Gilbertson to temporarily suspend racing operations
Plans to return to action at the Charlotte race in September
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Tradicion Azul Tequila nitro Funny Car, announced that he will temporarily suspend his racing activities for a few months so he can devote all of his attention to his business, Truck Equipment Manufacturing Company (TEMCO).
"This is one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make," said Gilbertson from his Charlotte office. "This is strictly a business decision. TEMCO is at a critical turning point and I've got to be at the tank plant everyday to oversee all the new contracts with TACOM/ARMY that we're bidding on so we can take TEMCO to the next level and make sure that the company continues to grow. With the downturn in the economy we've been struggling lately and I need to be on top of everything and regretfully the race team has to be parked for a while so I can concentrate on business."
"My goal is to hit 20 million in sales by the end of the this year and be able to go racing once again. It used to be that you could run one of these nitro cars with a million dollar budget but that's not the case anymore. Even though we have a great sponsor with Tradicion Azul Tequila the funding isn't enough to do it competitively and right now, with money being tight, I just can't jeopardize TEMCO to fuel my passion, driving a nitro Funny car. With the new busness that we have secured with the Army and when the economy turns around to the plus we'll be able to get back on race track.
"We're in the process of renewing our contract with Tradicion Azul Tequila for the next three years and with their increased support as the product becomes available across the country we will be able to come out in the 4th quarter of 2008 just in time to mess with some of the big players in the points chase. It's no secret that these cars run on money and without marketing partners like Tradicion Azul who realize that their return on their investment in drag racing is a good deal, an independent team like ours is dead in the water. Everything will work out in the end and we'll see you out there in the fall."
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Tradicion Azul & Texas Motorplex Serve Up Ennis, TX -- Extraordinario Brands has signed a partnership with Texas Motorplex that will brand Tradicion Azul 100% blue agave tequila as an “official spirit” of the Texas Motorplex through the end of the 2008 racing season. Tradicion Azul is in the midst of a statewide retail brand launch in Texas and with Extraordinario Brand’s current involvement with Bob Gilbertson’s Nitro Funny Car, the deal made excellent business sense. “ We are really looking forward to our involvement with Texas Motorplex,” said Jay Pennington, Managing Director of Extraordiario Brands. “ Tradicion Azul tequila is a premium, 100% blue agave tequila that is specifically geared toward mixing the perfect margarita. Texas Motorplex is one of premium drag racing venues in the country, so expanding our brand awareness and having our product available to drag racing fans in the Southwest is very, very exciting.” Pennington also added that his 109 proof tequila seems like a good fit with the super-powered world of drag racing. "These cars run on high-octane nitromethane and Tradicion Azul, being 109 proof, is the high-octane tequila that's perfect for fans of the fastest racing in the world". It's made for mixing into popular Tequila drinks like Margaritas and Tequila Sunrises and a little goes a long way for the hottest margaritas on the planet. Independent concessionaires will be serving Tradicion Azul 100% blue agave tequila in all frozen and on- the-rocks margaritas sold at Texas Motorplex during feature race events and concerts this season. Tradicion Azul will also garner stadium signage, POS materials, sponsorship of event on-site bar areas at the facility and in-market promotional support in DFW area restaurants & bars promoting both the Tradicion Azul brand and responsible drinking. “We are very proud and honored that Extraordinario Brands chose Texas Motorplex to help launch their Tradicion Azul brand in Texas,” said Arthur O’Bright, General Manager of Texas Motorplex , home to the 2008 NHRA O’Reilly Super Start Batteries Fall Nationals September 18-21. “As a new product in our market, we are excited about the opportunity to boost awareness to our very supportive fans.” The signature cocktail at Texas Motorplex will be the TRADICION AZUL premium Margarita: 2 part premium triple sec 2 part fresh lime juice Serve blended with ice for frozen or over ice. Garnish with a fresh lime wedge. Poured into a salt rimmed vessel
About Tradicion Azul Tequila: Tradicion Azul tequila truly evolved from a search for the margarita’s ideal tequila companion—One made for mixing premium margaritas. Tradicion Azul Tequila is made from 100% pure, estate grown, blue Agave from the highlands of Los Altos in Jalisco, Mexico and is one of the highest quality extra-premium Tequilas on the market. For more information visit www.tradicionazul.com # # # |
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Team Trick Tank rider Josh Harris injured in practice crash
Surgery and Rehab in his future this summer to be ready for the Live Nation Toyota U.S. Open in Las Vegas in October
Team Trick Tank rider Josh Harris was injured in a crash last weekend at the team's practice facility in Blacksburg, S.C.
Harris went down and suffered a Proximal Humerous Fracture and the break was near the ball socket where the upper arm meets the shoulder which required complicated surgery that he underwent Thursday, June 12th at the Cleveland County Regional Medical Center in Shelby, N.C.
The surgery required moving the ball of the left arm 30 degrees then stainless steel plates and screws were inserted into his bones to fuse the break. He also suffered some tissue damage due to the blunt force trauma from the impact.
Harris came through the surgery in good shape and he knows he'll have to undergo six to eight weeks of intense re-hab if he hopes to be able to compete at the prestigious Live Nation Toyota AMA Amateur Arenacross World Finals at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on October 13th as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink U.S. Open of Motocross.
"This is probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my motocross career," said Harris. "To hurt yourself at this stage of the game where I'm qualified for three classes at the U.S. Open really sucks. All I know is that I'll have to bust my butt all summer so I'm strong enough to compete and hopefully win in Las Vegas."
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Gilbertson looking to turn season around at Maryland Intl. Raceway
Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Tradicion Azul Tequila nitro Funny Car, admits that he hasn't had the best start this season in the Knoll Racing Fuels Live Nation IHRA Funny Car series but he and his Terminator Motorsports team are confident that they have found the gremlins that have been haunting them and are looking for good results at the President's Cup Nationals at Maryland Intl. Raceway.
Gilbertson is coming off of a successful match race appearance at Bristol Dragway where he set low ET and top speed on a very green track where he defeated Andy Kelly two straight and he and his team hope that momentum carries over to the fourth race in the 11 race IHRA series.
"I believe that we've rounded the corner and should be in good shape and be able to make some noise at Budds Creek," Gilbertson said. "My crew chief Nicky (Boninfante) and the team have been working 12 hour days and the car is now going to the finish line under power, it's not shaking and we're not hurting any parts. That's what it takes to win races and if nothing stupid happens we should be able to win some rounds and climb our way back up in the points standings."
Boninfante is as equally confident about the teams chances at MIR.
"I really think that we've found a combination that will allow us to be competitive for the rest of the year," Boninfante added. "We ran our personal best at MIR in 2006 (4.762 seconds) which I believe is still the track record and I'd like nothing better than to lower that number this year and prove to the rest of the Funny Cars teams that we're back."
TELEVISION SCHEDULE:
Coverage of the President's Cup Nationals will be aired on SPEED TV on July 26th at 5 PM.
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Gilbertson looking to turn his season around at IHRA Suzuki Motor City Nationals
Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Tradicion Azul Tequila nitro Funny Car, is on a mission and is looking to rebound at this weekend's IHRA Suzuki Motor City Nationals at Milan Dragway.
