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Jered Nichols, one of the three Gray crewmembers injured in an automobile accident leaving the NHRA Las Vegas race, has returned to the team. Robert Beresford is now at home in Carlsbad, New Mexico and has begun physical rehabilitation. Clayton Williams remains in a coma in Arizona where the accident took place. (photo by Bill Walters)

POMONA RACEWAY DRAGSTRIP SURFACE RE-PAVED
The racing surface at historic Pomona Raceway has been re-paved. The existing concrete starting line pads on the dragstrip were extended downtrack to the 660-foot mark. In addition to the new concrete, three inches of existing asphalt was removed and replaced from the 660-foot mark to 350 feet past the finish line.

The E.L. Yeager construction company poured the new concrete pads using the latest laser technology, known as the "Superflat System", to create as uniform a plane as possible. The texture applied to the concrete surface, using a technique known as shot-blasting, gives Pomona Raceway a racing surface that matches the majority of concrete slabs currently in place on the NHRA Winston Drag Racing circuit.

PRUDHOMME LOOKING AT IHRA?

Agent 1320 got a call from one of his most reliable sources who told him that Don Prudhomme is a least considering running a few IHRA meets. Seems like the "Snake" is not all that happy with NHRA currently. Our source wasn't sure if Prudhomme was thinking about doing this for the 2001 or 2002 season but that Prudhomme was seriously considering the move. If you combine this rumor (and the Agent stresses that none of the principals have been contacted) and the rumor that SFX has already approached Kenny Bernstein and offered appearance money, there might be reason indeed for NHRA to be a little nervous.

The Agent is sure that SFX/IHRA would love to get Prudhomme and American Tobacco over to IHRA and would probably do whatever necessary to make "Snake" happy.

The Agent also hears that at least on some levels SFX/IHRA is considering adding Nitro Funny cars down the line. If this were to happen, then running with IHRA would be even more attractive to teams like Prudhomme's and Schumacher's, which field both Top Fuelers and Funny Cars. And just to add fuel to the fire, what if Force finally gets his Top Fuel car running? He has a long relationship with some of the IHRA track owners. Perhaps Force might consider running at selected IHRA events for "testing" purposes.

The Agent hears that when SFX bought IHRA, NHRA officials went to three prominent team owners, two of which are still driving, and tried to influence them not to jump ship. So far the first real indication that any of the NHRA stars might consider moving is the Prudhomme rumor.

Has everybody forgotten that not so long ago plenty of NHRA's stars could be found running at IHRA events in both Top Fuel and Funny Car? It could happen again.
(Jeff Burk photo)