TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE COMING UP

The 14th Annual Advance Engine Technology Conference (AETC) presented by Superflow, Popular Hot Rodding and Circle Track Magazine, will be held in Colorado Springs on Jan 8-11, 2004. Visit www.aetconline.com to see who will be speaking during the weekend. You can register on-line or phone 866-893-2382. [12-23-2003]

PRO MOD BODS AND MODS

The Agent had heard from several sources that IHRA Tech Director Mike Baker had acquiesced to many pleas from the '41 Willys racers to extend the nose of that body style so that it extended out the full 40 inches over the front axle allowed by the rules. Instead of just printing that rumor the Agent launched a query to Baker who responded in ALL CAPS that he hadn't authorized any body modifications to the overhang.

Word has it that Texas terror Thomas Patterson is abandoning his 5/8th scale blown '41 Willys for a new Lumina that is being built by the same Vanishing Point Race Cars shop that built the swoopy '41 Willys he drove last season. The Agent hears that Quain Stott has taken delivery of a brand new Tommy Mauney-built '63 'Vette to replace the one he drove for the last several seasons. [12-23-2003]

FUEL COUPE'S IN THE NEWS

The hears that the Don Prudhomme camp already has gotten the new Chevy Monte Carlo Funny Car bodies and they are being fitted as we are writing this. Rumor has it that Alan Johnson will be aiding and abetting the fuel flopper teams of Jim Head and Jerry Toliver and that those two cars will have the TRD Toyota bodies that Johnson had on his team cars. [12-23-2003]

NO AT&T CONNECTION FOR NHRA?

According to the Agent's sources, when AT&T left NASCAR (probably because of the Nextel deal) the company decided to split their advertising war-chest three ways. One-third of their NASCAR budget went to the Professional Bull Riders circuit, one-third for an NHRA

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program, and the other third going somewhere else.

Rumor has it that AT&T became so disenchanted with NHRA during the communication company's negotiations with that sanctioning body that they considered not getting involved in NHRA drag racing at all. According to several of Agent 1320's sources, AT&T backed off the deal, but still may sponsor one more race team, with Don Schumacher's team the most likely to get the deal.

Let's hope that cooler heads prevail and AT&T comes into NHRA drag racing instead of taking it elsewhere. The NHRA may still salvage the deal. [12-23-2003]

PRE-ENTER SPRING OPEN

The third annual CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open will be held March 11-14 at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, VA. Professional teams that pre-enter by March 4, 2004 will receive free entry for three crewmembers.

The standard fee for the event is $25 per day or $75 for the entire weekend. If Sportsman drivers pre-enter, however, the fee will drop to $65 for the entire event. A special pre-entry email has been set up at springopen2004@aol.com. [12-23-2003]