CREW CHIEF LEE BEARD TO BE FEATURED IN CAR AND DRIVER

Car and Driver, a leading car enthusiast magazine with a monthly paid circulation of 1.3 million, will showcase a six-page feature story on crew chief Lee Beard in the publication's August issue, which will be on the newsstands in late June.

The article was written by John Phillips, editor-at-large of Car and Driver. Phillips attended the Gatornationals in March and spent time at the team's race shop in Indianapolis. Phillips' column in the August issue is also devoted to drag racing as he explains some of the interesting facts and figures of the 300-mph NHRA categories of Top Fuel and Funny Car.

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Beard, crew chief of the Don Schumacher-owned Matco Tools Funny Car, driven by Whit Bazemore, is one of the premier tuners in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. He has tuned cars (Top Fuel and Funny Car) to 43 NHRA national-event victories, including three wins at the prestigious U.S. Nationals.

Beard's record also includes a Top Fuel season championship when he tuned the late Gary Ormsby to the NHRA title in 1989. Beard was also instrumental as a team manager when Cruz Pedregon won the 1992 Funny Car championship for Larry Minor Motorsports. [6-25-2002]

SHIRLEY TO JOIN GARLITS AT FUNNY CAR REUNION

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That's right, Shirley Muldowney will be match-racing "Big Daddy" at Englishtown, NJ on Wednesday night, July 31, but before that both will be coming into town early for the Inaugural Funny Car Reunion on July 27-28.

Since Shirley and Garlits won't be racing at the Reunion they'll have plenty of time for autographs, photos and bench racing. Garlits will also be bringing Jungle Jim's 1972 Vega from his Florida museum. With Jungle Pam in attendance, here's another once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity drag racing fans shouldn't miss. [6-25-2002]

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