FORCE IN LONDON FOR AWARD AND A CHAT

In London last weekend to accept Autosport magazine’s highly prestigious John Bolster Award, John Force, accompanied by Laurie, Ashley, and Eric Medlen, together with NHRA’s Tom Compton and Jerry Archambeault, managed to find time in a busy tourist and sponsors schedule to meet up with a small group of European drag racing promoters along with racers and journalists at a pre-awards ceremony brunch at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane. Force is pictured with European FIA Drag Racing head honcho and the owner of Santa Pod Raceway, Keith Bartlett.

DRO’s good friends, Tog (of eurodragster.com) and Roger Gorringe managed to secure one of the most candid interviews with Force dealing with all aspects of the past, present, and future plans of John Force Racing, including his in-house engine program and international marketing of the JFR and NHRA brands. To read more head over to http://www.eurodragster.com/news/john_force.asp. (photo copyright Roger Gorringe) [12-05-05]

COUGHLIN BUILDING TURBO PRO MOD CAR

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Troy Coughlin is having a brand new Pro Mod-style GTO built at the Jerry Haas race car factory in Fenton, MO, but the really big news is that he is having a turbocharged powerplant built to power it by none other than “Mountain Motor” guru Sonny Leonard. This could mean bad news for the guys who will have to race this car in Outlaw or legal Pro Mod racing.

History indicates that, all things being equal, turbocharged cars will eventually dominate. The Coughlin family have the resources and talent to make the turbo combination work. Just remember what Buddy Ingersoll did with 263 cubic inches of turbocharged, V-6 Buick power over a decade ago. [12-05-05]

BARTONE ON BROADWAY

The Agent received this photo from Infineon Raceway's Melvyn Record who was in New York last week for the NASCAR champion’s banquet and on Saturday (Dec. 3) evening went to dinner and the theater with Tony Bartone and his wife, Sia. The group went to see the Monty Python “Spamalot” musical. Record says that movie directors George Lucas and Peter Jackson also were in attendance, sitting one row behind the Bartones. Toward the end of the play the Knights receive a message from God that the Holy Grail they seek is hidden under seat C101, which is where Tony was sitting! He got dragged onto the stage, introduced to the audience, and had his picture taken with the entire cast. It’s a Polaroid so the quality isn't the best, but the main actors from left to right are: Hank Azaria, David Hyde-Pierce, Tony Bartone, Tim Curry, and Steve Rosen. No word yet on whether Lucas or Jackson are considering Tony for a role in their next movies! (photo courtesy Melvyn Record) [12-05-05]