Hello, I have just made a drag racing website based on Australian Drag Racing. The website URL is http://blackdyno.cjb.net and I was wondering if you could please add a link to my site on your 'Northern Thunder' website. If you were wondering, I have added a link to your site on my site.

Thanks for the comments. It was quite a surprise to receive a call from Dragster (Australia) wanting to do a few lines about us. A lot of people race for years and get no recognition. Not that we were looking for any. We are just happy to race and do our own thing.

The Elcoate's address is www.angelfire.com/mt/thunderroad. We have received some more photos today so will try to have the site upgraded next weekend. Should be a photo of their dragster wings on Mark Brew's car.

Had our first major meeting at Benaraby Raceway last weekend. It went very well. Somewhere around 2500 - 3000 people. About $12,000 profit for the club. The bitumen return road is getting closer. See ya on the net.

Rachelle ain't too bad looking still, but I sure liked her looks a few years ago. You have some mighty fine shots on your site, Bob! I missed you on Sunday . . . and I never even saw Swann's car start up. Oh well, eh? I will be out this coming Saturday at the Supershifter race; looks like I'll be racing the ramptruck, unless by some miracle my tires arrive early.

Sure enjoyed reading all about your adventures in Australia.

Good to see you on the weekend (at Mission). Too bad we didn't get to talk about you donating your obsolete blower to my racing effort. I have to go now; have to see that guy about the camel I was telling you about.
PS: I could use the magneto as well.

Hey Bob, I've just read Ken's e-mail and he is absolutely right. The Benaraby meeting on Saturday was great; the missus and myself drove for 14 hours to attend the sister-in-law's engagement party, so while the women were preparing for the party, I managed to head out to the track and get most of qualifying in and half of the first round of racing.

After being in the bush for 18 months and not seeing the track for at least two years, these guys have really got to be congratulated. The facility has come a long way, with the spectators and racers being catered to much better than ever with grass on the mounds, more food and drink stalls, and a better timing system that is almost free of faults. I can honestly say that the club will be a frontrunner in years to come.

Reaction to Ken's Drag Racing School dragster went really well. An impressive show was put on and the feelings in the crowd (where I was sitting) were very positive. It was also great to see Ken travel the distance for the meet along with Brett Stevens. I can only hope that Ken receives a few calls for the DRS out of this trip.

Maybe "Northern Thunder" could do a "troppo tour" including the central and northern tracks. Catchya latah, Greggsy.

Sorry for the delay in shipping the "Be There" CD. But I was just informed by our bank that they will only accept international money orders or checks drawn on U.S. banks. The CD's still waiting here for you. Thanks.

These drag racing stories were posted at DragList.com over the past week:

Plus fresh links every day!

Thanks for the info about the discussion board, Bob. As for email, either Yahoo or Hotmail will do as I get both. Good luck at Mission Raceway, even though I guess you won't be racing. You don't know how jealous you're making me . . . actually seeing some LIVE drag racing!

I figured that you would find some use for the picture. Maybe add some sort of slogan of the like to the back of your race team shirts.

I've kept up with all the stuff on Compuserve's Motor Sports Forum, being a former member myself, but the forum had died down so much from its heyday of four or five years ago, I cancelled my subscription about six months ago. Now I hear that they are going to open up all the Compuserve forums to the web and allow anyone to post. This happens on April 1st or 4th or something like that.

Anyhow, please keep us informed on any insider dirt that you may hear. My brothers and I, although out of the TAD/FMD class these days, still follow it very closely. We hope to some day field our own team, although these days if we were to go alcohol racing it would be IHRA Funny Car.

I'm keeping busy these days crew-chiefing on Dave Northrop's H/A Comp car. We won the Division One championship last year and are going to try our hardest to repeat this year. We are the Federal-Mogul representative at the All-Stars race in Columbus this year also. We're going to start with the Atco (New Jersey) National Open in a couple of weeks and then off to Atlanta to chase those "valuable Federal-Mogul points" . . . Lots of laughter. Anyhow, keep in touch.

PS: I have a suggestion for your web page. Is it possible to list the dates that each section is updated like you used to?

Hi Guy. Here's a coupla new sites for your links pages:

We have had a lot of great things happen here at Speedomaniacs.com since the last newsletter:

You've gotten most of it right, except for the part about an "agreement" between the NHRA, Whipple and PSI to limit blower development starting in 1997. Believe me: there was no agreeement; it was strictly imposed on us a complete surprise in early April 1997. It seems that NHRA had heard from a group of racers who had, or were about to have, the new Whipple, and they wanted to lock in their perceived advantage. If you'll remember "blower wars", it was several months before Dustin (Whipple) realized that it was a case of too little, too late.

In our written response to the NHRA at that time, we stated that we were against attempts to stop performance gains through isolated product regulation. Does anybody realize that the screw blower is the only product in drag racing that is regulated beyond the rulebook? It was our observation that racers are going to advance anyway; it's just the nature of the sport. That has turned out to be the case.

The true enemy of those integrated-injector folks has turned out to be not PSI, but A/Fuel, which has NO performance product limitations. Furthermore, to stay competitive in either FMD or FMFC, you have to be able to buy bigger mags, potentially superior engine combinations, different tires, bigger budgets, lighter cars, etc. A few hundred dollars spent upgrading a blower and getting one or two hundred horsepower seems like a real bargain compared to a lot of the choices out there right now.

The second thing that I'd like to correct is that the "C" blower is NOT uncertified. PSI is current on our certifications and has no untested or unsafe products in competition. The C rotors are cut on the same blanks as the A, B and D and are about as different as, say, Whipple rotors that have been graphite-coated to tighten up clearances, or that have been grooved for tip strips.

So why is your PSI stuff still in the box?

Hope this mail finds you well. An update on the jet car project: As like you, I'm busy working. The jet car deal has been left in the background at the moment until we can work out if it would be a viable exercise. There's not a lot of information available to run a car like this over here. But I would like to know from your many readers if they have any information or contacts we can get in touch with, to sit down and work out if this project is worth the time and effort. Jet cars are a great entertainment feature at the Nationals at Calder Park Raceway, but I'm not sure if a match race deal would be good or not. Time will tell.

You can print this next bit if you wish. It's for the masses on the interent and concerns the deal we are trying to develop over here. I will put together an information package for Synthashield Synthetic Oil and pass it along soon. For anyone interested in looking at their website, go to: www.synthashield.net. The site is undergoing some reconstruction at the moment, so some of the information is not available.

The relevant contact numbers are available on this site. Look under "purchase" on the menu bar on the Synthashield home page. There are contacts in the Southern California area and also in Canada.

Had to leave the track early today, so I didn't see if George did a "Swann Dance" at the track: what happened? And I still don't see the Santos "tribute" on your What's New page. Jay Meyer won again in Memphis; that's four in a row for him. "C" blower . . . we don't need no stinkin' "C" blower, eh? What did (Mike) Giuliani do on his third pass or did he make one?

We're back. Just got in from Gladstone (Benaraby Raceway) and checked the emails. Scott (Bennett) drove this weekend and we went three rounds but lost when we smoked the tires. He still had a great .428 reaction time though and legged through trying to win all the way to the end. Whoops! Full report as soon as possible.

You're right, it is five miles up a dirt road to the race track across a cattle gate and through a causeway. The Chaparral made it just fine. (That's why Sam Harris put the skid pads on the back crossmember). We had a great time and the club and track made quite a lot of money as the race came off well and the crowd was very good. And I'll never look at round chicken the same way again (?)

