STRATUS FOR JANIS

Newly crowned IHRA Pro Mod champ Mike Janis has also chosen a Dodge Stratus for his '05 ride. Well, everybody was complaining about all those Corvettes in the class. . . . (illustration by Hot Rods by Burke)  [1-24-2005]

ANDERSON JOINS FORCE

Don't panic Pro Stock racers, John Force hasn't gone the Schumacher route just yet by adding a Pro Stock team. He's got to get that Top Fuel deal going first. No, this note is in reference to the fact that Greg Anderson is going to be named the 2004 Speed Channel driver of the year. The official announcement will come on the Speed Channel show tonight at 8:00 PM Eastern.

That warrants a big tip o' the Agent's fedora for Greg, team owner Ken Black, sponsor Summit Racing Equipment and of course his crew.

The other racers in the running were Tony Schumacher (NHRA), Tony Kanaan (IRL), Sebastien Bourdais (CART), Jimmy Johnson (NASCAR), Kurt Busch (NASCAR) and Steve Kinser (World of Outlaws). (Todd Dziadosz photo) [1-24-2005]

BONZAI

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Yes, the John Forces, Morgan Lucases, et al., were rattling the grandstands at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and yet, if you were to ask a really hardcore performance buff what was the best runner on the road, it would've been Steph Papadakis? No, he's not a moonlighting functionary out of the Greek Embassy, but rather the driver of the AEM six-cylinder-powered, twin turbocharged Honda Civic. How about this? This potent vacuum cleaner shot to times of 6.61, 213; 6.55, 213.88, and 6.52, best speed of 215. Right, the turbo would blow the lettering right off of Greg Anderson's Summit-mobile.

The Agent sez, Wanna hypo the Pro Stock class? Find some way to pit the Asian technology represented by this rocket against the generally Yankee technology of NHRA Pro Stocks. Ric Flair versus Mr. Fuji? You bet. (Darr Hawthorne photo) [1-24-2005]