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Results and Team News Archive

TOPEKA, Kan. -- After struggling through qualifying, Kevin Poynter, new crew chief on J.R. Todd's SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster, found a combination that was good enough to carry Todd to a runner-up finish - behind his close friend Brandon Bernstein - in the O'Reilly Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.

Todd, starting from the No. 12 spot, disposed of Bob Vandergriff Jr. (4.597 seconds at 311.63 mph), Doug Kalitta (4.639 at 288.83 mph) and David Grubnic (4.672 at 305.36 mph) before squaring off with Bernstein. Todd's time was 4.667 at 299.86 to the winner's 4.582 at 320.51.

For Todd, a winner at Pomona, Calif., and Houston this year, it marked his seventh title round. He is now 5-2 overall.

"We were, for the most-part, pretty consistent today," said Todd, of Avon, Ind. "We went down the race track every lap and we didn't beat ourselves. That's the most important thing. This was the first race with a couple new crew guys and the second one for our new crew chief, so that wasn't bad at all.

"We got behind by missing the Friday night run (that was rained out) and I made a mistake on the first run, but the more runs we make, the more data Kevin's collecting and the better we are getting. We are looking forward to going to Chicago."

Joyner joined the team prior to the last event in St. Louis and is the third tuner Todd has had in eight races.

Todd remained third in NHRA POWERade Series points with 500. He trails Bernstein, the leader, by 90 and runner-up Rod Fuller by 34.

Next up is the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 Nationals at Joliet, Ill., near Chicago, Friday through Sunday.

SKULL Gear Driver Meets Vandergriff
TOPEKA, Kansas, June 2, 2007 -- Rain eliminated one of Friday's qualifying attempts, but J.R. Todd made  the most of his first run Saturday, running 4.643 seconds at 307.79 mph to take the 12th starting position for Sunday's O'Reilly Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka.
 
"We went down the track and a lot of other cars didn't do that," said Todd, "but I'm not happy with it. We shook the tires and drove into tire smoke on our last run (Saturday). Now we know what to do tomorrow."He squares off against Bob Vandergriff Jr. (No. 5, 4.576 at 316.75) in Sunday's first round.

Testing Sparks Skull Team
Fear not,  drag racing fans.  J.R. Todd recently saw four sprint car races in seven  days, but he has no plans of altering his choice of motorsports competition at this juncture. "I'm definitely looking forward to getting back to  business," said Todd, who was biding his time at sprint car venues after being  idled for almost a month due to a race postponement that moved the Bristol,  Tenn., event from May 18 to July 8. 

There will be plenty of  action in store for Todd and his SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel  teammates when they report for duty at Heartland Park-Topeka, site of the Reilly Summer Nationals, Friday through Sunday.  It is the start of a streak of eight races in nine weeks, including six in succession.

"Our team made the most of the extra time off because we know we have a long road ahead of us" added Todd.  We know we'll make  it through." More importantly, however, was the opportunity to make test runs at Reilly Motorsports Park, near the team's Brownsburg, Ind.,  shop. We really have struggled for the past couple of races and  the car showed good signs of improvement during the testing, continued NHRA's  2006 rookie-of-the year.  Kevin Poynter, the team's new assistant crew  chief, was excited about getting the tune-up back on track and so is the rest of the team. "I think this is the most excited the team has been in a long time because of how we ran in testing. Our main goal was to get  the car off the starting line because that's where we where we've had trouble in  the last few races.  We were more than thrilled with the results, but now  we have to get to the track and prove we can do it in  competition." Poynter joined the team prior to the last event at  St. Louis.  He was Eric Medlen's assistant crew chief and served in the  same role with Top Fuel driver David Baca in recent years.

"Kevin  is excited with the challenge and the guys are excited about working with him"  Todd said.  He's been around long enough to know how it works and now he has an opportunity to do it himself.  There are some new age crew chiefs out there and I think he's one of them.  He had a chance to work by himself  (making tuning decisions) at the test session and he just went back to the way  we were running the car last year and at the beginning of this year and it  seemed to work out. He's really not looking at making changes; he's just going back to the way the car was, and that's the way it  should be." First-round setbacks at Atlanta and St. Louis troubled  Todd going into the long layoff.  "We gave away too many points to the rest of the drivers in the last two races" he said, and we can't  be doing that" Todd Continued. A two-time winner (at Pomona, Calif., and Houston)  in the first seven races of NHRA's new Countdown format that trims the field to  the top eight after 17 races, Todd does sit third, but his grip is  tenuous.  On the positive side, he has 408 points and is 68 points behind  No. 2 Brandon Bernstein and 91 out of the top spot.  However, 10th place Cory McClenathan is only 72 points out of third place. But now Todd  believes his ride will be much improved when qualifying gets underway Friday. "I'm really excited about our prospects," he concluded.

Evan Knoll, founder of Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels and  a major sponsor of motorsports, has dedicated himself to bringing high quality  racing fuel to every aspect of motorsports.  When Evan is not spending time with his daughters you will find him following one of his many-sponsored race teams.  Evan is a loyal family man and an avid drag racing fan. The  company also offers commercial and racing oils and lubes; SKULL Shine, a complete line of car care products; SKULL Gear, a complete line of apparel,  traction compound, and racing-related accessories.

For more information  on Torco Racing Fuels, SKULL Shine Car Care Products and SKULL Gear apparel,  please visit: www.torcoracefuels.com or www.torco.com.

Television Schedule:
Saturday,  June 2, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 6-8 p.m.  (ET).
Sunday, June 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD final eliminations, 7-10  p.m. (ET).

Todd Can't Get Any Traction in St. Louis
MADISON, Il -- This is getting old, J.R. Todd said shortly after his first-round setback against Larry Dixon in the O' Reilly Midwest Nationals Sunday at Gateway International Raceway.  This was the second race in a row that happened."

What happened, in a  nutshell, was the big rear wheels on the SKULL Shine Top Fuel dragster spun the  tires almost immediately after Todd hit the throttle and Dixon cruised down the  track.  A clock malfunction provided no elapsed times for either driver, but it didn't matter.

"The good news is we found the problem and it will be fixed before our next race (at Bristol, Tenn., May 18-20) continued  Todd.  The tune-up was way too aggressive. It will be good to have some time off so we can be ready."

Todd now has 408 points and is third/fourth in NHRA POWERade Points.



SKULL Shine Team Qualifies with 4.65
MADISON, Ill./St. Louis, May 5, 2007 -- J.R. Todd and the SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Top Fuel team went from out of the starting lineup to seventh on Saturday's final qualifying attempt for Sunday's O'Reilly Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway.
 
"Two qualifying runs doesn't give you much time to get everything together," said Todd following his 4.650-second, 316.82-mph performance.  It propelled him from 18th to seventh.  "It was definitely a good run in the heat.  We knew we had a good chance of getting down the track and I managed to slide it down through there and get the job done."
 
The team was limited to two qualifying runs when rain washed out Friday's two sessions.  Compounding the situation was the fact it was Todd's first trip to St. Louis and there was no previous data. 
 
A two-time winner in 2007, Todd meets Larry Dixon (No. 10, 4.682 at 317.64) in the first round.

Force Racing's Poynter Joins Tuttle
The bond between J.R. Todd and the late Eric Medlen grew a little tighter Wednesday with the announcement that Kevin Poynter is joining Todd's SKULL Shine Top Fuel team as car  chief. Poynter, who served as Medlen's Funny Car car chief at John Force Racing, was released so he could work with Todd and Tuttle Motorsports.  

Johnny West, who held the car chief position with Todd for four  races, resigned and moved to Clay Millican's Top Fuel team.

The  position changes are effective at the O'Reilly Midwest Nationals, May 4-6, at  St. Louis. Tuttle Motorsports thanks John Force Racing especially John Medlen (Eric's dad and crew chief) for allowing Kevin to join  our team, said team
owner Dexter Tuttle.  "We are happy to have him on board. All of us are looking forward to working with him.  We think he is a  great addition to our team."

Todd, last year's NHRA rookie of the  year, has two wins this season and five overall, and is third in NHRA POWERade  Series points.

For more information on Torco Racing Fuels, SKULL  Shine Car Care Products and SKULL Gear apparel, please visit:  www.torcoracefuels.com or www.torco.com.

06' St. Louis Race Fondly Remembered
MADISON, Ill. -- No one knew on that late June night a year ago that a future star was forming. Few in attendance - not including his teammates, parents and friends - knew this was a special occasion.

But three weeks later everyone had a chance to see for themselves when unheralded NHRA Top Fuel rookie J.R. Todd out-dueled reigning champion Tony Schumacher in the final round at Denver. And he repeated the feat two weeks later at Sonoma, Calif.

"Yes, it was at St. Louis last year when everything started to come together, " Todd recalled, "when we went to the semifinals at Gateway International Raceway."

The victory came in only his ninth professional race - the team did not attend four races earlier in the year. When the season concluded, Todd's impressive credentials included three wins, one runner-up and eighth place in points. He was the runaway of the rookie of the year.

NHRA's first African-American to win in Top Fuel already has won twice (Pomona, Calif., Houston) in 2007 and is third in points as the SKULL Shine Top Fuel team readies for its return to St. Louis. This time, however, Todd and friends come in May and not June. There will be no night eliminations this year. The first round Sunday begins at 11 a.m.

Todd, now one of the fan favorites, said the focus is on winning rounds because this is the seventh of 17 races in NHRA's new Countdown to the Championship. All challengers vie for points in the first 17 before the number of contenders is cut to eight with six races to go. The number dwindles to four drivers with two races left. He is third with 375 points, 41 points behind the runner-up.

"Our car really is trying to run better," he said after his disappointing first-round loss to Hilary Will at Atlanta. "We had too much power too early and smoked the tires. We were on a 4.9 to 4.5 (seconds) run on our last qualifying pass on Saturday when the engine dropped cylinder. "

Midwest Nationals qualifying features sessions at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m.

For more information on Torco Racing Fuels, SKULL Shine Car Care Products and SKULL Gear apparel, please visit: www.torcoracefuels.com or www.torco.com. Television Schedule:
Tricky Track Leads to Early Atlanta Exit
COMMERCE, Ga. -- Tricky track conditions Sunday interrupted what was an otherwise a pretty good weekend for J.R. Todd and Evan Knoll's SKULL Shine Top Fuel team at the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.

Todd had qualified seventh in his first visit to the Northeast Georgia track but he didn't get more than 100 feet before tire spin forced him to get off the throttle. Hilary Will got the win in 4.588 seconds at 312.35 mph to Todd 's coasting 10.706 at 87.19. He was one of five upset victims in the opening round.

"The track was pretty marginal, but that was no excuse," Todd said, " because there were other cars getting down the track. We just had too much power too early in the run.

"Today would've been a good day to make up some points on the leader, but now we'll have to wait until next week."

Todd is now third in NHRA POWERade Series points with 375 points. The team moves to St. Louis for the O'Reilly Midwest Nationals, May 4-6.

Todd to Take on Will in First Round
COMMERCE, Ga., April 28, 2007 -- J.R. Todd didn't make Saturday's final qualifying session as the crew prepared Evan Knoll's SKULL Shine dragster for a first-round match against Hilary Will in the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
 
Todd's best quarter-mile effort was 4.527 seconds at 318.17 mph and he also had times of 4.569 and 4.643 seconds.  Hill was 10th, 4.551 at 325.30.
 
"I don't like to skip sessions, but we hurt the motor in our first run Saturday and the crew went through everything to make sure we'll be ready for eliminations," said Todd. "It looks like the weather will stay war m and that should benefit us."
 
Todd is second in POWERade Series points after five events.

Todd Upsets Schumacher in Round One
LAS VEGAS, April 15, 2007 -- J.R. Todd said Saturday night that he'd beaten Tony Schumacher before and he hoped to do it again Sunday in the opening round of Sunday's SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  And he did.
 
Todd, the No. 16 Top Fuel qualifier, posted his best run of the weekend and benefited from top qualifier Schumacher's traction trouble to take the first-round win, 4.598 seconds at 315.86 to 6.153 at 152.97.
 
In the next round, however, Todd trailed Morgan Lucas across the finish line. Lucas won with a 4.563 at 324.83 to a 4.644 at 313.15.
 
"We just didn't have enough steam," said Todd, who remained second in NHRA POWERade Series points with 342.  "Considering we didn't qualify until our last run Saturday, getting this far today was a bonus.  We need to work on finding a little more horsepower."
 
Todd and the team get back into action at Atlanta, April 26-28.

Todd Squeaks into Tough Field
LAS VEGAS, April 14, 2007 -- The pressure was on J.R. Todd and Dexter Tuttle's Top Fuel team on their final qualifying run Saturday afternoon at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  Todd, a two-time winner in four NHRA POWERade Series races this year, was outside the top 16 looking to avoid a shutout.
 
And he did, but just barely.  Todd covered the quarter-mile in 4.618 seconds at 309.06 mph and it was enough to knock out Doug Kalitta's 4.641, ending Kalitta's 164-race qualifying streak.
 
Todd now races Tony Schumacher (No. 1, 4.479 seconds) in Sunday's opening round of the SummitRacing.com Nationals. 
 
"Sunday's weather is supposed to be cooler and I think that's going to help both of our teams," said Todd, who is second in points. "We've upset him before and we can do it again.  We're just glad we got in.  It's a whole lot better than being 17th.  We'll just try to go down the track and not beat ourselves."

Todd Bumped Out During Friday Qualifying
Friday the 13th didn't treat J.R. Todd and Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine Top Fuel team very well, but Todd believes they will rebound Saturday in the second day of qualifying for Sunday's SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 
"The car was pretty much dead at the slap of the throttle," said Todd of his Friday night run of 4.697 seconds at 302.41 mph.  His best run was the first, 4.671 seconds at 312.86. "We'll get it figured out.  That's why we get two more runs on Saturday."

Skull Team Rolls into Vegas
LAS VEGAS - It has been said J.R. Todd's emotional victory at Houston was "right out of a Hollywood script."

Now that he'll be in Las Vegas for this weekend's Summitracinng.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Todd wouldn't mind borrowing one of Glitter City's most popular sayings to sum up his weekend: "I hit the jackpot."

After four of 23 NHRA POWERade Series events, the 2006 rookie of the year has two Top Fuel victories and is 16 points out of first place with 13 remaining in NHRA's Countdown to Eight championship format.

It has not been, however, an easy two months for Todd and Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine team. Todd did win the season-opening Winternationals but was taken aback - as were Tuttle and the rest of the crew - when their crew chief departed after two races. And the death of Todd's close friend Eric Medlen cast a pall that still hangs over the sport.

But there is the April 1 triumph at Houston Raceway Park that helped brighten everyone's spirits. No one expected the team - with newcomer Johnny West and Tuttle sharing tuning duties - to rebound like Yao Ming sweeping the NBA backboards.

"We weren't all that outstanding at Houston," Todd recalled, "but we were just consistent the way we ran. We were locked into running low 4.60s (seconds) and getting down the track. If you do that every round you are making the car running next to you run better than that. We didn't overpower the track and didn't get crazy with the tune-up. Sometimes that's what it takes.

"The last time we were at Las Vegas we were in the final round. Hopefully we can continue our success at the track."

Todd, who ran in impressive second to Tony Schumacher in the title run here in October, thinks he'll need to run a bit quicker at The Strip if he is to make it two straight and three wins this season.

"I don't think running 4.60s is going to win this race," he said. "If we can consistently run in the 4.50s on Sunday, we stand a good chance of being in the winner's circle again.

"I never doubted Dexter or Johnny; I just felt it would take a lot longer to get our car dialed in than what it did. I was really glad to get that win considering everything that happened with the crew changes we had. I definitely wanted to win it for Eric. I was emotionally drained at the end of the day."

Todd has put up impressive numbers in his 23-race career. He qualified third (4.508 seconds) in his first event at Pomona and earned his first win at Denver in just his ninth race. He added a second victory at Sonoma, Calif., two races later and won at Reading, Pa., in September.

