Feb. 16, 2010
Woodville, AL - This months www.ThisIsBracketRacing.com guest editorial is penned by 2003 IHRA Stock World Champion & 2008 World Footbrake Challenge Winner & Runner-Up Michael Beard. Michael’s column is available on sportsman racing’s premier online driving school as of Tuesday, February 16th. In his column, which he entitled “The Footbrakers Guide to Reaction Times,” Beard focuses on various portions of starting line strategy. He emphasizes the need for practice, perception, and solid record keeping; and describes several of the variables that racers must compensate for and overcome to establish consistent, competitive reaction times. He also offers several methods by which to compensate for these variables, and includes many of his personal findings over years of experience in bracket and Stock Eliminator combinations.
“So much of what we learn seems obvious after the fact. I drove a stint in a Super Stock car for Texarkana-based engine builder Adger Smith, and he left me with a light-bulb illuminating statement that was intended for the physical construction of a Super Stocker, but every racer needs to apply to driving. He said, “You take every part, and break it down into its smallest component piece, and ask yourself, ‘How do I make that piece better?’”” -Michael Beard
Michael Beard is a well known and respected competitor on the race track, and in various facets of the performance racing industry. Behind the wheel, Beard cut his racing teeth at Beaver Springs Dragway, near his childhood home in Pennsylvania. He first earned national recognition for earning the NHRA Division 1 E.T. Finals crown in 1994 behind the wheel of his familiar Duster. Beard went on to earn a handful of track championships at Beaver Springs before taking on the challenge of Stock Eliminator competition in the IHRA ranks. There, he shined immediately, driving to the 2003 World Championship in his first full year of national competition. He has been a consistent championship contender and top ten finisher ever since.
Michael has also enjoyed immense success in big dollar Footbrake bracket events, highlighted by a career outing at the 2008 World Footbrake Challenge. There, Beard drove his Duck Tape sponsored Stock Eliminator machine to Win & Runner-Up honors on the days final event. He is the only racer in the three year history of the prestigious event to run himself in the final round. He added a second E.T. Finals crown, this time in the IHRA ranks, in 2009 when he dominated the E.T. Finals weekend, winning three of the four events contested.
In addition to his on track success, Beard has a decorated career within the performance automotive industry. He was at the forefront of the internet movement in drag racing, developing his own website, StagingLight.com. He also worked with Phil Burgess to design and develop the fledging NHRA.com, and has a long history with IHRA. Within that body, Beard worked as the director of creative services for several years. During that time, he also acted as Bill Bader’s liaison to sportsman competition, and still continues to pen columns for IHRA’s in house publication, Drag Review Magazine. He is also an experienced announcer, having worked several IHRA events and big dollar bracket races over the last two decades. Beard continues to operate Staging Light Design and Graphics, a company specializing in marketing design and printing within the performance aftermarket community.
For a complete listing of Beard’s accomplishments, view his biography on ThisIsBracketRacing.com.
Michael Beard is excited to have the opportunity to share a portion of his insight with the bracket racing community via ThisIsBracketRacing.com.
ThisIsBracketRacing.com is an instructional website geared toward sportsman drag racers. While the main website is viewable to guests, the meat of ThisIsBracketRacing.com is contained in the membership-only pages, which include a monthly tutorial by Luke Bogacki, in addition to bi-monthly columns from standout sportsman competitors like Michael Beard (additional guest instructor columns come from the likes of Brian Folk, Peter Biondo, Troy Williams, Jr., Jeg Coughlin, Jr., Danny Waters, and Jared Pennington). Bi-Weekly Question and Answer forums are provided for members to clarify points from instructors, and bring forward new questions of their own within the JEGS Q&A forum. Additionally, members have access to the most comprehensive schedule of sportsman racing events available (Including all NHRA & IHRA national, sportsman national, divisional, and ET Finals events; as well as nearly every bracket-style event that boasts a winners purse of $5,000 or more on the entire continent) with the Auto Meter Comprehensive Schedule. Plus, members have access to the unique BTE Power Rankings on ThisIsBracketRacing.com, a points system that ranks competitors based on final round appearances at events within the comprehensive schedule regardless of their sanction or class.
To learn more and join, visit www.ThisIsBracketRacing.com today.
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