SHAFIROFF RETURNING TO PRO MOD

Agent 1320 heard from one of his most trusted East Coast operatives that motor mogul and one of the original nitrous Pro Mod racer Scott Shafiroff is planning a return to Pro Modified at the NHRA/AMS Pro Mod Challenge event at the upcoming Englishtown, New Jersey NHRA event, May 16-19.

Shafiroff was one of the original nitrous street racers at E-town and Atco in the days when they raced for big bucks and the "boards" were turned OFF! The Agent predicts Shafiroff will be bad fast upon his return. [5-9-2002]

LAST IHRA RACE AT SHREVEPORT?

One of the Agent's operatives present at the Shreveport race overheard IHRA prez Bill Bader tell a racer that, despite the rain delays, the race was going to be run to completion no matter what it took because when the race was completed IHRA was never coming back to Shreveport with a National Event. Taking into account the low car count combined with the rain that has plagued the event nearly every year, you couldn't blame Bader or IHRA if they pulled the plug on this event. [5-9-2002]

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

Agent 1320 has been told by several sources that the CARQUEST sponsorship of four IHRA national events will be withdrawn after the 2002 season is completed. The Agent's opinion is that a combination of CARQUEST's being in their last year of their contract with Paul Romine and, perhaps, being uncomfortable with the Hooters Restaurants series sponsorship of IHRA might have something to do with the company's decision to leave the IHRA series. [5-9-2002]

NMCA AND UDRA

Chuck Harmon, son of the late Charlie Harmon, one of the founders of the old AHRA and former owner of Kansas City International Raceway, is now involved with the National Mustang Racers Association. Chuck used to do a little promoting in the old AHRA days and evidently hasn't forgot how. When the NMRA brings their Mustang show to Cordova (Ill.) Dragway later this summer, they will be joined by the UDRA Pro Mod circuit. That should be a fun show. [5-9-2002]

PRICE SETS RECORD

Ray Price set a new world record with a 6.370 e.t. in the first round of eliminations at the IHRA national event at Shreveport, LA. He backed it up in the second round with a 6.425 and in the final round the 65-year-old rider broke his own record with a 6.365. To top of a great weekend, Price also won the Screamin' Eagle Nitro Harley class.

The team had to overcome mechanical problems to get the win and record. The tranmission input shaft broke in the second round of qualifying on Saturday. After the team decided the piece was not repairable, a new piece was flown in from Price's shop in Raleigh, NC. While waiting on the parts to arrive, the team freshened the 175-inch, 850-horsepower engine and rebuilt the tranny. At midnight, the parts arrived and by 4 a.m. Sunday the bike was ready to fire. [5-6-2002]

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