Drag Racing Online - Agent 1320 Vol. IV No. 12 December 2002

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BILLY WILLIAMS UPDATE

Funny Car driver Billy Williams, injured at Rockingham last Spring, has received $250,000 from IHRA and Wisenberg Insurance to assist with his medical costs and treatment.

Although Williams' primary insurance carrier denied the claim and chose not to pay, IHRA and Wisenberg have been working aggressively the past four months to activate the payment.

"We hope our $250,000 payment offsets some of the enormous medical bills incurred by Billy," said IHRA President Bill Bader. "We realize the medical costs exceed the payment and hope that Billy's primary insurance carrier will accept responsibility, agree to a settlement and relieve some of the burden."

Wisenberg issued payment to the Williams family the week of December 16, 2002. [12-19-2002]

CLASSIC THUNDER THUNDERS ON

The burgeoning Classic Thunder nostalgia racing series recently confirmed it will feature racers from the Midwest Nostalgia Super Stocks at all Classic Thunder events in 2003, unless the events conflict with an existing MNSS date.

Also rumored in the works for next year is a collaboration between Classic Thunder and the National Muscle Car Association at most NMCA events. The Agent can't wait! [12-19-2002]

HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA IS RECEIVING OFFERS

Glen Wells, an accountant who represents the owners of Heartland Park Corporation said that he has received offers to purchase the rights to operate the multi-purpose motorsports facility. While they have some offers in hand, the place hasn't officially been sold yet and they still plan on hosting the 15th annual O'Reilly Summer Nationals May 22-25, 2003.

The track, land, and facilities are owned by the City of Topeka. According to Wells, the track has "hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid debts," but once rights to operate the track are sold, those debts will be paid. [12-19-2002]

IRWINDALE DRAGS EXTENDS SEASON

What has turned out to be a very popular decision is turning SoCal's Irwindale eighth-mile into the place to be on Thursday nights during the winter season. The dragstrip will now be open year round for the Thursday Test and Tune and two special Saturday Holiday dates have been added on December 28 and January 4 with gates opening at 3:00 PM.

According to Director Gene Bergstrom, they will run some special events with cool prizes. "Illegal racing on the streets has never been this much fun and now everyone knows it," concluded Bergstrom.

For complete details check out http://irwindaledragstrip.com. [12-19-2002]

DON VESCO PASSES AWAY

Land speed record racer Don Vesco passed away on December 16 after a year-long battle with prostate cancer. He was 63. Vesco still managed to set a class record during this year's Bonneville Speed Week at a thundering 458 mile per hour average. That record smashed a mark held since 1964 by the late Donald Campbell.

The Vesco family has been a fixture in motor racing since the early 1940's through his father John. Don raced hot rods and land speed record vehicles, but was drawn to motorcycles, spending much of his life on two wheels and had a long-time relationship with Yamaha motorcycles. Vesco is the only person to have held land speed records in automobiles and motorcycles at the same time. [12-19-2002]

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