BRAD GRAHAM & FULL THROTTLE TEAM FOILED AT BARRIE

September 9, 2007. On the heals of their best finish of the year, Brad Graham and the Full Throttle /Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team looked to continue that momentum at round ten of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at Barrie Speedway.

The Full Throttle team worked hard to prepare the car and Graham put up the ninth quickest time during qualifying. “We actually could have been even better” said Graham afterwards. “I bumped the motor kill switch and that cost us a few tenths so I know we’ll be good for the race. The driver’s prediction would prove to be accurate.

Through the first third of the event Graham had no trouble maintaining a consistent race pace running up near the front of the field. As pit stops began to cycle through the Full Throttle team worked their way up to the top five.

On the restart following a mid race caution period Brad got an excellent jump on the field and gained several positions, however the judgment from NASCAR officials was that Brad had jumped the start and he would receive a drive through penalty. “I thought I accelerated right at the line where we were supposed to, but they saw it differently” said the driver.

The Full Throttle Dodge would go a lap down shortly after serving the penalty. Undaunted, Graham set out to gain back the ground lost due to the penalty and would get their lap back later in the race. Again running at the same pace as the race leaders Graham began to gain positions.

Another restart later in the race would also prove costly for the Full Throttle team. As the field began to accelerate for the green flag, Graham would have contact with another car. “I was starting to get ready for the green and being on the lead lap I was taking the outside, a lap car was on the inside and he kept riding up higher and higher and I had no place to go” said the frustrated driver.

Graham immediately dived into pit lane but the Full Throttle team found significant damage to the right front suspension and other problems. “A couple of tough breaks really cost us tonight” said Brad afterwards. “Just like last week we were one of the fastest cars out there, we just didn’t get the kind of result we should have in this one”.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team get back in action this coming weekend in the Atlantic Dodge Dealers 300 as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series heads to Riverside Speedway in Nova Scotia on Saturday September 15th. For more information about the series log onto www.nascar.ca and for more news information about the team go to www.bradgraham.ca All 12 races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.

Photo Below: Brad Graham signing autographs for the fans at Barrie Speedway.

BEST FINISH OF THE YEAR FOR BRAD GRAHAM & FULL THROTTLE TEAM

September 2, 2007. In a season that has challenged the resolve of Brad Graham and the Full Throttle /Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team their efforts were rewarded during round nine of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series posting a top-five finish at Cayuga Speedway.

For much of the racing season the Full Throttle team has worked hard to learn the intricacies of their new Hess built race car. It has taken time for the crew to understand how the adjustments made impact the handling and performance of the car but now feel they are on their way.

The Full Throttle team and driver Brad Graham worked diligently during practice to prepare the car but came away with a disappointing qualifying time placing them fifteenth on the starting grid. “I was expecting it to be a long night” said Graham afterwards “but things sure worked out for us in this one”.

Graham maneuvered the Full Throttle Dodge around the 5/8 mile oval and began moving through the field. The driving was aggressive right from the start of the 200 lap main event and quickly turned into a battle of survival. “It was pretty aggressive in the first race of the season here and this one was no different” said Graham afterwards. The cooler evening conditions suited the car and Brad quickly moved the Full Throttle Dodge into the top-ten.

A little before the midway point of the race the Full Throttle team made their scheduled pit stop for fuel and new right side tires and team performed flawlessly returning Graham to the race in the top-ten. “The car was really good with those new tires and just got better, I was faster than some of the cars but when I tried to pass it got a little physical. So I just tried to take my time and pretty soon we were running third.

The physical type of racing continued as the two cars ahead of the Full Throttle Dodge made contact, Graham checked up to avoid the incident and was punted from behind. “After that spin the car we made a pit stop but obviously wasn’t quite as good”. Graham though would return to the battle after service and again move up through the field.

