Drag Illustrated Issue 111, July 2016 | Page 56

MOVERS & SHAKERS WESTERN STARS (L-R) The two most recent NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national champions, Joey Severance and Chris Demke, are joined by Top Alcohol Funny Car frontrunners Annie Whiteley and Shane Westerfield backstage at the JEGS Allstars race. All four drivers were representing the West Region, which went on to win the team title on the strength of Demke and Westerfield’s Allstars victories. FATHER-DAUGHTER TIME Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Brandon Booher and his 11-month-old daughter, Adelynn, wait under the tower at Route 66 Raceway before being introduced on stage for the JEGS Allstars race. Booher is a twotime Allstars representative from the NHRA North Central Region. HISTORY LESSON As a passionate drag racing history buff, NHRA Funny Car champion Jack Beckman couldn’t have found a better photographer to run into than the legendary Steve Reyes. An oildown at the Gatornationals gave the Hall of Fame photographer plenty of time to tell a few stories from the early days of nitro racing. NO LIMITS Legit A-list actor Idris Elba recaps a time run along with Doug Foley Jr. while filming for Discovery Channel’s Idris Elba: No Limits. The British actor earned his Super Comp license and competed in an exhibition race at the 2015 NHRA Springnationals with two-time Top Fuel champion Antron Brown as his mentor. Up-and-Comer Twelve-year-old Samantha Perrone stands proudly with the 1st place trophy she won at Mid Michigan Motorplex on June 12. Samantha is a five-year veteran of the Junior Dragster ranks and hails from Ionia, Michigan. She routinely races at places like Norwalk and Martin, in addition to Mid Michigan, where her latest win put her in the points lead. 56 | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com Issue 111