LEE, LAPE SET IHRA PRO MARKS AT PRESIDENT'S CUP
The Funny Car and Pro Stock eliminator records underwent a shuffling at the IHRA President's Cup Nationals in Budds Creek, Maryland. Jim Lap established a new Funny Car E.T. and MPH mark with a 5.794/244.38 in his 2000 Camaro. He had given a hint of things to come in September at the Epping, NH national event where he ran a then sub-record 5.761/243.77 but was unable to back up either end of that qualifying pass.

Fords were the top of the Pro Stock class when Tom Lee's Autolite Mustang set the E.T. record with a 6.590 and Jon Yoak's Probe cranked a 211.69 for the speed mark. Lee's record came in the final when he singled after Angelo Alesci's Monte Carlo broke.

Lap was not as fortunate, losing to mechanical problems and Billy Gibson's Camaro in the final.

VINNY NAPP DIES OF CANCER
Vinny Napp (real name: Vincent Napoliello) passed away at age 59 from cancer on September 30 in his home state of New Jersey. Vinny and the Napoliello family were the founders of Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, the present site of what used to be the NHRA Summernationals and now are the Mopar Nationals. The track, which was opened for business in July of 1965, is considered to be one of the very top drag racing facilities in the United States, not only for its NHRA national events, but for its history and a still ambitious match-race schedule.

Funny Car racers like "Jungle Jim" Liberman, (who made Englishtown his home track), Lew "Brutus" Arrington, the Castronovo Bros., Al Segrini, the late "Dodger" Glenn, Jake Crimmins, Swensen & Lani, Kosty Ivanof, Bruce Larson, "Slammin' Sammy" Miller, Joe Amato, Frank Manzo, and numerous others cut their teeth at Raceway Park. Match racers ranging from Don Garlits to Don "the Snake" Prudhomme to Bill Jenkins and Frank Iaconio to John Force always included the Raceway Park facility on their schedules.

In 1968, NHRA hosted its fourth Springnationals at Englishtown, and even though they took the event to the newer facility at Dallas, Texas the following year, the Raceway Park campus made an impression on them. Napp and his professional crew ran such a tight ship that in 1971, NHRA brought its Summernationals event to the track and has stayed ever since.

As well as running an innovative race track, Napp himself was a groundbreaker. It was Napp that came up with the idea of the (love 'em or hate 'em) Jr. Dragster program.

He also was in the lead of track owners who pushed home track newspapers, bracket points programs, and street racer nights at this track. Napp also showcased many of the top announcers in the sport as they were coming up, talent such as Bob Frey, Lewis Bloom, and the inimitable F. Robert "Berserko" Bob Doerrer.

Napp is survived by his wife Jo-Ann and five sons.

FELLOW RACERS MAD AT SCHUMACHER?
Several racers have told Agent 1320 that Don Schumacher is making no friends these days in the NHRA fuel pits. Apparently it all started with the Army deal which both Don Prudhomme and Alan Johnson thought they had a shot at getting. A very, very good source told Agent 1320 that the amount that Don Prudhomme quoted the Army for a three-year deal was in line with current budgets but that Schumacher quoted the Army a price approximately half of what Prudhomme or Johnson wanted and got the deal.

Another nitro racer told the Agent that Schumacher approached a certain company and offered to give them signage on his team cars for less money than they are paying the team they currently back. It is also known that Schumacher not only went after John Force's crew chief Austin Coil but also one of the Champ's sponsors much to the displeasure of Force. More than one nitro racer told the Agent that Schumacher had pissed off a lot of his peers and that he shouldn't be looking to get any favors from fellow racers in the near future.

NHRA FINES FUEL RACERS OVER 100 LARGE!!
As of the Topeka event, NHRA has collected over $100,000 in fines from fuel Funny Car and dragster racers. By DRO's figures the exact amount is $109,000. Leading the points reduction parade is Doug Herbert in Top Fuel with minus 50 points and Ron Capps in Fuel Coupe with 40 points. The burning question is where is the money going?

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