swindler II and Swindler A, from this iconic race team.
2. The Grove: Is always the place to check out cool stuff from the hundreds of rods and customs that gather there to the special static displays. This year museum friend John Stein will bring a display of vintage drag bikes including Pat Miller’s triple-engined Yamaha–one of only a hand full (pun intended) of triple-engined drag bikes. It had three, three cylinder Yamaha TR2 350 road racing motors. And ya gotta hear it!
3. Honoree Reception: The Reunion is all about the people and it’s as much our pleasure to honor the honorees as it is theirs to be honored. On Friday night, we throw one heck of a free party for all comers to take time to recognize those in the sport who have made a difference. Join us at the DoubleTree Hotel at 7:00 pm and say hello to Grand Marshall Jess “Mr. Pontiac” Tyree and honorees: Danny Broussard, Don Moody, Steve Reyes, “Jet Car” Bob Smith and Walt Stevens.
4. Cacklefest: Coined by our curator Greg Sharp, the word cacklefest, describing the cackling noise a Top Fuel motor makes on nitro, has now entered the vocabulary and nowhere is the word more expressed that an the Hot Rod Reunions. Saturday, as the sun goes down is the time to see dozens of vintage, front-motored race cars push started and fired up just like they used to be in the day. It’s a sight and sound guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes as nitro fills the sky.
This is what the Cacklefest looks like:

The immaculately restored and polished "Poison Ivy" front engine dragster shooting yellow flames into the night. Imagine dozens of these push-started to life!
5. Renegade Vintage Dragster Display: You may have seen the Renegade/Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum vintage dragster display at several NHRA National events and at Beech Bend. The vehicles change for each venue so be sure to visit the trailer which also contains vintage drag racing images from the museum’s archives. For more information about Renegade trailers go to: www.kibbi.com
Just a few more pics to get you excited! (Click any picture to see it full size)
More information you’ll need:
The 18th annual California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, Oct. 16-18 at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., is a 3-day festival of speed, hot rods and American automotive enthusiasm. It’s also the season finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage nostalgia drag racing series.
Produced by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, and located in Pomona, Calif., the Reunion is part of the museum’s “living history” philosophy, which works to bring to life the sights, sounds and people who made history in the early days of drag racing, land speed racing and the golden age of American car culture.
Unique among motorsports events, the Reunion honors some of the top names in hot rodding from the past and features a fabulous array of cool drag cars, street rods and customs of the historic and present-day hot rod eras.
Those purchasing their credentials at least three weeks before the event receive significant added value including a “goodie” bag, Reunion program, commemorative dash plaque and a colorful and collectible plastic souvenir credential. Three-day credentials ($55 each) are available by calling 800/884-NHRA (6472) or online at http://store.nhra.com. Auto Club members receive a $5 discount off Adult credential prices (limit of 4 credentials).
Daily general admission tickets/pit passes will be available at Auto Club Famoso Raceway gate, (www.famosoraceway.com). Cost per person: Friday, $20; Saturday, $20; Sunday, $15. Children 15 and under are free when accompanied by an adult. Auto Club discount is also available at the gate.
The Reunion features a wide variety of activities and events, including:
- NHRA vintage drag racing, featuring some the sport’s most famous and historic cars and drivers, racing in such classes at Nostalgia Top Fuel, Funny Car, Fuel Altereds, Supercharged Gassers, Classic Super Stock, Hot Rods and others. It’s the grand finale of the NHRA’s Hot Rod Heritage Series.
- Hundreds of gleaming pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, custom cars, rat rods, classics and muscle cars. “Memory Lane” will have a display of nostalgic race cars. The Justice Bros. Spotlight Award will fall on the team of the Stone, Woods & Cook.
- California Hot Rod Reunion Reception, held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bakersfield, Fri., Oct. 16, from 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. Open to everyone at no charge, it’s a tribute to Reunion Honorees including Grand Marshal Jess Tyree. The reception offers a chance for fans to meet some of drag racing’s heroes.
- Cacklefest on Saturday evening, where nitro-burning historic, front-engine top-fuel dragsters and other classic race cars are push started just like in the “old days.”
- The Swap meet and Reunion Midway filled with hot rod and automotive related vendors. Something for everyone!
Information, including a full activities schedule, entry forms and tickets, is available through the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum at http://museum.nhra.com or by calling the Reunion Info Number at 909.622.8562. Requests can be emailed to themuseum@nhra.com.
Proceeds of the California Hot Rod Reunion benefit the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by Auto Club of Southern California. Founded in 1998 and named for the founder of the National Hot Rod Association, the Parks Museum, presented by Automobile Club of Southern California houses the very roots of hot rodding. Scores of famous vehicles spanning American motorsports history are on display, including winning cars representing 50 years of drag racing, dry lakes and salt-flat racers, oval track challengers and exhibits describing their colorful backgrounds.
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST. Current NHRA members are admitted free and Auto Club members enjoy a $2 discount. Admission for non-members is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for juniors six through 15, and free for children under the age of five. The Museum is also available for special group tours. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum is located at Fairplex Gate 1, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. in Pomona. For further information on special exhibits, museum events or directions, call 909/622-2133 or visit http://museum.nhra.com.

