Post by daj on Apr 17, 2005 21:44:19 GMT -5
Francis i came across this article from November 9, 2004 hope you don't mind me posting it.But this part really caught my eye" the precious gem conglomerate"
CMKM Diamonds forms multi-class team
By Bill Stephens
ESPN
Don Schumacher's influence and impact on NHRA POWERade drag racing is undeniable. In the past six years, he has moved from fielding a single Top Fuel dragster for his son, Tony, in 1998, to adding three Funny Cars, two Pro Stock Motorcycles, and next year, a reported two Pro Stock Mopars.
Well, move over, Mr. Schumacher.
In 2005, the precious gem conglomerate, CMKM Diamonds, headed by board chairman Urban Casavant, will back a new multi-class assault group with Funny Car drivers Jeff Arend and Tony Bartone, and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Connie Cohen all competing at all 23 of the NHRA POWERade national events.
"We are thrilled to be entering the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season with such a great group of race teams under the CMKXtreme Racing banner," Casavant said. "I know that Jeff, Tony, and Connie will do an outstanding job representing CMKXtreme Racing for all of our shareholders around the world. We will do everything we can to support all three teams as they fight for a POWERade championship in 2005."
Each of the three professional drivers brings a mixed bag of drag-racing experience to the table. Bartone is a former Top Alcohol Funny Car champion, having won that sportsman title in 1996, in one of the most dominant category performances in history. He briefly raced in a nitro Funny Car as part of Jerry Toliver's multi-car WWF team in 2000, and raced for a short time in a Top Alcohol Dragster previously campaigned by his brother, Michael, before signing on with Jim Dunn's F/C operation at the beginning of the 2004 season.
Arend has been a journeyman Funny Car driver over the past 10 years and was the surprise winner of the 1996 Keystone Nationals in Reading, Pa., beating then-rookie Tony Pedregon in the final round. This year Arend has qualified consistently in the CMKX-backed fuel coupe and is anxious to head into next year with a renewed program.
"We're really excited about next year," says Arend. "Having a new chassis and body style will enable us to be a lot more competitive in 2005 than we were this year. I felt like we did a good job this season, especially when you consider we qualified for most of the races running an older chassis and body style. With a new chassis and the Monte Carlo body we should instantly be more competitive."
Cohen will be riding a new state-of-the-art Suzuki GSXR 1000.
"Thanks to Urban and Ron Casavant and the support of CMKXtreme Racing, we've had a chance to get a taste of what it takes to run the full tour this season," Cohen said. "We were able to gain data from some of the tracks we've never competed on before, and I'm sure that will help us when we return next season. We're going to do everything we can to try and put the CMKXtreme Suzuki in the winner's circle next year."
Bill Stephens covers the NHRA for ESPN and ESPN.com
sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?id=1919468
CMKM Diamonds forms multi-class team
By Bill Stephens
ESPN
Don Schumacher's influence and impact on NHRA POWERade drag racing is undeniable. In the past six years, he has moved from fielding a single Top Fuel dragster for his son, Tony, in 1998, to adding three Funny Cars, two Pro Stock Motorcycles, and next year, a reported two Pro Stock Mopars.
Well, move over, Mr. Schumacher.
In 2005, the precious gem conglomerate, CMKM Diamonds, headed by board chairman Urban Casavant, will back a new multi-class assault group with Funny Car drivers Jeff Arend and Tony Bartone, and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Connie Cohen all competing at all 23 of the NHRA POWERade national events.
"We are thrilled to be entering the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season with such a great group of race teams under the CMKXtreme Racing banner," Casavant said. "I know that Jeff, Tony, and Connie will do an outstanding job representing CMKXtreme Racing for all of our shareholders around the world. We will do everything we can to support all three teams as they fight for a POWERade championship in 2005."
Each of the three professional drivers brings a mixed bag of drag-racing experience to the table. Bartone is a former Top Alcohol Funny Car champion, having won that sportsman title in 1996, in one of the most dominant category performances in history. He briefly raced in a nitro Funny Car as part of Jerry Toliver's multi-car WWF team in 2000, and raced for a short time in a Top Alcohol Dragster previously campaigned by his brother, Michael, before signing on with Jim Dunn's F/C operation at the beginning of the 2004 season.
Arend has been a journeyman Funny Car driver over the past 10 years and was the surprise winner of the 1996 Keystone Nationals in Reading, Pa., beating then-rookie Tony Pedregon in the final round. This year Arend has qualified consistently in the CMKX-backed fuel coupe and is anxious to head into next year with a renewed program.
"We're really excited about next year," says Arend. "Having a new chassis and body style will enable us to be a lot more competitive in 2005 than we were this year. I felt like we did a good job this season, especially when you consider we qualified for most of the races running an older chassis and body style. With a new chassis and the Monte Carlo body we should instantly be more competitive."
Cohen will be riding a new state-of-the-art Suzuki GSXR 1000.
"Thanks to Urban and Ron Casavant and the support of CMKXtreme Racing, we've had a chance to get a taste of what it takes to run the full tour this season," Cohen said. "We were able to gain data from some of the tracks we've never competed on before, and I'm sure that will help us when we return next season. We're going to do everything we can to try and put the CMKXtreme Suzuki in the winner's circle next year."
Bill Stephens covers the NHRA for ESPN and ESPN.com
sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?id=1919468