NHRA TO ALLOW PARIMUTUEL BETTING?

With the recent addition of Peter Clifford and Graham Light, the NHRA Board of Directors, according to an insider close to the association, is looking to possibly set up parimutuel betting at its national events. The source reported that recent rain-related sagging revenues at events have prompted a series of emergency meetings this spring to discuss the feasibility of a move that is first in the history of auto racing. According to Caesar's Palace Director of Marketing Frank "Shots" Abbatemarco, he was approached by two NHRA Board Members on the possibility of doing this last January. He said he agreed to talk with them and that the first meeting will occur on the weekend of the upcoming Summit.com Nationals at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. According to the insider, initial monies to set up the project will initially come from reductions in the sportsman purses, but once it gets rolling, the operation will run on its own profits.

The insider quoted his source as saying (and he paraphrased this), "While we are a non-profit organization, all that wording means is that we do not distribute dividends. We're like everyone else, we're still out to make a buck and that can't hurt anyone involved with NHRA drag racing. Hey, if it works for the Indians, it can work for us." [April fool]

THE MORNING LINE

Micah Roberts, oddsmaker for Station Casinos in Las Vegas, has chosen three NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champions as his favorites for this weekend's NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Tony Schumacher, John Force and Greg Anderson are his picks to win their classes.

The weekend kicks off Thursday, April 1 with a free NHRA autograph session at the ESPN Zone at the New York New York Hotel & Casino from 7- 8 p.m.

TOP FUEL DRAGSTER	FUNNY CAR	PRO STOCK
Tony Schumacher: 5-to-2 Doug Kalitta: 3-to-1 Larry Dixon: 4-to-1 Brandon Bernstein: 4-to-1 David Grubnic: 7-to-1 Darrell Russell: 8-to-1 Cory McClenathan: 10-to-1 Scott Kalitta: 15-to-1 Scott Weis: 18-to-1 David Baca: 20-to-1 Rhonda Hartman-Smith: 25-to-1 Field (all others): 15-to-1	John Force: 3-to-1 Del Worsham: 7-to-2 Jerry Toliver: 9-to-2 Gary Densham: 5-to-1 Gary Scelzi: 6-to-1 Tim Wilkerson: 8-to-1 Whit Bazemore: 10-to-1 Tony Pedregon: 12-to-1 Ron Capps: 18-to-1 Eric Medlen: 10-to-1 Field (all others): 12-to-1	Greg Anderson: 7-to-5 Kurt Johnson: 5-to-2 Jeg Coughlin Jr.: 7-to-2 Warren Johnson: 5-to-1 Larry Morgan: 8-to-1 David Connolly: 10-to-1 Bruce Allen: 12-to-1 Mike Edwards: 12-to-1 Darrell Alderman: 15-to-1 Allen Johnson: 20-to-1 Jim Yates: 20-to-1 Field (all others): 6-to-1 [4-1-2004]

ALL-STAR TEAM PROGRAM REMAINS ON HIATUS

Officials of Primedia, Incorporated have announced that the CAR CRAFT Magazine All-Star Drag Racing Team program will remain on hold until next year.

Despite the enthusiastic endorsement of a number of aftermarket firms, who had already agreed to become individual category sponsors, the search for a single presenting

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sponsor was on-going when the deadline for signing a contractual agreement with the host hotel in Indianapolis passed.

Jim Adolph, Publisher of CAR CRAFT Magazine, noted that "The All-Star Team has been a drag racing tradition since 1967, and we're determined to not only keep it going, but to expand its influence and importance not only within our industry, but to the general public as well. In order to do that the program needs a major, presenting sponsor, and while we were close to an agreement, time simply ran out on us for this year. We're going to continue our efforts during the months to come and will hopefully be in a position to announce the return of the program well before the end of 2004.

"The All-Star Drag Racing Team is not only important to the staff and readers of CAR CRAFT, it's important to the sport as well, for it's the only program in which the honorees are determined by the votes of their peers. Regardless of whether a participant is behind the wheel of a 16-second bracket car or a Top Fuel dragster, and no matter where he competes, he has an opportunity to wear one of the coveted All-Star rings, and we're determined to keep that tradition going."

For additional information on sponsorships, contact Jim Adolph at (323) 782-2763.
[4-1-2004]