   Question:  What does Gladstone have that Sydney doesn't?
   Answer:    A dragstrip!

PS: To all the US racers reading this: Gladstone is eight hours north of Brisbane and the closest race track other than the local track (Willowbank). Just think how lucky you are! Also, after eight hours of driving we barely crossed 25% of Queensland and this was on the good roads. You have to be a real die-hard racer here, but when you show up to race, the locals really appreciate it.

We would like to invite you to drop by the newest space on the internet designed specifically to meet the needs and wants of drag racers as a true portal where you can get everything from one spot: Racing News, Editorials, Computer Tips, Tech Tips, What's New, Products, Headline News, Technology News, Business News, Where to Invest, Entertainment News, Sports News and a growing area of racer links.

If you don't have a web page and want one, we will build and host one for licensed racers for Free. We provide Free e-mail accounts, two chat areas (one for licensed racers and one for spectators). The chat area also has an audio room for group meetings (same as a conference call) and much, much more.

We hope you will come by for a visit. www.dragster.cc

Bonjour, pour faire suite a ta question, regarde a cette addresse:
http://www.machin.fr.st. Amicalement, Regis.

Check out our new website at: http://cpsa.tripod.com. It is brand new and totally dedicated to heads-up street legal drag racing (which is growing by leaps and bounds). If you like it enough to want to do a mutual link, let me know, you can steal our banner off our home page to use as a link if you like.

Bruce Mullins Racing has had a very busy week. Tuesday evening saw Pro Funny Car racer Bruce Mullins spend several hours with East Coast motor guru Bill Barrett, going through the entire fuel system on Barrett's flow bench. Mullins and Barrett were looking for the problems that have raised havoc with the "War Horse" team on its last few outings.

After five hours of work, the probable culprits were discovered. A fitting at the bottom of the fuel pump sucked air under pressure, and was the probable cause of the the burst panel explosion at the IHRA Winter Nationals. The duo also discovered a problem with the spool in the barrel valve. Unknown to the Mullins team, it had been modified, putting the car's tune-up out of whack.

Other small problems were discovered when Barrett took the fuel pressure above 100 PSI. This explained why the mad pit thrash in Darlington could not find any problems -- fuel pressure readings of 100 PSI cannot be obtained on the jack stands. The flow bench was extremely helpful and was a true learning experience for Bruce.

The War Horse team also disassembled the engine this week and was gratified to find no damage. Unfortunately, Bruce's busy work schedule -- painting cars during the day and fabricating race cars at night -- will not permit the War Horse team to attend the IHRA Holley Spring Nationals, presented by Castrol GTX, on April 7-9 at Rockingham Dragway.

The next race of the season for the War Horse Ford Mustang will be the Easter Funny Car Classic at Waynesboro, Virginia on April 23. After the late night at "Professor Barrett's" flow bench, the Bruce Mullins Racing Team hopes their early season problems are behind them. The only place to go from here is up!

Fans of the War Horse Ford Mustang Pro Funny Car can keep tabs on the team at: www.brucemullins.com.

Bob, great work on the PSI story! I actually found out about this last Saturday through some sources and some minor checking on the alcohol forum page and an email to Norm Drazy. But your piece filled in some of the missing pieces in the puzzle.

I would love it if you were interested in writing a story for the next issue of SpeedZone. Let me know. As I said before: Great job and insight!

NOTE:  From the "You Can't Please 'Em All Department". I got rather worked up about an absolutely inane comment about guardrails/walls on a newsgroup last night and was viciously attacked for not agreeing with someone else's point of view. Since he chooses to hide behind a bogus email address and not indicate his/her/its name and since I don't wish to inflict any more of his trash or any replies I might care to make on the subject on the newsgroup, I've decided to post his message here. (The statements from my original message to the group are in italics).

Really? Then tell me, OH HIGH AND MIGHTY OFFICIOUS ONE, why did they create newsgroups in the first place? How silly of me to think newsgroups are to be used for anything more than to post frivolous, nonsensical messages, exchange petty insults and upload/download endless pornograpic material.

As for YOUR assertion of "an important safety improvement" when there are more race track incidents BECAUSE of this barrier? I have no problem with the concrete retaining wall, per se, my contention is with its proximity to the track surface! The margin for error has been GREATLY diminished! There's absolutely no denying that. I've seen TOO MANY shiny race cars converted to an instant heap of twisted sheetmetal, cracked fiberglass and other EXPENSIVE damage in a matter of mere seconds all because of this "important safety improvement".

My main point, once again, was that this concrete retaining wall/barrier [ad nauseum] was mandated due to the rapidly escalating acceleration rates and terminal velocities of Top Fuelers, Funny Cars and to a lesser extent their blown alky counterparts [such as your lame racing effort], in the latter half of the late 1980's.

NHRA's valid safety concern was to contain these vehicles within the bounds of the track surface and to avoid tragedy such as having one of these rocketships on wheels ending up in the stands full of race fans. Once again, I have no problem with that. But I strongly feel that if these concrete barriers were moved outward from their current location they could still achieve the same objective without having such a high race car attrition rate.

If it wasn't for these increased performance levels from the aforementioned racers do YOU really think this "important safety improvement", as you put it, would have been mandated by the NHRA to contain the majority of race cars in this country whose speeds are under 150 MPH?

"By the way, you're so far off base in your assertions that it's painfully obvious that you've never driven anything even remotely fast down a drag strip."

Number one: my assertions are RIGHT ON THE MONEY and that's what elicited this attack from you, SMART-ALEC! As far as YOUR condescending, snide putdown goes, I'm not even gonna give you the pleasure of lowering myself to your immature level. All I will say is this: YOU DO NOT KNOW ME NOR DO YOU KNOW OF MY PAST OR PRESENT PURSUITS. SO, SHUT YOUR F@#$%ING MOUTH!

"I could sit here all night and list accidents that were made worse, in many cases, MUCH worse by cars hitting armco or other such completely inadequate 'barriers'."

Once again [duz this guy have concrete between his ears?], I never made an equivalency between a concrete barrier and the inferior Armco guardrail. You don't have to have a degree in mechanical engineering to see the obvious differences between the two. Because YOU are the conceited pseudo-intellectual type who is not really as astute as you would like to think YOU are, YOU have completely MISSED my point!

What I was trying to convey was, before this concrete retaining wall was introduced [and placed a few feet from the track surface], a driver in MOST cases, had time to SAFELY regain control of his out-of-control EXPENSIVE race car and avoid EXPENSIVE damage and inflicting physical harm to himself. Because of this so-called "important safety improvement" risking physical injury and vehicle damage has been exacerbated GREATLY! PERIOD! Do YOU GET IT NOW!!?!

I could sit here all night, morning, day and INTO THE FOLLOWING NIGHT and list the countless aborted passes I've seen over the years [and a handful from yours truly] of cars that have gotten out of shape due to various factors and were SAFELY able to slow down and gain control of their vehicles(s) on the grassy median way before impacting the guardrail. Not to mention lessening cleanup time of broken cars who nowadays have no option but to sit there like a lame duck and completely oil down the lane. That it itself jeopardizes the safety of the next few cars that have to run in that lane NO MATTER HOW WELL THE TRACK SURFACE IS CLEANED! But, what do I know, since I've "never driven anything even remotely fast down a drag strip"?

"You don't remember Bob Edwards (Top Fuel racer), do you? Maybe Bill Pratt could explain to you just how an insanely dangerous single-row Armco barrier cost him his life."

