GILBERTSON TO BUILD “JUNGLE JIM” REPLI-CAR

The Agent got a call from Bob Gilbertson’s camp to tell us that Gilbertson was so stoked by the Worsham’s “Blue Max” replica and the fact it ran a 5.97 at Dallas that Gilbertson asked for and received permission from the Liberman estate to build a replica of "Jungle Jim" Liberman’s mid-'70s Monza. They’re going to shorten a current chassis just like the Worsham’s did to accept a '74-75 Monza body and are looking for a period correct original Monza Funny Car body to start the project with. The Gilbertson camp told the Agent that they are going to build it to VRA specs just like the Blue Max car. Bob wants to do exhibition racing with the car when completed and perhaps even a few match races with the Blue Max. [10-11-2005]

LAHAIE SAYS 'HASTA LA VISTA'

One of the Agent's operatives in Dallas heard that Top Fuel tuning guru Dick LaHaie is calling it quits at season's end, confirming a note the Agent first ran on August 22. The Agent wonders how many applications the Snake has already received? (DRO file photo by Ron Lewis) [10-11-2005]

CORY MAC & CERNY TOGETHER AGAIN

Veteran crew chief Wes Cerny will join the Carrier Boyz team as tuner for the final two races of the 2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule. Cory McClenathan, who drives the Carrier Boyz Racing-owned FRAM AirHog dragster, and Cerny have worked together in the past. Cerny was crew chief for McClenathan in 2000, the final year for Joe Gibbs Racing.

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The pair reunited in 2002 on the Cerny-tuned, McClenathan-piloted Henkelman and Baca Top Fuel dragster.

"Having Wes Cerny on board has many pluses for Carrier Boyz Racing and for me," said McClenathan. "It was very important to have a crew chief come in that I knew. Wes is very adaptable and I feel that we can pick up where we left off without changing a lot of things. He is someone I trust to keep me safe in the racecar. With only two races left he was the most logical pick."

"Nothing has or is being decided about next year," said Andy Carrier. "We are only focusing on the last two races of this season. Beyond that we will turn our attention to 2006 after the end of the 2005 season. We still would like to finish out this season with a visit to the winner's circle." (Darr Hawthorne photo) [10-11-2005]

 

MUSCRATE LOVE

DRO Ford guru and resident Super Stock racer Jay Roeder took his “Muscrate” Mustang to a Stock/SuperStock race held on the all-concrete quarter-mile track at Earleville, IA, to try and be the first to put a “crate motor” small block Ford powered stocker in the ten-second zone. At Earleville he battled a head wind and but despite that recorded a 1.43 sixty foot time and ran an 11.13 ET, leaving with the “shoes” in the air. Jay says he’s going to Cedar Falls this coming weekend to try to get in the ten-second zone again. [10-11-2005]