PEACO NAMED IHRA DIRECTOR OF RACE OPERATIONS

As the Agent reported here Nov. 26, Skooter Peaco has officially joined IHRA. Peaco began his motorsports career as a marketing intern at Norwalk Raceway Park in 1991. After earning his B.A. in Sports Marketing, he worked at NRP on the management team. In 1998 he joined Summit Racing Equipment as Motorsports Manager.

"Having the unique knowledge of being a racer at the national and divisional level, combined with my marketing background, helped me build Summit's Motorsports progrm into what it is today," Peaco said. "With the addition of the corporate marketing experience I gained, I now can provide a fairly unique perspective into drag racing that will help IHRA move successfully into the future." (photo courtesy IHRA) [12-02-2003]

ANTI-TRACTION CONTROL DEVICE FROM MSD

The Agent has been led to believe that currently only two electronic ignition company's products are authorized for use in Pro Stock -- MSD and Mallory -- and most Pro Stock racers are using MSD ignition systems. Agent 1320 has been told by a source at MSD that they've developed technology for the 7530 ignition (their most popular Pro Stock ignition) that could be added to the system and will detect an electronic traction control device being used and then default instantly to a mode that wouldn't allow the engine to accelerate above 4,000 rpm. The default code that disables the ignition could be cleared with a code known only to NHRA. MSD hasn't built any of the new ignitions yet, but if they do they will carry the part number 7530-T.

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Should the MSD ignition system be mandated by NHRA for the Pro Stock class it would force the folks at Mallory to develop a similar unit or buy the technology from MSD, who have already confirmed that they would sell the technology to other manufacturers. These ignitions from MSD or Mallory or another manufacturer would also force the manufacturers of traction control devices to develop and design systems to circumvent the MSD ignition systems.

In the world of military warfare it is known as the measures-countermeasures syndrome. The technologists keep one-upping each other, are the only ones who benefit monetarily, and the end user just keeps paying more and more, buying the technology he thinks he needs to defeat his opponents.

It's a sure bet that those people who've been making good money selling traction control units won't roll over and quit. They will develop and build a "better mouse trap," raise the price to buy them, and the price of racing legally or illegally will just continue to escalate. [12-02-2003]