Let me correct YOU right here . . . once again, I never for one second even insinuated that I was in favor of single-row Armco barriers! I don't need Pratt's dissertation on the shortcomings of single row guard rails! My home track [Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey] used the DOUBLE-ROW barrier for years with NO disastrous consequences [to the best of my recollection].

"Case closed." Yeah . . . just like YOUR MIND!

No doubt. We have lost literally DOZENS of racers to unsafe side barriers of one type or another (that's when the poor guys or gals went right PAST the barrier and into a telephone pole or into the woods). None of this stuff means a thing if you don't return for the next round or the next race . . .

Did you ever actually hit one? (I have). They are a perfect example that F(orce) = M(ass) x A(acceleration). They keep the car on the track, kinda where its supposed to be! Barrier further away = more time to accelerate and increased force! (more force = more damage and potential injury)

I saw your piece on the screw blower soap opera. I'd love to know how the meeting with Norm (Drazy) and NHRA went, but haven't heard a word. But, I was wrapped up all day yesterday and today so I didn't have a chance to talk to or email anybody. Have you heard anything?

Just now leaving for Gladstone and I wanted to check my email before I left and thought I'd say "We're on the road."

I was going to the drags (Willowbank's Castrol Series) last weekend, but Lorraine and I were doing some work on the new hotrod in the garage (ie: finishing installing a kick butt stereo that owes us nearly as much as the darn car, but boy does it sound good!) I read about Simon's (Holgerson - the VW from hell) exploits and I don't know if I'd like to be in the jockey's seat in that thing doing those times and speeds!

As I said, we had planned on going but after we did most of the work on the car, my back was killing me and we were both pretty tired too. So you said you didn't like the prospect of replacing rods and pistons after every race meeting? I though you liked the prospect of "budget blowout" on a weekly basis :-)

So what do you intend to write to Santos anyway? Talking about budget blowout's, how the heck do you get a blown KB to run 5.30's like it's a darn bracket car? But doesn't it make the Top Fuel cars seem just a little lame out here when he could bring his car down and nearly top qualify for any meeting.

Lorraine and the kids are all doing just fine and we all look forward to having you on our side of the planet again. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't mind cooking another roast on one of your trips up to the house either. By the way, if you need any help, just call or send an email. Now that we have a car again I might actually get another chance to get back down to Ken's and try to remember what the dragster looks like!

And if you get financial enough to send any parts down, I'll be glad to do whatever I can to put the stuff on the car; mind you, at the moment I can't do much. Except maybe little bits like wiring or such. Okay that's enough for now, so take care and make sure you look after yourself and say hello to Tom for us.

Nearly forgot: Kevin Kent rang up yesterday and asked for your number again and it seems he's got the net now and is supposed to be giving me his email address sometime soon. He's interested in seeing if you could find out about some Torqueflite parts for when he puts the blower on his Chrysler. Anyway, enough of my ramble, good luck and hope to hear from you soon mate.

Hi Bob, hope you're well -- the new site looks great. Can you send me a link to the NHRA discussion board -- I've been everywhere looking for it again but can't seem to find it. Also, here's one to ponder . . . what sort of times would Victor Bray run in a T/AD with his 233 mph tuneup? And what times would Rick Santos run in a doorslammer? Wow!

Hey Bob, I thought you might get a kick out of this one. I'm sure you can find some appropriate place to put it on your web page.

Kennedy's Dynotune is a complete high performance automotive shop. We use the latest 248C Dynojet chassis dyno for all testing and tuning. We are an Accel EMIC authorized dealer and installation center. We sell and install a complete line of superchargers, turbochargers, digital fuel injection and the entire line of Mr. Gasket performance parts and accessories.

We are interested in linking our web page with yours. In return, would you be interested in linking back to us? Please take a look at our web page at www.kennedysdynotune.com and let me know what you think. Thank you for your consideration.

Good to hear from you Bob; I was beginning to think aliens had abducted you or at the very least you were locked in your workplace until you had made enough money to go back to Australia.

I'm serious about Tom (Mohan) helping out on the car. I don't have any definite plans as to which events I'm going to run; we will sort of see how it goes. I plan to enter the car in Top Comp or Top Alcohol, depending on how many cars show up at an event. The only thing I have left to buy is a blower and if I come across a good deal on a legal PSI, I will buy one, but if not, I'll put a high-helix 14-71 on for now.

My wife got her Super Comp licence last year and would like to try driving the car so I figured that Top Comp would be a good place to start. I don't think I'll be helping Mike (Giuliani) out on the Funny Car this year as I'd like to go to a couple of races in Europe and with my own car running that will probably take up most of my time. Leo (Grocock) and Paul (Tarasenko) will be fairly busy as well, between looking after Mike's car and Leo doing his Drag Racing School.

So I don't want to ask them to help me as well, so that is why I'm in need of some assistance. Yes, you're welcome to come out and hang around whenever you can sneak away from work. So, if Tom is interested, tell him to phone me. I'll be here for a few more days and then I'm going on holidays; I have to see a man about a CAMEL!

How to be a member of your team? I'm a mechanic, I'm a good worker, I'm young, I'm a good motorcycle rider. I love cars and modifications. Please call me at 418-688-9724 and let me show you my qualifications. I know I can do it!

Hi Bob. Just doing a little bit of surfing and popped in to your site, only to find you haven't updated in quite some time. Hope everything is going okay and if I can help, just let me know, okay? Well, I hope to hear from you soon and good luck mate.

Are you still out there?? You mentioned a couple of emails ago that the Canadian season was about to start at Mission Raceway. What happened? Was it too depressing to watch? Or did your prophecy about the rain come through?

Our season kicked on with the third round of the Castrol New Year Series with Top Fuel and Top Alcohol being the main features. (Super Sedan was also a feature but they forgot to say that on TV).

It was a bit hot still and track was a little skatey but otherwise it was a good meeting. Simon Holgerson, in the VW from hell was there in style. The new Merlin heads and a much leaner mixture made for good power. The half track burnouts at 7000 rpm looked cool. I don't know how, but all the rods stayed inside the engine and it stormed to an 8.17 at 167 mph.

The plugs looked cold and it could go leaner yet! Simon says that all big block Chevys can run in the sevens STOCK! #@%&# bastard looks as though he is going to do it! Unfortunately he got crossed up in the first round and went out a happy camper.

What was worse: There was a best of everything KB/WAR/Whipple combo beside him in the pits and it had the rods out! Oh yeah, there was some go karty dragster things there. Top Beer or was it Top Alcoholics? Something like that. Oh well, you probably aren't interested in them anyway. One of them ran some 5.7's but who cares, right?

PS: I'm going on holidays for a week or so....

Hello Bob, your site looks great. Just though I would let you know of some changes. I've got a new email address and a new website address. It's: www.philphoto.com. Motorsport photos, drag racing, drag bikes, custom harley, girls.... etc!

If you could post it that would be great. I'll send you some photos. Have a great day.

After claiming runnerup of the "B" main at the Goodguys 41st March Meet, the Mastercam AA/Fuel Dragster Race Team can exhale with the knowledge that the monkey that rode its back for the duration of the 1999 season is not only finally off, it has been taken outside and shot.

This monkey, who grew to assume the shape and girth of King Kong as the season progressed, was invisible to those who didn't belong to the team but manifested itself in the form of performance-killing tire smoke.

