FORCE ADDS THIRD MUSTANG WHILE AWAITING DRAGSTER
The plan is to have a Top Fuel dragster on the track by March 15, but with a two to three month wait for the delivery of the Brad Hadman chassis, John Force has decided to field a third Mustang Funny Car. With corporate sponsors chomping at the bit and a new crew in need of training, Force and his crew chiefs came up with the interim plan.

"…after talking with Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly, John Medlen, Jimmy Prock and Dickie Venables, we decided the best plan would be to go with the Funny Car right now, just get these guys into combat mode and give them a taste of the heat of battle in a new Funny Car-style 'Prock Rocket'," said Force.

Although Force has talked with numerous candidates, including some without previous fuel racing experience, no driver has as yet been named. The new Steve Plueger-chassied car will debut at the Gatornationals. So, who will be behind the wheel?

"I don't know whether we look at someone who can drive the Funny Car and then step into the dragster," Force said, "or whether we just hire a driver for the Funny Car."

Stay tuned.

MAC TOOLS SPONSORS DOUG KALITTA
Mac Tools made its debut as the primary sponsor of Doug Kalitta's Top Fuel dragster at the Winternationals. Mac Tools has provided associate sponsorships to several NHRA teams over the years and is also the primary sponsor of the Gatornationals.

Team owner Connie Kalitta welcomed the partnership. "I have financed this team for a lot of years on my own. It's very rewarding for a company the caliber of Mac Tools to want to join forces in what I see as a win-win situation for both of us."

"I would like nothing better than to win the NHRA Winston Championship," driver and nephew Doug said, "That's our goal, and in teaming with Mac I think we have the right tools to get the job done."

The Agent can hear a lot of really bad jokes in the pits on this one.

GWYNN/STEINBRENNER RACING GET A CREDIT CARD
MBNA, the world's largest independent credit card issuer and the Official Credit Card of the NHRA, has signed a multi-year business agreement as associate sponsor of Gwynn/Steinbrenner Racing.

"We are delighted to add MBNA of America to the 300-mph pinstripes of the NHRA Yankee Top Fuel dragster," said Darrell Gwynn. "We're confident that our driver, Mike Dunn, will be an excellent motorsports ambassador for MBNA."

Partners in the race team are Darrell Gwynn and his father Jerry, and Hank Steinbrenner and his father George. MBNA has had a long-standing business relationship with the New York Yankees baseball team, which is owned by George Steinbrenner.

MBNA STARTS 'DOUBLE BUCKS' BONUS PROGRAM AT GOODGUYS
Nostalgia racers will have a chance at twice the regular amount in their winner's purse for two of the Goodguys/VRA Drag Racing classes thanks to MBNA. Prior to Sunday's eliminations at each of the 2001 Goodguys West Coast Series Drag Racing events and the annual Hot Rod Nationals in Indy, a random drawing will be held to determine which Pro and Sportsman classes will race for the "MBNA Double Bucks" bonus.

Pro classes will include Top Fuel, A/Fuel, Junior Fuel, Pro-Supercharged, A/GAS (7.60), and Nostalgia Eliminator (7.60). Sportsman classes will include N/E 2 & 3, B/GAS, C/GAS, Hot Rod Eliminator and Street Machine Eliminator.

GUASCO NAMED GOODGUYS 'NITRO LIAISON'
Rich Guasco has joined the Goodguys/VRA staff as Nitro Liaison. He will act as a "sounding board" as well as a tech staff member for the current Top Fuel and A/Fuel teams that burn nitro. Guasco has over 40 years of drag racing experience, almost all of it focused on the nitro ranks. Best known for his own "Pure Hell" nitro-burning roadster, Guasco also crewed on Raymond Beadle's "Blue Max" Funny Car and Dan Pastorini's "Silver Bullet" Top Fueler.