CARRY ME BACK TO OL' VIRGINNY

The Agent heard from one of his usually reliable operatives that Virginia Motorsports Park will once again come under the NHRA banner. The operative said that VMP is leaving the IHRA fold at the end of this season and as inducement to swap hot rod associations was handed a Fall NHRA event when the second Chicago event departs Route 66 Raceway next year. [5-2-2005]

ANOTHER SO-CAL DRAGSTRIP?

The NHRA Pacific Division office in Glendora has heard nothing, but the
rumors are rumbling around SoCal about the resurrection of Terminal Island Raceway in the Harbor area of Los Angeles. According to one source the lease on the property is now available since the coal import/export company utilizing the former TI Raceway land has moved their operation. There's yet another rumor going that the new TI Raceway will begin as an eighth mile. Another source swears that the LA Mayor's office has gotten involved, but with a tight political fight for his job the Agent doubts if a dragstrip is up very high on the list. Stay tuned. And just for the record, there is still no word on when the Banning track will be open for business. [5-2-2005]

BAILEY, STRAUSS FORM PARTNERSHIP

Rich Bailey of ProMotion Motorsports and Dave Strauss of DC Motorsports have merged their racing operations. Although Strauss owns and drives a blown nostalgia alcohol dragster, the team will concentrate on campaigning Bailey's Top Comp dragster. The team is sponsored by Capitol Auto Group in Salem, Oregon. Strauss built the team's new engine and brings Bob Davis along with him to the new partnership. [5-2-2005]

BFGOODRICH OFFERS 'BOUNTY' FOR SPORT COMPACT CLASS

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In order to generate interest in the Street Stock class in the NHRA Sport Compact Series, BFGoodrich Tires has established a bounty system for the radial-tire class. The tire manufacturer will award $2,500 each to the racers who record the fastest quarter-mile speed and also the quickest e.t. during the 2005 season.

The Street Stock category debuted at the NHRA Summit Sport Compact season opener at Florida's Moroso Motorsports Park. Luis Soto set the national records at 13.478 and 102.86 mph, but with 10 races left on the schedule, those numbers probably won't stand.

BFGoodrich also has an innovative "Race Our Rubber" program, where competitors with a valid driver's license, credit card and signed waiver can swap out competitor tires for a set of BFGoodrich g-Force T/A® Drag Radial tires for a race weekend. [5-2-2005]