Indeed, the team laid down six smokeless runs en route to a runnerup finish in the "B" main. For more information on the Mastercam team's weekend at Bakersfield, point your browser to: Wayback and groove on both the blow-by-blow as well as the existential ruminations of the Mastercam fueler's latest greasemonkey, Bert Toulotte.

No animals were harmed during the making of this message.

Mastercam Notes: Look for an explanation of front-motored fuel dragsters as the Mastercam AA/FD guys make their mainstream media debut tonight on the "X" Show, 11:00 pm on the FX Channel.

More Mastercam at Bakersfield: Mastercam driver Tim Gibson, who had his first experience driving a slingshot fueler last weekend, also drives the Bill Miller Engineering rear-engined fueler on the NHRA circuit. He noted some of the similarities in driving the different styles of dragsters, most importantly the difference in bringing the two machines to a stop. In the rear-engined car, hitting the parachutes and then getting on the brakes is an acceptable and relatively mellow way to stop the car.

This same procedure in the front-engined dragster can make the car bounce like it was being dribbled by Meadowlark Lemon.... "The chutes made it bounce and the brakes make it bounce," Gibson explained, in reference to slowing the Mastercam fueler. "I thought it was odd, but then I looked in the other lane and I'm bouncing and the guy next to me is bouncing. Maybe it's the way the tires work...."

For more on the Mastercam AA/FD, point your browser to: Rootbeer.

Runner Up!! Boy, were we excited.... and a little disappointed! It ended up that the final was us against Jay Meyer, again. Just like Dallas a couple of weeks ago, and with the same result. What a DRAG.

We were short crew, since this race was put on our tour at such short notice. Scott, Dustin and Mike were not able to go (almost our whole crew!) Kevin Hudspeth flew down with Mark and I to help out... and it was like he was never gone. He is such a crack-up! On the six hour flight he made the time really fly.

We are still having the blackened crank problem and with these back to back races, our spare parts were a little slim. We were doing a few shut downs at the 1000 foot mark in qualifying and on our single in the first round. (You can tell by the mile per hour). This allows us to still get the majority of the computer knowledge off the car, but doesn't put the parts through all that stress.

Mark, Scott and a couple of "pro" guys are working on that problem. It should (hopefully) be corrected by Las Vegas, which is in less than three weeks. Wow.... two weekends off... I am already trying to figure out something REALLY COOL to do with the three little boys... they are a little upset that we are doing so well and they have to keep staying home. They are starting their tour with us though in April and will be going to every race until school starts up in September.

I will let everyone know when the Gainesville race is on TV. They filmed enough of us down there; it was almost embarassing. Those cameras are not shy and just literally get right in your face. Yeah... I love that... Gee whiz! We were all working so hard and were so hurried between rounds that everyone was just black.... everywhere! But, no complaints. It is part of the thrill. Signing off as #3 Federal-Mogul Dragster, until next time.

In answer to: What happened in the final round? Mark wrote:
In the semi-finals we spun the #5 and #6 rod bearings. Due to the 75 minute rule we didn't have enough time to change engines, so we sanded the crankshaft and installed two new rods and pistons. In the final, at about the 900 foot mark, we kicked a rod.

This came to me from a very reliable source (nephew Joe, who works in the computer tech field). Do as you please, but don't say Phormerly Phast Phil didn't give you fair warning.

Someone is sending out a very cute screen saver of the Budweiser Frogs. If you download it, you will lose everything! Your hard drive will crash and someone from the internet will get your screen name and password! DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!

It just went into circulation yesterday, as far as we know. Please pass this message along. This is a new, very malicious virus and not many people know about it. This information was announced yesterday morning from Microsoft. Please share it with everyone that might access the internet.

Once again, pass this along to EVRYONE in your address book so that this may be stopped. AOL has said this is a very dangerous virus and that there is NO remedy for it at this time. Please practice cautionary measures and forward this to all your on-line friends.

Yes it's true: Simon (Holgerson) went 8.17 at the Castrol New Year Series. Not bad for a cast iron crank and steel rods! The tuneup is still safe with 95% cad left on the plugs (LOWE fuel injection tuneup... of course). I told him to lay off the half track burnouts as he was revving the heck out of it and it will kill the crank and rods. He's going 6200 rpm over the finish line with his 3.23 diff gear. The tires are the old ones off the school dragster.

He's having more fun than he's ever had. Top Comp is a great class. The bug looks almost cartoonish with the 14-71 sticking out of the boot lid. Check out the latest pictures.

The Drag Racing School car ran very consistent 8.97's on Saturday and Scott (Bennett) nailed a pair of .412 lights in qualifying but the pressure got to him in the first round. He shallow staged and the stage bulb went out when he went on the transbrake. With all the gadgets on the car, after you press the transbrake button you have to cycle the unit out to get the car to move for a new stage. He got frustrated and just drove the car on through. Although we had practised the scenario, the pressure just got to him. We lost to (Arthur) Telford who went on to win the eliminator.

There was a good crowd and it was a good race, even with the Top Leakers. We had a great pit spot and the traffic was very good across our display. We gave out over 200 fliers (best ever at a one day race). We are going to Gladstone next weekend to race and flog the school and the KLRC products. The country race tracks really appreciate you turning up for one of their events and you always get a warm welcome.

The weather here is a very pleasant 78 degrees with a nice coastal breeze. When you said your temps were 11 degrees I hope you meant Celsius.

After a couple of days passing, it is time for the WW2 team members to process their feelings and reflect on their runnerup finish at last weekend's Goodguys 41st March Meet.

This year's March Meet Top Fuel final was a rematch of the 1999 final round: "Wild Bill" Alexander in the right lane, Jim "Holy Smokes" Murphy and the WW2 machine in the left -- and the stakes were pushed once again, especially when one factors in the reality that Alexander had never won a March Meet in his long and fabled career.

But although the drivers were the same, many details were different this year, however, including Alexander's team and machinery; Alexander was flying the colors and livery of John Eirich's Merced-based "Ground Zero" machine, while last year he was shoeing for Frank "Root Beer" Hedge's Mastercam AA/FD. But beyond that, the most obvious difference in the final round combatants, however, was the WW2 team's state of mind.

Last year, to say the WW2 team was emotionally punchdrunk as they conquered Top Fuel at the March Meet would be an understatement. Their team leader, Jim Herbert, had passed on unexpectedly just a few days before the event and as an uncanny salutation, Murphy assumed the role of team leader and rallied the survivors to victory in one of the most inspirational charges to ever grace drag racing's history.

"That was a very emotional deal -- a real tough deal," Murphy remembers. "It was like this mission we were on." In contrasting this year's race, whereupon WW2 runnerupped to Alexander in a dramatic duel that saw three lead changes, to the 1999 vintage upon which Murphy triumphed on a solo jaunt as Alexander's ride caught on fire at the starting line (twice!), Murphy said, "We certainly wanted to win, but we are more lighthearted about everything this year.

"Last year we were the crowd favorite," he explained, "It was a special deal. Even 'Root Beer' said he didn't know who to root for -- and it was his car we were racing."

In this year's front-motored Top Fuel wars, the emotional dynamic has changed for WW2, and as they continue the proud tradition established by Jim Herbert, the team is slowly gaining a sense of closure over his loss while establishing their own identity. As they honorably begin to slowly shed the heartfelt sentimentality that accompanied the car at every meet it entered last year, Murphy himself began to crank up the trackside rhetoric at the March Meet.

About the fueler wars this year in general and the match with Alexander in specific, Murphy's tone was a little more strident than before: "We will be best of friends going up, but we'll want to rip their hearts out when we get to the starting line -- and the feeling is mutual. I guarantee you."

