HARTMAN GETTING NOSTALGIC

The Agent is hearing rumblings of a revolution. While many nitro competitors are in combat on the NHRA's national event trail, some are just not having enough fun. Well, at least that's what Virgil Hartman says.

Virgil, who owns and tunes for daughter Rhonda's Fram Air Hog dragster and son-in-law John Smith's Prestone-sponsored car, is looking for more fun racing, so his solution is go nostalgia nitro funny car racing. The responsibilities of racing over 300 mph have drawn Hartman and others back to their roots. Although he'll still race the 300-inch cars, Hartman

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has purchased a 125-inch wheelbase '71 Mustang and will run a smaller supercharger, single mag and fuel pump while looking for big burnouts and little breakage.

Word reaches us that veteran Paul Smith may be dusting off a '73 Camaro sitting in the garage to join the fun, too.

The Agent also hears of a "Run What You Brung" Outlaw nostalgia flopper circuit forming to book these funnies into drag strip match races all over the eastern U.S. and as far south as Georgia and Florida. It looks like the Left Coast resurgence of nitro funnies has made a couple of racers focus on their fun factor. Watch for more fuel coupe veterans to be joining the party this year. (Zak Hawthorne photo) [4-29-2004]

TUTTEROW'S BIG DOG

Todd Tutterow's new Mustang took the season opener Big Dog Shootout win at Piedmont Dragway in Greensboro, NC. The Pro Mod qualified number one at 4.458. The Agent hears the car featuring a high helix blower might have gone much quicker in testing. Hmm? (Gary Rowe photo) [4-29-2004]