2012 Review and 2013 Preview

We're into our final weeks of 2012, and as we look forward to the coming year, we reflect on the past one.

The loss of one of our founders, Paul Barrentine, in the first weeks of January was a difficult event.  Since the beginning, he helped build our company and watched over its growth.  As a result, we've all needed to grow to attempt to fill the large area of responsiblities that he held.  In 2013, I think we are all ready to make him very proud.

 

Dad and I

We contined to have a lot of success with our wide range of transmission and torque converter products in 2012.  We shipped more transmission hard parts in 2012 than ever before to our end user racers, performance transmission re-builders, and other companies in our industry.  Our new powerglide valve bodies, oil pumps, and all new Opel style 8" torque converters, continued to win races all around the world, and do it using 100% new manufactured parts.  Unlike so many of our competitors, we make most of our products in our Mississippi manufacturing facility.  Thank you to everyone for trusting us with your racing needs.

 

Luke's Bogacki's Super Gas roadster

Congratulations to all of the racers who used our products in 2012 and found themselves in the winner's circle.  There are literally too many to list in this blog posting.  But we thank all of you, and we look forward to helping your racing teams in years to come.  In addition, we want to congratulate all of the racing series with which we have long term partnerships: The BTE World Footbrake Challenge, The Hunstville Engine King of the Coast Series, The Ohio Crankshaft Nationals, and many other weekly programs at hometown tracks across the country.

 

BTE 401600 Aluminum TH400 Transbrake

We're laying the ground work for the 2013 season at this very moment.  Our gear hobbers and CNCs are running at full speed to produce new TH400 shafts, gears, and other parts.  We will continue to produce our wide selection of powerglide parts, but be ready for some new housing and gear set options before the summer arrives!

We at BTE / Memphis Performance wish everyone a happy holiday and a successful new year.  Thank you for supporting us.  We will see you all in 2013!

Luke Bogacki Earns Third NHRA National Event Title of the Season in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV: Luke Bogacki, driver of the ThisIsBracketRacing.com Super Comp dragster and Super Gas Corvette, took home his third NHRA national event trophy of the 2012 season and the fifth of his career at last weekend’s NHRA Big O Tires Nationals in Las Vegas, NV.  There, he wheeled his American Race Cars built machine to the victory with a final round triumph over Greg Boutte.  Bogacki left the starting line with a near perfect .005 reaction, and held off Boutte for the win, 9.081 to 9.087 (9.05 index).

“This is another highlight to what has turned into an incredible season,” Bogacki said.  “Honestly, I don’t feel like I did a great job of driving in Super Comp this weekend; but my car really pulled me through.  It was nearly flawless, and I caught a lot of breaks.  I don’t care what anyone says, you need that to win in this category.”

Bogacki began his march to victory with wins over Rick Beckstrom, Jodi St. Arnaud, Raquel Roper and Steve Swenson.  He needed a perfect 9.050 to hold off former national event winner Justin Morgan in the quarterfinal round, and knocked off Larry Marshall in the semi-finals before squaring off with Boutte.  The win marked Bogacki’s third NHRA national event crown of the season, and first in Super Comp (he earned Super Gas honors in Houston and Brainerd).  In fact, the victory was his first all season in his ThisIsBracketRacing.com dragster.

“I’ve actually got the dragster sold,” Bogacki said.  “I got a deposit on it this weekend in Vegas, and the new owner gets it turn-key after Pomona.  My wife reminded me that I hadn’t won in that car all season.  It’s been such a good car for me over the last few years, I really wanted to send it off with a victory before the season ended.  I just got fortunate that it fell into place here!”

The Luke Bogacki Motorsports team will take delivery of two new American Race Cars dragsters in early December.  Luke will drive a new 2013 model in Super Comp next season, and assemble the second car for his wife, Jessica, who will compete mainly at the bracket level.