Murphy expressed regret for not taking the event win, particularly after Brian Van Dyke and Cal West Labor (one of the team's associate sponsors) doubled the March Meet winner's purse as well as an annual donation of the Jim Herbert Memorial Trophy, an award claimed by Murphy last year and demonstrably cherished by its current possessor, John Eirich.

So yes, dominating the field and claiming both the dough and the trophy granted in memory of Herbert would have been quite the coup, but Murphy remained philosophical about losing the final round to Alexander, a grizzled gunslinger of a dragster driver, who claimed his first ever March Meet title ever with a timeslip that read 6.10 to 6.17.

"I told Bill he was my second choice," Murphy said, while also noting what good friends Herbert and Eirich had been.

And while praising the efforts of his entire team, including the engine work done by Ron Rapadas, Murphy felt it was worth noting that a team meeting was imminent to "sharpen our knife," a meeting called partly in reaction to a port line having worked itself loose in the final round, starving one cylinder for fuel and depriving the engine of horsepower.

"I do the fuel system," Murphy admitted sheepishly, before commenting on how well Herbert had regimented duty and delegated responsibility.

With that as a barometer, look for a more streamlined and focused sense of organization at the next event that WW2 will compete in, the Goodguys Jim Davis Nitro Nationals at Sears Point International Raceway, April 15th & 16th.

MORE WW2 MARCH MEET:

A wheels up, "set the controls for the heart of the sun" duel between Murphy and #2 qualifier Butch Blair during the first round of eliminations at the March Meet reminded Murphy of something that happened at Seattle against Jerry "The King" Ruth more than a few moons ago.

Against Blair, Murphy carried the front end to the edge of prudent judgement and massaged the brake as the front end finally set itself down. His rationale for keeping the butterflies open was based on a comment from Ruth, who lost traction against Murphy and watched him almost tip one over almost thirty years ago.

Ruth told me down at the shutdown area that as long as I could still see the horizon I should keep my foot in it," Murphy recalled. To keep the WW2 fueler off the precipice of a blowover-type situation, the WW2 crew added additional fuel for ballast on the front end.

So: "More fuel and keep your eyes on the horizon..." If that doesn't exemplify the state of the retro fueler scene, what does? For more information on WW2 racing, go to their website.

Hey Bob, these drag racing stories were posted at DragList.com over the past week:

Bob, I sent you an email about using a Chyrsler mag on a Chevrolet and I've heard nothing. Are you OK? No updates on the website either... are you OK? Let me know if you're all right... just drop a note and say G'Day.

Where have you been? Two weeks since an update. I'm worried. Has the stress of running your own web page finally made you go nuts? Let's hope not as your site produces some of the best insight into the wonderful world of Drag Racing. Keep up the good work. We're still on the edge of our seats waiting for that Santos letter.

What is this that I hear about the PSI blower being illegal? You've got to get the inside scoop on this. Is your blower legal for NHRA competition? Are you sure?

Can you please send me some racing photos or handouts. I collect old and new. Thank you.

Just a quick note to let you know that I'm back in Vancouver for a couple of weeks and maybe you can give me a call. I don't have a lot of pictures for you (I forgot my camera when I went down under), but I'll send you what little I have soon.

You don't know anybody with some 1" lifters and a raised cam gear drive for a KB for sale, do you?

Hi there, I found your links page very useful. Could you please add a link to my site: Fantasy Sports Web. I have put together a "European" Fantasy Drag Racing Championship for educational purposes. Please do drop by and get all your friends to enter!

G'Day Bob. Well I hope I haven't "po'd" (as you call it) you with my last email. Sorry if I have, but I do enjoy my drag racing. Anyway, I see that you published an email that I sent earlier. Thank you. I have never seen something that I've written come up on an international media before. A big buzz, I must say. Of course it must be a normal thing for yourself, but for me, great stuff.

But now to the reason for my email. I was wondering if you could do an introduction to synthetic oil for the drag racing people. If you have any doubts about this, please let me know. I do not want to ruffle people the wrong way, as I hope you know. It may be a way to let the people know about the "good oil" so to speak. I would be interested to hear your comments. Thanks again for the media attention.

Would you please add our track to your listings? We are adding you to our links page too. Orlando Speed World Dragway.

As you are able to see from my covering letter below, I am in the search for an industrial placement over in America in the Electronic and Electrical Engineering sector of American racing. I understand you are not a company, but I'm still writing in the hope that you will be able to help to suggest some well established professional teams that may consider myself. I much appreciate any help possible from you, many thanks.

Nitro funny cars will return to Australia's drag strips in an exciting new concept in local racing. Recent guest on "In Pit Lane", Garry McGrath said the format will feature three Funny Cars taking on three Top Fuellers in a Chicago-style Shootout format, handicapped on national records.

The format apparently has the backing of Calder Park Raceway promoters and will also feature a whole new style of coordinated merchandising and marketing. McGrath will return to the drivers seat of one of the funny cars, which will also feature state of the art new body styles from the USA as well as different paint schemes targeting different sections of the crowd, including a cartoon character theme for children.

Gary's new Top Fueller which was a runnerup at this year's Nationals will continue to be driven by Terry Sainty, but only until Garry's daughter Rachel qualifies for her Top Fuel licence. Further info is available from: inpitlane@yahoo.com

First I must solicit your confidence in this transaction. This is by virute of its nature as being utterly confidential and top secret. You have been recommended by an associate who assured me in confidence of your ability and reliability to prosecute a transaction of great magnitude involving a pending business transaction requiring maximum confidence.

We are top officials of the Federal Government Contract Review Panel who are interested in importation of goods into our country with funds which are presently trapped in Nigeria. In order to commence this business we solicit your assistance to enable us to RECEIVE the said trapped funds ABROAD.

The source of this fund is as follows: During the regime of our late head of state, Gen. Sadi Albacha, the government officials set up companies and awarded themselves contracts which were grossly over-invoiced in various Ministries. The NEW CIVILIAN government set up a Contract Review Panel (CRP) and we have identified a lot of inflated contract funds which are presently floating in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

However, due to our position as civil servants and members of this panel, we cannot acquire this money in our names. I have therefore, been delegated as a matter of trust by my colleagues of the panel to look for an Overseas partnter INTO whose ACCOUNT the sum of US $31,000,000 WILL BE PAID BY TELEGRAPHIC TRANSFER. Hence we are writing you this letter.

It is from this 70% that we wish to commence the importation business. Please note that this transaction is 100% safe and we hope THAT THE FUNDS CAN ARRIVE IN YOUR ACCOUNT in ten banking days from the date of receipt of the following information by TEL/FAX: 234-90-501649: A SUITABLE NAME AND BANK ACCOUNT INTO WHICH THE FUNDS CAN BE PAID. PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO RESPOND BY TELEPHONE OR FAX.

The above information will enable us to write letters of claim and job descriptions respectively. In this way we will use your company's name to apply for payments and re-award the contract in your company name.

We are looking forward to doing business with you and solicit your confidentiality in this transaction. Please acknowledge your receipt of this letter using the above tel/fax number. I will bring you into the complete picture of this pending project when I have heard from you.

Just wondered what you thought about Mission having two points races? I think that it will be great for them; I anticipate that this will make anyone serious about divisional points come to both meets. Do you have any idea of the numbers and names of TAD's and TAFC's that may show up?