Qualifying is scheduled for 3 and 6 p.m. Friday and noon and 3:30 on Saturday. Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m.

Television Schedule:
Saturday, April 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights, 6-8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, April 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations, 7-10 p.m. (ET).

Todd Wins One for Eric Medlen
Houston - A determined JR Todd beat first time finalist Joe Hartley to win the O'Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston. Todd ran a 4.60 at 313 MPH to shut down Hartley's close 4.64 at 307 MPH. Todd's reaction time was a quicker 0.058 to Hartley's 0.088.

Normally, a win like this would be gratifying, since this was only the second race without former crew chief Jimmy Walsh in command. But instead, it ended up being an emotional win as it was nearly one week ago that Todd lost one of his closest friends, Eric Medlen, who died March 23 during a test session in Gainesville. This win was dedicated to him. "You bet this was mission accomplished," said Todd. All week long I worried how long it would  take me to win a race so I could dedicate it to Eric and John Force Racing. I  want to win every race and every final round I am in. I know Eric was looking down on us. We needed it for sure."

From left to right, Johnny West, Dexter Tuttle, JR Todd and Diana Tuttle

The victory over Joe Hartley  marked Todd's fifth career victory in six final round appearances. It also was  his first under the tuning guidance of Johnny West and team owner Dexter Tuttle. "I had to treat it like any other final round, Todd said.  I've never wanted to win a race as bad as I did today. I wanted to prove that we could win after Jimmy went over to (Kenny) Bernstein. I think a lot of people  thought it was over for us. We have a great bunch of guys and a great team. That is what it takes." That combination definitely was on its  game during a subdued, rain-splattered  weekend.  Rain forced cancellation of Saturday's qualifying and Todd began the day from the No. 7 starting position.

Todd began the day by ending the title hopes of Clay Millican in the first round (4.597 to 4.642), Melanie Troxel in round two (4.642  to 6.039) and Larry Dixon in the semifinals (4.638 to 4.914).

"You can never prepare yourself for something like (Medlen's passing), Todd said.  "Eric was one of my best friends at or away from the track. I was there on Monday when he crashed and with him through the whole ordeal. It hurts you to see your buddy like that. You never expect something like that to happen to  someone close to you. We know the dangers within our sport and I think sometimes  we may take it for granted. You always realize those things can happen.

"You have to just get all of those bad thoughts out of your  head and get back to business in that race car." And that's what Todd, 25, did. The victory moved him into second place with 291 points in NHRA POWERade Series standings.  He trails leader Rod Fuller by 16 points.


Todd Wins One for Eric Medlen
Houston - A determined JR Todd beat first time finalist Joe Hartley to win the O'Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston. Todd ran a 4.60 at 313 MPH to shut down Hartley's close 4.64 at 307 MPH. Todd's reaction time was a quicker 0.058 to Hartley's 0.088.

Normally, a win like this would be gratifying, since this was only the second race without former crew chief Jimmy Walsh in command. But instead, it ended up being an emotional win as it was nearly one week ago that Todd lost one of his closest friends, Eric Medlen, who died March 23 during a test session in Gainesville. This win was dedicated to him. "You bet this was mission accomplished," said Todd. All week long I worried how long it would  take me to win a race so I could dedicate it to Eric and John Force Racing. I  want to win every race and every final round I am in. I know Eric was looking down on us. We needed it for sure."

From left to right, Johnny West, Dexter Tuttle, JR Todd and Diana Tuttle

The victory over Joe Hartley  marked Todd's fifth career victory in six final round appearances. It also was  his first under the tuning guidance of Johnny West and team owner Dexter Tuttle. "I had to treat it like any other final round, Todd said.  I've never wanted to win a race as bad as I did today. I wanted to prove that we could win after Jimmy went over to (Kenny) Bernstein. I think a lot of people  thought it was over for us. We have a great bunch of guys and a great team. That is what it takes." That combination definitely was on its  game during a subdued, rain-splattered  weekend.  Rain forced cancellation of Saturday's qualifying and Todd began the day from the No. 7 starting position.

Todd began the day by ending the title hopes of Clay Millican in the first round (4.597 to 4.642), Melanie Troxel in round two (4.642  to 6.039) and Larry Dixon in the semifinals (4.638 to 4.914).

"You can never prepare yourself for something like (Medlen's passing), Todd said.  "Eric was one of my best friends at or away from the track. I was there on Monday when he crashed and with him through the whole ordeal. It hurts you to see your buddy like that. You never expect something like that to happen to  someone close to you. We know the dangers within our sport and I think sometimes  we may take it for granted. You always realize those things can happen.

"You have to just get all of those bad thoughts out of your  head and get back to business in that race car." And that's what Todd, 25, did. The victory moved him into second place with 291 points in NHRA POWERade Series standings.  He trails leader Rod Fuller by 16 p oints.

A Time of Racing and Reflection for J.R. Todd at O'Reilly Springnationals
BAYTOWN, Texas - In his first  full season of Top Fuel racing, J.R. Todd continues encountering new challenges, race tracks on which to run, the surprising departure of his crew chief, the  highs and lows of the sport and now, sadly, the loss of his close friend, Funny  Car driver Eric Medlen.
Medlen, who Friday succumbed to head  injuries suffered in a test session accident at Gainesville, Fla. (March 19), was one of the most popular drivers on the NHRA tour.

"Eric was one  of my best friends in racing, said Todd, the 2006 NHRA rookie of the  year.  We hung out quite a bit at the track and away from the track. He  only lived a mile up the road from me.  We were really good friends.  It's going to be different not having him here with us." That  reality begins Friday at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, when POWERade Series competition resumes with the O'Reilly Spring Nationals.  It is Todd's first visit to HRP.

"When you see something like that  happen, you know there are chances it is going to be bad" said Todd, who watched Medlen's last run, but you expect him to make a recovery.  That was my first experience with (an accident) like that and I really didn't know what to think. We all know the dangers of this sport before we  climb into the car but we do it because it is what we love to do.  I don't  think any of us are going to quit because of what happened, but the danger is  here.  Once you're in the car, though, and it starts up, that's the last  thing going through your mind.  It's like being back in the office and you  have to forget about what happened and focus on the job at hand and not  worry.  But we'll never forget Eric."

On the  business side of things, Todd is ready to get back to work.  He began the season with a victory at Pomona, Calif., and is fourth in POWERade Series points  (178) with three of 23 races in the books.  Todd and the crew  of Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine dragster weathered the loss of its crew chief/tuner following the second race and he sees positive signs they are  returning to contending form just in time for the Spring Nationals.
 
The crew stayed together because Todd vowed to stick around,  too. "They were disappointed when Jimmy (Walsh) left, but they said, If  you're not going to leave, we're not going to leave.It made me feel good that they were willing to stay" Todd said. "They have great  attitudes.  The car is running well and that keeps their heads  up. We are still in the top five, which is pretty good.  We need to some rounds at Houston and every race we have after that.  We have to stay consistent and stay in the top eight so we can qualify for the new  Countdown to the Championship NHRA has introduced this year."

The  Countdown pares the title contenders to the top eight after 17 races and drops the number to four for the final two events. Qualifying is  scheduled at 4 and 7 p.m. on Friday and noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday's eliminations commence begin at 11 a.m. Classic photo of Eric was shot by by Kevin Macluskie.

Todd Honors Eric Medlen's Memory with a Solid Qualifying Effort
BAYTOWN, Texas, March 30, 2007 -- J.R. Todd's first trip down the Houston Raceway Park quarter-mile Friday was straight down Broadway and stopped the clock with a 4.618 at 311.77 mph to put him seventh and solidly into the Top Fuel field for Sunday's O'Reilly Spring Nationals. The initial run helped him get back in a racing mode following a very emotional week of grieving for his close friend Eric Medlen.
 
"At the end of the track, I told Gary Gerould (ESPN2-TV) that was the best therapy for you, getting back in the race car and making a good lap like that,'" Todd said. "I'm sure Eric was looking down on us. We can't sit and dwell on (his loss).  That's not what he would have wanted. If he'd be here, he would be trying to cheer us up and cracking jokes.  So far we are off to a good start for the weekend."
 
A glitch in the clutch area slowed the SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster to a 4.634 in the night session. "We should've done better than that," Todd commented. He has two more runs Saturday before Sunday's eliminations.

Rain Halts Qualifying in Houston
Houston - It was a long day for J.R. Todd at Houston Raceway Park, and he didn't even get to make a run in Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster.
 
A day of almost constant rain halted the action and left Todd in the No. 7 position (4.618 seconds at 311.77 mph) going into Sunday's eliminations. He squares off against Clay Millican (10th, 4.632 at 314.42).
 
"We thought we were going to run later in the day because the rain stopped, but the it came back," said Todd.  "It was a long day just sitting around." Millican's team is owned by Evan Knoll, who sponsors Todd's team. 
 
"With two of Evan's cars squaring off at least he will have one car in the quarterfinals," Todd said.  "We go back to our old days of IHRA racing."  They raced each other in 2000 when Todd drove an IHRA Top Fuel car.

Skull Team Makes Plenty of Noise at Bristol Motor Speedway
Todd and the team were invited to Bristol,  Tenn., for Sunday's NASCAR 500-lap race.  They started the 8,000-horsepower engine before the race and Todd hit the throttle twice for the fans.  They  responded with a roar. It was way cool, commented Todd.  At  the beginning of the year, I noticed we had off the weekend of the Bristol race and I wanted to come.  Once I heard we had the opportunity to start our car  I thought that was a gre at idea.  Bristol (Motor Speedway) was like a  football stadium, but bigger. There were 160,000 people in a bowl watching the  race.  I don't get too star struck at the drag races, or anywhere really,  but it was cool to see the NASCAR drivers walking by."

Skull Team Demonstrates they Never lost their Competitive Edge
GAINESVILLE, Fla. March 17, 2007 -- While they didn't win the race, JR Todd fans can take a collective sigh of relief as the SKULL Shine/Torco Racing team had a very competitive outing at the NHRA AC Delco Gatornationals. J.R. Todd registered his quickest elapsed time in Sunday's opening round at Gainesville Raceway, but it wasn't enough. It took Todd 4.569 seconds (at 321.58 mph) to traverse the quarter-mile but Rod Fuller lit the win light first with a 4.515 at 328.70 mph.

"We were just one run shy of making things happen," said Todd of the team's outstanding effort in its first POWERade Series event with new tuning personnel. "We lost one qualifying run on Friday but we rebounded well. This was definitely a boost for the team. I think people thought we'd stumble, but this team has what it takes. We are still working hard" Todd said.

Todd wound up 15th in the 16-car field with a 4.642 time, thereby drawing Fuller, the No. 2 qualifier. Fuller was behind the wheel of the Valvoline car.

Todd, now fourth in NHRA POWERade points with 178, returns to series competition at Houston, March 30-April 1. He and the team will be attending the NASCAR race at Bristol, Tenn., Saturday and Sunday.

Todd Keeps Qualifying Streak Alive
GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 17, 2007 -- J.R. Todd wore a look of relief Saturday afternoon following completion of qualifying for Sunday's ACDelco Gatornational at Gainesville Raceway.
 
"We're in . . ." he said with a sigh.  The SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel driver was happy to be in the starting line-up, even if it is 15th overall.  He races current POWERade Series Top Fuel leader Rod Fuller (No. 2, 4.535 seconds at 323.66 mph) driving the Valvoline car in the opening round.  Todd, meanwhile, had a best of 4.642 at 304.32.
 
"We have some issues with the clutch system right now," he added.  "We'll get it figured out and definitely be ready to go Sunday.  As long as we're in the top 16 we have a chance.  Anything can happen.  We'll be ready to get the car down the race track."
 
Todd is third in series points and won the season opening race last month.

Tuttle Team is Back on Track with a Solid Qualifying Effort in Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 16, 2007 -- Stymied by a problem with a front wheel Friday on his first qualifying attempt, J.R. Todd came back with a solid 4.642-second elapsed time on his second run to pull into eighth position with two more qualifying runs scheduled Saturday for Sunday's ACDelco Nationals at Gainesville Raceway.
 
There was more pressure than usual on Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel team because it was the first since the team replaced its crew chief.  The team corrected the trouble with the wheel and a safe tune-up virtually guaranteed Todd, currently third in POWERade Series points, a starting position.
 
"The track really wasn't too good, but the car went down the track nice and straight," said Todd.  "That gave everybody on our team a big confidence boost.  The weather is supposed to be cooler Saturday and the track should be faster."
 
Two more runs are slated to determine the starting line-up.

Todd, Tuttle, Team Regroup, Ready to Rebound at Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. Finally . . . the ACDelco Gatornationals event is getting closer to reality, and  it couldn't come any sooner for J.R. Todd and the resilient crew of Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine Top Fuel dragster. Startled by the sudden  resignations of crew chief/tuner Jimmy Walsh and crew member Danny DeGennardo,  the feisty crew regrouped and worked diligently to make Todd's first  Gatornationals driving appearance a favorable one. 

It was a  real shock Todd said of the news. "It hit us all by surprise and it was definitely a big setback for the team that we did't need. But everybody is pulling together and stepping up and doing their jobs.  Hopefully the  tune-up doesn't suffer and we can continue running the way we were." The way we were includes four victories in the past 12 races (including this season's Winternationals); 2006 rookie of the year honors  and a $20,000 bonus.  He currently ranks third in NHRA POWERade Series points with 147. Todd also ran three successive 4.4-second runs, highlighted by his best of 4.473 seconds, at the  Winternationals.

I'm ready to get to Gainesville and get some laps under our belt to see where we are,added Todd.  That way I hope I won't  have to worry about how the car is going to run.  I just want to get back to business. "My biggest worry is the performance of the car.  That's what I am pretty much focused on.  We just have to put everything  behind us, not change our game plan and go to Gainesville and, hopefully, pick  up where we left off." Good crew chiefs/tuners in the  nitromethane-fueled ranks are as scarce as ducks in the desert, prompting team owner Tuttle to select longtime friend and Funny Car driver Jim Head as an  interim tuning consultant. Tuttle also added Johnny West, another veteran,  to oversee the team's day-to-day operations.

Todd, Team Ready to  Rebound
"I was shocked when (the resignations) came down," Tuttle recalled. "I' didn't see it coming, but we'll have Johnny on  board and my friends on Jim Head's team, who will be giving us some help until we can find another crew chief. Is it a setback?  Absolutely, it is a setback.  I was happy with Jimmy and I liked everything he was doing.  I'm not going to panic.  We're not in bad shape  (performance-wise).  Do I think w're going to go to Gainesville and win?  No, but I think they are going to know we're there. "

Todd agrees. "There is definitely a good baseline to go off, he  said. For the last 10-to-12 races the car has been running well and  nothing really has changed.  The tune-up will need just a minor tweak here  and there and we need to concentrate on going from point A to point B"

The shuffle has galvanized the team, and Todd credited West with providing a new spark for the crew. He's actually getting us  more organized than we were, said Todd. We were running extremely well, but  there was room for improvement.  He's on the right track and he's definitely a motivator for the guys, and that's what they need.  I was down and the guys were down when Johnny came in, but once they saw how Johnny got  things organized, it got them excited.  "We are all looking  forward to going to Gainesville. It's one of the biggest races of the year and  at the top of my list to win.  There's a lot of history there.  It's  traditionally the first race of the season on the east coast. A lot of  friends I used to race with usually come to Gainesville."

While  this version of the SKULL Shine team is markedly different, Todd wants his friends fans and to know one vital factor definitely remains the same: It would be easy for someone to quit right now, but that'snot  what we're here for.

Gatornationals qualifying is scheduled for 1 and 3:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.  Sunday's eliminations commence at 11 a.m.

Head and West Step in to Help JR Keep Pace in NHRA Points Battle
Tuttle Motorsports team owner Dexter Tuttle is enlisting the help of drag racing veterans Jim Head and Johnny West to assist driver J.R. Todd and the SKULL Shine crew.
 
