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WINSTON/RJR LEAVING NASCAR?
Oval racing insider and former Indianapolis
Star motorsports writer, Robin Miller, recently
wrote a column for ESPN's online outlet that
speculated that R.J. Reynolds may give up their
title rights sponsorship of NASCAR. The RJR
funded points/Winston Cup money for this year
was $17,000,000.
With Union 76 having already severed their
ties with NASCAR and RJR rumored to be next,
could the gravy train that NASCAR and its teams
have been on for the last decade or so be headed
for a derailment? According to Miller's story
UPS, Coca-Cola and McDonalds are all on the
short list to replace RJR. Interesting that
all but one of these companies had major investments
in NHRA at one time. Maybe NHRA/IHRA drag racing
could be looking like a better bang for the
buck to some of the corporate money men? Stay
tuned. [2-6-2003]
ROCKINGHAM UPGRADING SURFACE
IHRA track owner Steve Earwood called to let
us know that he was moving up the scheduled
improvements to his starting line at Rockingham
Dragway.
"When I heard that some of the NHRA teams were
planning to attend, I decided that I would go
ahead and have the starting line concrete and
the first couple of hundred feet of track pavement
ground, leveled and smoothed," Earwood said.
"I wanted to give all of the racers who want
to race at Rockingham the best possible track
surface I can."
A tip of the Agent's hat to Earwood and the
staff at the Rock. [2-6-2003]
GEOFFRION HAS THE RIGHT BAIT
NitroFish Apparel will sponsor Pro Stock driver
Scott Geoffrion in Hurley Blakeney's new Ford
Escort ZX2 during the 23-race campaign, company
founder Bob Fisher announced. It marks the first
time his company has provided financial support
to a team outside the nitromethane-fueled Top
Fuel and Funny Car categories.
"We are pleased to be associated with Geoffrion,"
Fisher said. "We think he is one of the best
drivers in Pro Stock and we believe he and his
team will be contending for this season's Pro
Stock championship. When I look at Scott, I
see the kind of guy I want to hang my clothes
on."
Geoffrion joined Blakeney's team midway through
last season, driving a Pro Stock Mustang. He
qualified once, at Las Vegas in October. He
will be driving the same Mustang at the season-opening
Winternationals and at Phoenix (Feb. 21-23)
because the Escort ZX2 is still under construction
at Don Ness's Minnesota shop. [2-6-2003]
BIGGER THAN A BREADBOX
The latest chassis to come out of the Tim McAmis
shop is this Chevy shoebox. Owners are Glen
and Cindy Kerunsky from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Power is an Alan Johnson 481X wedge. Look for
the car to run NHRA, IHRA and West Coast Pro
Mod circuits. [2-6-2003]
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