This may change our plans a little, as we would go to Mission if we had an outside chance at qualifying (I think we can coax a 5.90 out of it), but if there are going to be 10 cars that can run 5.60 or better, we wouldn't have a chance.

I wonder also why we can't get a points meet in Edmonton or at least back in Calgary. Perhaps our bids were rejected, or maybe we didn't even try for it?

Hey Bob, these drag racing stories were posted at DragList.com over the past week:

Bruce Mullins Racing got off to a promising, but aborted start at the IHRA Winter Nationals in Darlington, South Carolina. The team showed promise on its first qualifying pass, running 6.32 at 218 mph on a soft tune up. This placed the War Horse Mustang in the 12th qualifying position. Unfortunately, the gremlins that plagued the team at the end of 1999 returned in the next qualifying session.

On the first burnout Friday, the engine went lean and blew out the burst panel. Despite the help of many fellow racers, the team could not find the problem. They elected instead to skip the last session to prevent any possible further damage to the engine. Immediate plans are to send the entire fuel system, lines, pump and injector off to have it placed on a flow bench to hopefully find the problem.

As long as internal engine damage is minimal, the team still plans to attend the IHRA Holley Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, North Carolina, from April 7th to 9th. Bruce and Pattie Mullins wish to thank all those who lent a hand in trying to find the fuel lean-out problem, including Sam Leland, Mike Preslar and Bobby Baucom.

Fans of the War Horse Racing Team can find continuous updates on the team's 2000 season at: www.brucemullins.com.

Mike Janis Racing signs with Heintz & Weber for the 2000 IHRA and CDRA Seasons

Mike Janis's Jan-Cen Automotive IHRA Pro Modified '63 Corvette will be running the signage of the Weber's brand on the door during the 2000 IHRA season. Owner/driver Mike Janis also competes in the CDRA (Canadian Drag Racing Association) in which he placed fourth in the points for the 1999 season.

With the signing of Weber's, Janis is looking for big things this season. "This deal with the people at the Heintz & Weber Co., Inc., lets me do more than I was ever able to before. In the past, my racing was limited by many variables, including, but not limited to, budget. Now with this deal with Weber's my team will have a little extra room to go faster. I can't say enough about what the people at Heintz & Weber have given me. I just hope my team can show them our team is worth it."

The Weber's team is planning it's debut for the IHRA's inaugural Mopar Parts Canadian Nationals in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada, the weekend of June 2nd - 4th.

Hi Distant Thunder: Sorry to hear your weather is so lousy. It's a sunny 25 C with lots of blue sky here, but you probably don't want to hear that. I'm starting to get the picture of why you have brought your race car over here. The girls, right?

You asked how Simon Holgerson is? Well, he is living up to his reputation of being a lucky (rectum). I don't know if you heard, but he has put a big block Chevy in his VW, with a 14-71 on top. The only problem is the engine is one of those budget crate motors for motorhomes. It has a plastic crank and the smallest steel rods I've ever seen. And the best bit is the cast pistons! But it does have 8:1 compression. Uncle Ken helped Simon set it up with 7 % underdrive, no timing and lots of fuel. So far it has survived one meeting with only three over-revs of about 7400 rpm. Simon assures me that all big block Chevys can do this all day long. Is that right?

I think we will find out this coming weekend. Simon managed to talk someone into swapping his peanut port heads for some Merlins. He has taken a lot of fuel out of it and it sounds really crisp. He has a big nappy on it and I think he will be testing it.

You also asked how my racing season is going. In a word: lousy! I just haven't had the time to put into the car. I have just bought a new building for work and spent the last six months setting it up and pulling apart our old factory. The poor old car is covered in cobwebs and only gets pulled out for the occasional meeting. I am also pretty fed up with Super Sedan. I'm keen to slip a blown KB in it, but the budget isn't there right now. Top Alcohol looks like fun but I'm not really into go-karts.

Have you heard the news? The Seattle Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event has been moved to Mission -- June 23-25.

Tommy Mauney makes an impressive showing in his new 1941 Willys

Former World Champion Tommy Mauney made a good impression on the crowd and the other racers and teams at Darlington during the Prolong Winter Nationals in Darlington, South Carolina.

Mauney ran consistent numbers during qualifying that put him in the show in the fifth position. At the end of Thursday night's qualifying, Mauney was tops with a 6.404 - 222.80. Friday's qualifying was limited to one session due to rain, but in that session, Mauney looked like he was running a bracket car with yet another 6.40 run. At the end of qualifying, Mauney slipped to the number five spot.

The former Pro Modified champion faced Barney Squiers in the first round. Squiers left on Mauney and had him covered until half track, when Squiers lost a piston, letting Mauney power by for the victory. Mauney ran an impressive 6.372 - 220.69 to Squiers' losing 6.769 - 185.41.

Mauney's first round victory put him up against the '63 Corvette of Quain Stott in the second round. These two cars finished number four and five in the points last season. The match looked to be close at the start but at about the 800 foot mark, Mauney's engine let go, bringing an early end to his season opener.

Mauney will return to action with the Parsons Brothers 1941 Willys at the Holley Spring Nationals in Rockingham. Mauney will definitely make a charge for the points championship this season. For more information on Tommy Mauney or the sport of drag racing, visit the internet magazine "with no holds barred" at: www.competitionplus.com.

Hey Bob, did you head to Ozland again? Waiting for the Santos story, still. Word is he will be at Mission at least once this season.

Dale Brinsfield Makes Triumphant Return to Pro Modified Forefront

Dale Brinsfield vowed that he was coming to the season opener at Darlington with a new attitude. Extensive off-season testing had yielded several 6.3 second passes and the veteran Pro Modified racer was ready for a competitive season.

Something funny happened on the way to the IHRA Prolong Winter Nationals, Brinsfield got mad. He thought over his previous season and just decided that there was a time and a place for being nice. The Pro Modified field should be aware that in terms of character, there's no more Mr. Nice Guy for Brinsfield. His car says it all; it's "back in black."

In the first qualifying session, Brinsfield laid down a respectable 6.470 - 217.70, landing him temporarily in the number eight spot. After the second session, Brinsfield had bettered his previous time to a 6.462 - 218.80. Dale was looking to move further towards the top of the ladder when rain caused the final session of qualifying to be called off, leaving him in the 15th position.

In the first round of eliminations, Brinsfield faced Alan Pittman. Pittman has former Pro Mod champ Scotty Cannon along as an advisor. Both drivers staged and went through a massive burndown for more than a minute. Finally, Pittman staged first, then Brinsfield pulled in right after him. Brinsfield got out first and never looked back, taking the win with a 6.518 - 217.14. This win set up a second round match against Mitch Stott and his 1963 Corvette.

In that match, the two cars left together and were even until Stott had problems and Brinsfield pulled away to take the win light and a semi-final berth. Brinsfield ran another 6.40 second run, this time a 6.479 - 217.53.

In the semi-finals, Brinsfield faced another '63 Corvette, this time that of veteran Ed Hoover. Brinsfield did all he could to try and take the win in this round, cutting an awesome .412 light. The advantage at the tree proved not to be enough as Hoover took the win, 6.365 to Brinsfield's 6.444. The margin of victory was less than .015 of a second.

Brinsfield is looking forward to the rest of this season and hopes to be a regular in the winner's circle in 2000. Dale Brinsfield will return to action at the Holley Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway on April 7-9. For more information on Dale Brinsfield or the sport of drag racing, visit the internet magazine "with no holds barred" at: www.competitionplus.com.

