Hawley’s Drag School Back at Maple Grove (Want some FREE drag slicks? Visit FrankHawley.com to learn more!) 
Just a few weeks ago, Frank Hawley was roaring down the Maple Grove Raceway as a featured driver in Maple Grove’s 50th celebration. Hawley, who appeared at the event as the guest driver of Troy Martin’s vintage 1973 Chi Town Hustler Nitro FC, was also inducted into Maple Grove’s “Walk of Fame” alongside veteran racers Don Prudhomme, Raymond Beadle and Dale Pulde. However, Hawley’s next appearance at Maple Grove will be as an instructor, not a driver. The racing coach is set to return with Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School on August 21 and 22. “I started racing at Maple Grove in the 1970’s with a Top Alcohol FC, so I know the track pretty well,” said Hawley. “We’ve been coming to Reading with our school to entertain and train drivers for the past 20 years. This track is one of the best in the Northeast and is right in the middle of thousands of racers and race fans.” In addition to the Super Comp gas dragster and Super Gas door car programs, the attendees at Hawley’s Maple Grove school will get a new opportunity this year. For the first time ever, speed seekers will be able to come out and get a ride in one of the school’s race cars. “Some folks are interested in just seeing what it’s like to accelerate in a drag car, so we’re making that available for them,” said Hawley. “Just give us a call and schedule a time and we’ll get you a ride you’ll never forget.” For other racing enthusiasts – some of which seek NHRA competition licenses – it’s the Hawley School’s reputation of 
offering first class instruction and providing quality equipment that will bring them to Reading. “More and more race tracks today are requiring that the drivers have a competition racing license if their car runs quicker than 10 seconds in the quarter mile. It can be very frustrating if you end up at your local track with your hot rod and you can’t compete because your race car is too fast,” said Hawley. “At our school, you can walk away with one of these licenses. Not only do the students get top-to-bottom instruction on how to be safe and drive fast- we also spend time in the classroom offering lectures on a number of topics to help drivers reach and maintain peak performance.” Lately a number of racers have attended Hawley’s classes with their own race cars. “Some of these drivers that bring their race cars are new to the sport and others have been at it a while,” said Hawley. “Even the pros can use a little help occasionally and that’s why we are seeing an increase in the ‘bring your own car’ programs.” There are lots of ways you can participate in the Hawley School in Reading. If you’d like to find out more or have any questions, please contact us! To view our Super Class video or obtain more information on all available classes, dates and locations for Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, visit the school’s website – www.frankhawley.com – or call 866-480-7223 (Outside U.S. 678-804-8835). The school’s also on Facebook, Twitter @Frankhawleydrs, Instagram – frankhawleydragracingschool and YouTube! A decision to attend Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School is an easy one. “I am often asked how come it looks like I know what I am doing in a fuel funny car and my answer is ‘I listened to everything Frank Hawley told me.’ I do not have natural talent. Frank’s instruction on how to drive a Super Comp car is exactly what you need to drive a Funny Car. If you have the desire and listen to Frank, you too can drive any type of race car. Honestly, I think the classroom part of the course is much more important than the racetrack part of the course. He is the most thorough teacher I have ever met.” – NHRA Funny Car Driver Robert Hight “The information I received at the School from Frank has improved my life professionally and personally. Everyone that wants to improve their mind and their skills should take this course.”- NHRA Top Fuel Driver Antron Brown “I started at Frank’s in his Alcohol Funny Car class. It was a great program and got me started in the right direction. I’d recommend his course to anyone. I always say you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and Hawley’s School is a heck of a place to start.” – NHRA Top Fuel Driver Tony Schumacher “Frank knows what he’s talking about. He understands the demands placed on drivers today and is able to work with drivers at all levels, from novice to Pro. If you’re thinking about race instruction, you need to go to Frank.” – NHRA Top Fuel/Funny Car/Pro Modified Driver Melanie Troxel Upcoming SC/SG Classes Listed Below. Call for PSB, Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, TAFC and TAD dates! July 24-25, 2012 – Bandimere Speedway, Denver, CO August 21-22, 2012 – Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA September 11-12, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL September 25-26, 2012 – Royal Purple Raceway, Houston, TX October 1-2, 2012 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV October 3-4, 2012 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV October 15-16, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL November 13-14, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL November 19-20, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL December 4-5, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL December 27-28, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL
Back in time… I drive the Chi-Town Hustler. Frank Hawley.