Ron Capps’ Top Five Most Influential Funny Cars
June 28, 2009 by Hechtspeed · 2 Comments
Back for 2009 with Don Shumacher Racing, Ron Capps is in his fifth full season with Shoe’s team driving the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T for the 2nd time and of course, his crew chief is long time friend, Ed “Ace” McCulloch.
Born in San Luis Obispo Capps has always been a So-Cal guy and now lives with his wife and their daughter and son in Carlsbad, CA. With a B.S. in Software Engineering from Santa Clara college, Capps joined the NHRA super-team of Don Schumacher Racing, in 2005 to drive the Brut-sponsored Dodge Charger Funny Car. With Schumacher, he’s won eight national events and finshed 2nd in 2005, 3rd in 2006, and 4th in 2007. He’s hoping to turn that trend around for 2009
Capps joined DSR after driving for longtime friend and team owner Don Prudhomme. DSR is only the second Funny Car team for whom he’s driven since entering the nitro classes in 1995.
Since 1995 Capps has collected 25 wins in 54 final rounds, in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. He’s been close, but has never won it all after claiming that crown, finishing as Funny Car runner-up in 1998, 2000 and 2005. He’s hoping his ongoing commitment to Don Schumacher will offer him the best opportunity to achieve his goal. With Nitro running through his veins, here’s Ron Capps Top 5 most influential Funny Cars…
Ron Capps Top 5 Funny Cars

“No. 5 would be the Whipple McCulloch car because it was one of the first cars to have a roof hatch, side windows, and the first Funny Car to have a narrow chassis. Very influential overall and Ed 'Ace' McCulloch is my hero.”

“No. 4 is the Bud King because all of the technology that was derived from when Dale Armstrong was with that Funny Car and how overall influential it was when you look at Funny Cars today.”

“At No, 3 is “Jungle Jim." Because I built the models as a kid and those guys are my heroes. Whenever I was able to build a model of a car, that’s how I followed the sport at a young age. “Jungle Jim” was one of the first multi-car teams that would match race across the country, and had different guys driving different cars for him. When he showed up to match race, and I remember as a real small kid seeing him and Jungle Pam, and it was the biggest show you could see. It's unfortunate, because if he was alive today he would definitely be the biggest name in the sport.”

“No. 2 would definitely be the Army Funny Car of Don Prudhomme. I built the model of that car, and it was one of the few cars that I actually had a bigger model that I saved all my money to build. That car devastated the Funny Car class when he ran it. It ran a lot of races, and it was feared by a lot of drivers.”

