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WESTCOTT LEADS HEMI CHALLENGE QUALIFYING
Charlie Westcott Jr’s “Warfish” Barracuda was leading the qualifying for the Mopar Hemi Challenge at the U.S. Nationals. On Thursday Westcott, who has won the last two years, had run an 8.765 with Fred Henson at number two with an 8.790 in his ’68 Dart. There were 29 SS/AH cars taking part.
The Hemi Challenge will be run tomorrow, although curiously it is not listed on NHRA’s event schedule, nor is the Skoal Showdown on Saturday. And what AMS Pro Mod Challenge? Seems like a strange way for NHRA to “dis” some large sponsors. (DRO file photo) [8/30/2007]
IS ‘REUNION DRAG RACING SERIES’ IN THE WORKS?
Multiple sources on the Left Coast and in the Southwest are verifying that formal plans and track bookings are in the works for an NHRA “Reunion Drag Racing Series” to be under the control of retired NHRA Big Show Race Director, Steve Gibbs. Reportedly this will be part of the recently named NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series™ Events and the new drag racing series will be formally announced soon after HD Partners takes over the Pro assets of the NHRA.
Although Gibbs and museum head Tony Thacker have repeatedly denied any such rumored series, many diverse sources have reported directly to DRO that there is a plan for as many as five or six additional venues to be run in 2008 under the auspices of the Wally Parks Motorsports Museum in Pomona at various Division 6 and 7 NHRA-sanctioned tracks for everything from Gassers, Jr. Fuel and Nostalgia Eliminator to Nitro Funny Cars and Top Fuel. Starting with the legendary March Meet at Famoso this new series will also include Gibbs’s premier events like the National Hot Rod Reunion that was recently moved from Bowling Green, KY, to Columbus, OH, and the California Hot Rod Reunion held in October at the “Patch.”
Gibbs has reportedly told some of our sources that in addition to his trademarked Cacklefest™ dragsters, Nostalgia Nitro Funny Cars and Top Fuelers may be presented separately at select venues in order to make the new “Reunion Show” affordable for smaller tracks to hold.
We’ve also heard that the new Reunion Series will center around tracks with rich drag racing histories as a way to give proper recognition to aging former nitro barnstormers, doorslammer drivers and gasser pilots of the past, before they are gone. (DRO file photo) [8/30/2007]
GILBERTSON GETS MATCH-RACE MADNESS
Bob Gilbertson will return to his roots with a match-race with South Carolina’s Andy Kelly on Sept. 15 at Carolina Dragway in Jackson, SC. Gilbertson will be racing his “Jungle Jim” Lieberman tribute car body that won “Best Appearing Car” awards last year at both the IHRA Nationals in Epping, NH, and at the U.S. Nationals.
Also on the bill at the O’Reilly auto Parts Thunder Jam will be “Benny the Bomb” Koske, one of the Agent’s favorite specialty acts. Benny gets in a coffin loaded with dynamite and blows himself up. Enough said. (James Drew photo) [8/30/2007]