ODDY/BILLES RE-SET PRO MOD SPEED RECORD

The Summit Racing Equipment-backed team of Jim Oddy and Al Billes re-set the IHRA Pro Mod speed record over the weekend at Virginia Motorsports Park. The team's brand new

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Jerry Bickel-built '05 Dodge Stratus qualified on their last lap with a 6.16/235.94 and then set the record with a 6.12/236.22 lap a couple of hours later in the first round of eliminations. The 236.22 becomes the fastest speed ever, eclipsing the 236.09 recorded by Jay Payne driving a Jerry Haas-built '05 Stratus.

The record doesn't surprise the Agent because when Fred Hahn was driving for car owner and engine builder Jim Oddy they ran a 232+ and a 234+ lap in their '53 Corvette at an IHRA National at Rockingham S.C. race in 2000. . .but IHRA disallowed that record. This one counts. A tip of the Agent's ballcap to Jim and Al. Your weight/overdrive/cubic inch change is in the mail! (Just a little joke from the Agent, guys.) (Dave Oddy photo)  [5-31-2005]

CLEAR CHANNEL/IHRA RUMOR

The Agent got a call today concerning the future of the Clear Channel Communications-owned International Hot Rod Association. We've heard rumors like this one before but not from a source like this usually reliable one. According to the Agent's source. Clear Channel is going to announce in the near future that for the 2007 season they will have 16 car fields in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Clear Channel will build and own all of the teams just as they now do with their monster truck series and will hire drivers. Also included in the rumor is that Clear Channel will be expanding the size of the tracks to hold 30-35,000 people.

You could discount this as just rumor except for two items. 1) IHRA has let it be known that they would like a "monster truck" type event at some point and 2) When Clear Channel first bought the IHRA they approached two Pro Mod teams about being "house cars" one of which one accepted. The Agent's source swears this rumor is true. We'll see. [5-31-2005]