Tuttle Motorsports 2008 Team News
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STEVE
TORRENCE NAMED NEW DRIVER OF THE VIS VIVA DRAGSTER "I couldn't be more excited than I am right now," Torrence said. "Having worked with Dexter in the past, I know the kind of team that he runs and I can't wait to get back in his car. I'm also excited to be representing Dexter's sponsor, Vis Viva Energy. They are a new and upcoming energy drink and I'm a new and upcoming driver in Top Fuel, what a perfect fit." Dan Pikarsky, Sr. VP Sports and Event Marketing at Attitude Drink Company, Inc. shared his thoughts on the driver change. "We are pleased with the job Alan has done for the Vis Viva brand while driving for Tuttle Motorsports and we wish him well in his racing career where ever it may take him," Pikarsky said. "We are also fired up to continue our growth with our new driver Steve Torrence in such a fan friendly environment like the NHRA. As our growth continues day by day we know Steve will continue to compliment and grow with our brand Vis Viva 'Living Force Energy'. Steve is a bright, talented, well spoken, young man who will represent Vis Viva well." Tuttle is also optimistic about the change. "Steve really is the perfect choice for this team," Tuttle said. "He has driven for me before and I was pleased with what he did in the car. He is a good kid and I'm looking forward to seeing what he will bring to our team." When asked about the reason for the change? "Every team has
chemistry issues from time to time, and I guess it was just our
turn," Tuttle said. "No matter how good a crew member,
tuner or driver is individually, without synergy it is hard to
be successful. We've been lacking that." "If there was ever a time
to do well, this is it," Bradshaw said. "We are going
to have several executives from the company out this weekend,
and we want to reinforce the name 'Vis Viva' to the thousands
of fans who will be out at the track." Bradshaw's Vis Viva "Living Force" Energy Top Fuel dragster has been showing great potential for strong runs at the last several events. With Route 66 Raceway's record setting racing surface, Bradshaw hopes the racetrack will work in his team's favor and allow them to translate the 8000 horsepower tune-up into round wins. "Chicago has been very good to me so far in my racing career," Bradshaw said. "In 2006 I went to my first semi-final round in Top Fuel, having beat both Tony Schumacher and J.R. Todd to get there. I also set my career best E.T. and speed in Chicago, which held up until this season when I came over here to drive for Dexter Tuttle. I'd like to add my first Top Fuel Victory to my list of accomplishments at Route 66." Topeka "We had more passes under power this weekend than we have had in some time so that's always encouraging." Bradshaw said. "It's always a good feeling when the car goes down the track because it gives you that little boost of confidence that never hurts either. The guys on the crew are really getting the Vis Viva car sorted out." Bradshaw posted his best run of the weekend during Saturday's early qualifying session with a 4.647 at 307.79 mph, landing the Odessa, Tex. resident in the no. 10 position and matching him against Schumacher for round one. "It seems no matter how we qualify we still end up racing Schumacher in the first round," Bradshaw said. "But hey that's ok, if you want to be the best you have to beat the best, and that Army Team certainly falls into that category." Unfortunately the win for Bradshaw wasn't meant to be as his car unexpectedly exploded the supercharger just past the starting line due to an ignition problem, allowing a tire smoking Schumacher to take the win. "That boomer came out of nowhere," Bradshaw said. "I stepped on the throttle and suddenly heard, and felt, the engine let go. There was nothing I could do at that point except watch Tony nurse his car down the track with his tires blazing. Sometimes you need a little luck to win, and today we just didn't have any." Bradshaw is excited about the progress he witnessed with the team however. "It was pretty inspirational
to see the Vis Viva dragster run as good as it did on a hot and
greasy racetrack. We are getting into the tricky part of the
season where we start to see tough track conditions and warmer
weather. To know that our tune-up is capable of running in these
conditions makes me even more confident that you will see a win
from Team Vis Viva sometime this year. Time will tell." "Topeka is just one of those fun places to come to," Bradshaw said. "Winning is difficult in this sport and when you have success at a track you look forward to racing there again. Plus the fans in Topeka are second to none and they really get into it, and that gets me even more pumped up as a driver." Bradshaw hopes to add his first Top Fuel win to his two previous victories in Topeka during this weekend's O'Reilly Summer Nationals, and Bradshaw feels his Vis Viva "Living Force Energy" car is up for the challenge. "Maybe I'm the forever
optimist," Bradshaw said. "But that 4.55 we ran two
weeks ago in Bristol (Tenn.) given the conditions, makes me believe
we are one step closer to finding a balance on the tune-up, which
has obviously been overly aggressive more often than not." So far 2008 has been a roller-coaster season for the whole Vis Viva "Living Force" Energy team, with back-to-back no. 1 qualifiers serving as the highs and a couple of DNQs serving as the lows. "Regardless of the ups
and downs so far, I tip my cap to this crew," Bradshaw said.
