[coverattach=1]Harrod, OH - May 5, 2009 – It’s no secret to anyone who has paid attention over the last several decades that the name Elrod is synonymous with great success in numerous sportsman classes. Multi-Time World Champion, Dave Elrod, set the pace many years ago that he and his team continue today.
Team driver, Tony Elrod continued the outstanding prosperity for the team this past weekend as he grabbed not just one but two Iron Man victories during the IHRA double division event at Thompson Raceway Park in Thompson, Ohio. While any driver will tell you that just one win in a weekend is exciting, two is amazing and Tony’s were even extra special for the team as well as personal achievement.
The first of those two IHRA division wins came in Super Rod during the first race of the double weekend. Not only is the 2002 Suncoast Corvette roadster, which Tony drove to the win, a brand new car for the Elrod Racing team in 2009 but also Tony’s first win in the Super Rod class in his first attempt, nonetheless.
“This car had only been down the track for just a couple of times in testing for us prior to this weekend, so to come out with a new car on a new track and have it run the way it did was great,” Tony noted.
Saturday’s race, however, was plagued with bouts from Mother Nature. From the deluge that fell over the NE Ohio track in the days and evening prior to the event added to the chilly nighttime temperatures was a recipe that eventually caused the officials to put the remaining elimination rounds on hold until Sunday morning.
“I don’t like having to stop when I’m on a roll like that,” Tony said in reference to the postponement of Saturday’s race. “But second round I got out of shape bad. I think I’m a pretty good driver so when I go toward the wall and have to let out of it, the track is getting pretty bad. Due to the conditions, the track was just really going away. Our cars hook and they go straight so when it’s gets like that where we have to lift, it’s time to call it a night and do it the next day.”
And do it, indeed he did.
Tony went on to wrap up the race Sunday morning by making it to the final and coming out on the better side of a double breakout over John Kellogg by .014, to take the victory.
With only a few moments to enjoy the win, Elrod reloaded and geared up for race number two.
While he had some continued success racking up precious points during Sunday’s event in the Super Rod entry, this race would find Elrod poised for the destiny that had seemingly eluded him in seasons past, a victory in Top Dragster.
“At the start of Sunday’s race, I was hoping to come out of there with three wins but the Super Rod car kinda got away from me when it picked up a little bit extra and I just took too much of the finish line,” said Tony.
“The Top Dragster was just dead on the number all day and I was making it happen at the stripe,” he continued. “I took my dad’s (Dave Elrod) advice when I got the bye into the final and just took it easy, saving on parts and keeping the oil warm. When it came to the final, I just treated it like any other round. The car had been running sixty-two’s all weekend. I put a sixty-three on it, just in case we had a little spin or something.”
Speaking of his final round opponent, Randy Scheuer Jr., Elrod was certainly up to the task. “I really wanted to beat Randy. He’s a good driver and I just wanted that one pretty bad.”
Since Elrod is no stranger to making a Top Dragster final many may find it surprising that this was his very first win in the class. “I’ve been runner-up a whole bunch of times and won many Quick 16 events but to finally win in Top Dragster just feels like a long time coming. It’s so great to be able to get the win for our team and our sponsors.”
The Top Dragster win was the exclamation point on the weekend for the entire team. Tony had yet another double-oh light in the final and played the stripe to achieve his first victory in the class.
Although the cars, and sometimes the classes they compete in, may change, the numerous notches in the win column are undeniably the result of hard work and the products the team utilizes in each of their entries.
“You have to attribute the success to the people who put the cars together,” stated team owner/driver Dave Elrod. “When you get Abruzzi taking care of your transmissions and Par Racing Engines lubricated with Mobil 1 high performance lubricants, having exceptional protection for our high RPM engines, you know what you are going to get each round, consistency. Add a Quick Fuel carburetor to manage the Sunoco Race Fuel, putting the power down on the Hoosier Tires, that's when you have a winning combination. Anyone can have the type of performance results we do; you just have to run the right products. Our combinations will run in any kind of air and we proved that this weekend.”
“Because we use all the products we do, the cars were just flawless,” he continued. “Although the track was at times a little tricky, Tony just drove both cars really well. He took what was given to him, added his talent and made it happen.”
Looking for the same results from your race car? All you have to do is run the proven combination of products from the following fine partners of Dave Elrod Racing!
Sunoco, Bazell Race Fuels, Mobil 1, Abruzzi Transmissions, Moser Engineering, Hoosier Racing Tire, Milodon Inc., Quick Fuel Technologies, TCI Automotive, PAR Performance.
