I was a little disappointed in the lack of coverage and exposure that the Top Alcohol categories receive. As a journalist and top alcohol fan, I decided to start a blog/news site to give fans, drivers, and crew members a place to check in on the latest news, interviews, and points standings. I also found it difficult to find Top Alcohol teams' websites, so I include links to all TA teams that have websites. Now you can find all of this on other sites, but you'll have to dig through articles and such about other classes. Top Alcohol News is streamlined and features strictly TA material.
I have big plans for Top Alcohol News, which I plan to carry out throughout the year. One of the big ones is to interview many of the drivers in the TA categories. Many times, the champions are the only TA drivers that are interviewed in the media. Through my experiences as a top alcohol race team crew member, I've had the pleasure to meet and get to know several of the drivers and I think the average fan should get a glimpse of the great personalities in Top Alcohol racing.
As mentioned earlier, Top Alcohol News will feature news, press releases, interviews, and multimedia throughout the season. We'll also update the points standings after each race, whether it's a divisional or national event. I'm constantly coming up with ideas for the site, so you'll never know what you'll find.
Please check out Top Alcohol News for the latest in TA news. Whether you're a drag racing fan that loves the category, or you're new to the class, I guarantee you'll have fun and learn something during your visit. It's always growing and improving, so check it out often.
Thanks for reading!
Nitro Nate
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
How to get started in Junior Drag Racing
After posting yesterday's blog about my crew experiences, a few readers have asked me about Junior Dragsters and how to get started. I have a few years experience with a Jr team, so I consider myself to be rather knowledgable on the topic, but I'll use a couple sites I like to use.
At many NHRA Junior Drag Racing League tracks, there are 3 age groups; 8-9, 10-12, and 13-17. The first group is restricted to running no quicker than 12.90 E.T.'s, 10-12 can run no quicker than 8.90, and 13-17 is restricted to 7.90 seconds. Some tracks run all age groups in one class, while others use the three seperate classes for the age groups, but the restrictions are in place in both instances. Junior Drag Racing uses the handicap system, so everyone is even.
Steve, to answer your first question, one of the best ways to get started in Jr. Drag Racing is to visit your local track that has a Jr. program during a Saturday points race. Many of the parents will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. Make sure you bring your child that is interested in driving, so they can get up close with the cars. They may even get the chance to sit in the car, to be sure that they're comfortable in the race car. Call or email your local track to find out when they run the Jr. Dragsters, as it can vary between tracks. My home track, Norwalk, starts Jr. time trials around 9 and the last car is usually down the track by 1:30. The NHRA JDRL has a nice page about getting started, they cover some things I might have missed. How To Get Started JDRL site
The cost of Junior Drag Racing varies widely, depending on what age group you will be racing in, if you buy a new or used car, etc. I know a family that was able to buy a complete 7.90 race car with spare parts for $4,000, used. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can spend over $10,000 just on a brand new rolling chassis, without an engine. A great classified site that we like to look around is Racing Junk. Here, you can find hundreds of listings, from parts to complete cars.
Junior Drag Racing parents and even drivers are always very courteous and willing to help, especially when it comes to newcomers. A really fantastic forum that I participate in is Jr Dragster Plus, which includes several sections, like Classifieds and Tech help. You can get a free profile, allowing you to post and comment in all of the sections. Post your questions in any of the sections and you can expect at least one response within a day.
A great opportunity to learn for both the parent and the driver is to go to a driving school. There are only a few schools that offer Jr. Dragster lessons, and Doug Foley's Drag Racing School is one of the best. Not only will they teach the driver how to drive, they also teach the parents how the car should run and how to tune it. For $800-1,000, you'll get lessons both in the classroom and on the track. Your child will get to make a few passes in the car, after learning all of the essentials. They also offer several other courses and "experiences" in different classes. Visit their website here.
I've covered the basic essentials that you'll need to know to get started in Jr. Drag Racing. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. You can also contact any of the sources that I included, they can also be a big help. Good luck!
Thanks for reading!
Nitro Nate
At many NHRA Junior Drag Racing League tracks, there are 3 age groups; 8-9, 10-12, and 13-17. The first group is restricted to running no quicker than 12.90 E.T.'s, 10-12 can run no quicker than 8.90, and 13-17 is restricted to 7.90 seconds. Some tracks run all age groups in one class, while others use the three seperate classes for the age groups, but the restrictions are in place in both instances. Junior Drag Racing uses the handicap system, so everyone is even.