"They have never given up and they work their butts off
each and every time we race. It would be easy to throw your hands
up, but these guys continue to be as strong a team as you could
ask for. For me this season has been like building a puzzle and
sometimes losing a piece or two. I think we finally have the
all the pieces on the table for Topeka, now we just have to put
them together correctly." Bristol "Team Vis Viva is certainly showing signs of hope," Bradshaw said. "In St. Louis we had three runs in the 4.50's and that is the kind of consistency we have been looking for all season. It also shows that we seem to have a good 'average weather' tune-up, and our 'playbook' is getting bigger at every race. Anytime you have more runs to the finish line under power than not, it is a good thing." Bradshaw looks to put more round-wins under his belt, and feels this weekend in Bristol is the perfect time and place for that to happen. "Bristol is such a unique racetrack," Bradshaw said. "I really like the scenery around the track, and the fans are some of the best on the circuit. They really get into the racing and that makes it fun to come here. With the track down in the valley you get a great view of the action on the track, and the echo from the cars is an all out assault on the ears too. There is no other place like this." Bradshaw partially credits the change in his Vis Viva dragster's chassis for the team's recent gain in momentum. "We started
running the new back half in Atlanta and I love it," Bradshaw
said. "First and foremost it is safer, and it also seems
to fit our tune-up better. It looks like we have the chassis,
engine and clutch all working together now. With all that and
a crew that is second to none, I'm looking to put the Vis Viva
'Living Force Energy' dragster in the winner's circle at Thunder
Valley." "I'm glad that Darrell's name is being associated with helping others," Brother Chris Russell said. "The whole point of the tribute in St. Louis and the online auction was to help the people who helped me and my family when we lost Darrell almost four years ago. This is how I want Darrell to be remembered, as the kind and generous person that he was. I really want to thank everyone who participated in the eBay auction." Bradshaw's team also won "best appearing crew" at the event. Three of the award-winning crew uniforms are currently available for bid on eBay, with the auction ending this Sunday at midnight. Three additional crew uniforms will be placed on eBay tonight at midnight and run for one week. Vicci Apparel generously donated the uniforms, so all money raised will be added to the total donated to RFC. Following several requests from
fans, both the special edition Darrell Russell handout cards
and Rob Geiger's book about Russell, entitled "Broad Smiles,
Quarter-Miles," have been placed on eBay on a "Buy
it Now" basis. Proceeds from the sales will go to RFC and
DRAW (Drag Racing Association of Women). With a special tribute to the late Darrell Russell on the side of the car, it was the perfect time for Bradshaw to get his first round win with his new team, owned by Dexter Tuttle. To do it on a holeshot made the victory even sweeter, as that was something Russell himself was often known to do. "I'm glad we turned the win light on for the Russell family," Bradshaw said. "It couldn't have come at a better time." For the second round, Bradshaw faced off against reigning Top Fuel World Champion Tony Schumacher. Schumacher qualified no. 2 and defeated Morgan Lucas in the first round. Unfortunately Bradshaw's day came to an end against Schumacher when Bradshaw's car lost traction as soon as he hit the throttle. "Obviously the high of winning that first round and then the disappointment of not fulfilling what I envisioned this weekend made it pretty emotional for me," Bradshaw said. "I wanted nothing more than to hand the Russell family the Top Fuel Wally at the end of the race. It just wasn't meant to be I guess." Bradshaw was able to dedicate the team's "Best Appearing Crew" trophy to the Russells, which they had won earlier in the day. Overall it was a great weekend for both Tuttle Motorsports and the Russells. "What a tremendous event," Darrell's brother Chris Russell said. "First and foremost I have to thank Tuttle Motorsports and their sponsor Vis Viva Living Force Energy for making this possible, and Dan Pikarsky and Mark Scheierman for putting it all together. It was a fitting tribute to Darrell and he would have been proud. "My family also wants to
thank all the companies that helped m
ake this tribute a reality.
