NHRA PRO MOD PROGRAM IN DOUBT?
IHRA A POSSIBILITY
A source very close to the NHRA AMS/TLR Pro Modified series
told the Agent that the future of that series going
into the 2006 season was uncertain
at best. This person said that the principals of the AMS
Staff Leasing-backed series would be meeting with the
NHRA management team today (October 19) to work out terms
that would ensure a return of the series for the 2006
season and beyond.
"If we can’t settle some of the issues we
have then who knows?" the highly placed official
told DRO. One thing is sure, Dave Wood has a couple of
choices going forward: he either must find new partners
to finance the series with him or he could be left to
fund the whole program on his own, although Tom Lipar
has said he would be involved as a backer of the series
in a minority interest.
For the sake of the racers something needs be resolved
soon. And there is one real wildcard in the deck: a very,
very well placed source told the Agent that the IHRA is
seriously pursuing Mr. Wood to convince him to bring his
sponsorship to the IHRA should he not get an agreement
with the NHRA. [10-19-2005]
DAYTONAS ARE EVERYWHERE!!
Ever since DRO ran the Chip King Daytona feature, we’ve
been getting calls and emails to remind the Agent that
Chip’s new Daytona wasn’t first. The Agent
was already aware of the Texas-based “Super Bird”
that competed in the IHRA a couple of years ago, but now
we have photos of Peter Gratz’s Australian-based
Daytona as well. According to the Agent’s Australian
operative Jon Van Daal this car ran ETs as low as the
6.20s and speeds as fast as 229.24 in Australia back in
1999. [10-19-2005]
THOMAS TO FINISH SEASON FOR
KORETSKY
Mike Thomas, who stepped in for Kenny Koretsky while he
rested a sore shoulder in July, will be doing the driving
at both Las Vegas and Pomona. Korestky will be out of
the driver's seat due to injuries he received in a serious
qualifying accident he had with Bruce Allen at Dallas,
Oct. 7, but his Nitro Fish Wear Pro Stock Dodge Stratus
(the 2005 model replacing the demolished 2006) will be
competing.
Koretsky is recuperating from two broken ribs, a broken
right hand, bruised heart, concussion and sore neck. "I
am planning to go to Vegas, watch the race and basically
relax," Koretsky said. "I’m not going
to be running around the race track, I can tell you that.
A neurosurgeon told me I didn’t have any idea how
much trauma my body went through, but I can sure feel
it. I’m bruised all over and feel like I was run
over by a Mack truck." [10-19-2005]