Steve, to answer your first question, one of the best ways to get started in Jr. Drag Racing is to visit your local track that has a Jr. program during a Saturday points race. Many of the parents will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. Make sure you bring your child that is interested in driving, so they can get up close with the cars. They may even get the chance to sit in the car, to be sure that they're comfortable in the race car. Call or email your local track to find out when they run the Jr. Dragsters, as it can vary between tracks. My home track, Norwalk, starts Jr. time trials around 9 and the last car is usually down the track by 1:30. The NHRA JDRL has a nice page about getting started, they cover some things I might have missed. How To Get Started JDRL site
The cost of Junior Drag Racing varies widely, depending on what age group you will be racing in, if you buy a new or used car, etc. I know a family that was able to buy a complete 7.90 race car with spare parts for $4,000, used. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can spend over $10,000 just on a brand new rolling chassis, without an engine. A great classified site that we like to look around is Racing Junk. Here, you can find hundreds of listings, from parts to complete cars.
Junior Drag Racing parents and even drivers are always very courteous and willing to help, especially when it comes to newcomers. A really fantastic forum that I participate in is Jr Dragster Plus, which includes several sections, like Classifieds and Tech help. You can get a free profile, allowing you to post and comment in all of the sections. Post your questions in any of the sections and you can expect at least one response within a day.
A great opportunity to learn for both the parent and the driver is to go to a driving school. There are only a few schools that offer Jr. Dragster lessons, and Doug Foley's Drag Racing School is one of the best. Not only will they teach the driver how to drive, they also teach the parents how the car should run and how to tune it. For $800-1,000, you'll get lessons both in the classroom and on the track. Your child will get to make a few passes in the car, after learning all of the essentials. They also offer several other courses and "experiences" in different classes. Visit their website here.
I've covered the basic essentials that you'll need to know to get started in Jr. Drag Racing. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. You can also contact any of the sources that I included, they can also be a big help. Good luck!
Thanks for reading!
Nitro Nate
Thursday, July 21, 2011
My Crewing History
Many of you know that I'm a crew member on a few race teams. What you probably don't know is how I got into working on 3,000 horsepower race cars. I think it's a pretty cool story, so I'm writing this blog about it. Who knows, maybe you'll find yourself wanting to crew after reading.
Over the winter of 2009/2010, I found myself wanting to get more involved in the sport, more than just a fan in the stands. I really wanted to write for a magazine, but you don't get that kinda gig overnight. My friend had just bought a Junior Dragster and "hired" me to be a part of his crew. Because of this connection, I began doing the Jr. Dragster reporting for Summit Motorsports Park, a job I'd have for the 2010 season. This experience will pop up later in this story......
After talking with several Pro drivers like Mike Edwards and Bob Bode, I learned that the best way to get involved with the sport is to help a local race team, or a Top Alcohol team in my case. I began talks with a now-defunct local TAFC team about helping them at the Norwalk divisional. Everything was set, until three days before the event, when the driver/owner informed me that they wouldn't be competing. This left me in a difficult position. I quickly fired off an email to the Division 3, asking for an entry list for the event so I would know who else might need help. I found one of the TAD drivers, Brandon Booher, on Facebook and asked if he needed an extra hand. Luckily for me, he did.
My dad and I worked with Brandon and his all-volunteer crew for the weekend, where we both learned a lot! My dad was really there just to make sure I was safe with the team, as we had never met and I was still a bit young. He ended up doing a lot more than he expected. We really enjoyed ourselves, so we made plans to help them at the Norwalk national event as well.
If you think you have fun at a national event as fans/spectators, try attending one as a crew member! It's a great experience, one that I'll never forget. As far as racing, the team did OK, but nothing really extraordinary. We qualified somewhere between 9-13, won first round over Jared Dreher, then lost to my future PR client, Darren Nicholson. But during that weekend, I got started in something that I never thought of, something that surely changed my life. Brandon asked if I'd be interested in doing his Public Relations work for him. He had seen my writing on the SMP site and was impressed. So in a way, Brandon is responsible for the madness that is NVW Motorsports Promotion.
Fast forward to the 2010 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. My dad and I were there as crew members with Booher Racing again and I was doing PR for the 1999 winner of the event in TAD, Darren Nicholson. This was my first out of state race, so also my first time at the prestigious race. The "Big Go" is truly big. The best of the best in drag racing are racing there, and they bring their A-game. The Top Alcohol categories had over 25 entries and TAD had one of it's closest fields in the history of the class. Thus, we failed to qualify. The event wasn't a total loss, as we had fun, learned a lot, and Darren ended up going to the semi-finals.
