TONY TESTS BLOWN 'VETTE

Tony Christian, who will be driving a blown Hemi-powered 'Vette for car owner Jim McManama next season, took his ex-Kirk Kuhn 'Vette to Houston for some pre- season testing. Christian told DRO that he made three eighth-mile passes in the 4.20 range using the mandated-for-2002 4.56 gear.

"I was really comfortable in the car," Christian said. "The only problem I had was going from the five-speed I had in my nitrous car to a three-speed. I kept short- shifting and reaching for more levers."

NMCA/NSCA SPLIT PRO STREET OUTLAW STREET CLASSES

A couple of years ago NMCA got tired of short fields and low car counts in both the Pro Street and Outlaw Street classes, so they combined the two into one class. The result was full fields and plenty of bump action. One of the decisions that was made when NMCA and NSCA joined to form one sanctioning body was to split the class in two again. Now there will be a Pro Street class for nitrous injected and naturally aspirated cars and another class for cars with blowers and turbo-chargers. You have to wonder why they would revert to something that didn't work. Super Street, Hot Street and EZ Street classes were added.

Although DRO has received no official word, the NSCA web site says that there will be 10 events in 2002 beginning with the season opener at Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach, Florida.

RICK MOROSO HOT STREET NEWS

Hot Street vet Rick Moroso has decided that "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" is the best policy. Moroso has always had small block Chevy motors under the hood of his 'Vettes built by a veteran Winston Cup engine builder. For the 2002 season he will switch to a small block "stovebolt" built by Bischoff Racing Engines using Moroso products internally and externally. Moroso also told the Agent that he is going to purpose build a C-4 'Vette bracket car for next year in order to be a little more competitive at the Moroso Five Days in '02.

QUAIN STOTT AND ATHEY TEAM UP. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ROCCA?

DRO received a press release from the Quain Stott Pro Mod team announcing that the former driver of Johnny Rocca's '51 Merc, Paul Athey, will join with Stott for the 2002 IHRA season. Athey will be driving an Alan Pittman-built '63 'Vette. He also became the first supercharged racer to announce that he will be using a Gene Fulton-built blower motor. Athey will be taking his Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino sponsorship with him which leaves Agent 1320 with two major questions: 1) Will Tommy Anderson, who has been announced as the tuner for the Mike Ashley/Mitch Stott supercharged car, be lending Gene Fulton a hand or will Athey/Quain and Fulton go it alone? 2)Where does this leave Johnny Rocca, who has already built and painted a new '51 Merc for the 2002 season?