NHRA HAS MORE PERCENTAGE PROBLEMS
Agent 1320 hears that the cash-strapped NHRA reportedly will lose a couple
hundred thousand dollars next year in royalties on collectibles being
produced by Action Performance Companies, Inc. because those products
WILL NOT include the NHRA logo. That situation stems from a dispute between
Action and the NHRA in which the sanctioing body tried to increase its
percentage on such products from 2-percent to 5-perdent, ostensibly because
of NHRA's 50th anniversary. According to sources, 5-percent is more than
NASCAR gets in royalties on its products.
McDERMOTT EXITS SPORT SERVICE
Pete McDermott is gone from Sport Service, Inc., the Indianapolis-based
company best known for its long-term control of the on-site T-shirt
business at NHRA national events. McDermott, who led a group that purchased
Sport Service from founder Chick Saffel, departed under mysterious circumstances.
The company line is that he left to pursue other business opportunities
and that he will open his own marketing company in Salt Lake City. However,
that move reportedly is several years away. In the meantime, McDermott
and family reportedly plan to remain in Indianapolis for up to two years
while his son finishes school there.
Representatives within Sports Service had no comment but the information
that is known would suggest that it was not a voluntary departure. Tom
Brazille reportedly will be the company's new CEO.
Sport Service, which once operated almost as a subsidiary of the NHRA,
still is staffed with a number of ex-NHRA employees including Mitch
Cooper and David Woodruff. It recently added another NHRA alum, Ned
Walliser.
MOVING VANS SEEN IN AREA
Okay, the latest in musical chairs. Jim Epler, after allegedly agreeing
not to make an announcement until after season's end, surprised Jerry
Toliver by revealing that he is indeed moving from the WWF team to the
Etchells Racing team in 2001 where he'll driver a second Etchells Camaro
sponsored by Racing Champions/ETRL.
However, Epler apparently won't bring current Crew Chief John Stewart
with him. Stewart is rumored headed for Dean Skuza's proposed two-car
operation to work with Lance Larson. Skuza is to announce a replacement
for departed sponsor Matco Tools (which jumped to Whit Bazemore and
Schumacher Racing) at the SEMA Show. Best information is that it will
be Mopar Parts, a good fit since Skuza's Avenger is the only really
competitive Dodge left in the division.
Look for Tony Bartone in the second WWF car next season. It's a good
fit and Tony will bring some extra operating capital. Bartone has the
right personality, too, brash and outgoing - like The Rock. Nevertheless,
Toliver hasn't had to look around for driving talent. He had a backlog
of resumes in the first couple of hours after word got out of Epler's
departure.
BUTTERFIELD FOLLOWS GIBBS TO NASCAR
Kirk Butterfield, who used to work for John Force and who the past several
years has toiled in the employ of Joe Gibbs, will continue to work for
Gibbs when the former Super Bowl-winning coach exits drag racing at
season's end. Butterfield apparently is being added to the crew that
supports Winston Cup Champion-to-Be Bobby Labonte. His job reportedly
will be making "game day" tuneup decisions for the Coach & Co. Butterfield's
is just the latest in a series of defections to NASCAR which pays big
money for guys already accustomed to hard work.
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS
Announcement that Johnny West is bound for the Bud King camp to work
with Mike Green is good news for driver Kenny Bernstein, who's been
mired in a performance slump, but probably bad news for Bob Vandergriff
Jr., who may be out of business at season's end.
HERBERT TO FIELD IHRA SUPER TEAM
Doug Herbert apparently is assembling a "super team" to compete in next
year's IHRA Summit Drag Racing Series. Herbert would own the car, Paul
Romine would drive and Mike McLaughlin, last seen ripping his clutch
timers out of the Don Lampus dragster, would tune. Romine, apparently
tired of car ownership, reportedly would bring the CARQUEST sponsorship
with him. If that match is made, it would unite individuals who have
played a major role in seven of the last eight IHRA Top Fuel championships
- maybe eight out of nine (if Romine can hold on to win this year's
title which will be decided at Rockingham).
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