Calvert Racing, Inc.

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Paul Calvert wins NHRA National Stock Champion at 2024 Sonoma Nationals

PAUL CALVERT WINS HIS FIRST NHRA National Event on his first try! 2024 Stock National Champion at Sonoma in August 2024. Paul is John Calvert’s brother and works with us as a part time CAD designer extraordinaire and has years of experience in aerospace systems and components design.
 
Note the National Dragster magazine article states that Paul’s win is due to his CONSISTENCY and hitting his bracket dead on, the mark of great equipment and experience.
 
Paul’s 1977 Ford Mustang II, runs with CalTracs, Calvert Split Mono Leafsprings, CF Series Front Racing Shocks, CR Series Rear Shocks.
 
1968 Chevrolet Camaro, Ron Rhodes

Ron Rhodes does it AGAIN! Breaking Records for Leafspring cars!

NOVEMBER 2-6, 2022 World Cup Finals, Maryland International Raceway
 
That Ron Rhodes… Not content with racing *sub 1 second* at 60 ft a few months ago, here he goes SMASHING LEAFSPRING RECORDS again!
6.671 on the 1/4 mile, 209.26 MPH!
Ron runs that AWESOME 1968 Chevrolet Camaro with CalTracs, Calvert Mono Leafsprings, Calvert Sliders and Lowering Blocks.
 
There he goes again… making us proud to be one of his sponsors for many years.
Check out this great article about this accomplishment from the folks at Dragzine.com:
 

Congratulations to Ron and his Team from all of us at Calvert Racing!

1972 AMC Javelin, Buffalo Ray Halm

Buffalo Ray Halms: A CHAMP among CHAMPS!

SUBMITTED BY BUFFALO RAY HALM, 10/27/2022

“Because I won the championship in 2021 in the Northeast Open Comp Racing Series, Pro Extreme class, I was eligible to participate in this years 2022 Race of Champions in this class. Held at Lancaster Motorplex in Lancaster, NY. It was the final race of the 2022 season and I was able to take home the trophy for first place.

“My car is setup perfectly to run in this class. Running a full Calvert rear suspension consisting of split mono’s, CalTracs and Calvert adjustable rear shocks has helped me be very consistent at the track.

“Some people also considered me an ambassador for Calvert as I have helped many racers at our track dial in their Calvert products to get the maximum traction as possible. Thank you for an awesome product and featuring my car.”

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Buffalo Ray Halm’s 1972 AMC Javelin runs with CalTracs, Calvert’s Split Mono Leafsprings, CR Series 9-Way Adjustable Rear Shocks.

Photo by Kristen Ruble Photography.

Congratulations to Ray and his Team from all of us at Calvert Racing!

1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS, Monty Bogan
1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS, Monty Bogan
1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS, Monty Bogan
1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS, Monty Bogan

Monty Bogan Sets Record, then Does it AGAIN

SUBMITTED BY TOM LUKANS 5/24/2022

Race update: First race back after 2 years, NHRA Zmax nationals produced a semifinal finish, also reset the 396 325 hp D/SA record twice with a 10.62 and 10.61.

This last weekend NHRA division 2 Rockingham won 2nd round heads up D/SA Monty Bogan Camaro vs Dan Blabolil Buick tuned by Jason Line with a stellar 1.320 60ft with the rear tires, from there marched on to another semifinal finish with incredible consistency. Thanks to Calvert Racing for a great product that works pass after pass.

STATS: 

Owner/Driver: Monty Bogan, Monty Bogan Motorsports

Crew Chief: Tom Lukans, TL Racecars

NHRA D/SA

396 ci 325 hp

TL Racecars chassis
H&F Performance
Coan Turbo 350 and converter
Photography by Rodgers Richards

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Monty Bogan’s 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS runs with CalTracs, Calvert’s Split Mono Leafsprings.

Congratulations to Monty and his Team from all of us at Calvert Racing!

 
Mike Bowen Wins! As Seen in Fastest Street Car Magazine, August 2022
1971 Ford Maverick, Mike Bowen

Mike Bowen Richmond Factory Stock Win

FROM: Fastest Street Car Magazine, August 2022 issue

”If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” has been the motto for Mike Bowen lately. as the RICHMOND GEAR FACTORY STOCK racer didn’t mess with his Gen 1 Coyote equipped 1971 Ford Maverick since he won his last race. Despite the hot conditions over the weekend, Bowen set the pace in qualifying with a 10.201 at 132.02 mph trip and continued to run flawlessly in eliminators as well. Bowen ran on a single in round one, blasted past Tom Meuller in round two, and turned the win light on in his lane in the final over Chris Niebauer with a 10.170 at 131.32 mph trip.

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Mike’s 1971 Ford Maverick runs with CalTracs and Calvert’s Split Mono Leafsprings.

Congratulations to Mike and his Team from all of us at Calvert Racing!

 
1972 AMC Javelin, Buffalo Ray Halm
1972 AMC Javelin, Buffalo Ray Halm

Buffalo Ray Halm Wins at Northeast Open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 7, 2022

“Due to the COVID Pandemic, I was not able to receive my Championship Trophy for the 2021 Northeast Open Comp Pro Extreme Class until now. This Champion ship would not have been possible without my full Calvert Racing rear set-up consisting of Calvert’s Split Monos and CalTracs. My car hooks the same every run, giving me constant 60 foot times.” – Buffalo Ray Halm

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Ray’s 1977 AMC Javelin runs with CalTracs and Calvert’s Split Mono Leafsprings.

Congratulations to Ray and his Team from all of us at Calvert Racing!

