3/31/2017
Keith Haney
Keith Haney makes difficult decision to miss Radial Revenge race in his hometown
Keith Haney has made the heartbreaking decision to pull out of the Radial Revenge Tour race this weekend at his track, Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park.
Longtime business partner Wayne Cline, who gave Haney his start in the automobile business more than 25 years ago, is participating in a charity golf tournament at Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club in St. Pete Beach, Fla. That tournament, in which Haney and Cline have golfed together for 20 years, was moved three weeks ago to this weekend, forcing Haney to make the difficult decision.
"I've got a lot of drag racing left in me, but I don't have a lot of time with my partner, who is 76 years old," Haney said. "I owe it to him to be with my partner. He's my best friend."
Moving the Radial Revenge Race to another weekend was not an option out of concern for competitors and fans, but Haney pledged that racers and fans will see the best race possible this weekend as the Radial Revenge Tour races for the third time in Tulsa.
"We have a good following of fans and this is one of the most important races of our season, next to the Throwdown in T-Town," Haney said. "We have worked to make this race what it's starting to become, so it's killing me not to be there. I've gone overboard to make sure the event is going to go smoothly. My partner Todd Martin, my general manager Don Ellis -- 'Big Don' -- and the staff at TRP will make it a great event. We've streamlined 100 things to make the racer experience and the fan experience the best that it can be."
Al Tucci and Cliff Parvin will run the tower, and the Tulsa technical staff can handle all the radial cars.
One of those cars will be Enigma, the special drag radial Chevrolet Camaro Haney built for this season. Because Haney loves and believes in the drag radial world, Enigma will still be entered. Co-tuner Brandon Pesz will handle the driving chores this weekend.
"I built a radial car just to get in the radial world with these guys," Haney said. "It's killing me because I want to be the winner of my event. I want to win this race, but Enigma will be there."
Enigma, with Haney driving, became the fastest nitrous car in the drag radial world -- but not the fastest car overall -- at the Lights Out 7 event in February at South Georgia Motorsports Park. A turbo car holds the actual record that Haney wanted for himself, but unfortunately he won't get the chance.
"I want to take the record away, I want to win the race," Haney said. "But you know what? It says 'You Know My Name on the side.' It's the car, not the driver.
"I'll be sipping on adult beverages in Florida, and my iPhone will be stuck to my hand watching the live feed from MotorManiaTV.com."
Fans can watch all the racing action from Tulsa this weekend at MotorManiaTV.com.
The drag radial race was made possible by TRP's numerous marketing partners.
"I owe everything to our marketing partners for believing in us and this race," Haney said. "If it wasn't for them, this race wouldn't have become what
it has become."
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