BIG BILL'S BLAST

The Agent has confirmed that when Fred Hahn and Mitch Stott were in the staging lanes for the final round at the just completed IHRA national event at Martin, MI, IHRA pres Bill Bader told team crew members that they could expect another rule change for

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supercharged cars before the IHRA World Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio on Aug. 21-24.

The Agent normally would take this with a grain of salt, but since the last IHRA rule change (which was once again designed to "level the playing field for nitrous and supercharged cars") blown cars have won the last two races, and at Martin the last four cars in the field were all supercharged. The possibility of yet another rule change has to be considered likely by IHRA.

Sources also told the Agent that at the same time president Bader reached back to his hip, pulled out his wallet, held it in the air and said something to the effect of, "The last rule change made me $5000; the next one ought to be worth $10,000."

That's really funny!?? [8-11-2003]

IHRA MANAGEMENT TEAM SHUFFLED?

Agent 1320 was tipped that IHRA sales and marketing manager Beckie Polburn has possibly been relieved of that position by the IHRA's parent company, Clear Channel, and replaced with the former director of sales and marketing for NHRA's Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL. If this is true, the Agent thinks this could just be the first of many management changes to come at IHRA. We'll just have to wait and see. [8-11-2003]

CANNONBALL JOHNSON INJURED

Carl "Cannonball" Johnson crashed his nitro altered at Byron (Ill.) Dragway when the chutes failed to open on the top end. The 65-year-old driver was airlifted out with a badly broken leg and other lacerations. He's currently in a local hospital in good condition, but his fuel altered appeared to be totaled. [8-11-2003]

OFF-TRACK BAD LUCK HITS PRUDHOMME RACE TEAM

In what has to be the most bizarre series of accidents involving any one race team, two Snake Racing support vehicles where involved in separate collisions two days apart. On August 4, the Skoal Racing technology tractor-trailer was involved in a collision in Iowa. Blue team crew members Mark Warnick and Robb Hauser were not injured.

Then on August 6, the Miller Lite Top Fuel parts truck was involved in a three-vehicle accident just outside Lincoln, Nebraska. The truck was struck from behind by an ambulance which had been rear-ended by a tractor-trailer which had not been able to slow in time for on-road construction. Crew member Walt Herr suffered a mild concussion, but Kevin Secco was uninjured. The ambulance driver was killed in the accident. [8-8-2003]