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NO PROGRESS ON NHRA PRO MOD PROGRAM
Although NHRA could sign the contract for
the 2005 AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod series which,
according to the Agent’s sources inside
and outside of NHRA, has been submitted and
basically approved and needs only a signature
from NHRA Prez Tom Compton, don’t count
on it happening soon.
A television executive told Agent 1320 that
in his most recent conversations with NHRA
concerning the AMS Pro Mods returning for next
year, they were completely non-committal about
the possibility of it happening at all. According
to the Agent’s sources, the 2005 program
proposed by AMS’s Dave Wood would increase
the field from the current eight-car field
to 16, increase the number of races from 10
to 12 with additional races at Las
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Vegas and
Atlanta, and increase the current payout to
something close to IHRA’s.
The Agent also has been told by reliable sources
that Tom Lipar (Von Smith’s team owner)
and Oakley’s Jim Jannard (Scotty Cannon)
have dropped out of any involvement with the
proposed 2005 series, leaving Mr. Wood and
his AMS Staff Leasing company as the sole series
sponsor.
With the U.S. Nationals on their plate as
well as serious internal problems concerning
their POWERade professional classes, the Agent’s
best guess is that a 2005 Pro Mod series isn’t
currently on the NHRA management’s radar
screen. They will sign the Pro Mod deal when
it is convenient for them. After all, as members
of the NHRA management team have often stated, “It
(Pro Modified) is just an exhibition class
and not part of the POWERade program.” [8-24-2004]
FRANK PEDREGON GOING TO INDY, PT II
The Agent gets word from a source close to
the team that Underdog Racing will complete
the purchase of the Del Worsham’s unsponsored third
nitro flopper. Agent 1320’s operative
confirms that the team will go to Indy with
livery from Red Line Oil and World Vision Marketing
on the car. Frank is flying out to Indy to
test and plans are for the car to be at all
of the remaining races this year. Look for
a crew chief who is familiar with the car to
be tuning at least at Indy. [8-24-2004]
STRATUS TAKING OVER PRO MOD?
Evidently the Pro Mod racers have discovered
the Dodge Stratus and that body style may replace
the ‘63 Corvette as the most popular
body style for the class. One of the Agent’s
operatives called to say that a couple of the “Buffalo
Bad Boys” of Pro Mod, Mike Janis and
Fred Hahn, will be getting new cars. Hahn will
soon get a new Dodge Stratus being built at
Jerry Bickel Race Cars while Mike Janis is
supposedly getting his Stratus from Skinny
Kid Race Cars, the same folks that build cars
for Bill Glidden and others.
Janis is also rumored to be switching over
to Hemi power from his AJ Wedge combination
on orders from his sponsor, Eaton Industries.
Skinny Kid Race Cars supposedly has two Stratus
Pro Mods being built. The Agent wonders who
will get the second car?
Speaking of Stratus Pro Mods, the Agent hears
that Hemi guru Brad Anderson is going buy a
Dodge Stratus himself and park his Murray Anderson-built ‘69
Camaro. Rumor has it that he will buy the Dodge
Stratus currently being built “on spec” at
the Jerry Haas Race Car factory in St. Louis,
MO. Apparently seeing Richie Stevens’ performance
in his brand new Haas-built ‘Stang was
the last straw for Anderson. By the way, the
rumored price for the rolling car from Haas
going around the pits at Memphis was $93,000
-- a bargain if you believe Roy Hill paid $125,000
for his new Mustang. The Agent hopes that price
includes all tax, title and dealer prep charges
and is FOB St. Louis. [8-24-2004]
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