CHANCES GOOD FOR MONTE CARLO BODIED FUNNY CARS

Although all the GM professional class teams from Pro Stock to Fuel Funny are being very quiet about what body styles they will be sporting for the coming season, the DRO staff is going to say that the odds are very good that the body of choice for the factory-backed teams will be the Chevy Monte Carlo. Why you may be asking? Well, GM just announced that over at NASCAR they will only offer factory support for those teams with Chevy's Monte Carlo bodies, despite the fact that Pontiac-bodied cars won the championships in 2000 and 2002.

"GM Racing will focus its 2004 NASCAR program on the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and will no longer race or support the Pontiac Grand Prix race car," said Doug Duchardt, director of GM Racing.

Why would GM's policy be any different at NHRA? [10-28-2003]

ACDELCO WELL REPRESENTED AT VEGAS RACE

Don't look for the trademark GM Performance Parts yellow paint scheme on Warren Johnson's Pro Stocker at Las Vegas. With ACDelco a long-time sponsor on the car and also the title rights sponsor of the national event, WJ's Grand Am will sport a temporary covering in Nevada.

"Although I have been proud to carry the GM Performance Parts banner for many years, I've also had a relationship with ACDelco since 1987," said Johnson. "I've made a lot of

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friends there over the years, and being able to carry their logo at their national event will be rather enjoyable."

Harold Martin will also be on hand in his ACDelco-sponsored Grand Am to compete in his first AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge this year. The former GM engineer will bring his revolutionary electronic fuel injection system and nitrous oxide to the higher altitude challenge of thin air.

Not only is it Martin's first time in the NHRA Pro Modified exhibition series, but it is his first time on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Las Vegas is the only stop on the NHRA POWERade schedule where Johnson has yet to win. With over 3,500 ACDelco employees and customers at the event, the pressure is on these two drivers. [10-23-2003]