08/09/08

‘BIC Lighter' “Queen of Diamonds” wins 2 Match races at New England Dragway!

Best 5.19 @ 302 MPH

08/07/08

US JET CAR NATIONALS
Canuso is 2008 Champion

The BIC Lighters “Queen of Diamonds” Defeats Lou Pereira with 5.22 second ET at 301.07 mph final to claim 2008 US Jet Car Nationals at Englishtown.

Canuso Wins Jet Dragster at ACDelco "Night Under Fire"

Dan Wilkerson Wins Funny Car

NORWALK, Ohio – The kids stole the show at the 31 st Annual ACDelco
"Night Under Fire" presented by Amalie Motor Oil and held August 2 at
“America 's Race Track” Summit Motorsports Park.

Saturday's festivities for what is billed as the world's largest single-day drag race began with the spotlight on legends Shirley Muldowney and John Force. The evening ended with kids showing up their parents, as Ashley Force beat her father John, and Dan Wilkerson beat his father Tim to set up an “all-kids” Funny Car final round. Dan Wilkerson prevailed to become the 2008 "Night Under Fire" Funny Car Champion.

Opening ceremonies for the "Night Under Fire" began at 6:00 p.m. They included the introduction of drag racing legend Shirley Muldowney who presided over the race as Grand Marshal. The three-time NHRA Top Fuel World Champion was treated to a standing ovation by the capacity crowd.

Also included in the opening was a flyover by a pair of vintage World War II P-51 Mustangs and a marching band from nearby Milan, Ohio. The 130-piece Edison High School Charger Marching Band under the direction of Denise Reilly performed several songs to a dance routine on the drag strip.

The crowd was also shown the unveiling of the “Christmas Car,” a Christmas-themed Funny Car driven by John Force only at the "Night Under Fire", then retired forever. Limited edition 1/24 scale die cast replicas of Force's Christmas Car were sold at the race. Only 1,500 collector grade cars were produced, and 300 color chrome cars were made. A few replicas remain available through the track offices.

Racing got underway shortly after 7:00 p.m. The first round of Funny Car determined the qualifying order and the pairs for the second, elimination round. In this format, the number one qualifier faced the number two qualifier to determine the champion.

A few upsets ruled the first round as Ohio resident, from Columbus, Jim Head beat Robert Hight from Yorba Linda, Calif. Hight is currently second in NHRA POWERade points. Parents also lost, as Dan Wilkerson beat his father Tim, the current NHRA POWERade points leader. Ashley Force defeated her father, 14-time NHRA World Champion John Force. Ashley's 4.242 second elapsed time in that round made her the number one qualifier in Funny Car.

In the final round 25-year-old Ashley Force, Yorba Linda , beat 20-year-old Dan Wilkerson of Springfield, Ill. off the starting line with a better reaction time. Wilkerson caught up at the 330 feet mark, then Force's car got loose and swerved close to the guard wall. In an expert job of driving she regained control but Wilkerson shot past her to take the win. He had a 4.173 second ET at 297.22 miles per hour, the fastest Funny Car pass of the day.

In Jet Dragster, Jill Canuso of Vineland , N.J., defeated Ernie Bogue to take the victory. Canuso controlled the race from start to finish and beat Bogue with a 5.253 second ET at 299.53 mph to Bogue's 5.346 second ET at 289.63 mph.

In the first round of Jet Dragster Canuso had the fastest pass of the entire event, at 301.00 mph with a 5.275 second ET.

Sportsman classes at the "Night Under Fire" were included in the NHRA National Dragster Challenge, meaning all sportsman class winners received an NHRA “Wally” trophy like the kind awarded to winners at NHRA national events.

In the R&R Auto Body Extreme 16, Edward Careccia from Mars Hill , N.C. won the open body class against Brandon Booher, Urbana Ill. with a 3.890 second ET at 187.39 mph to Booher's 3.962 ET/176.26 mph. Careccia was the number one qualifier in the class.

In the R&R Auto Body Extreme 16 ‘Door Wars' full-bodied class, Barry Ballard of Adrian, Mich. beat Larry Higginbottham of Warren, Ohio with a 4.282 ET/173.07 mph to Higginbottham's 4.397 ET/165.01. Ballard had the better reaction time, .064 to .089 second.

31 st Annual ACDelco "Night Under Fire" presented by Amalie Motor Oil finished the professional sessions with an exhibition run by Kent Shockley in the “Shockwave” semi, powered by three jet engines and a 20-minute fireworks display

EVENT WINNERS: 31st Annual ACDelco "Night Under Fire" presented by Amalie Motor Oil, August 2, 2008

