QOD II breaks 300 barrier
 The Hanna Motorsports team achieved a goal they had set out for over a year ago when they unveiled the new side-winder Queen of Diamonds II driven by Jill Canuso-Fazekas, breaking the 300mph barrier which they accomplished at Capitol Raceway on October 18. 

The team has been working on the design all the while racing a busy schedule finishing the 2013 season with the machine and racing through the entirety of 2014.  Jill piloted the car to a best of 5.35@295mph at Maryland International Raceway (MIR) last August.  This season the car steadily improved and had tickled the 5.30 range a little more often.  Jill had been working with Todd Paton of RacePak to keep the car’s performances well documented.  With that information and even on board video camera work, Al and the team were able to make small changes and saw improvements throughout the year.  “That’s why it’s called a combination” stated Rich Hanna, Hanna Motorsports team manager.  “There isn’t just one change that will make a car a winner or a record holder, it’s a bunch of little things that all add up to make a strong running, consistent machine”.   The car broke into the 5.20’s and almost achieved the 300 goal at MIR in the end of September with a 5.29@299.93mph run.  Jill even had one more run that night where Al was hoping to crack the elusive barrier but the weather just ever so slightly changed for the worst and Jill broke the beams with a 5.30@299.00mph.  Everyone was elated with the new QOD II bests but the best was still yet to come.    A trip to the A2 Wind Tunnel of Gary and Geoff Eaker was the next stop 2 days later in NC.  The team was able to make 24 test runs gathering a ton of data to review.  After the wind tunnel and one more visit to Dan Page’s chassis shop to implement some of the things learned at the wind tunnel, the Queen of Diamonds made one more stop in 2014 with the sole purpose to run “the number” at Capitol Raceway October 17-18.    After 3 runs, the best the team pulled off was a 5.29@298.70mph.  With the cool fall air settling in for the night, Al and Rich made final changes confident that this last run of 2014 would be its best, and it was.  Jill ripped off a 5.25@301.33mph finally breaking that number with the new car!  “It’s been a long time coming but in a way worth the wait at the same time.  Many people doubted this car but the proof is up on the score boards tonight, and the car has more in it.” Al Hanna said following the accomplishment.
  The QOD II is now off for the winter, in hibernation for the 2015 season.  The car is already torn down back in Enfield, CT refreshing parts and preparing for another busy schedule. There was certainly no better way to end the year than Jill did on that night, quickest and fastest runs ever on the radical dragster.  Of note, Jill and long time Hanna Motorsports crewman Rodney Fazekas will be married on November 8.  Many congratulations to them on their day and all the best from everyone at Hanna Motorsports!