Eugene's Bazemore Out at Powers
Eugene Oregon's Whit Bazemore was let go this week by Powers Motorsports via a surprise phone call from team owner David Powers. In a prepared statement, Powers sited "a need to go in a different direction".  The new direction apparently doesn't include Bazemore, who was ranked as high as sixth this season, but does include his sponsor Matco Tools. Bazemore who didn't quite make a full season with Powers, brought Matco over from Don Schumacher Racing where he successfully drove a fuel funny car for seven seasons.  

One has to wonder if there will be enough seats for all of these paid pro drivers next year? Or, has the silly season become a game of musical chairs where Bazemore, and Jeff Arend (CSK blue team) have suddenly found themselves without a seat? John Force once said that he fears losing a sponsor more than catching on fire. Sadly there may be some truth to that statement as there have been a lot of talented drivers who have fallen by the wayside due to lack of funding.  

NHRA's Wally Parks Passes
Wally Parks, the most influential man in drag racing died on Friday of natural causes. As the editor of Hot Rod Magazine, Mr. Parks branched off to start the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the first organization dedicated to organized and safe drag racing. Under his leadership, the new sport grew and is now a respected major league sport that has surpassed many obstacles and hurdles over the years.

As a governing body, naturally some racers might not always like some of the things NHRA has done or what it has evolved into, but we all owe a lot of gratitude to Wally Parks and the foundation and legacy that he has left us. NHRA in our view is overall a great organization thank's to Park's guidance.

Mr. Parks lived a long and honorable life and by all accounts, he was a good man with high moral standards in his personal life. He lived to be 94 and was in good health for much of his life and into his later years. He lived the kind of life we all wish we could have. Thanks Wally, for creating this great sport that is open to all. (NHRA photo)

Royal Purple Display at Joe's
Capitol Racing presented a Royal Purple point of sale display at Joe's Sports and Auto in Salem. People were informed about Royal Purple's familey of quality automotive lubricants as quite a few product guides were distributed during the event. Even with the cold weather, there was still a good turnout of people and a lot of interest. in the race car. As usuall, we gave out posters and let the kids sitin the car. These point of sale displays is our way of giving our sponsors a better return on investment .

55,000 People Attend Salem Riverfest
The Capitol Auto Group Rocketeer car scored big on the WOW scale at the Salem Riverfest, a Christian festival held at Salem's Riverfront Park in downtown. The Capitol car was the only race car on display and was a natural fit for such a grand event that included motorcycle stunt jumping, skateboard events, kids activities, and top flight bands such as "Jars of Clay" and "Salvador". The event may be Salem's biggest and best ever outside of the Oregon State Fair with over 25,000 attending on Saturday and 30,000 attending on Sunday according to organizers. At times, there were so many people around the Capitol car that Rich Bailey stood near the front end of the car and talked to people while crew member Brent Sanford did the same near the back of the car. Usually, five or six people were around the car nearly non-stop which made it necessary to keep a very close eye on it. On Sunday, the car was placed next to the Racers for Christ booth which was a perfect tie-in for the car.


The concert segment of the event was well produced with an incredible stage so big that a band such as The Who would have no problem playing a gig on it. The show had a jumbotron, a great light show, and a well used overhead boom camera. The alternative rock band Jars of Clay closed Sunday's show with an exceptional performance. They closed the show playing lINXS' "Don't Change" which was a sizzler, as well as their own grammy winning material. Jars of Clay is Christian Rcok's answer to U2. Salvador, a latino rock group also put on an incredible show and closed out Saturday night with a strong performance complete with a horn section. The earlier groups were much more contemporary and pop. As with the event itself there was truly something for everyone and more.

Capitol Racing would like to thank the promoters of the Riverfest as well as Reid Saunders for allowing us to be a part of Salem's greatest event ever.

Progress Continues on Documentary
Salem filmmaker Chuck Stenburg has been working most of the summer on a video documentary about Rich Bailey and the Capitol Auto Group Racing team. Stenburg, who is known locally for a documentary he produced about the Beatles two years ago was looking for a new project when he came in contact with Bailey last spring. Racing seemed like a new and exciting subject for Stenburg to cover so he contacted Bailey about doing the project a few days after meeting him. "I have gone to a couple of races and I'm quickly becoming a fan. The people involved in drag racing are very interesting and they love what they do" Stenburg said.\

In addition to filming at the track, Stenburg has been video taping at some of the locations where the car has been on display. Some of the locations include the Nght of Fire, The Oregon State Fair, and the Western Days parade. "Everywhere we have gone this summer Chuck appears with his camera. His hard work and dedication to this project has been very impressive" Bailey said.

The documentary covers Bailey's interest in drag racing beginning as a teen through to his current Rocketeer car. George Adams of Northwest Drag Racing contributed some of the early footage for the film and crew member Brent Sanford has contributed some original music for the film. Stenburg, is currently interviewing people for the film and expects to have it completed by mid-December. "I enjoy learning about drag racing and interviewing people about the sport. I'm having fun taking what I've filmed and then editing it all together" Stenburg said.

Once the film is finished Stenburg plans to enter it in some northwest film festivals and will put it on utube and on local cable TV. The film is expected to be approximately 60 minutes in length.

Non-Stop Action at Fall Classic
Moral victories...I hate 'em, but I'll take one this time around. The Capitol car ran well on Sunday after a day of thrashing on Saturday where the car had no reverse. I have to give my crew and a couple of good friends a lot of credit because if it wasn't for their hard work the car wouldn't have made it down the track late Saturday afternoon or Sunday. I can only think of one other time when my crew worked that hard and that was when we rebuilt an engine overnight back in 2001, it was just three of us back then as Scott Cooke and Gary Eichman did a fabulous job.

I love a good thrash and we had a great one Saturday when we discovered the transmission wouldn't go into reverse. We had the transmission out of the car, fixed what we thought was the problem, and then got it back in the car in 40 minutes with just enough time to make the last qualifying session. When I got to the line, I did the burnout and then the car didn't go into reverse so I did a "Dirty Edna" (drive the car to the finish line once it's realized there is no reverse), we then brought it back to the pits and enlisted our friend Don Kalina who discovered it was a problem relat ed to the valve body. We switched valve bodies thanks to Rick Stice who loaned me his and we were finally back in the race. We towed up and ran a nice 7.21 in a time trial that did not count twards qualifying but at least I could go home and sleep knowing the problem had been remedied.