For more information on DER visit – DER-Dave Elrod Racing, Drag Racing
Team driver, Tony Elrod continued the outstanding prosperity for the team this past weekend as he grabbed not just one but two Iron Man victories during the IHRA double division event at Thompson Raceway Park in Thompson, Ohio. While any driver will tell you that just one win in a weekend is exciting, two is amazing and Tony’s were even extra special for the team as well as personal achievement.
The first of those two IHRA division wins came in Super Rod during the first race of the double weekend. Not only is the 2002 Suncoast Corvette roadster, which Tony drove to the win, a brand new car for the Elrod Racing team in 2009 but also Tony’s first win in the Super Rod class in his first attempt, nonetheless.
“This car had only been down the track for just a couple of times in testing for us prior to this weekend, so to come out with a new car on a new track and have it run the way it did was great,” Tony noted.
Saturday’s race, however, was plagued with bouts from Mother Nature. From the deluge that fell over the NE Ohio track in the days and evening prior to the event added to the chilly nighttime temperatures was a recipe that eventually caused the officials to put the remaining elimination rounds on hold until Sunday morning.
“I don’t like having to stop when I’m on a roll like that,” Tony said in reference to the postponement of Saturday’s race. “But second round I got out of shape bad. I think I’m a pretty good driver so when I go toward the wall and have to let out of it, the track is getting pretty bad. Due to the conditions, the track was just really going away. Our cars hook and they go straight so when it’s gets like that where we have to lift, it’s time to call it a night and do it the next day.”
And do it, indeed he did.
Tony went on to wrap up the race Sunday morning by making it to the final and coming out on the better side of a double breakout over John Kellogg by .014, to take the victory.
With only a few moments to enjoy the win, Elrod reloaded and geared up for race number two.
While he had some continued success racking up precious points during Sunday’s event in the Super Rod entry, this race would find Elrod poised for the destiny that had seemingly eluded him in seasons past, a victory in Top Dragster.
“At the start of Sunday’s race, I was hoping to come out of there with three wins but the Super Rod car kinda got away from me when it picked up a little bit extra and I just took too much of the finish line,” said Tony.
“The Top Dragster was just dead on the number all day and I was making it happen at the stripe,” he continued. “I took my dad’s (Dave Elrod) advice when I got the bye into the final and just took it easy, saving on parts and keeping the oil warm. When it came to the final, I just treated it like any other round. The car had been running sixty-two’s all weekend. I put a sixty-three on it, just in case we had a little spin or something.”
Speaking of his final round opponent, Randy Scheuer Jr., Elrod was certainly up to the task. “I really wanted to beat Randy. He’s a good driver and I just wanted that one pretty bad.”
Since Elrod is no stranger to making a Top Dragster final many may find it surprising that this was his very first win in the class. “I’ve been runner-up a whole bunch of times and won many Quick 16 events but to finally win in Top Dragster just feels like a long time coming. It’s so great to be able to get the win for our team and our sponsors.”
The Top Dragster win was the exclamation point on the weekend for the entire team. Tony had yet another double-oh light in the final and played the stripe to achieve his first victory in the class.
Although the cars, and sometimes the classes they compete in, may change, the numerous notches in the win column are undeniably the result of hard work and the products the team utilizes in each of their entries.
“You have to attribute the success to the people who put the cars together,” stated team owner/driver Dave Elrod. “When you get Abruzzi taking care of your transmissions and Par Racing Engines lubricated with Mobil 1 high performance lubricants, having exceptional protection for our high RPM engines, you know what you are going to get each round, consistency. Add a Quick Fuel carburetor to manage the Sunoco Race Fuel, putting the power down on the Hoosier Tires, that's when you have a winning combination. Anyone can have the type of performance results we do; you just have to run the right products. Our combinations will run in any kind of air and we proved that this weekend.”
“Because we use all the products we do, the cars were just flawless,” he continued. “Although the track was at times a little tricky, Tony just drove both cars really well. He took what was given to him, added his talent and made it happen.”
Looking for the same results from your race car? All you have to do is run the proven combination of products from the following fine partners of Dave Elrod Racing!
Sunoco, Bazell Race Fuels, Mobil 1, Abruzzi Transmissions, Moser Engineering, Hoosier Racing Tire, Milodon Inc., Quick Fuel Technologies, TCI Automotive, PAR Performance.
For more information on DER visit – DER-Dave Elrod Racing, Drag Racing
![Tony wins2 Thmp 5-09 SR[1].jpg](/data/attachments/0/381-83480ed6ae4df68a3faa0bf0a0dad35c.jpg)
