FAMOUS PHOTOG BUYS HOLCOMB FUELER

The Agent just got a note from DRO staffer/photographer Tracey Waters that he and some friends have bought the Richard Holcomb car that Clayton Harris tuned to the third ever four-second lap. According the Waters' cryptic note they are going to restore the car

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complete with a nitro-burning engine. The only question the Agent has is "Is it also going to have the 100-lb nitrous bottle that it carried?" [8-5-2004]

FORCE FAST FACTS

Jim Hawkins, DRO's resident stat man, informs us that John Force is +2 (4 wins and 2 losses) in the giveaway/takeaway department for final round fouls. Force's other final round foul was that blatant one to Al Hofmann at the Fall Dallas race in 1997. Those that gave Force a final round win via a foul are: Hofmann (Houston I 1993); K.C. Spurlock (Gainesville 1994); Tony Pedregon (Sonoma 2000); and Scotty Cannon (St Louis 2002). There have only been 13 final Funny Car fouls since 1987 with Force involved in nearly half of them. [8-5-2004]

HOOSIER HUBCAP

Whatever inspired Donna Guadagni to ham it up for a hubcap, we dunno. What we DO know is that this wheel cover was mounted on the 1937 Ford that went off a cliff following the infamous "Chickie Run" in Rebel Without A Cause -- and that it was personally removed, inscribed and signed by James Dean on the Warner Brothers set. In grease pencil, the actor wrote, "Hey, hope the cops don't catch us stealing hubcaps." Originally owned by a WB employee, the hubcap is displayed at the James Dean Gallery in Gas City, Indiana, which columnist Dave Wallace reviews in the August edition of "Now 'n' Then" coming Aug. 10. (Good Communications photo by Dave Wallace) [8-5-2004]