The aggressive driving continued until the very end of the race with two top-runners collected in a last lap incident. Graham avoided the dust up and despite the less than perfect handling car Brad would bring the Full Throttle Dodge to the finish line in fifth position. “To come away with a fifth place in this race obviously we’re pretty pleased” said the driver afterwards. “We’ve made some progress with the car and with all the banging that went on to grab a top-five is great, it gives us a boost for next week”.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team are back in action this coming weekend as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series returns to Barrie Speedway on Saturday September 8th. For more information about the series log onto www.nascar.ca and for more news information about the team go to www.bradgraham.ca All 12 races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.

Photo Below: The Full Throttle Dodge Charger on the starting grid at Cayuga

FULL THROTTLE FURY TEAM FIGHT THEIR WAY FORWARD AT TROIS RIVIERES

August 19, 2007. Brad Graham and the Full Throttle Fury/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team expected to retake their rightful place running up front in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series field as the team prepared for the final road race of the schedule. They would finish just outside the top-ten after a gritty effort by the entire team.

The weekend began with the Full Throttle Fury Dodge team battling through a number of mechanical issues that significantly hampered their ability to put in quality practice and qualifying laps. “It started with clutch problems on Friday” said driver Brad Graham “and then during qualifying we had some issues with the brakes so we were really behind the eight ball for the start of this one”.

The challenges didn’t end there for the Full Throttle Fury team. As the green flag waved to begin racing Graham had issues early on getting the shifter into gear and Brad would turn onto pit lane for assistance. “As I got into pit lane I jammed the car into gear so I just kept going” he stated. The Full Throttle Fury team wasn’t completely aware of the difficulties Brad was experiencing due to radio problems.

The transmission difficulties however were not solved, simply adjusted as Graham found himself stuck in third gear. “I tried to ride it out but at this tough track I just couldn’t keep up with the top guys”. The Full Throttle Fury team took advantage of a caution period to make a pit stop to go underneath the car and free up the shifter. “We were at the back after the stop but once they unstuck the shifter we were able to move up” said the driver.

With a sound car finally underneath him for the first time in the weekend Graham was able to show the potential of the Full Throttle Fury Dodge and gained positions quickly. “The car felt great at that point and we could really show our stuff, I was really happy with how everyone stuck with it and got us going in the right direction”. The Full Throttle Dodge would gain fourteen spots from their starting position just missing out on a top-ten, finishing eleventh.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team are back in action this coming weekend as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series runs the final road course event of the season at the Grand Prix of Trois Rivieres. For more information about the series log onto www.nascar.ca and for more news information about the team go to www.bradgraham.ca All 12 races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.

Photo Below: Full Throttle Fury Car & driver Brad Graham ready to head out.

GREAT EFFORT BY BRAD GRAHAM AND THE FULL THROTTLE TEAM AT MOSPORT

August 12, 2007. Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team were excited to start the second half of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series back on the Mosport Speedway oval with the Full Throttle Energy Drink 200. The ½ mile track can be challenging for drivers, and machinery.

The Full Throttle team hit the track for practice and struggled for speed. Graham and company worked to improve the car for qualifying and came up with the tenth quickest time. As the green flag dropped the Full Throttle Dodge car was a handful and Graham did drop several positions. “We had the car too loose for the start of the race and I just had to hang on for a while” said the driver. “But as the night went on we got much better.”

With the scheduled pit stop for tires and fuel the Full Throttle team also made a handling adjustment to the car and the teams fortunes improved. “The Full Throttle car was much better after the pit stop” said Graham. I really felt a lot more comfortable and we picked up a lot”.

With a better handling race car Graham was able to move the Full Throttle Dodge up through the field first into the top-ten and then into the top-five. “Everything was really going well at that point” said Brad. Our pit stop was completed, we had a good car and I was just staying in touch with the lead bunch to see how much more we could get in the final 50 laps of the race. However the good intentions of the Full Throttle team would not be realized.

Just past the ¾ mark of the race Graham sensed a problem with the Full Throttle Dodge. Just as the caution flag was waving for another incident Graham spun heading into corner one. Unable to get the car back in gear and running he was towed behind the pit wall where the team discovered the severity of the problem. A bracket holding the left rear suspension had failed, their night was over.

