The Dragster Adventure program is great for you, your friends, your employees or your customers!
If you’re interested in higher speeds, advanced training and a racing license, check out our 2-day competition license program. This has been the start for so many people in ALL categories of drag racing!
Contact us for info on any of our classes! Seats are limited and advance registration is required.
Paul Shields, pshields@frankhawley.com, 904-472-6312 cell
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 909-973-8279 cell
While going through our old photos recently, I came across the article Craig Vetter had written for Playboy, in the April 1988 issue, “At Ludicrous Speed”. Our 200+ MPH program has changed quite a bit in format since then, but this article has always been a favorite of mine and hope you will enjoy it too! Click on the link below to read.
Contact us for questions or information on any of our programs!
Paul Shields, pshields@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 cell
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 cell
With such great locations on the schedule we hope almost everyone in the country has a chance to be a part of one of our programs. “We’ve added The Strip at Las Vegas to the schedule in addition to returning to our many of our favorite tracks at Tucson, Fontana, Chicago, Houston, Woodburn, Norwalk, Maple Grove, Topeka and Earlville” said Hawley. “The next several weeks we’ll be running classes at our home track in Gainesville, Florida and then our crew will be heading west with stops in Tucson and Fontana. We’ll be almost everywhere!”
So if your goal is to join the list of successful Hawley grads in one of the school’s world class Licensing Programs or just have a blast racing against your friends in one of the school’s Dragster Adventure Programs, please join us in 2017!
Go to FrankHawley.com or call 866-480-7223 to speak to Paul Shields (x102) or Jeff Arend (x103).
Click here for our calendar of dates & locations. Remember, seats are limited and pre-registration is required at all of our classes.
And here’s some footage of a SC license run during the competition program:
Lots of dates are available for the the 200 mph classes, but these dates are on request, so call us to discuss upgrading your license in the dragster or funny car!
Upcoming class dates:
Gainesville Raceway SC/SG/BYOC competition license: February 14-15; February 28-March 1; March 21-22; May 30-31; July 11-12; September 26-27; November 7-8; December 5-6; December 27-28
Gainesville Raceway Dragster Adventures: March 23; March 24 (sold out); December 1
Tucson Dragway: April 6-7 for SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and April 8 for the Dragster Adventure
Auto Club Dragway SC/SG/BYOC competition license classes: April 12-13; October 18-19
Auto Club Dragway Dragster Adventure dates: April 14, April 15, April 21, April 20, April 26, April 27
Royal Purple Raceway: May 10-11 for SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and May 13 for Dragster Adventure
The Strip at Las Vegas SC/SG/BYOC competition license classes: May 17-18; October 10-11
The Strip at Las VegasDragster Adventure dates: October 12, October 13
Route 66 Raceway: June 21-22 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and June 23 & June 24 for the Dragster Adventure
Woodburn Dragstrip: June 29-30 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and July 1(sold out) and July 2 for the Dragster Adventure
Summit Motorsports Park: July 17-18 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and July 20 for the Dragster Adventure
Maple Grove Raceway: August 15-16 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and August 17 & August 18 for the Dragster Adventure
Heartland Park: September 6-7 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and September 9 for the Dragster Adventure
Tri-State Raceway: September 16 for the Dragster Adventure
Contact Paul Shields at 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 c, pshields@frankhawley.com
Contact Jeff Arend at 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 c, jarend@frankhawley.com
www.frankhawley.com
We are very grateful for all the friendships and relationships we have made in the past and we look forward to making many more! Thank you for your support and patronage! We wish you a Blessed Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!
Merry Christmas from Frank, Lana, and our team!
Luke 2:9-11 – And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them…And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
**Christmas card art by Jim Brando
www.frankhawley.com
866-480-7223
Please check our website for a class near you!
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School is back at ‘The Strip’ in Las Vegas starting May of 2017!
The world’s most successful and popular Drag School will offer a full slate of classes including NHRA Super Comp and Super Gas licensing courses and its popular Adventure Dragster program featuring “side-by-side” racing.
“We’ll be starting our West Coast tour at Tucson Dragway in April, then we’re at our second home of Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, CA. After that, it’s on to Vegas,” said Hawley.
