Bruce Litton – Drag Racing Driver Extraordinaire

Drag Racing is probably one of the fastest and most dangerous sports in the world. It takes a brave and fearless driver to get behind the wheel and face speeds of approximately three hundred miles per hour. And when it comes to respected and legendary Drag Racing drivers, Bruce Litton is your man. This magnificent racing driver has led a balanced life as a driver, husband of more than twenty eight years, dedicated father and successful businessman. He is a role model to young aspiring racing drivers and an inspiration to those around him.

Bruce Litton started his racing career as a motorcycle racer and decided to move over to drag racing after hanging up his motorcycle gloves. In 1992, he started taking drag racing seriously, entering the Top Dragster Quick 8 racing program. His natural talent and flair for this thrilling sport was soon evident as he raked in winning positions in eleven national drag racing events and took the championship title three seasons in a row. After enjoying successful racing seasons, Bruce Litton decided to take on a bigger challenge in 1995 as a Top Fuel drag racing champion.

Now, looking back on eleven Top Fuel seasons, it seems that there is just no slowing down this energetic and greatly skilled drag racing driver. His determination and the dedication of this Lucas Oil Team has seen him through many victories, disappointments and close calls, but has led to him winning numerous awards, such as Sportsman of the Year and Iron Man trophies. On the business side of things, Bruce Litton runs a distribution company that specializes in truck conversions and trailer sales. But one of the most rewarding features in Litton’s life must be the completion of his racing shop that took four agonizing years to rebuild, after a devastating fire in 2001.

On entering the shop, you realize that you have just stepped into Oneida, Litton’s hometown until the age of ten, which takes you back to yesteryear. Here you will find the life-size Mobil Gas Station, with all its trimmings and memorabilia. Tires from the time period are awaiting fitting, oil charts are against the wall and batteries to give new life to vehicles. Webb Brothers Hardware is on the corner, with a customers’ 1920 bicycle leaning against the wall. The Sherrifs office, Scott Movie Theatre, Clyde’s Barber Shop, the Chapel, Phillips Drive-In and Troxel Motors with its sales floor filled with breathtaking vehicles of the time welcome visitors. Walking through this magnificent recreation, of which no detail has been left undone, makes visitors feel as if the town will jump to life at any moment.

And of course, at the back, stands the dragster and transporter, ready for their next road trip to an upcoming racing event. Bruce Litton is an all round success story that looks towards the future and to greater things.

Ryan Newman Wins the Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is known as one of the premier NASCAR events. It has always been a venue of victory, disappointment and thrilling racing, and Sunday was no different. A victory for Roger Penske, fourteen time winner of the Indianapolis 500, and his team at the Daytona 500 had eluded them for twenty four years. But through the determination and teamwork of Penske Dodge drivers, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman, they took first and second place, with Ryan Newman crossing the finish line first.

It was just another reminder that nothing is cast in stone and that anything is possible in racing, even in the last lap of a race. For most spectators and racing enthusiasts, the Daytona 500 was clear cut. After winning most of the events at the Speed Weeks, it seemed that the battle for the winning position would be between the Hendrick Motorsports’ Chevrolets and the Joe Gibbs’ Toyotas. And for a while, right up until lap 199, it seemed certain that Tony Steward would win, especially after taking the white flag.

But the Penske Dodge drivers were not prepared to give up and stayed right on top of Steward. While Steward was trying to keep both Busch and Newman at bay, Kurt Busch saw an opportunity for his team and led Steward to believe that he was going hard into the inside. As Steward dropped low to block Busch, both Penske drivers overtook him on the top, giving Ryan Newman the chance to take the win for the Penske team.

Both Newman and Busch have put the win down to teamwork and seeing it as a team victory and not as an individual victory. Ryan Newman winning the Daytona 500 could not have been a more memorable day for Roger Penske, as it was not only a fiftieth celebration for the racing event, but a first win of the Daytona 500 for Penske.