Gilbertson, who hasn't had a great start so far this year, is optimistically confident about his chances in Michigan as he made his best run so far this year last weekend at Bristol Dragway, a 4.847 at 318.77 MPH backed up by a 4.96 and it gives him and his team momentum going into the third stop on the IHRA circuit.
"It's no secret that we've been struggling this year but I think we've turned the corner and the whole team is looking for big numbers this weekend at Milan Dragway," Gilbertson said. "My crew chief Nicky (Boninfante) and the guys have been working really hard to give me a car I can win with and I believe that we're now ready to rumble."
Boninfante is as equally as excited about the team's chances at Milan.
"We've had a tough time so far this year with little gremlins haunting us but now that we've hopefully ironed all of them out I think we'll be a threat at Milan," Boninfante added. "Bob's been doing a great job driving the car and he's been cutting great lights, all we have to do is make sure everything is right and the car goes to the end of the track under power and we'll be in good shape. We've got a lot of catching up to do in the points chase and our goal is to go there and get every point we can."
TELEVISION COVERAGE:
TBA on SPEED TV
Racing deal keeps Gastonia Funny Car driver on NHRA track It takes more than courage to drive a nitromethane-burning Funny Car dragster down a quarter-mile track at a speed of more than 320 mph. Few people know that better than Bob Gilbertson of Gastonia, who came close to parking his 7,000-horsepower hot rod this year over money. "I seriously thought about keeping everybody home," Gilbertson said last month in between qualifying rounds at the National Hot Rod Association race at the Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga. "It gets down to, what are you going to do? Are you going to be late on a house payment or go racing?" Gilbertson asked. "You can't be late on a house payment." Gilbertson owns Trick Tank Corp., which manufactures portable aluminum air tanks. He moved years ago from Oregon to Gaston County with Freightliner, which remains his top private customer. But a slump in Freightliner truck sales forced him to skip some NHRA races in 2007, ruining what looked like his first break into the Top 10 season point standings. Trick Tank Corp. does about $10 million worth of business with Freightliner, but that figure dropped off by about 40 percent last year, Gilbertson said in 2007. Things were supposed to be better this year, but projections now say the rebound may not come until 2009, he said. "We're tied into Freightliner and we anticipated a very strong year, but it's about 75 percent of what they thought it would be," Gilbertson said. Before pulling the plug on his race team and sitting out a full year, Gilbertson hired someone with NASCAR experience to help him look for sponsorship deals full time. The marketing plan paid off in March when Charlotte-based Extraordinario Brands announced it would back Gilbertson wouldn't release terms of the three-year deal, but it has allowed him to return to the NHRA circuit part time this year, while also competing in the International Hot Rod Association. He hopes to be back full time with the more competitive NHRA, which has a TV deal with ESPN, in 2009. Gilbertson's car now looks like a fast-passing billboard for the tequila company, including the slogan "Everybody has a tequila story" emblazoned on the back quarter panel of the car. "They were looking for a way to get their product out to people and they weren't really sure how to do that," Gilbertson said of his new relationship. Gilbertson helped seal the deal by taking them to a race. "They were like, ‘Wow, this is going to work,'" Gilbertson said. "They were tipped over." Jay Pennington, the managing director of Extraordinario Brands, said his 109 proof tequila seems like a good fit with the super-powered world of drag racing. "These cars run on high-octane nitromethane and Tradicion Azul, being 109 proof, is the high-octane tequila that's perfect for fans of the fastest racing in the world," Pennington stated in a release. Sponsorship deals are becoming harder and harder to pin down in all of motor sports. Top drivers find themselves parked over the lack of financing or running self-financed teams. In years past, Gilbertson has had the high of having Autolite XP Spark Plugs/Prestone as a sponsor. A few years ago, a brothel based in Nevada sponsored his car for a few races until the NHRA forced him to sever ties. His current deal makes sense, Gilbertson said. "Tradicion Azul is looking to get their brand known by the hip 20s something generation and what better way to get to them than drag racing," he said. An uptick in the trucking business also would help. "If you've got to buy a new truck, make it a Freightliner," Gilbertson said. "It all trickles down to me and that's a good thing." You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823. Who is Bob Gilbertson? Born: April 7, 1955, in Vancouver, Wash. What else does Bob Gilbertson keep in his garage: 1999 Dodge Viper The rest of the Tradicion Azul race team and responsibilities: Nick Boninfante - crew chief Jep "Jepster" Trammell - body, tires, clutch assistant, truck driver Bob "Berserko" Doerrer - public relations/logistics Chris "Tool" Stermon - general manager/truck equipment Ron "Fast Ron" Hammel - part owner How much it cost to make it on NHRA circuit Even on a budget, it costs about $2 million a year to handle expenses for an NHRA team. Here's the breakdown: $50,000 for each of 24 races to cover travel, hotels, racing expenses = $1.2 million $10,000 a week payroll for six mechanics to work on the car and four support staff whether the team races or not. This equals $520,000 per year. The owner-driver of a car gets the thrill of traveling at more than 320 mph, but little else, Gilbertson said. "I wish I could make some money doing this," Gilberston said. "The driving's free, and you can print that." In addition to Tradicion Azul Tequila, more than 20 other companies help sponsor Gilbertson's car. Each of those stickers, Gilbertson said, represents either cash or car parts. NHRA drag racing made simple Two cars line up on a straight, quarter-mile track, and then race from Point A to Point B. A set of lights, commonly called a Christmas tree, at the starting line tells drivers when to go. When the light goes green, the cars take off. In the top two classes - Top Fuel and Funny Car - races may last 4½ seconds, but considering the cars in both lanes may top out at 330-plus mph, it's an intense 4½ seconds. Four different types of cars race professionally: Funny Cars are short wheel-based cars with a fiberglass replica of a production car body. They have identical engines to Top Fuel cars, but the engines are located in front of the driver. Pro Stock cars resemble regular cars, but they have extensive modifications. They burn gasoline for fuel and can reach speeds of 211-mph on a quarter-mile track. Pro Stock Motorcycles are similar to street bikes, and also burn gasoline. They reach speeds of 195-plus mph. NHRA season: The National Hot Rod Association season stretches out over 24 races from California to Florida. Here's the best chances to see Bob Gilbertson race: May 16-18, Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol, Tenn.
Gilbertson heads to Thunder Valley
Team Trick Tank riders Jake Gilbertson and Josh Harris frustrated at Loretta Lynn Qualifier
REIDSVILLE, N.C. -- Team Trick Tank Riders, Jake Gilbertson and Josh Harris knew going into the Southeast regional qualifier for the prestigious Loretta Lynn AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships that they'd have a tough fight ahead of them. Riders from up and down the east coast were at the Rolling Hills MX track and the best of the best were there.
Gilbertson, who had never even seen the track before, rode to very respectable finishes in both Super-Mini classes he entered coming home with an 11th and a 14th out of 40 riders in each main event.
Gilbertson also entered the School Boy class to see what he could do against riders older and bigger than him and came away finishing on the lead lap.