Impact Safety for the firesuit and helmet, Vicci for the crew
uniforms, Co-color for the handout cards, Wrap It Up for the
car wrap, and Alan's friend Brandon Mendoza for the custom paint
on Alan's helmet. "And thanks to the fans for their support of my family, we met so many great people this weekend and it really made it special for us. I appreciate everyone who bought a book or bid on eBay, we raised money for both DRAW and Racers for Christ this weekend and that was important, giving back to the people who helped us." Bradshaw's helmet and firesuit from this weekend's race are currently up for auction on eBay. The award-winning crew uniforms will also be placed on eBay over the next several weeks. All money raised on eBay will be donated to Racers for Christ in Darrell Russell's name. RUSSELL
TRIBUTE TOP FUEL DRAGSTER IN FIELD AT NO. 10 After Friday's average qualifying sessions, Bradshaw was looking for a strong performance out of his Vis Viva "Living Force" Energy Top Fuel dragster during the final two sessions on Saturday. Bradshaw's performance would improve with a best of a 4.550 at 318.24 mph but with it came a touch of drama. "During today's first session something on the track cut the tire down," Bradshaw said. "The car got very loose and unstable as the tire deflated, but I still managed to get it to the finish line under power. "Then in our last session we burned a piston going down the track and the increased pressure in the oil pan caused oil to get under my tires and got the car very loose. I'm just glad I got to drive the 'dirt cars' last Thursday because today felt a lot like driving a dirt car at 300 mph." Bradshaw found himself no. 10 at the end of qualifying, and will face no. 7 J.R. Todd (4.537 at 318.39 mph) in tomorrow's opening elimination round. Bradshaw is still looking for his first win of the season and hopes his special edition Darrell Russell Tribute car will accomplish just that. "This weekend has been pretty special already with the Russell family here," Bradshaw said. "But taking Darrell's image with us on a winning lap would be even more special. We also have both my firesuit, and helmet on eBay right now to bid on. Going some rounds on Sunday may even help us raise a little more money. "I also would like to thank
Ryan Seger, and Nick Lyons for letting me drive their dirt cars
this past Thursday. It was pretty generous to be handed a $20,000
car to go play in. I even lead the race for a few laps and ended
up fourth at the end of the race, "We couldn't be more thrilled that Darrell is being honored in this way," Chris Russell said. "This was something Darrell would have been very proud of, and the fact Alan will be driving the car is a perfect fit." Like many racers, Darrell began
his driving career in the Sportsman ranks competing in a Super
In 2001, Darrell was offered the opportunity to drive for Top Fuel legend Joe Amato and he didn't have to wait long for the success he had become so accustomed to in the sportsman ranks to follow him into Top Fuel. He won in his professional debut at the Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. becoming one of only three drivers in the history of NHRA to accomplish such a feat. He would go on to win the 2001 Rookie of the Year award, and eventually add a total of six Top Fuel victories to his credit in his three-and-a-half-year journey in the class. He also never failed to qualify for a Top Fuel event in which he was entered. As part of the tribute, a special car unveiling will be held on the starting-line prior to Friday's first Top Fuel qualifying session. Also, the book about Russell entitled "Broad Smiles, Quarter-Miles," which was written by long-time friend Rob Geiger, will be available for purchase at Bob Vandergriff's merchandise trailer for $24.95 during this event. A limited number of books will be sold on a first-come basis with all proceeds from book sales being donated to DRAW. "I'm glad that Darrell's fans will have an opportunity to buy the book at this event," Burnell said. "It really is a great testament to Darrell's life. Rob did a fantastic job writing it." Bradshaw's special edition helmet
and firesuit will be available separately on eBay beginning late
Friday night. The crew's special-edition uniforms will be available
for auction in the weeks following the event. All money raised
by the auctions will b "For my family this is a way to give back to those that helped us in our time of need," Chris said. "Both DRAW and RFC are incredible organizations that provided us tremendous support. The money we raise will hopefully help them continue to support others like they helped us." Friends and fans of Darrell are encouraged to stop by the Vis Viva "Living Force Energy" pit for a special edition handout card, and to share their favorite stories with Gwen, Burnell and Chris. "We want this to be a celebration of the life of my brother," Chris said. "Darrell would have turned 40 this year, and this gives us the perfect opportunity to commemorate that. Darrell touched so many people, and did so many good things in the sport. That is what I want people to think of when they hear his name. I hope this weekend we can accomplish that." --darrellrussell.com-- Atlanta: "The car left good but then I had to pedal it pretty early in the run," Bradshaw said. "To still run a 4.743 with the pedal job was a sign that we are getting closer to what we are looking for out of the Vis Viva machine." Bradshaw congratulated Will at the top end with a hug and a friendly warning considering Bradshaw has never defeated her in Top Fuel competition. "I like Hillary, but her days are numbered," Bradshaw said with his trademark Texas smirk. "The' law of averages' has to catch up to her eventually." Bradshaw's first round exit brings a trouble plagued weekend to a close for Team Vis Viva, who has endured abnormal parts issues at this weekend's Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. An oil pressure problem caused the team to shut off at the line during Friday's second session, and a dropped valve caused Bradshaw to abort his