NHRA PURSUING IHRA TRACKS?
Evidently the NHRA isn’t satisfied with just getting the Baders to switch the sanctioning of their Norwalk Raceway Park over to the National Hot Rod Association but they are also actively courting many other IHRA-sanctioned tracks. Illinois dragstrip Cordova Dragway Park, which has long been a stalwart IHRA track and has been the site of IHRA national events in the past, confirmed to DRO that they and other tracks in the area have been contacted by the NHRA trying to convince them to switch sanctioning bodies. A track representative told DRO that they were at least listening to what the NHRA was offering in the way of benefits. [10-3-2006]
JUNIOR COMP?
A Goodyear tire rep who the Agent spoke to at a recent IHRA race mentioned that there is a serious movement going on to form a Jr. Comp class that would be a bridge between Jr. Dragster and Super Comp. The cars reportedly are sized between the two and would be powered by a good size V-twin type engine. Reportedly there are about a half-dozen of these cars already built and tested. Anyone out there have a picture? [10-3-2006]
HAAS RACE CARS TO SPONSOR A “6.20” CLUB FOR IHRA PRO STOCKERS
Car builder and IHRA Pro Stock racer Jerry Haas of St. Louis, MO, has announced the formation of a “Six-twenty” club for IHRA legal Pro Stock cars. With the IHRA Pro Stockers already running as quick and fast as 6.31 at over 221 mph, it was a natural to start a club for the first cars that cracked the barrier.
Robert Patrick holds the IHRA Pro Stock record of 6.315 seconds. (Jeff Burk photo)
Pro Stockers running 6.30’s at over 220 mph! Remember when that was a really good lap for a winning IHRA supercharged Pro Modified? [10-3-2006]
TROY COUGHLIN’S NEW TURBO CAR TO RUN AT THE ROCK
The Agent’s operative reports that Troy Coughlin has his turbocharged Sonny Leonard motor installed in his new Jerry Haas Cobalt and it’s ready to test. According to our source, he will test the car this week and if the testing goes well will take the Turbo Cobalt to the NHRA event at Virginia Motorsports Park this weekend and compete in Comp Eliminator. [10-3-2006]
CONNOLLY TO DEBUT NEW COBALT
Dave Connolly and the SKULL Gear Chevy Cobalt Pro Stock team will begin work on the 2007 campaign this weekend at Virginia Motorsports Park near Richmond, VA. Connolly
will be driving a new Todd Bevis-built Cobalt when qualifying begins Friday for the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals in NHRA’s first race at VMP since 2000.
“I think this is going to be a very good race car,” said Connolly. “Todd built the car Tommy Lee is driving now and Tommy qualified higher than we did last week in Reading. We want to do well at Richmond because Evan Knoll, our team owner, also owns Torco Racing Fuels. This is the first NHRA race he’s sponsoring and you definitely want to bring home the trophy for him.”
Connolly has four wins, the most by any driver in the category, and three runner-up finishes this year despite getting off to a slow start. He was 12th after six races before Tommy Utt became the crew chief. The success that followed helped fuel Connolly’s rise to third in POWERade Series points with three races to go in 2006. [10-3-2006]
