McCLURG MEETS HIS ADORING FANS

If you haven't seen it yet, you'll pleasantly freak over Bob McClurg's new collectible book, entitled "Diggers, Funnies, Gassers, & Altereds." Having been a traveling drag racing

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photographer since the '60s, Bob's first coffee-table volume has been long overdue.

After suffering writer's cramp (or is that arthritis?) at a recent Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum book signing, "McBlurb" gathered a few of his friends to sign some more copies at the famous Autobooks/ Aerobooks, located on Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, Calif. Shown with Bob are (left to right), Bob Muravez, a.k.a. "Floyd Lippencotte Jr." (driver of the Freight Train Top Gas Dragster), McClurg, some L.A. unidentified struggling comic, and G.K. Callaway (Road Kings member and photo contributor). Just after Leno left in his 1932 Dusenberg, "T.V. Tommy" Ivo showed up, to join the panel of dignitaries.

To make us all feel at home, Pete Eastwood's former "Samurai" AA/FD was on display. Weighing in at 200 pages you can't put down, and you can get yours from the DRO store. (Randy Fish photo) [5-19-2004]

SPEED CONTROL FOR FUEL CARS, PT II

The Agent hears the 329+ speed recorded by Tony Pedregon at Atlanta has really got the NHRA guys up on the tires so to speak. A very reliable source told the Agent that 330-mph Funny Cars and 340-mph Top Fuel cars scare the you-know-what out of NHRA and that they are really serious about trying to find ways to slow the cars, using some kind of engine rpm control device.

The Agent has a better suggestion and one much easier and cheaper to monitor and implement. Put smaller wings on the Top Fuel cars and take that dump truck bed off the back of Funny Cars. They can't go fast if they're spinning the tires. [5-19-2004]