NHRA PRO STOCK NEWS

SMITH, MASKIN FORM NEW PS 'SUPER TEAM'

It might be one of the worst kept secrets of the 2004 NHRA season, but if you haven't heard yet, Richard Maskin and Rickie Smith have formed an NHRA Pro Stock team. The word legendary is overused in this sport but both Smith and Maskin certainly qualify for that status.

According to the Agent's sources, Smith has the racecar and trailer ready at his shop in the Carolinas. Maskin is busily making more horsepower at his Michigan shop. The Agent will go out on a limb here and predict at minimum a top three finish for this team and that they will contend for the championship. [1-23-2004]

TECHNO THEFT AT WJ SHOP?

A rumor that the Agent keeps hearing is that a Warren Johnson employee got terminated and when he left took the "book" with all the testing notes regarding the newly required 16-inch beadlock wheels and 16-inch wide tires that NHRA has mandated for use on their Pro Stocks in 2004. It is generally known that for years Warren and Kurt have tested that wheel and tire combination. If the "book" did disappear, the knowledge in it could be invaluable to WJ's and KJ's opponents in NHRA Pro Stock. [1-23-2004]

KORETSKY LANDS THE FISH?

The Agent heard that the much-traveled Ken Koretsky will join with DRO favorite Larry Morgan as a second PS car with sponsorship from NitroFish. [1-23-2004]

NHRA PRO STOCK SLOWER IN 2004?

The Agent hears that the new 16-inch wide beadlock wheel and 16-inch wide tire requirements for Pro Stock, which NHRA has instituted as a safety measure for the 2004

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season, are going to add weight to each side of a NHRA Pro Stocker -- some racers are saying as much as 20 lbs per side.

The Agent hears that some of the premier Pro Stock teams are saying that until they find a way to get that weight back off, the cars will probably not be as quick or fast as before. A call to team Jegs got the information that they initially had a problem, but found a way to save the weight penalty incurred by the tire and wheel changes in other areas. They had yet to test, however.

On the other hand, Larry Morgan has tested and told the Agent that he was "a little slower using the bead locks and new tires." [1-23-2004]