IHRA RESCHEDULES NORWALK NATS

After a rainout of the Sunoco World Nationals at Norwalk, OH on Aug. 29, the rest of the event has been rescheduled to Saturday, Oct. 9, with a test-and-tune session on Oct. 8.

All Friday and Saturday tickets from this weekend will be honored when the event resumes. Racers and others with full-event wristbands will have to present those wristbands for admission in October.

The Top Fuel and Pro Modified fields have not yet started eliminations, so those fields will be reset when the race resumes - qualified racers who do not return will be removed from the field and will not receive any points for the event. Those who move into the field because of no-shows will receive both points and prize money.

Top Stock, Funny Car, and Pro Stock, along with all the Sportsman categories, have already started eliminations and those fields and ladders are frozen. No points will be awarded until the event is completed in October. [8-30-2004

MANSFIELD SETS RECORD

Rob Mansfield (who writes the Pro Stock Rookie Diary for DRO) qualified for his first IHRA race, qualified #1 and set a new track record at Norwalk with a 6.552 run at 212.53 mph.. 

A tip o’ the Agent’s fedora to Mansfield and crew. Here’s to a good showing in Epping, NH Sept. 10-12.  [8-30-2004

THE RACE MUST GO ON

The rescheduled World Nationals now will conflict with Kenny Nowling’s AMS All Stars vs The Outlaws race at Carolina Dragway in Jackson, SC on Oct. 9-10.

“This is obviously an unfortunate turn of events, however, our race, THE RACE, will still go on as planned,” said Nowling. “While I am clearly not happy about the date that they

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chose, I am confident that the IHRA had many things to consider and for whatever reason this date made the most sense for them from a business standpoint.

“Carolina Dragway is an IHRA member track and I will not compete or lobby for teams that are qualified for the Norwalk race that are currently pre-entered for our race.  This would put [Carolina Dragway owner] Jeff Miles Jr. and his staff in a very unfair positions and I simply will not do it,” he added.

The Agent will make a bet where the outlaws are going to be. [8-30-2004]

NHRA ON ‘WIND TUNNEL’

In this week for the Big Go at Indy, pre-race festivities are kicking off early on Monday night on Wind Tunnel, Dave Despain’s popular Speed tv motorsports show. 

Monday, August 30, Dave’s special guest will be 12-time NHRA Funny Car champ John Force and on Wednesday, September 1, will welcome NHRA founder Wally Parks on the 50th Annual US Nationals.  Sadly, the Agent hears that 91-year-old Parks will probably not make a personal appearance at the Indy race this year because of his health.

Wind Tunnel airs on SPEED tv Mondays through Thursdays at 10 p.m. (ET). [8-30-2004]