MORE PRO STOCK NEWS

As the post-Indy "Silly Season" gets into full swing, the Agent's phone and voice mail have been full of reported rumblings. First, the Agent has it on reliable authority that the deal for Schumacher Racing to purchase Steve Schmidt's race shop on East 30th Street in Indianapolis is a done deal. Bob Glidden has already set up shop there and along with Schmidt has begun to get the 2005 Mopar-sponsored Dodge Stratus racecars ready. Schmidt and Glidden are long-time Hoosier friends; they teamed up in 1998 when the 10-time Champ came out of retirement to drive a second Dynagear Firebird for Schmidt at the U.S. Nationals that year.

Adding more fuel to the rumored Team Jeg's/Schumacher Racing connection that the Agent reported days ago, a couple of bright yellow Pro Stock transporters were spotted heading for Indiana from the Jeg's race shop in Ohio. The Agent understands that one of the driving Coughlin sons and some of the team rolling stock are part of a new Schumacher deal. 

Another rumor finds a single-car Team Jeg's Pro Stock Cavalier running leased engines now that brother Troy Coughlin has retired. The other recurring Jeg's rumor is that Troy is looking seriously at an AMS Pro Mod ride for 2005.

The Agent earlier noted that GM Racing had given the go-ahead for chassis builders to get started on construction of the 2005 Pro Stock Chevy Cobalt. Now DaimlerChrysler is looking ahead and trying to get 4-door racecars back into the NHRA Pro Stock mix for the 2006 racing season via the new Dodge Charger, the model they'll soon be utilizing in NASCAR circles. If there is an NHRA rule change, GM is reportedly considering the new Pontiac G6 Sports Sedan after the 2005 Grand Am is retired. The introduction of the G6 made quite a splash this week when Oprah Winfrey gave away $7 million worth of the new Pontiacs, one to every member of her studio audience, during the taping of her television show.

You may remember the Wayne Gapp & Jack Roush Tijuana Taxi '75 Ford Maverick as the last of the four-door Pro Stocks—the Ford was raced that season because of the advantageous weight-break when Pro Stock was classified by a cubic inch to weight factor. It's Detroit's idea that they are building and selling more family 4-door sedans than sport coupes these days and they want to get them before prospective buyers by competing on the quarter mile in front of the fans.

The Agent also heard a rumor from a couple of sources that GM Performance Parts stalwart Warren Johnson wants to add Gene Wilson to his team with son Kurt. If this happens WJ can spend more time on the dyno with his engine development program to catch up with points leader Greg Anderson's Summit Pontiac. (Darr Hawthorne photo)  [9-15-2004]

GRIMES IS TOLIVER'S NEW CREW CHIEF

Norm Grimes will replace Richard Hogan as crew chief on Jerry Toliver's Schick Quattro/Lions Gate Toyota Celica Funny Car. Grimes is a successful engine builder and tuner of alcohol dragsters. He won five NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman Series TAD championships with drivers Rick Santos and Jack O'Brien. More recently, he tuned Morgan lucas to two injected-nitro dragster national event victories and one divisional win.

Grimes will begin his duties at this weekend's Lucas Oil Nationals at Reading, PA.