third qualifying pass on Saturday. "It's just been one of those weekends that you have every once in awhile out here," Bradshaw said. "We even had to scramble this morning when we had another issue before first round. The guys have worked their tails off fixing all the weird stuff that has been happening. I swear it feels like they did the work of three races all rolled into this one. I know everyone says this, but they are the best team out here and they earned their stripes this weekend. "We hate to lose, but the good news is we made back-to-back full passes, minus a quick pedal job, and seem to be closer with the tune-up. The bottom line is with the trouble we had in qualifying, we didn't deserve to win today even though we sure gave it our all. With the car improving, it won't be much longer until we show the true potential of this team. I can't wait to get to St. Louis because we definitely have big plans on making a 'big splash' in more ways than one." Bradshaw is also scheduled to race in the "NHRA On Dirt" event with fellow NHRA stars next Thursday at Tri-City Speedway. "I can't wait to get on
the dirt, racing with my friends," Bradshaw said. "Hopefully
I can show them a thing or two from my dirt track racing days,
especially Hillary. If I can't whoop her on asphalt, maybe I
can deal her some grief on the dirt." "This weekend has been stressful to say the least," Bradshaw said. "It seems this is our weekend to have stupid stuff happen to parts on the racecar, at least during qualifying." Bradshaw's qualifying effort has run the full range of performance, from a shut-off during Friday's evening session, to the first full pass in some time during today's final session. "On Friday we had an issue with the oil pump and had no pressure when we fired the car for the run." Bradshaw said. "Obviously we had to shut the car off. Then during this morning's session we broke a brand new valve and had to shut the car down about half track. When you abort half your qualifying runs, it's tough to learn much about the new tune-up and how the new chassis is working." Everything finally came together during today's final qualifying session, when Bradshaw drove to a 4.701 at 299.13 mph. The car had a cylinder out the entire way, but it still made it from start to finish under power. "I know a 4.70 doesn't set the world on fire in Top Fuel, but after this weekend I'll take it no matter how ugly it was," Bradshaw said. "In the pits I was kidding with the guys, asking what the button on the steering wheel was for [referencing the parachute release button], it's been so long since I've used it I did n't know what it was anymore. But in all seriousness, this team is stronger and better than what we have shown so far this weekend, hopefully tomorrow we will prove it." Bradshaw's 4.701 earned him
the no. 11 spot going into tomorrow's eliminations. Bradshaw
will face no. 6 qualifier Hillary Will (4.604, 324.67 mph) in
the opening round. "We had so many changes at the beginning of the year with me as the team's new driver, new crew members, a new sponsor and all that goes along with that," Bradshaw said. "Dexter decided it just didn't make sense to change a car that had won races the year before. Plus it never hurts to let the other teams test the waters when you have a change like this." Crew chief Tony Shortall agrees. "With any chassis change you have to adjust the tune-up," Shortall said. "Sure the tubing is bigger in diameter and a thicker wall size, but it is also normalized instead of heat treated. That makes the tubing more flexible and that is something that should help us. We have an idea of what to do with the tune-up for the car, and we have seen how other teams have adapted, so it should give us an idea of where to start." Bradshaw is enjoying unprecedented
success with back-to-back no. 1 qualifying efforts at this year's
earlier events in Gainesville, Florida and Houston, Texas. Bradshaw
hopes to add a victory on Sunday in his pursuit of making the
"Countdown to 1" later this year. Bradshaw currently
sits no. 14 in the overall points chase and will need to make
a move now to get his Vis Viva Energy Drink Top Fuel Dragster
into the playoffs. "It is so easy to go from hero to zero out here," Bradshaw said. "We wanted to make progress and build on our strong qualifying efforts, but that obviously didn't happen this weekend with a DNQ." This race started
rough for the team when they found a damaged fuel pump on the
Shell V-Power / Vis Viva Energy drink dragster before the first
round of qualifying on Friday. "We started the weekend off with a tense pre race warm up on the first qualifier," Bradshaw said. "The car wouldn't pick up prime on nitro after trying to start it a half dozen times. The guys quickly diagnosed a bad fuel pump and switched it out. Unfortunately, on the second qualifier the new pump flowed a lot more fuel and threw off the tune-up. We found ourselves behind the eight ball from that point forward. We managed to get the fuel pump situation under control and felt we had a good chance on the next two laps. Unfortunately, we didn't realize we were going to be chasing clutch gremlins too." Bradshaw made a valiant attempt to get the Shell V-Power / Vis Viva Energy Drink Top Fueler into the show during today's final qualifying session. Bradshaw launched and peddled his way to a tire smoking 6.379 which put him into the show at no. 16. Bradshaw's victory was short lived however as he was immediately bumped out by David Grubnic in the next pair. "Tomorrow we
are going to cheer Del [Worsham] to back-to-back wins, and then
plan to test on Monday. This wasn't the farewell we wanted for
the Shell V-Power guys, but we will persevere because this bunch
just doesn't know the words ' give up,' it's not our style. Meanwhile
we will gear up for the trek to Atlanta and see what we can do
