MOVERS & SHAKERS
ROOKIE ADVICE : Motorsports Hall of Famer and team owner turned Top Fuel rookie Tony Stewart chats with iconic former driver and team owner Darrell Gwynn in the pits at Bradenton Motorsports Park , just weeks before Stewart ’ s Top Fuel debut at the NHRA Gatornationals .
FOLDING LAUNDRY : Funny Car pilot Alexis DeJoria , who previously ran her Top Alcohol Funny Car at Bradenton before moving up to the nitro version , packs her parachutes after a run at the PRO Superstar Shootout .
MAMA KAY : Torrence Racing ’ s Kay Torrence , affectionately known throughout the nitro pits as “ Mama Kay ,” patiently waits for the Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragsters driven by her husband , Billy Torrence , and son , Steve Torrence , to come to the starting line .
COOL AS ICE : Hall of Fame driver and crew chief Mark Oswald , who earned the nickname “ the Iceman ” during his driving days , contemplates some last-minute changes to the setup in the Antron Brown-driven Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster he tunes along with co-crew chief Brian Corradi .
THE RAD MAN : Iconic former nitro racer and Kalitta Motorsports team owner Conrad “ Connie ” Kalitta looks on as his teams compete at the PRO Superstar Shootout . His nephew , newly crowned NHRA Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta , went on to win Saturday night .
74 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 187