On Sunday morning, we were ready to go and had one last shot to get into the 16 car field. We picked up where we left off from the evening before and ran a 7.20 which was good for the no. 2 qualifying spot. In the first round, we raced Joe Chitwood driving the ReMax dragster. At the finish line it was Chitwood by a nose. Chitwood ran right on his dial and we ran another 7.20 on a 7.19 dial! It was a close and very exciting race but unfortunately we were on the loosing end of it. Just as soon as we towed back to the pits it began to rain and the entire event was eventually canceled.

So what was the moral victory? everyone did a great job. Saturday was our "Day at the Races" for our sponsors and they were treated to a very impressive display of team work and professionalism. We never gave up or lost our cool and by the end of the day the car was running fabulously. Also, at the start of the event we came in with a car that stumbled from the last time out at Medford and by the end of the race we left Woodburn with a very competitive car.

I want to give a big thanks in no particular order to Rick Stice for all of his help and his spare transmission parts, Don Kalina for finding the problem, Jeff Lauener for another good and consistent tune up, Brent Sanford for all of his hard work, Craig Wilcox for the fuel and excellent help, Jesse Launer, who was a big help throughout the weekend, and Shannon Timm for helping us take down the big top and packing the chutes. Also, thanks to everyone from Capitol, Evergreen, Supervinyl, and Image Actionwear for coming out. Finally, thanks to Adam's Rib for the food it was great and everyone really enjoyed it!

Thanks to our Honorary Crew Members
We also had a couple of VIPS with us this weekend. On Saturday we had Josh Brenaman with us who is a 7year old that is making a great recovery from cancer and we had Dennis Conklin as our guest on Sunday. Thanks to Woodburn Dragstrip and the jet and alcohol racers for making this event a highlight weekend for them.

Canby Transmission Teams up with Cap Racing
Historically the weakest link on the Capitol Auto Group Dragster drive train has always been the transmission. After all, the 1,600 plus horsepower that the engine is generating is just about the limit to what a Powerglide can handle as it's clearly on the ragged edge. In addition, the heat generated by the spraugless converter is beyond belief. As a consequence, there have been many missed opportunities on the track due to failed transmissions with the latest problem happening just a few weeks ago in Medford. Now, Capitol Racing team has formed a new partnership with Jeff Marsh, owner of Canby Transmissions in Canby OR.

Jeff Marsh will service the transmission as well serve as a technical advisor. Car owner Rich Bailey is pleased with the new partnership. "Jeff put a lot of hours into our transmission and found quite a few areas that could be improved upon based on some new product upgrades available from Mike's Transmission. He looks at this as a challenge to find ways to keep the transmission living longer with fewer problems, and we look forward to having Jeff and his company be a part of our team. We have had several very talented people help us with our transmission problems over the years and they've kept us in the game which I truly appreciate. But to have a transmission shop step up to the plate and become a sponsor, that's a great opportunity that we can't pass up". Bailey said.

Jeff Marsh has an interest in motorcycle racing and has been involved in motorcycle drags for quite a few years. Canby transmissions is located on 99E in Canby. Their number is 503-263-388.

Cap Racing Returns to Fair

After a five year absence the Capitol Rocketeer car returned to the Oregon State Fair. Falling in the foot steps of the Oregon International Air Show, the dragster was a big hit at the fair as people from all of the state got to view the new Rocketeer car. Once again, we ran out of posters and both parents and kids had plenty of questions about the new car. Thanks to Brent Sanford for all of his help and thanks to the show promoter for accomidating us with a prime spot.

Ventura and Evergreen Enjoy the Benefits Found in Race Team
One name that appears on the Capitol Auto Group Dragster perhaps more than anyone else's, including driver Rich Bailey's name, is Vince Ventura. Vince, who was a mortgage broker for Mortgage Market, saw Bailey's car on display at Show Biz back when it was held at Willamette University. It turned out that Vince had a little bit of a racing back ground of his own as he helped the Froggy funny car team back when a paint store he worked for in Seattle sponsored the car.  Vince shared some of his war stories with Bailey and a new friendship was instantly formed.

Through the years the mortgage company names have changed but Vince has remained constant in the simple vision of helping others just like Bailey own a home.  Vince has also consistently stuck by Bailey's racing program which has grown from an eight second super comp dragster to an exciting crowd pleasing blown alcohol dragster. Like any team, there has been some adversity such as parts failure and the crash last April, but Vince knows a good marketing program when he sees it.

"Bailey does a good job representing our company, he's everywhere and he makes new fans everywhere his car goes which is great for all of his sponsors. All the good that he does clearly out weighs the crash last spring.   Look, his team was back out in just a month's time with an even nicer car and hasn't missed a beat. I told another racer looking for sponsorship that Bailey could crash ten more times and we would still sponsor him" Vince said, laughing.

Vince Ventura now is the Salem Branch Manager for Evergreen Home Loans.  Evergreen is one of the strongest lenders in the Pacific Northwest, celebrating it's 20th anniversary,  because Evergreen is careful about the kind of loans they make.  "Evergreen makes sure that the borrower can afford their mortgage payment before closing the deal." Vince said.

The likable Vince is also heavily involved in the Salem community including the local Chamber of Commerce.   In fact, Vince was a big part of this year's Night of Fire event and came up with the idea of making it a benefit for the Salem "No Meth" campaign.

So what does the home office of Evergreen Home Loans think of the race team they suddenly adopted when they took over the Salem office? "The CEO loves it and calls it "fun marketing."  We forward all the stuff the Capitol team is doing and we're now on the "Wall of Fame" at Evergreen's corporate headquarters" Vince said.

The car was on display, August 16th, for the Grand Opening / Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for the Salem office so that Evergreen's clients, the real estate community and the Chamber could see the new car.  People make the difference, everyday Evergreen goes the extra distance to help borrowers of all kinds achieve their dream of home ownership. 

