[coverattach=1](3-4-2009) RIDGEWOOD, New York – One of the most highly anticipated drag racing seasons is now upon us, and it’s time for the entire racing community to put up or shut up. The American Drag Racing League’s Pro Nitrous division will be strewn with more purpose-built race cars than it has ever seen before, leaving it up to the drivers and crew chiefs to make the best decisions on race day as the cars are closer than ever in terms of performance.
Just off a strong comeback season in 2008, the dynamic duo of Mike Castellana and Shannon “The Iceman” Jenkins look to make their presence known right out of the gate, and set the tone for what is to come in 2009.
This year, however, it won’t just be New York and Alabama’s finest representing Speedtech Nitrous and AWESOME Al Anabi Racing; it’ll be a joint-effort that also includes world champion caliber racer “Tricky” Rickie Smith, Arabian Gulf Region standout K.A. Balooshi and wiry veteran Burton Auxier.
Just off an impressive comeback season that saw many ups and downs for the world’s most prominent nitrous racers, Castellana, Jenkins, Smith, Balooshi and Auxier are confident going into the first race of the National Guard ADRL season.
[coverattach=2]“We’d like to start the season off with a team of consistent race cars,” said Jenkins, driver of the SPEEDTECH Nitrous/AWESOME Al Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro. “Performance is obviously going to play a critical role, especially considering all the new and fast cars we’ve seen show up over the off season, but I’m looking for consistency and completed runs to be the name of the game. The harder we push these Pro Nitrous cars the more finicky they get, so it’s going to get interesting. I’m looking for there to be five AWESOME Al Anabi Racing cars in the field, and all of them going rounds.”
Considering the sheer quantity of cars in the AWESOME Al Anabi Racing camp, it’s easy to believe they have a clear advantage over the competition in terms of data and runs, but the truth of the matter is that five race cars, actually five different race cars, means nothing more than five unique problems to solve on race day.
“Each of these cars has their own personality,” continued Jenkins. “You have to give each of them what they want, and what one really likes might not get you 10-feet off the starting line with another car. We believe that all the combined information here is definitely an advantage, and the combined knowledge and talent that is present on this AWESOME Al Anabi Racing team is undeniable, but it’s not quite like having a stable of identical Nitro Funny Cars or Top Fuel Dragsters.”
[coverattach=3]Known best for his tuning prowess and race day gamesmanship, “Tricky” Rickie Smith will be a critical part of the problem solving within AWESOME Al Anabi Racing in 2009, and he hopes to be able to leverage his many years of experience in Pro Modified style drag racing this weekend in Houston to put at least one team car in the final – if not two.
“We really want to start this season off on the right foot,” said Smith, who will be piloting a brand new ’68 Pontiac Firebird this weekend in Houston. “I’m bringing in a completely new car for this race, but I hope to make a few test passes prior to qualifying. We’ve got a whole slew of proven cars, though, and as hard as everyone is running, we know that we have to come out here with guns blazing. I’m really looking forward to getting out in front of a big crowd and putting on a good show. Kenny [Nowling, ADRL president and CEO] has given us a great place to race, and I think we’re going to have a great race on our hands this weekend.”
Arriving just one day prior to the event all the way from Doha, Qatar will be the Arabian Gulf Region drag racing superstar K.A. Balooshi. Balooshi will also debut a brand new fly-weight Pro Nitrous ’68 Camaro at this weekend’s ADRL Dragpalooza V, and is an obvious contender to break into the 3.8-second zone along with his entire AWESOME Al Anabi Racing team – which the team feels is a critical accomplishment.
[coverattach=4]World champion driver Mike Castellana, driver of the AWESOME Al Anabi Racing/Western Beef ’68 Pontiac Firebird, proved to be as excited as anyone for this weekend’s festivities.
“This is definitely going to be a barn-burner,” he said. “We’ll be spending a good portion of the first part of the season waiting on a few new cars and to break out our new Reher-Morrison/SPEEDTECH Nitrous engine program, but I’m confident that we currently have the power and the personnel to compete and win at any level. We are all fans of the no-holds-barred racing the ADRL has to offer and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to see a return on our investment of sweat equity this weekend in Houston.”
Prior to climbing into his SPEEDTECH Nitrous-equipped ’68 Camaro for a testing pass, Shannon “The Iceman” Jenkins made note of one particular goal for Houston Raceway Park this weekend.
