NHRA Sportsman drag racer Bruno Massel, Jr. and his team received four awards at the NHRA Lucas Oil Series Division Five awards banquet last week for their outstanding performance in the 2008 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Massel and his team received the Division 5 Championship trophy for the Competition Eliminator class, as well as the “Lucas Oil Sportsman Driver of the Year” and “Aeromotive Top Qualifier” awards.  Massel’s father, Bruno Massel, Sr., received the “Jerry Haas Race Cars Mechanic of the Year” award.

“It really was an honor to be recognized by the NHRA officials and my fellow racers,” Massel said. “I would like to thank the folks at Wyotech.  The program wouldn’t be where it is today without their support.” 

Unlike the V8 engines commonly used in NHRA competition,  Massel’s Cobalt, commonly referred to by competitors as “The Rocketship,” is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder Chevy EcoTec engine that is capable of putting out over 1,300 horsepower.  Massel’s victory in early 2008 in Brainerd, Minnesota, was the first victory by a turbocharged car in NHRA competition in an amazing 26 years! According to Massel they utilize the same engine block and cylinder head that GM uses in a production Cobalt, as well as a number of production valvetrain components.

Massel has been sponsored by WyoTech since 2007.  When asked about the sponsorship, Massel commented, “The skills and techniques that WyoTech teaches in its High Performance Powertrain program are the same skills and techniques that we use to win races.  It’s exciting to be a part of a student’s education – from the classroom to the track.”