Evergreen Home Loans has offices throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho.  Visit them on the web at www.EvergreenHomeLoans.Com

Full Throttle News Hot off the Press
Thanks to our friend Elliott Smith, Capitol Racing now has complimentary issues of the August edition of Full Throttle News for the asking! This magazine has a mix of nostalgia, professional, and grass roots racing which makes it a winner and a better read than any current drag racing magazines on the shelf. Once you read the great stories and view the beautiful color photography you will want to subscribe. One year, six issues are only 20.00. Go to www.fullthrottlenews.com or get your free copy while they last at the track or at one of our many displays. Or Contact us

Evergreen Mortgage Race Report by Rich Bailey
Pro Comp Race Shows Promise
Well, we broke the ice on Pro Comp this past Saturday night at Champion Raceway located near Medford. The best of three match race was promoted to finally get the ball rolling on a new Pro Comp group consisting of blown alcohol dragsters, funny cars, and alterds. The match race between Brent Jones and myself was designed to finally get the ball rolling after two years of talk. I had an off night and Brent won the match and I congratulate him as well as thank him from coming all the way from Montana. We had our closet race in the second round where Brent just nipped me in the lights.

But more importantly, the funny car vs dragster match race worked and the feed back from the fans was good. To them any match race with blown cars is a bonus and a lot of the folks who came by said they enjoyed the match up. Jim Taylor, the promoter at Champion has indicated that we can return for his last major race of the year on October 13th featuring jets and Pro Sportsman. If any team wants to join us to get some momentum going for next year they should contact me soon so we can put together a good package for the October 13th event. The only way this is going to work is if we can get more interest from the blown alcohol racers so we have something to sell sponsors and tracks, Contact us here if interested

Still Looking for Blown Cars
Once again we are sounding out the clarion call to races with blown cars that would like to start a blown alcohol circuit. The field would be open to blown and injected dragsters of any kind, and funny cars. No gas or carberated cars please. The sooner we can get a field together the quicker we can get the ball rolling. Contact us here if interested

Competition Printing Race Report by Rich Bailey
93,000 at Air Show Provides Big Exposure for Race Team

It's real simple, we guarantee our sponsors a whole lot of exposure at high profile events. Many people that have never been to the track have seen the Capitol car and that's key. Part of my strategy is to get the car seen at events where you wouldn't expect to see a dragster where the car really stands out and people remember seeing it and the sponsors. Well, this past weekend, we out did ourselves again as we we're part of Oregon's largest one weekend event, The Oregon International Air Show, held at the Hillsboro Airport.

A record 93,000 people were on hand and most of them stopped to see the Capitol Rocketeer Dragster at some point during the weekend. It was an incredible experience for us and most of the people who stopped by showed a strong interest in the car and drag racing. The spectators asked a lot of questions and I enjoyed answering them. I was told that our Rocketeer car easily out drew a pair of NASCAR display cars that were also on the grounds. Perhaps it was because we made the area around the Capitol Rocketeer as fan friendly as possible and a good place to be. We let the kids sit in the car and it was constantly getting photographed by people of all ages. There seemed to be no common demographic with this crowd other than everyone was very polite and friendly.

The air show staff including the director of the show was very impressed and came by and gave me a big thumbs up as he saw how much interest it got. This event will be on our schedule next year. I would like to thank the Air Show staff and Doug Donkell for getting us in and I'd like to thank John Lingerfelt for all of his help. He's a great photographer and got a lot of good shots including the Blue Angels that will be posted shortly.

Royal Purple Race Report by Rich Bailey
Rocketeer Puts on a Good Show for Thousands of Spokane Fans
Just like last year, the Capitol Racing Team put on a great show for the fans in Spokane who were on hand for the Summer Nitro Extravaganza featuring Nitro funny cars. The difference was that this year I was behind the wheel of the Capitol Rocketeer car which the fans just loved. In fact, I ran out of handout cards and sold every t-shirt I had left in the trailer. I've said before that we are in the business to make people happy and we did just that including making ourselves happy with good consistent racing. The only place where there needed to be some improvement was with me, adjusting back to a pro light. But when it counted in first round, I got it handled.


The Rocketeer car lined up against Troy Sitko's car, our first round opponent.

In the Pro Alcohol Dragster class, The Rocketeer ran straight down Broadway on every pass and qualified 6th out of 21 cars trying to make the eight car field with a seven flat. The top half of the field was dominated by the "NHRA 5 second hitters" such as Mike Austin and eventual winner Bill Edwards. We knew going in that our chances of getting out of the first round were slim as we were the equivalent of an A/Fuel Dragster trying to beat a top fuel car. So we hoped that our first round opponent, Troy Sitko, from Canada, would either go red or perhaps go up in smoke. No such luck as he ran well with a 6.61 but we gave him a good run for the money as he was only a car length ahead of me all the way down the track as I ran a 7.10 at a corrected altitude of 4650 feet, which would have been a high six at Woodburn or Seattle. Spokane Raceway Park also had very little traction compared to an NHRA track.

At the conclusion of the run, the track manager complimented my crew on the run and told them thanks. The crowd also cheered loudly as the crew came down to tow the car back to the pits. Speaking of crew, This weekend it was just Jeff Lauener and Rick Stice but all three of us worked very well together and we had a very good time. We also had some notable guests stop by including my long time friend "240 Gordie Bonin, top fuel racers Craig Smith and Dean Alexander, as well as our favorite photographer Larry McFarland. Also Erica, a college student, got addicted to drag racing by hanging around us part of the weekend. It was great racing in Spokane and I hope that it won't be our last visit since its future is unknown right now.

Rocketeer Dragster vs Lawless Funny Car in Medford Match Up
It will be loser leave the state when the smoke clears at Champion Raceway in Medford on August 18 for either Rich Bailey or Montana's Brent Jones. In the spirit of an old west gun battle, or at least back in the Pro Comp days when alcohol dragsters raced alcohol funny cars for all the glory, Bailey behind the wheel of the Capitol Auto Group Rocketeer Dragster will face the Lawless one himself, Brent Jones in his Firenza blown alcohol funny car. Both of these cars raced nearly identical ETs last week in Spokane, now we'll see who's the best the flopper or the digger. No computers here, just heads up, wheel to wheel combat under the lights on a hot summer night.

