ParkerTech Racing Mid-Season Recap

Readin’, ‘Rithmatic and Racin’ with ParkerTech
Mid-season race report and Indiana State University Sponsorship


Milford, Michigan – The ParkerTech Racing Services/Lane Automotive Top Alcohol Funny Car team has had a mixed bag of results, this year. A rumble strip of broken parts, highly unusual for the team, impeded their efforts to repeat their 2008 division championship. The rumble strip has not dampened their dedication to challenge Division 3 and its racers, nor has it broken ParkerTech’s string of qualifying for over 80 consecutive races.

Frank and Dan Parker are currently in Bowling Green, at Beech Bend Raceway Park’s Division 3 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series race. This race is a shake-down for next weekend’s NHRA U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park, near Indianapolis. Bobby Martin, team driver, and the ParkerTech crew are looking forward to the win light at both races.

Their winning attitude recently was capped off by a visit to the campus of Indiana State University, in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Dodge Charger Top Alcohol Funny Car was on display at “The Fountain,” which serves as the campus focal point. Team Sycamore, the university’s student race team, helped host Frank and Dan Parker and Bobby Martin. Frank and Bobby spent most of the day talking with high school honor students touring the campus.

In mid-afternoon, Dr. Dan Bradley, the university president, climbed into the ParkerTech Charger and his wife, Cheri, into Team Sycamore’s Super Comp dragster. When the cars were lit, both “drivers” broke out in quarter-mile wide grins. Although the university was thinly populated by summer session students, many were drawn to the noise’s source. Following the brief run, Dr. Bradley, Frank and Bobby were interviewed by local media personalities. Frank and Bobby then spent more time talking with students and helping them in and out of the race cars.

The visit’s outcome was an Indiana State University three-event sponsorship of the ParkerTech team. The university was looking for wider exposure at NHRA races, where fans are proven supporters of race car sponsors. Seeing the ParkerTech crew interact with students and the media sealed the relationship. The first event was the Woodward Dream Cruise, in Detroit. Starting the alcohol-fueled Hemi there, immediately drew a crowd well into the hundreds. The team was then bombarded with questions about the car, the university’s major programs and its accredited Motorsports Management minor.

The next two sponsored events are the race at Bowling Green and the NHRA U.S. Nationals. Team Sycamore will race their S/C dragster at the Nats, help Parker Tech where they can and receive coaching from Bobby Martin. ISU faculty and directors will be hosted by both teams.

Needless to say, Indiana State University is anticipating three winners circle appearances in the next two weeks.



Courtesy of Charlie Henry