“We’re excited to begin classes again at The Strip in Las Vegas,” said Hawley. “It’s been a few years since we offered classes at the popular facility and we can’t wait to get started. Our first classes will be in May of 2017.” “Adding Vegas back on our west coast schedule gives our customers even more opportunity to add their names to the tremendous list of graduates of Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School.”
The two-day Super Class allows drivers of all backgrounds the opportunity to earn their NHRA competition driver’s license in the school’s Chevy Performance 572/720R equipped Super Comp Dragsters or Super Gas Firebirds. For drivers that already have their own car, the school offers a “bring your own car” program that gives drivers the opportunity to enjoy the same driving course behind the wheel of their own race car. No experience is necessary to take the course.
In addition to on-track time, students will learn from Frank’s classroom sessions which cover the physiology of how the mind and body work together. Participants will learn how to mentally prepare, perform at the highest level, improve focus and block out distractions. Frank teaches how to practice more effectively, feel more confident about pulling up to the starting line and he shares techniques on how to remove the emotional baggage (everybody has some) that can often disrupt good performance.
For those that are simply looking for the thrill of blasting down the quarter mile, the Dragster Adventure in Las Vegas starts at just $499 for the half day program, or $699 for the whole day program with SIDE-BY-SIDE racing.
Seats are limited and advance registration is required, so call now to reserve your seat for the May 17-18 or October 10-11 Las Vegas competition course, or book on-line for the Las Vegas Dragster Adventure on October 12 or October 13.
For additional information, please call Paul Shields or Jeff Arend at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, 866-480-7223, or visit our website for additional class dates and locations at www.frankhawley.com.
Paul Shields, pshields@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x102
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x103
Thank you from Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School! It is because of you and your support that we are able to do what we do! We thank you for your patronage at our programs, and for your kind words and referrals!
Blessings to you and yours at Thanksgiving and throughout the coming year!
From Frank & Lana Hawley and the entire crew!
www.frankhawley.com
866-480-7223
By Brandon W. Mudd
Part of what makes a business successful is experience. Another part is the quality of people who support that business. Frank Hawley is a two-time NHRA Funny Car champion, one of the sport’s 50 Greatest Drivers, and, for more than 30 years, the owner and lead instructor at the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School, so the experience is a no-brainer.
And the support? Well, when companies like Summit Racing Equipment spend year after year supporting the school, it’s obvious Hawley has built a credible empire based on results and customer satisfaction, both for racers and marketing partners.
Jim Greenleaf, the motorsports and events manager for Summit, said the school has provided his organization the ability to reach out to new groups and new clients.
“We were on board with Frank before I was in this position,” he said. “I’ve been with the company 20 years, so in the eight years I have been in this capacity, we’d already started a relationship with the school and Frank.
“Obviously, the main reason to get involved is because of what Frank’s doing, whether he’s teaching somebody who is looking to improve their skills or somebody who is new to the sport. There are opportunities there for us to help us reach that racer and to be a partner with them going forward in their racing career.”
“We have been with Summit for a long time. Summit has supported our sport for many years at both a Sportsman and a Professional level. I think our customers, the racers and enthusiasts have come to rely on Summit as the source for performance parts. I know that my staff uses them on a regular basis. It’s one stop shopping, with great service and great prices,” said Hawley.
Greenleaf said Summit Racing Equipment maintains its relationship with Hawley and the driving school due to both the programs the former drag racing champion provides for students and Hawley’s abilities to teach and motivate.
“I know folks that have been involved and are very impressed with the program that he runs,” Greenleaf said. “Again, it’s a top-notch program from the quality of the cars to Frank as a speaker and a motivator.”
When many think of the NHRA, they think of the Mello Yello Series and its Pro drivers. While Summit supports drivers such as Pro Stock champions Greg Anderson and Jason Line and Funny Car driver Tim Wilkerson, the company’s bread and butter comes from the Sportsman ranks.
Hobby racers and part-time drivers who have full-time jobs outside the sport are the ones Summit Racing Equipment wants to reach the most. Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School gives them that opportunity.
