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Jody and Mike Represent the UDRA at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show
December 2006.
As a board member with the UDRA, newly elected president Steve Skiniotes, treasurer-Jody Gucwa and I represented the UDRA at the 2006 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando Florida. We spoke with many track owners, industry people and racers over the three day event and came away with some good racing event prospects for the 2007 race season.
We are still actively seeking sponsors / partners for the 2007 racing year.
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Etter Motorsport Places Second in the 2006 UDRA Funny Car Category
October, 2006.
We attended the UDRA annual meeting and awards presentation in Angola,Indiana. A new president was elected, Steve Skiniotes, who has been a long time UDRA member and the secretary for the UDRA was voted in and has some great plans for the future of the UDRA. We received our 2nd place trophy and cheque and enjoyed a great weekend of friendship and camaraderie with our fellow racers and association members. We also received our funny car chassis back from Hal Canode's racecars with a new front half at the same time. Canode chassis has been a mainstay in the industry for a number of years and well respected for his innovative designs, excellent quality of workmanship and fair pricing. He did an awesome job on our chassis and I can't wait to take it for its first run down the quarter mile.
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Etter aims to bring crown back to Canada Autosports
By Tim Miller
The Hamilton Spectator(Nov 2, 2006)
Brantford resident Mike Etter just returned from Indiana, where he attended the United Drag Racers Association banquet.
Campaigning in an alcohol-fuelled Funny Car, Etter took second in the UDRA series this year with this smaller Midwest-U.S. sanctioning body that travels throughout these states and makes a couple of yearly trips into southern Ontario.
He won the title in 2005. And this year he was beaten by about half a car length by Michigan's Jody Gucwa, who took second last year.
"I'd like to bring the championship back to Canada next year," Etter said earlier this week.
But Etter, who is one of only a handful of Canadians to acquire his "fuel" license (the top two drag-racing classes, Top Fuel Dragster and Fuel Funny Car, are powered by nitromethane and are the quickest cars of the sport), is trying to return to the upper echelon of drag racing, and he has done his homework on costs and logistics to field a car in 2007.
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) brought back Fuel Funny Cars this year, and while there are several good teams, Etter believes with a little diligence and luck, he could be a contender in this popular class,
"If I was as wise with a fuel motor in my present car chassis as I am with the alcohol motor, I'd be in the black," he explained. "If I run a 5.20-second pass, I could get to the quarter final in IHRA racing."
Etter went on to say that the outfit sponsoring the IHRA Funny Car series, Torco Fuels, provides the nitro fuel for the class competitors, plus pays the race entry fees for car, driver and crew. "If I could make a couple of qualifiers at an IHRA meet, and even if I lost first round of eliminations, I could still make $10,000."
At present, Etter estimates to run a strong pass costs $300 to $400, and this would be significantly higher with a fuel car. As an example, a gallon of alcohol he runs in his present car is about $4.50. The nitro is $20 a gallon, and 15 to 18 gallons is consumed each race. But as Etter points out, the series sponsor covers this cost.
Getting the engine and related equipment to use the nitro is another matter. Right now he has the nucleus of a car that could be built into a fuel car, including a heavier car body that is built to withstand the 300-plus m.p.h. speeds for the quarter mile.
Etter believes he could build up one of these 7,000-horsepower engines, along with the necessary different clutch setup and stronger drivetrain for about $50,000.
"Then I'd have a perfectly good and legal car. I could go to half the 12 IHRA national meets and be competitive enough to make the program."
A former auto tech teacher at MohawkCollege, Etter now travels to his Mississauga office as a preventative maintenance schedule consultant, working with vehicle fleets. "It's a big long phrase for telling people when to change their oil," he mused.
Whether he stays with his present alcohol-based engine, or goes to the nitro powerplant, the costs of running a Funny Car are high. Etter cited some examples such as the rear slicks, which are good for 12 to 16 runs, cost $1,100 a pair. Engine parts such as connecting rods cost anywhere between $90 and $135 each, and eight are needed, and last only between 16 and 30 passes. A new car body, with no paint or interior panels, costs about $9,000.