“It’s really too bad, we even reinforced that area because some other guys have had troubles but it still broke” said a disappointed Graham. “I feel bad for the huge Full Throttle group that was here tonight, we did our best to put on a good show for them and I’m happy we got up into the top five, we just weren’t able to make it to the end”.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team are back in action this coming weekend as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series runs the final road course event of the season at the Grand Prix of Trois Rivieres. For more information about the series log onto www.nascar.ca and for more news information about the team go to www.bradgraham.ca All 12 races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.

Photos Below: 1. Full Throttle Fury Dodge lined up for qualifying at Mosport. 2. Brad Graham & the Full Throttle Girls posing for pictures with fans during the autograph session.

BRAD GRAHAM AND THE FULL THROTTLE FURY TEAM BUMPED ASIDE IN MONTREAL

August 5, 2007. The brilliant red Full Throttle Fury/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Dodge with Brad Graham behind the wheel were set for another strong road course outing as the team took to the track at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal for the sixth event of the season in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. However other competitors conduct would impact severely on their results.

Through the first practice sessions the Full Throttle Fury Dodge team would work hard to improve the performance of the car. “In the early going we just didn’t seem to have the power in the car we’re used to” said driver Brad Graham. “We tried a few things and it didn’t improve that much and left us a little puzzled”. He added.

Qualifying would prove to be equally puzzling for the Full Throttle Fury team as Brad was only able to muster the fifteenth place starting spot. The team would make significant changes and improvements in advance of the 100km race.

As the race began on the picturesque 4.3km course in Montreal Brad Graham had the Full Throttle Fury car working better than it had all weekend. “The changes we made really improved things” he said. “And I wanted to gain some positions while making sure we saved the car a bit for the end of the race”.

Several full course cautions periods through the first half of the race made it difficult to gain any rhythm or momentum. In the second half of the event Graham moved to within one spot of the top-ten. “After the difficulties we had this weekend getting the speed out of the car and also encountering some clutch problems during the race I thought if we can come out with our second straight top-ten on a road course then the Full Throttle Fury team should be pleased with our effort, unfortunately on the last lap that chance was taken away from us”.

As Graham sought to solidify a top-ten finish another competitor bumped hard into the back of the Full Throttle Fury Dodge sending him spinning to a stop on course. Having lost the clutch earlier in the race Graham was unable to recover and would be classified nineteenth. “The hardest part is this had nothing to do with our effort this weekend, it was totally out of our control”.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team return to oval track action this coming weekend as the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series begins the second half of the season at the ½ mile Mosport Speedway oval on Saturday night. For more information about the series log onto www.nascar.ca and for more news information about the team go to www.bradgraham.ca All 12 races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.

Top-Ten for Brad Graham

July 22, 2007.  Brad Graham and the Full Throttle Fury/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team returned to action for the second half of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series western run on the very tough to handle temporary circuit at Edmonton City Centre Airport and showed their speed all weekend long. 

Right from the first practice session on Friday the Full Throttle Fury Car was performing well.  “It was really a good start for us to run pretty quick right off the truck on Friday” said driver Brad Graham.  With limited track time this really gave us a boost. 

Graham would continue to show well all through the first day of action and post a solid qualifying effort during the afternoon session lining up the Full Throttle Fury Dodge seventh on the starting grid for the main event. 

As the race began Graham took a cautious approach to the 14 turn course made up of airport taxiways and runways.  “Knowing we had a good car the last thing I wanted to do was get too aggressive too early” said Graham. 

Maintaining a solid top-ten position Brad looked to post consistent lap after lap times to keep the Full Throttle Fury Dodge in touch with the lead group.  Unfortunately the conditions during Saturday afternoon’s race were a little different than the qualifying session the day before. 

As the race progressed Graham was having more and more difficulty maintaining his expected race pace.  “We missed the set up on the car” said disappointed driver afterwards.  “It became very difficult to handle the car through some of the corners” 

Graham would use all his skills to bring the Full Throttle Fury Dodge home with a ninth place finish with significant championship points.  “While I’m happy we finished this tough race I can’t help but be a bit disappointed with the result.  We had a fast car all weekend and being off just a little with the set up on the car hurt us or we could have finished even higher.  Top-five was definitely possible”.