“It’s a local guy who is home working on his car in the garage, in the shop,” Greenleaf said. “It’s the guy that can go out and race on any given weekend. Whether it’s his daily driver or whether it’s a purpose-built race car, there really is no other form of motorsports that allows the participant to do that, to get involved at such an entry level, without a huge investment necessarily and that’s really our customer base, it’s that do-it-yourself racer.”
And to Jim Greenleaf and many other automotive industry representatives, Hawley and the school is a great way to reach those drivers. Regardless of whether it’s someone looking for a couple days of fun in a race car or someone looking to follow in Frank’s championship footsteps, Summit knows the school is a capable method of reaching a new customer base.
“Frank is kind of the next step,” Greenleaf said. “As they want to improve, they go to see Frank and obviously we want to be a part of that as they grow in the sport.”
Contact the School at 866-480-7223 for information on any of their programs, class dates & locations and also visit their website at www.frankhawley.com. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram!
www.frankhawley.com
866-480-7223
When this news goes out, we’ll be running classes at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, CA before heading back to our home track at Gainesville Raceway for the winter and spring. We’d like to feature some of our grads in an upcoming newsletter, so please send us your pictures and news! In the meantime, if you’ve already been to the school, tell people about the programs, and please “like” and review us on our Facebook page. We are grateful to continue to help people get started in racing, or help them fulfill a lifelong dream! Our grads are our best endorsement and we are thankful for you all!
The December classes between Christmas and New Years are extremely popular and this year the calendar worked out where we are able to offer TWO classes during this time. These are very popular for the up and coming racers out there as they are on school break, and also many people have this time off work. Don’t delay if you may be thinking about attending during one of these classes, as both class dates are half full already!
Our very knowledgeable guys, Paul Shields and Jeff Arend, are responsive to your calls, texts and emails so feel free to contact them with any and all questions you have about the school, what you’re trying to accomplish, whether you want to bring your own car, arrange a group event, just have some fun, buy a gift for someone, or even treat a potential sponsor or significant other to a taste of drag racing, etc. Their direct contacts are listed at the end of this email.
Below is a list of confirmed class dates. Please check back as we will be confirming other dates soon! **Additional dates for Group Events, TD/NFC are on demand
March 24, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Gainesville Raceway (click here to book)
March 28, 2017 — TD/NFC – Gainesville Raceway
April 12-13, 2017 — SC/SG/BYOC – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA
April 14, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA (click here to book)
April 15, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA (click here to book)
April 19-20, 2017 — SC/SG/BYOC – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA
April 21, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA (click here to book)
June 21-22, 2017 — SC/SG/BYOC – Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL
June 23, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL (click here to book)
June 24, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL (click here to book)
July 17-18, 2017 — SC/SG/BYOC – Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH
July 19, 2017 — Corporate Dragster Adventure Group (Private)
July 20, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH (click here to book)
August 15-16, 2017 — SC/SG/BYOC – Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA
August 17, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA (click here to book)
August 18, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA (click here to book)
October 18-19, 2017 — SC/SG/BYOC – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA
October 20, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA (click here to book)
October 26, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA (click here to book)
October 27, 2017 — Dragster Adventure – Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA (click here to book)
** Dates subject to change, so please check back
For information on all our programs contact…
Paul Shields, 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 cell, pshields@frankhawley.com
Jeff Arend, 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 cell, jarend@frankhawley.com
www.frankhawley.com
866-480-7223
Sunny skies, low humidity and pleasant temperatures are what Florida is about in the Fall & Winter. And remember, the tuition on our 2-day Super Comp or Super Gas competition license program is only $1495 at our home track of Gainesville Raceway! Below are the dates we currently have scheduled, and note there are some 2017 dates on there already! These classes are a GREAT foundation to move on to all forms of racing! We have grads racing in the NHRA, IHRA, NMRA, NMCA, NHRDA, JETS and more!
This year we are offering two classes between Christmas and New Years for everyone who is off of work, school or just plain on vacation!
So, if you’ve been thinking about getting into racing or already have a hot rod, pick up the phone and call Paul or Jeff and they can tell you just about everything you want to know about earning your competition license, bringing your own car to class, upgrading to a different class, or just having some fun and checking an item off your bucket list! These classes are taught personally by Frank Hawley and the SC/SG classes include the personal performance lectures Frank has worked with many of the pro drivers on.