The car that Luke drove to victory in Las Vegas is a 2010 model American Race Cars chassis powered by a Huntsville Engine & Performance 632 cubic inch engine.  The powerplant features an aluminum block and 12* cylinder heads from BRODIX, along with Wiseco Pistons, Crane cam and lifters, a Milodon oiling system, and an APD “throttle stop” carbueretor and belt driven fuel pump.  Lucas Oil lubricates the internals, which are surrounded by a J&J Performance engine diaper.  The engine burns Renegade 116+ racing fuel that is exhausted through Hedman Hedders with Nitroplate coating.  A BTE powerglide transmission and torque converter feed power through a Moser Engineering rear end assembly and axles to Mickey Thompson Tires thanks to an Ohlins shock.  Bogacki monitors the combination with an Auto Meter multi-function data logger, and controls its speed (the car is capable of high-6-second ET’s) with a K&R Performance Engineering “Pro-Cube” Delay Box, Dixie Shift Solenoid, and Dedenbear throttle stop. The combination is topped off by a K&N hood scoop and filters, along with paint from Todd’s Extreme Paint.  Additional components include ISC Racer’s Tape, an AirTek air pressure monitor, B&M Pro-Bandit shifter, and port work by Frankenstein Racing Heads.  The team also enjoys support from DragRaceResults.com, Nitrous Express, and Charlie Stewart Race Cars.  Nearly every component on each of the LBM team machines is available at JEGS.com.

Luke wished to recognize his major marketing partner, ThisIsBracketRacing.com, along with associate partners Tinsley Drilling and Company, C.A.R.S. Protection Plus, Bill Taylor Enterprises, Advanced Product Design, Mickey Thompson Tires and Wheels, and JEGS for their continued support.

This weekend, Luke will continue with week 2 of his season-ending western swing at the NHRA Division 7 LODRS event in Las Vegas.  He comes into the event ranked 3^rd in the NHRA standings in both Super Comp and Super Gas.  The race marks the final LODRS event of the 2012 season, and Bogacki enters with a mathematical shot at the Lucas Oil Championship in Super Comp, as well as an opportunity to finish 2^nd in the Super Gas chase.

“The divisional race is certainly the reason I made the trip out here,” Bogacki said.  “I’ve got a shot in Super Comp, but it’s a longshot.  Basically, I have to make the final round of the event, and I have to get some help in the form of the other contenders falling early in eliminations.  Like I said, it’s a longshot.  But it’s almost a pressure-free situation, because I’m certainly not the favorite.  Regardless of the outcome, I’ve had a great season and it’s a lot of fun to get this deep into the year and still be in the championship conversation.”

After the final LODRS event of the season in Las Vegas, Bogacki plans to continue on to Pomona, CA for the season-ending AAA Auto Club NHRA Finals.

Luke Bogacki Motorsports Prepares for 2012 NHRA Season

Luke Bogacki Motorsports Prepares for 2012 NHRA Season

 

Carterville, IL: Luke Bogacki recently took delivery of a new Charlie Stewart Race Cars ‘63 Corvette bodied roadster. Upon completion, the machine will accompany the team’s 2010 American Race Cars dragster along an aggressive schedule of NHRA Full Throttle and Lucas Oil Series events as Bogacki pursues the NHRA Lucas Oil Championship in both Super Comp and Super Gas.

 

Bogacki is best known for his on-track success away from the national tour; he’s made his living competing in big dollar bracket events for nearly a decade. His only season-long pursuit of an NHRA title came in 2010, when he earned the NHRA Division 2 Championship in both Super Comp and Stock Eliminator and led the national Super Comp standings late in the season before being overtaken by Gary Stinnett. Bogacki finished the season ranked 2^nd in Super Comp and 6^th in Stock eliminator.

 

“I learned a lot in 2010,” said Bogacki. “The season and our chase of the NHRA championship really made me respect the racers that do it year after year, and always seem to finish near the top of the standings. Competing for a championship is a grind; it’s grueling physically, mentally, and financially. It seemed like we pieced things together and patched things up all season. Although we had a great year on the track, all I had to show for it was a worn out mind and body, and a depleted bank account. I told myself I’d never do it again unless I had all the pieces in place. Last season, we took a year off and bracket raced almost exclusively. The year gave me an opportunity to reflect and think about what I really wanted to do, and to start putting those pieces in place to step into the NHRA wars with the best team we could possibly assemble. I’m confident that we’ve done that, and we’ll chase the NHRA tour with great focus in 2012.”

