Keith Haney Racing is going pink for final races of 2013

TULSA, Okla. (Oct. 8) - Keith Haney Racing is going pink for its final two races of the season in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Both of KHR's Pro Mod cars will carry pink livery for the Throw Down in T-Town at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park this weekend as well as the ADRL season finale at Royal Purple Raceway in Houston next weekend.

Keith Haney will drive in both events, with Monroe Guest behind the wheel of the car that is normally black for the Tulsa race and Erica Enders-Stevens in the car for the Houston race.

"I've had close friends and family members affected by cancer," Haney said. "It hits close to home, and we're happy to bring some awareness to the disease and raise some money."

Haney has long been a supporter of cancer-related charities, carrying decals on his cars this season for the Cancer Sucks! foundation. Plus, he has made appearances with his race cars at Cancer Treatment Center in Tulsa to show support.

"Going pink is an extension of that," Haney said. "We're constantly doing all we can to help. I'm a big supporter of charities that need our help. We try to pick the ones that can make a difference."

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, a collaboration of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to services.

Pink is the color of choice to represent Breast Cancer Awareness month, and Haney happily changed the colors of his race cars. He has the full support of sponsors RacingJunk.com and Lucas Oil in the endeavor.

Haney's car dealerships have gotten into the spirit of the month, too, with Classic Chevrolet in Owosso, Okla., going pink, from painting pink lines in the parking lot to placing pink balloons across the dealership.

Haney and his race team will go one step further by setting up a booth at the last two races for fans to make donations.

"We'll have a tent at the racetrack where fans can donate to the Cancer Treatment Centers," Haney said. "We'll take donations both in Tulsa and in Houston."

         Keith Haney's car will feature pink livery at the last two events of the season.

Keith Haney Racing's second car will also help support Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Keith Haney's car will feature pink livery at the last two events of the season.


Keith Haney Racing's second car will also help support Breast Cancer Awareness month.

                                                               --30--

Enders-Stevens in at No. 16 after crazy day for Keith Haney Racing

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Sept. 7) - Keith Haney Racing experienced the gamut of emotions during qualifying for ADRL's Dragstock X on Saturday at Rockingham Dragway.

For starters, team owner Keith Haney failed to qualify for the race in his RacingJunk.com/Lucas Oil Camaro, but Haney then watched as his other car, the RacingJunk.com/Lucas Oil Camaro driven by Erica Enders-Stevens, bumped its way into the top 16 in the final qualifying session.

Enders-Stevens' spot wasn't secure, though, and she was knocked out of the field soon after her run. However, Tim Savell, one of the two drivers who moved her out of the top 16, crashed in his Q3 pass. Savell will be unable to make the call for Sunday's eliminations, putting Enders-Stevens in the field at No. 16.

"I was excited that we could get the car from point A to point B," Enders-Stevens said of her Q3 pass, which was 4.071 seconds at 187.08 mph. "So far that's my quickest run in the car: 187 mph is pretty dang good in an eighth of a mile. I'm really excited for the team."

But then her heart sank when two cars went quicker and then sunk even more when Savell hit the wall after his pass.

"All the excitement went out the window when Tim crashed because we wanted to make sure he was all right," Enders-Stevens said. "Being a new driver in Pro Mod, that's not exactly something I like to see: a veteran crashing. It goes to show what a challenge these cars are to handle.

"But at the end of the day, we're all safe and we get to race on Sunday. That's what's important for our team."

Haney, unfortunately, was unable to get his Camaro down the track in Saturday's three qualifying sessions, as he was struck by different issues in each run,

"It was a tough day for both of us but it was probably tougher for me," said Haney, who failed to qualify for the first time this season. "The first one we shook, and the second one we blew the tires off. We had a mistake by the driver, but we blew the tires right off the hit, so it wouldn't have mattered if I had been dead on my game. Then the last pass we had a team malfunction, and I sounded like a popcorn machine going down the racetrack because I didn't have enough nitrous."

After Haney disappointingly crawled out of his car, he watched for Enders-Stevens' run, which was a solid pass.

"I'm jumping up and down and Rickie Smith goes, 'What are you doing?' " Haney said. "I said, 'She went down the racetrack.' I saw the chutes come out and said, 'Oh, yeah! I don't know what she ran but yeah!'

"I'm jumping up and down, don't know what the heck to do. I'm ticked off because I'm not in, but I'm happier than hell and hoping she's in."

Enders-Stevens, too, was happy with the run but hopes to improve on Sunday against No. 1 qualifier Chris Rini, whose best lap was 3.876 seconds at 190.59 mph.

