SEE & HEAR THE SNAKE!

SpeedFreaks, the syndicated motorsports radio show comes to television on SPEED Channel Mondays at 8:30pm ET/9:30 PT. Don "Snake" Prudhomme, pictured here with personality Lugg Nuttz, will make an appearance on the July 12 premier show. The half-hour TV adaptation of their Sunday night radio show is hosted by Kenny Sargent and his pit crew of Lugg Nuttz, Crash Gladys and Statt-Mann Caruthers. Also appearing on the first show is road racing hired gun Boris Said. (Photo courtesy of SpeedFreaks TV) [7-12-2004]

NHRA TOP FUEL RULES: TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK?

After NHRA announced their new rules for Top Fuel of 85% in the tank and a minimum of 7lbs of air in the tires. DRO praised the effort by NHRA at the time. On Monday we decided to call some of the tuners we know to ask them what they thought of the rules. Their answers dismayed DRO to say the least.

According to the people we talked to, the percentage change and tire pressure rule would have almost no affect on the Top Fuel or Funny Car combinations. The general consensus was that racers could easily overcome the reduced nitro percentage at least three ways: add a couple of degrees of ignition lead to the mag; add a couple of teeth to the blower pulley combination; or just change to a thinner head gasket. One tuner told us that most racers are already running on less than 90% just to be safe and to have something to fall back on when they needed a little extra performance. We were also told that most teams already have about 7-7.5lbs of air in the tires but that there is one prominent Top Fuel team that consistently runs around five lbs of air.

As you may remember Agent 1320 reported some time back that Ray Alley, NHRA Director of Top Fuel and Funny Car Racing, was working on a program to control fuel engine rpm on the back end of a run electronically to slow the cars down. The only problem DRO has with that method is that if the driver doesn't have to lift and it is done electronically, is that bracket racing? [7-12-2004]

CURIOUS GEORGE

NHRA Sport Compact Pro Rear Wheel Drive points leader George Ioannou has been released from his position as tuner and driver of the Bullish Motorsports Toyota Solara team. Team owner Ara Arslanian, currently 4th in points said that "a change was necessary in the best interests of the team, as well as for George, to move forward."

Ioannou said, "Basically it came down to us drifting apart, but I'm out there looking. The championship is up for grabs. If anybody has any good ideas of how to chase this championship my phone is on, but for now I'm looking for 2005."

The popular tuner is still consulting on the sport compacts of Paul Effantis, Vinnie Ten and a new Lexus racecar coming out soon. For now, George is available, with rumors that he might hook up in a second Toyota already in the Titan Motorsports stable. [7-12-2004]

JEGGY JR. TO DRIVE SS/AA AT INDY SHOOTOUT?

One of the Agent's deep-cover operative's carrier pigeons just flew onto the window sill with a note attached to his or her leg (The Agent can't tell the difference). According to the operative's note, Jeg Coughlin Jr. will be wheeling a SS/AA at the U.S. Nationals for one Harry Holton.

The Agent hopes this is more than a rumor and it brings up the question: Could we be seeing more professional drivers behind the wheel of SS/AA at the Indy shootout? How about Larry Morgan, Darrell Alderman or Alan Johnson wheeling one of those eight-second behemoths. The Agent could dig it. [7-12-2004]