PROCK AND STARK TEAMING UP IN TOP FUEL

No, not Force's Prock, but Jeff Prock, the Prock brother involved in the nitrous business in south Florida. According to the Agent's sources, Jeff is helping injected Top Fuel racer Keith Stark with a nitrous program for his IHRA Top Fueler. It's a well known fact that Stark and another racer known to be familiar with the use of nitro and nitrous -- Dale Armstrong -- have worked together in the past. The Agent feels adding Prock to the combination can only result in good things happening...like the first four-second, 300-mph naturally aspirated pass. Stay tuned. [7-30-2004]

BENCH COMING BACK?

Remember Bob Bench? He was an AHRA regular in Top Fuel with sponsorship from the Grand Prix speed shop in Tulsa. Evidently Bench still has the disease as he recently brought out an AA/FC to test at Kansas City's KCIR track. Veteran shoe Vicky Fanning took a couple of test laps, recording a best of 6.08/228. The new fuel flopper will make its competitive debut at the World Series of Drag Racing at Cordova, IL August 28-29 as part of the 32 Funny Car extravaganza at the event. (Jeff Leonard photo) [7-30-2004]

IT LOOKS BAD FOR CARLSBAD

The Agent hears that the end is near for Carlsbad Raceway near San Diego. Track manager Jim Levold said, "Hey, I'm surprised we lasted for this long."

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Levold says he is not interested in holding a nostalgia-style "Last Drag Race" event for the general public. He wants to give something back to the local people who have supported the historic drag strip in the final years, not just the ones who raced there in the '60s and '70s.

Carlsbad is one of the last surviving SoCal drag strips from the "Golden Era" having opened in 1964. The land was sold in 1986 with the provision that the strip and motocross tracks could be leased back until development began. Now the bulldozers are poised to start clearing the land for a new business park and green belt, but according to Levold there are a few county regulations that may prevent the official closing until mid-November. [7-30-2004]