A smaller item like spark plugs are a bargain at $2.50 each, but a car will go through six sets of plugs over a race meet, for $120.
With a nitro engine, an 80-gallon per minute (your average car has a six-eight gallon per minute) fuel pump costs about $4,500, and the mandated engine restraints to keep the engine from flying all over the track if it blows up adds another $2,000 to the total.
Even with all these additional costs, Etter believes he could be running this top class next year. But he's says he's not going to lose any sleep over his project.
"If nothing else, I'll put my car back together and go UDRA and match racing," he said. "I don't have the wallet for the IHRA, and if something clicks, then we'll try and put together the nitro deal."
tmiller@mountaincable.net
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Being #2 and the UDRA Runner-up isn’t so bad...
Mike Etter: October 6th, 2006
... especially if #1 ends up being your good friends from Reflexions Racing.
The Nerves of Steel Team had been leading the UDRA Funny Car points for most of the season and going into the BAR’S LEAKS FUNNY CAR NATIONALS at US 131 Dragway in Michigan it was a tight race. But in the end, my good friends George, Jody, Kenny, and Randy of Reflexions Racing passed us in points and claimed the 2006 UDRA Funny Car title.
This was a complete 180 from last year where we were first and they came in second. This goes to show you how close the racing is in the UDRA
Anyway, I’ll update you more on our last few races shortly. In the meantime, congratulations to the Reflexions Racing Team, and we’ll do a “Best 2 out of 3” in 2007 !!!!!
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IHRA Canadian Nationals at Toronto Motorsports Park
Arn Kashino: July 22nd, 2006
Mike and the team decided not to run the IHRA Canadian Nationals this year and instead, focus on repeating our championship win in the UDRA for our 2006 sponsors. That being said, it didn’t mean we as a team wouldn’t try to help others out this year and we offered our assistance out to a number of teams coming to Toronto.
 We actually ended up helping one of our long time friends in the Top Fuel Dragster series, Roger Dean out of Webster Springs, West Virginia, when he called out of the blue asking for some equipment help and manpower. Roger is a friend that we just couldn’t say “No” to, so off we went on Friday evening to meet up with Roger and his main man, Ed Burgers from Wingham, Ontario, only to get rained out, and eventually have the entire event postponed until September 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. (Roger’s car is seen at left)
We also finally got a chance to meet up with KonRodz racing team owner and fellow Canadian Spiro Kontos, his driver Smax, an d Mike Kirk, his crew chief. Awesome looking car that like Roger Deans ended up sitting in the pits waiting for the rain to stop. We had loaned Spiro a clutch finisher and Spiro was very grateful. One thing I found out is that Spiro is a heck of a nice guy and not afraid to say "thanks". The racing world is competitive, but we're also very close and teams do help each other quite a bit believe it or not
We eventually fired up the engine after we learned that the event was cancelled. Roger wanted to put on a show for the fans that stayed, and what a show we did!! If you’ve ever been near a 9,000 HP Nitro Fueled engine, then you know that the exhaust is somewhat akin to tear gas, mace, and pepper spray. We cleared out the pit area for the most part just by the shear noise of the engine and Roger “blipping” the throttle for effect, but then the fumes hit. Roger and I were the only two wearing full face respirators so Ed and the others had to bail out coughing, gagging, and full of pepper spray tears. Some fans were yelling and screaming with joy and trying to see who could last the longest. Others tried to find clean air up-wind and wipe the stream of tears from their eyes.
After the show, they came back cheering, and Roger‘s daughter Sarah got to proudly sell more of her fathers T-shirts.
Yes, Etter Motorsports and the Nerves of Steel team didn’t get the car to the race this year, but as a team, we’re also there for our friends and fellow racers whenever they need help.