Lyle Greenberg Motorsports just completed our biggest website update in quite a while. Nothing like a new year to bring added motivation! Among the updates:

*** The race story on our participation last weekend at the NHRA Division Four Federal-Mogul Drag Racing Series event at the Texas Motorplex in Dallas. A huge 17-car field with six teams from last year's Top 20 made for tough competition.

*** A whole new set of pictures in our Photo Gallery, compliments of Mike Spenner at Autographic Productions, Chuck Springer and Mike Rudahl.

*** New information on our Shop Updates page. Several weeks ago we began to chronicle the work we were doing to thrash the car together for the race in Dallas. This will be a feature that gets updated on an ongoing basis. The idea for a page like this was shamelessly stolen from Tom Howell and the IHRA Funny Car gang at Blue Chip Racing - thanks Tom!

To check out these items and all the information on the Lyle Greenberg Motorsports team, go to: website. Scroll down to the What's New section and click on the items of your choice. Also, take a look at the story written by Danny White on our team's outing at Dallas. It was featured as the Drag Racing Story of the Day at Bill Pratt's Drag Racing List site.

Bruce Litton admitted that he thought he brought enough horsepower to the table. However, he conceded that eventual champion Paul Romine brought just a little more. Thus was the case as the two Indianapolis, Indiana-based racers met in the finals of the IHRA Prolong Winter Nationals in Darlington, South Carolina.

Litton wholeheartedly applauds Romine for his win. "Paul is a very deserving winner," explained Litton, who carries sponsorship from Wix filters in 2000. "I drifted out of the groove and Paul was on a good run. I lifted and settled for the runnerup. This is not the first time that the two of us are going to meet in the finals. I'll promise you that."

Litton qualified in the top spot at the season-opening event that rewards the eventual World Champion of the 2000 season with $200,000 to the winner.

He opened eliminations by providing Jim Head with a rude introduction to the IHRA method of racing by winning a double tire-smoking duel. He then established top speed of the event by hammering out a 4.861 - 307.58 to send Steve Smith packing. In the final round, Litton outreacted Romine, but eventually aborted the run.

The Top Dragster Driving Experience has retained Litton's team to carry out their marketing program with WIX Filters. Top Dragster President Joel Collins feels the triangluar marketing partnership betwen WIX, his company and Litton's team provides a future example for other teams aspiring to run Top Fuel.

His next event on the IHRA/Summit schedule will be on April 7-9, at Rockingham Dragway for the Holley Spring Nationals. For more information on Bruce Litton or the sport of drag racing, visit the internet magazine "with no holds barred" at: www.competitionplus.com.

I have just discovered your site and found it to be very professional and informative. I am hoping that you can help me with some information.

I read your page saying that RFTS would not be reprinting its marketing books "Get Sponsored" or "Turning Horsepower into Marketing Power". I would like to obtain copies of these two books but have not been able to find a web site or e-mail address for RFTS. Would you possibly have an email contact address? Any help would be appreciated. Hope to hear from you soon.

Ed Hoover brought his dad with him to the first Pro Modified race that he entered and he won. That was back in 1990. When it became time for the 2000 Prolong Winter Nationals in Darlington, South Carolina, the Gilbert, South Carolina-based, Pro Modified driver for Paul Trussell decided it was time to bring his 76-year old dad back to the track.

The ploy worked as Hoover topped Tommy Gray in the finals at the facility that he refers to as his home track.

"I wanted my dad to come out because I haven't won in a while at Darlington," explained Hoover. "The last race he attended with me was Epping in 1992 and we beat Scotty Cannon and set the record. He told me at that point that he thought I had it under control and didn't need him. I called him because I know father knows best."

Hoover hadn't won a single round of competition in 1999, until the World Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. He went on to win the first round and ultimately claimed the event crown. Hoover and Trussell also claimed a second victory at the President's Cup Nationals in Budds Creek, Maryland.

At this weekend's Winter Nationals Hoover qualified third in the field and topped the defending World Champion Shannon Jenkins, who red-lighted in the first round. He then hammered out a 6.388 - 221.23 to top Steve Vick and further stepped up with a 6.365 that took out Dale Brinsfield. Opponent Tommy Gray fouled in the finals, handing the Trussell operation their third national event victory in two years.

His next event on the IHRA/Summit schedule will be on April 7-9, at Rockingham Dragway for the Holley Spring Nationals. For more information on Al Billes or the sport of drag racing, visit the internet magazine "with no holds barred" at: www.competitionplus.com.

Canadian Al Billes Falls Just Short of Overwhelming Darlington for Second Year in a Row

Pro Modified standout Al Billes loves Darlington International Raceway. For the second year in a row, the Canadian hard charger made a strong impression on the capacity crowd, and the 38 other Pro Modified hopefuls assembled for the IHRA's season-opening Prolong Winter Nationals.

Billes, who hammered out a world-record elapsed time of 6.268 at this event last year, was the picture of consistency all weekend, running 6.30's every time he launched his bright yellow '53 Studebaker down track. Considering he's in the supercharged minority, and running a 'home built' powerplant to boot, this was outstanding performance.

Billes dispatched Ronnie Hood in round one, and found himself facing the "Undertaker" Ronnie Gray in the quarter-finals. These two put on a tremedous drag race, leaving the line with virtually identical reaction times. At the finish line, it was Gray's 6.356 besting Billes' game 6.376 effort.

There was no trip to the winner's circle this weekend, but Billes definitely served notice that he's going to be one of the guys to beat in 2000.

His next event on the IHRA/Summit schedule will be on April 7-9, at Rockingham Dragway for the Holley Spring Nationals. For more information on Al Billes or the sport of drag racing, visit the internet magazine "with no holds barred" at: www.competitionplus.com.

Squiers Falls Short in Singleton's Entry against Tommy Mauney

Barney Squiers made car owner Roy Singleton plenty proud. The veteran car painter, who pilots the Majesty Homes-sponsored, Pro Modified 1941 Willys, qualified for his first ever national event in the professional division and was impressive at the IHRA Prolong Winter Nationals in Darlington, South Carolina. This was only the second outing with the new car.

Squiers, who hails from Locust Grove, Virginia, secured a spot in the field with a stout 6.454 - 220.76 in qualifying. That run placed the beautiful classic machine into the 12th qualifying spot. With the layout of the eliminations ladder, Squiers had the daunting task of facing former champ Tommy Mauney in the first round.

The Squiers and Singleton team went for broke in their first round appearance against the former champ. Squiers applied a huge hole shot on Mauney and had him covered until half track, when Singleton's powerplant let out a puff of smoke, handing the win to Mauney.

Squiers and Singleton have developed a program in 2000 that promises the team should be in the winner's circle soon.

Their next event on the IHRA/Summit schedule will be on April 7-9, at Rockingham Dragway for the Holley Spring Nationals. For more information on Barney Squiers and Roy Singleton or the sport of drag racing, visit the internet magazine "with no holds barred" at: www.competitionplus.com.

I'm just writing you a quick note to say that The Digs Drag Racing website is back up and running after a little crash here at Freeservers. So if you haven't stopped by in a while, please give us another look.

We have a "non-denominational" (no sanctioning body) message board, drag racing pics, links, season schedules, auto math formulas, polls and articles written by anyone who is willing to speak their mind on drag racing or share their stories. So if there's something you want to say, let us have it, because we'll probably print it. Also feel free to send us pics of your car for the rest of the drag racing internet to see. We'll put them up too.

The site just keeps getting better and we hope to be one of the best out there soon. Just tell us what you want to see.

