SIGHT 'UMS

IHRA Pres Bill Bader was hanging around the just completed NHRA national event at Las Vegas. No clue to what drag racing's "Big Bill" was doing in Vegas at an NHRA event, but the fact that Nitro Harley was being contested at that race may have been the reason. . . . Retired driver Shirley Muldowney also graced the premises at the Vegas track. . . . ESPN personality and bracket racer extraordinaire, Bret Kepner can be seen most Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Gateway International Raceway or "The Swamp" as old timers call it hangin', bangin' and slangin' with the boys. (Zak Hawthorne photo) [4-8-2004]

'LEGAL STREET' RETURNS TO THE SWAMP

Over 20 years ago, then-St. Louis International Raceway track manager Bret Kepner organized the first ever qualified-field, heads-up street- legal drags at the Madison, Illinois track. Now, heads-up qualifying on DOT tires has returned thanks again to Kepner and Gateway Int'l Raceway dragstrip track manager Reggie Luter, whose extremely successful Tuesday night street car program will host the new Street Car Shootout weekly. Opening night, (April 6), featured 255 cars (!) and a 16-car bump spot of 12.472. The program, sponsored by longtime St. Louis racers Dwayne Rall and Rob Gibbons to promote their new Southside City Speed Shop, offered each qualifier a "Fastest Street Car" decal and trophies for the finalists.

Dave Odenahl's brutal "no juice" late-model Camaro ran as quick as 10.38/130 and took the first win of the season over Andy Wilhoit's St. Louis Mustang, christening the new show with a Ford-vs-Chevy finale. (Photo by Mr. Dirt) [4-8-2004]

THE FIRST FOUR-SECOND PASS

It's hard to believe, but 16 years ago on April 9, 1988 at a little track just outside of Ennis, TX called the Texas Motorplex, Texas A&M grad and Top Fuel legend Eddie Hill, with the help of crew chief Fuzzy Carter, broke drag racing's fabled four-second barrier at the then-IHRA track. (Track owner Billy Meyer also then owned the IHRA.) In the Agent's mind it was one of the great moments in drag racing history. (Photo by Jeff Burk) [4-8-2004]