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Rumors, Facts and Tidbits Dec 29, 2003 Sitko's switch bodies
for 2004. Bucky Austin is rumored to be considering a two car funny
car team. Two Top Alcohol drivers have passed away this month. Larry
Bakke, a long time TAFC pilot died last week from heart surgery complications,
and Steve "The Beast" Lamplough a Division 1 TAD driver died
December 9th. Our condolences go out to both familys.
Darrell Russell re-signs with Joe Amato racing through
2006.
The team had its best (4th place) finish in 2003. Warren Johnson ran
run great numbers so far in testing the new mandatory beadlocks for
2004. Has run as quick as 6.70. David Grubnic is said to be teaming
up with the Kalitta's for a three car TF team.
Dec. 20, 2003
Wes Cerney is back with
Cruz Pedregon. The last two key players who won the Funny Car championship
other than John Force are reunited in 2004. Wes Cerney has signed on
with Cruz Pedregon to co-crewchief with promoted crew member Tony Shortall.
Wes tuned Cruz's car back in 1992 when he won the world championship
with Joe Gibbs Racing. In Tony's camp, Kurt Elliot will assist Dickie
Venables with the crew chief duties.
CSK has extended the
contract with Worsham racing through 2004.
Mike Dunn will race in
Australia with Glen Mikres in 2005 at the Summernationals at the all
new Western Sydney International Dragway.
The 12th annual Pontiac Pro Stock Super Bowl, a preseason
tradition for NHRA pros, will return to Houston Raceway Park on Saturday,
Feb. 7, 2004. This event will likely include Pro Mods as well.
A bunch of IHRA updates are
here
Dec. 14, 2003 The
latest installment of Rumors and facts.
Word is Tom Compton will
be replaced come January 1, 2004! I doubt it.
Top Alcohol: Jeff
Wilson is the first competitor in the TAD class that will compete with
both an A/Fuel Dragster and a Blown Alcohol Dragster in 2004. Will this
be a wave of the future for the better budgeted teams. In conditions
that warrant the A/Fuel car he will compete with it, and in the conditions
that favor a Blown car, that will be the teams choice. If you already
have a semi as a transporter, the initial cost will obviously be double
the inventory, but weekend costs will not be any higher. Tate Branch
and the Etterman family will team up in 2004. Marc White was the driver
in the Etterman operation the past couple years, but he and Etterman
racing departed ways this past fall. Marc will crew chief the Jeff Wilson
car when he runs the blown combination and Al Meade will crew chief
the A/Fuel car. MArc White will drive for Randy Goodwin at select dates
in 2004. Other news, which is a little old by now but hasn't been reported
here, is Todd Veney will partner up with his hall of fame father Ken
Veney in a Top Alcohol Funny car. Ken and Todd will run selected events
nationally and divisionally and are looking for sponsorship. This is
potentially a very potent combination.
In the fuel ranks:
No word yet on the third driver for team Force, as Gary Densham is slated
to be back in 2004. John Stewart will crew chief Ron Capps funny car
in 2004. Three teams are in the running for an AT&T sponsorship.
John Force Racing, Darrell Gwynn Racing and Don Schumacher Racing. Will
there be undercutting in this deal? My guess is yes. Mike Dunn may be
back in Top Fuel. Many rumors out there on the driver for Force in both
the third funny car and in his Top Fuel Car. Gary Ormsby is said to
be the favorite, but Mike Dunn could be the guy!
Pro Stock as seen
quite a bit of testing already. In Florida teams are testing the new
bead lock combination and the Hoosier tires, both with pretty good results.
Ron Krisher will be back in 2004 contrary to earlier reports that he
has called it quits. Hurley Blakeney is looking for sponsorship for
the second Ford which he will drive. Richard Maskin is starting his
own team with ....get this, Rickie Smith as his #1 driver.
Pro Mod sees Scotty
Cannon out in Ashley's Willy's, he will run the Stud' next week. I feel
that 2005 will see the Pro Mods become a full time class in NHRA. Steve
Cartier out of Washington state will debut a new McAmis built 63 Vette
in the West Coast Pro Mod series in 2004.
Dec. 8, 2003
In the fuel ranks, It looks loke Jerry Toliver and
Jim Head will team up with Alan Johnson in a two car Funer car team
with backing from Toyoya. Ed the ace Mccollugh will consult with Bob
Gilbertson in 2004 but with become the new crew chief for Doug Herbert's
Top Fuel Dragster.
Funny car driver Don Sosenka and wife Lana have teamed
with Flying Dutchman Motorsports to start a new race team: TEAM CARIBBEAN
SOUL. Our goal is to be ready for Pomona. However, if that is not possible,
COME JOIN THE FUN at Gainesville or at any of the rest of the tour for
this season.
