Weldon Racing Pumps Now Providing Additional Longevity and Performance for Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School 
It has always remained imperative that each driver taking part in any class at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School receive the same consistent race car as the pass before. From track to track and run to run all throughout the year, there is great demand placed on the schools stable of cars to always remain at peak performance. With that in mind, school founder and instructor, Frank Hawley, takes great care when selecting the products and parts for each of the school’s cars, with the simple goal to provide the best experience possible for each future graduate. 
As a large part of the quest for the best parts available, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School made the switch for the Super Class cars, and their Chevy Performance 572ci power plants, to utilizing numerous products from Weldon High Performance. The changeover came after many recommendations which led to several conversations with Jim Craig, Weldon’s Racing Products Manger. When it came time to determine what Weldon High Performance products were best suited for the school’s Super Class cars, Hawley worked closely with Craig. “What I look at is engine size, horsepower, and if a power adder might be used – such as nitrous, blowers, or turbos. I also inquire about fuel type used whether racing gas, or ethanol / methanol as these two types of fuel require more flow to support the same horsepower level,” explained Craig. “We are extremely happy with the performance,” Hawley noted of the new Weldon products. “Starting and restarting the cars, the many runs that we make, so far everything has been absolutely flawless. We can’t tolerate a car going down for any reason at all, not for a week, not for a day. Just talking within the racing community, the word is out that the Weldon line of products just flat don’t have problems. They are probably the most reliable fuel delivery system that’s available in the sport today. When I heard that over and over again, it was the reliability of performance that we were looking for.” 
With all the locations, weather conditions and amount of runs that are put on the Hawley school cars, Craig is looking forward to learning how their products stand up to the test. “Any information that the school gains concerning our pumps’ or systems’ performance will be used to determine changes in product or configuration for future products and projects. FHDRS’ feedback will also be used to confirm Weldon’s durability and reliability in a severe racing environment – we know this be a known fact, but to have Frank’s and the FHDRS “seal of approval” will give Weldon High Performance enhanced credibility in the eyes of many drag racers who do not yet know our products.” “I believe this to be an excellent beginning to what we at Weldon view to be a very long-term relationship that will benefit all involved,” Craig added. “It will also bring the Weldon name to a whole new level of awareness with the up and coming Sportsman racer, tuner, and spectator.” “I’m impressed with the items,” admitted Hawley. “The quality, the size of the filters and just the fit and finish of everything was beyond my expectations. Another thing, at least for me getting back to the reliability, if your parent company makes pumps for jet planes, you probably have a reasonably high standard of quality. The amount of engineering expertise they have as an entire company is more than likely unmatched in the industry. “ 
The school cars were recently fitted with Weldon 19311-A fuel pumps, A2046 regulators along with WEQ1040CLN and WEQ1010CLN filters. Weldon is an American made product utilizing a single manufacturing facility located in Oakwood Village, Ohio. In addition to their High Performance products, Weldon also manufactures a complete line of aviation and aerospace fluid and metering pumps. FHDRS graduates receive special discounts when buying direct from Weldon High Performance. For more information on this and all available classes and locations visit www.frankhawley.com or call 866-480-7223 [Outside the U.S. 678-804-8835] Also on Facebook and YouTube.
Popular Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School March Date Offers Combination of Fun and Excitement
Continuing a long standing tradition, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School provides students, who wish to combine their vacation experience at the historic NHRA GatorNationals, with a convenient class date following the thrilling event in which they can undergo their own drag race driver’s training and work on acquiring a NHRA competition license.
Shortly following the commencement of the NHRA national event, drag racing enthusiasts, driver’s looking to improve their skills and those new to the sport alike, all convened for their two day Super Class at Auto Plus Raceway at Gainesville where the sixteen drivers would begin their personal training with Two-Time NHRA Nitro Funny Car World Champion, Frank Hawley.
Rick Given, of British Columbia, Canada, has been drag racing for many years and as of late, moved from his eleven second car to his much quicker ’27 Ford Roadster. While Given currently holds an NHRA competition license to compete in his shorter wheelbase car, he explains why he chose to attend the Super Class and work with Hawley. “I wanted to learn more of the science of drag racing and hopefully become a better racer,” said the self-employed contractor, who licensed in one of the school’s dragsters. “We own, maintain and drive a low eight sec roadster which is our second car. We have top five finishes the first two years out. The classroom portion was awesome as it offered a lot of insight and was more than I had expected. I will say that especially the in-depth talks on the mind and the mental part of racing.”
Given looks to continue to race sportsman classes and visit more tracks with a possible move to a Top Sportsman car. “I can’t wait to hit the strip and implement what I learned during Frank’s class,” he added.
