SPONSORS ADDED TO 'SPRING OPEN'

Lend America and Sunoco Racing Fuels will contribute "monetary awards" to the CompetitionPlus.com Spring Open presented by GM Performance Parts to be held March 20-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park, Dinwiddie, Virginia.

The test session event will feature everything from Pro Modifieds to mountain motor Sunoco Pro Stocks to various sportsman entries. There will be a special Chicago-style eliminations program on Sunday in the professional divisions in exchange for the test time. On Saturday, the promoters of the race will open up competition for a special elapsed time shootout and reward the quickest elapsed time $5,000 courtesy of InfiNet Contractors' Insurance. [1-14-2003]

SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES

Here's a shot of Don Roberts and an old car that he drove for Jimmy King and Don Marshall in the early 1970s. It has been restored thanks to the efforts of Sy Sidebotham of Bedford, New Hampshire. This shot was taken last year at New England Dragway and was the first time Don had seen the car all pretty and painted. "It was like seeing an old friend you haven't seen in 30 years," Don said. [1-14-2003]

BAILEY TO DEBUT NEW DRAGSTER

Rich Bailey of ProMotion Motorsports will take delivery of a new top dragster currently being built by EVN (Eickmann-Van Ness) Race Cars of Salem, Oregon. The 250-inch wheelbase car will be powered by a 580 c.i. Chevrolet engine injected on alcohol. The engine is being prepared by Louthan Competition of Brooks, Oregon with the machine work being completed by Hutchens Performance. The paint scheme was designed in-house by ProMotion Motorsports Design and the red, white and blue colors will be applied by Gary Lewis. The lettering will be provided by Supervinyl Signs.

Bailey has re-signed Capitol Auto Group, one of Oregon's largest new car dealerships, as the car's title sponsor. The Salem, Oregon based race team, which consists of Bailey, Jeff DesChamps, Jason Stowell and Tim Wilson, will compete in the Top Comp Class at NHRA Division 6 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events. [1-14-2003]

NOWLING SHIFTS GEARS AND MOVES UP TO COMP ELIMINATOR

Kenny Nowling, who recently announced that he would be driving a Super Comp Pontiac at NHRA events as the second car of Mike Ashley's InfiNet-backed team, has decided to step up to Competition Eliminator instead.

"I just wasn't happy with the idea of bracket racing," Nowling explained. "Mike Ashley has always been a guy that wants to go as quick and fast as he can on every pass. We decided that if I was going to be on the team I might as well drive a car that would allow me to drive as quick and fast as it would go every time I drove it without worry about losing because I went too quick. We think the NHRA Comp Eliminator division represents a great opportunity for us to service our sponsors and race against some of the best racers in the world. I really looking forward to competing in this class. We plan to debut the car at Gainesville, providing we can get to a couple of points meets first." [1-14-2003]

NEXT PAGE >>