As a crew member, I've had to chance to meet some very cool people. Just recently, I got to watch the Funny Car qualifying at Norwalk between team owners and legends, Don Schumacher and Jim Dunn. In the Booher pit area, I got to sit in on a 15 minute BS'ing session with several Top Alcohol drivers, including Frank Manzo and Mike Kosky, two of the best storytellers in drag racing. I got to stand on the line when John and Ashley Force raced each other at the 2010 Night Under Fire, right between the cars. (John and Ashley Force at 2010 NUFHere's a link to my video of the run). These are experiences that the everyday fan just doesn't get.
I'm now in my second season as a part time crew member with the AB Construction Top Alcohol Dragster team. I've also helped Cathy Belcher's Pro Ectreme team at the Norwalk ADRL event. And for a change of pace, I'm in my second season as assistant crew chief on Jacob Parker's JDP Motorsports/K&N Filters Junior Dragster. On a side note-Junior Drag Racing is the most fun you can have with a single cylinder engine. If you have son or daughter within Jr Dragster age that is into racing and you have the financial resources, I highly recommend getting into the sport, it is so choice (as Ferris Bueller would say). Working with a race team is easily the best way to involve yourself in the sport, without actually owning or driving a car. Todd Okuhara, crew chief for the Spencer Massey-driven Fram Top Fuel car, started out as a low ranking crew member, doing the dirty jobs that no one else would do. Now he's calling the shots on an 8,000+ HP engine. It's my dream to move up the ranks like he did.
I hope this blog post has inspired you to get more involved with our amazing sport. You'll never regret in and I guarantee you'll have a ton of fun. I really appreciate all of my readers and their comments, so let me know how you like the blog. If you really enjoy it, pass it along to your friends.
Thanks for reading!
Nitro Nate
Over the winter of 2009/2010, I found myself wanting to get more involved in the sport, more than just a fan in the stands. I really wanted to write for a magazine, but you don't get that kinda gig overnight. My friend had just bought a Junior Dragster and "hired" me to be a part of his crew. Because of this connection, I began doing the Jr. Dragster reporting for Summit Motorsports Park, a job I'd have for the 2010 season. This experience will pop up later in this story......
After talking with several Pro drivers like Mike Edwards and Bob Bode, I learned that the best way to get involved with the sport is to help a local race team, or a Top Alcohol team in my case. I began talks with a now-defunct local TAFC team about helping them at the Norwalk divisional. Everything was set, until three days before the event, when the driver/owner informed me that they wouldn't be competing. This left me in a difficult position. I quickly fired off an email to the Division 3, asking for an entry list for the event so I would know who else might need help. I found one of the TAD drivers, Brandon Booher, on Facebook and asked if he needed an extra hand. Luckily for me, he did.
My dad and I worked with Brandon and his all-volunteer crew for the weekend, where we both learned a lot! My dad was really there just to make sure I was safe with the team, as we had never met and I was still a bit young. He ended up doing a lot more than he expected. We really enjoyed ourselves, so we made plans to help them at the Norwalk national event as well.
If you think you have fun at a national event as fans/spectators, try attending one as a crew member! It's a great experience, one that I'll never forget. As far as racing, the team did OK, but nothing really extraordinary. We qualified somewhere between 9-13, won first round over Jared Dreher, then lost to my future PR client, Darren Nicholson. But during that weekend, I got started in something that I never thought of, something that surely changed my life. Brandon asked if I'd be interested in doing his Public Relations work for him. He had seen my writing on the SMP site and was impressed. So in a way, Brandon is responsible for the madness that is NVW Motorsports Promotion.
Fast forward to the 2010 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. My dad and I were there as crew members with Booher Racing again and I was doing PR for the 1999 winner of the event in TAD, Darren Nicholson. This was my first out of state race, so also my first time at the prestigious race. The "Big Go" is truly big. The best of the best in drag racing are racing there, and they bring their A-game. The Top Alcohol categories had over 25 entries and TAD had one of it's closest fields in the history of the class. Thus, we failed to qualify. The event wasn't a total loss, as we had fun, learned a lot, and Darren ended up going to the semi-finals.
