IHRA MAKES SCHEDULE CHANGES

In order to avoid placing the 4th Annual IHRA ACDelco Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park (VMP) the weekend after the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway, the event will be rescheduled for May 28-30, one week later than originally scheduled.

"This change will place the race at VMP a few weeks away from the NASCAR race," said IHRA Director of Race Operations Skooter Peaco. "We've now given the fans a chance to experience both events with a break in between. Memorial Day weekend fit nicely in the overall IHRA schedule."

In addition, IHRA has made two changes to their Pro-Am schedule: the Division 2 event in Kinston has been moved one week earlier to May 21-23 and the Division 5 event at Cedar Falls has been changed to July 23-25. [1-6-2004]

PRUETT DOUBLES UP AT MMP'S HANGOVER NATS

"Young Gun" racer Kevin Pruett, of Millbrook, Alabama, won Super Pro on both days of the 4th annual Hangover Nationals over the January 3-4 weekend at Montgomery (Alabama)

ADVERTISEMENT

Motorsports Park, taking home $6,000 in prize money and beating two experienced hands at bracket racing.

Pruett, driving his familiar '67 Nova wagon, beat old pro Brad Howard of Gainesville, Georgia in his '55 Chevy on Saturday, then was victorious over Shannon Flinn of Milton, Florida in his dragster on Sunday. In Footbrake, Toby Barnes of Palmetto, Georgia, driving friend David Simmons' '77 Nova, beat Gene Cash of Tell City, Indiana on Saturday, and Jacob Rutledge of Stone Mountain, Georgia, won in friend Kelly King's GTO over Anthony Blackburn of Lexington, Kentucky in his '63 Chevy II.

Excellent weather (the highs were 75 degrees both days) and good MMP money (operators Anthony Oehler and Chris Phillips paid the 250 attending racers extra round money) accounted for the high car counts to kick off the 2004 southern racing season.
[1-6-2004]

CIFCA AWARDS

The California Independent Funny Car Association made presentations during their 19th annual Awards Banquet. Top honors went to Jim Maher's "Good Vibrations" team, which won an unprecedented fifth CIFCA Championship. Dennis La Charite was runner-up for the second straight year. Jim Broome's Nostalgia Motorsports was third, Michael Irwin fourth and Dennis Murphy fifth in points. Jack Beckman was named Rookie of the Year. (photo courtesy CIFCA) [1-6-2004]