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GREGORY A GO; NEW CAR FOR BUTNER
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The Agent stumbled onto a Top Secret test session recently, which included the newest team driver for the Haas & Enders camp. With Erica Enders currently "on hold" until new sponsorships are determined, as we told you earlier, NHRA Super Gas competitor Gary Gregory has been learning the Pro Stock ropes under the tutelage of Jerry Haas. Wheeling Erica's red camouflaged Dodge Stratus, the Floridian is already earning praise from the famed chassis builder while testing for a presumed 2008 season debut.
Also spotted at the session was the gorgeous new Procharged Chevy Cobalt of Bo Butner, which replaces the car most recently lost in a crash and fire at Norwalk, OH. Butner’s brand-new ride was created specifically for the new CC/Altered division (which has usurped the AA/Super Modified class which Butner literally owned in its brief tenure on the Competition Eliminator roster). We're sworn to secrecy on the resulting numbers but we can tell you the Agent says this one's gonna be brutal. (Bret Kepner photos) [9/21/2007]
A FUELERS AT POMOMA CLARIFICATION
The Agent had a couple of errors in the note yesterday concerning the A/FD race in NOVEMBER at Pomona to be run in conjunction with the AHDRA event. The Agent got a note for Bummer Mac Monagle (yes, we misspelled the man’s name, too) who let us know that the A/F association is a combination of both injected nitro cars and alky cars. He also noted that at this event the nitro burners wouldn’t be under the NHRA regs for A/FD and would be able to run a “big” fuel pump. Also we called the race the finals for the AHDRA schedule when actually the AHDRA finals are the following weekend at the Strip at Las Vegas. Other than that the note was perfect! [9/21/2007]
ALL FOLKED UP AT OSCEOLA
Last weekend did not get off to a good start for Brian Folk at the final IHRA Pro-Am event of the year, as he severely wounded the engine in his familiar Folk Race Cars Super Rod Cavalier in Friday night testing. Folk, who entered the event as the Division 5 leader in Super Rod, and a longshot contender for the 2007 IHRA World Championship, was forced to look to Plan B.
“We’d just finished this Camaro Roadster at the shop (Folk Race Cars). We actually built the car completely in-house: from the tubing rack to the final wiring and assembly. We’d just tested it the weekend prior, but we’ve got it for sale and I’ve had such a good year in the Cavalier we decided to leave the roadster at home. When I tore up the Cavalier Friday night, we made the decision to get the Camaro--since it was sitting there ready to go. I called my buddy Hank Mulligan--he drove all night and brought the car down to us so I’d have something to race in Super Rod.”
The new, relatively untried combination proved to be just what the doctor ordered, as Folk secured the Division 5 crown with back-to-back victories in the two-day event.
Folk used a strong .016 induced 9.91 run in the Saturday final to defeat a red-lighting Nathan Vrooman. In the prior rounds, he used similar runs to knock off perennial contenders Todd Hohn, Tom Dimond, and Chris Yates on his way to the victory.
In Sunday’s second event, Folk defeated Pat Martin in the final by a mere .0001 when both drivers posted .012 reaction times and 9.949 elapsed times. Once again, he escaped close runs on the way to the final with Yates, Dimond, and Lisa Marg.
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With his back-to-back victories, Folk clinched the Division 5 Super Rod title, and moved into contention for the Super Rod World Championship, within a few rounds of season-long leader Steve Furr.
While Brian was busy dominating the Super Rod field, the rest of the Folk family had a great showing at Osceola as well. Nick Folk clinched the Division 4 Stock Eliminator championship and moved closer to National Points leader Anthony Bertozzi with the Saturday win in Stock Eliminator. Folk fell behind final round opponent Craig Marshall on the starting line, .001 to .043, but prevailed when Marshall slowed to well over his dial-in.
Not to be outdone by his sons, family patriarch Ron “The General” Folk also took home an IHRA Iron Man with the Sunday win in Quick Rod. Folk defeated Super Rod Runner-Up Pat Martin in a close final to pick up the victory. [9/21/2007]
‘BIG BERTHA’ BACK AT ORLANDO?
Last fall, after running away with the Heavy Street win at Orlando Dragway's World Street Nationals, California's Monty Berney immediately sold his all-steel '55 Chevy to Florida collector Keith Roberts. Berney couldn't confirm anything, but he's trying to work out an arrangement with Roberts to defend his title Oct. 26-28, with the same car. Roberts, who is recuperating from a motorcycle accident a couple of months ago, told DRO his first choice would be to enter the car himself, but retaining Berney as a driver remains a possibility. The Agent hopes this one works out, as Berney and the wild, wheelstanding Bowtie captivated both media and fans at Orlando last year. (Ian Tocher photo) [9/21/2007]
ORSCA RACE CANCELLED
The Atlanta-based Outlaw Racing Street Car Association (ORSCA) had scheduled an event for Oct. 12-14, at South Georgia Motorsports Park, but series director Jason Mote recently announced the event has been cancelled. In a phone call with DRO, Mote confirmed the race will not be rescheduled. ORSCA is in action this weekend, Sep. 21-23, at Huntsville (AL) Dragway and will wrap up its season Nov. 2-4, at Carolina Dragway, near Jackson, SC. [9/21/2007]