So it’s around New Years and I get a call from my long time friend Lex Dudas, whose lengthy career in motorsports has taken him from NHRA Division Director to track management positions. Lex runs one of the most popular tracks in the country—Maple Grove Raceway—just outside of Reading, PA and home to the NHRA Auto Plus Nationals. I didn’t know at the time, but Maple Grove would be celebrating its 50th year anniversary in 2012. They were putting on a show and I was being invited! The race would feature jet funny cars, jet dragsters, Motz’s jet truck, wheelstanders, a bracket race, and my big interest: Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars.
Since I had a great win record at Maple Grove from the 1970s through 2008 in a Nitro FC, I was being asked back to drive. The fact that I didn’t have a Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car was not going to be a problem, as Lex had already made arrangements with the Nitro driver and team owner of the 1973 Chi Town Hustler, Troy Martin.
Troy and I had met a year earlier when he kindly stepped down for the evening and let me climb back behind the Chi Town controls for a race at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH. That evening had produced the best time the Chi Town car had ever run, so I was looking forward to another fast night. I accepted the offer, booked a flight and then had to wait several months for the big race.
As the event drew near, I was also excited to hear that I was being inducted into the Maple Grove “Walk of Fame” alongside drag racing superstars Raymond Beadle, Dale Pulde and Don Prudhomme (who would also serve as the Grand Marshall of the event). This was an honor I’d not expected.
I’m the type of person who gets easily bored in hotel rooms, so despite having arrived at the hotel in Reading at 3 o’clock in the morning due to bad storms in Philadelphia, I got up early and headed to the track. After stopping by to say hello to Troy and the crew, I started to roam the pits looking for folks I’d not seen in a while. When you’ve all but lived at the race track your entire life, you make a lot of friends. Even if you haven’t seen the people in years (or decades), you can still strike up a comfortable conversation as though you’d had another talk just last week. Of course I spoke with the aforementioned Prudhomme, Pulde and Beadle, but I also ran into Dale Emory, Dee Gant, Paul Smith, Peter Gallen, Mike Lewis, Steve Nichols and others. We talked about old times, our families, business, politics (we always talk politics) and other stuff. We were just a bunch of old racers enjoying some time at the track and with each other.
The afternoon was hot, but I actually didn’t mind it that much. I suspect since I have lived in Florida for close to 30 years, it appears that some people—certainly me—can kind of get used to the heat. But the heat would affect the performance of the cars, so Troy and the crew were making some adjustments to the Hustler to prepare it for those conditions. They added a little more timing, made an idle adjustment during the warm-up, and a decision was made to “not make a decision” on the nitro until closer to run time. Meanwhile, the fans were stopping by for autographs, pictures and conversation. When I get a chance to do these events, I’m always impressed and humbled when fans pull out an old photograph they had taken of one of my old race cars from the 1970’s. These are original photos that these people have saved for decades, and they dug them out and brought them along for me to sign. This is always a very cool thing to do. I just don’t like the part when they tell me they were 5 years old when they took the picture.
Just before the parade of featured cars, the “Walk of Fame” inductees were summoned to a stage they had erected in front of the grand stands. Prudhomme, Beadle, Pulde and I were interviewed by Bob Frey and presented commemorative plaques made by my friend Scott Weney at S&W Race cars.
The format for the race tonight would be “Chicago Style,” where everyone makes two laps, with the quickest two from the first round running against one another in the second round to determine an overall winner. My first round opponent was Mike Lewis in the Sein and Langford Mustang. Mike is General Manager for Don Schumacher Racing, and in addition to being a former grad of FHDRS, has spent time behind the wheel of a few cars (including the A Fuel car of Tom Conway). It was Mike’s first night, however, in this Nostalgia Funny Car. I’d rather win than lose at anything I do, so I decided I was finished with driving tips for Mike (although I’ve watched him race and he really doesn’t need any).
