ODDY, VENEY AND PRO MOD

Agent 1320 heard from several different groups of racers and one manufacturer at the NHRA Las Vegas race that veteran engine builder Jim Oddy is at least going to build and test at a Hemi-headed Pro Mod engine for the 2003 season over the winter. The word was that Oddy would at least start with Ken Veney cylinder heads on a Bob Newberry block combination. Evidently many engine builders feel that Hemi-headed, supercharged motors have an advantage over the wedge-headed combinations when the weather is hot. In cool, dry air the Hemis have little advantage over the wedges. The only problem is that more races are run in hot, muggy weather than any other conditions.

If Oddy switches, others like Mike Janis will probably follow and Pro Mod will be one step closer to being an all blown-Hemi, doorslammer class...in other words, left hand drive alky funny cars. Note to IHRA: Stop the madness before it's too late and wedge Chevys, Olds, and Fords got the way of the Dodo bird...extinct!!! [11-05-2002]

HEARTLAND PARK IN DEBT AND FOR SALE

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What looked like the tip of the iceberg with the filing of a lawsuit from a local sign shop in Topeka may now be a much larger problem. The owners of Heartland Park Corporation have put their motorsports business up for sale and hope that they can pay off the outstanding debts which by one published estimate total hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The remaining employees will be laid off on Friday (11/1/02) and the facility will close for the winter. Glen Wells, representative for the owners, said that one employee will stay on to answer the phones.

The Mayor of Topeka, Butch Felker, said, "We have one of the best tracks. It's a money-maker for the NHRA."

By city estimates the NHRA race draws some 100,000 people over the weekend. According to published reports, NHRA remains committed to the May 2003 race. [10-31-2002]

NHRA ANNOUNCES 2003 SPORT COMPACT SCHEDULE

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Two new venues will be added to the 2003 NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series schedule. The 10-race, $1.4 million series will once again be showcased on ESPN2. A year-end championship bonus fund of $144,000 as well as purses at each event totaling $260,500 are guaranteed.

Two facilities new to the NHRA Summit Sport Compact Series will host events to open the season, as the tour kicks-off at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 15-16) before moving on to Moroso Motorsports Park (April 5-6), near Miami, for the tour's second stop.

The series will return to several familiar destinations to complete the remainder of the schedule, including two stops at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. (May 3-4 and Oct. 4-5), Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway (May 17-18), Atco (N.J.) Raceway (June 7-8), Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas outside Dallas (Aug. 8-9), Woodburn (Ore.) Dragway near Portland (Aug. 23-24), and Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. (Sept. 6-7). The series will once again conclude at Pomona (Calif.) Raceway (Oct. 25-26), near Los Angeles. [10-31-2002]

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