Graham battles hard at Sun Valley

July 16, 2007. Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team returned to the sight of their first victory, Sun Valley Speedway near Vernon, BC this past weekend. Graham was hoping to find the same kind of success they’d enjoyed in previous visits.

The weekend started with frustration for Graham and the Full Throttle team as a tight race car allowed them only the 13th quickest qualifying time. “I just couldn’t get the car turned in the corners” said Brad. “We’re still learning some of the characteristics of this new race car, but I’m confident we can be better for the race”. Brad was correct.

As racing began in the BC Dodge Dealers Dodge Avenger 300 Graham began to ease the Full Throttle Dodge up through the field and was soon in the top ten. “The car was handling better to start the race and it continued to improve as things went on”. Brad continued to improve his position and was into the top five with a very good race car.

For the first pit stop the Full Throttle Dodge was running so well they decided not to change tires and only took on fuel. “We decided to wait on the tires because I didn’t have to push the car at all and we were gaining positions” he explained. Graham would continue to gain ground and take over the lead of the race just past halfway on lap 166. “The car was just perfect at that point of the race, I was pushing hard at all” said Brad.

As the race progressed and pit stops cycled through for the teams Graham and the Full Throttle Dodge would have little difficulty maintaining a top-five position. “Knowing the car we had I just wanted to take car of it and be ready for the late stages” said Brad.

Others did not run with the same approach. Between corners three and four Graham would be contacted by another competitor causing handling issues for the Full Throttle Dodge. “That hit really did some damage” said Graham afterwards. “I understand being aggressive sometimes by that kind of move doesn’t show any respect for other competitors”.

Graham would soldier on using all his skills to bring the Full Throttle Dodge home just missing a top-ten finish being scored eleventh. “I’m happy we managed to hang on for that kind of finish but really disappointed as well because we had a really good car tonight” he stated.

CONTACT ERASES A STRONG OUTING FROM BRAD GRAHAM AND THE FULL THROTTLE TEAM

July 2, 2007. Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team worked hard to prepare their car for what would be a grueling event, The Mopar 300 at Barrie Speedway. The third round of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series would not go as well as they’d hoped.

Through the practice sessions Graham and the team worked to improve the set up of the car for the 300 lap main event on the challenging 1/3 mile track. Graham would start the race from the eleventh position, but he didn’t stay there long.

The Full Throttle Dodge proved to be a consistent race car through much of the night. “Early on the key is to stay out of trouble here. 300 laps at Barrie is a really long race. Through the first segment of the race we race well and improved several positions into the top-ten and looked to be in for a good night.

Fortunes can change quickly at Barrie Speedway however. As Brad continued his climb toward the front of the pack, as is often the case at this tight track you become part of other peoples business.

“It’s not hard to find trouble out here” said Brad afterwards. But we got bumped a little on the left front but didn’t have any really serious damage to the car, we were still fast.

Contact from behind later in the race would result in significant damage to the Full Throttle Dodge. “We got clobbered from behind, no fault of our own and that really hurt the car, it was practically uncontrollable after that”. A closer examination after the race would reveal that serious handling issues were the result of a broken sway bar.

“The really hard part about this one is that we were right behind the #4 car and the #17 car when this happened and they finished first and third. I know we would have had a solid finish. The team instead was forced to settle for a 13th place finish.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team return to action in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in Western Canada at Sun Valley Speeedway near Vernon, BC. For more information about the series log onto www.nascar.ca and for more news information about the team go to www.bradgraham.ca All 12 races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.

Photo Below: Fans crowd to see Brad Graham’s Full Throttle Dodge at Barrie Speedway Photo by Todd Lewis

BRAD GRAHAM DEBUTS FULL THROTTLE FURY CAR WITH TOP TEN FINISH

June 18, 2007. Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team were excited to unveil some new colours at round two of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. The brilliant red Full Throttle Fury car stood out with it’s new look and solid on track performance.

