FORCE SETS MATCH RACE RECORD
Just how big of a draw is the great John Force? Evidently a very big one. Agent 1320 has learned that for appearing at the 15th annual Norwalk Raceway Park "Night Under Fire," where they book eight strong NHRA Fuel Coupes along with jets and fireworks, Force's fee is approximately $75,000. The Agent was unable to find out what the rest of the floppers were getting but he guesses it was somewhat less.

If you do the math Force's fee is a bargain. NRP claims that last year they had in excess of 30,000 fans for the "Night Under Fire." Tickets for this year's event will cost fans in the $30-35 range. If NRP matches last year's crowd the gate will amount to a cool $1,000,000. Even after paying Force 75 large and the rest of the bills generated in promoting this kind of extravaganza, everyone will go home happy. And Force will hold yet another record: most money paid for a match race.

NHRA TRUCK TEAMS WAITING
NHRA is evidently going to decide the fate of the Pro Stock Truck program in the very near future (as in three weeks). While rumors continue to circulate that NHRA will drop the Pro Stock Truck program and move the trucks to Comp Eliminator, sources at NHRA told DRO that no such decision has been made, but that NHRA hopes to announce something after the July race at Pomona. Graham Light told DRO, " We need to make a decision so the truck team owners and drivers can make decisions about ordering new cars, engines and other components. We don't want to wait too long to announce what we are going to do."

DRO hears that part of the decision hinges on whether the Pro Stock Truck Association can find a money sponsor for the coming season.

RIEGER GOING PRO MOD IN 2002
Multi-time Pro Street World Champion Bob Rieger told DRO that he has decided to make the move to Pro Modified for the 2002 season.

Rieger told DRO "I've got a new 3/4 scale '57 Chevy from Jerry Bickel Race Cars and I've put together an engine program with Brad Anderson which means the '57 will run one of "Bad Brads" hemis. Rieger told DRO that he intends to run the NHRA Pro Mod program and will also look at IHRA.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time," Rieger said. "I'm really looking forward to racing in Pro Modified."

SLEW OF SEATTLE PROBLEMS
Will the Fiorito brothers, who own Seattle International Raceway, turn the site into a gravel pit? That's the latest rumor outgoing track operator Jim Rockstad has heard. Gravel pit. Housing tract. He tells Agent 1320 that he hears a new one every day.

All Rockstad knows is that by the time his lease expires Dec. 31, 2001, he will have removed the grandstands and other fixtures he owns from the property. He also knows that any modifications to the grounds will require a permit -- and the process takes 18 months. According to King County official Matt Caskey, whose highfalutin' title is Planner in the Land Services Division of the Department of Development and Environmental Services, no individual or group has applied for any permits to do anything to repair or renovate the facility for racing.

Rockstad says Wayne McMurtry, who retired in March as NHRA's Vice-President of Facilities Operation and Development, told him as late as June 25, "If anybody in NHRA thinks there's going to be a 2002 Northwest Nationals, they're crazy."

Jack Kruckenberg, who identifies himself as spokesman for the Big Soos Community Club, has informed the county he and his cohorts who own property surrounding the race track expect to be consulted in the event of changes to the facility. That includes operation hours and physical changes to the property. He has complained such about "unwelcome surprises" as fireworks, overnight camping, night racing and "amplified music." He also expressed a concern that the track somehow would damage the salmon run in nearby Big Soos Creek. (Never mind the Burlington Northern Railroad right-of-way lies between the two.)