there sporting our traditional Vis Viva Energy drink colors." Now coming off of back-to-back no. 1 qualifying efforts in both Gainesville and Houston, Bradshaw looks for his luck at "The Strip" to change during this weekend's SummitRacing.com Nationals. "With everything that has happened to me here you wouldn't think I like coming here," Bradshaw said. "But the truth is I love the facility, the energy from the fans and the excitement from Vegas itself. It fits my personality to a tee. I look forward to every race here in Las Vegas." The Vis Viva Energy
drink Top Fuel dragster will carry the colors of Shell V-Power
for the final time this weekend as Bradshaw tries to put the
special edition design scheme in the winner's circle. "If you look at the season so far you can see the progression we have made as a team," Bradshaw said. "Going from our DNQ in Phoenix, to back-to-back no. 1 qualifiers at the last two races are steps in the right direction for sure. But, it's not where you start, it is where you finish on Sunday. Number one qualifiers are nice feathers in the cap, but we need the progress this team has made to pay off on race day. I'm focusing very hard on doing all I can to make sure we get favorable results." Favorable results are exactly what teammate Del Worsham experienced at the last race in Houston. Worsham drove his K&N Filters themed Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Funny Car to the winner's circle, ending a more than two-year winless streak. Worsham's victory inspired Bradshaw to dig even deeper this weekend. "I was so pumped to see Del win and I think it's just the first of many more this year," Bradshaw said. "It just shows that if you persevere, you will be rewarded. Even when they went through a dry spell that would have caused many to throw in the towel, those guys continued busting their butts and never gave up. That's exactly what we plan to do." Houston: The last time Bradshaw fouled during eliminations was in 2002 when he competed in the Top Alcohol Dragster class at the O'Reilly Fall Nationals in Dallas, Texas. "Taking a shot at the tree is not what I am about," Bradshaw said. "I go in there and do my normal deal but sometimes when you have carbon fiber brakes, you go up there and release the brake a bit and it moves, sometimes it doesn't and you have to release it even more. When that happens, it's uncertain how much the car will move before you can catch it. I know what it looked like from the stands, but I can assure taking a chunk on the line wasn't the plan. This car reacts very quickly and we've been cutting .040's all weekend but when she rolls in a bit farther, you're up the creek with a red light." To add insult to injury, the Shell V-Power/Vis Viva Energy drink dragster drove into tire smoke just past the starting line, running only 8.855 at 80.79 mph. "If there's any silver lining to this Texas cloud, we did regain a better tune up as evidenced in qualifying," Bradshaw said. "We just can't seem to buy a round on Sunday, but look for that to change. We are excited to give Shell V-Power and Team Vis Viva another number 1 qualifier and we will see what we can do to improve on that next race day in Vegas." When asked about the 'no. 1 qualifier jinx' that seems to be plaguing the Top Fuel class, Bradshaw shared his thoughts. "I don't buy
that for a second, it's way over rated," Bradshaw said.
"Sure you can look at it and say 'see it happened again',
but the reality is that rounds are won through preparation, hard
work and skill. As a driver if you are thinking about stuff like
that, then your mind is someplace it shouldn't be and you are
not focusing on driving the car. I'll admit there is always a
little racing luck that comes into play but that's as far as
it goes. I'd like to be the one to break the 'jinx' and hopefully
I will have another chance to do just that." Bradshaw secured the no. 1 position during today's earlier session with a 4.571 but watched as both Larry Dixon and Doug Herbert bettered that number in tonight's cooler air, dropping Bradshaw to no. 3 before making his final attempt for the night. As Bradshaw's Shell V-Power/Vis Viva dragster came to the starting line, all eyes were on the Odessa Texas resident to see if he could regain his place at the top of the pack. The car launched with header flames blazing, and rocketed down the quarter-mile to a near career-best 4.526 at 323.50 mph. The pass was good enough to retake the provisional no. 1 going into tomorrow's final qualifying sessions. "I watched those boys [Herbert, Dixon] ahead of me go down the track and knew we had to fight if we wanted the no. 1 back," Bradshaw said. "Honestly I had total confidence in Dexter Tuttle and Tony Shortall and the guys to get the job done. This car showed what it had with our no. 1 in Gainesville and we are just building on it here. I'm proud to be able to do this for Shell V-Power, Vis Viva and CSK, but honestly, it doesn't really matter where we are tonight. It's where we finish up on Sunday that matters most. "The guys really busted butts again today after the first qualifying run, as we expired yet another bullet on that pass. The good news is Dexter provides us all we need to continue to do battle, and our guys are always quick to provide me the best car possible every time we bring our hotrod to the starting line" Tomorrow's final qualifying
sessions are scheduled for noon and 3:00pm CST. "We come to every event to win," Bradshaw said. "But you also have to look at the big picture and realize just how much we accomplished here in Florida. Driving for Dexter Tuttle is new for me this year, and with only three races behind us, the team is really starting to gel. We are getting used to each other, and how we all operate out here just as we are getting used to the new 90% nitro rule. As long as we leave a race wiser than we showed up, there is value in that, never mind the end result on Sunday." Bradshaw rocketed to no. 1 on his final qualifying attempt on Saturday, after being bumped out of the field only moments earlier. "We went from no. 12 to no. 17, and then up to no. 1," Bradshaw said. "That shows the fortitude of Team Vis Viva and the talent we have here. Now we just need to develop some consistency and translate that into round wins on Sunday." Round wins would have to wait for