Stunned by the defection of Jimmy Walsh and Danny DeGennaro two days ago, Tuttle said Thursday that Head will serve as an interim consultant until a permanent crew chief replacement is secured while West has been hired to oversee daily race-car preparations at Tuttle Motorsports. 
 
Head is a longtime driver/owner currently campaigning in Funny Car. "Dexter and I have been friends for many years and I am willing to help him through this transition period," said Head, who is currently 10th in Funny Car points. In addition, Head also raced in Top Fuel for part of his storied career.

"I want to thank Jim and Johnny for moving so quickly to help our team," Tuttle said.  "We have been fortunate because there is a two-week break in the schedule right now.  That gives us time to reorganize and be ready for Gainesville (Fla., site of the ACDelco Nationals, March 16-18). 
 
"I also want to thank Evan Knoll and Latrell Preston of SKULL Shine and Torco Racing Fuels and all of the racers and fans for their support."
 
West has a vast background in the sport.  He has tuned nitromethane-fueled race cars besides working with teams' daily operations. West began his career racing nitro funny cars independently in the early eighties, racing mainly on the west coast.
 
Todd, the 2006 rookie of the year and winner of the Winternationals last month, is third in Top Fuel points with 147 following the first two races in NHRA's restructured Chase to the Championship that locks in the top eight drivers after the 17th event.

Traction Trouble Slows Todd
Phoenix, AZ , -- Well, the SKULL Shine Top Fuel dragster that had been consistently going down Firebird Raceway's tricky 1320-feet of asphalt failed to go the distance unscathed Sunday in the first round of the Checkers Schuck's Kragen Nationals. And the result put J.R. Todd out of action early.

Todd and Bob Vandergriff Jr. left the starting line at the same time, but Todd's race car lost traction almost immediately. Vandergriff also had traction issues, but his car as able to build more momentum and got to the finish line in 4.853 seconds at 323.81 mph. Todd trailed at 9.715 seconds, 96.45 mph.

Todd, who began the season with a victory at Pomona, Calif., two weeks ago and came in with the POWERade Series lead. He leaves in third place with 143 points. "I don't know what happened," said a dejected Todd. "The car started spinning the tires immediately. I still have to learn to let the car settle down before I pedal (the throttle)." Crew chief Jim Walsh didn't have an immediate answer, either, although all attention was focused in the clutch area. Both promised the team will be going over the car and parts in preparing for the ACDelco Gatornationals, March 16-18, at Gainesville, Fla.

J.R. Todd Dominates Top Fuel at NHRA Carquest Winternationals
POMONA, Calif. -- Beginning in the second round of the Carquest NHRA Winternationals, JR Todd and crew chief Jimmy Walsh were unstoppable as they put together a string of career best runs that took them all the way to the Winner's Circle. The win was especially sweet for car owner Dexter Tuttle who originates from the Banning area, which is just east of Pomona. Pomona is the home track for the Tuttle family which have been racing off and on at Pomona since the mid-1980's when brother Brad drove the "Nitro Bandit" funny car and Dexter tuned the car. They raced on a part time basis for several years. Today, Brad Tuttle is the car chief on the current car.

For Todd the win at Pomona was incredible. "It is pretty exciting," said Todd, a three-time winner in his rookie season. "I never expected things to happen as quickly as they have. I'm just trying to take it race by race. Last year was kind of a Cinderella year for us and we surprised a bunch of people, but it wasn't really all that surprising to ourselves towards the end of the season. The more laps we got on the car, the more comfortable I got and the more Jimmy comfortable Jimmy and the guys got.

"This year I really think we can contend with any of these guys out here."

Todd's driving was nearly perfect and the crew clearly had the car "dialed" all weekend. He was very consistent in qualifying, using a best of 4.500 seconds to start in the No. 5 position. In the first round, the car moved around near the finish line but he still got the win light over Melanie Troxel with a 4.699 seconds at 295.27 mph to an 11.051 at 83.90 mph.

But it was his last three elimination runs that were the most impressive as Todd was unstoppable in his march to the title. The 25-year-old from Avon, Ind., went 4.479 seconds, 322.50 to knock off Doug Kalitta's 4.520 at 323.27 and followed with a career-quickest 4.473 seconds at 324.98 to oust David Grubnic in the semifinals.

In the final round, Todd faced off with Brandon Bernstein driving the Budweiser sponsored entry. At the hit, Bernstein experienced tremendous tire shake and had to abandon the run as Todd raced to victory under the lights with a spectacular 4.48 pass at over 324 MPH.

Todd now leads the series with 114 points. There are 22 races remaining, 16 in NHRA's first leg of its new Countdown to the Championship and he is definitely a contender. Todd and Dexter Tuttle's Top Fuel team resume their title hunt at Phoenix, Feb. 23-25.

Skull Shine Team Leading the Points Chase Going into Phoenix Event
Phoenix, AZ - When qualifying begins at the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals being held at Firebird International Raceway, driver JR Todd and the rest of the Skull Shine team find themselves in unfamiliar territory as the NHRA point leaders going into the second race of the year.

The big challenge for the team will be leaving Firebird on Sunday evening with the lead intact but this team is more than capable of getting it done as they are riding high after winning the Carquest NHRA Winternationals in Pomona California. Todd leads the series with 114 points. Behind him is Brandon Bernstien with 96 points and Rod Fuller who is third with 77 points. Rounding out the top five are David Grubnic and Doug Kallitta respectively.

At Pomona, the Tuttle Motorsports owned team completely dominated the field with a string of 4.4 second runs which now moves the Jimmy Walsh tuned entry near the top of the class. While a repeat of the Winternationals is what the team is shooting for, the game plan going into Phoenix remains conservative, which means qualifying well and then taking it one round at a time on Sunday.

Qualifying for the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals begins on Friday at 2 and 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 3:30. Sunday's eliminations commence at 11 a.m.

Todd Qualifies Seventh in Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ , Feb. 25 2007 -- Top Fuel pacesetter J.R. Todd begins Sunday's Checkers Schuck's Kragen Nationals -- the second NHRA POWERade Series event of the 2007 season -- from the No. 7 qualifying position.
 
Todd drove the Tuttle Motorsports SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster to a best of 4.510 seconds at 323.41 mph in two different days of qualifying.  Friday was cool and quite windy, while the temperatures went up and the sun shined all Saturday, creating different competitive conditions.  Todd races Bob  Vandergriff Jr. (No. 10, 4.523 at 329.58) in the opening round.
 
"The track conditions are very different when the sun shines on it," said Todd, who didn't qualify here in his first visit last year.  "It was very slick starting at halftrack and the tires started spinning.  The car did go down the track, and that's always good. 
 
"We aren't far off on the tune-up and I'm certain (crew chief) Jimmy (Walsh) will have the car in good shape for eliminations."

Skull Shine Team Leading the Points Chase Going into Phoenix Event
Phoenix, AZ - When qualifying begins at the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals being held at Firebird International Raceway, driver JR Todd and the rest of the Skull Shine team find themselves in unfamiliar territory as the NHRA point leaders going into the second race of the year.

The big challenge for the team will be leaving Firebird on Sunday evening with the lead intact but this team is more than capable of getting it done as they are riding high after winning the Carquest NHRA Winternationals in Pomona California. Todd leads the series with 114 points. Behind him is Brandon Bernstien with 96 points and Rod Fuller who is third with 77 points. Rounding out the top five are David Grubnic and Doug Kallitta respectively.

At Pomona, the Tuttle Motorsports owned team completely dominated the field with a string of 4.4 second runs which now moves the Jimmy Walsh tuned entry near the top of the class. While a repeat of the Winternationals is what the team is shooting for, the game plan going into Phoenix remains conservative, which means qualifying well and then taking it one round at a time on Sunday.

Qualifying for the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals begins on Friday at 2 and 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at noon and 3:30. Sunday's eliminations commence at 11 a.m.

Vegas Testing Provides Plenty of Optimism Going into Pomona
The Skull Shine team has good reason to be optimistic going into the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals based on this past weekend's test session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Dexter Tuttle owned Top Fuel dragster perfomed exactly the way crew chief Jimmy Walsh had planned. "We made five runs and the car responded like we wanted it to each time." Walsh said.

The team's best performance of the weekend came on Sunday as the car ran an elapsed time of 4.82 seconds at only 214 MPH which was a great pass considering that none of the runs that driver JR Todd made all weekend were even close to a full pass. "The car made it as far down the track as we wanted it to go and was very aggressive on every run." Todd said. Was Todd a little nervous climbing back in the seat for the first time since November? "As soon as I was belted in and the car was fired up it was like I never took a break. Once you get use to driving a Top Fuel car it's like riding a bike as you never forget how to drive it." Todd said.

Looking towards Pomona, Todd is excited about returning to the historic Winternationals and the start of the 2007 Powerade Drag Racing season. "It's Southern California, the weather is beautiful and the fans there are great. Winning the Winternationals is right up there with winning Indy or the Gatornationals. It would be nice to come out of Pomona with the points lead. Like always, our goal is to qualify well and go rounds on Sunday" Todd said.

When asked what to expect this year in Top Fuel, Todd believes it will be tougher and even more competitive than last year. "All of the teams are catching up to the new rules, so you can expect faster qualifying times and a lower bump spot. The Countdown will be exciting for fans and could help a team like ours. But for us, if we go rounds on Sunday then the Countdown will take care of itself."

Qualifying for the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals begins this Thursday with final eliminations set for Sunday at 11:00 AM PST. The event will televised on ESPN2, check your local listings for times.

Skull Shine Team to Contend for Championship
For NHRA teams and race fans around the country, the Super Bowl means more than just the biggest NFL football game of the year, it also means that the opening of the NHRA Powerade tour is just around the corner. Beginning with the Carquest NHRA Winternationals in Pomona California, February 8-11, it's an exciting time as race teams get a fresh new start as they forget about last year and concentrate on the new season that's in front of them. It's a time of innovative new ideas, new teams, and new cars.

It's going to be an action-packed year as the 2007 season begins the new "playoff format" known as "Countdown to the Championship". Every team on the tour will be pulling out all the stops from now until the middle of August to make it into the Countdown which starts at Indy. And with nearly twenty strong top fuel teams on the tour, there will be some surprises as to who gets in the final eight and who doesn't. From there it will be a dog fight to the final four and then the championship. Professional drag racing has never experienced anything like this before, and could be considered a sign of the sport's growth and popularity in recent years.

The duo of driver JR Todd and crew chief Jimmy Walsh are a great combination of talent and should be in the thick of it considering they won three events in their first season together and finished in eighth place in the point standings. The Skull Shine team have demonstrated they know how to win and have the experience necessary to make a run at the NHRA championship title.

The Skull team will test at the final pre-season testing session in Las Vegas before heading for the LA County Fairplex, where they hope to get a jump on the points and stay ahead of the pack, rather than have to make up ground later in the season. Regardless of how the script is written, JR and company are focused to make it into the Countdown.

The Countdown to the Championship means that every race from the first round at Pomona to the final round at Reading will determine how successful the 2007 season will be. The pressure is on but if Dexter Tuttle's Skull team can pick up where they left off last year, they will certainly be a favorite to make it into the Countdown and just maybe win it all.

LUCAS AND TODD SHARE OLYMPIC BOBSLEDDING OPTIMISM
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (Jan. 6) The scenic countryside and picturesque surroundings of Lake Placid, site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, has offered the NHRA Top Fuel aces Morgan Lucas and J.R. Todd an Olympic sensation unlike any have ever felt before: riding in a competitive Olympic bobsled.

They are among the drivers featured in Geoff Bodine's Bobsled Challenge.  The event, run in conjunction with U.S. National Bobsledding Championships, also features NASCAR drivers and is a fundraiser for Bodine's Bo-Dyn Bob Sled Project and the U.S. Bobsled Team as they prepare for the 2010 XXI Olympic Winter games in Vancouver, B.C.

"It's a great feeling and the whole thing is that I want to make it from A to B without wrecking and ending up on my head, said a laughing Lucas after his first runs Frida. So far we're seven for seven.  It's just a blast and you can't keep the smile off my face when you reach the bottom.  It would be a great second job outside of drag racing.  I have never had to turn before in a race car and you feel a great sense of accomplishment and pray that your skis are down.  It's fun and I've been enjoying myself.  It's been neat hanging out with J.R. and meeting all the NASCAR guys. Boris Said is cool as heck and Randy LaJoie is an absolute riot.  It's been a blast.  Everyone has been super nice and it's just a testimony to the people who put the money and time into bobsledding, people like John Morgan (Event Organizer), who put on such an event.  Bobsledding is a lot like drag racing in the respect that people don't know how cool it is until they get to an event; see it, and eventually like it.  It.s fun." Lucas said.

Todd also has discovered a new adventure and shares Lucas' feelings completely.  "I definitely have a lot of respect for those Olympic guys who are out there doing this," said Todd, NHRA's 2006 Rookie of the Year and three-time Top Fuel race winner.  "It looks easy on TV, but to be out there and actually doing it; it's a handful."  The steering rings are attached to a rope that leads to the rudder at the front.  You're going 50 miles per hour and you're steering with ropes.  I'm definitely not used to that.  I'm used to having a butterfly steering wheel in my hand, but I'm getting accustomed to it.  It's a lot of fun.  It's pretty unreal. 

It's kind of a comparison to a fuel car.  You're trying to control something that is out of control.  In a fuel car, I can stop that thing, but I cannot stop the bobsled.  Mother Nature is in control, you have to deal with it, and you are along for the ride, hopefully not on your head.  I'm told the times will be same, but we will starting up higher the hill going faster, so I'm looking forward to that"

That was the plan and the twosome gained more confidence with every run until they went to the higher stage.  After having two sleds crash out of three runs in front of them, mainly due to the increased speed and slippery conditions, Geoff Bodine, the team leader, made the decision to move back the competition to level four duo to unusually warm conditions for this time of year in Adirondacks.  Lucas qualified in the No. 7 position after his two eligible runs while Todd placed No. 11th.

The majority of competitors come from the NASCAR contingent with Speed Channel's Ray Dunlap and Rick Allen representing the media along with play-by-play action of the event.  Such notables as seven-time NASCAR modified champion Mike Stephanik, two-time (1996-97) Busch Grand National champion Randy LaJoie, legendary short track racer Dick Trickle, Boris Said, Kevin LaPage, Brendan Gaughn, 2006 NASCAR Late Model Stock car National champion Philip Morris, and newly crowned NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine head up the remainder of the roundy-round stock car crowd.  Speed Channel will air the final round Sunday, January 7, at 2 p.m.

NHRA'S VERSION OF COOL RUNNINGS HAS LUCAS AND TODD READY FOR OLYMPIC RIDE
INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 28) -- Morgan Lucas and J.R. Todd, two of NHRA's rising young Top Fuel stars, have proven quite capable of handling any quarter-mile challenge they've encountered on asphalt, but neither expected to be driving a bobsled in Lake Placid, N.Y.

"I was surprised because I really didn't know much about it." said Todd, who agreed to join Lucas on a two-man sled for the second annual Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge at the U.S. Olympic team's training site, Jan. 5-6.  "Morgan called and asked if I wanted to do it.  I don"t know much about bobsledding except it was about the only thing I watched during the Olympics. It definitely will be interesting."

The event, run in conjunction with U.S. National Bobsledding Championships, also features NASCAR drivers and is a fundraiser for Bodine's Bo-Dyn Bob Sled Project and the U.S. Bobsled Team as they prepare for the 2010 XXI Winter Olympic games in Vancouver, B.C.

When Morgan Lucas heard about this ice escapade prospect, his mind immediately flashed to one of his favorite Disney movies - Cool Runnings. 

"This is going to be so cool" said an elated Lucas.  "Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined doing something like this.  Moreover, to participate with the NASCAR drivers makes this even more special.

Driving an Olympic Bobsled is beyond any comprehension I could have dreamed when I began driving.  I've seen it on television like so many others, but now the thought of actually being in one only leads me into what the feeling is going to be." The drivers will race on a slightly shorter (three-quarters of a mile) track than the U.S. championship contenders and will be hitting speeds in excess of 60 miles per hour. 

