NEILSON NAMED NHRA PACIFIC DIVISION DIRECTOR
Charlie Neilson has been named Pacific Division Director (Division 7) for the National Hot Rod Association. In his new position, Neilson, 41, will manage the competition at the 21 NHRA-member facilities in the Pacific Division, which includes tracks located in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Mexico, Nevada and Utah. Among his responsibilities include coordination of NHRA Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series events and NHRA Summit Racing Series events. In addition, he will provide consultation with track operators at all NHRA-member facilities in the division as well as supervise development of new racetrack activity.

Prior to accepting the new position, Neilson worked as an NHRA marketing services manager for four years. Before joining the NHRA, Neilson worked for 13 years as a crew member and general mechanic for Kenny Bernstein's Budweiser King Top Fuel team. Preceding his tenure with Budweiser King Racing, he was an auditor for Breckenridge Ski Resort for three years. Neilson, a native of Ontario, Canada, earned a B.A. in economics, sports administration and physical education in 1982 from Albion (Mich.) College.

IHRA RACER WENEY ADDS NHRA TRACK AS ONE-RACE SPONSOR
From the 'Drag Racing Makes Strange Bedfellows Dept.' we hear that defending IHRA Pro Funny Car champion Scott Weney has a one-race associate sponsorship from NHRA-sanctioned Maple Grove Raceway. Maple Grove hopes to promote the Keystone Nationals (Sept. 13-16) by sponsoring Weney's 2001 ride, the Pro Funny Car of Jackie and Judy Gibson, at the IHRA ACDelco Nationals (April 20-22).

The Agent wonders (1) how much flack George Case, Maple Grove manager, will get from the guys in Glendora over this, and (2) will NHRA allow an IHRA track to sponsor a car at their races - say, one of the immensely popular Pro Mods?

A REAL RUBBER KILLER

This photo of Jonas Petterson of Stockholm, Sweden competing at Tullinge Raceway was sent to us by Ulf Nyberg of the Swedish Pro Street News. Ulf tells us the engine sounds as spectacular as the rear rubber looks. We have a lot of Swedish readers and are happy the sport is so popular there. Hmm. maybe the Agent needs to make a Scandinavian tour.