SPEED SPONSOR

Kalitta Motorsports third team dragster driver "Aussie Dave" Grubnic will drive a specially painted, 7,000 + horsepower ZantrexT-3 Top Fuel dragster at this weekend's ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Grubnic will also be driving his newly named dragster at the season's subsequent and final event, the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Nov. 11-14, in Pomona, Calif.

Grubnic, a 42-year-old journeyman Top Fuel driver, is in his first season behind the wheel of the third Kalitta team car. He is currently fifth in NHRA Top Fuel championship points.

ZantrexT-3 is a dietary supplement that provides Rapid Weight Loss and Incredible Energy. Seems appropriate. [10-27-2004]

POMONA PHOTOG PASSES

NHRA Motorsports Museum and official Pomona dragstrip photographer Mark Richter passed away last week, reportedly from complications of influenza. One of the truly nice guys, Mark was always quick to welcome fellow photographers to the starting line and point to one of his own ice chests offering a cold water or soda on a hot summer day.

Services will be October 26 at La Verne Cemetery near the historic Fairplex quarter-mile dragstrip. (photo by Robert Briggs) [10-26-2004]

THE VEGAS LINE

The Agent always looks forward to the NHRA tour hitting The Strip at Las Vegas so he can plunk down a couple of hard-earned bucks on his favorites. Odds-maker Micah Roberts of Station Casinos in Las Vegas has set the odds for this weekend's ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals and this season's usual suspects are at the top of his list, probably a better pick than the Agent's.

2004 NHRA POWERade Top Fuel Champ Tony Schumacher heads the list at 5/2.

John Force leads Funny Car odds at 3/1 and you might do better than to place a bet on back-to-back Pro Stock champ Greg Anderson whose odds are an unattractive 1/2. That's right: bet two, win one.

Roberts' pick to win Saturday's Bud Shootout is a toss-up with both "Sarge" and Doug Kalitta favored at 5/2.

TOP FUEL: Tony Schumacher - 5/2; Doug Kalitta - 3/1; Scott Kalitta - 9/2; Brandon Bernstein - 5/1; David Grubnic - 6/1; Cory McClenathan - 10/1; Larry Dixon - 10/1; Morgan Lucas - 15/1; Doug Herbert - 15/1; Scott Weis - 20/1; Rhonda Hartman-Smith - 25/1; Field (all others) - 20/1

FUNNY CAR: John Force - 3/1; Del Worsham - 7/2; Gary Scelzi - 4/1; Gary Densham - 9/2; Whit Bazemore - 7/1; Tim Wilkerson - 8/1; Eric Medlin - 8/1; Cruz Pedregon - 12/1; Tony Pedregon - 13/1; Jerry Toliver - 25/1; Ron Capps - 30/1; Field (all others) - 12/1

PRO STOCK: Greg Anderson - 1/2; Jason Line - 2/1; Dave Connolly - 5/1; Larry Morgan - 5/1; Jeg Coughlin Jr. - 6/1; Kurt Johnson - 10/1; Kenny Koretsky - 15/1; Warren Johnson - 20/1; Rickie Smith - 25/1; Allen Johnson - 30/1; Jim Yates - 30/1; Field (all others) - 6/1

BUD SHOOTOUT: Doug Kalitta - 5/2; Tony Schumacher - 5/2; David Grubnic - 4/1; Brandon Bernstein - 9/2; Scott Kalitta - 5/1; Cory McClenathan - 8/1; Doug Herbert - 10/1; Wild Card Entry - 8/1  [10-26-2004]