It wasn't the way Zizzo Racing wanted to end its 2011 campaign, but TJ Zizzo and his Chicago-based teammates have nothing to hang their heads about. A season highlighted by an upset win of championship contender Spencer Massey at the team's home track, Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., also saw several improvements in its qualifying program and race day tune-ups.
 
In the first round of the Auto Club NHRA Finals Sunday, Zizzo was paired with fellow second-generation racer Brandon Bernstein. Despite a quicker reaction time by Bernstein, Zizzo was faster nearly the entire 1,000 feet by .06 seconds at one point. Unfortunately, the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner dragster's supercharger failed near the finish line, giving Bernstein the round win and ending Zizzo Racing's season.

TJ Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner Top Fuel team made a heroic effort in the final round of qualifying Saturday at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, putting themselves solidly in the field at 11^th with an ET of 3.879 seconds at a team record 319.14 mph. They knew they had their work cut out for them, however, with three-time and defending NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon in the opposite lane.
 
The Big O Tires NHRA Nationals E1 pairing was only the third time in Zizzo's career he has faced Dixon, the most recent matchup coming at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Penn., in 2005. The champ put it down the track in 3.844 seconds to earn the round win, while Zizzo became a victim of the right lane, striking his tires. Only David Grubnic earned a round win in the right lane in the first round of Top Fuel eliminations.

The Big Go was eventful for TJ Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel team. It saw Zizzo make a strong lap Saturday night to get into the field of 16. It saw the Chicago native's rail burst into flames in the final qualifying round of the weekend. But most importantly, it saw Zizzo, facing fellow second-generation racer Brandon Bernstein in the first round of the 57^th Annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, lay down an ET of 3.880 seconds at 313 mph, his fastest pass of the weekend.
 
Bernstein, though, was just .02 seconds faster and earned the E1 victory in what was easily the most competitive drag race of the round in Top Fuel. Additionally, it provided a shot of confidence to the team who worked hard Sunday night to replace their dragster's engine.

TJ "David" Zizzo came in to Sunday at Route 66 Raceway qualified 16^th, facing top qualifier Spencer "Goliath" Massey. Massy, by the way, had 40 consecutive runs without any problems, going A-to-B perfectly.

Forty-one wasn't meant to be.

Zizzo and the PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel team earned a popular upset win in Round 1 of eliminations at the O'Reilly Auto Parts Route 66 NHRA Nationals against the heavily-favored Massey, who smoked the tires during the pass. It was the first time the two have been paired against one another in NHRA competition.

BAYTOWN, Texas - An ET of 3.885 seconds run in Q2 on Friday put PEAK Motor Oil/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel pilot TJ Zizzo seventh in the field of 16 at the 24^th Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway. A red light .163 seconds on the wrong side of good sent the veteran drag racer home early.

The Illinois native faced Doug Kalitta, whom he beat in an upset at the 2010 U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. The hot, humid weather was problematic Saturday and was no different Sunday as Kalitta struggled to get down the track and popped the parachutes before the finish line. But it was for naught; what should have been Zizzo Racing's first round win of the year became their second first-round exit.

POMONA, Calif. - While it's safe to say a first-round loss in Sunday's Auto Club NHRA Finals is not how TJ Zizzo and the PEAK/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel team wanted to end their 2010 season, their limited-schedule campaign has had several positives. Career firsts for the Illinois native include qualifying for every event he has entered (seven) and career highs in qualifying position (sixth), ET (3.85), and top speed (312 mph).

"What a wonderful season we've had," Zizzo said in his pit after the loss to Cory McClenathan. "From qualifying 16^th, 15^th, maybe 14^th, to qualifying in the top half of the field, we've had an awesome season. We've really learned a lot about this racecar. Went to Atlanta and really capitalized on that and went to Chicago and showed our strengths. Went to Indy and kept on running good."

Most importantly, Zizzo and his tight-knit team, led by his father, team owner Tony Zizzo, and crew chief Mike Kern, have bonded more than ever and are ready for the '11 season, which will start here in February. "We've learned a lot as a team, I've learned a lot as a driver; what a wonderful, wonderful season. To be here at Pomona and Vegas, all the places we've gone this year, how exciting.

LAS VEGAS - In drag racing, a driver can get to the finish line faster and in less time, but still lose if their opponent's reaction time is faster. It's called a holeshot and sometimes it's your friend and sometimes it bites you.

This weekend, it bit TJ Zizzo and the PEAK/Herculiner NHRA Full Throttle Series Top Fuel team when their first-round opponent, Antron Brown, cut a .066 second light compared to Zizzo's reaction time of .098 seconds during eliminations in Sunday's NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. Thanks to that quick start, Brown's ET of 3.896 seconds topped Zizzo's 3.887 and sent the Lincolnshire, Ill.-based Zizzo Racing home early.