TURNER GETTING READY
The Agent spotted the progress being made on former NHRA alky dragster owner Gary Turner's Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car. The '80s Plymouth Arrow will sit on a Bob Bouldon-built chassis and use a Brad Anderson 426, they hope to have the car finished for the Pomona Goodguys event. Turner owned the alcohol dragster Bobby Taylor drove in the 1996 world championship.
(Darr Hawthorne photo) [7-11-2005]
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SHOW RAINED OUT
The Agent was on hand July 9, for the big 50th anniversary extravaganza at Dallas, GA's Southeastern Dragway, but just as the main event was about to get underway, Mother Nature arrived with a vengeance, washing away the festivities. It was too bad, too, as it was shaping up to be a great show, with five nitro-burning nostalgia floppers on hand, Mitch King's fuel altered, a half dozen old-school alcohol Funny Cars, and a jet car to round out the fireworks. Promoter Donnie Reeves said a rescheduled date will soon be announced and everyone should hold on to their tickets.
The heavy rain sent a packed house of fans scrambling for cover after they had lined up three and four deep from the starting line to well beyond the finish line an eighth of a mile away. They did get to see, however, NHRA Top Fuel pilot John Smith make the
inaugural pass with Virgil Hartman's '77 Trans Am-bodied "Sasquatch" flopper. Hartman's team actually finished assembly of the car at the track after installing a detuned version of the same engine Vicky Fanning raced in the Top Fuel race at Huntsville a week earlier. Hartman said that was only a stop-gap measure, though, and a more true-to-the-era powerplant will be installed shortly.
And finally, contrary to rampant rumors, track operator Gene Fuller assured The Agent that the track has not been sold to make way for a new housing development. However, he did confirm that talks have occurred with the land owners and the situation could change within weeks. DRO will keep you posted. (Ian Tocher photos) [7-11-2005]