the Odessa, Texas native however. Bradshaw lost his opening race to Bruce Litton when traction woes set in causing Bradshaw's tires to go up in a cloud of smoke. A fuel fitting began leaking during the burnout and even though the team was able to fix the problem on the starting-line, the leak filled the car's belly pan with nitro. Once Bradshaw launched, the fuel in the belly pan spilled under the tires causing Bradshaw to lose traction and slow to a 8.386 at 102.79 mph. "We went out there and felt we could duplicate a run close to our qualifying run but obviously we misjudged the track conditions and it bit us as it has earlier this season. Plus we had a fuel leak that may very well have contributed to our demise. We have a very aggressive car that really likes to run hard early in the run. You back this thing down too far and it shakes and smokes the tires. You leave it too hopped up and it will humble you. It's a very fine line in getting the Vis Viva Dragster from A to B, but that's true with any of these cars. We will just have to learn where the balance is and when we find that, they better look out." "Our main goal
is staying in the countdown to 1 leaving Indy," Bradshaw
continued. "You have to do that before you can run for the
championship and we fully intend to be there to do that. With
the progress we saw here in Gainesville, the forecast looks good
for Team Vis Viva." "The comparison to Phoenix was a little unnerving," Bradshaw said. "For the second race in a row we rained-out Friday qualifying, and for the second race in a row we were down to only two shots at making it into the field. Going to the line, I got bumped out by the cars in front of me and was not-qualified on our last run just like Phoenix." But unlike Phoenix, Bradshaw rocketed his Vis Viva Top Fuel Dragster to the finish-line with a 4.547. The run was strong enough to hold onto the no. 1 spot, giving Bradshaw his first Top Fuel pole. "I'm thrilled to take Vis Viva Energy Drink along for the ride on this," Bradshaw said. "They are a new company, and I'm a new driver for Dexter Tuttle so we are both underdogs in our respective industries. We proved what we can do here today in Gainesville just like Vis Viva will be proving what they can do very soon in the marketplace." Bradshaw's run was nothing short of spectacular, as the Vis Viva dragster expired just before the finish-line bursting into flames and continued burning as the car rolled to a stop. "We only ran 306.95 mph," Bradshaw said. "The thing lit up in the lights and it just got more exciting from there. I knew it was on a good lap, but had no idea what was awaiting me at the finish-line. Out of nowhere the engine grenaded with no warning. I could feel the heat coming from 'the kitchen' but on a run like that there was no way I was lettin' out. "I've got to hand it to my guys," Bradshaw continued. " We had to change two motors today and Team Vis Viva busted butt to get it done. It's a privilege to drive for Dexter Tuttle, Tony Shortall and the boys. When their backs are against the wall, they always pull through." Bradshaw will face no. 16 qualifier Bruce Litton during tomorrow's first round of eliminations. "I've been in
that no. 16 spot several times in my career, so believe me I'm
not taking first round for granted. NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
is so competitive that if you look past anyone out here, you
will find yourself looking at their chutes going across the finish-line.
All I know is that this is a great start going into Sunday, and
Team Vis Viva is looking to make it better with a Wally Sunday
afternoon." "Finally getting
to race at the Gatornationals is a milestone for me personally,"
Bradshaw said. "To compete at the track where one of my
all time racing hero's, 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits, ran the first
270 mph Top Fuel pass is incredible. Not to mention the place
where Kenny Bernstein broke the 300 mph barrier for the first
time. Bradshaw's primary sponsor, Vis Viva, is also based in North Palm Beach, Fla. making this event even bigger for Bradshaw and the entire Tuttle Motorsports crew. "Several executives and employees from the company will be there this weekend," Bradshaw said. "So we have to put on a good show for all of them. I've met a few of the folks before, but there will be a lot of new faces too. I'm really looking forward to sharing the excitement of NHRA Drag Racing with all the 'first-timers' in the group." Bradshaw also has additional plans while he is in the Sunshine State. "Obviously we
plan to take a trip to Big Daddy's museum in Ocala while we are
there," Bradshaw said. "But I also want to keep my
eye out for any stray 'gators' we come across. I'd like to bring
them back to Texas with me after the race. You can never have
too many pets," Bradshaw said with his trademark Texas grin. Phoenix: "This weekend
we were the bug," Bradshaw said. Bradshaw's best effort was a 6.17 at 297.81 mph which unfortunately left him no. 17 after today's qualifying action was complete. "You're not going
to hear me say the DNQ is ok because 'it's just the beginning
of the season and we have time to make it up,'" Bradshaw
said. "NHRA POWERade drag racing is so competitive that
every round counts. We missed a golden opportunity this weekend
and it could very well play into the countdown at the end of