As a crew member, I've had to chance to meet some very cool people. Just recently, I got to watch the Funny Car qualifying at Norwalk between team owners and legends, Don Schumacher and Jim Dunn. In the Booher pit area, I got to sit in on a 15 minute BS'ing session with several Top Alcohol drivers, including Frank Manzo and Mike Kosky, two of the best storytellers in drag racing. I got to stand on the line when John and Ashley Force raced each other at the 2010 Night Under Fire, right between the cars. (John and Ashley Force at 2010 NUFHere's a link to my video of the run). These are experiences that the everyday fan just doesn't get.
I'm now in my second season as a part time crew member with the AB Construction Top Alcohol Dragster team. I've also helped Cathy Belcher's Pro Ectreme team at the Norwalk ADRL event. And for a change of pace, I'm in my second season as assistant crew chief on Jacob Parker's JDP Motorsports/K&N Filters Junior Dragster. On a side note-Junior Drag Racing is the most fun you can have with a single cylinder engine. If you have son or daughter within Jr Dragster age that is into racing and you have the financial resources, I highly recommend getting into the sport, it is so choice (as Ferris Bueller would say). Working with a race team is easily the best way to involve yourself in the sport, without actually owning or driving a car. Todd Okuhara, crew chief for the Spencer Massey-driven Fram Top Fuel car, started out as a low ranking crew member, doing the dirty jobs that no one else would do. Now he's calling the shots on an 8,000+ HP engine. It's my dream to move up the ranks like he did.
I hope this blog post has inspired you to get more involved with our amazing sport. You'll never regret in and I guarantee you'll have a ton of fun. I really appreciate all of my readers and their comments, so let me know how you like the blog. If you really enjoy it, pass it along to your friends.
Thanks for reading!
Nitro Nate
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Drag Racing Collectables
In drag racing, there are so many different varieties of collectables. I'm going to focus on one specific branch in this blog. Some people like to collect diecast models of the race cars, I've been known to buy a few, but I really like to collect things that you can't buy. Mostly, because they're free! I'm talking about hero cards and used parts.
Hero cards first started popping up in the mid to late 70's, usually reserved for big-name drivers with sponsors, such as Big Daddy Don Garlits and Don Prudhomme and Tom McEwen. Now, almost all of the pro teams provide hero cards to fans. Even Pro Mod and Sportsman teams have hero cards. Hero cards are really a win/win for the team and the fans. For the team, the cards help get the name of the team out to fans and potential sponsors, as well as promoting the team's current sponsors. Fans benefit because they get a free souvenir to remember their day at the track by. If the hero card is signed, it's always more valuable to me, but it can also be worth money in the future. Who knows, that driver in the back of the Top Alcohol pits might be a future Top Fuel champion.
I've been collecting hero cards since I went to my first "serious" drag race, the 2006 IHRA World Nationals, the last IHRA race at Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk Raceway Park in it's IHRA days. I now have almost four 3-inch binders full of hero cards, starting with Top Fuel and ending with show cars. There are a wide range of autographed cards in my books, from John Force's to local sportsman driver's. It's always cool to look through the books and see how the cars, sponsors, and drivers have gotten in and out of the sport.
One of my favorite parts of working with an NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team is that I usually get first dibs on burnt up or useless parts. One of my favorites is a set of busted blower belts from the 2010 Norwalk national event. One belt, the "Sportsman Belt" as I call it, has been signed by Frank Manzo, Bill Reichert, the Force sisters, Steve Harker, and Dave Hirata, to name a few. It also has a few Pro drivers on it, like Allen Johnson, Greg Anderson, Jack Beckman, and Kenny Koretsky. The second belt has been signed by so many drag racing personalities, there really aren't any open spots. Paul Page, Bob Bode, Jeff Arend, Morgan Lucas, Tim Wilkerson, and the #NTG favorite, Terry McMillen are some of the fantastic people that are on the belt.
In total of used parts, I have five pistons, two and a half connecting rods, two head gaskets, 4 burst panels, a few assorted Lenco/automatic transmission parts, and a "pop 'chute", the part the pops the parachutes out. One of the pistons came out of Steve Harker's TAFC engine, when he ran 5.50 at 260 mph at the 2010 NHRA Nationals at Norwalk. If you know anything about Top Alcohol Funny Car racing, you'll know that's a pass! Luckily, I didn't have to do much to come across these parts, but if you have enough time when you're at the track, ask a few of the teams if they have any bad parts. Many of the nitro teams, (besides JFR, DSR, Al-Anabi,), will have used pistons or head gaskets that they'll give you. It's instantly a cool collectable, especially if it's signed.
