'RIDES' TO FEATURE UNIQUE CARS

Mike Ashley's GT-500E Mustang Pro Mod carries the Unique Performance livery on its flanks. That company and its founders Richard Kearby, Douglas Hasty and Chris Layne are going to be featured on a "Rides" episode on The Learning Channel tonight (July 20) at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The episode is titled "Eleanor" and while it will probably focus on Unique Performance's GT-500E repli-car chances are good that Pro Mod fans will see some of Mike Ashley's Pro Mod car too. To the Agent's best knowledge this will be the first time a current NHRA Professional Class of car has been seen on TLC. Kudos to the Unique Performance group for getting Pro Mod racing exposure to a larger mainstream audience than will watch any other drag racing show on the tube.

Oh, by the way, the Unique Performance shop and the Orange County Chopper folks are going to be the subject of a special two-hour show where each group will build vehicles for the other. The Agent bets that Ashley's Unique Performance-backed "Eleanor" Pro Mod might show up on that show also. (photos courtesy Unique Performance) [7-20-2004]

NICHOLSON WALKS AWAY FROM VEGA

DRO bracket editor, Jok Nicholson, has decided that the "Back-2-Basics" Vega just wasn't what he wanted and unceremoniously dumped the little cutey. Todd Silvey sent in this photo of (sob) the last appearance of the Vega.