First round…light ‘em up! Right at the end of my BIG 400’ Chi Town burnout, the air line that supplies the pressure to the transmission to put it in (and keep it in) high gear blows off the trans! This is a problem. Without air pressure, I’ll only have low gear and will have to shut down at half track or risk over-revving the engine and damaging Troy’s car. I downshift to stop the air leakage, select reverse and back up. As I near the start line, I’m pointing frantically at the loose air line and Troy sees it. He reaches in the side window and pushes the line back into the fitting. Mike Lewis is pulling to the line and I don’t want to hold him any longer, so I pull cautiously forward.
I have a few things to think about in my last several seconds before launch. How much air have we lost? There are 2 popular bottle sizes that I’ll call big and small. I don’t know which one Troy’s car has. If we don’t have any air, the car won’t shift to high and I’ll have to shut down. If we have a small amount of air, the trans will try to shift but not have enough pressure to do so and will just burn the clutch pack in the Lenco trans. If it does shift solidly, we’ll have enough to go the distance, but I start thinking about why the line came loose in the first place. If it comes loose while in high gear near the finish line, the trans will go into low gear and cause an instant over-rev and possibly big damage.
So with a typical drag racer’s mindset, I stage with Mike and away we go! The run feels great. We are out in front by a wide margin as Mike’s car had some early problems. The shift point is coming. I press the shifter button and…nothing. It does not shift and I lift off the throttle instantly. A brief moment later Mike goes roaring by for the win. After a short review with the crew in the shut down area, we’re back to the pits.
Between rounds it’s more autographs, a bottom end check and a look at the transmission. Good news…no trans damage. I discover that Troy has the smaller of the two sizes of air bottle, and we agree that by the time I staged there was probably almost no air left.
In the second round we are paired with the Raymond Beadle’s Blue Max. The Chi Town Hustler and the Blue Max have probably raced one another a hundred times or more over the years. In fact, I raced the Beadle while driving the Hustler many times in the 1980’s. Tonight, however, veteran Ronnie Young is at the wheel. Another BIG burnout for the Chi Town and I back up to face the Max. This time we have a new air line and a full air bottle.
I floor the throttle. I’m coming up on the shift point, press the shifter button, it shifts and I keep on going. The finish line is coming and I don’t see the Blue Max. We win! I shove the chute levers forward as I close the throttle and grab the brakes. No chutes. This can be a problem. I reach over and get the fuel shut off while still pulling the brake lever as hard as I can. The car makes a few big hops at the end as the safety crew is motioning me to take the additional run off space. I stop safely about 200’ from the end.
A quick inspection of the equipment revealed the problem and it was fixed for next time. Our eight mile time showed we were on track for running in the 5’s, but the engine lost a little steam in the back half and we ended up with a 6.09 ET, which was about third quick for the last session. I think it was a pretty good performance overall.
Chad Head, son of NHRA Nitro funny car racer Jim Head, was the overall winner and had produced a low ET performance of 5.88 in the first round. Mike Lewis came back strong in the second session with a 5.93.
What a great night. Thanks to Troy and his team for giving me a chance to drive again. Thanks to Lex for inviting me and putting on a great show and thanks to the fans for coming out. I’d love to do it again.
Now it’s time for me to get back to teaching people how to race in Gainesville, Norwalk, Houston, Denver, Indy, Vegas and….Maple Grove!
If you want to contact me about racing, driving or anything else – go to www.frankhawley.com, call 866-480-7223 or Tweet me @Frankhawleydrs.
Cool promotion, isn’t it?