At the 2011 U.S. Nationals in Indy, I had the opportunity to meet one of my idols in automotive drawing and design, Chip Foose. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Chip was at the Mac Tools booth, signing a few tool boxes, then signing some Oakley posters featuring his new line of shoes. I was standing in the area when they formed the line, so I was the first fan after the Mac executives got their items signed. Chip not only signed and personalized an Oakley poster for me, he also did a quick sketch and autograph on one of my NVW Motorsports Promotion hats. Mr. Foose was one of the most humble and kind people that I've met in the industry. It was really one of the highlights of the trip. This is a kind of collectable that will probably never leave my possession, mainly because it will never be as valuable to someone else as it is to me.
Drag racing is one of the very few sports that has such a wide variety of collectables and souvenirs that fans can acquire at the track. I always love finding more collectables and hearing about the great items that other NHRA fans have. If you have some really awesome items, tell me about them in a comment, or maybe you could do a blog about them.
Thanks for reading the latest installment of my random ramblings. I'd like to congratulate fellow #NTG member Nitro John on his appearance on Joe Castello's WFO Radio Nitro Tuesday night. It was a great opportunity to promote the Nitro Twitter Group and he did a great job. I'm not really sure what my next blog will be about, so be prepared for anything!
Thanks again for reading!
Nitro Nate
Hero cards first started popping up in the mid to late 70's, usually reserved for big-name drivers with sponsors, such as Big Daddy Don Garlits and Don Prudhomme and Tom McEwen. Now, almost all of the pro teams provide hero cards to fans. Even Pro Mod and Sportsman teams have hero cards. Hero cards are really a win/win for the team and the fans. For the team, the cards help get the name of the team out to fans and potential sponsors, as well as promoting the team's current sponsors. Fans benefit because they get a free souvenir to remember their day at the track by. If the hero card is signed, it's always more valuable to me, but it can also be worth money in the future. Who knows, that driver in the back of the Top Alcohol pits might be a future Top Fuel champion.
I've been collecting hero cards since I went to my first "serious" drag race, the 2006 IHRA World Nationals, the last IHRA race at Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk Raceway Park in it's IHRA days. I now have almost four 3-inch binders full of hero cards, starting with Top Fuel and ending with show cars. There are a wide range of autographed cards in my books, from John Force's to local sportsman driver's. It's always cool to look through the books and see how the cars, sponsors, and drivers have gotten in and out of the sport.
One of my favorite parts of working with an NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team is that I usually get first dibs on burnt up or useless parts. One of my favorites is a set of busted blower belts from the 2010 Norwalk national event. One belt, the "Sportsman Belt" as I call it, has been signed by Frank Manzo, Bill Reichert, the Force sisters, Steve Harker, and Dave Hirata, to name a few. It also has a few Pro drivers on it, like Allen Johnson, Greg Anderson, Jack Beckman, and Kenny Koretsky. The second belt has been signed by so many drag racing personalities, there really aren't any open spots. Paul Page, Bob Bode, Jeff Arend, Morgan Lucas, Tim Wilkerson, and the #NTG favorite, Terry McMillen are some of the fantastic people that are on the belt.
In total of used parts, I have five pistons, two and a half connecting rods, two head gaskets, 4 burst panels, a few assorted Lenco/automatic transmission parts, and a "pop 'chute", the part the pops the parachutes out. One of the pistons came out of Steve Harker's TAFC engine, when he ran 5.50 at 260 mph at the 2010 NHRA Nationals at Norwalk. If you know anything about Top Alcohol Funny Car racing, you'll know that's a pass! Luckily, I didn't have to do much to come across these parts, but if you have enough time when you're at the track, ask a few of the teams if they have any bad parts. Many of the nitro teams, (besides JFR, DSR, Al-Anabi,), will have used pistons or head gaskets that they'll give you. It's instantly a cool collectable, especially if it's signed.
At the 2011 U.S. Nationals in Indy, I had the opportunity to meet one of my idols in automotive drawing and design, Chip Foose. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Chip was at the Mac Tools booth, signing a few tool boxes, then signing some Oakley posters featuring his new line of shoes. I was standing in the area when they formed the line, so I was the first fan after the Mac executives got their items signed. Chip not only signed and personalized an Oakley poster for me, he also did a quick sketch and autograph on one of my NVW Motorsports Promotion hats. Mr. Foose was one of the most humble and kind people that I've met in the industry. It was really one of the highlights of the trip. This is a kind of collectable that will probably never leave my possession, mainly because it will never be as valuable to someone else as it is to me.
