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Jeff Arend -- Back On Track!
Bruce Biegler - February 24, 2006
 Transplanted “Torontonian” Jeff Arend is poised to return to the nitro Funny Car category this season following a major sponsorship announcement.
Arend, who now resides in San Dimas, California, has formed a new sponsorship alliance with Florida-based Erie Educational Services which will allow Canada’s all time fastest racer (322.19 mph) to return to action beginning with the NHRA ACDelco Gatornationals at Gainesville Florida (March 16-19th). After that the team will target an aggressive IHRA championship season schedule as well as select NHRA POWERade event dates.
“We are very pleased to announce our new alignment with Erie Educational Services,” Arend reported. “Their president Marc Burling, is a drag racing fan and has already been involved in the sport supporting both Doug Foley’s Top Fuel Team and Ron Shilling, Top Alcohol Dragster. Ron (from Orillia, Ontario) was the common connection that helped to put us together.”
Erie Educational Services is an innovative student loan company which offers it’s clients an integrated suite of student loan consolidation programs, products and services that feature competitive rates and “industry first” business software and technology. Their website is: www.ErieEducational.com.
 “Things have finally come back together for us,” said Arend. “We will be at NHRA Gainesville and IHRA San Antonio for sure and that will be a bit of a stepping stone. After that there is a very good chance we will compete at all the IHRA events this season. Our objective is to chase the IHRA World Championship Nitro Funny Car title.”
Arend will enter the ’06 season fully equipped with a state-of-the-art Chevy Monte Carlo-bodied Funny Car and all the necessary supporting equipment. Most insiders agree however that his secret weapon may well be the retention of wily crew chief and tuner Paul Smith.
“Paul has been around IHRA nitro car racing in the past,” Jeff added. “He is also a match racer so we think that may be an advantage for us given we will be racing nitro Funny Cars on IHRA race tracks that haven’t necessarily seen those cars before. History has shown that at race tracks that are tough – Paul Smith excels.”
Jeff was particularly pleased about the opportunity to come back and race in Canada, especially in his home province of Ontario.
“I’m really looking forward to my return,” he affirmed. “It will be a lot of fun to see all my friends and family and to be able to race in front of them. The Toronto area is where I grew up and where I started drag racing.”
Arend’s new team will also receive valuable associate sponsorship from Vinny Ferrone and his New Jersey-based VF Trucking as well as California-based Gale Banks Engineering, where Jeff is employed.
“I have to thank Banks Power owner Gale Banks and his son Colin Banks,” he added. “They are giving me the latitude and time off so that I can go racing – I’m lucky to have such good people behind me.”
Banks Power is a division of Gale Banks Engineering, and is an industry leader in marketing gasoline and diesel performance products. Their website is: www.bankspower.com and you can contact Jeff personally at 866-602-4311.
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