Historic Maple Grove Raceway’s Fun Ford Weekend Schedule Announced

What better way to celebrate your 50th year of some of the best drag racing on the east coast than to host a Fun Ford Weekend? 2012 not only marks Maple Grove’s golden anniversary of racing, but August 17 – 19 also marks the return of the Fun Ford Weekend Series presented by Roush Yates, JE Pistons and Joe Gibbs Driven to the SE corner of the Keystone State.

“When it comes to some of the most memorable moments in drag racing, there aren’t many tracks that hold the history of Maple Grove,” says Jeff Lacina, Marketing Director for the Fun Ford Weekend Series. “From nostalgia racing, Top Fuel dragsters, and jet-powered vehicles to Street Bike races and Street Legal Grudge racing, the team at Maple Grove always puts together top-notch events for both the racers and the spectators.”

Maple Grove Raceway enters its 50th year of continuous operation in 2012. The facility owned by the Stauffer family began operating in 1962. Maple Grove Raceway is the site of many historic drag racing firsts: in 1989 Joe Amato and Shirley Muldowney recorded the first ever side-by-side four-second Top Fuel Dragster runs, the first ever side by side 300 mph T/F passes, and many other of the quickest and fastest runs in NHRA history.  The Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals was held at Maple Grove Raceway beginning in 1985 and was then called the Castrol GTX Keystone NHRA Nationals.

“We hope to see a huge turnout of Ford racers and fans as Fun Ford Weekend returns to Maple Grove Raceway August 17 – 19,” adds Lacina.

Admission Fees
$30 2-day crew or spectator
$20 1-day crew or spectator
Children 12 & under Free
$10 Ford Bonus Ticket (One Day w/ Car Show Entry Only)

Car Show Entry Fees, Car show Friday and Saturday, awards both days

$25 One Day Car Show entry
$45 Two day Car Show entry
$10 Ford Bonus Ticket (One Day w/ Car Show Entry Only)

Swap Meet Entry Fees
$25 One Day Swap Meet Entry
$45 Two day Swap Meet Entry

Car Show Classes
-  Mustang: 1964-’69, 1970-’73, 1974-’78, 1979-’93, 1994-’98, 1999-2004, 2005-’08, 2009-present
-  Conversion (Ford powered vehicle)
- Competition Sports: GT 40, Cobra, Kit Car, Road Race, Etc.
- Sport Compact
- Open
- Thunderbird
- Pick-Up Full/Mini 4WD
- Galaxie, Fairlane, Torino
- Pick-Up Full/Mini 2WD
- Rod (pre-1948)
- SUV 4WD
- SUV 2WD
- Lincoln
- Mercury
- Nostalgia
- Big Car

Special Car Show Awards to include:
Track Choice
Best Wheels
Cool Factor
People’s Choice
Best Engine
Best Paint/Body
Best of Show and more.

Dash plaques will be awarded to all participants in race and show.

Event Schedule

Friday, August 17:
Auto Locator Grudge Racing Series
Gates Open: 4 PM
Racing: 5 PM until 10 PM (staging lanes close 9:30PM)
Open for Fords, $25 trailered entries
$20 street driven entries
Crew and spectators $10

Saturday, August 18:
Gates Open: 8 AM
Racer tech: 8:30 AM – 4 PM
Car Show Registration: 9:30 AM – 1 PM
Racer Time Trials: 9:30 AM – 4 PM
Rear of Staging Lanes Close: 3:30 PM
Fun Ford Feature Show: 1 PM and 4 PM
Top 20 Picks presented: 3 PM
Gambler’s Race: 5 PM

Sunday, August 19:
Gates Open: 8 AM
Racer Tech (new entries): 8 AM – 9 AM
New entry time run: 9 AM
Car Show Registration: 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Eliminations: 10 AM
Fun Ford Feature Show: 1 PM and 4 PM
Car Show Judging begins: 12 PM
Sunday Car Show Awards: 2:30 PM

Bracket Racing

Quick Ford (B1)
Entry free $50 (2-day) car and driver
$1,200 winner
$500 runner-up
$150 semifinalists
$30 quarterfinalists

Fast Ford (B2)
Entry free $45 (2-day) car and driver
$800 winner
$300 runner-up
$75 semifinalists
$30 quarterfinalists

Street Ford (DOT)
Entry free $35 (2-day) car and driver
$175 winner
$60 runner-up

Mustang Madness (MM)
Entry fee $25 (daily) car and driver
New elimination each day!
4-foot trophy to winner
3-foot trophy to runner-up
2-foot trophies to semifinalists

Tough Truck (TT)
Entry fee $25 (daily) car and driver
New elimination each day!
4-foot trophy to winner
3-foot trophy to runner-up
2-foot trophies to semifinalists

Special Saturday Night Gamblers race
Entry Fee, $25 car and driver, pay at the first floor of the Auto Plus tower
Purse determined on the number of entrants, purse announced at the conclusion of round 1

Fun Ford Weekend: Special Awards

Once again, Fun Ford Weekend will be offering the grassroots racing enthusiast an award and recognition that can’t be earned anywhere else. MustangGuys.com is sponsoring a special award called the “Fastest 5.0 Award” at all 12 of the 2012 Fun Ford Weekend events.