All racing drivers will go through a training session on Friday, Jan. 5, before their two practice sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Qualifying starts at 3 p.m. Todd Bodine, the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, Brett Bodine, Boris Said, Kevin Lepage and legendary Dick Trickle are among the stock car drivers expected. 

"Hopefully we won't end up on our heads," said Todd, who won 2006 rookie of the year honors after winning three races and finishing second once in the season's last 11 races.  "Morgan said he wanted me to steer the sled . . . and that could be trouble."

The Bodine Bobsled Challenge begins on Saturday, Jan. 6, with the first sled taking the track at 10 a.m., and the final race is schedule at 2 p.m.  Victory Lane celebrations are being held in the Fan Zone along with awards given to the National Championship winners.

"We welcome Morgan and J.R. coming to our event." said Geoff Bodine, the 1986 Daytona 500 winner.  "However, we're a little worried they might whip up on the NASCAR guys.  Drag racers are accustomed to just speed.  They don't use a break pedal, they don't slow down at all and that's what a bobsled does.  It keeps accelerating all the way down the run. 

There aren't any break pedals on a bobsled.  The NASCAR guys keep reaching with their foot trying to push on things trying to whoa up for the corners and you can't.  I have a feeling the NHRA guys are going to catch on to this real quick and they could come out on top.  The sleds are like the IROC series, with all being equal, so it comes down to the driver.  We'll find out who will be better, NHRA or NASCAR." 

Bodine chuckled when Lucas queried the 18-time NASCAR race winner about a gas pedal.   "The gas pedal is Mother Nature.  When she takes over, it's a thrill.  It's a completely different feeling than being in a race car.  The NASCAR guys last year couldn't believe it because it is an out of control feeling.  Mother Nature starts pulling you down that hill and it doesn't stop until you get to the bottom."

NHRA Rookie of the Year
JR Todd is the Clear Winner of the Road to the Future Award
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- J.R. Todd's surprising and impressive second-half performance was acknowledged Monday night when the 24-year-old Top Fuel driver was chosen the 2006 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award winner -- NHRA's Rookie of the Year - at the annual POWERade Series awards ceremony.

Todd became the odds-on favorite to win the coveted prize and accompanying $20,000 check by winning three times in four final-round appearances over the last 11 races of the 23-race season. Despite missing four races and not qualifying once, Todd parlayed his consistency into a climb from a low of 19th place in the standings all the way up an eighth place finish.

"To win an award that great drivers like Brandon Bernstein, Ron Capps, Gary Scelzi, Doug Kalitta and the late Darrell Russell have won means a lot to me," said the soft-spoken Todd, of Lawrenceburg, Ind. "I just hope I can come close in comparison to those drivers.

"There were some good rookie drivers out there this year and just to be nominated for the award is an honor . . . and to be taking it home is more than I expected."

Others nominated were Alan Bradshaw, Top Fuel; Max Naylor, Pro Stock, and Hillary Will, Top Fuel.

Todd's emergence may not have happened had Evan Knoll not approached team owner Dexter Tuttle with sponsorship assistance from his Skull Shine and Torco Racing Fuels companies seven races into the season.

"I really didn't give us much chance to win this award because we had planned to only run 12 races," said Todd. "We missed four races early in the year but when Evan came on board we knew we'd be running the rest of the season.

"By mid-season things really turned around for our team. Our crew chief, Jimmy Walsh got a good handle on setting up the car and the guys on the crew were flawless. I was getting more comfortable in the car as the year went along and, sure enough, we started to pick up some round wins."

Todd first caught the spotlight's glare at Denver in mid-July when he strung four round wins together and claimed his first victory. That win also was the first by an African American Top Fuel or Funny Car driver in NHRA history.

Two weeks later, Todd added his first exclamation point with another storybook win at Sonoma, Calif., defeating Tony Schumacher - the two-time reigning Top Fuel champion - in the final round for the second straight time.

Todd won again at Reading, Pa. and was runner-up in Las Vegas last month.

"We started opening some eyes, turned some heads and kind of surprised ourselves along the way," Todd said.

No one was surprised Monday night when Todd won the award.

"For more than 100 years, the Automobile Club of Southern California has represented integrity, commitment and professionalism to our millions of members. The Road to the Future Award has come to symbolize those same attributes in the sport of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing," said Thomas V. McKernan, president and CEO of the Auto Club. "To be nominated recognizes not only that a rookie driver had a noteworthy first season, but also that they demonstrated exceptional potential for the future."

Todd Finishes Season with big Quarterfinal Finish in Pomona
POMONA, Calif. -- J.R. Todd, the odds-on favorite to be named NHRA's Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award winner (a.k.a. Rookie of the Year) Monday night, ended his dream season with a quarterfinal finish in the Auto Club Finals Sunday at Pomona Raceway.

What he accomplished in 18 of the 23 POWERade Series events in which he competed, however, has been remarkable. His three victories in four final rounds and impressive performances carried him from the depths of the standings into the top 10. He solidified his hold on eighth place (1105 points) by defeating Hillary Will, who also is nominated for the rookie award, in the opening round.

Todd got a jump at the starting line and finished in 4.534 seconds at 325.53 mph to Will's 4.553 at 325.69. He was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Doug Kalitta's 4.580-second run at 330.96 mph. The Skull Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster lost traction, forcing Todd to shut it off. He coasted through in 11.829 at 84.73 mph.

"We didn't expect the car to lose traction," said Todd. "Jimmy (Walsh, crew chief) didn't try anything different in the tune-up. Overall, it has been a great season. I was really surprised by the outcome. I gave myself a chance of winning at least one race, but to be in four finals, win three races and finish eighth in points never crossed my mind."

Mark your calendar, Todd begins his quest for more Top Fuel victories at the Winternationals, Feb. 8-11, at Pomona.

Broken Blower Belt Slows Steve Torrence
Steve Torrence had an opportunity to add another round win to his three-race Top Fuel resume Sunday in the opening round of the Auto Club Finals, but a broken blower belt slowed his progress.

He was in a close race with eventual race runner-up Melanie Troxel when the belt on the SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster snapped and he could only watch Troxel get the win light in 4.553 seconds at 323.66 mph to his 4.622 at 294.88 mph.

"That was a good showing for us in our three races . . . not bad at all," said Torrence. "We qualified for the Finals (13th) in what is one of the quickest starting line-ups in history. I couldn't be happier. I'm thankful (team sponsor) gave us the opportunity to do it and I look forward to the future."

Torrence qualified at all three events and won his first professional round two weeks ago at Las Vegas.


Todd Claims Runner-up at Las Vegas; "Steve O" Gets First Round Win; Loses to Todd
 
This time the script was different. 
 
After collecting two final-round victories over Tony Schumacher in NHRA POWERade Series Top Fuel competition, J.R. Todd came in second Sunday in the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 
This time Schumacher thundered to the decision in a quick 4.469 seconds at 313.58 mph as Todd drove Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster to a 4.550 at 320.81 mph finish.  Nevertheless, this was another impressive performance race from Todd and the team.
 
"Sometimes he can be on another planet . . . and he was today" said Todd of Schumacher's performance.
 
I hate to go to the finals and lose, but at least we didn't beat ourselves.  All you can do is race the track and hope it gives you a good lap.  We did what we wanted to do, and that was go rounds today.
 
Todd, the frontrunner for this season's rookie of the year honor, has been to four finals in 18 events.  He climbed into eighth place (1052 points) with only the Auto Club Finals, Nov. 9-12, remaining.
 
Todd was unknown when he beat Schumacher in the finals at Denver (July 15) and he came back to do it again two weeks later at Sonoma, Calif.  He picked up his third winner's trophy at Reading, Pa. (Oct. 1), defeating Schumacher in the quarterfinals.
 
IT TOOK JUST TWO races before Todd and Steve Torrence, his new teammate, squared off against each other. It came in the quarterfinals and they put on a good show.

Torrence, who registered his quickest elapsed time (4.583 seconds) and speed (326.56 mph) in qualifying 11th, did what he needed against Todd. He left the starting line first with a .085-second reaction to Todd's .090. But Todd prevailed with a 4.582 at 320.28 to Torrence's 4.663 at 311.92.
 
Torrence, of Kilgore, Texas, picked up the first round win of his two-race career by outrunning Cory McClenathan in the opening round.  Torrence had the jump at the line (.078 to .093) and turned on the win light with a 4.609 at 321.12 to the veteran McClenathans 4.632 at 320.06.
 
"The engine had a cylinder out down-track, ecalled Torrence, and I felt it nosing over.  I kept watching for the win light and saying go baby go! to the car. It was a relief when I saw the win light.  It was bittersweet, though, because I knew I"d be running J.R. in the next round .
 
"It was a really good weekend for our new team and a good day for us because we got our first round win.  It came quicker than I thought it would.  Cory is a good racer.  I did my job and the crew did its job by giving me a good car to drive.  It was a team effort."
 
The season's last event, the Auto Club Finals, unfolds at Pomona, Calif., Nov. 9-12.

Skull Shine Team Looking Forward to Eliminations
LAS VEGAS, October 28, 2006 -- J.R. Todd and Steve Torrence continued their good qualifying performances during the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Todd coming in third and newcomer Torrence 11th.
 
Todd, fighting for a berth in the POWERade Series top 10, was consistent, finishing with a best of 4.526 seconds at 320.20 mph.  He squares off against Larry Dixon (14th, 4.587 at 325.22) in the opening round.
 
"We started Saturday with our quickest run and if Jimmy (Walsh, crew chief) can keep the car running like that, we should be in good shape for Sunday.  The car shook real hard on the second run and I shut it off.  We hope to repeat what we've been doing on Sunday's recently -- going rounds."
 
Torrence, meanwhile, also qualifield 11th in his first Top Fuel race at Richmond, Va., two weeks ago, but he ran his quickest (4.583 seconds) and fastest (326.56 mph) Saturday.
 
"We got down the race track twice (Saturday) and continued our learning process," he said.  "I'm looking forward to the race."

 

J.R. Todd Fifth, Steve Torrence 15th at Las Vegas
LAS  VEGAS, October 26, 2006 -- SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel drivers J.R. Todd and Steve Torrence qualified fifth and 15th respectively Friday in the opening day of the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 
Todd led the way for Dexter Tuttle's team, posting an elapsed time of 4.557 seconds at 320.89 mph and grabbing he No. 5 berth.  Todd also registered at 4.624 in the first attempt.
 
"We got the car down the track, made two clean runs and qualified in the top half of the field, so we are happy about that," Todd said. "We were right with Doug Kalitta (who was in the other lane) until about 1000 feet."
 
Torrence's 4.676 at 323.97 came on his second run and was commendable because he didn't make his first attempt.
 
"I changed safety belts before this race and one of the belts wasn't secured properly," said Torrence, who is competing in his second Top Fuel event.  "When that ha ppened we decided not to make the run."

 

J.R. Todd Looking for Season's Fourth Win at Vegas
LAS VEGAS - The first time J.R. Todd drov e Dexter Tuttle's Top Fuel dragster at Las Vegas competitively, the car was without a sponsor and the team was planning to run a limited schedule.

Todd qualified 11th, lost in first round and left the April 9 race in 18th place with 78 points.

One could say that sinc e departing this glitzy gambling Mecca, Tuttle, Todd and the team hit the jackpot. It came in the form of sponsorship from Evan Knoll's SKULL Shine Car Care Products and Torco Racing Fuels seven races into the campaign, enabling them to compete for the remainder of the year.

And they've made the most of it.

Todd and team have become the feel-good story of the season. They return to The Strip as Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the AC-Delco Las Vegas Nationals, Oct. 27-29, with all the credentials necessary to win. They have already done more than they expected earlier in the year, but there is one more goal they seek - a berth in the top 10. And it's well within reach.

Todd jumped into the headlines and the winner's circle for the first time at Denver (July 16) and then came back for a second victory, this time at Sonoma, Calif., two weeks later Between wins, he drove into the semifinals at Seattle in one of NHRA's top performances in the grueling western swing. Todd added a third win (Reading, Pa. , Oct. 1) that came in the 14th race after the sponsorship began.

A positive byproduct of that success comes in round wins. He has a 21-13 mark and has moved from obscurity and 19th (78 points) into 10th place in POWERade Series standings with 956 points. He is only 23 behind the eighth spot with only the Auto Club Finals remaining, Nov. 9-12, at Pomona, Calif.

Needless to say, Todd is the frontrunner for NHRA rookie of the year honors.

Crew chief Jimmy Walsh deserves a lot of credit, too, because he's given Todd a competitive dragster to drive and Todd has taken advantage of it.

"Jimmy has had our car running really well at the last three races," said Todd. "All we need to do is tweak it a little so we can get the job done at Las Vegas. We need to stay competitive if we want to hold onto a place in the top 10. Hopefully things will work out and we'll be running late on Sunday."

Two rounds of qualifying are on tap Friday at 3:30 and 6 p.m., followed by two more sessions Saturday at 12:45 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday's eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

J.R. Needs Some Luck Wednesday and Thursday Todd is one of 13 NHRA drivers playing in the third annual Cards for Kids Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament Wednesday at The Cannery Hotel & Casino. The event is presented by the Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities.

"I haven't played much poker, but I have been watching a lot of it on ESPN and ESPN2 lately, trying to pick up some pointers," he said. "This is a new challenge for me. I'm not a big fan of losing money."

Todd also is a candidate for the one place remaining in Saturday's Budweiser Top Fuel Shootout, a special eight-car event that pays $100,000 to the winner. He is among seven drivers inn contention for the spot. They will find which one gets to race at a special function Thursday night, 7 p.m., at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Todd will be among the drivers signing autographs at the Hard Rock Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

 

New Top Fuel Dragster's Performance Excites Torrence Going into Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS - If Steve Torrence can find a little Las Vegas luck, he should be able to take the next step in his new NHRA Top Fuel driving career.

Torrence, 23, qualified well in his first race (Richmond, Va., Oct. 15), left the starting line first in eliminations and held the lead momentarily before the electrical system quit in his new SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster. There wasn't much he could do but watch Larry Dixon get the win.

Next up for the 2005 Luc as Oil Sportsman Top Alcohol Dragster champion and his new team, one that includes veterans Mark Oswald (crew chief) and Ed Otto (assistant crew chief), is the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals, Oct. 27-29, at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Torrence, who began his Super Comp driving career at 15, tossed off the mechanical miscue with the aplomb of a wily veteran.

"What can you do?" he asked. "We got the bugs worked out of the car in qualifying at Richmond and we qualified well. The crew worked on the car in our shop (in Brownsburg, Ind.) last week and we will be ready to go at Las Vegas.

"Hopefully, we will be able to do as well as we did at the first race, qualifying well and win a round . . . or two. The team has jelled and we have a competitive car. I'm really excited."

Torrence's best qualifying effort of 4.593 seconds at Richmond put him 11th on the starting ladder. His top weekend speed was 316.82 mph.

"We weren't surprised (with the performance) because Evan (Knoll, team sponsor) put together a veteran team," added Torrence. "It wasn't like we were completely unprepared. We are running as a team car with J.R. Todd, and he's proven they are competitive. He's won three races. J.R.'s crew chief, Jimmy Walsh, and Mark are sharing run data. That's definitely going to benefit us."

Torrence will be qualifying on Friday at 3:30 and 6 p.m. and 12:45 and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday's eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

Mechanical Trouble Stops Torrence in First R ound at Richmond
DINWIDDIE, Va. -- Steve Torrence's NHRA Top Fuel racing debut went very smoothly until Sunday's first round of eliminations in the Torco Racing Fuels Nati onals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

After recording two competitive qualifying elapsed times - 4.597 and 4.656 seconds - and starting a very respectable 11th, an electrical problem stopped Torrence and the SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster team short of their goal of winning a round. He did everything he could, leaving the starting line first (.091-second to .111) against two-time series champion Larry Dixon, who got the win light in 4.603 seconds, 308.78 mph to Torrence's coasting 6.163 at 140.69.