The best of three match up will be one of the featured races at the Summer Nitrofest and Fox Hunt where all of the ladies get in free. Headlining will be nitro burning AA Fuel Alterds, Top Fuel Harleys and Pro Mods. Gates open at noon and the shoot out begins at 7:00. Be There for all the action!

Rocketeer Puts on a Good Show for Thousands of Spokane Fans
Just like last year, the Capitol Racing Team put on a great show for the fans in Spokane who were on hand for the Summer Nitro Extravaganza featuring Nitro funny cars. The difference was that this year I was behind the wheel of the Capitol Rocketeer car which the fans just loved. In fact, I ran out of handout cards and sold every t-shirt I had left in the trailer. I've said before that we are in the business to make people happy and we did just that including making ourselves happy with good consistent racing. The only p lace where there needed to be some improvement was with me, adjusting back to a pro light. But when it counted in first round, I got it handled.

The Rocketeer car lined up against Troy Sitko's car, our first round opponent.
In the Pro Alcohol Dragster class, The Rocketeer ran straight down Broadway on every pass and qualified 6th out of 21 cars trying to make the eight car field with a seven flat. The top half of the field was dominated by the "NHRA 5 second hitters" such as Mike Austin and eventual winner Bill Edwards. We knew going in that our chances of getting out of the first round were slim as we were the equivalent of an A/Fuel Dragster trying to beat a top fuel car. So we hoped that our first round opponent, Troy Sitko, from Canada, would either go red or perhaps go up in smoke. No such luck as he ran well with a 6.61 but we gave him a good run for the money as he was only a car length ahead of me all the way down the track as I ran a 7.10 at a corrected altitude of 4650 feet, which would have been a high six at Woodburn or Seattle. Spokane Raceway Park also had very little traction compared to an NHRA track.

At the conclusion of the run, the track manager complimented my crew on the run and told them thanks. The crowd also cheered loudly as the crew came down to tow the car back to the pits. Speaking of crew, This weekend it was just Jeff Lauener and Rick Stice but all three of us worked very well together and we had a very good time. We also had some notable guests stop by including my long time friend "240 Gordie Bonin, top fuel racers Craig Smith and Dean Alexander, as well as our favorite photographer Larry McFarland. Also Erica, a college student, got addicted to drag racing by hanging around us part of the weekend. It was great racing in Spokane and I hope that it won't be our last visit since its future is unknown right now.

Rocketeer Part of Volcanoes 'Speedway Night' Promotion
The Capitol Dragster along with other racing teams from different types of racing were featured at Speedway Night, a promotion put on by the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, a San Francisco Giants farm team. Also representing drag racing were long time Woodburn racers Rob and Robbie Bese, Roger Weddle and Dennis Weddle.

At the top of the third, the racers were taken on to the field and introduced to 3,500 spectators that were in attendance. The Volcanoes team attracts good crowds due to their promotional events such as Speedway night. As a part of the Rocketeer display, young baseball fans were given the chance to sit in the car and collect posters and stickers. The event was a big plus for the race team and we would like to thank Woodburn Dragstrip and the Volcanoes team for the opportunity to have the car there. Also, a big thanks to Shannon Timm and Brent Sanford for all their help.

Night Fire Deleted Nitrofest Added
The Capitol Team will skip the Night Fire Nationals in Boise and will race at the Nitrofest in Medford on August 18 instead. The reason for the change comes down to money and timing. Not going to Boise saves the team over $1000.00 as the entry fees alone are over $700.00 and the event lasts for nearly 5 days right after Spokane. The event is simply not set up for an alcohol program. Medford gives the team a one weekend break between races and is a one night race. This will enable the team to return to Boise for the Halloween Classic which is a more reasonably priced event. And the team qualified no. 1 there last year.

Rocketeer to Display at Capitol
The Capitol Rocketeer car will be on display at Capitol's main store on Mission Street across from the Salem Airport, this Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM.

Thanks to Star Rentals, NAPA, Royal Purple, Competition Printing
Capitol Racing would like to thank Star Rentals and NAPA in Auburn and Kent Washington for rolling out the red carpet for us this past weekend as we did a display for Royal Purple. Both Star and NAPA support drag racing and are great companies to do business with. We would also like to thank Jim Rugg of Royal Purple for all of his hospitality and support. In addition, Jim Young of Competition Printing printed up some great looking posters for our event at NAPA and made us look really good! Greg at Star gave us a safe place to store our car and even had the equipment to fix a trailer tire for us. What a fun weekend it was!

Dragster Goes off to Camp
The Capitol Rocketeer Dragster made two special appearances at the Victory Racing Camp for young inspiring race car drivers. Both events were held just outside the Willamette Valley. The first event was located at the scenic Flying M Ranch in the foothills of the coast range while the other camp was held at a camp east of Molalla.

Driver Rich Bailey did a presentation at each event which concluded with a Q and A session as well an opportunity to sit in the car. There were 35 kids at each event. Part of the week long camp includes learning how to race karts. To learn more go to www.victoryracingcamp.com

Car Featured at Keith Brown
The Capitol Rocketeer Dragster was displayed this past Saturday at Keith Brown Building Materials as part of their customer appreciation day. The event was part of a promotion with KYKN Radio. Keith Brown has stores primarily in Oregon and Northern California. After the event the car was displ ayed at Jim's Cruise-in.



The Evergreen Mortgage Report by Rich Bailey
Woodburn Has Mixed Results
We'll have to wait another year to get a shot at winning the Les Schwab Challenge as this time a series of electrical glitches ultimately caused us to go out in round one. The transbreak did not hold at the starting line causing the car to roll out of the staging beams which disqualified us. To make matters even worse, our opponent, Paul Nowak driving the Car Toys dragster, red lit as well. It was a difficult end to what could have been a very good weekend, though not nearly as bad as the breakage we experienced last year.