Racing has always been an unpredictable sport, and while the Penske team celebrated, others were nursing their loss and looking towards the next race to improve their cars and their strategies. And in true racing spirit, Rick Hendrick ensured that he was the first in Victory Lane to extend a hand of sincere congratulations to Roger Penske.

Mazda Furai – Sound of the Wind

The new Mazda Furai, which was unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show held in Detroit in January, is causing some excitement in auto racing circles. Mazda have not yet officially confirmed whether the Furai – meaning “sound of the wind” – will be exclusively race oriented, giving rise to speculation that the traditional boundary distinguishing street-legal cars from single-purpose track cars is about to be breached.

Mazda’s acclaimed Nagare design is superbly embodied in the Mazda Furai. Nagare means “flow” and describes the flow of air or water moving effortlessly in one direction, or the embodiment of motion. Although modeled on the Nagare design concept, the Furai differs from the four previous concept cars, in that it is all about function rather than aesthetic value. Every last detail of the Furai serves a purpose in achieving the goal of guiding air over and through the body using aerodynamic principles which support excellent road-holding properties at high speeds. The cockpit is comfortably finished with the emphasis remaining on functionality. Gear-change shift paddles and an electronic display screen are built into the steering wheel.

Mazda has gained somewhat of a reputation for its innovative use of the rotary engine, which is very evident in the RX series. They have now added to their rotary stable with the introduction of the Mazda Furai, which boasts a RENESIS-based 20B three-rotor rotary engine capable of producing in excess of 450 horsepower – and it runs off 100% ethanol. In using a rotary engine in the design of the Mazda Furai, the manufacturers are acknowledging that in the auto racing world’s view, Mazda and rotary engine are synonymous. This has been reinforced over the years by the Mazda RX-7, which is widely considered to be one of the best production sports cars in the world.

Mazda have used the Courage C65 racing chassis in the design of the Furai, ensuring that the car will handle even the most challenging corners on the track. The C65 chassis has more than proven its worth during two seasons of endurance racing in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

Certainly, there is every indication that auto racing enthusiasts can look forward to some serious “zoom-zoom” from the Mazda Furai.

The Future of Fuel Efficiency

Some of the most brilliant and dedicated engineers are recruited for motorsport teams. Their knowledge and endless number of plans to increase productivity while decreasing cost, is invaluable to a motorsport team. And it is because of the engineering masterminds that are found here that the industry was approached and challenged with creating fuels that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Alternative fuels are definitely the way forward and realistic planning for the future, and solutions found on the racing circuits of the world, could result in the next fuel at the local gas station.

Because racing cars, and more specifically Formula One cars, are dependent on fuel efficiency, the circuits are the best place to test new and advanced fuels. If a fuel is developed that is more environmentally friendly and is proved to work for Formula One cars, the public will not hesitate to convert to the better fuel. All leading engineers, motorsport industry members and the public are in agreement that exploring non-fossil fuel based products are where the solutions to the fuel efficiency problems lie.

Many racing teams of all divisions have shown an interest in using greener, or environmentally friendly, technology, and with their support, the face of fuel might get the opportunity to evolve and improve. Establishments such as Green MotorSport have joined racing teams in the search and production of renewable energy. Discoveries made on the racing circuit have led to the United Kingdom authorities aiming to have a minimum of five percent of its public vehicles using Bio Ethanol fuel. It might sound like a small percentage, but when looking at vehicle emissions, it would be similar to removing a million vehicles from the public transport system.

Even the most insignificant effort to reduce carbon emissions (which increases Global Warming) is already a positive step towards fuel efficiency and a healthier environment. The less toxic and damaging vapors and fumes that are released into the atmosphere, the greater chance the world has for survival. As the roar of the racing engines fire up for another heart stopping season of innovation, progress and discovery, everyone will be patiently waiting and looking at the motorsport industry for answers to the future of fuel efficiency.