TRACTION CONTROL COMING IN 2004?

One of the Agent's sources close to NHRA recently said that the sanctioning body is going to make electronic traction control devices legal for next year. Seems only fair since mechanical traction control devices to aid such as multi-disc "slipper" clutches, slick tires, and traction bars have been in use nearly since the beginning of the sport.

The Agent was especially interested in this bit of info being leaked because at a recent NHRA event, a well-known tuner approached him in the pits, showed him this device pictured here and said, "I've seen these all over the pits. Anyone that wants one can buy it for $6500 on the Internet." [9-30-2003]

KALITTA GET BIG NUMBERS, SCLEZI/NEFF GET SPEED RECORD AT JOLIET

Mike Neff, tuner of Don Schumacher's Oakley-backed Fuel Coupe driven by one of the Agent's favorites, Gary Scelzi, doesn't get a lot of attention from the electronic and print media, but he should. That car has been hauling recently and is absolutely the fastest Funny Car in NHRA. At Joliet he tuned Sclezi to laps of 328.70 and 329.18 to set the national speed mark at 329.18. At the same time the head of the Kalitta

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clan, Connie, turned the screws on the family's Mac Tools-backed fueler to a lap of 4.42/330. The numbers: 60-ft .835; 330-ft 2.116; 660-ft 3.008/281.83; 1000-ft 3.766.

The Agent also saw at least one sub-one second sixty-foot time from Jeg Coughlin, who had a .976 in the semis. That, readers, is an incredible sixty-footer for an NHRA Pro Stocker and perhaps the quickest ever.

Congrats to you all from the Agent. (Jeff Burk photo) [9-30-2003]