Summit Motorsports Park

Funny Car                                           R/T      ET      MPH

Winner: Dan Wilkerson, Springfield , Ill.           0.111   4.173   297.22

Runner up: Ashley Force, Yorba Linda Calif.        0.052   5.018    69.18

Jet Dragster                                         R/T      ET      MPH

Winner: Jill Canuso, Vineland , N.J.                0.053   5.253   299.53

Runner up: Ernie Bogue, Oakdale , Conn.             0.010   5.346   289.63

Moser Super Pro American Race Cars Chassis Chase     R/T      ET      MPH

Winner: Vic Ellinger, Cleveland Ohio               0.002   7.933   158.80

Runner up: Tom Ferguson, Massillon Ohio            0.054   7.956   169.74

Moser Pro Advanced Product Design "Engine Race"      R/T       ET     MPH

Winner: Todd Crager, Shiloh Ohio                   0.052    9.688  136.97

Runner up: Aaron McCaulla, Tiffin Ohio              0.048   10.547  128.05

R&R Auto Body Extreme 16 - Open Body                 R/T       ET     MPH

Winner: Ed Careccia, Mars Hilo N.C.                0.012    3.890  189.39

Runner up: Brandon Booher, Urbana Ill.             0.013    3.962  176.26

R&R Auto Body Extreme 16 - Full Body                 R/T      ET      MPH

Winner: Barry Ballard, Adrian Mich.               0.064   4.282   173.07

Runner up: Larry Higginbottham, Warren , Ohio       0.089   4.297   165.01

2008 BIC Lighter ‘Queen of Diamonds” Driver Jill Canuso Makes Statement Licensing – She's a Natural

Press Release - Hanna Motorsports

Enfield, CT – 4/3/08

Hanna Motorsports proudly announces the successful licensing of our new ‘BIC Lighter' “Queen of Diamonds” driver, Jill Canuso.  Over the past 2 months, Al and Rich Hanna, and Ken Hall, have worked closely with Jill, both at Maryland International Raceway, and Atco Dragway, to learn the processes involved in wheeling the awesome 300 MPH jet dragster.  “Jill has been a phenomenal student” stated Al Hanna.  “She has much experience in a multitude of professional race categories, and working with her has been a pleasure.”

“Driving the ‘BIC Lighter' “Queen Diamonds” is a dream come true for me,” said Jill Canuso.  “I have driven all kinds of race cars, but the acceleration and power of this machine is incredible, and all I can say is I love this car and this team.”

The team once again chose Maryland International Raceway as the base for the start of training.  “Royce Miller and his staff have been great, and have given us so much support as we've moved forward with this process” said Hanna.  “MIR is a beautiful facility, smooth, long, wide, and perfect for a new driver.  We have affixed an MIR logo to the ‘BIC Lighter' “Queen of Diamonds” as a thanks for all Royce has done for us.  I wish we could do even more for him.”

“Hanna Motorsports has trained a multitude of drivers throughout the years.  Jill Canuso has shown the most resilient response to driving this car.” said Hanna.  “I believe her experience is other race cars gave her a base to receive our information and move quickly through this process.”  Her third day at MIR, she ran an 800 foot pass and recorded 5.88.  “Wow, really nice.”  Her next day at MIR, she ran the following numbers – 5.77 – 5.33 – 5.14 – 5.23 – and we didn't let her run to the finish line.  “Impressive.”

After several sessions at both the Hanna Motorsports race shop and MIR, the team moved to Atco Raceway for more testing.  Jill responded with an incredible session – 5.17 – 5.15 – 5.13, with a first ever to the finish line of 305 MPH.  Track owner Joe Sway, who knows Jill from her racing at Atco, came to Al Hanna at the end of the day and said just two words “She's good.” and walked away.  Joe is a man of few words, and those said it all.

April 2nd was the day to license Jill, and both Bob Lang from NHRA and Dick Rosberg from IHRA were on hand.  Jill again made a statement to those in attendance that she is the new ‘BIC Lighter' “Queen” with several runs as follows – 5.16 – 5.17 – 5.17, and a best of 303 MPH.  “The runs were arrow-straight and impressive “said Rosberg, who is also the driver of the ‘Thriller” jet dragster.  “I've seen enough” said Bob Lang.  “I think we can have her run this weekend's bracket event.  She even had great lights - .416 - .423 - .429 – unreal.”

The hunt for the new ‘BIC Lighter' “Queen of Diamonds” driver is over.  Jill Canuso has taken the reigns of the potent 300 MPH Jet Dragster, and is ready to race.  Jill makes her debut at the ‘Super Chevy Show' in Memphis April 19 th weekend in a match race event against long-time Hanna Motorsports rival Lou Pereira, driving the ‘Terminator' Jet Dragster.  “I have been on the BowFlex, working out” stated Lou.  “I am ready to race the new “Queen”.

Al Hanna said “The search was quite a process with a huge number of very talented applicants.  At this point, all we can say is Jill Canuso is our choice, and she is the ‘right one' to carry the legacy of the famous 'BIC Lighter' “Queen of Diamonds” forward for Hanna Motorsports.  We couldn't be happier.

The BIC Lighter “Queen of Diamonds” makes appearances across the US, in Puerto Rico, and Canada.  Since the inception of the “Queen of Diamonds” program in 1997, this car has risen to the top of the ranks in the history of jet dragsters.  2008 will be another banner season.

For more information or bookings for the Hanna Motorsports teams cars and drivers, contact Hanna Motorsports, Enfield, CT, or Nichols and Associates, Rockford, IL – 815-877-8041, or visit: hannamotorsports.com website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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