"This was just the fifth run on the car and we had our best 60-foot time on that run," said Torrence. "We had the same tune-up as J.R. (Todd, his teammate) so we knew it had a low 4.5-second run in it. It was running good until about 300 feet when I felt the engine nose over real hard because the timers never went off.

"When that happened, Larry went around me so I shut it off. There wasn't any need to keep my foot in it and maybe blow it up." Torrence said Mark Oswald, his crew chief, and Jimmy Walsh, Todd's crew chief, said the engine would've blown up had he not lifted. "Overall, I think we did well this weekend," added Torrence. "We qualified well and we have two more races to go this year to get this figured out."

Oswald and the crew will be working on it while preparing for the AC-Delco Nationals, Oct. 27-29, at Las Vegas.

J.R. Todd Reaches Semifinals at Torco Racing Fuels Nationals
DINWIDDIE, Va. --J.R. Todd and Dexter Tuttle's SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster team had the category's quickest car for most of the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park. But lost traction and tire smoke in the semifinals robbed the team of a second consecutive NHRA POWERade Series final round appearance in Sunday's eliminations.

With Jimmy Walsh doing a masterful job of tuning the 8,000-horsepower dragster, Todd ran 4.516 seconds at 324.05 mph to defeat Bobby Lagana's 5.662 at 160.98 mph and followed with a 4.541 at 318.17 lap to beat Melanie Troxel's 4.625 at 300.40.

Todd and semifinal foe Rod Fuller each experienced tire spin and smoke at the hit of the throttle but Fuller's car recovered first and he won with a 5.540 at 269.73 to Todd's 9.834 at 90.07.

"The track was going away," said Todd, who began the day from the No. 2 qualifying position. "It was disappointing because we hate to give away a race like that, but at least we got to the semifinals. The car ran like it was on rails all weekend. "I think we had the car to beat this weekend . . . that's for sure." Walsh said it "looked like the track (traction) went away. I didn't really change anything (from the quarterfinal run)."

Todd remained in 10th place with 956 points with only two races remaining - at Las Vegas, Oct. 27-29, and Pomona, Calif., Nov. 9-12.

 

J.R. Todd Qualifies Second, Steve Torrence 11th at Richmond 
DINWIDDIE, Va., Oct. 14, 2006 -- J.R. Todd, Jimmy Walsh and the SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel team turned in an impressive qualifying performance Friday and Saturday while earning the No. 2 starting position for Sunday's Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
 
And Steve Torrence, in is first Top Fuel race as Todd's teammate in an identical SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster, qualified 11th with a 4.593-second, 315.93-mph effort on a cold, crisp fall day.
 
Todd, looking for victory No. 4 this season and his second in a row, was the most consistent during qualifying.  With crew chief Jimmy Walsh dialing in the tune-up, Todd ran 4.528 at 318.39 seconds -- the quickest Top Fuel run of the day -- in Saturday's opening round to move into second place overall.   His 4.534 second lap Friday night was second quickest of the session. 
 
With that, Walsh decided to skip the last qualifying session to get ready for eliminations.  Todd has worked his way to 10th in NHRA POWERade Series points and the they want to make sure they go rounds on race day.
 
&quo t;Preparation is 90 percent of racing, and we need to get ready to race," said the veteran tuner. "The cars are responding to the tune-ups.  We took small steps with Steve's car and he had good qualifying runs."
 
"We made three consistent runs and that's definitely what it takes on Sunday," said Todd.  "If we repeat what we did in qual ifying, we should be winning round s.  We're not far behind the top car (Tony Schumacher's 4.512 seconds) and that shows the kind of progress this team is making."
 
Todd squares off against Bobby Lagana (15th, 4.645 at 305.01).
 
Torrence makes his competitive debut against Larry Dixon (4.557 at 314.75) in the opening round. 
 
"That last run felt good," said Torrence.  "I feel more comfortable in the car and I had a decent light (reaction time).  We came here wanting to get acclimated as a team and we accomplished that.  Jimmy and Mark Oswald (Torrence's crew chief) are working well together tuning our car."

 

SKULL Shine Teammates Conquer Cold Weather at VMP 
DINWIDDIE, Va., Oct. 13, 2006 -- J.R. Todd's SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster overcame cold temperatures Friday, posting the quickest time in the last qualifying session to finish second after the fir st day of the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
 
Steve Torrence, meanwhile, made a successful Top Fuel debut in an identical SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster, recording the 13th quickest elapsed time.
 
Wi th temperatures hovering in the 46-degree range -- almost too cold to race -- crew chief Jimmy Wal sh dialed in a 4.534-second, 313.88-mph lap that trails only Tony Schumacher's 4.512-second time.  The last two qualifying runs are slated for Saturday, setting the fields for Sunday's eliminations.
 
"It was so cold I didn't think we'd make it down the track," said a smiling Todd. "The tires shook a little but the car went down the track. It was a good la p . . . and we're number two.  We'll take it."
 
Todd began the day with a 4.558-second effort that put him third at the time. 
 
Although Torrence had a problem on his first professional quarter-mile run -- the car's parachutes came off at the finish line -- he stopped the car without incident after running 4.656 seconds at 287.14 mph. 
 
"I didn't know the 'chutes came off," said the rookie driver from Kilgore, Texas.  "I thought it was a little slow getting stopped, but I just grabbed a handful of brake and got it stopped. When I got out of the car and saw there were no parachut es I was a little alarmed. The bolt that held the parachutes broke."
 
Other than that, "I thought we made a pretty nice run for a rookie."
 
He pedaled the car in the second run en route to a 5.152-second time.
 
"These cars are definitely different beasts," added Torrence, who drove an injected-nitro dragster a year ago to the NHRA Sportsman Lucas Oil Top Alcohol championship.  "J.R. is running good and that's good for our team. We'll go out Saturday and get stuff figured out."

 

J.R. Todd Candidate for 2006 NHRA  Rookie of Year Award
J.R. Todd was one of four drivers nominated  Wednesday for NHRA's 2006 Auto Club of Southern California Road to the Future  Award.

Todd, driver of the Dexter Tuttle-owned SKULL Shine/Torco  Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster, has won three races and is currently 10th in  POWERade Series points with three races remaining despite not attending four  events earlier in the year.  The Road to the Future Award recognizes the  season's top rookie driver.

"I didn't give myself much of a shot at  being nominated for this at the beginning of the season," said Todd.  "Now  we are fortunate enough to have won three races and I am honored to be among the  candidates for this prestigious award."

The other nominees are Alan  Bradshaw and Hillary Will in Top Fuel and Max Naylor in Pro Stock.  The  winner will be announce d at the annual championship awards ceremony on Monday,  Nov. 13 at the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Rancho Mirage,  Calif.

 

Steve Torrence Ready for Top Fuel Debut at Richmond
DINWIDDIE, Va. -- On one hand, Steve Torrence was eager to begin his professional drag racing career last week in NHRA's Torco Racing Fuels Nationalsat Virginia Motorsports Park. On the other hand, he reacted more like a seasoned veteran when a constant rain forced a one-week delay of his plans.

"The postponement was actually the best for us as a team," said Torrence, 23, the new driver of the new SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster owned by Dexter Tuttle and a teammate of J.R. Todd. "We need to make all four qualifying runs for the team to get ready."

Torrence, the 2005 Lucas Oil Sportsman Series Top Alcohol Dragster champion, has made only two full runs in a nitromethane-gulping, 8,000-horsepower dragster. His comfort level would be much better with four more runs.

"I only ran two mid-4.70-second laps when I got my Top Fuel license and our new car is a lot faster than that, so it's going to be a transition for me," added Torrence, of Kilgore, Texas. "We are excited. The team is amped up. We all had a chance to meet each other last week."

Mark Oswald, a former Funny Car champion (1984) and winner of 20 NHRA national events, is the crew chief and veteran crewman Eddie Otto is his assistant.

"Mark and Eddie prepared our new Brad Hadman dragster at shop in Indianapolis," Torrence said. "It is identical to the one J.R. drives. We'll be ready to go on Friday."

Those all-important qualifying times are 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. Friday and 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Eliminations Sunday get underway at 11 a.m.

Todd Goes for Two Rain-out Rerun Wins in Row
DINWIDDIE, Va., Oct. 11, 2006 As a rookie Top  Fuel driver with three victories in 16 races on his resume, J.R. Todd meets new  challenges at every stop. Some results are good, some aren't.  But  when the subject is completing rain-delayed races, Todd is batting 1.000.  

Todd will take a shot at making it a perfect 2-0 when the  rain-troubled Torco Racing Fuels Nationals returns for completion at Virginia  Motorsports Park near Richmond, Oct. 13-15.

This is a speci al event  for Todd and team owner Dexter Tuttle because Evan Knoll, owner of Torco Racing  Fuels, also sponsors Todd and new teammate Steve Torrence in SKULL Shine Torco  Racing Fuels dragsters.

"Evan Knoll is the reason we've been able  to be at every race since May, so it would be nice to win this race for him,"  said Todd. "We all hope our success at rain-delayed races holds up this  weekend."

 

J.R. Todd at Richmond Rerun
Todd captured his third career win two weeks ago in the  weather-interrupted event at Reading, Pa. (Oct. 1), a nd moved into the POWERade  Series standings (in 10th place) for the first time.  He also lowered his  best elapsed time to 4.494 seconds in the finale against Melanie Troxel.

"Getting into the top 10 has been one of our goals since we  started winning rounds and races after Evan began sponsoring the team," said  Todd, of Lawrenceburg, Ind.  "I didn't give us much of a chance before that  because we missed four races early in the season.  Now that we are there,  we want to make sure we're there when the season ends."

Todd was  19th with 78 points before Knoll's sponsorship and, 14 races later, his 879  points put him 10th.  He is 41 points out of ninth place and 81 out of  eighth with three races and 12 elimination rounds (worth 20 points each) remaining.

Qualifying at Richmond begins Friday with sessions at 4  and 7 p.m. and concludes Saturd ay with runs at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.   Sunday's eliminations commence at 11 a.m.

Storm Delays Start of NHRA's Return to Virginia Motorsports Park
RICHMOND, Va., October 7, 2006 -- J.R. Todd must wait another week before going after his fourth Top Fuel victory in NHRA POWERade Series competition and Steve Torrence, Todd's new SKULL Shine teammate, now will make his Top Fuel debut Friday at Virginia Motorsports Park.
 
This is the second time in three races that inclement weather forced a competitive delay.  The Toyo Tires Nationals at Reading, Pa., was delayed for two weeks. 
 
None of the cars gathered for NHRA's first race at VMP since 2000 had an opportunity to test the new racing surface.  Rain began falling early Friday morning and continued until Saturday afternoon, turning track parking areas into a big time quagmire.
 
NHRA officials said this week's race schedule would b e followed next week.  Pro qualifying times are at 3 and 6 p.m. Friday and noon and 3 p.m. Saturday.  Sunday's eliminations begin at 11 a.m. 

JR Going for Fourth Big Win
DINWIDDIE, Va. -- He's the feel-good Top Fuel story of the year, and J.R. Todd will be writing the next chapter at Virginia Motorsports Park in the inaugural Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, Friday through Sunday.

Todd has come from unknown to unbelievable in an NHRA POWERade Series season that began with him missing four of the fi rst seven races - and not qualifying at a fifth - to his stunning first victory at Denver (July 16). It continued with a win two weeks later at Sonoma, Calif., and returned Sunday when he won at Reading, Pa.

Three victories in 16 races and now a position in the top 10, it 's something unthinkable three months ago for the driver of the SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels dragster, owned by Dexter Tuttle and sponsored by SKULL Shine/Torco owner Evan Knoll.

"It's always good to go to the next race coming off a win," says Todd, a definite quick learner. "The way the car has been running in the last two races, I don't see why it shouldn't run like that in Virginia. As long as the track holds up, the air (atmospheric conditions) should be good. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off in Reading.

"We'd like to win one for Evan," Todd continued. "When he stepped up his involvement with us (13 races ago) we went from planning to race 10-to-12 times to making all the races. We'd like to keep on winning rounds so we can stay in the top 10, and maybe go a few positions higher, in the last three races the year.

"If we could have three SKULL Shine cars in the semifinals Sunday it would be a perfect weekend for Evan."

Todd, crew chief Jimmy Walsh and the crew had a nearly-perfect weekend at Reading. Todd qualified eighth, beat Cory McClenathan in the first round, Tony Schumacher in the quarterfinals, Dave Grubnic in the semis and Melanie Troxel for the big trophy and the check - while running a career-topping 4.494 seconds in the finale.

"It was good to finally get in the 4.40s. We've been trying to do that all season," Todd said. "It was the first time for me and Jimmy. Hopefully we have many more to come . . . starting in Richmond."

Todd has 879 points and is within 68 points of eighth place with races remaining.

"I definitely can't complain about the way things have gone this season," he said. "After missing four races and having the DNQ, to still be in the top 10 is great. And to have three wins under my belt in the battle for rookie of the year is definitely a dream season.

"To mak e up that much ground like we have just shows how good Jimmy Walsh and the rest of the guys on the crew are. They've worked their butts off and it has really paid off."

Torrence Ready for Pro Start
DINWIDDIE, Va. -- Nationals In less than two years, Steve Torrence has gone from Super Comp racing to NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman Series Top Alcohol Dragster champion to aspiring Top Fuel driver.

And Friday Torrence will make his first professional start in a Dexter Tuttle-owned, Evan Knoll sponsored SKULL Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster. The occasion is the inaugural Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park at Dinwiddie, near Richmond.

Torrence, who took one test ride in the new, Brad Hadman-built dragster Monday afternoon, is excited to open a new chapter in his racing career, one that has him teamed with rookie sensation J.R. Todd.

"This is a new team and a new car," said Torrence. "We want to make sure everything works like it should. We want to make the necessary adjustments and make the car competitive. We'd certainly like to qualify here and maybe win a round, but our priorities in the next three races are to get the driver seat time and the crew working well together so we'll be ready when the 2007 season begins.

"J.R.'s win at Reading (Pa.) Sunday gives us momentum as a team. What he accomplished will benefit us as two-car team. Jimmy (Walsh, Todd's crew chief) had the car running fast."

Torrence said Mark Oswald, his crew chief, asked him to shut it off at the 330-foot mark on the test run. "Things went well on that run," added Torrence. "The computer numbers said it would've run 4.62 to 4.64 seconds if we had driven it to the finish line."

Torrence, of Kilgore, Texas, gets two chances to do that Friday with qualifying sessions set for 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday's runs come at 1 and 4 p.m., and Sunday's eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

JR "Shines" in Reading, Wins Again!
J.R. Todd and the talented crew of  the SKULL Shine/Torco Ra cing Fuels Top Fuel dragster scored an impressive  victory on a perfect day for racing in the Toyo Tires Nationals Sunday at Maple  Grove Raceway.

Todd captured the third win of his NHRA rookie season in  his 16th NHRA start and pushed his way into the POWERade Series top 10 despite  missing four races earlie r in the year.  Along the way, he sidelined Tony  Schumacher, the defending series champion who is in contention for another  title, and early series leader Melanie Troxel. He put an exclamation point on it  with a personal-best elapsed time of 4.494 seconds at 324.12 mph in the title  round against Troxel.

"The car's performance stepped up after the  first round," said Todd. "I knew that Jimmy (Walsh, team crew chief who is  from the nearby Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Pa. area) had a good handle on the  tune-up last weekend at Dallas and he showed it Sunday.  We beat good cars  today and we earned the win."

Todd defeated Cory McClenathan,  Schumacher and David Grubnic to move in opposite Troxel in the money run.   He left first against Troxel and never looked back en route to his first  four-second elapsed time, 4.494 at 324.12 mph to Troxel's 4.538 at  327.26.

