BUDWEISER GOING PRO MOD RACING!

Agent 1320 has heard a rumor that former Nitro Coupe racer Doug Winters, who started the season driving the second car for Bill Kuhlmann's AMS-backed NHRA Pro Modified team, has stepped away from the program and will be replaced by another Nitro Coupe racer Bill Hill. Hill, from St. Louis, has been driving a blown '67 Nova sponsored by Budweiser on the Super Chevy Nitro Coupe circuit.

The Agent also heard that the Budweiser sponsorship will go with Hill and the '57 that Winters had been driving with have the St. Louis based brewery's livery on the car. The Agent also hears that Kuhlmann has done some extensive re-working of the chassis on his '57 to get it ready for the next race on the NHRA/AMS Pro Mod Challenge tour which is in Houston April 11-14.

AA/FUEL DRAGSTER 5 SECOND CLUB

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Nitronic Research has announced the formation of an elite club for the first 16 drivers to make a 5-second run in a front engined fuel dragster. To be acknowledged within the AA/FD 5 Second Club, cars must be "VRA legal" (12-inch slicks, 6-71 blower, 3:90 rear gear) at the time of the five-second pass. E.T.'s will be accepted from qualifying or elimination runs only, and from a Nitronic Research recognized event.

The club currently has 11 members. Listed in chronological order, they are: Paul Romine, Gary Ritter, Bill Dunlap, Sammy Hale, Roger Lechtenberg, Bill Alexander, Jack Harris, Rance McDaniel, Gerry Steiner, Lee Jennings, and Jim Murphy. Romine broke the barrier with a 5.96 in 1996 and Murphy joined the group in March with a 5.81. (April 4)

HOFMANN RETURNS TO FUEL COUPE COMPETITION?

Agent 1320 has heard that Al Hofmann, who was recently asked to vacate the seat of Jim Dunn's K&N Filters-backed Fuel Coupe, will be back in his own car at Houston. Could this signal the return of the sorely missed "China Syndrome" car?

CASTROL COMING TO NHRA PRO MODIFIED?

The Agent heard a rumor that long-time Castrol-backed racer Rob Slavinski, who has raced at every level of NHRA competition up to and including the late Pro Stock Truck category, may be considering a move to Pro Modified for the 2003 season.

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