This offer is good this summer on our Super Comp/Super Gas and
Bring Your Own Car classes for the following dates:
Norwalk, OH – July 16-17
Denver, CO – July 24-25
Reading, PA – August 21-22
Houston, TX – September 25-26
Please click on the following link for complete details:
Houston Grads Flying High With the school making several visits each year, Royal Purple Raceway in Houston, TX is a familiar location for 
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School. On this trip, the school hosted returning grads along with new drivers. Sisters Ashley and Crystal Peterson returned with their own 7-second dragsters, John Williams and his son Kyle joined in driving the Super Gas car and the Super Comp Dragster, while veterans like Tina Stull were there to get a better handle on tuning their Super Comp Dragster. After graduating from the school’s recent Houston course, Major Matthew ‘Burt’ Reynolds is one of the newest Hawley alumni. Burt is a USAF F-16 pilot currently stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX and a long time drag racing fan. 
“I was first exposed to drag racing at Pomona Raceway in California. My Dad took me there as a kid and I loved it,” Burt said. “Frank and I met a couple of years ago in Las Vegas. At the time, I was flying F-16’s and was in the Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. I was at the track coordinating a fly over for the National event when Frank approached me. He introduced himself and we started talking. We quickly found out that we had an interest in each others occupations.” “I am a huge supporter of the men and women in our armed services,” said Frank. “For me, meeting Burt was like meeting a rock star. I have always thought I may have had “the right stuff” and in another life might like to have pursued a military career, so getting the opportunity to hang out with a fighter jock was very cool. Burt and I stayed in contact and he was actually scheduled to take our class in Vegas over a year ago. Just a few weeks before the class however, he got sent to Baghdad for six months!”
The deployment didn’t cool the Major’s desire to get behind the wheel, however, and he rescheduled for the Super Comp dragster program in Houston when he returned from the Middle East. “I’ve met a number of the drivers and although I got a chance to sit in Tony Schumacher’s ARMY Top Fuel car, I’d never been in a dragster with the engine running until Frank’s school. It was a great experienc e,” said Burt. “My first run was amazing. Although I am trained to withstand 9G turns in a jet fighter, the first run is something I’ll always remember. It didn’t take long…but it was beyond cool.” Although the similarities between fighter jets and dragsters are small, there are some things that helped the Major adapt quickly to the dragster. “As pilots, we train for hours on end before we are allowed to fly any aircraft. This habit of practicing and visualizing the aircraft’s cockpit, controls and procedures is every bit as important in preparing to drive a race car,” said Burt. “Frank teaches how to train for best performance, and in fact he asked me to write an article about ‘chair flying’ (which is what pilots call it) for his class. He distributes the article to his students.” According to Hawley, the Major ‘aced’ the course and received his NHRA S/C license in the minimum number of runs. “That’s what I expected,” added Hawley. The Major was high in his praise for the school. “Frank and his staff did a fantastic job, he said. “The cars, the curriculum, the staff…everything was first class, fun and set up in a great learning environment. I’m looking forward to returning and trying something a little faster.” For now, it’s back to Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, where Burt’s latest assignment is teaching a course called Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (IFF) to newly certified T-38 pilots. “The course could be titled ‘Fighter Pilot 101’ and introduces the pilots to the art of air-to-air combat,” explained Burt. “We take these young pilots that already know how to fly the T-38, but now teach them how to employ the aircraft as a weapon. I really enjoy teaching these eager pilots and sharing my experiences in the F-16 with them.” “Burt’s teaching is similar to what we do…except those guys do it at closure rates approaching 1000 mph, it’s 3-dimensional, they turn at 9G’s, they use guns, missiles and rockets and they all have engineering degrees!” said Hawley jokingly. To view our Super Class video or obtain more information on all available classes, dates and locations for Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, visit the school’s website – www.frankhawley.com – or call 866-480-7223 (Outside U.S. 678-804-8835). The school’s also on Facebook, Twitter @Frankhawleydrs, Instagram – frankhawleydragracingschool and YouTube! A decision to attend Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School is an easy one. “I am often asked how come it looks like I know what I am doing in a fuel funny car and my answer is ‘I listened to everything Frank Hawley told me.’ I do not have natural talent. Frank’s instruction on how to drive a Super Comp car is exactly what you need to drive a Funny Car. If you have the desire and listen to Frank, you too can drive any type of race car. Honestly, I think the classroom part of the course is much more important than the racetrack part of the course. He is the most thorough teacher I have ever met.” – NHRA Funn y Car Driver Robert Hight “The information I received at the School from Frank has improved my life professionally and personally. Everyone that wants to improve their mind and their skills should take this course.”- NHRA Top Fuel Driver Antron Brown “I started at Frank’s in his Alcohol Funny Car class. It was a great program and got me started in the right direction. I’d recommend his course to anyone. I always say you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and Hawley’s School is a heck of a place to start.” – NHRA Top Fuel Driver Tony Schumacher “Frank knows what he’s talking about. He understands the demands placed on drivers today and is able to work with drivers at all levels, from novice to Pro. If you’re thinking about race instruction, you need to go to Frank.” – NHRA Top Fuel/Funny Car/Pro Modified Driver Melanie Troxel Upcoming SC/SG Classes Listed Below. Call for PSB, Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, TAFC and TAD dates! July 10-11, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL July 16-17, 2012 – Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH July 24-25, 2012 – Bandimere Speedway, Denver, CO August 7-8, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL August 21-22, 2012 – Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA September 11-12, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL September 25-26, 2012 – Royal Purple Raceway, Houston, TX October 1-2, 2012 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV October 3-4, 2012 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV October 16-17, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL November 6-7, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL November 19-20, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL December 4-5, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL December 27-28, 2012 – Auto Plus Raceway, Gainesville, FL
High Horsepower at Indianapolis
For more than 100 years Memorial Day weekend in Indianapolis has
hosted the Indianapolis 500. Hundreds of thousands of race fans and competitors from around the globe visit the “city of speed” for one of the greatest spectacles in motorsports.
This year the Indy 500 fans weren’t the only ones enjoying high horsepower.
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School made a trip to Lucas Oil Raceway Park just a short drive from the famed oval.
“This is an exciting time of year to be in Indy. The entire city is revved up and talking about racing.” said Hawley. “We had a terrific group of drivers this week . The track was great and the cars were flying.” Hawley continued.
In the group of drivers that were ‘flying’ down the track were Stan Johnson and his two sons Eric and Perry.
“I started drag racing in 1958 with a front engine dragster we built entirely from junkyard parts.” Said Stan. “The chassis was built from black iron pipe and I ended up running 112 mph in that thing. It didn’t take long before I wanted to go faster. I was working as an industrial designer and drew up some plans for a streamlined dragster that we eventually built. With an injected engine we got it over 160 mph.” said Stan.
Stan’s love of fast cars remained with him over the years and took him from road racing to the salt flats. However his love of drag racing never left him.
Growing up around the race tracks it seemed likely that his sons Eric and Perry would ‘catch the bug’ and they too started to race.
“We were really into kart racing when we were young” said Perry. “Then of course we made the transition into road racing with my dad. It wasn’t until they built the new track in Joliet that we went back to the dragstrip and wow were we impressed. The power and the speed of the drag cars was amazing.” continued Perry. “Once we started going to more races we were hooked and we knew we needed to go drag racing.”
“We wanted to get the proper training and that was at Frank Hawley’s.” added Eric. “The program that Frank put together is excellent. Reading the written materials and watching the video he provided helped so much. The first few runs are really fast but after a while you kind of settle in, things slow down a bit and you can really enjoy the ride.” said Eric.
“I especially liked Frank’s classroom lectures on psychology. Everything he talked about was useful… not just in racing but everyday life” said Stan. “The whole Frank Hawley program exceeded my expectations. The performance of the Chevy 572 engines, the helpful crew and the perfect race track… everything was great. But how can you not have fun when you get a chance to spend time at the racetrack with your two sons?”
You can come and experience the fun, challenge and excitement behind the wheel at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School.