"It felt good to get my first 4.40 (second) run and we  picked a good time to do it," said Todd, of Lawrenceburg, Ind.  "I was  pleased Jimmy got the chance to win in front of his hometown friends and  fans." It was the victory over Schumach er, however, that provided  the team with a major confidence boost.  Todd had qualified eighth and  Schumacher was first with a stunning 4.440-second quarter-mile  lap.

That didn't bother Todd and Walsh.  J.R. claimed an  improbable hole-shot triumph by combining a .089-second reaction time with a  4.502-second elapsed time.   He got the win light six-thousandths of a  s econd ahead of Schumacher and his 4.490-second, 325.37-mph  lap.

Todd has had to defeat Schumacher to win each of his  races.  The first two wins came in the finals at Denver and  Sonoma. Todd began his climb into 10th place with a win over  McClenathan (4.595 to 13.254), and when he defeated David Grubnic in the  semifinals with a 4.510-second run he boosted his best speed to 327.82 mph. 

Todd now had 879 points, 22 more than 11th place Cory McClenathan  with three races remaining in the 2006 schedule.  And the first of those,  the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park near Richmond,  begins Friday.
 

Todd Reaches Quarterfinals in Dallas
ENNIS, Tex. -- J.R. Todd's competitive day in the O'Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex ended a few rounds too soon to suit the SKULL Shine Top Fuel team, but they did prove their performance level is back where it was a month ago.

Todd qualified third (4.541 seconds) and eliminated Hillary Will in the opening round with a 4.570-second run at 319.60 mph to Will's 4.709 at 295.98.

In the next round, however, a starting line mix-up against David Grubnic probably caused Todd's dragster to lose traction almost as soon as he mashed the pedal.

Crew chief/tuner Jim Walsh held Todd behind the starting line while Grubnic' s crew had him reposition his dragster. The extended wait created too much heat in the engine, used more fuel than expected and the tires lost traction. And so did Grubnic's.

Todd pedaled the throttle several times but couldn't get the tires to hook up before Grubnic did. Todd watched as Grubnic got the win in 6.751 seconds, 242.19 mph to an 8.771 at 128.80 mph.

"You hate losing like that," said Todd, "but they didn't do it on purpose. The wait also hurt them, too. Our team and their team are pretty close and we'd never do anything to hold them up and they wouldn't mess with us. It' s just one of those things."

The loss did prevent Todd from making a big move in POWER ade Series points. But he did pick up some ground on the three drivers in front of him. He is 12th with 766 points, 13 behind No. 11, 59 behind 10th place and 99 behind No. 9 Will with four more races to go.

The team will be back in action in Reading, Pa.., Friday through Sunday in the completion of the rain-delayed Toyo Tires Nationals.

J.R. Todd Still Eyeing Top Ten Finish
ENNIS, Tex. -- J.R. Todd is anxious to go back to work. And, weath er permitting he will be at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis (near Dallas), competing for a Top Fuel win in the O'Reilly Fall Nationals, Friday through Sunday.

Todd, at 24 one of two frontrunners for the coveted NHRA rookie of the year honor, returns to the Motorplex, this time at the controls of the Dexter Tuttle-owned SKULL Shine Car Care Products nitromethane-fueled dragster. Todd has experience racing on the only all-concrete quarter-mile race t rack on the NHRA POWERade Series tour, albeit coming when he drove Jr. Dragsters.

"I raced here in the nationals when I was driving a Jr. Dragster," said Todd, who is seeking his third 2006 victory in the O'Reilly Fall Nationals. "I'm looking forward to this weekend. Hopefully we got all the bugs worked out of our tune-up during our time at the shop. We should be in good shape because we didn't race at all last weekend at Reading (Pa., site of the postponed - until Sept. 29-Oct. 1 - Toyo Tires Nationals)."

Todd and the team now face a run of three straight races - the SKULL Shine Nationals is scheduled Oct. 6-8 at Richmond, Va. - an obstacle he doesn't mind, especially after completion of an eight races in a row stint prior to Reading. "It's bad enough we had one weekend off," he joked, "but now we've gone two weeks without a race.

"One thing three races in a row do is keep you fresh in the car.&qu ot;

Todd upset the field in Denver to get his first NHRA Top Fuel victory (July 16) and came back two weeks later to win again at Sonoma, Calif., defeating Tony Schumacher in each of his title rounds.

Despite missing four races earlier in the year (before Evan Knoll brought SKULL Shine sponsorship to the team), Todd has an opportunity to finish in the top 10. He is 105 points behind the No. 10 driver (710-815) with five races and 20 eliminations rounds remaining.

"We can make up some ground if we can win some rounds and get to the semifinals and finals," added Todd.

The mission begins Friday, and it still is possible.

 

Rejuvenated Team Prepared for More Round Wins at Maple Grove
The SKULL Shine Top Fuel team of owner Dexter Tuttle and driver J.R. Todd should have a relaxed, rested look by the time the crew arrives at Maple Grove Raceway to prepare for the Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, Sept. 15-17.

After eight consecutive weekends of NHRA (six races) and IHRA (two races) competition, the crew didn't work last weekend. That in itself is daunting for any team pursuing paying positions ( one through 10) in NHRA POWERade Series competition, but the season-opening this crew's focus was on a 10-to-12 event schedule, period.

"I know the guys were looking forward to the time off," said Todd, the two-time event winner and solid NHRA rookie of the year candidate from Lawrenceburg, Ohio. He knows how they felt. He's not only the driver, but a fulltime crewman who understands the rejuvenating powers of successive days off.

"We only thought we'd be running that many races in about three months, not eight straight weeks," he added. "The wear and tear is not just on the guys; it's on the car and its parts and pieces. We found some problems i n certain areas last week and we have them straightened out."

Although he's qualified for every race since SKULL Shine Car Care Products owner Evan Knoll began sponsoring the team, Todd's two wins (Denver, July 16 and Sonoma, Calif., July 30) came on the heels of solid performances that included two semifinal and two quarterfinal finishes.

At the time, the surprising team had climbed from 19th (its lowest when Knoll came to the rescue) to 12th and once was just a few rounds out of the top 10. But the effects of constant travel and weary parts resulted in three successive first-round losses. Where he was once 62 points out, Todd now finds himself 105 behind (at 20 points per round) No. 10 Cory McClenathan (710-815).

"I think we'll be alright for the last five races," added Todd. "All we need to do is get on a hot streak like we did before, getting to the semifinals and finals, and we can catch up. We'll be running hard for a solid position in points."

Crew chief Jimmy Walsh's tune-ups were consistent at Indianapolis two weeks ago when Todd posted qualifying runs of 4.598, 4.614, 4.597 and 4.585 seconds, the latter time putting him 16th in the quickest Top Fuel field in NHRA's 55 years. He lost to top qualifier and eventual race winner To ny Schumacher in the opening round with a 4.606.

"I've never raced at Reading but I know the track is usually pretty good and you can run quick times there," Todd said. "We've been running in the high 4.50s and we aren't that far away from what the other cars are running. We' ll get it together."

Qualifying runs are scheduled at 2 and 5 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations commence at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Todd Raises Nearly $10,000 for Racers For Christ
J.R. Todd put his bowling prowess on display in his inaugural Racers For Christ bowling tournament fund raiser prior to the U.S. Nationals. He rolled a 247 game, the highest of the event, but the most important thing was that he raised nearly $10,000 for Team RFC ministries.

"I'd like to thank all the people who came to the tournament and helped us with their contributions," said Todd. "We all had fun. Even though I bowled well, our team finished second from last. We got the bowling tournament off to a good start and we're looking forward to seeing how much we can raise next year."

Todd Faces Victorious Shoe at Indy
CLERMONT, Ind. -- J.R. Todd expected a tough first-round contest Monday from No. 1 qualifier Tony Schumacher at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and, boy, did he get one.

Schumacher unleashed a 4.486-second run at more than 330 mph to sideline Todd and the SKULL Shine Top Fuel team. Todd crossed the finish line in a respectable 4.606 seconds at 317.57 mph.

"There was something going away in the car," said Todd, the rookie who has registered two POWERade Se ries wins over Schumacher (Denver and Sonoma, Calif.) this year. "Every time we tune it up, the car slows down. This is the last of our eight straight races so now we'll have a chance to go through everything and see if we can find any problems.

"I don't think we could've run better than a 4.48 at 330 mph, but we should have run quicker."

The team returns to action at the Toyo Tires Nationals at Reading, Pa., Sept. 15-17.

Q and A Session with JR Todd
INDIANAPO LIS J.R. Todd was eleven years old when he made his debut at NHRA's most prestigious event.

He remembers pulling his jet black junior dragster into the staging lanes for an O'Reilly Jr. Drag Racing League exhibition run, next to living legend Kenny Bernstein's 7,000 horsepower ride. In 1993, getting autographs from Bernstein and John Force was at the top of the priority list, with making a good show for his hometown crowd at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Unfortunately he lost in the first round, but he was able to snag autographs from his idols.

Almost 15 years later, Todd's progress toward his ultimate dream has accelerated faster than the Sku ll Gear Top Fuel dragster he now uses to race Bernstein's son Brandon. In his rookie season, Todd has already won two events both against three-time and defending Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher and is gunning for a spot in the POWERade Series top 10. He credits his success to focus, time on a practice tree and advice from his father Mario.

QUICK FACT: Todd and the elite drivers of the $50 million POWERade Series will compete in the 52nd annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Aug. 30-Sept. 4, at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.

Q: WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR DEBUT AT INDY? DID YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO RACE THE PROS?

TODD: "It was just real exciting to be able to line up your junior car next to Kenny Bernstein and the other big drivers. I was pretty nervous. It was the biggest crowd I'd ever raced in front of at 10 years old. I lost in the first round. I was pretty upset about that because it was the U.S. Nationals and my home race, but it was cool just to be able to race there. I have some pictures of when I met Force and Bernstein in the staging lanes, and I got a few autographs on my T-shirts. It was pretty neat."

Q: HAVE OTHER DRIVERS GIVEN YOU ADVICE THIS YEAR? WHAT'S THE BEST TIP YOU'VE GOTTEN AS A ROOKIE?

TODD: "I talk to Larry Dixon every now and then. He'll give me a few pointers about what to do driving-wise, but for the most part I try to go and do my thing. I don't think they'd want to give me much advice when I'm trying to go out and beat them. They still talk t o me, and help me out when I need help. My dad (Mario) just tells me to go out there and stick to my game and do my thing, and stay focused. The best advice comes from my dad. He's always been there for me in racing. He was racing (motorcycles) before I was even born. I was born and raised at the racetrack."

Q: YOU'VE BEEN SPOTTED SALUTING SEVERAL TIMES AT RACES LATELY. WHAT'S THE DEAL?

TODD: "I had it planned all year long that every time I raced (three-time and defending Top Fuel world champion Tony Schumacher), even if I was in the first round or the last round, I would salute him (because Schumacher, or 'The Sarge,' drives the U.S. Army dragster). It's just something I do. He hasn't said anything about it yet."

Q: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR?

TODD: "Just that you have to be really patient. The first four or five races we went through we qualified pretty well, but we got beat in the first round. Then we star ted picking up round wins, and then we won a race. You have to be patient and stay focused on what you're doing, and eventually things will work out."

Q: DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT BEING VOTED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR?

TODD: "I think about it now. At the beginning of the year, after we didn't qualify in Phoenix, I thought that was pretty much out the window. Now that we've won we're kind of in the lead, but Hillary was in the final (in Memphis). I'm kind of surprised she hasn't won a race yet. Right now we're focused on winning rounds, and getting in the top 10 (in the POWERade Series points chase)."

Q: DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEBUT IN POMONA AND NOW GOING TO INDIANAPOLIS.

TODD: "In Pomona, there was no where near the pressure that there will be in Indy next week. In Pomona they didn't really know who we were, but coming into Indy after winning two races, being a leading rookie and having one of the top cars, there will be a little pressure there. You've got to treat Indy like it's another race and go out there and do your job and not let the hype and pressure get to you, or you'll buckle for sure."

Q: MANY NHRA DRIVERS LIVE IN INDIANAPOLIS. DO YOU EVER GET TOGETHER AWAY FROM THE TRACK?

TODD: "Lately I've been doing my own thing (when I'm home), but (Top Fuel driver) Morgan Lucas doesn't live too far from me. I'm supposed to go over to his house for a cookout. I'm start ing to hang out more with the guys on the crew around here."

Q: HOW DO YOU GET READY TO RACE ON RACE DAY?

TODD: "First off I go and hit the practice tree for 30 min. I try to stay calm and relaxed, and maybe sign some autographs or whatever. Right before I get in the car I stay in the van and listen to a few rounds of competition."

Check out Torco Race Fuels full line of products at www.torcoracefuels.com

Todd to Host Indy Bowling Tournament to Benefit RFC
J.R. Todd is going bowling for dollars and is calling on fans, friends and some of his fellow NHRA drag racing drivers to help him raise money for Team RFC Racers For Christ.

"We're going to have a bowling tournament Wednesday, August 30, at Sunset Bowl, 10809 E. US Highway 136, in Clermont that, we hope, will bring in a lot of money for a good cause Racer's for Christ." said Todd, a native of Lawrenceburg, Ind. now living in Avon, Ind.

Race fans are invited to watch and participate.  A silent auction featuring a special Chip Foose Mac Tools tool box, drag racing items and sporting event tickets also will take place. There is a minimum $5 donation for those attending.  Doors open at 6:45 p.m.

Todd's interest in bowling began when he wa s 14.  "I was looking for something to do and I bowled for two or three years," he said.  "I wasn't really serious about it; I just wanted something to do when I wasn't drag racing.  My average was between 180 and 190.

"I'll occasionally get some of the guys from other teams together and we'll go bowling."

Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas, Funny Car drivers Del Worsham and Phil Burkhart Jr. and several of their crewmen are among those who will on hand to help Todd in this first of what he and Racers For Christ promise will be an annual event.

Racers For Christ was established in 1971 and was incorporated as non-profit in 1978 as a fellowship for Christians in the sport of motor racing and has developed into a growing organization with international impact. The overall purpose of RFC's involvement in motor racing is to service emotional and spiritual needs.

Tricky Track Stops Todd
MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Weather conditions were in J.R. Todd's favor Sunday - sultry air and 100-degree temperatures - for the opening round of the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park, but first-round rival Morgan Lucas had a bit more luck navigating the tricky track.< /FONT>

Both cars lost traction, smoking the tires on the quarter-mile run and Lucas reached the finish line first in 5.180 seconds at 240.77 mph to Todd's 5.225 at 261.12 mph in the SKULL Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel dragster. Both drivers pedaled the throttle looking for traction.

"The track temperature in the first round was probably the hottest it's been all weekend," said Todd, who remained 11th in POWERade Series standings with 679 points, only 62 away from a top10 position. "We just over-powered the race track. We ran in the hottest part of the day (with the temperature hovering around the 100-dregree mark).

"It was hard to get down the track. It was very tricky."

The rookie driver has two victories in his first 13 games.

The Dexter Tuttle-owned team now moves to Norwalk, Ohio, for the IHRA SKULL Shine World Nationals at Norwalk Raceway Park, Friday through Sunday. Todd's next NHRA outing is the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.

Todd, Skull Shine team looking forward to hot Memphis weather
Memphis, prerace: Hot, humid weather? Slippery race track? Twilight racing?

J.R. Todd says bring them on. After winning two of three NHRA races in hot July conditions, Todd and Dexter Tuttle's Skull Shine/Torco Racing Fuels Top Fuel team are understandably pleased with the prospects awaiting them this weekend at Memphis Motorsports Park.

The extremely sultry weather (read th at quite hot and humid) tends to create difficult racing conditions. Some teams do well, others don't, on the hot, slick racing surface. "I think the weather in Memphis will play into our hands as far as having a good tune-up for those conditions," said Todd, a rookie driver who shocked three-time reigning Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher by defeating him in the finals at Denver and Sonoma, Calif. "Jimmy Walsh (crew chief) has a tune-up that seems to work when it's hot."

Todd and Walsh had their first success in the heat at St. Louis in late June. That race also had a 3 p.m. start and Todd advanced to his first semifinal (before losing to Schumacher). A nd then came the win at Denver, followed by another semifinal at Seattle and the victory at Sonoma.