the season." But the biggest thing on Bradshaw's mind going into this weekend's 24th annual Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Nationals, at Firebird International Raceway; is helping his new teammate Del Worsham, driver of the Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Funny Car, deliver a double win in Top Fuel and Funny Car. "I want to deal the competition a 'one-two punch' from Del and I here in Phoenix," Bradshaw said. "I want nothing less than for our teams to take victories in both nitro classes. This is Checker, Schuck's, Kragen's home, they sponsor the race, they sponsor Del, and are associates on the Vis Viva car. I think all the folks from CSK deserve a big celebration come Sunday night, and hopefully we can give it to them.&qu ot; Bradshaw's year started well, qualifying for the season-opening Winternationals in the top-half of the field at no. 6. Bradshaw's race day ended early however, losing to Doug Herbert in round 1 when his Vis Viva Top Fuel dragster went up in tire smoke. "I'm looking forward to rebounding in Phoenix," Bradshaw said. "We found some things with the car these past two weeks and I think we are going to be able to pick right back up where we were during the first qualifier in Pomona." Crew chief, Tony Shortall agrees. "I am very comfortable and confident with the car going into race weekend," Shortall said. "Team Vis Viva has worked very diligently finding and fixing some of the issues that caused us problems during eliminations in Pomona. I'm excited to see what this car is going to do at Firebird when it hits the track." Bradshaw is currently
ninth with 34 points in the Countdown to 10, the first leg of
NHRA's Countdown to the Championship. The Countdown to 1 begins
Sept. 11-14 in Charlotte, N.C. "We weren't chasing an Evan Knoll sponsorship, he just called us," Tuttle recalled. "He had a good relationship with (then crew chief) Jimmy Walsh and Evan called after we didn't qualify at Phoenix one of the two times we didn't qualify in two years. He said, 'What can I do to help you,' and that's how our deal started." The Skull Shine/Torco Racing Fuels sponsorship continued through the 2007 season, with Todd winning five races overall and finishing eighth and seventh respectively in NHRA/Powerade Series standings. Knoll has been content to stay out of the media spotlight, but a recent announcement that he will "sideline all Knoll Gas Motorsports teams for the 2008 season" while he takes care of serious health issues has come under scrutiny from fans and racers alike. Tuttle, a successful business man and veteran team owner, has been watching, reading Internet stories and reactions and has some insight of his own. "Evan's whole thing is about helping the part-time drivers and their teams," said Tuttle. "He spends a huge amount of money and he wants to be involved, but there is absolutely no return on investment. I understood it, and I think all those drivers involved in this interruption should understand, too. This (sponsor support) was subsistence, a gift from Evan Knoll to help them go out and show what they could do . . . and to move on. It was designed for them to showcase their potential. "The only thing, I think, that really makes Evan happy is helping people. I truly believe that. I watched him for two years. We were one of his better-performing teams, but a few wins doesn't put money in his pocket. He gave me plenty of notice that our Skull Shine deal was done at the end of last year. We had been looking for sponsors the whole time we had Torco on the car so we could free up that money and he could help somebody else." Tuttle, meanwhile, has found a company interested in sponsoring his Top Fuel team this year. "Look for an announcement in the next two or three weeks from Tuttle Motorsports and (driver) Alan Bradshaw that Tony Shortall is our new crew chief and that we will be out for all 24 races with a brand new sponsor. "Would that have been possible without Evan's money? Maybe, but I don't think so," he continued. "It is a big step for somebody running 10-to-14 races (like he planned with Todd) and having a prospective sponsor say, 'Hey, you guys do pretty good being out there for the whole season, ending up seventh in points and contending and winning a couple of races.' "We certainly hope Evan's health problems are taken care of and that he takes time to refocus and comes back and puts together a couple of contending teams. We wish him a speedy recovery." 2008
Advertising Packages Now Available Are you looking for a friendly, wholesome family-centered race team? A team with five national event victories, and two top ten finishes in the past two seasons? A team that qualified for NHRA's first ever Countdown to the Championship? If so, look no further than Tuttle Motorsports. Yes, it's true that Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal named NHRA Powerade Drag Racing "the best return on investment". Email us today to discover why, and be sure to include your phone number. We will be happy to give you a call and answer any questions you may have. We offer a wide range of affordable advertising packages from small associate packages to large primary sponsorship. We have programs to fit all budgets. All packages include ample signage and even hospitality for your employees, colleagues and customers. For information Contact us here Worsham
and Tuttle Announce Alliance for 2008 Season Worsham has owned and operated a two-car organization since 2000, with Jeff Arend most recently driving the blue version of the Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Funny Car. Although CSK Auto is moving forward into its 12th consecutive season sponsoring Worsham, the "Official Auto Parts Retailer" of the NHRA has announced it will focus its sponsor resources and backing on just Worsham's red car in '08. Tuttle, who led driver J.R. Todd to five race victories over the past two years, has named Bradshaw to drive his Top Fuel machine next season, and the team expects to attend at least 15 races, though they will continue to pursue additional sponsor funding. "I've gotten to know Dexter very well over the last couple of years, and not only do I consider him a good friend, I consider him to be one of the best team owners and tuners in the Top Fuel class," Worsham said. "This past year, in a totally unofficial way, we found ourselves talking for hours, looking at each other's data and just talking tune-ups and racing. Once I knew our program would be becoming a one-car team, it seemed like a natural thing for us to work together, in a more official way. "It's kind of hard to do this sort of thing with somebody who is in the same class with you, because at some point you're going to have to race each other and then you're going to have to keep some secrets. It's