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A SECOND 'CUDA FOR WOOD AND CRITCHLEY?

Following the lead of other Pro doorslammer teams, apparently Dave Wood’s Pro Mod team is going to have TWO new cars built for the 2006 season. The Agent knows for a fact that Larry Jeffers’ Jeffers Pro Cars is building the team a Cuda based upon his new ’71 Cuda body, and the rumor the Agent hears is that the team is going to get a second car using that body built by the Jerry Bickel Race Car shop. [10-19-2005]

FLOPPERS FLIPPING?

More nitro campaigners look like they'll be joining the Classic Nitro Flopper movement in the off-season. If the rumors are true, that might well become the fastest growing class in today's drag racing scene. Following in the footsteps of the Worshams with their quick Blue Max Mustang replica, rumors are that modern flopper owner/driver Terry Haddock is searching for a vintage Chevy Vega body to have some fun with VRA nitro.

The Agent also hears Jack Wyatt is considering a similar change to VRA competition, and Gary Densham is rumored to be assembling parts to field a "Teacher's Pet" vintage flopper for his son Steven to drive. Steven raced an alky Firebird in CIFCA and West Coast Top Comp events.

Virgil Hartman may be fielding as many as four "Outlaw" floppers next season for Chicago-style, booked-in match races in the South and Southeast. There may also be a couple more independent NHRA flopper semi-regulars interested in taking the vintage route rather than fight the multi-car teams in the "big show."

Another team making the switch is Goodguys VRA Nitro Chevy Top Fuel owner/driver Lee "California Trucker" Jennings. He's putting together a '70 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi Funny Car tuned by Ray "Midnight Skulker" Zeller. Jennings recently announced his retirement from the front-motored nitro dragster ranks to field the new car for 2006 Goodguys competition. [10-19-2005]

PROJECT "STREET FX" ENGINE GOES BOOM ON DYNO!!!

The Agent reported the other day that DRO's project motor broke a rod on its fourth dyno pull a couple of days ago. We speculated at that time that the damage appeared to be minor, but it turns out that this is incorrect. After dropping the pan we discovered that a brand new rod bolt snapped, and the rod end went on to break the brand new Comp Cams roller camshaft, put a hole through the cylinder wall into the water jacket, burn-up the crank and whiled all that was happening the piston hit the valves in that hole bending both the intake and exhaust and killing the piston.

The great folks at JMS Racing Engines in Monrovia, CA, told us it was the first engine they've had blow up on their dyno in 22 years. Which just shows the length DRO will go to bring our readers real world hot rodding experiences? Now we are getting back to gathering up replacement parts and pieces to fix our blown-up (sob whimper) project engine.[10-19-2005]

ISLAND FUNNY CAR FEVER

The Agent has been getting shots of classic funny cars from around the globe, this flopper from the 50th State is owned by Hawaiians Tyler Taba and Burt Hadama. The "Iron Rat" Monza is powered by a blown-injected 439 cubic inch big block Chevy with a Powerglide trans, and it currently lives on the island of Kauai where they’ll test at Kauai Raceway Park to get their stuff together. The car was originally one of the series of "Banana Gold" funnies campaigned by Ron Uemura

They’ll be sorting out the engine initially on alcohol with the Ken Cox-built chassis during the 2006-year and get tuning input from nitro veteran Stan Shiroma and island funny car racer Vince Generalao. If it all comes together as planned, driver Taba and crew chief Hadama will ship the Monza the 2500 miles from the middle of the Pacific to compete at the 2007 March Meet at California's Famoso Raceway. [10-19-2005]