Josh Harris didn't have the race he was looking for as a crash in his first qualifier put him out of commission for the weekend with a slight concussion. He was on the move when the incident happened as he rode from 18th to 6th in just a few laps.
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank Riders Jake Gilbertson and Josh Harris Will Attempt To Qualify For The Loretta Lynn AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- In the world of amateur Motocross racing, qualifying for the most prestigious race in the country, the Loretta Lynn AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships that will be held July 28 - Aug. 2 at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. is a crowning achievement in any rider's resume.
Team Trick Tank riders Jake Gilbertson and Josh Harris have entered this weekend's qualifying round at the Rolling Hills course in Reidsville, N.C. with hopes of getting invited to the largest outdoor MX race in the world.
Gilbertson will be entering both the Super Mini 1 and Super Mini 2 classes while Harris will enter a variety of classes in their quest to compete against over 2,000 riders from all over the country and the world.
"This race will give both Jake and Josh the chance to show what they've got," said team owner Bob Gilbertson. "Jake broke his collarbone a few years ago and didn't get a shot at going to the Loretta Lynn qualifiers but he's now real healthy and the schedule works out that we can go to the races he needs to qualify. Josh, he's one of the most underrated riders out there and I'm confident he'll qualify for quite a few classes."
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Gilbertson looking for good results in Atlanta
ATLANTA -- Nitro Funny Car driver Bob Gilbertson is chomping at the bit waiting to get back on track at this weekend's NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway.
Atlanta Dragway has been good to Gilbertson in the past as he's scored semi-final round finishes there and he's looking to keep the momentum going at this year's event in his new Tradicion Azul Tequila Dodge Stratus.
"This is going to be a big race for me and my team," Gilbertson said. "Qualifying will be tough and the new track surface might throw us a curveball but I'm confident that my crew chief Nicky (Boninfante) and the team will give me a race car that will go down the track and hopefully we'll go some rounds and make some noise. Our goal is to be the highest qualified independent team and knock off some of the hitters, and if the driver does his job who knows, maybe our Atlanta luck will continue."
TELEVISION SCHEDULE:
Saturday, April 26 Qualifying 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. ESPN2
Sunday, April 27 Final Eliminations 7:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m. ESPN2
GILBERTSON RETURNS TO ROCKINGHAM DRAGWAY WITH A NEW SPONSOR AND WINNING ON HIS MIND
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- The last time nitro Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson drove his 8,000 horsepower Tradicion Azul Tequila Funny Car down the historic Rockingham Dragway quarter mile he came away with a win light and a victory at the 2007 IHRA World Finals. Not only did he win the event, but he also set Low E.T., Top Speed and was the No. 1 qualifier for a clean sweep of the race and he's looking to repeat this weekend at the season-opening IHRA Spring Nationals.
Gilbertson is excited to return to the site of his last victory and to debut his new sponsor at his home-town track makes it a big weekend for both him and his team.
"I haven't been this pumped-up about a drag race in a long time," Gilbertson said. "To make a triumphant return to my home-town track where we won last year with a new marketing partner/sponsor, Tradicion Azul Tequila on the side of our race car, is a dream come true for this team. With Tradicion Azul's support we're going all-out to repeat and hopefully we'll be in the winner's circle once again."
Gilbertson is optimistically confident about his chances due to his recent performances at Houston and San Antonio but he knows he's going to have a lot of competition gunning for him.
"There's going to be at least a dozen other nitro Funny Cars teams at Rockingham looking to knock me off but I believe the Terminator Motorsports team, lead by my crew chief Nicky Boninfante, is up to the challenge," Gilbertson added. "We're well prepared to race, we have all the parts and pieces we need to defend our title and hopefully, when the smoke clears Sunday afternoon, we'll be standing tall in the winner's circle.
For more information on Bob Gilbertson go to: www.bobgilbertson.com
For more information on Tradicion Azul Tequila go to: http://www.tradicionazul.com/
Gilbertson's blog debuts on www.ihra.com
Nitro Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson, driver of the Tradicion Azul Tequila Funny Car, is pleased to announce that he's been selected to write a bi-weekly blog for the official IHRA website, www.ihra.com
Gilbertson is excited about being able to connect with his IHRA fans on a one-to-one basis and invites everyone to stop by and respond to a special email address he's set up: blastoffbob@earthlink.net
"This blogging deal is growing every day and I'm proud to be a part of it on the IHRA website," Gilbertson said. "The fans are the most important part of the equation and to be able to let them know what we do around here is really cool."
For more information on Tradicion Azul Tequila go to: http://www.tradicionazul.com/
To access Gilby's Blog directly go to: http://ihra.racingjunk.com/blog/view/284894
Gilbertson pleased with his performance at IHRA opener in San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO -- Although he didn't have the perfect race that he wanted at the IHRA Texas Nationals this past weekend, Bob Gilbertson and his Tradicion Azul Tequila nitro Funny Car team came away from the event with a good solid start to kick off the 11-race Live Nation/IHRA championship series.
Gilbertson debuted his new sponsor, Tradicion Azul Tequila and raced to low ET of the event, the No.1 qualifying spot and a semi-final round finish that puts him third in the points chase, just 28 points out of first.
The Texas Nationals were contested as an eighth-mile event, unlike the other 10 events on the schedule which are traditional quarter-mile races and racing on a shorter track put extra pressure on the driver, crew chief and the crew to perform. Gilbertson's team, lead by veteran crew chief Nicky Boninfante, rose to the challenge and the results speak for themselves.
Gilbertson's 3.353 second elapsed time at 255.92 MPH during the Friday night qualifying session paced the field and Gilbertson met and defeated Todd Simpson in the first round of eliminations on Sunday with a hole shot and a 3.509 at a slowing 215.65 MPH which matched him up against defending champ Dale Creasy Jr in the semi-final round.
Creasy's reaction time of an unbelievable .001, almost perfect, gave him a nine hundredths second advantage over Gilbertson and Gilby's 3.553 couldn't catch Creasy's 3.493 as Gilbertson's engine dropped a cylinder at the hit of the throttle.
"All in all it was a great weekend for the Tradicion Azul Tequila team," Gilbertson said. "Even though we didn't win, to go to the first IHRA race of the season and do as well as we did says volumes about this team. After a good showing at Houston the week before and to carry that momentum over to San Antonio gives all of us the confidence we need going into Rockingham."
To cap off the weekend Gilbertson's Tradicion Azul Tequila team won the prestigious "Best Appearing Crew" award.
For more information on Bob Gilbertson go to: www.bobgilbertson.com
For more information on Tradicion Azul Tequila go to: http://www.tradicionazul.com/
Gilbertson looking to kick off 2008 IHRA season with a win
San Antonio -- Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Tradicion Azul Tequila Knoll Gas Nitro Funny Car and his team are heading into this weekend's Live Nation IHRA Texas Nationals on a mission.
The objective is a "clean sweep", something Gilbertson has accomplished twice in his career, where you qualify No. 1, set low ET, run top speed and win the race. Gilbertson did it at the North American Nationals in 2006 and at the Rockingham World Finals in 2007 and he wants to do it again in this year in Texas and make life miserable for the rest of the field.
