A few months ago, Van Abernethy did an interview with Chris Rini, which would later be published in Drag Illustrated, just 24-hours after U.S. Airways Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River with him onboard. One of 155 people on the jetliner, all who survived, took the time to send us over a link from the interview he did with ESPN following the incident. 

While a regular in the Top Sportsman ranks, Rini is equally well-known on the East Coast for his participation in the Carolina's numerous heads-up programs. 

Some may have said that Rini used up all his luck on that Airbus 320 above the Hudson, but he's proven early in the season that his luck was actually just beginning in January as he's racked up three wins in the most competitive heads up arenas on the East Coast including Big Dog, Top Dawg, and Mad Dog competition. 

Here is the video!

Our dear friend and once a cover-star of Drag Illustrated, Alexis Dejoria, suffered one of the most intense high-speed accidents we've seen in recent years. Surely the efforts made my Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey following the death of Scott Kalitta in a similar accident are responsible for the life-saving catch-net system that was installed this year at Raceway Park. 

Alexis let us know by text-message that she was okay following the accident. We hope to see her and the Patron Tequila Top Alcohol Funny Car back out on the track soon. 

We recently issued this press release on our partnership with ORSCA. Personally, I’m stoked to put Drag Illustrated in the hands of hundreds of real drag racers. It couldn’t have worked out better. Here are the details…

ORSCA ANNOUNCES NEW MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

(1-14-2009) CLERMONT, GEORGIA – In its ongoing effort to protect the integrity of the racing series, grow the sport of outlaw drag racing and provide exciting opportunities for grassroots and sportsman level drag racers, ORSCA is excited to announce that it has secured a new voluntary benefit program for its members through Drag Illustrated to provide year-long race series coverage and support, along with a new membership incentive providing a 12-month subscription to Drag Illustrated as part of their membership package.

Current ORSCA members and those intending to join the fast-growing street car organization can both expect to be included in this new program, keeping racers from enduring any out-of-pocket expenses, all the while enjoying the fruits of their racing labor on the pages of Drag Illustrated.

 

“We hope this new benefit offered through membership to ORSCA can bring a little excitement and some well-deserved publicity to our active members,” said Todd Berry. “We know how hard each and every one of our racers and their crews work each weekend to keep their championship caliber cars running, how much it costs to do this – especially at this level – and we hope that seeing our racers and races on the pages of a magazine like Drag Illustrated with a massive reach and world-wide reputation can add a little bit to the entire ORSCA experience.”

 

“ORSCA has long set the standard for 10.5-tire racing and they’ve quickly become one of the prominent heads up organizations in all of drag racing,” said Drag Illustrated Editor/Publisher Wesley Buck. “And in today’s world of rising costs – in every aspect of life – it’s our pleasure to work with the organization to put a copy of Drag Illustrated in every member’s hands on a monthly basis at no additional charge to the racers. Obviously, we’re also excited to continue featuring ORSCA racers and events on the pages of Drag Illustrated, growing the great relationship we’ve enjoyed for the last three years.”

 

ORSCA memberships can be purchased through the organization’s website at www.outlawracing.com or by contacting ORSCA President Johnny Fenn at Johnny@outlawracing.com .

 

Visit the Outlaw Racing Street Car Association Online at www.outlawracing.com and find out more about Drag Illustrated by logging onto www.dragillustrated.com

Unfortunately, it’s been a very, very long time since I’ve had the time or even been able to think about posting on my blog in any sort of regular fashion. On the heels of, quite possibly, the biggest tragedy in the recent history of drag racing, the passing of Scott Kalitta, essentially took the wind out of the entire sport. From racers and fans to the journalists and photographers who cover the events, it was a sobering experience and surely took the wind out of many sails last June.

 

Regardless, I’m back and feeling better than ever. I’m going to break out tomorrow with some regular posts on various topics.

 

Thanks for checking in. Hope I haven’t lost all of you.

 

Scott Kalitta, 46, was killed during the 3rd round of qualifying at the NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, New Jersey when his Toyota Solara Nitro Funny Car went off the end of the track and collided with a concrete barrier past the sand-trap.

Kalitta has long been known as one of the most talented, seat-of-the-pants driver in all of drag racing. Everyone here at Drag Illustrated has the Kalitta family in our thoughts and prayers while they endure this terrible hardship. There aren't words that can describe the loss of a friend or family, let alone one of the most prolific drivers in the history of this sport.

God Speed, Scott. We'll never forget you. Keep Connie and the rest of the Kalitta team in your thoughts this race-day.

W

I've got to give props to my friend Nathan Lawson who, in his first time competing at the drag strip, won the STREET/Trophy class at U.S. 36 Raceway. Lawson, who's local to Kirksville, MO, has run his '01 Ford Mustang Cobra a handful of times in Test-n-Tune, has never actually entered a drag race at the track. This was his first exposure to bracket racing and for a kid who came into his first race without making any time runs, guessed his dial after asking me, "What the f&#* is a dial-in?" earlier tonight - I couldn't be more impressed. Good job, bro.

Nate won when his opponent broke-out in the final. Nate came strolling up to the tower saying, "Man, they said to come up here and get my trophy. They said I won. They said I won cause the other guy broke out. What the f&#* does 'broke out' mean?"

I guess I should have done a better job teaching him.

W

Well, tonight we took the "Goldie Locks" out for her on-track debut at the crown jewel of drag strips in Missouri, U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn - after being rained out at Eddyville Raceway Park in Iowa last night (Friday).

We were running a little behind, a product of trying to organize 5 trucks/trailers and travel together, but we weren't too concerned as U.S. 36 is notorious for late start times as the local crowd prefers night racing. Knocking out the 130 mile trip in well under 2-hours, we arrived at the track at 8:30pm. Sounds crazy, eh? Well, they were just starting the first round of racing. They run a handful of classes, but all of the cars we brought fit perfectly into the STREET category. We all bought our tech cards and headed to the pits.

My dear friend Mike Franks, owner of U.S. 36 Raceway, came over and welcomed us to his pride-and-joy race track, but not before informing us that we needed to get to the staging lanes, guess at a dial-in and hope for the best cause they were preparing for the 1st round of eliminations.

To make a long story short, I actually won the first round - guessed on my dial - 8.20 and ran a 8.31 without nitrous and a 2.13-sixty foot. Next round I lucked out and had the bye, and tried a nitrous pass cause that's what I came for. I'm not against racing, but this was my first time out with the car and I wanted to make as many runs as possible - just to get a baseline and go from there. The semi-finals roll around and I've got the local "hitter" this time. Unfortunately, my .001 reaction time couldn't save me from an inevitable breakout run of 7.39 at 101mph - I dialed a 7.42.

I ended up making 4 passes total, the 7.39/101mph lap being the best of the evening. Having never made a run on these Mickey Thompson E/T Drag Radials (315/35/17), I wasn't sure how the car would work on the starting line. We were all across the board on air-pressure, but had the best luck at 16psi. The first three runs the car bogged the motor down terribly when I let the clutch out regardless of how high (RPM wise) that I left even though we added a pound of air with every pass. The last/best pass the car actually spun a little, 1.98-sixty foot, but we needed the wheelspeed.

Special thanks to Speedtech Nitrous who hooked me up with a killer street setup which we had jetted at 150hp, to Mickey Thompson tires for a high-quality tire, Buck Bros. Auto & High Performance for their hard work helping me get the car ready and my brother Brad who has helped me a ton on the car. Not to mention, all my friends who came over to help - Sean, Tugboat, Billy, Katie, Ryan and Nate.