BAMA DRAGWAY UNDER ‘NEW’ MANAGEMENT

Bama Dragway, the eighth-mile track located just a few steps off Alabama’s U.S. 78 highway, has changed management hands. Race promoter and “Million Dollar Drag Race” man George Howard, who owns the popular drag strip located just 30 minutes from downtown Birmingham, has taken over the operation of the facility from Dennis Kloet, a long-time AMC Super Stock racing pioneer, who recently declined to renew his management of the track.

Howard has selected another racing pioneer, Stock and Jr. Stock Eliminator whiz Jerry Hallman of Birmingham, to run Bama Dragway’s Friday night bracket program. All events, including the bracket program, will stay in place in the future, Hallman and Howard said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bama Dragway was one of the first in the country to offer street and bracket racers its “Midnight Madness” program, wherein the strip is open until 3 a.m. Sunday mornings when the regular bracket program ends. Entry fees for “Midnight Madness” are less than a carton of cola, and competitors can run for bragging rights with no e.t. slips given out and no announcing. It has become so popular with grudge racers that many have been turned away because of crowd overflows.

The track has hosted everything from big-money Footbrake races to 4-second Pro Modifieds, and it offers locals a better place to race than on the streets. One Birmingham police officer told Howard that the track’s programs have resulted in a 25-percent decrease in arrests for street racing in that city. (Dale Wilson photo)  [8-24-2004]

TRICK TANK PARENT COMPANY BUILDS NEW PLANT

Truck Equipment Manufacturing Co, Inc. (TEMCO) will build a new manufacturing plant near Blacksburg, SC. The company produces Trick Tank, a high performance aluminum air tank. In addition, the expandable 30,000 square-foot building will house the Funny Car race team owned by TEMCO’s founder, Bob Gilbertson. (Tom West photo)  [8-24-2004]