Gilbertson, and his crew chief Nicky Boninfante Jr. are coming off a very successful start last weekend in Houston and are optimistically confident about their chances.
"It's been a long time since I felt this good going into a race," Gilbertson said. After our performance last week where we qualified well and ran three consecutive 4.9 second runs we've got some momentum on our side. Since this is an eighth-mile race I looked our numbers from Houston and maybe we can even re-set the eighth-mile World Record but I'm not going think about that, I'm concentrating on my driving. I know the guys will give me a car that I can win with, all I have to do is make sure the driver does his job. The pressure is on me and my goal is to drive the Tradicion Azul Tequila car into victory lane."
Boninfante has just one goal in San Antonio.
"I want to win the race, that's it," Boninfante added. "I don't care about anything else, numbers don't matter, my goal is to put the Tradicion Azul Tequila car in the winner's circle for the first time and leave with the points lead."
For more information on Bob Gilbertson go to: www.bobgilbertson.com
For more information on Tradicion Azul Tequila go to: http://www.tradicionazul.com/
Gilbertson's NHRA debut at Houston a huge success
HOUSTON -- Bob Gilbertson had one of the biggest weekends of his drag racing career at the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston this past weekend.
Not only did Gilbertson debut a new marketing partner, Tradicion Azul Tequila, but at his first race of the season, Gilbertson managed to qualify when other top cars like Robert Hight, Scott Kalitta and Melanie Troxel failed to make the field.
Gilbertson was one of the most consistent cars all weekend and he ran three consecutive 4.9 second runs and qualified in the 11th spot where he was paired up with Ashley Force in the first round of eliminations.
Although Gilbertson had a .023 advantage off of the starting due to a better reaction time, his 4.97 second elapsed time at 311.27 mph was barely eclipsed by Force's 4.92 at 316.30, a margin of victory of just a few feet.
All in all Gilbertson was very pleased with the results of his first outing in 2008.
"I had a big smile on my face on the plane ride back from Houston," Gilbertson said. ""There's something about Houston, I don't know what it is, but we always do well there. I won this race in 2000 and to show up at our first race of the year without having tested much and to achieve our goal of qualifying was a great start to our season. I've got to give all the credit to Nicky (Boninfante, crew chief) and all the guys on the team. They worked together flawlessly, didn't make any mistakes and their long hours of work payed off."
"Plus the response to our new sponsor and our new graphics was phenomenal," Gilbertson added. "Jay Pennington of Tradicion Azul Tequila attended the first drag race he's ever been to and he was blown away by the whole experience. The fans all loved the car to put the icing on the cake we won the prestigious Best Appearing Crew award so the whole weekend was a great kick-off to the season."
Gilbertson and the Tradicion Azul Tequila nitro Funny Car team's next race will be this weekend's IHRA Texas Nationals in San Antonio April 4-6.
For more information go to: www.bobgilbertson.com and http://www.tradicionazul.com/
Tradicion Azul Tequila to back Gilbertson
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 26, 2008) -- Jay Pennington, Managing Director of Extraodinario Brands, brand owner and importers of Tradicion Azul Tequila, announced that Tradicion Azul will join forces with Nitro Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson starting at this weekend's O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Tex.
This is an exciting venture for us into the sport of professional drag racing," Pennington said. "We formed Extraodinairo Brands with the vision to provide the finest quality Tequila products to the Tequila aficionado and what better way to get the word out there about our new product than to be involved with a Nitro Funny Car. These cars run on high-octane nitromethane and Tradicion Azul, being 109 proof, is the high-octane Tequila that's perfect for fans of the fastest racing in the world."
Gilbertson is equally excited about this partnership.
"To have a company like Tradicion Azul Tequila come on board is a perfect match for this team," Gilbertson added. "Tradicion Azul is looking to get their brand known by the hip 20s something generation and what better way to get to them than drag racing. With Tradicion Azul's support we now have the resources to compete at the level it takes to be successful and the whole team is looking forward to getting back on track. Our team, with the help of our Manager of Business Development, Susan Teddy, will make sure that they enjoy their first time at a NHRA national event."
Tradicion Azul Tequila is made from 100% pure, estate grown blue Agave from the highlands of Los Altos in Jalisco, Mexico and at 109 proof is one of the highest quality extra premium Tequilas on the market. It's made for mixing into popular Tequila drinks like Margaritas and Tequila Sunrises and a little goes a long way. Their slogan is: "Tradicion Azul Tequila makes the hottest frozen drinks on the planet."
For more information on Tradicion Azul Tequila go to: www.tradicionazul.com
Gilbertson to join NHRA tour at Houston
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson announced that he's filed an entry for the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston March 28-30 and will drive his new Trick Tank Monte Carlo to do battle with the best drivers out there for his first NHRA start of the year.
Gilbertson, who has been testing recently to prepare for his 2008 debut, is anxiously waiting to get back on track.
"Testing is one thing but racing against somebody else is why I do this," Gilbertson said. "It's no secret that we don't yet have a marketing partner to help us pay the bills and we're actively looking for support, but if you're not out there to show what you can do it's tough to get anybody to notice you."
"I love racing at Houston Raceway Park as I won my first NHRA national event there in 2000 driving a Trick Tank car. To do well there this year would be a great start to our season. I would have loved to have kicked off the season at Gainesville this weekend but we're not quite ready just yet. We're going to test one more time and with the parts arsenal we've accumulated over the winter we should be in good shape to race competitively in Houston."
Gilbertson is also welcoming back his former crew chief Nicky Boninfante Jr. Boninfante spent the 2007 season tuning Bruce Litton's Top Fuel dragster to the IHRA Championship and he's returning to Trick Tank Racing to help get Gilbertson another NHRA victory.
"Having Nicky back is just what this team needed," Gilbertson added. "Most of the crew from last year is still here and with the addition of another returning crew member we've got a real experienced team ready to go at our first race of the year and with what we've learned during testing, and the confidence I have in Nicky, I'm optimistically confident that we'll be able to make some noise in Houston."
Team Trick Tank scores big in Greensboro
All Four riders lock up spots for US Open in Las Vegas in October
To quote Team Trick Tank owner Bob Gilbertson, Sunday's Live Nation Toyota Arenacross Eastern regional final at the Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum Sunday was "Big." It was the last chance for the four "Js" - Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester - to lock up starting spots in their respective classes for the Live Nation Arenacross US Open in Las Vegas this October and the riders did what they had to do and will all compete at the most prestigious Arenacross race in the country.
Jake Gilbertson scored a pair of second place finishes in both 85cc and Super Mini that resulted in him qualifying in both classes for the US Open. Gilbertson finished second in the 85cc Eastern region points just one point out of first and he tied for fourth in Super Mini points.
Josh Harris rode to a first place finishes in both 125cc Intermediate and AX Lites and to a second in Collegeboy that guarantees him a starting spot in all three classes in Las Vegas. Harris also won the Eastern region points battle in all three classes.
