IHRA PRO STOCKERS BREAK 6.30 BARRIER AT BRADENTON

It didn’t take long for an IHRA Pro Stock team to run a sub-6.40 lap as the Agent was told that at least one Ford-powered Pro Stocker ran a 6.38/218 in testing at Bradenton, FL. Keep in mind that, according to the Agent's operative in the area, the ambient air temp was in the 60-degree range and corrected altitude was around 500 feet below sea level, so conditions are right for some outstanding numbers to come up on the boards. Don’t be surprised if a blown Pro Mod has run a sub-six-second lap by the time we get this note up. Remember, this is the track that Roy Hill’s Mustang ran a 6.07 on at 2730 lbs according to Roy himself. As this note is being written no Pro Mod has made a sub four-second eighth-mile pass in pre-season testing. [1-20-2005]

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LAS VEGAS TESTING RUMORS

The Agent hears that Don Prudhomme’s camp will take two complete Funny Cars for Tommy Johnson Jr. to test at Las Vegas. Word is that TJ will lap both cars throughout the pre-season and take the best performer to Pomona.

The Agent thinks it won’t be long before serious teams start building cars for certain tracks. Brandon Bernstein was testing the latest version of the NHRA-mandated rev-limiter at Las Vegas or at least the folks at MSD thought so. They were informed late this week that the team will begin pre-season testing at Charlie Allen’s Phoenix track the weekend after the first Vegas test session. [1-20-2005]

TOP COMP RACES DEBUT AT LAS VEGAS

The debut of competition in Mike's Transmission Top Comp will hit the Strip at Las Vegas this weekend (Jan. 22-23). Longtime friend of DRO Mike Stewart is proud to back the series and is quickly putting the finishing touches on an entry of his own. The series will alternate eight races between Vegas and California Dragway in Fontana.

According to SoCal Top Comp Association President Gregg Suyenaga, the list may top 60 cars by the start of qualifying on Saturday morning. Some of the standout pre-entries consist of Super Comp champ Jack Beckman, Division 6 Top Comp champ Jeff Devey, national event winners Larry Scarth and Mike MacBriar and the split window '63 Vette of Roger Hall. Entries are from all over the area including California, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. [1-20-2005]

MENARD LEAVING NHRA?

Several sources have told Agent 1320 that long-time employee Cary Menard, VP of Technical Administration and Legal Affairs, will be the next to go at NHRA. Since NHRA has a strict policy of “No comment” regarding the comings and goings of their employees, the Agent didn’t try to contact NHRA for verification. If the rumor -- and we stress the word rumor -- is true, then Tom Compton will have purged the management team of almost all the players from the Dallas Gardner era. Only Graham Light remains and, as a member of the board, the Agent thinks Mr. Light is safe. [1-20-2005]