We ran only 700's off our dial in which is pretty good for a blown car but it didn't matter as we still lost the race. It seems like every time the win is within our grasp the mechanical bugs set in. We yarded the transmission out and are sending in the converter too since the fluid is looking brown after every pass.

There's always a positive side, as we qualified ninth but slipped to eleventh. We also sold a lot of T-shirts and went through a lot of handout cards which was my other objective. In fact, after first round we got slammed with fans buying shirts and wanting cards signed. My wife and kids also came out for the first time this year and we also "enjoyed" a race where we weren't fighting the rain.

We appreciate everyone's patience while we get the new car sorted out. The next race on the schedule is Spokane on August 3-4 where we will be racing in the pro alcohol class.

Cap Racing Gets Maximum Exposure on the Fourth!
To promote the NHRA Divisional race this weekend at Woodburn Dragstrip, we did a big forth of July Parade today in Independence Oregon. What a great place to show off our new Rocketeer Dragster! At the parade, we tossed out a few of our new t-shirts at random. After the parade, we had the car on display at the viewing area where the firworks display was going to be. We gave out about 200 posters and 5.00 off coupons for the race, as there was nearly 20,000 people in attendance. The people there loved the dragster as it was the only car on display. We drew a big crowd up until to the fireworks show began. A big thanks to Brent Sanford and Dan Molds for their help. Photo by Chuck.

Adam's Rib Race Report
Team Rewarded With Six Second Run
The Capitol Team worked long and hard all weekend to chase away all the gremlins that seem to always show up just in time for the NHRA Les Schwab Challenge. This year rather than go to Medford for the Lucas Oil race we thought it would be better to stick around home and test for two straight days prior to Woodburn's biggest race of the year. We just wanted to be sure the "new car" bugs were worked out. As it turned out, it was a good thing we decided to test for two days because the gremlins were out in force on Saturday and would have bit us in Medford if we hadn't.

After a half pass where the driver screwed up at the starting line, the car wouldn't shift in to second gear prior to the burn out. After readjusting the linkage we had the same problem. It turned out that the blowback bars were bending which caused the engine to move back and caused the shifter to go out of alignment.

On Sunday, the Capitol team of Jeff Lauener, Art Mendoza, and Chuck Schriski worked all morning to remedy the problem by adding two new bars from the chassis to the engine. As a result the team was rewarded with the Capitol Rocketeer car's first ever six second pass as Bailey recorded a 6.91 at 189 MPH with an 06 reaction time. It was also my first six second pass since the crash in April. The team made a second pass and the car slowed down to a 7.00 but had the same MPH. The team looked for a possible cause of the slow down but it was determined that everything looked OK and it could be the gear ratio.

The Capitol Auto Group Race Report by Rich Bailey
Wet Weather Becomes the Real Villan in Seattle
With a fairly decent forecast in store for the weekend, the Capitol team decided to head to Seattle for the NHRA Divisional event. And while the NHRA crew was able to get the race off, the real winner ended up being some unexpected rain as it reduced our qualifying sessions from four down to just two. Each time we were called to the lanes it would begin to rain. This was also the case in Woodburn the week before as I was suited up with no place to go.

Due to the weather, going to Seattle was probably not the best choice we ever made, but we learned some things there that we wouldn't have if we stayed local. Also, we decided that the reason we bought a new car was to get back out there just as we promised our sponsors we'd do. Also, Evergreen Mortgage is based in the Seattle area so that was another reason to go.

On Friday, I made my first pass down the quarter since the crash in April, and I was going to go for it, but there were some delays still in the box which we weren't aware of, so I ended up getting off the throttle after sitting there for six seconds after the li ght turned green. We remedied the problem before they called it for the night.

On Saturday, it rained off and on all afternoon during our scheduled runs, then at 6 PM the sky opened and there was a monsoon causing what seemed like flash flooding in some parts of the pits. It was unbIievable. What was even more so was the fact that they still tried to run our class after they dried the track. But it rained again just as we were moving towards bleach box.

On Sunday, it finally dried out and we got our final shot at qualifying and this time the car launched like a rocket, literally as I went into a giant wheelstand! I rode it out but decided to shut it down early, since the plan was to lift when something goes wrong,plus I wanted to save then engine. During that pass, I was on the red side of an almost perfect light as I was 100th of a second to quick. We also had our best ever 60 foot ever and that was on two wheels. I guess that car isn't called the rocketeer for nothing!

Unlike the last time we were there, the track was in great shape, almost to good as Art's shoes nearly got stuck to the pavement as he was backing me up. The great traction caused the wheelstand, and made us decide to either add weight to the nose and readjust the wheely bar or both. There was talk about letting us and others in anyway and making it an all run field, but we decided it was best not to run the car until modifications are done to reduce the chances of another big wheel stand. The good news is we will be ready for Medford now that we got the new car bugs behind us. You almost have to go through a weekend like this to find all the weak spots.

On a positive note, the new car was a BIG HIT with fans in Seattle. Everyone loves the new car, particularly families that stopped by. We gave out lots of posters and everyone loved them.

Capitol Racing's Safety Policy
You may have read the media reports about the tragedy in Tennessee over the weekend where a ProMod lost control during a burnout exhibition killing several people at a car show. Sadly, people were lined up on both sides of a street without any protection should a car go out of control and unfortunately one did. The promoter and racer both made a very bad choice.

Our race team does not and never have done a burnout in an area other than the race track where there are concrete barriers separating the cars from the spectators. At the tracks we race at the cars are safely contained and can not go into the stands.

Concerning fire ups at shows, since going to a blown alcohol dragster last year, we do not start the dragster at car shows mainly because the aluminum connecting rods have a shorter life span. In the event an exception is made, such as for Capitol or at our own show, the car is on jack stands, the crew chief is present and nobody can be standing in front of the car which is also an NHRA pit policy at the track. The only time the car's engine is running and the tires have contact with the ground is in the restricted area on the track.

As for the night of Fire we will be looking into ways to improve safety if we are fortunate enough to hold the jet fire show again. Safety improvements have been discussed prior to the tragic events in Tennessee.