The team's coach/mentor Jim Chester once again swept all three classes he entered and he hasn't been beat in the Over 25, over 30 and Over 35 and will race for an unprecedented three titles in Vegas. Chester also topped the points standings in all three senior classes.
Justin Hopson qualified for his second main event since turning Pro this year and finished a respectable 14th. Hopson also competed in the Expert class where he came away with a fourth that gave him enough points to be able to race in Las Vegas.
"To have everyone on the team qualiry for Vegas is an incredible feat and I'm really proud of each and every one of them," said the senior Gilbertson. "They've all worked hard and those long hours of practice and training really made the difference and we're going to continue training and practicing to be prepared for Vegas where they'll be going up against against the best riders in the country."
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank Scores In Kentucky
Team Trick Tank riders Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson and Josh Harris competed in Pikeville, Kentucky this past weekend for round No. 5 of the Live Nation Toyota Arenacross series and came away with wins and solid podium finishes.
Missing from action was the team's coach/mentor Jim Chester who was working a motorcycle trade show but even though he didn't compete he still held on to his points lead in the three senior classes.
Jake Gilbertson finished third in both 85cc and Super Mini and is currently 3rd in the 85cc points and 4th in the Super Mini points battle.
Josh Harris had a great weekend with a 1st in College Boy, a 1st in AX Intermediate and a 2nd in AX Lites. Harris currently leads the points in both College Boy and AX Intermediate and is 2nd in AX Lites.
Hopson, who turned Pro this year, had a respectable showing in AX Lites with an 11th place Friday night after mechanical problems held him back and a 16th place finish after crashing during Saturday night's main event.
The team now heads to Greensboro, N.C. this weekend for the 6th and final round of the Eastern Region series to cap off the 2007-2008 indoor season and it looks like all Team Trick Tank riders will qualify for the US Open in Las Vegas in October.
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Gilbertson to start testing, plans NHRA debut at Gainesville
Nitro Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson, who's cutting back to a limited season this year, will start testing in the up-coming weeks and plans to make his first NHRA start in 2008 at the 39th Annual NHRA ACDelco Gatornationals March 13-16.
Gilbertson, who is actively searching for marketing partners to join his team, will banner his own business, Trick Tank on the flanks of the wildly painted Monte Carlo that he'll campaign to start off the year.
"These cars run on money, not Nitro like everybody thinks," Gilbertson said from his Charlotte office. "With us not having any corporate support this year I've got to run the car out of my back pocket and it's tough, we really need some help and hopefully something will happen to keep us out there. We've got a lot of sponsorship leads that we're actively pursuing but unless somebody comes on board soon we'll probably run only about 10 or 12 NHRA races."
"I am excited about getting back on track," Gilbertson added. "With Nicky (Boninfante Jr.) coming back as crew chief I'm optimistically confident that we'll be able to represent ourselves well out there and maybe draw some corporate interest. I'm not begging but if there's somebody out there that wants to get involved I'll make you a deal you can't refuse...chuckle."
For more information go to: www.bobgilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank riders Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester are all really looking forward to this weekend's Toyota AMA Arenacross at the Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center in Pikeville and for good reasons. The "Four Js" as they're called, have been on a tear as of late and with momentum on their side they're looking to score big and gain valuable points in the Eastern region points battles that determine which riders get invited to the prestigious U.S. Open in Las Vegas in October. All of the team's riders are in pretty good shape in the points standings for their individual classes and good finishes this weekend will go a long way towards their quest to qualify for Vegas. With only one more points paying event after Pikeville (Greensboro, N.C. the following weekend) the team knows they must perform to the best of their abilities and they've all been practicing every free moment to prepare for back-to-back races. "This going to be a busy couple of weeks for the guys," team owner Bob Gilbertson said. "With back-to-back races they've all got to be in top physical shape and Jim has been working with them to build their endurance and I'm confident that barring any un-foreseen circumstances they'll make some noise in Pikeville." For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank scores big in Virginia
The Trick Tank Motocross team headed into round No. four of the six-race Live Nation Toyota Arenacross series this past weekend in Hampton, Virginia with big expectations and when the dust cleared it was mission accomplished for the "4 Js" Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester.
The team's coach/mentor Jim Chester was the star of the show as once again he swept all three of the senior classes he entered winning Over 25; Over 30 and Over 35. Chester hasn't been beaten in these classes so far this year, winning 12 out of 12 main events in the series and leads the points standings by a wide margin. Chester's stellar performance so far this year has guaranteed his starting spots for the prestigious U.S. Open in October in Las Vegas, the first rider to clinch this year in the Eastern region.
Chester also entered the Lites class on both Friday and Saturday night, and racing against riders half his age, claimed finishes of 5th and 7th to cap off his weekend.
Justin Hopson qualified for his first main event since turning Pro this year and came away with a 12th in the big show Saturday night. He also competed in the Expert class on Sunday and came away with a 3rd and was 2nd in the very popular Extreme Jump Off to the delight of the capacity crowd.
Josh Harris continued his winning ways by winning both the 250cc and 450cc Lites classes where he leads the points in both divisions and also scored a second in the highly competitive College Boy class for a great weekend of racing.
Jake Gilbertson got a 7th in 85cc and 8th in Super Mini, not his best outing of the year, but the good news is that he moved up to 5th in the Super Mini points and into a solid 3rd in the 85cc standings.
The team has this weekend off before back-to-back events in Pikeville, Kentucky February 15-17 then in Greensboro, N.C. the following weekend, February 23-24 to finish off the Eastern region winter Arenacross series that will determine who gets invited to the U.S. Open.
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank heads to Virginia with winning on their minds
Team Trick Tank riders Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester, or the "Four Js" as they're called, will be racing in Hampton, Virginia this weekend at the fourth of six races in the Eastern region of the Live Nation Toyota Arenacross and all of them are looking for victories in their respective classes.
Jake Gilbertson will be racing with a heavy heart as one of his best friends, James Herbert, was killed in a tragic traffic accident last weekend and he wants to win in his memory. Gilbertson will be competing in at least two classes, 85cc and Super mini, and might enter a few more to get him valuable track time to help him on his quest to win a trophy for the Herbert family.
"James loved to go riding with me and I'm going to miss him," Gilbertson said. "I'm going to go all out to win for him and hopefully I'll be able to give the first place trophy to his dad."
Hopson, who just turned pro this year, has had a tough season this year and had to sit out a few races due to a wrist injury but he's back in shape and is hoping to regain his championship form.
Harris has been on a tear lately and is the odds-on favorite to score in the 250cc and 450cc Lites classes.
Last but not least is the team's coach/mentor Jim "The Wrecker" Chester who after three races under his belt is un-defeated in three classes, Over 25, Over 30 and Over 35 and he's looking to keep that streak alive in Virginia.
Team owner Bob Gilbertson is optimistically confident in the team's chances this weekend.
"Everybody on the team has been working real hard the past few weeks preparing for this race," Gilbertson said. "They've been practicing just about every day and working on their stamina and I'm sure they'll all do well and hopefully come away with podium finishes."
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Fly Racing Joins Team Trick Tank
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Fly Racing, the nation's leader in professional Motocross equipment, announced that they will become an associate sponsor of the Trick Tank Motocross team for the 2008 season.