Racing is competitive, but it’s also a sport where friends are made, life long friends, and if ever a friend is in need of help, all they have to do is call Mike and we’ll be there.
Arn
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Luskville, Quebec- Supercharged Thunder Nationals
Mike Etter: July 10th, 2006
Hello Race Fans,
Etter Motorsports received a request to go to Arnie Malcolms track in Luskville, Quebec about 45 minute North West of Ottawa, our nations capital, for a Canada Day weekend race, his Supercharged Thunder Nationals. Four Funny Cars showed up to compete as well as 3 pro mods. Saturday we had two sessions on the challenging 1/8th mile course and again qualified second out of the four Funny Cars. Arnie always puts on a great show and constantly keeps the crowd on the edge of their seats with his colorful commentary. While we serviced the car a number of spectators came by to watch and ask questions. One nice young couple, Alexandra and Remy, were very interested and hung around for a couple of hours to watch us work and learn about how this mechanical beast works. We had him sit in the car and took pictures of him and his girlfriend and eventually we parted company and wished each other well. We put the car in the trailer for the night, and by 10 pm were watching the storm clouds roll in. It has been a few years since I saw rain being blown sideways, yes, it was that windy and I thought I might see some kids and small farm animals blow by. We were on high enough ground that we didn't get flooded out and by 11am the next morning the track was dry enough to start sending bracket cars down it. The weather put a damper on the crowd so Arnie asked all of us to make one run on Sunday and we all received very good compensation for our weekend efforts. I'd like to thank Arnie Malcolm, his family and the track personnel for a great time and also a special hello to "MIKE!", it was great to see you again! We left the track around 5pm after another good meal and the only downer throughout the whole weekend came on the ride home, we blew a tire on the truck just East of Gananoque but put the spare on and still were home in the driveway by 1:30 a.m.
L’équipe désire aussi faire parvenir des « remerciements » aux francophones du nord de l’Ontario, de l’est de l’Ontario, et les partisans québecois qui sont venus nous visiter au puits de ravitaillement et nous voir participer à la course de cette fin de semaine. Nous avons rencontré beaucoup d’entres vous et tenons à vous remercier de nous supporter et ce, même avec notre français très limité. Sincères remerciement à Rémy, Alexandra, Marc, Julie, Geneviève et Paul. La fraternité et l’hospitalité que nous avons reçu chaque fois que nous venons à Luskville Dragway, nous a toujours permis de nous sentir chez nous et c’est ce qui nous encourage à y revenir chaque année. Un grand nombre d’entres vous ont pris des photos de l’équipe et des voitures. Si vous pourriez nous les faire parvenir, il nous fera plaisir de les placés sur notre site web.
Alexandra and Remy, if you read this, please contact me so that I can e-mail some pictures to you both !
Mike
PS: Hopefully the French content here is at least understandable, but we had to try - Webmaster
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Norwalk, Ohio- UDRA Funny Car Fox Hunt
Mike Etter: June 29th, 2006
Norwalk Ohio-May 27/06. After a long foggy drive we arrived at one of the best tracks that the IHRA has to race on. We prepared the Pure Insanity Olds Firenza for the one shot qualifying session. Also along with the other 12 Funny Car drivers and the show vehicle drivers we had a great autograph session for the fans. Bill Bader Jr. and the track staff had the racing surface prepared so well that you could easily walk right out of your shoes if they weren't tied tight. Unfortunately, the heavy trucks that led the parade actually pulled up some of the asphalt down track. That was repaired but also due to the torrential rains that had fallen in previous days, water was seeping up through the track surface after the 1/8th mile as well. For reasons of safety we raced 1/8th mile which was fine by everyone. We qualified 2nd and went to the semi-finals against Todd Veney of NHRA fame. Todd was debuting his new car and this was a perfect venue for him to get a handle on the car. We left together and when I shifted into second gear the car shook the tires so bad I got over and touched the centerline boundary and took a couple of foam cones out. No damage to the car but that finished us for the day. The good thing is, this is the second UDRA event and according to the funny car director, Hal Canode, we are in 1st place in the points series as there have been two different winners, two different runner ups and two different semi-finalists. I guess there's something to be said about consistency! We have a little break now until August 12th when we'll be trying to continue our successes at Kil-Kare Raceway in Xenia, Ohio and the following week August 19/06 at US41Dragway in Morocco, Indiana. The final race of the UDRA series will be contested at US31 Raceway at Martin, Michigan on Sept. 16/06 as the schedule stands right now.