"We got back to our baseline with this car," Enders-Stevens said. "Hopefully we'll be able to tune from there for tomorrow. There's no reason why we can't run better. That Q3 run felt really soft. They can definitely hop it up a little bit and hopefully tomorrow is a good day. We have to face the No. 1 qualifier, but I've seen stranger things happen on Sunday. We'll go in with a positive outlook and see what we can do."
                                                                           --30--

Keith Haney Racing, Enders-Stevens ready to rock at ADRL Dragstock X

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Sept. 5) - A recent test session has Keith Haney and Erica Enders-Stevens pumped about ADRL Dragstock X this weekend at Rockingham Dragway.

Haney and Enders-Stevens tested Keith Haney Racing's Chevrolet Camaro at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park last week, with Enders-Stevens testing two days in the black Racing Junk/Lucas Oil Camaro and Haney one in the Lucas Oil Chevy.

Keith Haney and Erica Enders-Stevens will team to race at Dragstock X

"After adjusting chassis and making corrections on a lot of the nitrous setup, we finally did really well," Haney said. "We found a couple of issues that we had in the black car. We believe we've fixed the issues from Memphis (Tenn.), so we obviously found a lot of things in the test that will allow us to do real well at The Rock."

Haney said wiring issues with Enders-Stevens' car were causing some problems, but once those were discovered crew chief Brandon Pesz of Lethal Acceleration was able to put in a solid tune-up.

"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in the car," Enders-Stevens said. "We're getting closer with the setup. It's always a challenge with a new driver and having to move weight around to get the car optimized for the best performance, but the test session definitely helped.

"Having Racing Junk on the car is pretty cool, too. I know how hard it is to get sponsorship these days, so for them to come on board is a feather in Keith's cap. We're excited to run well for them this weekend."

Enders-Stevens made her first appearance in a nitrous race car in Memphis last month, though she lost in the first round. Expectations are higher this time around.

"I'm excited," Enders-Stevens said. "I wasn't nervous the first run of the test session. I feel a lot better in the car, and I've gotten acquainted with the car. As a driver that is always helpful when it comes time to go racing."

Enders-Stevens certainly knows Rockingham Dragway, as she has tested there for years while racing in NHRA Pro Stock.

"That is our home test track for Pro Stock," said Enders-Stevens, a five-time winner in the ultra-competitive NHRA class. "I've been testing there for the last 10 years, at least a few times a year. I'm very familiar with the track and the personnel. It was one of ADRL's biggest events in the past, so I'm looking forward to a packed house this weekend."

Enders-Stevens' appearances in ADRL has drawn plenty of attention for the league, Keith Haney Racing, and its sponsors: Lucas Oil, Pro Torque, Racing Junk, Five Star Bodies, Monroe Guest Motorsports, Regional Hyundai, Suburban Chevrolet, Classic Chevrolet, Miami Chevrolet Buick GMC, Nissan of Muskogee, and Tulsa Raceway Park.

Haney also sends a special thank-you to Kenny Nowling and the ADRL for the support he and the league have given Haney and Enders-Stevens.

"She's a lot more confident," Haney said of Enders-Stevens. "We were real happy with the whole test session. We had Brandon Pesz from Lethal Acceleration just concentrating on her and I and it went real well. We're real excited about it.

"We're going in with a chance to win. That's what matters."

Haney and Enders-Stevens will test on Friday in Rockingham, with three rounds of qualifying on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday.

   Erica Enders-Stevens will drive the Racing Junk/Lucas Oil Camaro at Dragstock X.

                                                          --30--

 

Enders-Stevens returns to Keith Haney Racing for final two ADRL races

TULSA, Okla. (Aug. 25) - Drag racing star Erica Enders-Stevens will be back in Keith Haney Racing's Pro Mod Camaro for the final two ADRL events of the 2013 season, team owner Keith Haney announced on Sunday.

Enders-Stevens will race in Dragstock X on Sept. 6-8 at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, N.C., and then in her hometown event, the World Finals IX, on Oct. 19-20 at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas. Brandon Pesz of Lethal Acceleration will continue as crew chief.

Enders-Stevens, a native of Houston, raced for Haney in Memphis, Tenn., earlier this month,
Erica Enders-Stevens
marking the first time she drove a nitrous-powered race car. The five-time NHRA winner qualified for this year's Countdown to the Championship in Pro Stock, but her Cagnazzi Racing team has been sidelined because of lack of sponsorship.

"I'm really excited to have been invited back to drive for Keith," Enders-Stevens said. "That was a really fun opportunity in Memphis, and given some more time in the car it will only get better. I'm glad to be going back."

                       Erica Enders - Stevens
Haney, Enders-Stevens' car owner and teammate, was overwhelmed by the response she got in Memphis, giving additional exposure to Keith Haney Racing sponsors Lucas Oil, Pro Torque, Racing Junk, Monroe Guest Motorsports, Regional Hyundai, Suburban Chevrolet, Classic Chevrolet, Miami Chevrolet Buick GMC, Nissan of Muskogee, and Tulsa Raceway Park.

