GM SPORT COMPACT RE-ALIGNMENT

The Agent spoke with a couple of his operatives about some shuffling within the ranks of the GM-backed Sport Compact racers.

Lisa Kubo is waiting for her RJ Race Cars PRO RWD Chevy Cobalt being built on the same jigs as the Pro Stock cars. It'll be powered by an Ecotec turbo 4-cylinder with an estimated 1300+ horsepower. Owned by Marla (Mrs. Nelson) Hoyos, the car will carry the livery of the Hoyos' Driven 2 Win performance driving school at Moroso Motorsports Park in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. This marks the first all-female professional team in sport compact drag racing.

The 2004 champ Nelson Hoyos is working with S&W Race Cars on his PRO FWD Ecotec-powered Cobalt with a carbon fiber shell (shown above). He'll also carry the Driven 2 Win sponsorship as Nelson was quick to add that they are an independent team with GM assistance.

The Agent also heard that former GM Pontiac Team driver Marty Ladwig, who was the NHRA Hot Rod Division Champ last season, will take over the GM Team PRO FWD car formerly driven by Hoyos. The car is getting some updates and is being re-skinned as a Cobalt since there will be no factory assistance for the Pontiac brand in 2005. Ladwig will be racing in selected NOPI and NHRA events.

Former Honda campaigner Gary Gardella is making the switch to Cobalt with a car being built at Roush. Crew chief Jon Perry is heavily involved in a new Ecotec engine program with Roush and the build-up of the new racecar.

To broaden the GM Racing effort, drivers Erica Nocita and Brittany Kindle will field Chevy Cobalts in the new NHRA Quick 16 and NOPI Chic classes for 2005. [1-20-2005]

RUMORS, RUMORS, WHO'S GOT THE RUMORS?

Here are some rumors and some facts concerning Atlanta (Georgia) Dragway. No. 1 Fact, last year's track manager, Craig Armstrong, has been shifted southward to the new and recently-praised South Georgia Motorsports Park in Cecil, GA. Rumor No. 1, Armstrong will be in charge of the roundy-round track only. Rumor No. 2, Gainesville (Florida) Raceway's Don Robertson will take over management of Atlanta Dragway, but not necessarily on a day-to-day-operation basis. More news about that will be forthcoming.

But Rumor No. 3 is the one that has a lot of Atlanta regulars peeved. That rumor says that any pit-support vehicle, whether it be a 3- or 4-wheeler, golf cart or pit bike, must be registered with the track, with a $25 licensing fee accompanying. Ditto for any "long" or oversized enclosed trailer. Twenty-five dollars.

Already, several Atlanta regulars have informed Agent 1320 that they will take their racing elsewhere for 2005 if this rumor turns out to be fact.

And the Agent has one final question for Atlanta honchos: If DRO contributor Dale "Mr." Wilson and wife Fran show up with their 10-speed bicycles, can they get a break on the $25 fee? Say, something reasonable, like $10 apiece or $20 for the pair? "Pedaling" Mr. Wilson will let his readers know Atlanta Dragway's response soon. [1-20-2005]