The School offers classes throughout the year and across the U.S. For complete details on dates and locations, contact Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School by calling 866-480-7223 [Outside the U.S. 678-804-8835], online www.frankhawley.com. Also look for the school on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Continued thanks to our sponsors…
Chevy Performance
Summit
Mickey Thompson Tires
Dragon Racing Fuels
Lucas Oil
K&N
Weldon
Strange Engineering
Jiffy Tite
Hedman Hedders
BTE
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and Instagram frankhawleydragraceschool
Thanks for your support!
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School Stable of Cars Breathe Easier with K&N Engineering
Much like the tens of thousands of national, regional and local sportsman racers, all across the U.S., Canada and beyond, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School continually demands a lot out of their equipment from one pass down the track to the next. To help ensure consistency and peak performance, Frank Hawley and his staff are no different than the countless number of national, divisional and bracket champions, many of which got their start at the school; in that they are all quite selective when choosing the products they depend on to get the job done.
A major part of reliability, whether it’s street or strip, comes from a good maintenance program and that includes taking into account what needs to be done to properly protect an engine. For many years, Frank Hawley has chosen the full line of K&N air and oil filters to handle that task for the school cars.
“We strive for each class to provide the same experience from one driver to the next, so it’s imperative that our Chevy Performance 572 engines stay in good form and part of achieving that is using K&N oil and air filters,” said Hawley. “The wrench-off filters are easier for the guys to take off and they don’t collapse. We all know that the only two things we want going through those carburetors is our Dragon Racing Fuel and clean air. One little rock or piece of debris can not only do a lot of damage, but it’s not a setback that we want during any of our classes. The high-flowing K&N rechargeable air filters take care of ever having that sort of problem to deal with.”
Recently, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School added some products from one of K&N’s newer lines to their Super Class cars, the composite scoops. The school dragsters were fitted with the 2nd Generation K&N scoop that comes with its own tray and K&N filter and while Hawley has been very pleased with the new K&N dragster scoops, it just may be the unexpected added benefit of the new K&N scoop on the school’s Super Gas car that, from an instructor’s stand point, has delighted him the most.
“Once we put the new K&N scoop on one of the Firebirds, I was pleasantly surprised how much the driver’s field of vision was broadened and that’s a very important point to note when a driver needs as much clear visibility as possible for going through their starting line procedure and being able to line up straight when staging,” explained Hawley. “The shape and design of all the new K&N scoops we installed on the cars get a lot of air in and they also seem to have a much better directional flow than other ones we have used.”
“We continue to enjoy our ongoing relationship with Frank and his school,” said Bob Harris, Series and Track Support Manager/Sports Marketing for K&N Engineering. “We were very excited to get these scoops put to use on the school cars. We know they are seen in many locations all over the country, by numerous racers of all levels. K&N looks forward to the continued feedback in regards to all of our products that are put through the paces at the school. It’s all a part of our goal to continue to produce and manufacturer the highest quality products available anywhere.”
“K&N replacement air filters and air intakes also supply us with better fuel mileage, power and performance for our the school’s fleet of tow vehicles,” Hawley pointed out. “Who wouldn’t want more power and especially better mileage with today’s fuel prices? These bolt-on products from K&N can quickly start paying for themselves.”
Again for 2012, K&N has joined the many other manufacturers that offer special discounts and more for new graduates of Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School. More details on the graduate offer from K&N and other participating companies can be found by visiting – www.frankhawley.com
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School – Graduate Spotlight
Vol. 1/Edition 3
2007 Super Class Grad, Tim Miletti of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin is making some big changes for his 2012 season. “I have put my 70 Camaro 25.2 car up for sale that we ran a best of 7.38 1/4 at 190mph. We also won Best Engineered with that car in 2009 at the NMCA Superbowl in Joliet, Illinois.
“Starting this year, I have purchased a Jerry Bickel 2010 ‘68 Camaro Pro Mod and hope to test very soon. I will continue to run a nitrous setup and not jump into the turbo or pro charger game. I like seeing a nitrous car beat those guys,” he laughed. “I plan on running the NMCA Pro Street class this season at select events and as well as with the Chicago Wiseguys, which is a group that run at my home track, the legendary Great Lakes Dragway, in Union Grove, Wisconsin.”