"The car is going down the track and Jimmy has been able to learn a lot more about what it wants in different conditions," Todd said.

Sunday at the Lucas Oil Nationals, for example, Walsh made some tuning changes that produced Todd's quickest run of the weekend in cooler weather at Brainerd, Minn. But Melanie Troxel ran quicker and beat Todd in the opening round.

"It's good to know the car is responding to what Jimmy's telling it to do," added Todd. "So far it hasn't th rown us any curve balls."

Todd Upbeat After Loss
BRAINERD, Minn. (8/13/06) -- J.R. Todd's string of races without a f irst-round loss ended at six Sunday on what b egan as a damp day in Brainerd, Minn., but it didn't dampen the SKULL Shine Top Fuel team's spirit.

Coming off an amazing streak that included two victories in the past three NHRA POWERade Series races and two other semifinal finishes, Todd chalked this up to another learning experience for the rookie team with only 12 races on its resume.

"We just didn't have enough steam," Todd said after losing a close race to Melanie Troxel after a long rain delay. "The track was real good and so was the weather (after the rain clouds departed), and Jimmy (Walsh, the crew chief) tuned it up . . . but it wasn't enough."

Todd, who qualified 12th, recorded his quickest run of the weekend, 4.622 seconds at 314.61 mph against Troxel, but he couldn't catch her 4.562-second at 327.66-mph run. "We missed a round in qualifying Saturday and, looking back on it, that made a big difference today," noted Todd. "That would've given Jimmy another run on the tune-up and we could've run better today.

"Except for that one time here, the car is going down the track like it should and the crew is getting better and better. We're ready to go to Memphis."

Western Swing Wins........
Sonoma CA - JR Todd did it again! After beginning the Western Swing with his first NHRA win in Denver, Todd finished off the three race stanza with another big win, this time in Sonoma California at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals held at Infineon Raceway. Todd's second win demonstrates that the Skull Shine-Torco Race Fuels team is now one of the hottest on the NHRA tour and is quickly moving towards a top ten finish. Currently the Jimmy Walsh tuned team sits in twelfth place which is impressive considering they were racing only part time at the beginning of the season.

Todd once again took on the reining NHRA champ Tony Schumacher just as he did in both Seattle and Denver. This time Schumacher was out of the gate first with a 0.071 reaction time to Todd's 0.095. In the first 200 feet, Schumacher peddled the US Army car once and lost a little bit of momentum. Todd meanwhile was on a clean run and char ged to the stripe with a 4.61 at 309 MPH victory over Schumacher's close 4.67 at 316 MPH run. "This win feels a lot better taking on the champ again. You can't write a better story than this." Todd said.

In the prior rounds Todd took care of Hillary Will with a 4.67 in the semifinals, David Grubnic in the second round with a 5.15 and Alan Bradshaw with a 4.69 in the opening round. With t he conclusion of the Western Swing the NHRA tour takes a two week break. The next event on the schedule is the Lucas Oil Nationals, held in Brainerd MN, August 10-13.


Skull Team Looks For More Success in the Heat
Sonoma CA - After a national event victory and two semifinal finishes in the last three races, JR Todd has caught the eye of NHRA fans from around the country. Right now the 24 year old rookie from Lawerenceburg Indiana has proved that he can mix it up with the sport's elite drivers. In fact, you have to go all the way back to the Chicago race since the Skull Shine Team has lost in the first round. And even though Dexter Tuttle's Skull team has not competed in all of the events, the momentum is there to finish in the top ten.

If the points were earned on the Western Swing alone Todd would likely be in second place going into the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. But the "Swing" is only 3 of 24 races and there's a lot more races for the team to move farther ahead before the end of the season. And right now the rounds are going their way, thanks to the consistency that crew chief Jimmy Walsh has found. He seems to have found the ingredients needed to tune the car in the extreme heat. And by the end of this weekend, all three of the Western Swing races in Denver, Seattle, and now Sonoma, will have been contested in temperatures over 100 degrees.

While the heat will likely take it's toll again this weekend, the elevation at Infineon is only 15 feet above sea level so the performance should still be there. Qualifying begins on Friday with final eliminations on Sunday. Fans can also watch Sunday's race and qualifying on ESPN2. check your local listings.


JR Continues to Roll In Seattle
Seattle WA - As the heat continues to scorch each stop on the Western Swing, JR Todd continues to heat up the track with another outstanding performance, this time in Seattle at Pacific Raceways. Todd driving the Skull Shine-Torco Race Fuels car made it to the semifinals where he had another much antici pated match-up with NHRA Champion Tony Shumacher. But first he had to get by two very difficult opponents.

In the first round Todd faced the other Skull Shine car driven by Melanie Troxel, who has been the points leader for most of the season. It was a close race as Todd was quicker off the line with a 0.058 to Troxel's 0.092. At the finish line it was Todd by about a quarter of a car length. Todd recorded a 4.68 at 311 MPH to Troxel's quicker 4.67 at 313 MPH for the hole shot win. "I heard her but I didn't see her. It was great that the two Skull Shine cars had a close race in the first round." Todd said following the race.

In the second round Todd took on second generation Top Fuel racer David Baca who had been running well for most of the weekend. Both drivers had identical 0.082 reaction times but Baca instantly began having problems as he went up in smoke at the starting line. Todd took full advantage with a clean 4.78 pass at 292 MPH.

The win over Baca set the stage for a re-match of the Denver race with Todd hoping to dethrone the NHRA Champ for a second straight week. At the green, Todd had a quicker 0.044 reaction time but got severely out of shape and even went sideways as he tried valiantly to get the car back in the groove in order to catch Shumacher who was also smoking the tires and was on and off the throttle. Shumacher was far enough ahead that Todd had to lift ending his hot streak of six consecutive rounds wins.

Over all, it was another good weekend for Dexter Tuttle's Skull Shine Team as Todd picked up more points towards a top ten finish. The Skull team now moves down the West Coast to Sonoma California for the final race on the Western Swing.

JR wins Big In Denver!
Denver CO - JR Todd scored the first win of his young driving career by defeating reining NHRA Top Fuel Champion Tony Schumacher for the NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals title. Todd driving the Skull Shine Torco Fuels entry was the first off the line with an .068 reaction time to Schumacher's .094. Todd continued his advantage all the way to the finish line with a 4.90 ET at 291 MPH to Schumacher's 4.96 at 306 MPH. The win was also historic as Todd is the first ever African-American driver to win a Top Fuel title in NHRA competition. " It's cool to be the first African American and it's a great accomplishment. But I'm more excited just to get the win." Todd said following the race.

While it can be said that the heat and high altitude makes the Mile-High Nationals a crew chief's race, Todd proved it can also be a driver's race as he earned every round by having the quicker reaction time on every pass. He also did a masterful job of peddling the Skull Shine dragster after smoking the tires yet still being able to get around his opponents. Simply put, the rookie driver from Lawerenceburg Indiana drove like a veteran. "I never have had to peddle before this weekend. I guess those years in Super Comp helped me today get on and off the throttle." Todd said.

In the first round Todd took on Cory McClenathan at the wheel of the Fram Dragster. Todd's had a slightly quicker ET of 5.48 to Co ry Mac's 5.52. Todd however smoked the tires and was on and off the throttle but managed to pass McClenathan for the win as "Mac" began to drop cylinders.

In the second round Todd took on Hillary Hill who proved to be an equally matched opponent. Todd won a close one as the pair had identical 5.070 ETs. As in the first round, Todd had the advantage at the starting line but then smoked the tires and was on and off the throttle a couple times. Will began to catch up with Todd when her chutes came out prematurely. Todd was able to hold on for the win. " I always get up to race Hillary. We are both competing for the rookie of the year award so I try to do my very best when I race her." Todd said.

In the semifinal round Todd met up with Larry Dixon who was running well all afternoon but Todd once again had the advantage off the starting line but ended up peddling it. Todd took the stripe with a 4.94 to Dixon's close 4.96. But the excitement didn't stop there as Todd had no chute. Fortunately, Bandimere Speedway has a fairl y long uph ill shut down area. Regardless, Todd was bouncing on all four tires as he tried to stop the car and ended up in the sand. "I was on a wild ride and I was more upset that the car went into the sand than I was excited that we were going to the final." Todd said. With the help of several other teams, Todd's crew was able to turn the car around in time to make the final round. " All of the help we received demonstrated that most of the teams are good sportsman and we couldn't have made it to the final without them." Todd said.

After winning the race Todd still can't believe he won. "I'm in shock. Schumacher was running great all day and I was waiting for him to come around me but he never did." Todd said while celebrating. The big win is also the first fo r car owner Dexter Tuttle who put together the Top Fuel team towards the beginning of last season. The Skull Shine team now moves on to Seattle, the second race in Western Swing.

JR QUALIFIED IN NO. 2 POSITION
Denver CO - Skull Shine driver JR Todd qualified in the no. 2 position right behind Doug Kallitta. Todd ran a 4.63 at 316 MPH in the second qualifying session.

Todd Happy With Semifinal Finish at Gateway
Mad ison IL  -  The O'Rielly Midwest Nationals held at Gateway Int'l Raceway near St. Louis marks the best finish so far for the Skull Shine - Torco Race Fuels team. In fact, this has been a very successful three race swing on the NHRA Powerade Tour. In all three events the team got out of the first round while gaining ground in the NHRA point standings. After the race, driver JR To dd was upbeat as he looked back on the last three events. "Jimmy Walsh has a great handle on this car in the hot weather. We're more consistent and we're going rounds. We've even tried some new things which the car is responded well to." he said.

After qualifying ninth with a 4.66, Todd took out Bob Vandergriff driving the UPS car with a slight hole shot. Vandergriff who qualified eight with a 4.63 had a nearly identical 4.860 ET to Todd's 4.863 However, it was Todd's reaction time that made the difference as Todd cut a 078 light to Vandergriff's 096 "I could hear Vandergriff's engine but I never saw him." Todd said.

In the second round Todd took on newcomer Troy Buff who upset Rod Fuller in the first round. At the line Buff smoked the tires and Todd cruised to the win with a 4.78 at 293 to Buff's 6.00 at 170 MPH. Todd then advanced to the semifinals where he would face reining series champion Tony Shoemaucher.

Shoemaucher, who would go on to win the event had a great package on both ends of the track with the quickest ET of the day, a 4.56 at 327 MPH to Todd's respectable 4.61 at 311 MPH. Shoemaucher's reaction time wa s a 074 to Todd's close 077. "It was a close race until the 1000 foot mark which is where he began to pull away. While I wanted to go to the final, I have to conclude that all in all it was a great weekend and I'm happy about that" Todd said.

The NHRA Powerade tour now takes a break before heading to Denver for the NHRA Mile High Nationals, July 14-16th. Hopefully the Skull Shine team can pick up where they left off.< BR>

Walsh's Experience Helps Team Prepare for St. Louis
St. Louis - The Arrival of the O'Rielly Midwest Nationals in St. Louis marks the beginning of Summer at a track known for its hot, sweltery conditions which could prove to be a challe nge for most crew chiefs. Fortunately for the Skull Shine - Torco Fuels team, Jimmy Walsh has proved this season that he has a tune-up for nearly every track condition and can a Top Fuel car down the track in both hot and cold conditions.

Walsh, who began his career tuning a Top Alcohol dragster for his brother, Bill Walsh, had considerable success including three consecutive world championships from 1984 to 1986 before moving up to Joe Amato's Top Fuel team. Walsh's past experience with both of these teams are now paying big dividends for the Dexter Tuttle owned Skull Shine team as driver JR Todd continues to qualify well and consistently gets down the track without smoking the tires. This consistency has lead to quarter final finishes two weeks in a row. With the O'Rielly Midwest Nationals being the third race in as many weeks, the Skull team has a good shot at getting past the first round in all three events, which would help the team gain some ground in the NHRA Powerade points chase.

After St . Louis the NHRA Powerade Series takes three weeks off before another three week marathon out west. But first the likable crew chief and his capable team have a little more work to do by wrapping up this lag of the tour. With forecasted highs in the upper 80's you can bet that Walsh will have a answer for the Midwest heat and possibly a slick race track. Qualifying for the O'Rielly Midwes t Nationals begins Friday.

 

Skull Shine Team Continues to Move Forward
Englishtown NJ  - With the NHRA Powerade drag racing circuit moving into mid-season, patience is now paying off for JR Todd and the Skull Shine - Torco Race F uels team. The Skull crew has gone from just making the show to qualifying deep into the field, and for the second race in a row, they advanced out of the dreaded first round of eliminations. With all of the new found momentum, Todd  can possibly finish in the top ten at the end of the season providing he can continue his current success with the help of crew chief Jimmy Walsh.

In the first round at Englishtown, Todd faced Doug Herbert, who drives the Snap-On Tools entry. Todd, who qualified with a 4.58, had a 0.75 reaction time to Herbert's .114. Herbert then smoked the tires and Todd took the stripe with a 4.64 at 311 MPH. Herbert recorded a 5.03 at 270 MPH.

In the second round, Todd faced Hillary Will whom he won against in Chicago. This time it was Will that came out on top which earned her a trip to the semis. Will got the starting line advantage but Todd took the lead until half track. He then smoked the tires enough for Will to get around him with a 4.75 to Todd's 4.95.

From Englishtown the tour heads west to St. Louis where Todd will attempt to keep the momentum going and perhaps go even deeper into eliminations. 

Skull Team Hopes History in Englishtown Repeats itself
Englishtown NJ - The NHRA Powerade drag racing circuit moves from Chicago to another metropolis as fans from New York and the New Jersey area get there biggest dose of nitro for the year with the arrival of the K&N Filters NHRA Supernationals. Historically, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park has been the site of some of the most memorable national and independent drag racing events on the east coast and has been good to the young guns of Top Fuel. Both Jeb Allen and Cristen Powell, still in their teens, made n ational headlines by winning their first professional titles here.

With the current crop of drivers in Top Fuel, odds are that another young driver will once again win at Englishtown. But who? With JR Todd's consistent performance at the past two races, chances are good that he will be in the thick of things and is certainly considered by many to be a contender. Last week in Chicago, Todd collected his first round win, and qualified in the top half of the field for the second race in a row, ripping off a 4.52. With that kind of performance, the Skull Shine - Torco Race Fuels team can't be ignored by the competition. And now that the team has been together for a while, the car is running more conisitant by making it down the track on nearly every pass without smoking the tires.

Top Fuel is tough this year and every team that qualifies has a chance to win. For Todd and the Skull Shine team, there's hope that history will once again repeat itself and JR Todd's name will be mentioned along side Cristen Powell and Jeb Allen as a young first year driver that won in Englishtown. Qualifying begins on Friday with final eliminations set for Sunday.

Skull Team Qualifies Well and Breaks Out of First Round
Chicago - There has been little doubt that it would only be a matter of time before the Skull Shine Top Fuel team would gain some of the momentum from qualifying and finally get past the first round of eliminations. In past races the Skull Shine team showed plenty of promise in qualifying only to lose a close race in the first round.

That streak finally ended at the NHRA CarQuest Nationals at Route 66 Raceway when Todd collected his first round win in Top Fuel by defeating Hillary Will who red lit. Meanwhile, Todd had a reaction time of 0.112. If Will hadn't of red lit, it would have been a close race as Todd clicked off a 4.55 at 322 MPH to Will's slightly quicker 4.54 at 311 MPH. "It would have been a very close race either way but I finally got a round win and the monkey off my back." Todd said after the run.

In the second round Todd faced another first year driver, Alan Bradshaw who drives the Bill Miller Engineering entry. This time Todd's day came to an end as the Skull car began to have engine trouble at about half track. As a result, Todd slowed to a 4.77 @ 300 MPH. Bradshaw, a former world champion in the alcoh ol rank s ran quicker and recorded a 4.62 at 312 MPH.

