Take Two on What’s New
2/8/05
Jeff Burk Photo |
You know, it’s only the end of January and I’m
getting antsy. Sure, the big show has had its warm-ups, but
other than a few of the nostalgia teams, no one has really
tested yet. Terry Cox in the Cheetah III juggernaut and Rick
White in the big blue CNC car are the only NTF teams to hit
an “official” test session. Cox ran a 5.85 best
while Rick only posted a 6.22. As of this writing, the Jeff
Gaynor traveling freak show is still waist deep in new parts
and fan mail, not much to report here. So to help you folks
get to March, we are picking up where we left off last time
with the off-season update.
Frank Parks, of Neil & Parks, checked in with some new
rides being finished up at his shop. Of course a new Jr. Fuel
car for son Scott is ready to rock along with a new Top Fuel
car with Brad Berger power for Des Moines, Iowa’s Dan
Russell. Gary Frolka will mix it up in NE1 in a car with Reher
& Morrison horsepower. Jon Rowley will team up with Scott
and Frank to do a two-car team with Frank power in both cars.
And a mysterious early Hemi project will debut this summer.
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Next up is a good friend of Gaynor’s camp, “Lil’
Newt.” The lil’ one has just about got his Fiat-bodied
rail ready for some hot NE2 action that will mainly run at
ANRA events. To try and win me over, he adds that the body
flips up like a funny…No need to work hard trying to
impress me here, buddy! Newt is one of the hardest-working
guys in nostalgia, as he also crews on Rick Rogers’
Top Fuel car and has been known to dive into Gaynor’s
mess when things get busy. Look for the Coast Airbrush-sponsored
Lil’ Newt Eyeball Racing entry.
The shy and reserved Brendan Murry sent me a damn essay about
what’s happening with his bunch. Don’t worry,
he can take the abuse from me. The little Chevy that could
is planning to run 15 times this year, attending all that
the Goodguys, NHRA, and the AA/FD inc. group can dish out.
With a 5.85 best, they hope to step up with help from, take
a deep breath now, New Century performance, Alan Johnson,
The Blower Shop, ARC Race Engines, Arias pistons, Victory
Machine, Pro Nitro, Brian Vandyke, Chilcote Fabrication, Brooks
Rods, DJ Safety, RBS Superchargers, Ferrera Valves, Rob Stirling,
RCD Engineering, Pacwest Trailers, NGK Sparkplugs, Billet
Fabrication, Titan Speed Engineering, K&N Performance,
Simpson, SCE Gaskets, Acme Graphic Arts, East West Engineering,
Deist and of course the ever popular Stripperpole!
And to make this seem even more like a bad speech at the
Oscars, Brendan insists I thank his crew (as if the accolades
for working for Brendan aren’t enough) Karen Oie, Dave
Vick, Bob Raymond Jr., Bob Eakins, Allen Robbins, Larry ,
Jami and 2 month old Cooper Westervelt, along with new recruits
Gary Compston and Mike Patterson. By the way Brendan, Pammy
still wants that demonstration of the Stripperpole!
Outlaw Nitro Funny Car racer Dale Braun is ready to storm
the Pacific Northwest in his ‘55? ‘56? Chevy.
The car was built by Dick Demets in 1991 and has run a best
of 5.97 @ 253. Looks like a bitchin’ car and should
be a hit with the fans as it actually looks like a car and
runs Nitro.
Marc P. Roy is already starting the trash talk and his heap
is still on the fixture! I like it! His ‘72 Satellite
will cover a Dave Tuttle chassis and I think use a 392 for
power. His goal is the March Meet and he wants to thank D.A.
Buel, LEJ, W&W Enterprises and Donovan Engineering. He
adds a message for us Elephant guys, “Fair warning…I
don’t carry no stinking alcohol.” Hmmm…
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