TWO NEW HEADS UP CLASSES ADDED AT HUNTSVILLE

If you’re over 40 and have a fast, OLD car, George Howard has just the class for you at his Huntsville (Alabama) Dragway track. Called “Fast and 40,” it is a heads up eliminator reserved for those of us who are over 40 years old and can race a car that was made before 1971. Any car 1970 or older is eligible, and drivers' licenses will be checked at tech. The “Fast and 40” eliminator will be run off the old NHRA rules for Pure Stock-type cars, with a maximum rear gear of 4.10 but with no racing slicks allowed and no electronics.

Another new Huntsville class will be the “No B.S. Street Shootout,” for street-driven cars only, no trailered cars. The rules are like many of the recent “hot rod”-type events, in that the entrants will be driven in to the track on D.O.T. tires, and anything else goes. The track will guarantee the first $1,000 in winnings to participants competing, and if there are, say, 40 entries, there will be $5,000 on the table, with $2,500 going to the winner, $1,250 to the runner-up, and so on.

NO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOR NHRA

The Agent would like to clarify an earlier item reported from public documents of the Glendora City Council Minutes and City Planning Commission. In early 2004 NHRA/Greystone Homes, Inc. applied for and received zoning changes to a tract of land owned by NHRA adjacent to their Financial Way headquarters so that homes could be built on it.

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NHRA has since sold the land to Greystone Homes, Inc. and the original corporation NHRA/Greystone Inc. is no longer listed.

Evidentally the NHRA is no longer involved in a joint venture development with Greystone Homes, Inc.

According to NHRA and other sources the 2.9 acres were originally intended for expansion of the current building so that all of the NHRA companies could be housed under one roof.

However, that project became too expensive and the plans were shelved. [2-22-2005]

NASCAR INKS $107.5 MILLION RADIO DEAL

Sirius Satellite Radio announced that it will pay NASCAR $107.5 million over five years to be its official satellite radio partner and to air all Nextel Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series races, beginning in 2007.

Sirius, which said the highest payments to NASCAR will be made in the final years of the agreement, plans to air the races on a new 24/7 NASCAR channel. The radio provider will have the right to sell advertising on all of its NASCAR shows and during its race coverage. [2-22-2005]

DAYTONA TV RATINGS TIE RECORD

And, just for the sake of comparison, Fox Sports says its broadcast of Sunday's Daytona 500 earned a 10.9/23 preliminary national rating from Nielsen Media Research to tie NBC's 2002 Daytona 500 for the highest-rated NASCAR race ever.

Fox says the so-called fast numbers are up 3 percent from 10.6/24 for last year's race on NBC. The two networks alternate coverage of the season-opening race. [2-22-2005]

BECK TO BE HONORED AT MARCH MEET

According to a Goodguys press release veteran driver Gary Beck will be "honored" at the 46th annual March Meet hel March 11-13 in Bakersfield, CA. Beck will be brought to the starting line at some time during the event, interviewed and given a trophy.

The only question the Agent has is what is the trophy for? [2-22-2005]

REV LIMITERS INSTALLED IN TOP FUELERS AT PHOENIX

According to the Agent's sources, the Top Fuelers and Funny Cars will be getting MSD's rev-limiters installed this weekend at Phoenix in preparation for their mandatory use at Gainesville.

The question is, with the 8,400 rpm chip installed and the great weather predicted (temps in the mid-60's all week) will we see 4.40's at over 330 mph for the Top Fuel and Fuel Coupes? [2-22-2005]