Over all it was a good weekend for Todd and the Skull crew led by crew chief Jimmy Walsh. The car qualified in the top half of the field with a great 4.52 ET and they got out of the first round. "The car is running quicker and we are qualifying in the top half of the field. The consistency is also coming around." Todd said. The NHRA Powerade tour's next stop is Englishtown NJ. Hopefully the team can keep the consistently going and continue to move into the later rounds.

Todd Looks Forward to Chicago Event (6/08/2006)
Chicago - While al l the stops on the NHRA Powerade Series have a unique feel, the Car Quest Nationals held this weekend in Chicago is one of the most anticipated. Not because it's one of NHRA's biggest markets, but because of Route 66 Raceway's stadium style facility which is among the best on the tour. For JR Todd, the Chicago stop is one of the races he's been looking forward to since learning he would drive the Dexter Tut tle owned Top Fuel dragster at the beginning of the season. "I have a lot of friends I use to race with that will be here so this is one of the stops I have been looking foreword to." Todd said.

With only one stop in Chicago this year, the CarQuest Nationals have arrived at the right time since the Skull Shine team lead by crew chief Jimmy Walsh has its act together as their consistent performance clearly demonstrated two weeks ago in Topeka. At Topeka, Todd successfully made it down the track on 4 out of 5 attempts and had one of the best ETs each time. And If past races in Chicago are any indication, then the Top Fuel cars will fly with Todd hopefully qualifying in the top half of the field for the second race in a row . "During Friday night's qualifying session I have a good shot at running in the low 4.50's since Chicago is one of the fastest tracks on the circuit. I think we can run a career best here." Todd said. 

In addition to wanting to have a good outing in front of his friends and former competitors, Todd hopes to impress a special visitor. "Our sponsor Evan Knoll will be on hand so we are planning to show off in front of him." Todd said. If the Skull Shine - Torco Fuels Dragster runs as well as it did in Topeka, then the Skull team is sure to impress everyone who's in attendance. Qualifying begins Friday with final eliminations set for Sunday.

Topeka Event Demonstrates Consistency (5/30/2006)
Topeka - With the Skull Shine Top Fuel Dragster successfully getting down the Topeka course on four out of five runs, it appears that veteran crew chief Jimmy Walsh has a consistent tune up in hot weather conditions. In fact, o n nearly every run in qualifying the Skull car had one of the top five quickest runs and ended up number six in the O'Reilly Summernationals field. This is good news as the NHRA Powerade circuit moves into the hot Summer months.

With the team's new found consistency the chances of getting even with last week's opponent Dave Grubnic looked pretty good as Skull driver JR Todd Qualified with a 4.64 to Grubnic's 4.71. But the outcome remained the same as Todd lost another close one as "Gruby" laid down a hole shot with a 0.86 reaction time to Todd's 0.95. Todd's 4.69 ET was slightly quicker then Grubnic's 4.70 but not enough to make up the difference at the starting line. Still stinging from the first round loss Todd summed up the weekend this way. "All in all it was a good weekend as the guys are working hard and it's starting to show. Jimmy Walsh has a good handle on the tune up and if I can get my act together at the starting line we'll start winning some rounds."

Now Todd's attention has turned towards Chicago in two weeks. "I'm looking forward to the racing at Route 66 Raceway now that we are running more consistent." Todd said. Indeed this is a team that's close to a victory and they are getting closer to that goal each week.

Upset Minded Skull Team Looks to Win in Topeka (5/27/2006)
Topeka - After q ualifying well in Columbus with a great 4.55 pass, the Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels team looks to raise the bar by getting out of the opening round at the OReilly Summer Nationals being held this weekend at the Heartland Park Topeka. At Columbus the team looked like they were on track to do just that but instead suffered an engine fire. Now they have regrouped and will be entering Topeka knowing they can qualify and possibly make it to the final round.

The Topeka event will be the first back-to-back race that driver JR Todd has ever competed in as a pro driver which will hopefully spark some momentum to get the Skull Shine team rolling in the right direction. "We've been running pretty strong lately so all we need now is some consistency and then the round wins will come." Todd said.

The Heartland Park Topeka is a track of many milestones in drag racing including the sport's first 4 second ET and 300 MPH pass in a funny car. For JR Todd and the Skull team, Topeka could be the sight of their first victory of the year. "If we can start stringing some round wins together we can win the event" said Todd. Qualifying for the OReilly Summer Nationals begins on Friday.

Small Engine Fire Prevents Todd From Advancing (5/25/2006)
Columbus Ohio - After qualifying in the top half of the Pontiac Performance Nationals field with a blazing 4.55 at 311 MPH, the Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels team appeared to have the right ingredients to go deep into eliminations. The 4.55 pass which landed them in the 8th position showed promise that the Skull team lead by crew chief Jimmy Walsh continues to be on the right track.

But this is Top Fuel racing after all, and there are no guarantees in this sport no matter how well you did in qualifying. Anything can and will happen on the NRHA Powerade tour as every car can score a victory or lose because of an unknown variable. For Todd the unknown variable turned out to be a small fire which happened while facing David Grubnic in the first round. Todd was on another goo d pass when the engine kicked out a rod at 1000 feet into the run, causing the fire. Grubnic on the other hand, experienced no problems and beat Todd with a 4.60 to Todds' slower 4.81.

Now that the Skull team is racing full time on the tour they won't have to long to feel the sting from this first round loss as the tour now moves on to Topeka Kansas and the O'Reilly Summer Nationals. Qualifying begins this Friday.

Columbus Marks a New Beginning (5/15/2006)
Columbus Ohio - While certainly not the Winternationals in Pomona, this weekend's Pontiac Performance Nationals at the historic National Trail Raceway in Columbus Ohio marks the first race of a "new" season for JR Todd and the Tuttle Motorports team. Starting in Columbus, Todd will race the remainder of the NHRA schedule thanks to the team's new sponsor Skull Shine and Torco Racing Fuels.

With the new sponsor, Todd has a much better chance of breaking into the top ten and could even take the skull team to the winners circle, now with more chances to win. Another big advantage is that Todd gets more valuable seat time and now only has to wait a week to ten days between races. "When we were racing part time it was sometimes a mont h between races which is a long time to have to wait to get back behind the wheel. Thanks to Evan Knoll, Skull Shine and Torco, going full time will assist me in becoming a better driver" Todd Said.

But rather than look down the road to all the good things that could happen between now and the season finale in November, Todd must focus on get ting through what is sure to be a difficult field at National Trail Raceway. Adding to the normal pressure of wanting to perform well, Todd will be in the driver's seat knowing the stands will be filled with friends and family from his stomping grounds in near by Indiana. But Todd takes the added attention all in stride. " This is one of the races close to home that my family will get to attend but I won't allow it to become a distraction as I'll be focusing on getting the job done" Todd said.

With Todd's cool approach and a great new sponsor, it shouldn't be to much of a surprise to see the new Skull Shine entry begin to make large performance gains and thus round wins soon. Hopefully, the winning will begin this weekend in Columbus.

JR Todd to Fly Skull Shine and Torco Colors (5/05/2006)
Banning CA, Brownsburg IN - Tuttle Motorsports has just announced that Skull Shine and Torco Racing Fuels are now the team's primary sponsor which will enable driver JR Todd to compete full time on the NHRA Powerade tour. Thanks to the generous support of Evan Knoll through his line of Skull Shine car care products and Torco Racing Fuels, they now have the necessary backing to make a run at a top ten finish.

Knoll, who has become one of the most active and prolif ic supporters in professional drag racing, sponsors teams in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Top Alcohol. Todd's new paint scheme will be similar to that of current NHRA points leader Melanie Troxel, who also carries the Skull Shine banner. Tuttle Motorsports team owner Dexter Tuttle is very appreciative to be included in Knoll's fast growing family of racing teams. "We are very thankful for the opportunity that Evan and everyone and Torco Racing Fuels is giving our team. We are also appreciative for all of the other contributions Evan has made to the sport through both race car and event sponsorship." Tuttle said.

Currently, the cars are being painted and the trailers are getting vinyl wrapped in preparation for t he Pontiac Performance Nationals in Columbus Ohio, May 18 -21. From there, the team will compete at all of the remaining NHRA Powerade events.

Check out Torco Race Fuels full line of products at www.torcoracefuels.com

Todd Back on Track at Vegas (4/06/2006)
Las Vegas - While the Menards team didn't hit the jackpot, they still did well in the high stakes game of Top Fuel contested at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this past weekend. And even though the team was a little nervous hanging around the bottom of the ladder for most of qualifying, the team's winning spirit was uplifted when driver JR Todd delivered the third quickest pass during the final qualifying session. Todd knocked it out of the ball park with a superb 4.59 which moved him into the 11th spot and out of danger of getting bumped out of the tough 16 car field. "We haven't raced for nearly a month so that last run really restored everyone's confidence. In fact, that run would have been even quicker had we not pitched a blower belt." Todd said of the final qualifying pass.

On race day, Todd was paired with Doug Herbert, in the Snap-On Tools car. Herbert, took the advantage at the starting line with an 0.88 reaction time compared to Todd's slightly slower .106. Herbert continued the momentum all the way to the finish line with a 4.63 to Todd's close but slower 4.66. "I was a little late at the light and the car dropped a cylinder. Still, we ran a 4.66 and had we not dropped a cylinder I think we would have caught him at the stripe." Todd went on to compliment the team "Everyone really worked their tails off this weekend and their hard work really helped turn things around. Over all it was a good weekend and I can't wait for Columbus. "

The next race on the team's schedule is the Pontiac Performance Nationals held in Columbus Ohio on May 18-21. The team has opted not compete in the next two Powerade events held in Bristol and Atlanta.

Team Looking for Big Improvement in Las Vegas (4/06/2006)
Las Vegas - The Menards Top Fuel team is optimistic that they will bounce back at the NHRA Summit.com Nationals after a disappointing outing in Phoenix where the Menards team broke their streak of qualifying at every NHRA National event they have entered. While the entire team has already put that event behind them, the wait between west coast rac es have seemed like an eternity. With the extra long wait, everyone from crew chief Jimmy Wa lsh to driver JR Todd can't wait to get a new hot streak started in Las Vegas.

Streaks of all kinds eventually get broken and the reality is that Top Fuel is extremely tough this season. There are more competitive cars than there are qualifying slots, which means some very good teams will occasionally find themselves watching on race day. But, the good news for the Menards team is the long break between Phoenix and Las Vegas gave them some extra time to prepare the car and build up inventory. In addition, the team stayed over and tested after the Phoenix race and concluded that they have a handle on the new Goodyear tire which has been mandated by NHRA. In fact, they would have qualified for Phoenix had they made one of the test passes during qualifying.

Another reason for the team's confidence going into the NHRA Summit.com Nationals has to be the team's performance at the Las Vegas preseason eventwhere Todd had Saturday's quickest elapsed time. Combined that with the stellar perf ormance at Pomona and the odds are good that the Menards car will do well this weekend. Qualifying for the NHRA Summit.com Nationals starts Friday with eliminations on Sunday. Check your local TV listings or NHRA.com for TV times.

JR Makes Big Splash in Pomona (2/13/2 006)
Pomona CA- Overall, it was a great weekend for the Menards Top Fuel team at the season's premier event, the CarQuest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals held at the Fairplex in Pomona California. It was at Pomona that the Menards team showed a lot of improvement over last season. Besides a new Brad Hadman chassis, one of the big gest changes to the team is rookie driver JR Todd, who quickly proved he's a good choice for team owner Dexter Tuttle and crew chief Jimmy Walsh.

Starting on Thursday, Todd earned some respect by qualifying third with a great elapsed time of 4.57, making it easy for fans to forget that this was his first ever pass in NHRA professional competition. On Friday, Todd found himself at the top of the leaderboard with an ET of 4.50 at 320 MPH. "I'm shocked, I didn't expect this at all, I just wanted to qualify." Todd said as he was rushed over to the media center following the run. On Saturday, Todd fell back into third after running a much slower 4.99 ET. Even with the slower run Todd was able to accomplish his goal of qualifying in the top half of the field, giving him lane choice during the first round of eliminations.

On Sunday, in the opening round, Todd faced opponent Doug Herbert driving the Snap-On Tools Dragster. At the green, Todd left on Herbert with a better reaction time. But unfortnately for the Menards team, they couldn't take advantage of having lane cho ice as Todd smoked the tires just four feet into the run. Herbert meanwhile took the win light with a 4.64 while fireballing an engine at the top end. Herbert advanced to the next round while Todd's outstandingweekend came to an abrupt end.

While the event didn't conclude on a winning note, the Menards team came out of Pomona beaming with a lot of confidence knowing they have a capable new driver, crew, and the equipment necessary to take them to the next level and run with the elite teams. Since the Menards team has shown remarkable improvement over last season, now all they need is a little luck to enable them to string together some wins.

Menards Team Takes Qualifying Lead (2/10/2006)
Two weeks ago, JR Todd driving the Menards Top Fuel Dragster turned some heads with one of the best performances during preseason testing in Las Vegas. While his driving earned him instant respect, Todd managed to stay low key, down playing all of the excitement surrounding his new gig. And even though he's managed to keep a lid on all the preseason talk, his performance at the CarQuest NHRA Winternationals has put him in the spotlight as the number one qualifier with a stellar 4.50 ET at over 320 MPH. "I'm shocked, I didn't expect this at all, I just wanted to qualify." Todd said after his run on Friday. "We're in the show, so I can concentrate on my driving and going rounds on Sunday. We'll get lane choice so that will improve our chances of winning."

Todd, qualified third on Thursday's opening round with a respectable 4.57 ET, then on Friday, Todd took the Menards team all the way to the top of he leaderboard making them an une xpected favorite on Sunday. "It's still early but hopefully, we'll go out and repeat tomorrow, the car dropped a cylinder at the top end and it moved around a little bit so maybe we can improve Saturday." While tomorrow is another day, the Winternationals has been kind to rookies in the past. The late Darryl Russell, along with Lori Johns, and Jim Epler have won this race in their rookie season. Hopefully for Todd and the Tuttle Motorsports gang that winning rookie tradition will continue on Sunday.

Todd Ready For NHRA Winternationals Debut (2/7/2006)
Pomona CA- The CarQuest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals is one of drag racing's premier events. In fact, one can argue that the Winternationals held in Pomona California draws more attention and has more name recognition than just about any other drag race. Everyone remembers who wins the first major race of the year as it sets the pace and even the flavor for the entire season. In addition, plenty of interest will be paid to the professional te ams who debut new sponsors, paint schemes, and even new drivers.

One of those teams expected to get it's share of attention is the Menards Top Fuel Dragster team with rookie driver JR Todd at the wheel. Todd may be considered a rookie in the eyes of NHRA, but the 24 year old driver from Lawerenceburg Indiana has more than a year's worth of experience driving a Top Fuel car for Bruce Litton in IHRA. While his first race in IHRA was exciting, driving in NHRA is the pinnacle of the sport. "This is what I've worked so hard for and I'm very excited about my first professional start in NHRA. This car leaves like a rocket compared to what I was use to, but it's built for me so I'm more comfortable in it." Todd said while gettin g ready for the race which begins Thursday at the Pomona Fairplex.

Todd who had Saturday's quickest elapsed time during the recent "Nitro Blast Off", a preseason event in Las Vegas, isn't overly concerned with all the hype surrounding all of the new drivers. "I don't feel like I'm under a lot of pressure which works good for me. Hopefully, I can go out there and qualify solid into the field and go a few rounds."

Todd feels right at home with his new team but felt bad after the engine let go last week during testing, "I know how hard the team has to work after we hurt the engine but we all understands it's part of racing. Team owner Dexter Tuttle is a great guy who use to race so he knows what it's going to take. I also credit crew chief Jimmy Walsh. We knew each other when I raced in IHRA and Jimmy's one of the reasons I'm here. We communicate well and it's getting better with each passing day. Also, we have several new crew members and everyone is really starting to gel.& quot; Todd said. So what is the team's goal this season? "We want to win a race this year and do a great job representing Menards and Colorfast"

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