“Of course, my No 1 is any car raced by John Force. I’m not even sure which car specifically. You could say the Castrol car because for a lot of years there was no beating him. That just kind of goes without saying. It’s John Force.”
Don Schumacher’s Top Five Most Influential Funny Cars
June 14, 2009 by Hechtspeed · Leave a Comment
Don Schumacher’s a car owner, right? Yea, that’s what he is now. He’s got 6 full-pro NHRA drag racing teams running including his son and Top Fuel Champion Tony Schumacher.
Before that, Don Schumacher was the pilot of his “Stardust” Funny Car. Don retired from racing in 1974 to focus on his family business and it’s said, “a huge sigh of relief was heard from rivals like Gene Snow and Raymond Beadle in Texas, Pat Foster and Don Prudhomme in California and the late “Jungle Jim” Liberman in Pennsylvania.”
Known as “The Shoe” he was tearing up tracks, especially at match races and even in England where you’ll find several records he set as an ambassador for drag racing across the big pond.
Shoe won the winner of the 1972 Coca-Cola Cavalcade of Stars, the 1973 AHRA World Championship, 5 NHRA (including Indy) and 9 IHRA event titles driving his Plymouth Barracuda Funny Cars always called “Stardust”.
Don Schumacher, the driver and mega-team owner who wears all 6 team colored shirts on any given weekend is our next “Top Five Most Influential Funny Cars”
Don “The Shoe” Schumacher’s Top 5 Funny Cars
“I have to start off with “Dyno” Don Nicholson with the Mercury Comet, sponsored by Mercury. Those Mercury cars were really the first flip top Funny Cars, full fiberglass body, and chassis made by the Logghes.
Pics from 60’s funny cars
“Gary Dyer in the Mr. Norms car and Arnie Beswick with his Pontiacs. Those two were really kind of the first Funny Car people in the business. They took stock cars and cut the rear ends off from underneath them and moved the rear wheels forward. They went from injected cars to supercharged cars. They were on the match race circuit, and they really developed a lot of the Funny Car stuff over the years. I could take credit myself for a lot of that kind of stuff but my cars weren’t one of the top five Funny Cars of all time in my eyes.”
Pics from Pontiac Heaven
“The Chi Town Hustler is one of the top Funny Cars in my eyes. They really developed the smoky burnouts and that part of the sport that makes it a show.”
Pics from Keystone Bison Dragway website
“Jungle Jim Liberman. He was just the best showman of all time. If he was alive today, John Force wouldn’t be able to keep a candle lit close to him. If you want to add a sixth one you can certainly add John Force and his cars in there, but of the early Funny Cars and what developed the Funny Cars, those were the guys that developed it and did it and were the most renowned Funny Car drivers and teams in that era.
“There’s so many Funny Cars to choose from but none of them really developed to the point that these other guys did. They really had it.”
Another big thanks to Judy Stropus from Don Schumacher Racing and of course “the Shoe” himself. These stories were done during a race, so we appreciate the time.
Agree, disagree? We’ll never know unless you leave a comment.
Ed McCulloch’s Top 5 Most Influential Funny Cars
June 14, 2009 by Hechtspeed · 1 Comment
MyRideisMe.com has your Funny Car hookups! We asked 3 current NHRA superstars in funny car and top fuel what funny cars are their “Top 5″ most influential of all time, and why. Look for the Top 5 from Ed McCulloch, Ron Capps and Don Schumacher.
Let’s get started with the Napa Auto Parts funny car crew chief, Ed “Ace” McCulloch.
The “Ace” has a drag racing career stretching back more than 30 years. A socal boy living right in the middle of where hot rods and drag racing really took off. It’s no wonder he’s driven everything from top fuel to funny’s.
During those early days racing all over the country at whatever track was paying, he learned what it takes to make a nitro burning beast go fast and more importantly, win. He’s got 18 wins in funny car and another 4 in top fuel and he won at Indy 5 times.
“Ace” is truly a legend in funny car and a perfect kick off for MyRideisMe.com’s 5 Most influential Funny Cars…
Ed “Ace” McCulloch’s Top 5 Funny Cars
“Going back some years, probably ‘Jungle Jim’ Liberman would be included. He was a great showman, just a natural. When we used to match race, that was what it was all about, putting on a show. I guess one of the most influential would definitely have to be ‘Jungle Jim’ Liberman.”
“Another one would be the Blue Max, with Raymond Beadle. They were a really good group of guys on that car.”
“(Paul) Candies and (Leonard) Hughes would be one of the top ones, too. Really competitive cars. They always ran hard.”
“Even though I hate to do it, I have to put Don Prudhomme and the Army car in there because he was good in his day, won a lot of races for a long time.
“I could put five of mine in front of those four already,” he added. (note: I’m trying to get some of Ace’s private stash of pictures to post.)
“Obviously, on today’s circuit and going back in time with Austin Coil’s career and then his going on to John Force Racing, they would have to be in the top five.
“There’s probably a lot of cars there that are equally as good that I haven’t mentioned, but based on what they’ve done, the fame they earned and the way they presented themselves, those are probably my top five.”
“It depends on how you want to position this. I mean, do I think any of my time with Capps is good enough for my top five, probably not. Not yet. I’ve got a wider stretch to choose from.
“Blue Max and Jungle Jim had a lot of cars over time and they were always very dominant and had very good race cars. I can’t single it down to just one specific time frame or year or car. I’m looking at it over a period of time. As for the Snake, probably his Army car, in my opinion, was his dominant car. The rest of them it’s just what I think were influential over time.”
MyRideisMe.com thanks 70sfunnycars.com, draglist.com, monza.homestead.com, bluemaxfunnycar.com and fastmachines.com for the pictures shown.
Another big thanks to Judy Stropus from Don Schumacher Racing and her intern Leah Vaughn for getting the info out of these Funny Car legends.
What’s your top 5? Leave a comment and let us know!
Great Helmet Auction: Let The Bidding Begin!
June 2, 2009 by Hechtspeed · Leave a Comment
Professional Racers Owners Organization’s (PRO) “Great Helmet Auction”