 
1967 Chevrolet Camaro, Dana Thompson

Dana Thompson takes the Lead

PRESS RELEASE JANUARY 18, 2022
In 2021, the JEGS ET Series Sportsman class saw a classic points battle featuring a veteran versus a rookie. It was veteran Dana Thompson, a multi-time Sportsman Champion, dueling all season long with rookie, Hunter Wolfe, the defending Division 3 High School Champion. The championship came down to the final day of the season with Dana Thompson taking home the JEGS ET Series Sportsman Championship.
The season started a little slow for Dana as he had made some changes to his car and he was still working out the tweaks at the beginning of the season. But in June, the car and driver finally clicked, and Dana was able to go to the semi-finals on June 12th and then went 3 rounds on June 13th. When July came rolling around Thompson was still chasing Hunter Wolfe who was leading the points. The July 24th event Dana took home the win and since it was also the NHRA.tv Challenge race, he picked up the NHRA Wally as well. Over the next couple of races Dana went a couple of rounds at each event but was still trailing Wolfe in the standings. With only a few races left in the season, Dana knew he needed to make up some rounds and he did so on August 21st and 22nd, Thompson was able to make up 41 points. That 41 points put Dana in first place going into the final weekend of points racing. Thompson unfortunately bowed out in the first round on Saturday, September 25th, allowing Hunter to take the points lead back. The championship came down to Sunday, September 26th, Hunter lost 1st round and Thompson knew he needed to go to the 4th round to clinch the championship. Thompson defeated Jack Eppley in the 1st round, Shawn Pitts in the 2nd round and defeated Ernie Brown in the 3rd round to win his 4th JEGS ET Series Sportsman championship since 2009.
“What a season,” said Dana. “Winning a championship is always a great accomplishment and this year was another great one, it really means a lot to both Becky and I as it shows we are able to achieve our racing goals and be able to do it as a team.”
Next year Dana and his team plan on defending his championship and try to win the Pro championship as well.
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Dana runs his 1967 Chevrolet Camaro with CalTracs, Calvert Split Mono Leafsprings, and Calvert CF Series 90/10 Front Racing shocks.
Congrats from all of us at Calvert Racing to Dana Thompson the 2021 JEGS ET Series Sportsman Champion!

Ron Rhodes - Fastest Leafspring Car at .998 Second, 60'

GEORGIA, APRIL 2021: It was a Sweet Sixteen Event for the record books as Ron Rhodes broke the tough 1 second mark at the 60′ at the South Georgia Motorsports Park on April 2, 2021. Ron’s 1968 Chevrolet Camaro has been breaking records and making heads turn for years, and this is just another day at the races, according to Ron. “I knew I was close, I knew I could do it.” 

And the rest, as they say, is History.

Ron runs with CalTracs, a Calvert Parabolic Mono Leafspring, Calvert Sliders, and lowering blocks.

Johnny Calvert sets 2019 Stock Eliminator Record

SACRAMENTO, CA: At the 2019 NHRA Pacific West Division National Open at Sacramento Raceway Park, Johnny Calvert piloted Calvert Racing’s 2019 Cobra Jet to a new world record in Stock Eliminator Class.

Calvert first scorched off a pass of 8.02 seconds in the quarter mile.

But he was just getting started.

Calvert crossed the finish line in 7.992 seconds (174.82 MPH) for the first seven second pass in Factory Stock/AA history. 

Johnny Calvert’s father and the owner of Calvert Racing, John Calvert, is often credited with reigniting interest om Stock Racing after his 2009 win at Winternationals Stock Eliminator Class, driving Brent Hajeck’s 2008 Cobra Jet with paint tribute to Al Joniac and Rice Holman.

Since then, Johnny, his twin brother Brent, and John Calvert often drive the Calvert Racing Cobra Jets into Ford Motor Company and NHRA history. The weekend of May 5, 2019 was no exception.

Photos by Bob Johnson.

John Calvert awarded 85/10 Bob Glidden Award

In February 2018, Ford Performance Parts announced the creation of the Bob Glidden 85/10 Award, intended for recipients who share the same grit and determination that the legendary racer embodied.

At the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show held in Indianapolis, IN in December 2018, Ford Performance Parts presented the inaugural award to longtime Mustang Cobra Jet pilot John Calvert.

“There will never ne another Bob Glidden, it’s true, but we couldn’t be more pleased to have racers like John Calvert continue his legacy with Ford,” said Eric Cin, Global Director for Ford Performance Parts. “A family man who has definitely earned his own place in both Ford Motor Company and drag racing history, John is the perfect choice for our first recipient of the 85/10 Award.”

 “I am so honored to have been selected as the first recipient of the Bob Glidden 85/10 Award,” Calvert said. “I feel as though Ford Motor Company and Ford Performance, while helpful and generous to all, welcomed me into their family. Bob was such an inspiration to me, both personally and professionally, and to now have my name associated with such a legend is humbling.”

Calvert started out racing his own car in demolition derbies and dirt ovals before settling into drag racing. Calvert entered his first Winternationals in 1975 and by 1991 was an NHRA National Champion in the Stock Division.

In 2009, Calvert prepared and drove Brent Hajek’s second-generation Mustang Cobra Jet in the Winternationals, painted to honor the 1968 car in which Al Joniac captured the very first Cobra Jet win. History repeated itself as Calvert captured the win and ignited a fire in the sportsman stock class culture.

Though his family business, Calvert Racing Suspensions, has grown, Calvert retains his competitive spirit, continuing to proudly campaign several Mustang Cobra Jets as well as managing his twin sons, Brent and Johnny, in their careers as the next generation of Calvert drag racers.

John Calvert and Bill Glidden, son of racing legend, Bob Glidden.

John Calvert and Mike Delahaney, Ford Performance Marketing

Brent Calvert, Johnny Calvert, Bill Glidden, Debbie Calvert, John Calvert, Shannon Glidden

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