Stay tuned for more action in the weeks to come!
Mike
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Toronto Motorsports Park- UDRA Funny Car Fox Hunt
Mike Etter: June 3rd, 2006
After a long winter and a lot of work by the team and myself we lit the Firenza up on May 19th and got everyone excited about our first race of the season at Toronto Motorsports Park the next day, May 20th. It was the Funny Car Fox Hunt with 9 U.D.R.A. Funny Cars present. A few of us made shakedown passes and found the traction great in both lanes for 61 feet and almost non-existent after that. The track crew went to work and got the track glued up better while we had an autograph session for the fans and a radio interview on K97 FM. We Qualified #2 with a soft tune up 6.26 @ 237 mph and went to the semi-finals when a 50 cent bolt broke and caused the driveshaft coupler to disconnect from the transmission just off the starting line. We were quite happy with our performance as we had a new intake system and supercharger on the car. By the end of the night it felt like winter was back in town and there were a few tents and tarps blowing away towards lake Erie.
I would like to thank Lorraine Bergstrand and Neil Armstrong for the opportunity to race again at my home track.
During the week we serviced the car and found # 2 piston had gotten too hot and sunk the dome on it and only 2/3rds of the clutch was grabbing. Everything was repaired, some adjustments made and we're ready to go for the following weekend for our second UDRA event on May 27th at Norwalk Raceway Park in Norwalk Ohio. We set up and got ready for our one shot qualifying session, had a great turnout for the autograph session, warmed up the racecar, did the parade for the fans and got ready to race. Due to a very high water table from torrential rains for most of the week leading up to raceday, water was seeping up on the track past the eighth mile where the cement ends and the asfault begins. The track crew did a great job of drying the track but for safety reasons it was decided and agreed upon that we would run 1/8th mile instead of the full 1/4. Again we qualified # 2 with an even larger field of cars (13) with a 4.04 E.T. @ 185.00 mph and went to the semifinals against Todd Veney. We took the left lane and at the top of 1st gear the car got loose and shook the tires really bad. I wound up taking out two or three reflector cones when I bounced over to the center line with the right side of the car which eliminated me but no damage to the car.
I had the pleasure of meeting Connie and Jim Shaw that day as well. The companies that Connie and I work for are business associates and we have had many phone conversations over the years. It's nice to be able to put a face with a name! They are great people and serious drag racing enthusiasts.
I would like to thank Bill Bader Sr. and Jr. for a great day of racing and I hope we can be part of their future entertainment plans.
As it stands right now, with two semifinal finishes we are sitting in the # 1 position in UDRA points according to Hal Canode our Funny Car circuit director.
I think that was a pretty cool news to celebrate my 54th birthday with on the 28th of May!
I made a decision back in January that we will race only if we're fairly successful and don't break more parts than I have and so far we have done quite well. Our next event will be a match race at Luskville Dragway just North of Ottawa in Quebec at Arnie Malcolm's track on the July long weekend. He puts on a great show for the fans and it's a pretty decnt 1/8th mile racetrack. Hope to see you there!
There are two more UDRA Funny Car events after that which at this time are tenative. Kilkare Raceway in Xenia Ohio, August 12th and mid-Sept. at Martin Michigan to wrap up the UDRA season and points championship.
