Coughlin tests new NHRA ‘Vette Pro Mod

There were some photos from Las Vegas in the ol’ mayo jar on the Phlegm Building porch this morning.

Of special interest was Troy Coughlin testing his new Z06 Corvette Pro Mod built by the R2B2 Chassis Shop. It is definitely a swoopy new piece with a rear deck that resembles those once used by Pro Mod pioneer Bill Kuhlmann among others.

Coughlin was working on a new combination and trying to get the tune-up down and didn’t release any numbers. According to a JEGS spokesman, the team will decide which car to run at the final NHRA Pro Mod appearance next weekend. Coughlin is fresh off a win and is fourth in points with a shot at the Pro Mod championship.

Several NHRA Pro Stock regulars also were making some runs on The Strip. Allen Johnson’s first run of the session on Wednesday was 6.686 at 206.61 mph. His first run on Thursday was 6.637/208.36, which is two-hundredths faster than the No. 1 Qualifier at the LVMS spring event. Look out next weekend! [10/18/2012]

Gray and Wilson Manifolds team up on NHRA Pro Stock program

The Gray Motorsports Pro Stock program announced that they have entered into an agreement with the Wilson Manifolds folks for an engine R&D program. Wilson Manifolds is known for custom intake manifolds for almost any type of racing engine but their speciality in the past has been gas-burning V8 engines. They are well known in NASCAR and have raced Pro Stock in both the IHRA and NHRA previously. (Ron Lewis photo)

It’s official: Dave Settles to tune Karamesines Top Fueler

The last time Chris Karamesines went to an NHRA final round was over two decades ago. One of the guys tuning the Greek’s ride at that time was Dave Settles. Since then Settles has gone on to be one of the sport’s main fuel pump gurus as well as having a stretch tuning Tony Zizzo to a few Top Fuel wins in IHRA when they had that class.

Karamesines has been a steady racer over the past years and he has had some success, going to an IHRA Top Fuel final at Epping, NH, a few years back, but hasn’t achieved the level of his earlier success. The Greek’s PR folks verified to the Agent that Settles will be calling the tuning shots if the team gets to Las Vegas next week and for certain at the World Finals at Pomona. [10/18/2012]