Don’t wait as class size is limited and preregistration is required in all our programs. Additional dates for the 200 mph classes are available on request. Scroll down past the dates for contact info…
October 4-5, 2016 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car
October 12, 2016 ~~ Top Dragster
December 6-7, 2016 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car
December 8-9, 2016 ~~ Top Dragster
December 27-28, 2016 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car
December 29-30, 2016 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car
January 17-18, 2017 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car
January 24-25, 2017 ~~ Top Dragster or Nostalgia Funny Car
February 14-15, 2017 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car
February 28-March 1, 2017 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car
March 21-22, 2017 ~~ Super Comp/Super Gas/Bring Your Own Car (*premium pricing of $1695.00 after Gatornationals)
March 24, 2017 ~~ Dragster Adventure
March 28-29, 2017 ~~ Top Dragster or Nostalgia Funny Car
www.frankhawley.com
866-480-7223
Paul Shields, pshields@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 cell
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 cell
By Brandon W. Mudd
The Frank Hawley Drag Racing School, led by the two-time NHRA Funny Car champion, has announced the continuation of its relationship with the Mickey Thompson Tire Company, an organization built by an equally-important figure in racing history. Mickey Thompson Tires and the school first worked together in the mid-1990s when Hawley was based in Pomona, Calif., and has spent 20 years creating the top drag racing school in the world.
Begun when Mickey Thompson Tires Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ken Warner joined forces with Hawley at Pomona, the partnership has evolved into a pairing that has seen incredible benefits for both sides. Kirk Fenn of the Mickey Thompson National Accounts Business Development Department, said the relationship has had incredible rewards for them.
“Frank was looking for the best products when he was going through his suppliers with his cars for the school and it was the perfect fit for us and for Frank,” Fenn said. “It allows anyone who’s going through for certification to be exposed to the best tires that are out there for drag racing for those classes and those categories. “
“Not to mention it works very well for us for when we’re doing relationship building with clients or customers. It really helps give them some hands-on experience to better sell and speak to the product when they’re marketing it out there.”
Hawley, an NHRA Nationals winner in both Funny Car and Top Fuel as the pilot of the legendary Chi-Town Hustler, said Mickey Thompson Tires has been an amazing partner for the school.
“It’s always important to have great traction and a good handling race car but it’s even more important when you are learning to drive. We’ve trusted Mickey Thompson Tires at our school for years!”
The most successful display for the two entities has been the Mickey Thompson Dragster Adventure. The program provides training at various drag strips across the country with the students racing in a Frank Hawley Drag Racing School dragster at the end of the day.
“We usually do two a year and I’ve been doing that for almost eight years and managing it for the last year and a half,” Fenn said. “We have nothing but rave reviews. People coming into it kind of skeptical in some cases, kind of ‘What is this all about?’ and after they make their first pass, they get out and get their helmet off…they’re like a little kid who’s just had their first exposure to a roller coaster.”
The Adventure has seen some amazing highlights, from its most recent winner Floyd Carter at Fontana, Calif., April 21, to a group of Navy SEALs last spring. While working with the SEALs is an unforgettable experience for both parties, the primary goal for Mickey Thompson is to provide education to customers and staff. The company also has a sizable involvement in off-road racing and provides an all-new experience to staff members who are unfamiliar with drag racing, although that’s not always the case.
”Floyd was a great example because he runs a speed shop so he was very in touch with the product on the drag racing side,” Fenn said, “but yet, was still absolutely floored by the experience. We go into it with a high-level objective, but we fine tune it based on what we want to get out of it and how the partnership is going to grow together.”
At the end of the day, success is measured in profit and the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School has definitely provided the opportunity for the Mickey Thompson Tire Company to expand both its reach and its customer loyalty.
“It certainly provides more of a hands-on takeaway,” Fenn said. “The more familiar our customers, dealers, and the end users become with a product, the more receptive they are to talk about it and essentially, sell it. That tends to be a positive take away and going back to the Fontana event, we had customers there who have since ramped up there overall volume of Mickey Thompson product.
“That’s an easy metric to see that we’ve accomplished our goal.”
Thank you to The Speed Journal for this great piece on the Dragster Adventure Challenge program! Click on the link below for the video and article – enjoy!