The MustangGuys.com Fastest 5.0 Award will be won by a 5.0-powered Mustang meeting the following requirements:

1. Eligible to any driver of a Ford Mustang entered in the Fast Ford (Electronics) or Quick Ford (No-Electronics) Bracket Classes
2. The Mustang must have a 5.0L displacement engine (please note this fact on your Tech Card)
3. Windsor or Coyote engine
4. Only one power adder is allowed (turbo charger, super charged, or nitrous)
5. The MustangGuys.com decal given each participant their event goodie bag MUST BE DISPLAYED on the car before first round of eliminations
6. The award will be given to the car/driver that meets these specifications and posts the fastest MPH during the first round of eliminations. If there is a tie between more than one racer for the fastest mile per hour, the tie breaker will be closest to dial-in
7. Winner will pose with their MustangGuys.com Fastest 5.0 Award in a picture for event results reporting
8. If you wish to compete for the MustangGuys.com Fastest 5.0 Award, PLEASE BE SURE to note your vehicle’s 5.0 / 302 cid engine displacement on your event Tech Card.

Each event winner will then be featured on the MustangGuys.com web site and will be eligible for a special offer after the race and their recognition.

Fun Ford Weekend 2012 Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge
Rules & Race Format

Overview:
The Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge is designed to provide a fun, safe, high-profile race class for Ford Racing Cobra Jet Mustangs and their owners and race teams within the racing programs at the 2012 Fun Ford Weekend (FFW) Series events. The Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge is one of the “premiere classes” for the event.

The Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge will be run at ALL 12 Fun Ford Weekend events in 2012. Click here for the schedule.

Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge Competition Format
*The class will be run as a competition index, allowing for all Cobra Jet variants to compete.
* The class will be heads up with a staggered start based upon the vehicle’s NHRA natural class index. This is commonly referred to as a Competition Index Class.
* A minimum of four (4) cars must register for the class or it will not be run
* Starting index carries through all rounds – there will be NO index lowering like Competition Eliminator

Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge Fun Ford Weekend Entry Fee:
* Team Entry Fee: $75 per team (team is one race car, driver and up to three (3) crew members

Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge Purse:
* Prizes for the Competition Index Class will be awarded to the winner (a customized Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge jacket). The Runner-up will receive an Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge trophy/wall plaque.

Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge Class Rules:
The class is designed for all Ford Racing Cobra Jet Mustangs to compete. Where applicable, racers with comparably equipped Cobra Jet Mustangs will run in heads-up competition. Racers from different classes will run a Competition Index format. All Cobra Jet Challenge cars must pass their their respective NHRA Stock or Super Stock Tech requirements with the following exceptions;
* Any tire is allowed
* Front passenger seat may be removed
* Rear seat may be removed

All Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge racers must run in their current natural class as determined by current NHRA horsepower factor and NHRA Stock Car Classification weight.

Vehicle Base Weights:
Total vehicle weight minimum with driver is curb weight as listed in the NHRA Stock Car Classification. Stock Car Classification can be found on NHRA.com under Competition. (NOTE: FFW’s Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge does NOT use the 170 lb “driver addition” in weight classification).

See “Example of vehicle weights and elimination run” below.

Tech Inspection:
Participants are subject to tech inspection in accordance with Fun Ford Weekend (FFW) rules. Do not enter your Cobra Jet for competition if you are not prepared to prove the legality and compliance of your vehicle. See FFW General Regulatios and NHRA Rulebook for full details.

Class Safety Requirements:
1) It is the participant’s responsibility to familiarize oneself with the requirements as found in the 2012 NHRA rulebook and 2012 FFW General Regulations.
2) The participant agrees that the participant bears the ultimate responsibility at all times to ensure the safety of the participant’s vehicle and to ensure that participant complies with all applicable NHRA and FFW rules.
3) The participant agrees that participant is in the best position to know about the construction and operation of the participant’s vehicle, equipment and clothing, and whether there has been compliance with all applicable NHRA and FFW rules.

Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge – Spirit of the Rules
Any racer or race team acting outside the “spirit of the rules” for the Aeromotive Cobra Jet Challenge can be disqualified from the event by the agreement of at least two members of the host track Tech Department and an official representative of the Fun Ford Weekend Series, Aeromotive or Ford Racing.

How the races work:
For full Stock Eliminator and Super Stock rules, consult the 2012 NHRA Rule Book.

Example of vehicle weights and elimination run:
Vehicle 1: 2010 4.6L 3V Cobra Jet Stocker coupe automatic – 3,050 lbs. as listed on NHRA.com. This is a natural J Stock Automatic with an index of 12.45 ET.

Vehicle 2: 2008 5.4L Cobra Jet Super Stocker coupe automatic – 3,240 lbs. as listed on NHRA.com. This is a natural Super Stock D Automatic with an index of 10.20 ET.

In Eliminations:
The difference in competition indexes for these two vehicles is 2.25 seconds (12.45 – 10.20 = 2.25)

Vehicle 1 will leave first
Vehicle 2 will leave 2.25 seconds later
The first vehicle to cross the finish line wins the race!

Non-Competition Index Races
Races pairing two Cobra Jet Mustangs in the same class will be run heads-up.

For more information about the Maple Grove Raceway Fun Ford Weekend event, visit their website at: www.maplegroveraceway.com