NO HARD FEELINGS

New Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon got a hug from former boss, John Force, at the NHRA Finals in Pomona.  (James Drew photo) [11/7/2007]

BILLY 'ALABAMIAN' HOLT DIES

Billy Holt of "The Alabamian" Funny Car fame in the early-'70s, died Oct. 25, of congestive heart failure and kidney failure at age 76. Holt, a lifelong Alabama native, started drag racing in 1958 and was a dominating performer in the Gasser Wars throughout the Southeast and Midwest. In the late-'60s, Holt won two NHRA national events and finished as class runner-up five times. He also was a three-time NHRA BB/G record holder and twice held the NHRA D/G record. Holt got into the Funny Car scene in 1970 with a Logghe-built Corvette powered by a blown 392 Hemi that he nicknamed "The Alabamian." After the original car burned at Gainesville, FL, he had great success with several Vega-bodied versions in NHRA/IHRA competition and match racing until leaving the sport in 1975 to concentrate on running his business, an automotive machine shop.

Holt is a member of the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame and the Old Drag Racers Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Jo, and sons Scott and Greg Holt, current driver of Toney Russell's “LowMad” in ADRL Pro Extreme action. (DRO file photo by Ian Tocher)  [11/7/2007]

TODD TO TEAM WITH LUCAS

J.R. Todd will team up with Morgan Lucas on the Lucas Oil Racing Top Fuel team next season. Todd’s current sponsor, Evan Knoll and his Torco and Seelye Wright brands, will stay on board. John Stewart will be Todd’s crew chief.

"J.R. and I have been great friends,” Lucas said. “We already talk about everything, even if it is just talking about the cartoons we watch." Shot back Todd, "He's the bad influence." [11/7/2007]

NOW IF THEY COULD JUST GET THAT FEELING ON THE TV SHOW

Scott Guglielmino, ESPN's vice-president of programming and acquisitions, regarding the sensory-overload experience of drag racing: "I was standing on the starting line at Bristol, and I was trying to think of how I could explain it to somebody who hasn't seen or experienced it. And I decided it's like being electrocuted." [11/7/2007]

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

The NHRA (and DRO) are always trying to get more mainstream press coverage for drag racing. Well, that’s a two-edged sword. The Agent couldn’t help but notice this angst-filled column  that ran in California’s Inland Daily News by Paul Oberjuerge who covered the just completed NHRA World Finals. [11/7/2007]