Fellow Drag Racers, NHRA Premier Crew Chief Tony Shortall and NHRA Funny Car team driver / owner Jeff Diehl have built on an “Ideal Opportunity” to become NHRA Funny Car Team Owners.

The team of Shortall and Diehl, being formally introduced here as Ideal Racing, will make their NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series debut as Funny Car Team Owners on February 11, 2010 at the 50th Annual NHRA Winter Nationals in Pomona, CA.

Jeff Diehl drove for ROCKSTAR Energy Drink in his IHRA Funny Car and also competed in the NHRA as he attended Sonoma, Vegas and Pomona events in the later part of 2009. “The car kept getting better and better every run we made. Tony and I expect a continuation of that same progress at the upcoming NHRA Winter Nationals”.

“Where can we possibly find a better place to start this team than the 50th Anniversary of the NHRA Winter Nationals at Pomona. What we are doing today is no different than what Don Garlits, Don Prudohme and John Force did when they pursued their dreams in their beginnings. Hopefully we can have a glimmer of their success in our future”, said Ideal Racing’s Co-Owner/Crew Chief, Tony Shortall. .

“I’m excited to team up with Tony and do what we have talked many times about doing, starting an NHRA Funny Car Team. We have been friends for a long time and understand what motivates each other, … it’s not complicated… it’s just racing… and that’s how we intend to approach this”, said Ideal Racing’s driver & Co-Owner, Jeff Diehl.

Ideal Racing is currently preparing with their marketing partners for the start of the 2010 NHRA season. Companies interested in value driven marketing please contact Dan Pikarsky of iMagine Marcom (www.iMaginemarcom.com) or Fast Forward Media (Fast Forward Marketing & Media (970) 443-1343) for more information.