 

Bogacki’s Super Comp and Super Gas machines will sport signage for major sponsor ThisIsBracketRacing.com, an instructional website for sportsman competitors designed and run by Bogacki himself. In addition, the team will feature associate marketing partnership from Tinsley Drilling and Company, C.A.R.S. Protection Plus, Advanced Product Design, JEGS, Bill Taylor Enterprises, and Mickey Thompson Tires.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“APD, Mickey Thompson, JEGS, and BTE have been a huge part of our race team for a long time,” said Bogacki. “I’m happy to have them along for the ride in 2012 and the years to come. You won’t see much change in those relationships, except that we will be stocking APD products on the trailer, and I’ll be an at-track sales rep for APD carburetors and fuel systems. Tinsley Drilling & Company is new to the team this season, and I’m tickled to have the opportunity to work with Neil and Joanna Tinsley and their family. We met at one of our TIBR ‘Live’ schools last year and hit it off instantly. They’re great people who share our passion for sportsman drag racing. I really look forward to working with them in 2012 and beyond.”

 

“C.A.R.S. Protection Plus is quickly becoming a household name in sportsman drag racing,” he continued. “C.A.R.S. is a company that specializes in used car warranties, and they offer the most comprehensive and affordable services on the market. Anyone can purchase a C.A.R.S. Protection Plus warranty for any vehicle, you just have to go through an authorized C.A.R.S. dealer. For more information, visit www.CarsProtectionPlus.com.”

 

Luke Bogacki Motorsports will depend on several manufacturers exclusively for products used within the racing team. Obviously American Race Cars and Charlie Stewart Race Cars are the team’s chassis builders of choice as manufacturers of Bogacki’s Super Comp Dragster and Super Gas Corvette Roadster, respectively. All team vehicles are powered by engines built by the professionals at Huntsville Engine & Performance in Huntsville, AL using BRODIX cylinder heads, engine blocks, and intake manifolds exclusively. Luke Bogacki Motorsports machines feature Moser Engineering axles, center sections, and the companies new line of brake kits. Both of the team’s NHRA entries are outfitted with Auto Meter’s “Stack” Multi-Function Data Logger and accessories. Lucas Oil is the exclusive lubricant of Luke Bogacki Motorsports.

 

The team looks to complete the new CSRC roadster by late-March and begin testing in hopes of making their NHRA debut at the Texas Motorplex LODRS event April 20-22 before continuing south to Houston Raceway Park for the NHRA O’Reilly Spring Nationals the following weekend. In total, the team will attend 9 NHRA Full Throttle Series National events and 8 Lucas Oil Division Series Events in pursuit of an NHRA Lucas Oil Championship in 2012.

 

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but the ball is rolling in the right direction and I’m extremely excited about the season,” said Bogacki.

 

In addition to the marketing partners listed above, Luke Bogacki Motorsports also depends on products and services from a host of quality manufacturers, including: K&N Engineering, Ohlins Shocks, Wiseco Pistons, Renegade Racing Fuels, Hedman Hedders, K&R Performance Engineering, B&M, Todd’s Extreme Paint, J&J Engine Diapers, Frankenstein Cylinder Heads, Nitrous Express, DragRaceResults.com, Nitroplate, Milodon, ISC Racer’s Tape, Paintchip Designs, Dedenbear, and Dixie Racing Products.

 

 

Paul Barrentine 1953-2012

On Monday, January 16th, we lost our founder, Paul Barrentine.   He passed away suddenly, surrounded by his family and friends.  He worked in this industry since 1983, founded Memphis Performance, and co-founded BTE.  


Memorial services for Paul Barrentine will be held 2 PM Tuesday, January 24th, at the Collierville Funeral Home, 534 West Poplar Avenue , Collierville, Tennessee. Everyone is welcome. We all really appreciate your phone calls, messages, and emails

We will end our business day early on the 24th, at noon, to honor his memory.