“We’ve got the power and the cars to run 3.80s, and that’s what we intend to do this weekend. No question about it.”
Just off a strong comeback season in 2008, the dynamic duo of Mike Castellana and Shannon “The Iceman” Jenkins look to make their presence known right out of the gate, and set the tone for what is to come in 2009.
This year, however, it won’t just be New York and Alabama’s finest representing Speedtech Nitrous and AWESOME Al Anabi Racing; it’ll be a joint-effort that also includes world champion caliber racer “Tricky” Rickie Smith, Arabian Gulf Region standout K.A. Balooshi and wiry veteran Burton Auxier.
Just off an impressive comeback season that saw many ups and downs for the world’s most prominent nitrous racers, Castellana, Jenkins, Smith, Balooshi and Auxier are confident going into the first race of the National Guard ADRL season.
[coverattach=2]“We’d like to start the season off with a team of consistent race cars,” said Jenkins, driver of the SPEEDTECH Nitrous/AWESOME Al Anabi Racing ’68 Camaro. “Performance is obviously going to play a critical role, especially considering all the new and fast cars we’ve seen show up over the off season, but I’m looking for consistency and completed runs to be the name of the game. The harder we push these Pro Nitrous cars the more finicky they get, so it’s going to get interesting. I’m looking for there to be five AWESOME Al Anabi Racing cars in the field, and all of them going rounds.”
Considering the sheer quantity of cars in the AWESOME Al Anabi Racing camp, it’s easy to believe they have a clear advantage over the competition in terms of data and runs, but the truth of the matter is that five race cars, actually five different race cars, means nothing more than five unique problems to solve on race day.
“Each of these cars has their own personality,” continued Jenkins. “You have to give each of them what they want, and what one really likes might not get you 10-feet off the starting line with another car. We believe that all the combined information here is definitely an advantage, and the combined knowledge and talent that is present on this AWESOME Al Anabi Racing team is undeniable, but it’s not quite like having a stable of identical Nitro Funny Cars or Top Fuel Dragsters.”
[coverattach=3]Known best for his tuning prowess and race day gamesmanship, “Tricky” Rickie Smith will be a critical part of the problem solving within AWESOME Al Anabi Racing in 2009, and he hopes to be able to leverage his many years of experience in Pro Modified style drag racing this weekend in Houston to put at least one team car in the final – if not two.
“We really want to start this season off on the right foot,” said Smith, who will be piloting a brand new ’68 Pontiac Firebird this weekend in Houston. “I’m bringing in a completely new car for this race, but I hope to make a few test passes prior to qualifying. We’ve got a whole slew of proven cars, though, and as hard as everyone is running, we know that we have to come out here with guns blazing. I’m really looking forward to getting out in front of a big crowd and putting on a good show. Kenny [Nowling, ADRL president and CEO] has given us a great place to race, and I think we’re going to have a great race on our hands this weekend.”
Arriving just one day prior to the event all the way from Doha, Qatar will be the Arabian Gulf Region drag racing superstar K.A. Balooshi. Balooshi will also debut a brand new fly-weight Pro Nitrous ’68 Camaro at this weekend’s ADRL Dragpalooza V, and is an obvious contender to break into the 3.8-second zone along with his entire AWESOME Al Anabi Racing team – which the team feels is a critical accomplishment.
[coverattach=4]World champion driver Mike Castellana, driver of the AWESOME Al Anabi Racing/Western Beef ’68 Pontiac Firebird, proved to be as excited as anyone for this weekend’s festivities.
“This is definitely going to be a barn-burner,” he said. “We’ll be spending a good portion of the first part of the season waiting on a few new cars and to break out our new Reher-Morrison/SPEEDTECH Nitrous engine program, but I’m confident that we currently have the power and the personnel to compete and win at any level. We are all fans of the no-holds-barred racing the ADRL has to offer and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to see a return on our investment of sweat equity this weekend in Houston.”
Prior to climbing into his SPEEDTECH Nitrous-equipped ’68 Camaro for a testing pass, Shannon “The Iceman” Jenkins made note of one particular goal for Houston Raceway Park this weekend.
“We’ve got the power and the cars to run 3.80s, and that’s what we intend to do this weekend. No question about it.”