Fellow classmate, Steve Luce also attended the class and licensed in one of the school’s Chevy Performance powered dragsters. On his way down from Ontario, Canada, to attend the nationals and take part in Hawley’s Super Class, Luce stopped off in Georgia and purchased two turnkey dragsters of his own that he looks forward to entering in some big money bracket races.
“I chose the class because I am getting a little long in the tooth at fifty-five years old and wanted to learn properly from the best,” shared the recently retired locomotive engineer. “I wanted to be competent on the track as soon as possible, instead of wasting years learning from the mistakes of myself and others. My passion has mainly been building and flying homebuilt float planes with drag racing always on my mind. Moving to drag racing wasn’t feasible or practical until now. I tried an attempt at a big block altered thrity years ago but time and money didn’t pan out. Coming to the class, I had some minimal experience with my friend’s thirteen second door-slammer bracket car.”
“I paid very close attention to everything that transpired and I must have looked like a ‘sponge with hair’ absorbing all the info,” he joked. “Frank’s classroom and lectures were exactly what was needed to become confident and relaxed driving the car. It was all excellent reinforcement for my own personal philosophy on life and the meat and potatoes needed to competently drive a drag race car, which the school’s dragster was awesome to drive.”
Sharing in the Hawley school experience was Jason McCoy from Rusagonis, New Brunswick, Canada. McCoy is a licensed plumber and has been self-employed for several years. “I have been drag racing for roughly fifteen years now. I currently own a ‘99 Mustang GT 4.6 with an F1R Procharger. It’s a true stock suspension radial tire car. I have been in the 8.0’s with it, but wanted to attend one of Frank’s classes to earn my competition license. I found the Super Class very educational and it was nice how Frank helps open one’s mind to learn simple things. There was really a lot of mental training involved.”
Now that McCoy has competition license in hand, after successfully earning it driving one of the school’s Dragon Racing Fuels powered Firebird’s, he’s broadened his drag racing plans for the future. “I’m looking forward to competing in the X275 class, NMRA and Atlantic Canada’s All-Out Race,” he pointed out. “And I will be using the new RePlay camera I bought for my class, too. It’s great and I love how easy it is to use.”
For more information on Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, including all course offerings and locations, visit www.frankhawley.com or call 866-480-7223 [Outside U.S. 678-804-8835] Also on Facebook and YouTube.
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School – Graduate Spotlight
Vol. 1/Edition 2
Elyse Climes of North Plainfield, New Jersey, spent several years competing in the JR Dragster ranks before making her way to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in search of gaining the driving experience to take the next step. Elyse earned her NHRA Super Comp (4A – 7.50 and up) license during the school’s 2011 stop at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania. 
Her parents acquired a 2000 Racetech dragster for her last November that is equipped with a 555ci BBC and alcohol injection. “I am enrolled in super class points at Raceway Park in Englishtown for 2012 and I can’t wait to get started,” she said. “We already had my car out late last year and were able to make some passes on it the last day the track was open in December.” 
After attending Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School Reaction Time Clinic at Royal Purple Raceway in Houston, Texas, Jenifer and Jeff White had their best season yet during 2011. Jenifer went to an IHRA Nitro Jam National final, won the Bristol NHRA National event, becoming the first women to win Top Dragster at an NHRA National Event and the duo from Conroe, Texas finished in the top ten in the NHRA Division 4 Top Dragster standings. 
Prior to attending one of Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School classes in Las Vegas, California resident Mike Spencer spent many years racing his twelve second Chevy Malibu wagon, but was ready to make the move to NHRA Super Gas and looked to the experience of Frank Hawley to improve his driving skills prior to completing his new car.
Ron Helmer from Freeland, Michigan recently retired and decided it was time to pursue his love for drag racing. Helmer completed his NHRA licensing requirements during Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School Super Class at Lucas Oil Raceway in May of last year. His son Adam also attended and took part in the Reaction Time Clinic. The pair are busy putting the finishing touches on their new drag car. “After I received my license last spring, my son and I sold our ‘69 Chevelle SS show car and bought tube chassis ‘67 Chevelle 4-link project car to finish,” Ron explained. “We finished the funny car chrome moly cage and certified it to 7.50 and are ready for our 555 Alky BBC. We plan on having it at the track this early this summer and begin the process of tuning the chassis. Frank Hawley’s school definitely launched me into doing this for real … six passes in that firebird and I was definitely HOOKED! Plus the time spent with my son on something we both love to do has been icing on the cake.” We want to hear from you!
We know many of our graduates have gone on to purchase cars, build cars, rebuild cars or already have cars and are out there racing them. We’d like to include you in our next Grad Spotlight! Email us and let us know what your plans are for the season ahead.
Email pictures, if you have them, and some info on the car and yourself to lhawley@frankhawley.com