Fly Racing will supply all of the teams riders with riding gear including shirts and pants, goggles, boots, helmets and protective equipment and will help promote the team at all the Arenacross and outdoor MX races the team will race at this year.
"This was a golden opportunity for Fly Racing," said Fly representative Ron Thomas. "After meeting the team and seeing them in action at the recent Arenacross in Charlotte, where they dominated the competition, I knew that we had to get involved with this team. Fly Racing wants to be the No. 1 supplier of MX gear and to be associated with Team Trick Tank is a perfect way to get our products out there. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with the Trick Tank team and I'm confident that they'll do a great job for us."
Team owner Bob Gilbertson is also enthusiastic about the relationship with Fly.
"To have a company like Fly want to be a part of our team is big," Gilbertson said. "All of our riders have the burning desire to win every race we enter and to have Fly on board to help us be safe and at the same time look good will give the team the confidence they need to achieve that goal. Fly is known for the top quality gear they make and we're all proud to be a part of their team."
For more information on Fly Racing go to: www.flyracing.com
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank Scores Big In Baltimore
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Bob Gilbertson's Team Trick Tank Motocross team made a lot of noise this past weekend at the Live Nation Toyota Arenacross at the 1st. Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Md.
This event was round No. three of six to determine the riders who will qualify for the prestigious U.S. Open of Arenacross in October in Las Vegas and Team Trick Tank scored some valuable points towards their goal of all four riders qualifying for the finals.
Leading the charge was the team's coach/mentor Jim "The Wrecker" Chester who won all three of the events he entered, Over 25, over 30 and over 35 for a clean sweep of the senior classes. Chester is undefeated so far this year and leads the points chase by a wide margin and is almost guaranteed a spot in all three classes at the U.S. Open.
Chester also competed in the AX Lites class where his finished a respectable 10th against a field of riders half his age.
Team rider Jake Gilbertson entered two classes, Super Mini where a crash in the early stages put him out of contention but finished third in the 85cc class after starting on the back row but he manage to claw his way to the front in a spectacular riding job in front of a capacity crowd.
Josh Harris rode to a second in the 250cc Intermediate class for his best finish of the weekend while Justin Hopson, who just turned Pro this year, had a lot of problems and failed to qualify for any main events.
Team owner Bob Gilbertson was happy with the teams performance.
"Racing in the Live Nation series against the best riders in the sport is tough and I'm very proud of the effort the guys are putting out," Gilbertson said. "We've got a few weekends off before the next event in Pikeville, Ken. on Feb. 1-3 and they'll all be practicing every free moment between now and then to prepare for the final three races on the schedule, I'm confident that we'll continue to improve every day and all four riders will qualify for the Vegas finals."
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Autolite/Prestone elect not to renew Gilbertson's sponsorship
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After many months of negotiations, Bob Gilbertson announced that after five years of support from the Honeywell Consumer Products Group, he will go into the 2008 drag racing season without Autolite and Prestone as associate sponsors.
"To start off I'd like to thank all the folks at Honeywell for the past five years," Gilbertson said. "Although they didn't give us primary sponsorship dollars over the years we gave them the side of the car with hopes that our relationship would grow into a marketing partnership that would allow this team to grow and compete with all the multi-car teams out there. There are a lot of new people at the top of Honeywell CPG and they haven't finalized their budget yet for 2008. From what I was told they will keep one car out there along with the Hispanic marketing program they started in 2007. Their decision not to support us this year was a big letdown for this team. We will continue to race in 2008 but will cut back on the number of races we enter and we'll concentrate on the IHRA series and limited NHRA events."
"To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement but this was a business decision and being in business myself sometimes you have to make tough decisions," Gilbertson added. "Our mission now is to get out there and beat the bushes for a new marketing partner to help us achieve our goals and get out there on a full-time basis."
Gilbertson announces Susan Teddy to join Terminator Motorsports as Marketing Manager
Teddy has a background in sponsor development in NASCAR and has worked with NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett to secure funding for his charity golf tournement and numerous Craftsman Truck and Nationwide Series teams teams along with the Chrome Shop Mafia who produce the popular Trick My Truck TV show on Country Music Television. "This is a great opportunity for me," Teddy said. "I've always been a big fan of drag racing and I'm looking forward to working with Bob and his team. Hopefully we'll be able to find the funding to allow Bob to be able to compete with the best teams on the circuit," "Funny Cars run on money and Susan has a background in lining up sponsorships," Gilbertson said. "I'm excited about having Susan on our team."
Team Trick Tank heads to Baltimore for round number three of Toyota Arenacross series
Team Trick Tank Riders Jake Gilbertson, Jim Chester, Josh Harris and Justin Hopson or the "Four Js" as they're called, will be heading out to Baltimore for this weekend's Toyota Arenacross at the 1st. Mariner Arena. This event is the third in a series of six Eastern regional races to determine the riders who will qualify for the U.S. Open of Arenacross in Las Vegas in October.
The team is coming off of a very successful weekend of racing in their home town of Charlotte, N.C. where they dominated the event with all four riders claiming wins and podium finishes.
"Last weekend was a big confidence builder for everyone on the team," team owner Bob Gilbertson said. "Hopefully the momentum will carry over this weekend and we'll come out of Baltimore with some victories and the points lead.
Currently team coach/mentor Jim Chester is undefeated in three classes. Over 25, Over 30 and Over 35 with two wins under his belt in each class and leads the points in all three divisions.
Josh Harris also leads the points chase in two classes, AX Lites and AX Intermediate and is second in the College Boy class.
Teammate Justin Hopson, who had to miss the Rochester, N.Y. event due to having a cast on his left wrist, still managed to hold onto the third spot in the College Boy class.
Jake Gilbertson is currently seventh in the 85cc class and sixth in Super Mini and is charged up about moving up in the points standings this weekend.
For more information on the Baltimore event go to: www.arenacross.com
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
There's a great story on Bob and his son Jake on CompetitionPlus.com along with a couple of hundred photos from last weekends Arenacross in Charlotte.
http://www.competitionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4968&Itemid=6
Team Trick Tank dominates Charlotte Arenacross
Team Trick Tank riders, Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester all competed at this past weekend at the JMX ArenaCross in their hometown of Charlotte, N.C. and all came away with podium finishes and a few victories.
Leading the charge at the Cricket Arena was the team's coach/mentor Jim "The Wrecker" Chester who won the Open Pro class on both Friday and Saturday night for a clean sweep of the event.
Jake Gilbertson won the Super Mini class on Friday night and finished second on Saturday night to take the overall title.
Josh Harris also had a big weekend as he won both the 250cc and 450cc main events on Saturday night and wowed the capacity crowd with his high-flying antics off of the big jump drawing applause every time he hit the jump.
Justin Hopson, who had a cast removed from his left wrist on Thursday, and not having the opportunity to practice, put on quite a show in the Open Pro class finishing second to his team mate Chester in Saturday's main event.
"This was a great showing by the guys," team owner Bob Gilbertson said. "I'm so proud of all of them and to see them do so well in front of all of their family and friends who were in attendance. This will give them a lot of momentum going into the up-coming events."
