It's been a while since National Dragster changed its format from a quarter-fold tabloid newspaper to the current tabloid magazine format. Starting in 2004 the NHRA house organ will be changed yet again, this time to a format that is much more magazine oriented than the current product. It will be a perfect-bound (ends squared off and glued, not stapled) magazine that is 10 inches wide and 12 inches tall. If you have ever seen the ESPN magazine the new National Dragster will look very much like that. The current Dragster is 11 inches wide by 14.5 inches tall.

The Agent wonders if that means we will be seeing National Dragster on the newsstands when the format changes. [10-28-2003]

THE HAWAIIAN IS IN THE HOUSE

At Las Vegas the Agent spotted Roland Leong, longtime owner of the fabled Hawaiian funny cars and dragsters. Roland was hanging out with the folks at Childs & Albert and some friends, when the Agent asked what was up. Well, dogone if the Island man didn't say he was working on a deal to bring a nitro car out to compete with his old buddies like the Snake.

No details were divulged, but this crafty veteran may very well have something up the sleeve of his Aloha shirt. (Darr Hawthorne photo) [10-28-2003]

240 GORDIE RETURNS!

Speaking of funny car veterans, the Agent hears that "240" Gordie Bonin will be returning to the seat of a fuel coupe. This time in the cockpit of Jeff Gaynor's vintage funny car which you last saw in last month's DRO coverage on the California Hot Rod Reunion. Gaynor

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told the Agent that the car will return to Famoso for the VRA Finals November 1-2 with Bonin between the pipes. He also said that they are working on a deal for Bonin to drive at Goodguys Vintage Racing Series events in 2004 in that sanctioning bodies new eight-car nostalgia fuel funny car eliminator.

'240' last put on his fire suit for this year's NHRA Seattle race driving the Quality Rock Products-sponsored dragster. [10-28-2003]

DRO BLEW IT...SORT OF

In our coverage of the World Street Nationals in Orlando we mistakenly called Tony Gillig's Mustang a turbocharged car when it actually has a belt-driven, centrifugal-type, under-the-hood supercharger from the ATI company. Sorry for the error. They all look the same to us when they have a flat hood. Gee, Duh, maybe the pro charger logo on the hood should have been our first clue. [10-28-2003]