Drag racing is one of the very few sports that has such a wide variety of collectables and souvenirs that fans can acquire at the track. I always love finding more collectables and hearing about the great items that other NHRA fans have. If you have some really awesome items, tell me about them in a comment, or maybe you could do a blog about them.
Thanks for reading the latest installment of my random ramblings. I'd like to congratulate fellow #NTG member Nitro John on his appearance on Joe Castello's WFO Radio Nitro Tuesday night. It was a great opportunity to promote the Nitro Twitter Group and he did a great job. I'm not really sure what my next blog will be about, so be prepared for anything!
Thanks again for reading!
Nitro Nate
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Meet the Nitro Twitter Gang
I'm proud to be a part of a group that I consider to be the greatest drag racing "advocates" online, the Nitro Twitter Gang (#NTG). We're an elite gathering of die-hard drag racing fans, crew members, and drivers, including Top Fuel driver Terry McMillen, who has recently been dubbed the "poster child" of the NTG. We use various online outlets, such as Facebook and Blogspot, along with Twitter, obviously, to show our enthusiasm for the greatest sport on the planet.
There aren't really any "gang leaders" in the Nitro Twitter Gang, but if there were, it's safe to say John Amorosano (@nitrojohn) and Steve Emerson (@sremerson) would be the leaders. They're probably the most active members, tweeting links to drag racing stories, promoting NHRA drivers' Twitter accounts, and organizing meetings at national events for NTG members. John and Steve are also two of the members that also blog. John's blog, John's Nitro World, has been online for a few months now and is one of the best NHRA blogs available. It highlights certain drivers or teams in the NHRA, many of which are part of the NTG, along with reviews of races that John attends. Steve's blog has only been online for a few weeks, so I can only write so much about it. Steve's Drag Racing Views features posts about some of the big stories in NHRA drag racing right now, like Tony Schumacher's winless streak and rookie Vincent Nobile's successful year so far. Both blogs are done very professionally and I look forward to reading their future posts.
If you're on Twitter, I highly suggest you become a member of the Nitro Twitter Gang. Basically, include the hashtag #NTG on your tweets, and you're in! If you're not on Twitter yet, you really should consider joining Twitter, as it's a lot of fun. I guarantee you'll make new friends on Twitter and with the Nitro Twitter Gang. You can find links to Steve and John's blogs, as well as their Twitter profiles on the Links section of this blog.
My next blog will either be about my trip to Murrell's Inlet, SC or the JDP Motorsports team's return to the track after a short hiatus. For those of you attending the O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals in Chicago, have fun and good luck!
Thanks for reading!
Nitro Nate
There aren't really any "gang leaders" in the Nitro Twitter Gang, but if there were, it's safe to say John Amorosano (@nitrojohn) and Steve Emerson (@sremerson) would be the leaders. They're probably the most active members, tweeting links to drag racing stories, promoting NHRA drivers' Twitter accounts, and organizing meetings at national events for NTG members. John and Steve are also two of the members that also blog. John's blog, John's Nitro World, has been online for a few months now and is one of the best NHRA blogs available. It highlights certain drivers or teams in the NHRA, many of which are part of the NTG, along with reviews of races that John attends. Steve's blog has only been online for a few weeks, so I can only write so much about it. Steve's Drag Racing Views features posts about some of the big stories in NHRA drag racing right now, like Tony Schumacher's winless streak and rookie Vincent Nobile's successful year so far. Both blogs are done very professionally and I look forward to reading their future posts.
If you're on Twitter, I highly suggest you become a member of the Nitro Twitter Gang. Basically, include the hashtag #NTG on your tweets, and you're in! If you're not on Twitter yet, you really should consider joining Twitter, as it's a lot of fun. I guarantee you'll make new friends on Twitter and with the Nitro Twitter Gang. You can find links to Steve and John's blogs, as well as their Twitter profiles on the Links section of this blog.
My next blog will either be about my trip to Murrell's Inlet, SC or the JDP Motorsports team's return to the track after a short hiatus. For those of you attending the O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 Nationals in Chicago, have fun and good luck!
Thanks for reading!
Nitro Nate
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