The start to the Father’s Day weekend event on the famed Mosport International Raceway road course had the team chasing some mechanical troubles during practice. Those quickly corrected Graham was prepared for a good afternoon in the 200km main event. “If we’re not in the top-ten by the end of the day I’ll be disappointed” he stated prior to the race. Graham’s wish would be realized.

Brad was able to move the Full Throttle Fury Dodge up several positions in the early going. An early caution period slowed the field briefly after only five laps but during a long green flag run afterwards Graham was able to continue his move toward the front of the field. As pit stops began to cycle through Graham would take his turn in the race lead before making his scheduled stop for service.

Just past the halfway point of the race Brad Graham and the Full Throttle Fury team were in the top-ten of a very competitive field of cars. As the race laps wound down Brad felt there was more in the car but the gear selection the team had made for the race was not ideal. “I think we made the wrong choice in gear because running down the long backstretch I could feel the car had plenty of Dodge power, but the gear we were running wouldn’t allow us that little extra we need. Graham would fight hard with several other cars and complete the race in tenth spot.

“I said before the race if we didn’t finish top-ten I’d be disappointed, well we finished tenth and I’m still disappointed” he concluded after the event. “I got held up quite a bit by one car, that and the gear choice our team made both hurt us or I think we certainly would have finished even better. We definitely learned from our experiences this weekend, we’ll be even better when we come back here again”.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team return to action for round three of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, The Mopar 300 at Barrie Speedway on the Canada Day Weekend. For more information about the series log onto www.nascar.ca and for more news information about the team go to www.bradgraham.ca All 12 races this season will also be broadcast on TSN.

Picture Below: Brad Graham & Full Throttle representatives with the Full Throttle Fury car during the autograph session at Mosport International Raceway.

BRAD GRAHAM GOES FULL THROTTLE AT SERIES OPENER, BUT CONTACT ENDS DAY EARLY  

May 27, 2007.  Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts team had worked hard to prepare a new race car for the challenges of the new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series.  It looked like their hours of effort in preparation would be rewarded with a solid finish at the Dodge Dealers 200, the first ever series event at Cayuga Speedway.  However contact would end their day early. 

The Full Throttle Dodge team worked hard on handling through the practice sessions of leading up to the opening round of the season.  Graham was disappointed with his qualifying time, only 17th fastest but felt the car was improving.  “These guys have worked really hard and we did struggle with the set up, but I was confident that we were getting closer and that the Full Throttle Dodge would be a fast car for the race”.  Graham was correct in his prediction.  

While Brad needed to be patient early on, the Full Throttle Dodge continued to improve as the laps clicked away in the Dodge Dealers 200.  “With our starting spot we knew that pit strategy was going to be important and while some of the other cars came in we stayed on track.  The car was starting to come to me as we went on and pretty soon we found ourselves up near the front”.   

As the car improved and other competitors cycled through pit stops Graham was soon in the top five.  The race was littered with caution periods, and just past halfway Graham and the Full Throttle Dodge would restart from a yellow situation in second spot.  However their fortunes would turn quickly.  Bumped from behind Graham and the Full Throttle Dodge were spun in corner one.  “That was unfortunate, but we had to pit anyway so we made the best of the situation” said Graham.   

The Full Throttle Team Dodge would make their first stop for service. They followed that up with right side tires and fuel to take them the distance.  “At that point we had fresh tires and the car was handling pretty well so we set out for the front again” said the driver. 

Graham and the Full Throttle Dodge were charging back through the field and were back inside the top-ten, up to eighth, when misfortune struck again.  “We were battling for position and got bumped in the left front and just because of the way it hit the spindle broke” said a frustrated Graham afterwards. “It’s a shame because the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Dodge was the best it had been all day.  We were going to have a good finish”.

Brad Graham and the Full Throttle/Challenger Motor Freight/Logel’s Auto Parts Team return to action for round two of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at Mosport International Raceway in mid June.  For more information about the series log onto www.nascarlocalracing.com.  And to keep up with the team go to www.bradgraham.ca  All races will also be broadcast on TSN.

Picture Caption:  Brad Graham signs autographs prior to Dodge Dealers 200 at Cayuga Speedway.