Early Exit for Zizzo, PEAK Team No Indicator of Performance at Brainerd

Early Exit for Zizzo, PEAK Team No Indicator of Performance at Brainerd

Topics: Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals

Early Exit for Zizzo, PEAK Team No Indicator of Performance at Brainerd

Brandon Mudd
High Side Media
Zizzo Racing
August 18, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Brandon W. Mudd
PR@HighSideMedia.com

BRAINERD, Minn. – August has been a pretty good month for TJ Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil Top Fuel team.

This weekend’s NHRA Mello Yello Series event at Brainerd International Raceway represents the third-straight race where the Chicago-based team has shown the consistency they’ve long known they are capable of. After qualifying 14th with their lap of 3.852 second Friday, they drew No. 3 qualifier Khalid al Balooshi of Al Anabi Racing. During the first round of qualifying Sunday, Zizzo’s rail hazed the tires, an event that has been rare of late, resulting in an ET of 4.342 seconds and a loss to the native of Qatar.

Zizzo and his team, while disappointed with the loss especially have their semi-finals appearance in Seattle two weeks ago, were still pretty happy with the Jason McCullough-led crew who showed Saturday night why drag racing is a family.

“We had a broken rear end,” Zizzo said after the run. “We had two back ups, but they were what we could consider perfect. The Al Anabi guys and al Balooshi provided a new rear end for us and provided some help with the installation.

“I mean, who does that? Would the Packers provide the Bears with a linebacker if Chicago needed one? Of course not! I love this sport and the people in it. These are good people and I’m proud to race with them.”

As for the run itself, it was another example of the team choosing to err on the side of aggression rather than being too conservative. “We thought we had a set up that would work in track since the air temperature was a little cooler this morning,” Zizzo said. “We struck the tires around half track and that was it. We’ll hold our heads high, knowing we have momentum going into Indy in two weeks.

“We’ll be ready.”

TJ Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil Top Fuel team are racing next at the granddaddy of them all: The Big Go. It’s the 59th Annual Chevrolet Performance US Nationals near Indianapolis. The action kicks off Friday Aug. 30 with a single nitro session at 7 p.m. local time. Double Q sessions resume Saturday with nitro classes running at 4:15 and 7:10 p.m. The final two rounds of qualifying are expected to take place Sunday at 12:45 and 4:40 p.m. Eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Labor Day. For tickets, click HERE.

Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Instagram.com/ZizzoPEAK, Twitter.com/TJZizzo, and Facebook.com/TJZizzo.

-ZR-

About Zizzo Racing:
Zizzo Racing has been involved in drag racing at the top levels for more than 30 years. Based in Lincolnshire, Ill. and owned by Tony Zizzo, the team started racing in 1980 in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, moving to nitro with TJ in 2004 after earning his class license. In 2007, TJ Zizzo finished second in the final IHRA standings and now competes on a part-time basis in the NHRA Full Throttle Series.

About PEAK/Old World Industries:
PEAK® Performance Products are marketed and distributed by Old World Industries, which is among the largest privately held companies competing in the automotive aftermarket. The Northbrook, Illinois based company enjoys a presence in the automotive product markets, energy exploration, and chemical manufacturing in more than 50 countries worldwide. Old World's Product offering includes PEAK® Antifreeze; PEAK® Windshield Wash and Wiper Blades; PEAK® Performance Motor Oil; a full line of PEAK® Electronics; HERCULINER® Truck Bed Liner Kits; and SIERRA®, the safer antifreeze. For more information, please visit www.peakauto.com.