This Year's Night of Fire Said to be the Biggest and Best Ever
This year's Night of Fire was simply the best show we have ever done and possibly the best show ever held in Salem, period. The cars kept rolling in and so did the people! And best of all it appeared that everyone had a great time. The attendance this year beat all of our previous records as the weather encouraged everyone to get out on a hot summer night and have some fun.


People where everywhere Friday night as good publicity and word of mouth made the event a winner and the talk of the town!

Even Marion County District Attorney Walt Beglau came to the show and loved what he saw: A community coming together to raise money for an important cause, the battle against meth. And just as important, he saw a mix of all sectors in society working together. This event strengthened the bond between the community, the car culture, and law enforcement all in one shot as Marion County and the City of Salem were behind the event 100 percent. Even the Fire Department came out to show their support by giving out fire hats and badges to the kids.

This show had something for everyone including nitro fire-ups, dragsters, sprint cars, dirt cars, a funny car, a pro mod, classics, muscle cars, pick ups, 4x4's, antiques, hydraulic cars, illeagal gambling uh I mean raffles, Auctions, great food, a jump tent, the National Guard climbing wall, police and fire displays, and of course the jet! What an incredible display of fire and smoke that had the crowd yelling for more. By eleven PM this parking lot that turned into a giant fair just a few hours earlier turned back to an empty lot. Unlike an Earth Day celebration, there was hardly any trash left to pick up but that's always been the case with our shows.

A big thanks Vince Ventura who came up with the idea and to everyone who came out and supported the event in one way or another. We would also like to recognize and thank Salem Evangelical Church for letting us use the property. And a big thanks to the core group: Jim Billings for working his magic on stage, Lee Morgan for all his organization skills and by making this event look easy. Lee really did a great job work hard behind the scenes and it's hard to believe that we were ever able to pull this off with out him. And A big thanks to Mike and Katrina Adams for also working behind the scenes and for their great concessions. and finally a giant Thanks to Tro Closon and the Marion County Sherriff's office for all of their help and support.

Night of Fire Coverage
See Video Coverage From the Night of Fire by Going to Salem-News Website CHECK IT OUT HERE

Night of Fire Pics
Night of Fire photos are now up on Northwest Drag Racing http://www.nwdragracing.com/

Documentary to Focus on Bailey
Oregon filmmaker Charles Stenberg is planning to make a film about Rich Bailley's racing career. The film will follow Bailey's career from his first front engine dragster to the present, and will include the trials, tribulations, and successes that have come with it. Stenberg, produced a documentary on the Beatles which was aired on OPB. A story about Bailey on Competition Plus lead to Stenburg's interest in the subject,

Evergreen Home Loans Race Report by Rich Bailey
It's Now a Race Against Time
We took delivery of the new Rocketeer car on Thursday and we didn't waste any time getting the car ready for the busy month ahead. First, there's the Night of Fire next Friday night, June 1, then the following week it's Fire and Thunder at Woodburn Dragstrip. It's funny because all I'm hearing from people is that they heard "Bailey bought an OLD car." Well, this car isn't what I would call OLD and has less passes then the car I just crashed and it's an upgrade in a lot of different ways.

I expect we'll be going into crunch time with Monday being a holiday as we need some machining done and we need a longer driveline shaft. It seems without fail, every year a holiday gets in the way when we're fighting the clock. It's usually either the Forth of July or Memorial Day when we need parts or service. Last year prior to the Forth we needed a new center section. the year before that it was a broken lifter around Memorial day and so on. Still, we made it happen every time. I even remember when the differential blew up in our first front engine car and it was a thrash to get back out in time then.

It's the tough side of racing that nobody but those directly involved ever sees or understands! I've had my share of tough times but I've had luck and help from others to get me through all the bumps in the road. Blown alcohol is just to much to go at it alone. We had a pretty good run going (performance wise) since last July but the crash changed all that.

Today Art Mendoza, Chuck Striewski, and myself got the engine in the car so at least we'll make the Night of Fire, but the car may not be complete or be able to fire it at the show. Getting the engine in wasn't an easy task as we had to do some modifications and we still need to make engine plates. Making things fit is Art's specialty and I'm lucky to have both his and Chuck's help. Then we need to have machining done on the converter to accommodate a thicker engine plate, then we'll get the transmission in so we can order the new drive shaft. It's a domino effect every time you change something, but this car is worth the extra work and attention.

Some where in all that, Gary is going to move the pedals forward, we need a new buzzard injector as the bird won't fit, the car will get certified, and we'll have the vinyl wrap applied by Supervinyl. It's a tall order but we've been there before and everyone is committed and progress is being made.

Rich Bailey

Capitol Team Returns to Racing with Rocketeer Dragster
Oregon Top Dragster racer Rich Bailey has turned lemons into lemonade after his recent crash in Seattle by acquiring the "Rocketeer" blown alcohol dragster. Built in 2001, the seldom seen Rocketeer car was designed around the popular Disney movie of the same name. When the car was debuted it landed in several magazines and was featured in the PPG calendar. Since then the car has been idle but maintained to its original condition.

Bailey sees the Rocketeer car as more than just a replacement car but an opportunity to provide his sponsors and the sport more exposure. "The Rocketeer car is a great find and has everything we need to get back on the track and more. Besides being in top condition in every respect, the Rocketeer's unique design is in a class of its own and will benefit our marketing partners in everything that we do both on and off the track." Bailey said.

Bailey plans to continue the car's original movie theme while accommodating his major sponsor, Capitol Auto Group. Mark Adams of Supervinyl Signs will vinyl wrap the car which will protect its original design while keeping Capitol Auto Group's identity predominately on the car. The car was painted by Hispeed Customs in Arizona.

If all goes as planned the car will debut at the "Night of Fire" benefit car show, Friday night, June 1 in Salem.