true that Top Fuelers and Funny Cars need to be tuned somewhat differently, but we run the same parts and we know how our tune-ups translate. Now, we'll have double the eyes, double the brains, and we'll be able to share just about everything. I think it's a great deal for all of us." As part of the move, Tuttle's Top Fuel car will operate out of what had been the blue CSK Funny Car transporter, and the teams will set up the pit area in the same manner the full CSK pit was arranged in the past, with both transporters lined up together and the team's hospitality area placed across the back of the pit, in CSK markets. Tuttle reiterated his plans to take Bradshaw and his team to about 15 events in '08, while also emphasizing that those plans are subject to change. "We're always looking and talking to potential sponsors, so that's a fluid situation," Tuttle said. "We love to race, and Alan is going to do a great job driving the car, so we'd obviously be excited to run more races if we can secure the partners we need for that. However many races we go to, this deal with Del and Chuck Worsham is a great way for our team to go racing in '08, and I think we can both help each other. "There's probably no one, other than the Worshams, that I would have done this with. Over the past couple of years, Del and I had already built up a sort of alliance, in that we spent a lot of time together and we've both grown to have a lot of respect for each other. We spent so much time in each other's trailers this year, it was almost like we were working with each other anyway. It will just be even better now, and I think all of us are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish on the track." Tuttle also believes the alliance will benefit his new driver, who earned his Top Fuel license in 2005. "Alan Bradshaw has a lot of ability, and he's definitely one of the up-and-coming drivers in the class, but what's great for him is that you couldn't pick a better guy to work with than Del Worsham. Just being part of the team, watching how Del prepares himself and goes about his business, will be a positive thing for Alan. I think this arrangement will accelerate his progress a great deal." The combined effort
will make its debut at the Carquest Winternationals, in Pomona,
on February 7-10, 2008. At 16, he eventually moved up to a Super Gas Vega and eventually into a Super Comp dragster in 1992. After having a taste of open wheel racing in a dragster, Alan knew he wanted to continue the progression into Top Alcohol Dragster and eventually Top Fuel Dragster. Knowing his life long dream of driving a Top Fuel Dragster was an expensive proposition, Alan decided higher education was the first step in accomplishing such a goal. In 1992, Alan graduated from college and opened Bradshaw Chiropractic Center in Odessa, TX and has been a practicing Chiropractor ever since. In 1993 Alan began his career of driving a Top Alcohol Dragster on a limited schedule through 1998. In 2001 he continued his quest, racing Top Alcohol Dragster in Division 5, finishing 3rd in points. Alan capped off a great 2002 season with wins in Denver, CO and Douglas, WY, as well as two final round appearances at the O'Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston Texas, and the O'Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka Kansas. He was crowned the 2002 NHRA Division 5 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion. Alan proved in 2003 that he has what it takes to win: appearing in eight finals and winning an amazing six of them. In 2003 he won the NHRA World Championship in Top Alcohol Dragster. In 2006, Alan got the big break he was waiting for and became the driver of Bill Miller's BME Top Fuel Dragster entry. In 2008, Alan brings his razor sharp driving skills and fan friendly personality to the Tuttle Motorsports team owned by businessman Dexter Tuttle. Alan
Bradshaw Selected to Drive the Tuttle Motorsports Top Fuel Entry In 1993, the popular Chiropractor from Odessa Texas began his career of driving a Top Alcohol Dragster on a limited schedule through 1998. In 2001, he continued his quest, racing a Top Alcohol Dragster in Division 5, finishing 3rd in points. Alan then capped off a great 2002 season with wins in Denver, CO and Douglas, WY, as well as two final round appearances at the O'Reilly Spring Nationals in Houston Texas, and the O'Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka Kansas. He was crowned the 2002 NHRA Division 5 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion. Alan proved in 2003 that he has what it takes to win: appearing in eight finals and winning an amazing six of them in route to winning the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Championship. In 2006, Alan got the big break he was waiting for and became the driver of Bill Miller's BME Top Fuel Dragster entry. In 2008, Alan brings his razor sharp driving skills and fan friendly personality to the Tuttle Motorsports team. He will make his debut with Tuttle Motorsports at the NHRA Winternationals in February. |
Comp dragster
for a number of years before eventually moving up to his family-owned
Top Alcohol Dragster. With Chris tuning the car and Gwen and
Burnell serving as crewmen, Darrell won a total of 26 national
and divisional NHRA events along with four divisional championships
in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 1999.
e donated to Racers for Christ. More details will
be sent out as plans are finalized.
"With the shortened qualifying
sessions, we were all in the same boat," Bradshaw said.
"But unfortunately we have been fighting what we feel is
a fuel delivery problem and losing two runs sure didn't help
sort that out. Obviously we are all dejected but the bottom line
is we will regroup, we'll learn from this and become a stronger
team. You can bet we will be testing on Monday and we will show
up in Gainesville with a better plan to go back to this team's
winning ways. That is what this game is all about."
Tuttle Motorsports
Dexter Tuttle, Team Owner
Diana Tuttle
Brad Tuttle
Driver: Alan Bradshaw