Icebreaker: The IHRA season starts this weekend; let us know what you think about the many new developments in both IHRA and NHRA drag racing on The Digs message board. Thank you for listening and have a good weekend!

Snyder, The Younger Version, Takes a Driving Lesson, Rookie Pro Outlaw Driver Fares Well in Maiden Outing

Former junior dragster, and 8.90 Quick Rod pilot, Mick Snyder made his official IHRA Pro Outlaw debut behind the wheel of his father's new Sptizer dragster. Mick's father is Larry Snyder, the defending Super Eliminator (now Pro Outlaw) Champion.

The younger Snyder made his father proud when he put the family ride into the field on their second qualifying attempt. The second round of qualifying saw young Snyder better his first round time of 6.319 - 214.01 with a quicker and faster 6.203 - 217.60. The Snyder family opted not to run the final round of qualifying and was placed into the fourth spot on the ladder.

Snyder faced the fifth qualifer Mike Decker for the first round of eliminations. The veteran gave the rookie a real lesson on the tree, leaving with a .474 light to Snyder's slower .530 to take the win. Snyder ran a quicker 6.161 to Decker's 6.184, but didn't have enough in the alky-burning small block to make up for his tardiness at the light. The margin of victory was less than half a car length.

In spite of having some big shoes to fill as a driver, Snyder has already proved he can handle the power. With more seat time, this rookie will be a contender soon.

"The kid is going to do well," explained the elder Snyder, who is the defending Pro Outlaw champion. "I'm really proud of what he's accomplished to this point. I think whatever I did is going to be a minor accomplishment compared to him. I think he'll eventually end up being a better driver than I ever was."

Their next event on the IHRA/Summit schedule will be on April 7-9, at Rockingham Dragway for the Holley Spring Nationals. For more information on Mick Snyder or the sport of drag racing, visit the internet magazine "with no holds barred" at: www.competitionplus.com.

Any chance you could add a link to our site. EMTech Motorsports. We're a Canadian company specializing in cylinder heads and engine kits.

Bob, you are getting as bad as Larry for saying you're going to do something.... and then don't. I'm really getting tired of it. Don't tell me if you aren't sure you can come through. And where is that letter to Santos, anyway? Your friend, Bill.

What's with the new address?? Old place got too small?? What's happening in Canada?? You never said where you actually live, but I did hear something about Vancouver. How is that ticket to our Winternationals coming along?? Boy, do I sound like a kid with a million questions, or what??

Hey Bob: Any ideas where that Tim Nemeth TA/FC came from?

If you are planning to go to the Las Vegas National Event, you better check out the Grapevine for the updated schedule. See you there.

Only a "Wizard" would stir the cauldron on what had been a perfectly acceptable thermodynamic soup. Such is the case with Lance Osborn racing, as Lance himself (aka "The Wizard") ordered drastic changes to the fuel system of his Chevy-powered front-motored fueler after a most successful coda to his 1999 season in which he catapulted from the back of the pack to win the "B Main" at last year's California Hot Rod Reunion at Famoso Raceway. Even more remarkable was how he closed the season: By posting numbers (a couple of 6.15s, for instance) that were worthy of the "A Main" itself.

No, winning the "B Main" and leaving well enough alone wasn't good enough for Osborn... And after a silly season consultation with fuel system brainiac Pete Jackson (who generously proferred some pronounced changes to the fuel system), Osborn has thrown down the gauntlet and is attempting to crank up his profile by challenging his way onto the Nitronic Research AA/Fuel Dragster List via a match race with the potent Hemi-milled machine of John Eirich, aka "Ground Zero", who is currently ranked #10 on the list.

Eirich has made some changes to the fuel system on his entry as well, including fiddling with the lines and enlarging the capacity, but the biggest change at "Ground Zero" is carbon-based as opposed to actual hardware. The March Meet will see the competitive unveiling of a different driver in Eirich's machine, the esteemed "Wild Bill" Alexander, a man who has been punching it out in front motored fuelers since 1961. Alexander replaces Denver Schutz, a feared veteran in his own regard, and who is now shoeing for the Texas-based entry of Jim Cullen.

Alexander needs no introduction to informed nitromaniacs, but if you wanna learn more, click here )

The Osborn/Alexander match race will transpire at noon Saturday, during qualifying for the Goodguys 41st March Meet at Famoso Raceway (Bakersfield, California). If Alexander loses, Ground Zero is off the list and Osborn claims Ground Zero's position. If Osborn loses, the list remains unchanged.

Just prior to the challenge, the Inaugural Nitronic Research AA/FD List Award will be presented to Jim Murphy and WW2 Racing, based on its performance during last year's front-engine fueler wars. Among the spoils is a $1000 contingency check from Titan Speed Engineering, a personalized plaque from Pete Millar of DRAG CARTOONS fame and plenty of swag from Mysterion Screenprint.

Estimates for the number of entries for Top Fuel Eliminator at the Goodguys 41st March Meet this weekend range from 22 to 29. Qualifying is for two 8-car eliminators, an "A Main" and "B" (Hooligan) Eliminator. There are three sessions of qualifying for Top Fuel: Friday at 4:00 pm; Saturday at Noon and 4:00 pm. Eliminations commence at Noon on Sunday. Famoso Raceway is located 20 miles northeast of Bakersfield.

Here's the March Meet skinny on teams that are currently dwelling on the Nitronic Research AA/FD List:

Comments: There is a real duality to Murphy: a quiet demeanor, but under the surface a fierce competitive spirit bubbles in both his heart and in his mind. With the help of some of Sacramento's finest, he has carved a real niche for himself in the front-motored fueler circuit; three consecutive Goodguys VRA titles anchored by back-to-back March Meet conquests. Quick, fast and consistent.

Comments: Tremendous strides in only two seasons as a fuel burner. The grandson of "Terrible Ted" Gotelli, a man with nitro in his veins. Apparently, it's hereditary.

Comments: The last guys other than WW2 to claim Top Eliminator at the March Meet, a feat accomplished in 1997. Aeronautical modifications by Dave Uyehara last year give the car the appearance of a front-motored nitro-burning spaceship.

Comments: Aero mods over the winter have yet to prove beneficial. Prior performances have been stout, clean and consistent. If anybody knows how to make a Chevy thunder on pop, its Jennings' braintrust, Zeller & Amaya.

Comments: Bodacious incrementals at a secret test and tune on a cold, unprepared track last week in Sacramento. Rance is hankering for a properly prepped track and an opportunity to show off his stuff at the big end of the drag strip. Perhaps the most notorious machine on the circuit, and the only small block Bowtie on the scene.

Comments: Those who watched Dale Suhr and his "Hair Bear Bunch" flourish last summer at the Heartland Hot Rod Reunion against cars from California, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas, know this team has the skill to get down a drag strip and post some potent numbers.

Comments: Steiner is in a rare groove, particularly off the pad. Perhaps the most efficient team on the circuit, when you calculate cubic dollars to performance.

Comments: Crushing performance at the Pro Nitro Desert Thunder Nationals last month... #8 on the list with a bullet!

Comments: Sporadic attendance in '99. If they are on the premises (likely), rest assured they'll come out with guns a blazin'.

Comments: New driver for a new team... errm, I mean they are new to each other but not new to the sport... you know what I mean... both Eirich and Alexander have been called many things, but "new" they ain't.... look for a statement this weekend.

I'd be happy to front my Canadian friends... just send the dough in US funds... oh, what the heck, Canadian spends too, just not as well.