"It was really, really good for her and good for Sportsman racing," Haney said. "It was amazing for us, too. We just keep growing."

Haney hopes to continue capitalizing on Enders-Stevens' popularity through social media and fan interaction.

"It's good for the sport," Haney said. "It's good for Keith Haney Racing, it's good for our sponsors."

Plus, it's good for the ADRL, and league co-founder Kenny Nowling knows it. He offered the team free entry and free testing for Enders-Stevens' appearances in the remaining ADRL races.

It's also good for Enders-Stevens, who loves racing in Houston. After the race in Memphis, she immediately inquired about racing again for Haney.

"She got out of the race car and said, 'I'd love to drive again,' " Haney said. "I said, 'OK. What race would you like to drive?' She said, 'I'd like to drive in my hometown.' "

Houston has always been special for her, as it was the site of her first national event victory, in Super Gas in 2004.

"I'm so glad to be going back home," Enders-Stevens said. "We raced there in April and didn't have the best of showings, so to be able to have another opportunity in a car with twice the horsepower is really cool. I'm looking forward to it."

As an added bonus, husband Richie Stevens will be part of Haney's crew in Rockingham.

Erica Enders-Stevens will race for Keith Haney Racing at the final two ADRL events of the season.
--30--

Keith Haney Racing enjoys successful weekend in Memphis

TULSA, Okla. (Aug. 6) - The ADRL Memphis Drags IV held last weekend at Memphis International Raceway were a rousing success for Keith Haney Racing, even though both of his Pro Mod cars went out in the first round.   Haney brought in Pro Stock ace Erica Enders-Stevens to drive one of his Chevrolet Camaros in Memphis, and the five-time Pro Stock winner helped bring attention to Keith Haney's team, the Pro Mod class, and the ADRL.   "It showcased what we're about," Haney said. "In drag racing you're going to lose 98 percent of the time and going to win 2 percent, but how you represent yourself is what people see, and last weekend was very, very good for my sponsors and very, very good for me personally."   Though Enders-Stevens' numerous fans got to see her race for the first time since the end of June, they weren't the only benefactors of her appearance in Memphis. Haney's sponsors - Lucas Oil, Reher-Morrison Racing Engines, ProTorque, Lithium Batteries, K&N Filters, Aeromotive, and Monroe Guest Motorsports - also saw increased value from having a driver of Enders-Stevens' popularity race for them.   "I think it really brought people who really wouldn't watch it," Haney said. "I think they experienced something that was exciting. A lot of people came over to see her: the kids, the moms, the dads, the people who have been following her her whole life. It was pretty remarkable."   Enders-Stevens' Pro Stock team, Cagnazzi Racing, has been sidelined the last four races because of a lack of sponsorship. Haney asked her to drive a Pro Mod for the first time, and she jumped at the chance. She qualified No. 15 and lost in the first round after having to pedal the car when it got out of shape.   Still, Enders-Stevens was glad to have had the chance to drive one of Haney's cars.   "It was a really cool experience, and I'm thankful Keith gave me the opportunity," Enders-Stevens said. "Pro Mod is a crazy class. Keith has a great team of guys, and everybody was so patient and willing to help.   "We wish we would've done better, but given more time and testing the car to get it set up for my weight difference, I think we can do a lot better in the future. I'm excited for another opportunity."   Haney, who also lost in the first round, said Enders-Stevens was a true professional who will only get better in the recalcitrant Pro Mod car with more seat time. Before the race, Haney spent  several hours going over the car and what it does before, during, and after a run. The car was a different beast than the Pro Stock Camaro she is used to running, and it took time to adapt, but Enders-Stevens eventually did it.   "I can tell you one thing where she is 10 times better than me is in that she can get out of the gas faster than anybody I've ever seen," Haney said. "When that car started to get a little bit out of shape, she knew it. It was in trouble, and she got out of it perfectly."   Enders-Stevens also thanked KHR's crew chief, Brandon Pesz of Lethal Acceleration, who taught her a lot, including about pedaling the car, which she had to do in her first-round match against Tim Savell.   Enders-Stevens, one of the best in Pro Stock on the Christmas Tree, left first on Savell with a .053-second reaction time.   "When it mattered, she stepped up as a driver," Haney said. "She left on him; we just didn't give her a car to win."   Enders-Stevens could race for Haney again in 2013, and both of them want it to happen.   "I would also like to thank the whole ADRL staff for the great welcoming they gave Keith Haney Racing and Enders Racing," Haney said. "Kenny Nowling made sure to come to the starting line every time Erica and I ran, along with coming to the pits and delivering parts personally."

 30

~30~

Keith Haney Racing | Drag Racing | NHRA | ADRL | XDRL | IHRA | Tulsa Raceway Park | Tulsa

Keith Haney Racing | Drag Racing | NHRA | Lucas Oil | ADRL | XDRL | IHRA | Tulsa Raceway Park