To see more photos of the new car go to: hispeedcustoms.com

Capitol Racing Track Report by Rich Bailey
Rich and Todd's Excellent Adventure
With a Cashier's check in hand, Todd Martin and I took a trip down to Southern Oregon intending to purchase Jimmy Johnson's blown alcohol dragster. When we met up with Jimmy, we were disappointed to learn that the car was a little too small for me as my helmet hit the bottom of the roll cage and my knees even came in contact with the instrument panel. It was painfully obvious to both of us that there's no way I could safely drive it, so we graciously went our own way. It was to bad that it didn't work out as I needed a car and Jimmy came all the way from the Bay area! But Jimmy had to pick up his wife in Grants Pass anyway and His sponsor flips the fuel bill so it wasn't a total waste of a trip for him.

For me, the best was yet to come as I still had a couple of other options up my sleeve, but there was still no guarantee that I would fit into one of these other dragsters. Our extended trip look us over to Coos Bay from Grant's Pass. On the was we had a $32.00 breakfast that included a $12.00 cinnamon roll the size of a birthday cake. After rolls, Potatoes O'Brien and coffee, it was back on the road and the long drive to Coos Bay, which I thought would likely be a futile trip but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

We met up with Rick Smith, who was selling a car for a third party. The minute he opened the door to his shop it was like when I saw my original dragster for the first time, it was stunning. And the good news was that I actually fit! It's a bit tight but nothing like Jimmy's car. We made the deal and now the car is mine. The tight fit means no more buffets but I can live with that! What a motivator to stay fit. One thing we are going to do is have Gary Eickman re-locate the pedals and possibly drop the seat so I can fit in it a little better than I do now.

I wanted to bring the new car home today but Rick still needs to extract the engine and transmission, so we hauled an empty trailer back to Salem. The good news is he will deliver it to us later this week. We hope to debut the new car at the Night of Fire, running or not. I'm not going to describe the car we just bought but let's say it's unlike anything you have ever seen before and it's in a league of its own.

-Rich Bailey
Adams Finds Success in Supervinyl
Before Rich Bailey ever raced a dragster he hand painted signs and lettered race cars. In fact, Bailey did lettering twice for John Force and once for racing legend Don "the Snake" Prudhomme when they were both on the road and needed lettering added to their cars. Bailey also did signs for Woodburn Dragstrip as well as dozens of local race cars in Oregon and Washington.

Around that time, the sign business began to make the transition to computer cut vinyl lettering and it quickly made sign painters obsolete. "When vinyl first came out you could always tell because it looked awful. But after a while vinyl got better and the look improved to where it looked better than hand painted signs. It got to a point that what I was doing was behind the times and you could no longer compete with the computer. The customers like the perfection, the price, and the easy removal of vinyl lettering" Bailey said.  

A couple of years later Bailey was running the Team Safety program and began to work with Mark Adams, who owned Supervinyl Signs and Banners in Salem. Adams supplied the banners for the program. Bailey had just bought his first dragster and ended up having Adams produce the lettering. "It was kind of ironic that I was going to vinyl as I swore I never would. But I realized it would have taken forever to have lettered the car and trailer with all the sponsors we had" Bailey said. Since that time, Bailey and Adams have forged a good working relationship. "Mark and I are really good friends. He's someone I go to for advice on occasion. Whether it racing or personal issues, he always gives me good advice. Bailey said.

In addition to his success in business, Mark sat on the Salem-Keizer School board but recently stepped away from serving after his term expired.

Supervinyl was the first vinyl sign shop in Salem and is located across the street from Rite Aid in Downtown Salem. In fact, Supervinyl is celebrating eighteen years in business. Since the company's beginning in 1989, a lot of sign shops have come and gone but Adam's outstanding design work and people skills have kept him in business. Adams credits Salem's business community for keeping him going. "Salem area businesses do everything they can to support other local companies. That has been a tremendous help in keeping us going all these years" Adams said.

Currently, Supervinyl is applying the vinyl graphics to the Capitol team's new trailer. The job has proven to be more work then anticipated and currently the job is about 60 percent done. Adams plans to finish it while the chassis is being repaired. "We got a good jump on it and it will look killer when it'd done" Adams said. Bailey loves how it looks so far and appreciates Supervinyl's efforts. "Mark's a busy man and I appreciate all the time he and his employees have invested" said Bailey.

Capitol Race Report By Rich Bailey
Hans Device Credited in Seattle Crash
After writing the story on the Hans device below, I didn't think I would ever be putting the device to the the test but I did this past weekend in Seattle. At the light I drove into some horrific tire shake. I have had this happen before and always drove right through it. But then at about 800 feet after the shake cleared I had the same feeling you would have if you hit some ice on the highway as the car instantly went into the other lane, I tried to save it and the car got crossed up, was nearly airborne, and then darted across the track and hit the barrier. It then spun around and was skidding on its side.

It is widely believed that the Hans Device saved me from any serious injuries and it was only the second time I had used it. At the time of the accident, the track was very cold but it was qualifying and this was an NHRA event. We had the most horsepower in the class and none of the nitro teams or top alcohol teams made a run. We really should have waited until Saturday when it had warmed up and the conditions were more favorable to higher horsepower cars.

Our theory is that the VHT sprayed on the track stayed on top of the surface due to the cold air. NHRA disputes this but the tires were "glazed" meaning they had a shine to the middle of the tire like I drove through something. No fluid to speak of came from our car. We are not going to make a fuss about it as we will never know for sure. The car normally goes straight and this was first time in ten years of racing that I ever crossed over into the other lane in competition. While I regret this happened I'm not shaken up by it, and this serves as a challange. We run a professional operation and what happends now will demonstrate that.

Update:
We have the car already stripped the car and it will likely be heading to the chassis shop as soon as Gary will accept it. We are getting the car repairs on the fast track and hope to be back up in three weeks for our next race on the schedule, the Woodburn Season Opener. We are already getting a little bit of help. Gary Lewis from Gary's Automotive is going to help us with the paint and Dean Alexander from Alexander Motorsports is sending us a set front wheels and tires.