We are very excited to be back at the track and have the chance to run with these guys and our other sponsors include; Auto Trader, Valvoline, Petron Plus, Autolite, Fram, Tayler Cable, Mr. Gasket, Mac Tools, Permatex, and Kendrick Performance Automotive. Our new "TEAM CARIBBEAN SOUL" funny car will have exciting spectacular new graphics and want all our fans to share in our charged-up anticipation. Who knows? We may even pull off some UPSETS! So come party with us and share in all the positive NITRO energy our new face will generate. And remember, we also race to raise awareness about DYSTONIA which is a Neurological Movement Disorder: http:www.dystonia-foundation.org/. We would like to say thanks to everyone who helped make this life-long dream possible. SEE YOU AT THE RACES! www.Flyingdutchmanmotorsports.com Top Fuel
Dec. 4, 2003
 Tony Pedregon's new car was supposed to be unveiled
today or tomorrow but Nitrosim.com got these advance photos. Car looks
good but Istill am having a hard time with this. By the end of the 2004
season my bet is a placing around 7-9th in the standings for the Dickie
Venables tuning car.
 Dec. 2, 2003
Ram Clutches, Custom Trailers, Glen May Farms, Breckenridge
Excavating, Rolling Mix Concrete Dynamic Concrete Pumping, Enderle,
Radford Trucking and Akerly/Childs Extreme have all signed on as Associate
Sponsors for the West Coast
Pro Mod Series in 2004. This series is becoming one of THE premier
Independant Racing series in North America.
The Bud Shootout for Top Fuel has been moved to Las
Vegas starting in 2004. The shootout will be held during the AC Delco
Nationals October 30, 2004.
Bob Gilbertson will introduce a Drag Racing Intern Program
for 2004. At each and every event in 2004, Bob Gilbertson Nitro Funny
Car will have a new crew member. "We're also going to do something
a little different during the 2004 season," Gilbertson said. "This
past summer we got hooked up on the internet with a guy who was real
enthusiastic about racing. He wanted to be a part of our team at Pomona
for the World Finals and we decided to give him a chance. George 'Road-Hog'
Wallace, (we've got a nick-name for everyone), helped us and was a valuable
asset to our team. His enthusiasm was contagious and my guys taught
him a lot about what it takes to run a nitro car. He told me he had
the time of his life and I figured that we should do this at every race
next year to give some die-hard drag racing fans a taste of what it
takes to run a professional team at the top level of NHRA POWERade drag
racing. Gilbertson added "So here's the deal. We're looking for
someone who lives in the local area of 21 of the 23 NHRA races we're
going to next year to help us out and do what George did at Pomona.
We want someone who has raced, has, or had a racecar, or worked on a
drag race team. They must be familiar with the sport, they've got to
be strong, and willing to work from dawn to as late as it takes for
four days. No girlfriends, wives or buddies. Basic duties will include
cleaning parts and the body, helping the crew loading and unloading
the rig, doing anything asked and a lot of other grunt work. Must have
an out-going personality, get along well with others and be willing
to do anything asked of you."
In exchange you'll get a 4-day pass, a crew uniform,
meals and drinks at the track. No pay, no hotel room, but a unique experience
and a good time for sure. Applicants who think they're qualified and
can handle the job, and want to be considered for any of the 2004 NHRA
POWERade events in a city near you (except the two Pomona races, that's
George's deal) send an email to aa-fc@earthlink.net or a letter to:
Racing Intern, c/o Trick Tank, 2250 Toomey Ave, Charlotte, NC 28203.
Tell us a little about yourself, not looking for resumes but if you
have one send it along. We're going to pick someone who we think will
be a good fit and will consider every application. Male or female, doesn't
matter, we're an equal opportunity team, if you don't believe it take
a look at out current crew at: http://www.bobgilbertson.com
Good luck to all...
Jim Dunn announced Lucas Oil as a major associate sponsor
on his K & N Nitro Funny Car. He will announce Tony Bartone as his
driver for the 2004 season and beyond in the coming weeks. INTERESTING!!!
More strong rumors of Jim Head getting back in the Funny Car wars. He
is to be in the process of aquiring Don Schumachers third car setup.
Scotty Cannon makes his first laps in a Pro Mod in a
number of years and turns in 4.1's in a couple 1/8 mile laps.
Greg Anderson tried out the new Bead Lock Tire combination
mandatory in Pro Stock for the 2004 season. He had to run a Cavalier
in the first hits becuase the Grand Am would not house the tire in the
wheel wells. On the first pass in Jacksonville, NC, Anderson reportedly
turned the driveshaft into confetti according to witnesses. After a
return to the pits, Anderson returned to lay down a 4.38 eighth-mile
which would have been a low 6.80 pass.
Top Stock will compete in 2004 and that's it according
the IHRA. The class while having a great following from pureists has
suffered greatly from in class bickering on rules and combinations.
The boy have one season to race under the current unchanged rules from
2003. Along the IHRA theme, they have announced that Skooter Peaco has
been named Director of Race Operations. Peaco joins IHRA from Summit
Racing Equipment where he was Motorsports Marketing Manager.
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