4/3/2018
Keith Haney
Haney Wins Radial Revenge in Tulsa with Track Record Run
Veteran drag racer Keith Haney saved his best for last Mar. 31, during Radial Revenge Tour 2018 at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway Park. Driving “Enigma,” his nitrous-boosted 2016 Camaro, Haney covered the eighth mile in 3.75 seconds at 197.86 mph to set a new track elapsed time record while leading stripe-to-stripe for the win over Tim Slavens in the Radial vs. the World final.
Slavens ran 3.78 at 212.26 in his twin-turbocharged ’69 Camaro for a close runner-up finish. The track ET record prior to the Radial Revenge event was 3.79 seconds, with Slavens and Haney trading it back-and-forth five times throughout qualifying and eliminations.
“Yeah, I treed him by over two hundredths (of a second) and never looked back; never saw him the whole way down,” said Haney, a local businessman who co-owns the Tulsa track with Todd Martin, as well as several new car dealerships in the Tulsa area. “It felt good and I knew it was on a good pass, too, but it wasn’t until I looked up and saw the scoreboard that I knew just how good. This was a big win for our team.
“We thought Slavens would go 3.76 or so, somewhere in that area, so we tuned ‘er up. My guys told me when I went up there, we’re either going to spin or win,” Haney recalled. “But it was a good track, David Cook did a great job on it there, and that car was on a rail from A to B. It was pretty much a perfect run for conditions.”
Despite securing championships in both Pro Modified and Radial vs. the World last year with the Frankenstein Engine Dynamics Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS), the Tulsa triumph marked Haney’s first drag radial race win. It was the second win for Enigma, however, after Haney’s co-crew chief Brandon Pesz drove it to victory lane last August in the MWPMS event at St. Louis.
“We’ve had good luck with this car; it’s gone to the quarters, semis or finals in every race since the day I had it finished,” Haney said.
After qualifying number one in the eight-car field for Radial Revenge 2018, Haney beat Justin Martin in the opening round of racing, then took down Mark Micke in the semis before facing Slavens for the event final.
“I’m proud to say I’m the first to beat ‘Mr. 221’ since Sweet 16, so I beat the fastest man in the world,” Haney declared of prevailing over Micke, who two weeks earlier set the drag radial world on fire with an unprecedented 3.62-seconds ET record and top speed record of 221.20 mph on his way to winning $101,000 in the Sweet 16 drag radial event at Valdosta, GA.
“We had a badass car this weekend and raced against the baddest RvW cars in the country. This was a great win for our team and much deserved after winning the 2017 Mid West Pro Mod and Radial Championships, then going to Lights Out 9 and finishing runner up, then going to the Sweet 16 and going to the semis,” Haney concluded.
“I have so many people to thank. Of course my crew chiefs, Brandon Pesz and Brandon Switzer, those guys are the best, as well as Cody Moore, Dale Hancock, Cale Hancock, Trey Elbre, Shane Goodnight and Kimmy Pesz. I also want to thank my helpers Braylee and Kilee and their beautiful mother and my girl Misty Hayes, along with my close friends who came and stayed all day and supported me: Roman Lamborn, Scott Farley, Chris Williams and Beth Dalton. But most of all thank you to all my sponsors and fans. I can’t say enough about how much your support means to me and our team.”
Both Keith Haney Racing cars will return to the track with Haney behind the steering wheels Apr. 20-21, as the MWPMS competes within the Outlaw Street Car Reunion at historic Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, KY.
Photos by Mary Robinson
—END—
ABOUT KEITH HANEY RACING
Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Keith Haney Racing (www.keithhaneyracing.com) fields two cars in the Mid-West Pro Mod Series (MWPMS), as well as for select Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) races and one-off special events. Keith Haney Racing appreciates the support of sponsors Lucas Oil, Strange Engineering, RacingJunk.com, Reher-Morrison Racing Engines, MoTeC Systems USA, Switzer Dynamics, Brandon Pesz Performance & Tuning, M&M Transmission, Menscer Motorsports, Total Seal, Mickey Thompson, Kryptonite Kustomz, Browell Bellhousing, and Larry Jeffers Race Cars.
Article Media