The team will have a few days off before heading out to Baltimore this weekend for the Toyota ArenaCross, round number two of the Eastern region points chase that determines qualifiers for the U.S. Open in October in Las Vegas.
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank To Be Part Of Monster Truck Winter Nationals This Weekend At Cricket Arena In Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Bob Gilbertson's Team Trick Tank Motocross team has been invited to be a part of the Monster Truck Winter Nationals this weekend, Friday and Saturday nights, January 4-5, 2007 at the Cricket Arena in their hometown of Charlotte, N.C.
This event features Monster Truck racing along with the best Motocross riders in the region racing on the same track which provides a lot of excitement for the fans.
Three of the four "Js" will be participating in the MX events as Jake Gilbertson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester will enter a multitude of classes while Justin Hopson will sit out this weekend to allow his damaged wrist to heal another week in preparation for the up-coming indoor series events.
"We're really excited to be invited to be a part of this show in our own back yard," Gilbertson said. "This will be a good experience for the team to race in front of a packed house with all their family and friends in attendance, talk about pressure huh?"
For more information on this weekends event go to: http://www.checkeredflagproductions.com/08charlottencjan.htm
For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Gilbertson names Boninfante as crew chief for 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Bob Gilbertson, owner/driver of the Autolite/Prestone nitro Funny Car, has announced that Nicky Boninfante Jr. will re-join the Terminator Motorsports team as crew chief for the 2008 season.
Boninfante was Gilbertson's crew chief from 2003 to 2006 before stepping aside in 2007 to concentrate on his family-owned business and cut back to a limited race schedule. Boninfante spent last year working with Top Fuel driver Bruce Litton who he tuned to the 2007 IHRA championship.
Boninfante replaces Tommy Delago, who he shared crew chief duties with in 2006 then Delago took over the job solo for the 2007 season.
"This was a really tough decision for me to make," Gilbertson said. "Tommy is a great guy, a talented crew chief and he tuned me to 4.70s at 325 and we posted some of the fastest early numbers at the NHRA races and I give him all the credit for that. Tommy is full of ideas and some of the things we tried didn't work and in the process we went through a lot of parts. Tommy needs to work with a team that's a lot better funded than we are, with Nicky returning we're going to go back to what worked for us two years ago and go from there."
For Boninfante the decision was also a hard one to make.
"Telling Bruce Litton that I was leaving was tough," Boninfante said. "I love the guy like a brother and I'm proud to have been a part of him winning the championship last year but to tell the truth I like Funny Cars better than Dragsters. With Gilby cutting back to a limited schedule this year the circumstances worked out for me and I look forward to once again teaming up with Bob and his guys, most of whom I've worked with in the past, it will be like old home week."
Delago understands that this is a competitive business and he's Okay with the change.
"Nicky is the guy who brought me to Bob's team and I have to thank both him and Gilby for the opportunity," said Delago. "I learned a lot the two years I was there and I know that Bob wants to go in a different direction and I wish both him and Nicky the best. There's a few opportunities out there for me and I'm sure that I'll land on my feet."
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- While most kids of all ages will be playing with their new toys the week after Christmas, Team Trick Tank MX riders Jake Gilbertson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester will spend the week practicing at the team's test tracks in Blacksburg, S.C. in preparation for the Victory Sports Arenacross in Asheville, N.C. on December 28-29. The fourth member of the "4 Js", Justin Hopson, won't be racing as he's got a cast on his wrist that will keep him off his bike but he'll be there to support his teammates. Gilbertson will be racing in three classes, 85 cc, Super Mini and Schoolboy, Harris will be running the 125 and 250 classes and who knows how many classes Chester will enter as the 36 year-old rider, who is the coach/mentor of the team, likes to race in a variety of classes against riders half his age. Team owner Bob Gilbertson has a lot of confidence in the team and has high hopes of success next weekend. "The guys have been riding just about every evening preparing for Asheville," Gilbertson said. "Jimmy has been working on helping Jake, Josh and Justin build up their endurance and I've already seen the results as they are riding more laps that they have in the past." For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank's Chester sweeps in Rochester ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Trick Tank MX team ventured up north to Rochester, N.Y. for round No. 2 of the Live Nation Arenacross series and the team's coach/mentor Jim Chester picked right back up where he left off by sweeping every amateur event he entered. Chester won both the Over 25 and Over 30 classes and he hasn't been beat yet this year and leads the points standings in both divisions by a wide margin. Chester also finished third in the Pro Lites class qualifiers on both Friday and Saturday racing against riders half his age. Josh Harris competed in two classes, 125cc intermediate where he took a third and 250cc intermediate where he dominated taking the win. Justin Hopson got a third in Friday's Lites class and a second in Saturday's Lites class but his weekend ended with a wrist injury that put him out of action for the remainder of the weekend. Jake Gilbertson got run over after he fell during practice and after a quick trip to the hospital where he was treated and released and team owner Bob Gilbertson decided to withdraw him from competition for the rest of the weekend ending his chances of moving up in the points standings. The team will have a few weeks off before they head out to Asheville, N.C. December 28-29 for another round of the Victory Sports series followed by a trip to Baltimore, Maryland January 11-13 for the third round of the Live Nation series. For more information on the Trick Tank MK team go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank Heads To Rochester New York This Weekend For The Live Nation Toyota Arenacross Round Number Two CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After a very successful outing in the first round of the Live Nation Toyota Arenacross Eastern region opener in Albany a few weeks ago, Team Trick Tank Riders Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and Jim Chester are all looking forward to this weekend's race at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y. All four riders are either leading their divisions or in the top five in the points standings in their respective classes and the Rochester race will be their chance to take control of the points in their divisions. Team coach/mentor Jim Chester is currently leading the points chase in three classes, Over 25, Over 30 and Over 35 and will be the odds-on favorite to claim the top spot in the senior classes. Gilbertson is currently third in Super Mini and fifth in the 85cc class and is looking to move his way up in both divisions. Hopson leads the College Boy class and ranks fifth in the Expert class while his teammate Harris leads the AX Lites class, is second in AX Intermediate and second behind Hopson in College Boy. "The 'Four Js' have been training really hard this past week and have been working with Jim to hone their skills and their confidence level is very high," team owner Bob Gilbertson said. "They're all hoping to do well this weekend and barring any unforeseen circumstances we're looking to come away with some wins and podium finishes." For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank riders Gilbertson and Chester score big at Victory Sports Arenacross in Asheville, N.C. ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Team Trick Tank kicked off the Victory Sports indoor winter Arenacross series this past weekend at the WNC Ag Center and riders Jake Gilbertson and Jim Chester came away with podium finishes to cap off a great weekend of racing. Gilbertson was entered in three classes, 85 cc, Super Mini and Schoolboy. Gilbertson won both his qualifiers in Super Mini and Schoolboy and finished third in 85cc during the Friday night event to qualify for all three main events on Saturday where he finished third in the Schoolboy class, fourth in Super Mini and an 8th in the 85 cc class. Coach/Mentor Jim Chester was the star of the team as he entered the very competitive 125 Pro and 250 Pro classes and finished third ahead of the younger guns. At 37 years-old Chester beat out younger riders such as Tyler Bright who won the recent Albany Arenacross to show the youngsters how it was done. Chester also scored big on Saturday night with top five finishes in the 125cc and 250cc classes and he won the 30 plus class. Chester hasn't been beat yet this year in the Senior class and leads the points standings in both indoor Arenacross series. Team riders Justin Hopson and Josh Harris both had a tough weekend as Hopson failed to qualify in his second start as a Pro and Harris had to sit out due to an ankle injury. The team now travels to Rochester, N.Y. this weekend for round No. 2 of the Live Nation Arenacross series. For more information go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Team Trick Tank riders Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and their coach/mentor Jim Chester are heading out to near-by Asheville, N.C. for this weekend's season-opening race of the Victory Sports 2007-2008 Indoor Motorcross Winter Series. The "Four Js" are coming off a good showing the weekend before last at the opening race of the Live Nation series at Albany where all the riders earned podium finishes and all of them are looking to score big wins this weekend at their home-town race. Gilbertson will be competing in two classes, 85 cc and Super Mini while Harris and Hopson are favorites in the 125 cc and 250 cc classes and also in the Collegeboy class. Chester will be competing in the over 25, over 30 and over 35 main events. "The teams confidence level is pretty high," said team owner Bob Gilbertson. "Jim has been working really hard with the guys, they've been practicing just about every day and working on building their endurance and I believe that the team will be a force to be reckoned with this weekend." For more information on the Victory Sports series go to: http://www.victory-sports.com/
Team Trick Tank featured on EasternDirt.com To learn more about Team Trick Tank check out this story on easterndirt.com: http://easterndirt.com/4/pages/trick_tank.htm
Team Trick Tank opens Arenacross season with a bang in Albany ALBANY, N.Y. -- Team Trick Tank kicked off the 2007-2008 Live Nation Arenacross season Sunday at the Toyota AMA Arenacross in Albany, N.Y. and all four riders came away with podium finishes to open the Eastern regional six-race series to determine who qualifies to race at the U.S. Open next October in Las Vegas. Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and their coach/mentor Jim Chester combined for four 1st, two 2nd, one 3rd and two 5th place finishes that gives them all a good start in the points standings. Chester was the big winner as he won both the over 25 and over 30 classes that puts him in a tie for first in both points races. He's also 4th in the Lites east class. Gilbertson raced to a 3rd in the Super Mini class and a 5th in the very competitive 85 cc class that puts him 5th in Super Mini and 10th in 85cc points. Hopson and his teammate Harris put on a show in the College Boy 16-24 class that had the crowd on it's feet as they battled it out. Team owner Bob Gilbertson said "It was like they were a freight train running wheel to wheel the entire moto." Hopson prevailed to claim the 2nd place points position while Harris is in 5th. Hopson also made his Pro debut and raced to 5th for a great finish in the Expert class that gives him a 9th place in the points standings. Harris had a busy raceday as he raced in Collegeboy (2nd) Lites 125 cc (1st) and Lites 250 cc (2nd) for three visits to the podium. Harris is tied for 1st in the 125 points, 5th in College boy and 4th in the 250 cc class. As an inceptive to win, team owner Bob Gilbertson offered a plane ticket to the next event Nov 30 - Dec 2 in Rochester, N.Y. to any of his riders who won their event. Gilbertson will be buying tickets for all of his riders as Chester, Hopson and Harris all won races will be flying instead of riding in the transporter to race No. 2 of the series. For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Team Trick Tank kicks off winter Arenacross season this weekend in Albany, New York CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Team Trick Tank riders, Jake Gilbertson, Justin Hopson, Josh Harris and 2007 national champion Jim Chester are heading up to Albany, N.Y. for this weekend's Toyota AMA Arenacross which kicks off the 2007-08 Live Nation indoor Arenacross series. Albany is the first of six Eastern regional points paying events this winter that will determine the riders who will be invited to compete at the 2008 U.S. Open of Arenacross next October in Las Vegas. All four Team Trick Tank riders have qualified for the U.S. Open the past three years and all have podium finishes at the biggest indoor amateur race in the country and hope to get off to a good start at the first race of the year. One of the three "Js", Justin Hopson, will make his Pro debut in Albany as he's entered the 125 cc class moving up from the amateur ranks and will battle it out with Jim Chester, the veteran rider and 2007 national champ in three classes, who is the coach/mentor for the team. "The competition is going to be tougher than ever this year," team owner Bob Gilbertson said. "At the race in Des Moines, Iowa last weekend they had 128 riders entered trying to qualifying for a 20 rider field and I expect even more to show up at not only the Albany race but the other five Eastern regional events." "All of our riders have to kick it up a notch or two and Jim Chester has been working with Jake, Josh and Justin every night at our practice track to help them prepare for the races and build their stamina," Gilbertson added. "It's going to be quite a battle this year and the team has the right equipment, a great coach, the desire to win and barring any unforeseen problems we all hope to come home from Albany as the points leaders in their classes." After the Albany race, Team Trick Tank will compete Nov. 30-Dec 2 in Rochester, N.Y.; Jan. 11-13 in Baltimore, Maryland; Feb. 1-3 in Hampton, Virginia,; Feb. 15-17 in Pikeville Kentucky and the final race Feb. 23-24 in Greensboro, N.C. For more information on Team Trick Tank go to: www.jakegilbertson.com
Pomona, prerace: -- Nitro Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson is looking to finish the 2007 drag racing season on a high note at this weekend's season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals at the historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Gilbertson, who has had by his own admission, a lackluster year, hopes that racing at one of his favorite tracks on the circuit where he's had some good luck and results in years past will give him and his team the boost they need for the long winter off. "I really love racing at Pomona," Gilbertson said. "I've gone to the semi-finals there a few times and with any luck we should be in the thick of things this weekend. Our car has been running good lately but little things like parts breakage and stupid little mistakes have cost us round wins and if things go our way we'll turn things around and come out of Pomona with a smile on our faces. I'd like to become a spoiler in the points race and make some noise out there and let everyone know that we'll be a threat to deal with in 2008." Gilbertson will be racing his wildly painted Monte Carlo that he drove to the winner's circle a few weeks ago at his home track in Rockingham, N.C. and hopes he can duplicate that win at Pomona. "We've been racing our Dodge Stratus bodies most of the year but after driving the Monte Carlo I realized how much better I can see down track and hopefully I can drive it to some round wins and just maybe even win the Finals," Gilbertson added. Television Schedule: Saturday, November 3, 2007 Qualifying show No. 1 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET (ESPN2) Saturday, November 3, 2007 Qualifying show No. 2 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM ET (ESPN2) Sunday, November 4, 2007 Final Eliminations 7:00 PM - 10:30 PM ET (ESPN2)
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Nitro Funny Car owner/driver Bob Gilbertson has announced that Susan Teddy has joined Terminator Motorsports as Manager of Business Development. Teddy's primary duty will be to seek out sponsorship programs for both the drag race and motocross teams.