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FLORES FOUND DEAD
Racing photographer Art Flores was found dead
of an apparent heart attack in his Alameda,
CA home on March 8. He mostly covered the Champ
Car World Series and the IRL. He was Executive
Vice-President of the Motor Sports Press Association
and was Photo Steward for the American Auto
Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association.
A celebration of his life will take place March
14 from 2-4 p.m.at the Starry Plough, an Irish
pub in Berkley, CA. The Agent will raise a pint
in his honor. [3-9-2004]
TECH NIXES NEW ENGINES AT
WINTERNATS
Agent 1320 heard that the NHRA tech department disallowed a couple of new
engines for cars running in the T/AFC and T/AD
classes at the just completed NHRA Winternationals.
Walt Austin brought his new alky funny motor,
which is based on the Boss 429 semi-hemi. NHRA
rules specifically address all new engine
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combinations.
Loosely defined that means that for instance
they won't allow a five-inch bore center GM
wedge block to be used in Pro Stock or the alcohol
classes.
The Agent hears that Austin's "Boss 429" had the bore centers changed,
among other things, and based upon that the Agent guesses it won't be
allowed. The committee also bounced Mark Niver's billet block based on
the venerable 392 Chrysler. Since all Niver's mods did was strengthen
the bottom end, it had a least a chance of being allowed.
It's just a guess, but the Agent figures that after the screw blower fiasco
which ended up causing the class to lose racers
due to the cost of converting from a Roots to
a screw-type, NHRA won't allow a radical part
back in. [2-4-2004]
NHRA APPROVES MSD ANTI-TRACTION CONTROL FOR NHRA PRO STOCK
The NHRA announced that they are going to make the MSD 7530T ignition
mandatory for use on all Pro Stockers effective at the NHRA
Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL March 18-21.
Now before you start hollering about NHRA giving MSD a monopoly by making
this unit mandatory for Pro Stockers, understand
that the 7530T is a replacement for their 7530
unit and that they no longer make the 7530.
So if you want a new MSD Pro Stock style ignition
all they now offer is the 7530T. Are we clear
on this?
[2-4-2004]
 THE
SOFT SEAT
Brandon is back in the seat of the Budweiser
Top Fuel dragster, but that seat is a little
softer than when he had his rookie-year accident.
He worked with Innovative Safety Products, a
South Carolina NASCAR supplier, to create a
form-fitting safety barrier to protect his injury.
Brandon added, "It's a better piece, I
didn't really have any protection in the crash,
just a thin 1/8 inch piece of carbon fiber,
then you are right up against the tubing."
A few other NHRA drivers are now utilizing this
unit to protect them in the event of a mishap.
[2-4-2004]
JUST A DRIFTER
Ed Burgenholtz brought out his new Mazda 6
to make some low 8 second exhibition passes
to remind the SoCal crowd of the upcoming Sport
Compact race at California Dragway in Fontana
on March 13 & 14.
 Ed
was torn this weekend since just down the road
at Irwindale Speedway was the D1 Grand Prix
where thousands watched the newest imported
phenomena; Drifting. "We'll see how long
it lasts, but itıs a good compliment to the
drag racing scene. It looks like a lot of fun,
it's not about time, it's about getting judged
and no motorsport has gone that route before
and I think it's really exciting." Burgenholtz
hopes to complete his own drifter to compete
this year, overflow spectators have greeted
most of the Drift-only events held on the US
West Coast since the sport had become stale
in Japan. According to reports the Irwindale
crowd jeered off-road racer Rhys Millen and
X-gamer Travis Pestrana drifting new GTOs. [2-4-2004]
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