ASHLEY RIGGED

Here's Mike Ashley's Funny Car rig. (JDSpys photo) [8-31-2005]

LEE DOUBLES UP AT INDY 

For J&B Motorsports and driver Paul Lee, this year's U.S. Nationals has additional meaning as the Top Alcohol Funny Car veteran and nitro Funny Car rookie will compete in both classes. Lee will wheel both the J&B Motorsports Nitro Funny Car and the Docs Holiday Top Alcohol Funny Car.

"I'm really excited about this year's Indy because I'll be competing in both of NHRA's Funny Car classes," Lee said. "Thanks to Jeff and Bonnie McGaffic, we'll get to continue racing

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after our successful test and tune session at IRP last week where we ran a belt-braking 4.94 at only 279 mph. The belt came off at about the 1,000-ft mark and was really haulin' the mail. I think crew chief Steve Boggs can build on what we learned here last week."

Lee will also be driving a Top Alcohol Funny Car that he and the J&B Motorsports team took to four national event final rounds in 2004, winning three (Atlanta, Topeka, and Englishtown). The car is the same Firebird that he drove to a semi final appearance a few weeks ago in Brainerd, now owned by Dr. Brian Freisen, a successful dentist from Winnipeg, Canada.  [8-31-2005]

HEMI CHALLENGE HONORS PIONEERS

The Mopar Super Stock HEMI Challenge will make its fifth appearance at the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals on Sept. 2. Featuring the hottest SS/AA cars in the country, the event will also feature former Mopar Direct Connection and Mopar Ramcharger Racing Team members Tom Hoover, Tom Coddington and Al Adam.

Hoover will act as the grand marshal for the Mopar Super Stock HEMI Challenge, while Coddington and Adam are noted as the honorary starters for the event.

"Tom, Al and Tom are a part of the HEMI's legacy, and it's great to have them return to see the progress of their work," said David Hakim, Portfolio Manager for Performance Mopar Parts. "These gentlemen are also a part of the original Chrysler Racing program of the 1960's, and it's because of their dedication that the SS/AA class continues to flourish."

Hoover, Coddington and Adam were heavily involved in the development of the 1968 HEMI Barracuda and Dodge Dart Package Cars. The knowledge that the trio implemented into the machines was utilized in the progress of the Mopar Direct Connection in 1974, which serviced the NHRA/IHRA sportsman classes. Mopar reintroduced the Mopar Direct Connection at the NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals in July of this year. The Mopar Direct Connection will work to provide grassroots racers across the country with at-track technical resources.

Competitors in the Super Stock/A-Automatic (SS/AA) division are eligible to compete in the Super Stock HEMI Challenge event. Featuring more than 25 Hemi-powered factory lightweight SS/AA 1968 Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Darts, the event winner will receive a $10,000 bonus. [8-31-2005]