August 10, 2006 - Rockdale, TX - New Breed Racing, Ayrton and Alesi Gerthe, along with parents Duane and Lisa made a surprise visit to Terry McMillen and his Amalie Oil InstiGator Funny Car team by attending the TORCO Racing Fuels Northern Nationals at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan held August 5 & 6, 2006. Hoosier Thunder Motorsports team owners Terry and Rhonda McMillen, through the IHRA Adopt A Jr. Dragster Program, sponsor the IHRA Division 4 Junior Dragster Team from San Antonio Raceway, along with Amalie Oil, TORCO Racing Fuels, Flatout Gaskets and NGK Spark Plugs.
“We had an awesome visit, Duane and Ayrton helped the crew with the funny car, Alesi observed all the marketing work held at the event and I was able to see my family enjoy spending time with friends doing what we love…drag racing,” explained Lisa. “We enjoyed our visit with Mark Adelizzi of Flatout Gaskets and it was great to be at the event where Terry and his Amalie Oil InstiGator TORCO powered Funny Car team made their first final round appearance of the 2006 eMax Drag Racing series,” continued Lisa. “Terry and Rhonda adopted our kids last year through IHRA and they have gone above and beyond to help Alesi and Ayrton fulfill their drag racing dreams and in a way, we’ve adopted them also and wanted to travel to Michigan and show our support.”
Alesi was presented the opportunity to attend Doug Foley’s Drag Racing School, thanks to TORCO’s Evan Knoll, Latrell Preston and Terry McMillen.
“It was an awesome experience and I’ll never forget it,” said Alesi. “I’d like to gain more seat time this year and compete at all 2007 eMax National events, we’ll see; right now I’m just relieved to have the licensing behind me and Mr. Foley was an excellent instructor.”
Alesi completed the required runs and earned her IHRA Quick Rod Competition License with her final quarter-mile pass of 8.45 @ 160 mph, which enables her to make the move from jr. dragsters and continue to reach for her goal of becoming a professional drag racer.
Lisa said, “On the flight back to Texas, Alesi made reference to there being a lack of female driver’s in the professional classes of IHRA and I told her we better let Dad get comfortable with her speed in Quick Rod and she said, ‘He’d better get ready, someday I will go faster, much faster if I want a Top Fuel License.”
Friday, August 11, 2006
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Temple Raceway - July 29-30, 2006
August 2, 2006 - Rockdale, TX - New Breed Racing, Ayrton and Alesi Gerthe, attended a two day race at Temple Raceway, July 29 & 30, 2006. Hoosier Thunder Motorsports team owners Terry and Rhonda McMillen, through the IHRA Adopt A Jr. Dragster Program, sponsor the IHRA Division 4 Junior Dragster Team from San Antonio Raceway, along with Amalie Oil, TORCO Racing Fuels, Flatout Gaskets and NGK Spark Plugs.
“The ‘triple double’ race format for the IHRA Division 4 Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour was a great idea to help with travel costs, but that meant we would have to fill our race schedule with other select events after the final event at Tulsa in June,” said Lisa Gerthe. “We decided to attend Ironman Classic events in our area and that put a large gap in our schedule, and although we haven’t been at the track as much as usual this summer, it’s been a nice break from the Texas heat,” continued Lisa. “Alesi and Ayrton are members of the Rockdale High School Student Council and that has kept them busy this summer with area service projects, but they were ready to get back to the track this past weekend and get the cars ready for the upcoming Ironman Classic events.”
Ayrton said, “We’ve had some consistency problems this year with both cars and haven’t been able to pinpoint whether the problem is the carburetor or clutch, so last week we went back to our old style clutches, hoping that would solve the problem and we also slowed my car down a bit where it was running 8.30’s instead of 7.90’s,” continued Ayrton. “First time trial, I had to be towed from the track after my car quit just after the finish line and when Alesi made it back to the pits, both cars had ‘spit out’ the clutch bolt, so to make a long story short, we went through six clutches and a fuel pump this weekend at the track, so we were pretty busy.”
Duane Gerthe said, “Despite the mechanical issues we were having with the cars, we had a great weekend, Alesi won the event Saturday night and we think we’re getting a handle on the problems we’ve been experiencing with the cars.” Duane continued, “From a mechanical standpoint it becomes very frustrating when you’ve checked the cars over and made changes and you still have the problems and it even magnifies my disappointment when the kids are doing their job at the tree and driving the cars and the cars let them down; as their crew chief, I take it real personal.”
Alesi said, “It felt real good to be back in the winner’s circle again this past weekend; I’d been to some finals and semi-finals lately, but it had been awhile since I was the last one standing and it was great!” Alesi continued, “Although we were having problems with the car, I remained focused and as the night went on, I kept going rounds and I hung in there!”
Alesi and Ayrton would like to thank Hoosier Thunder Motorsports Team owners Terry and Rhonda McMillen, Amalie Oil, TORCO Racing Fuels, Flatout Gaskets, and NGK Spark Plugs for being the best sponsors in the racing industry. Also, thanks to IHRA, Sherrie Barbour, and Drag Review for promoting jr. dragster racing. Have a great week!
“The ‘triple double’ race format for the IHRA Division 4 Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Tour was a great idea to help with travel costs, but that meant we would have to fill our race schedule with other select events after the final event at Tulsa in June,” said Lisa Gerthe. “We decided to attend Ironman Classic events in our area and that put a large gap in our schedule, and although we haven’t been at the track as much as usual this summer, it’s been a nice break from the Texas heat,” continued Lisa. “Alesi and Ayrton are members of the Rockdale High School Student Council and that has kept them busy this summer with area service projects, but they were ready to get back to the track this past weekend and get the cars ready for the upcoming Ironman Classic events.”
Ayrton said, “We’ve had some consistency problems this year with both cars and haven’t been able to pinpoint whether the problem is the carburetor or clutch, so last week we went back to our old style clutches, hoping that would solve the problem and we also slowed my car down a bit where it was running 8.30’s instead of 7.90’s,” continued Ayrton. “First time trial, I had to be towed from the track after my car quit just after the finish line and when Alesi made it back to the pits, both cars had ‘spit out’ the clutch bolt, so to make a long story short, we went through six clutches and a fuel pump this weekend at the track, so we were pretty busy.”
Duane Gerthe said, “Despite the mechanical issues we were having with the cars, we had a great weekend, Alesi won the event Saturday night and we think we’re getting a handle on the problems we’ve been experiencing with the cars.” Duane continued, “From a mechanical standpoint it becomes very frustrating when you’ve checked the cars over and made changes and you still have the problems and it even magnifies my disappointment when the kids are doing their job at the tree and driving the cars and the cars let them down; as their crew chief, I take it real personal.”
Alesi said, “It felt real good to be back in the winner’s circle again this past weekend; I’d been to some finals and semi-finals lately, but it had been awhile since I was the last one standing and it was great!” Alesi continued, “Although we were having problems with the car, I remained focused and as the night went on, I kept going rounds and I hung in there!”
Alesi and Ayrton would like to thank Hoosier Thunder Motorsports Team owners Terry and Rhonda McMillen, Amalie Oil, TORCO Racing Fuels, Flatout Gaskets, and NGK Spark Plugs for being the best sponsors in the racing industry. Also, thanks to IHRA, Sherrie Barbour, and Drag Review for promoting jr. dragster racing. Have a great week!
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