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DETROIT IN, NIAGARA FALLS OUT?
The NHRA reportedly is looking at new event sites for 2002 when dragstrips
come on line at Nashville and Homestead, Fla. There also is reported
movement on the construction of a long rumored track in the Detroit
market-and not Niagara Falls. If the Detroit track becomes reality,
look for NHRA interest in the proposed Canadian supertrack (Niagara
Falls) to wane. Too many hassles in the border crossing.
MOTORPLEX TO STAY WITH NHRA UNTIL OCTOBER
In the Texas Motorplex soap opera, Robert Hutchinson, former NHRA World
Super Stock Champion and owner/operator of Kennadale Raceway (a soon-to-be
"former" NHRA track near Fort Worth) reportedly has made a down payment
of "several hundred thousand dollars" to developer Billy Meyer as a
first step toward becoming only the second owner of the all-concrete
track.
Hutchinson was in Louisville, Ky., for the track operators' meeting
of the "other" sanctioning body-the International Hot Rod Association-leading
to speculation that the Motorplex might open this year under the IHRA
banner. That apparently will not be the case, however.
According to sources close to the situation, the track again will host
the NHRA O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol this fall. The
track's future beyond October, however, is unknown.
The Motorplex actually contested two IHRA national events in 1988,
the year that Meyer bought the junior circuit from founder Larry Carrier
and went head-to-head against the NHRA. The results were disastrous
and Meyer sold the sanctioning body to other interests a year later
and begged his way back into NHRA's good graces.
MORE CHANGES AT TEAM MOPAR
In the wake of Lou Patane's exodus from the Mopar motorsports program,
Scott Geoffrion has lost his status as one of the Dodge Boys. Geoffrion
reportedly is out and Mark Osborne is in on the Pro Stock team managed
by former Competition Eliminator world champion David Nickens. Darrell
Alderman, Geoffrion's running buddy for almost 10 years, remains in
camp-for now.
Rumors persist that Dodge will gradually pull out of drag racing as
contracts come up for renewal. Mopar presently sponsors racers in Funny
Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck and several sportsman categories. The
Chrysler parts division also underwrites the Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals
at Denver, Colo.
NO EXPANSION FOR BANDIMERE
Speaking of Denver, chances of having a new site up and running in time
for the 2002 Mile-High Nationals are rapidly diminishing. Homeowners
in and around a proposed site near the Denver airport successfully squelched
John Bandimere Jr.'s bid to make a new Bandimere Speedway Park the cornerstone
of a multi-use entertainment facility.
Bandimere and supporters acknowledge that, basically, they are back
to square one in their search for a new home for Colorado drag racing.
FIRE DAMAGES LITTON'S SHOP
In the fire that consumed Bruce Litton's shop in Indianapolis, crew
members for Don "the Snake" Prudhomme lost a wealth of personal items.
Those items had been in apartments leased for crew members during the
off-season. In addition, some race car parts and a couple of Harley-Davidson
motorcycles owned by crew chief Ed "the Ace" McCulloch, were in storage
and consumed in the fire which also wiped out Litton's classic car collection.
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