BAREMAN TO SUB FOR BILLES
FOR REST OF 2005
Team
owner Jim Oddy has named Steve Bareman as replacement for
driver Al Billes in his Summit Racing Equipment-backed Pro
Mod. Billes, who crashed two cars in three weeks, will probably
be out of the driver's seat the rest of this year on doctor's
orders. He will attend all remaining events with the Oddy
team in a public relations capacity and will return as the
teams driver next season when cleared by his doctors.
"I thought of quitting right after the crash at Milan.
I was especially concerned for Al (Billes) and I just didn't
know what to do," said Oddy from his Elma, NY engine
shop. "After I got over the shock and had a chance
to talk to the folks at Summit and to Al, we all came to
the conclusion that we'd try to put something together to
finish out the season if we could."
When the Agent talked to Oddy about the accident he asked
that we make sure to mention the help and support he got
from the IHRA crew at Milan, Michigan.
"Mike Baker and Howie Dalton were great," Oddy
said. "They stayed with me and helped us get the car
into the trailer and made sure that we got all of the pieces
of the car. We also got a lot of help from Pete Burner and
his crew. I just want to thank them."
The Agent hears that just a few days after the incident
Steve Bareman called to offer Oddy his entire operation.
He is the 2004 UDRA Pro Mod National Champion and, along
with his brother Mike, is a five-time mud-drag champ. Bareman,
from Holland, MI, will bring his '53 Corvette to the Summit
team. The 'Vette will get the supercharged engine and drivetrain
combination out of Oddy's record setting 2005 Dodge Stratus.
The Stratus will be returned to Jerry Bickel's Missouri
shop to see if it can be repaired.
Oddy's team plans to return to action at the IHRA national
event in Martin, Michigan on Aug. 12-14. [7-25-2005]
KALITTA GANG GOING FUNNY CAR RACING
TOO?
By now the only way you wouldn't know that "King"
Kenny Bernstein, Pro Stock team owner Ken Black, and Connie
Kalitta are trying to put together a Top Fuel deal would
be if you were living on another planet.
According to the Agent's sources in St. Louis, Mr. Bernstein
is in town today talking to the folks at the Anheuser-Busch
brewery about the deal.
But here is some news you may not have heard. Supposedly,
both Doug and Scott Kalitta would like to drive a Funny
Car next season. The main question then becomes if the Kalittas
were to field a couple of Funny Cars would they still keep
the dragsters? If not, the Agent thinks that a lot more
five-second cars like Don Sosenka's will be making up the
Top Fuel field. [7-25-2005]
MONOSTRUTS FOR
TOP FUEL? NOT AT THE NHRA
The NHRA tech department has just issued a moratorium on
Top Fuel wing development obviously aimed at the monostrut
design currently being developed by Mike Kloeber for the
Kenny Koretsky Top Fuel team. The Agent's sources say that
up until recently NHRA gave the new design their blessing
but evidently, with the new wing just about ready to be
debuted, someone at NHRA got cold feet.
A call to Mike Kloeber confirms that as of today the Clay
Millican-driven dragster will still be able to use the wing
at IHRA events. [7-25-2005]