Mike
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HAPPY 54th BIRTHDAY MIKE !!!
The Team: May 28th, 2006
Yes, another race season has come, and another opportunity has arisen to wish Mike another Happy Birthday.
If you’d like to send Mike your best wishes on his 54th birthday, send him a note at mike.etter@gmail.com
It wasn’t long ago that the team, though in its infancy got to wish Mike a happy 50th and let him know that he’s been around for 1/2 a century and that AM radio, black and white television, drum brakes, carburetors, bias ply tires, and “stubbies” were the norm.
Home computers, 8 track tapes, beta video, and satellite anything had still to be invented, not to mention at lot of the technology we use on the track and the materials involved.
Not that we think he’s old, but we do like to make fun of him whenever we can. This is one of the reason’s we race, to have fun on the track and off, and so does Mike.
So, this all being said, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE AND WE WISH YOU A FANTASTIC YEAR !!!
The Team
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2005 UDRA Funny Car Champions !!!
Mike Etter - December 30th, 2005
The team has been notified that we are the official 2005 UDRA Funny Car Champions!
The official posting is on the UDRA Website at www.udra.com.
Thanks to our sponsors, partners, friends and family for all of their support this year.
We couldn’t have done it without you !!
Mike
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A Surprise During Testing, and Our Happy Holidays to you !
Mike Etter - December 24th, 2005
The team and I have been busy at the shop getting things taken apart and checked out for 2006. We’ve also been pounding the computer searching for partners for 2006, so I’m a little late getting you new “News” from us. The good news is that the cars are looking good, and we’re feeling GREAT !
Earlier in the fall, in an ongoing effort to gain more track time and to learn how our new backup car handles, and what it needs for improved performance (as well as getting that final adrenalin rush before the snow flies), we contacted Lorraine Bergstrand, Track Manager at Toronto Motorsports Park to book some track time. Lorraine has been a funnycar fan for quite some time and gave us the opportunity to show our "stuff" on Sunday Oct. 02/05 during the Canadian Superstock / Stock Finals race.
Having been recently promoted to her position, we also wanted to introduce her to the United Drag Racers Association, which we are proud supporters of, and thought we’d give her an example of what kind of show we can provide.
We managed to put two laps on the car with the final run being the all time best for this car to date, a 6.06 e.t. @ 233.85 mph.
On behalf of Etter Motorsports and Team Nerves of Steel, I would like to thank Lorraine and the great people at Toronto Motorsports Park for the opportunity. We look forward to seeing all of you again in 2006!
Between time trials we found some excessive cylinder leakage on three cylinders and upon further post race teardown we found some pinched piston rings and slightly sunk pistons. Although that's not really good news, in one respect it does prove that had the engine been sealing properly, our last pass would have been in the 5.9 second zone with more to go!
From all of us at Etter Motorsports we’d like to thank our fans, friends, family, and sponsors for all of their support over these last three exciting years.
Have a safe and happy holiday season, and we’ll see you at the track in 2006!
Mike
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Partnership Update
Arn Kashino - December 4th, 2005
WE'RE LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS AND SPONSORS FOR THE 2006 IHRA and UDRA National Drag Racing Season !!!
If you or somebody you know would like to do some creative marketing of a company’s services or products in Canada and/or the USA, get in touch with us at Etter Motorsports.
We're now offering prime placement of a company’s logo and banner on the Nerves of Steel Funny Car, Team Transporter (We get thousands of highway viewing miles on this alone), and Team Uniforms. Depending upon the level of partnership, we will make the car and team available for various company events.
The race season is attended by thousands, and reaches even more through Speedvision cable programming, and in print through various magazines and online websites covering this huge sport.
The company can be Canadian OR American, it doesn't matter.
For more information, click here or get in touch with Arn Kashino at arn.kashino@gmail.com for more information.
You can also read an excellent article on racing sponsorship by Bruce Biegler further on in our NEWS Section
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