I appreciate everyone's help including my hard working crew and everyone who has called or emailed including Darlene Evans from DRAW. She encouraged me to pass onto racers that if there is a crash that she shouuld be called so that she can help out in a racer's time of need.
Bailey Now Wearing a Hans Device
NHRA has mandated that drivers who reach speeds over 200 MPH must wear a Hans Device. While the device is costly and uncomfortable for some, recent events including the Eric Medlen tragedy and even the crash of a junior dragster racer in Ohio illustrate that perhaps anyone driving an open wheel car should have one regardless of how fast they are traveling. The Hans Device is sort of like what goes over you on some high speed amusement rides. It protects your head and neck which are where the most serious injuries occur.

Rich Bailey has been teetering on the 200 MPH line part of last season and decided regardless of the rules it was best to start wearing one. "We could have backed the car down but after taking into account a couple of recent crashes I think for my own sake it's better to be wearing one even if we are under the 200 MPH speed limit. Besides, we want to break 200 this year. That's a goal our entire team wants to reach" Bailey said.

After wearing the Hans Device for the first time at the Tulip Festival race, Bailey was pleasantly surprised. I heard a lot of racers complaining about what a pain they are but it wasn't difficult to wear or get in and out of the car with it on. In fact, I was more comfortable with the Hans then with a collar. And, it gives me a little peace of mind that I'm protected about as well as possible. I had a crash a few years ago and I hit a concrete barrier head on at speeds over 100 MPH. I was very lucky that I didn't have a head or neck injury. For that I the God and my chassis builder Gary Eickmann for building such a stout car" Bailey said.

The Capitol Dragster Runs a 6.83
The Tulip Festival Drags almost didn't happen as there was a complete washout on Saturday and cool damp conditions on Sunday morning. But the track came around Sunday afternoon when the clouds made way for abundant sunshine. The Capitol team who was testing for the first time this year got off to a slow start as there was a proverbial "fly in ointment" in the throttle linkage which caused the first pass to be abandoned.

But once the sun came out and the problem was fixed, the Capitol team laid down the hammer with a great 6.83 ET at only 185 MPH. The reason for the low MPH is because the car pitched a blower belt at 3/4 track which ended the team's hope for a 200 MPH pass this weekend. However, the 6.83 pass was the quickest of the event except for Daren Bay's jet car which was there making exhibition runs.

The best news of all was that there were no signs of engine damage and the fiter looked clean. So the team will be ready for the National Open in Seattle this weekend. Thanks to the Woodburn staff for doing such a great job with the track and for accommodating the racers. We couldn't help but notice the friendly atmosphere and it was a great way to start off the season.

Capitol Team is a Perfect Fit for Striewski
Running a successful blown alcohol dragster team is like putting together a puzzle. You need to have all the pieces including good sponsors and a good crew to have the complete picture. Both are equally important because it's nearly impossible to have one without the other and still make the program work. On the Capitol team one of the guys that is due a lot of the credit is Chuck Striewski who ser ves as the "floater" on the car. The floater is the "jack of all trades" he can do whatever is needed outside of tuning the car which is at the direction of Crew Chief Jeff Lauener.

Striewski came out to Oregon from Pennsylvania with a short stint as a stage hand for a rock band in Michigan, in between the move out west. Oddly enough the band broke up once they were offered a record contract. Striewski ended up settling in Eugene where he met the Lauener family, who ended up watching his son Steven after school. Jeff Lauener who was racing an injected nitro car at the time invited Chuck to come out to watch a race. Striewski reluctantly accepted the invitation even though he had little interest in drag racing.


Chuck Shrewsky (walking twards the car) gets into his position for another run.

While at the race, Lauener hurt the engine before ever making a run down the track and made a quick transition from racer to BBQ chef without ever complaining about his wounded engine. Striewski recalls being impressed by Jeff's easy go lucky attitude "Rather than get mad about blowing up the engine, Jeff just said "we're going to be spectators today so let's fire up the BBQ."  Lauener's friendliness and willingness to help other competitors was enough to get Shrewsky hooked on the sport. He then began to help Lauener at the races.

Somewhere along the way, Striewski 's wife left him and moved out of state with their son. It was a difficult time for him as he had his entire adulthood dedicated to his family. While it's less painful now, it's still something that he has struggled with. "You never get over it but things are getting better" Striewski said. One of the things that have helped him is getting back into racing working on the Capitol car. "Chuck's gone though a hard time and working on the race car is good therapy for him. He does a great job and never complains which is why I brought him over" said Lauener.

Car owner Rich Bailey agrees. "Chuck selflessly gives of himself more then most guys. More then once has he changed his own plans for the benefit of the team. Finding someone that dependable is like trying to find a sponsor. We are lucky to have him."

With a year under his belt Striewski has become an important part of the Capitol team. Whether it's driving all the way from his home in Monroe Oregon to work on the car on a week night or changing his plans to help out with a parade, Striewski's dedication is truly appreciated by everyone involved with the team.

Home123 is Now Evergreen in Salem
Home123's Salem office, which has been a sponsor on the Capitol car since last season has left the Salem market and is being replaced by Evergreen Home Loans. One thing that hasn't changed is branch manager Vince Ventura, who can still get you the same great rates for your home loan. Vince can be reached at 503-588-2667. Cap Racing thanks Vince for his continued support. Email Vince at vventura@EvergreenHomeLoans.Net


Odyssey and Sayre Backs Cap Racing
Odyssey Drycell Batteries and Scott Sayre of SS Specialties will once again be supplying batteries to Capitol Auto Group Racing. The Capitol team has been using Odyssey batteries to fire up the dragster for the last four seasons and we look forward to working with Scott again this year. Odyssey Batteries has a wide variety of batteries for almost any application and can be purchased directly through SS Specialties in Milwaukie, Oregon by calling 503-250-0498

New Foley and Lewis Team Car Debuts in San Antonio
Terry McMillen debuted a second team car for the Foley and Lewis team at the opening IHRA event in San Antonio. The new car is yet another Knoll -sponsored Top Fueler and was designed by ProMotion Motorsports Design ie yours truly. McMillen qualified but went out in round one.

Red hot Bruce Litton won the race. In Nitro Funny car, defending series champion Dale Creasy Jr. got it done by beating out Gary Densham.

Photo Courtesy of www.competitionplus.com