ESPN/ESPN2 IN WITH NHRA
NHRA and ESPN have agreed to an exclusive five-year strategic partnership which is, according to NHRA president Tom Compton "the best television package in the history of the sport which will provide our fans, sponsors and teams with unparalleled continuity and consistency. Our fans will know exactly when and where to find all NHRA television coverage while continuing to provide same-day broadcasts."

In addition, the weekly magazine show "NHRA Heat" will expand its schedule to more than 40 shows beginning in 2001. The agreement extends to both the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series and Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series.

NHRA expects to announce its 2001 race schedule in early July. Stay tuned.

VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK OUT WITH NHRA, IN WITH IHRA FOR 2001
Virginia Motorsports Park has announced a multi-year sanctioning agreement with the IHRA to host a Summit Drag Racing Series major event in spring 2001.

"Over the last several years, IHRA has shown tremendous growth in many areas. Racer participation, sponsor activity, and fan attendance are just a few. We see tremendous growth and opportunity for us, our business partners, and especially the fans and racers who visit VMP," said Paul Coleman, General Manager of Virginia Motorsports Park.

In addition to a major event, VMP will host a Holley Sportsman Championship race and other IHRA races. Specific dates and details will be announced shortly. Coleman also announced that an NHRA Federal Mogul race scheduled for September 22-24 remains on the calendar.

FLYNN OUT, HOGAN IN AS E-MOOLA.COM FC CREW CHIEF Richard Hogan replaces Rob Flynn immediately as crew chief on Alan Johnson's funny car driven by Bruce Sarver. Hogan was previously assistant under Flynn.

"This change was necessary in order to structure an aggressive run at a top-10 finish in the 2000 NHRA Winston funny Car standing," team owner Johnson said."It was a difficult decision to release Rob from the team, and we all wish him the very best as he moves on. If we're going to have an impact on the battle for the Winston championship during the second half of the season, we all need to take the same approach and employ the same philosophy."

BURKART IN FUNNY CAR AT BRISTOL
Phil Burkart Jr. will return to NHRA competition at the Winston Showdown. July 7-9, in Bristol, Tenn. Burkart will be driving for the father and son team of Gary and Paul Richards, who have recently updated their entire Funny Car operation. The team will arrive at Bristol Dragway in a new Kodiak truck and trailer, and their Funny Car has been updated with a bigger fuel pump and a new clutch and fuel management system. Burkart's long-time friend and associate, Carl Santa Maria, will also join the team in Tennessee.

Burkart competed at last season's inaugural Winston Showdown and is qualified for this year's event on the strength of his funny Car victory at the 1999 Pontiac Excitement Nationals. He qualified for the first two national events this season, but has been sidelined since the Phoenix race in February.

IT'S 6.179 AGAIN
Just a couple of days after Fred Hahn shocked the doorslammer world with a 6.179 lap in Jim Oddy's '54 Corvette at Grand Bend Dragway in Ontario, Canada another racer half a world away in Australia equaled the IHRA Pro Mod record with a 6.179 of his own.

Agent 1320 has learned that Aussie Top Doorslammer racer Robin Judd booted his '53 Studebaker to an identical 6.179 at the Australian version of the World Finals. While his elapsed time was identical the mode of transportation he used is way different.

The Agent has learned the Judd uses a Brad Anderson 500+ cubic inch hemi to power his 'slammer. Additionally, while stateside Pro Mods are limited in blower size, style and ignition just to name a few the Aussies aren't.

Reportedly Judd's hemi is topped by a 16-71 hi-helix blower and has dual mags, both of which are illegal for IHRA Pro Mod. The Agent was told that Judd's car was built by Aussie ace chassis builder Murray Anderson and is believed to have a four-link suspension instead of the swing arm style that Oddy and Hahn have. The Agent hears that a comparison of the progressive times for both cars show they were about equal except at the top end where Robin's Studebaker nosed over and ran only 221 and change compared to Hahn's 226. Judd probably would have run quicker if the engine had pulled for 1320 ft.