“I truly enjoyed Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School and I look forward to sitting in on some classes in the future,” he added.
Mike and Dee Stevens, who hail from Thunderbolt, Georgia, have a very busy 2012 race season ahead of them. Mike first participated in a Super Class at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing school in 1993. Mike returned to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in 2009 to cross grade his NHRA license and this trip his wife Dee joined in on the fun, earning her NHRA Super Comp license in the process.
After selling their individual dragsters a couple of years ago, the duo recently finished up their new American dragster and were able to take it out a few times last year. “With both Dee and myself driving, we tested the car and it made runs in the mid 4.80’s @ 143, in preparation for 2012. Oakley Motorsports built a new engine for the car which is an all-aluminum 615″ BBF. On the dyno, it showed 1123 HP and 930 ft/lbs of torque. We have plans to run some fast bracket races, like the Jegs Super Quick series and maybe some NHRA/IHRA Top Dragster events. So we may have to visit the school again so we can upgrade our 4A NHRA license to 3A for both of us!”
Northern Florida resident and 2009 Super Class grad, Bill Rodda was not new to the sport and had actually been drag racing since 1969. “I raced Super Gas for years and then took a break in 2005. In 2009, I decided to get back into the sport only this time in Super Comp. My decision to take Frank’s course to get my license, instead of the good ole’ way, was a wise one. I’ve spent thousands and thousands on high-tech parts to make my car as reliable and repeatable as possible, yet I had spent next to nothing on the one part that can wind up losing me the most rounds and that was me,” he stated. Well, Frank’s course was money well spent. The portion of Frank’s class which he taught us the mental aspect was most beneficial for me. His teachings simplified my thinking, cleared out my “attic” at game time and has made my starting line performance as reliable as the car under me.”
Rodda has been progressively busier racing each season since his 2009 Hawley class and obtaining his Super Comp license. He competed in two NHRA Div. events in 2009, four in 2010 plus the GatorNationals and I will be sawing away at it again in 2012.
“The confidence gained, in no small part, from Frank’s teaching is now one of my most potent weapons on race day. Now, win or lose, it’s always a dog fight, no matter how tough the opponent,” he explained. “Frank’s school helped get me there. I really appreciate his sharing of his considerable knowledge and would recommend the school to anyone who wishes to learn or improve, no matter the category.”
Frank Hawley’s Spring Las Vegas Super Classes Graduate Thirty Diverse Drivers
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is always a very popular location for Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School’s highly celebrated Super Class. The first stop at the exquisite facility for the drag racing school was full of a group of assorted students of all ages, backgrounds and racing experience.
Taking part in the first of two spring Las Vegas classes, Spanaway, Washington resident Jim Denison chose to drive one of the school’s Super Gas cars. “I have been a fan of drag racing for years and wanted to go to the school for some time, actually for over twelve years. Finally, the opportunity presented itself and my wife Katie decided it was a good time for me to go. I have been in the Army as a mechanic for twenty years and look forward to building a life in drag racing after I retire. I like to call going to the Frank’s school the first step in my new life. At the time I attended, my only real drag racing experience was helping my daughter run a JR Dragster for the last 8 years.”
“The class was awesome,” Denison exclaimed. “I went there thinking the driving was going to be the best part but I found the classroom portion to be just as interesting with all the topics that Frank covered. I would have to say that I am going to recommend this class to everyone I know.”
Denison is currently building a back half Camaro that he hopes to campaign as well as looking acquiring a Super Comp Dragster. “I went to the school thinking I was going to become a better drag racer but I honestly feel that I left the school a better person. A lot of the classroom lessons were very motivational and can be used in all aspects of life, not just racing. I would like to thank Frank for the awesome instruction. I know that my daughter will be attending Frank’s class to achieve her Super Comp license soon and get some very good life lessons from an outstanding teacher!”
Bob Fenton, who is a physician and professional pilot, attended during the second class and also drove in hopes of acquiring his Super Gas License. “When I was a teenager, I was active in drag racing having built my own car. After many years of following the sport on the periphery and having a desire to join the 9 second club, this course offered me the perfect opportunity to pursue this dream.”