INDIANAPOLIS, In. – On June 6, 2009, PRO’s Great Helmet Auction will go live on eBay! This 10-day auction (ends June 15th) features autographed helmets, most worn during NHRA Drag Racing competition, by stars of the sport including:
Jack Beckman
Brandon Bernstein
Kenny Bernstein
Antron Brown
Ron Capps
V. Gaines
Mike Edwards
Ashley Force-Hood
John Force
Matt Hagan
Robert Hight
Allen Johnson
Warren Johnson
Doug Kalitta
Ron Krisher
Cory McClenathan
Mike Neff
Tony Schumacher
Bob Vandergriff Jr.
Tim Wilkerson
For a full description of these driver’s helmets, including their history, photographs and a link to each helmet on eBay, visit www.GreatHelmetAuction.com.
Mark your calendars now with the following dates:
June 6 – The Great Helmet Auction begins on eBay.
June 15 – Last day to bid and win!
June 16 – Helmet winners announced.
Winning bids benefit PRO, an organization that provides services and other benefits to professional drag racing team owners and drivers, with a portion of proceeds to benefit Racers for Christ (Team RFC), which has serviced NHRA for over 25 years.




Ashley Force Hood Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
May 8, 2009 by Hechtspeed · Leave a Comment
MyRideisMe.com is a big fan of John Force and John Force Racing. Combine that with the idea that we’ll help worthy causes and this is a win-win.
This food drive is Saturday, May 9th, so help out any way you can.
John Force Racing Press Release:
ASHLEY FORCE HOOD ASKS FANS TO JOIN HER AND STAMP OUT HUNGER
YORBA LINDA, CA (May 7, 2009) — NHRA Funny Car superstar and 2007 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future winner Ashley Force Hood would like fans to join her in helping “Stamp Out Hunger.”
Please join her in the fight to end hunger on Saturday, May 9, 2009, by leaving non-perishable food donations in a bag next to your mailbox for your letter carrier. Stamp Out Hunger is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. Last year, over 73 million pounds of food were donated to food banks.
“I found info about the Stamp Out Hunger event in a magazine a few days ago and jotted it down in my organizer since it’s such a simple thing to do and yet a very important cause. When I got to work I emailed it to a couple of close friends and then realized I should just send it out to every person I’m in contact with so I hit pretty much my whole email list which includes racers, family and friends from all over the country,” said Force Hood. “It’s a small act of kindness but when a lot of people do a small act it makes a big impact on those in need.”
In addition to Saturday’s national program Ashley Force Hood as well as John Force Racing are partnering with the Orange County Food Bank on a monthly basis with their wildly popular Cruise Night Car Show events.
“John Force Racing is also involved with the Orange County Food Bank during our Cruise Night Car Shows at our shop in Yorba Linda. People from all different places and backgrounds come together for some fun and donate to one common cause while they’re at it.”
The first John Force Racing Cruise Night Car Show brought in 550 cans of food for the OC Food Bank. The next event is scheduled for Saturday, May 30th from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. and the goal is to greatly exceed the April events total.
The Stamp Out Hunger event was created by the National Association of Letter Carriers, in conjunction with Feeding America, and is sponsored by Campbell Soup Company and the United States Postal Service.
Learn more at www.HelpStampOutHunger.com . Learn more about John Force Racing Cruise Night Car Shows at www.johnforceracing.com and click on JFR events.
Somebody tell us about the cruise night. Good? Bad? Nice cars? John’s a riot?? Let us know…





