While Fenton works for a Fortune 50 company as a pilot and has flown the fastest corporate jets in commercial aviation, he confesses that he personally had a few surprises. “I found the simplest of actions to be most difficult. Lining the car up in the lane and aiming it in the right direction was far more difficult than I anticipated. Attention to the smallest details is far more important than first thought.
“The combination of the class, driving, and video critique following driving was a perfect way to solidify improvement of the racing experience,” Fenton continued. “The cars performed well and it is hard for me to imagine what a 6 second run, needless to say 4 seconds, is like. Frank has an unusual way of combining the racing experience with physiology and psychology. When I signed up for the course, I had no idea that this was a course on the power of positive thinking or concentration and attention. He is incredibly perceptive and observant, all of which enhanced what I got out of the experience.”
Seemingly more hooked on the sport of drag racing than before, Fenton is quick to point out his future plans to return to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School. “I would like to come back and take the advanced course and most certainly repeat the same experience in the dragster. I also have a 1955 Chevy Nomad with a 502 CI engine and nitrous and now intend to race the car.”
In addition to the Las Vegas Super Classes, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School offers classes throughout the year and across the U.S. For complete details on this course and all offerings, dates and locations, contact Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School by calling 866-480-7223 [Outside the U.S. 678-804-8835], online www.frankhawley.com. Also look for the school on Facebook and YouTube.
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School Enjoys All Aspects of “The Jiffy-tite Advantage”
Whether you are at the track racing yourself or conducting a drag racing school class, situations arise in which time is of the essence and when you need to make a quick repair or swap that involves disconnecting and reconnecting hose and fittings, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School has found time and again that Jiffy-tite fittings are worth their weight in gold.
Jiffy-tite’s revolutionary Quick Connect Fluid Fittings provide unsurpassed performance under extreme racing conditions. Made of lightweight, 6061-T6 aluminum, brass valves, and stainless steel ball bearings, they are corrosion resistant for extra-long life. Jiffy-tite quick-connect fluid fittings are reliable and durable. Tested and race-proven to be leak proof at up to 200 psi.
“We have been using the products for a long time,” said Frank Hawley. “When we do maintenance on our race cars, whether it is fuel systems or transmissions, time is always critical and the faster we can get something apart and replaced or serviced, and back into service the better it is for everybody. We have found over the years that Jiffy-tite products just flat save time. They are strong and reliable parts that even look good and I can’t even imagine not having them on our cars.”
“When we work with race teams the most important question we ask pertains to the type of fuel being used,” said Duane LaFleur, Jiffy-tite Company, Inc. Motorsports Manager. “Our product comes standard with a Viton Fluorocarbon seal which is compatible with fuels except Alcohol and Nitro Methane. We suggest a Buna Nitrile seal for Alcohol and EPDM for Nitro methane. Besides the type of fuel being used our standard Viton Fluorocarbon seals will work with most water, oil, and transmission applications. Jiffy-tite quick connect fittings can be used in just about every location on your vehicle.”
“Jiffy-tite has worked with FHDRS for the past 6 years and has a great relationship with Frank and his entire staff,” LaFleur continued. “The entire operation is top notch and we at Jiffy-tite enjoy surrounding ourselves with quality people. With the number of runs that are put on these class cars at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, the information and feedback we get is very helpful. The school is working on these cars day in and day out connecting and dis-connecting over and over and for our connectors to withstand this type of environment goes to show the quality of our products. We are then able to pass along this type of quality products to our customers.”
“Probably the one thing that the guys just love about the Jiffy-tite fittings would be when they need to work on the transmissions and when you disconnect the hoses, the fluid doesn’t leak out all over the place,” Hawley pointed out. “Jiffy-tite fittings save us time and help keep the school cars and shop much cleaner when we need to do our maintenance. “
For more information on Jiffy-tite Quick Connect Fluid Fittings visit www.jiffy-tite.com, call 888-605-7788 or visit their new Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/jiffytitemotorsports.
For more information 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.