‘STARDUST’ IN YOUR EYES?

Nostalgia nitro funny car owner Justin Grant, who held an online raffle to get his “Stardust” racing team to the 50th March Meet, is now offering a unique piece of drag racing history. Since Grant has just retired the 38-year-old ’70 Barracuda body they ran over the past few seasons and replacing it with a “Wonder Wagon” Schumacher replica, he’s offering a chance to buy 1/2 of the old flopper body.

They’ll cut the Cuda down the middle, length-wise and provide a way of mounting it, selling it to the first bidder with $2,000 plus shipping charges. The other half of the “Stardust” Cuda replica will be offered to Don Schumacher Racing in Indy.  

This body started out as the Burkholder Brothers AA/FC, and has had some famous drivers inside during its long life including Ron Capps, Gordie Bonin, “Fast Jack” Beckman and DRO’s own Nostalgia Editor, Jeff “Killah” Utterback. Contact Justin Grant at justin@stardustracing.com.  (Darr Hawthorne photo)

(illustration by zerosixtydesign.com) [3/19/2008]

HERBERT ASKS TEENS TO PUT ON THE BRAKES

BRAKES is a safe driving foundation inspired by the loss of Doug Herbert’s two sons, Jon, 17, and James, 12, in a tragic automobile accident in January. BRAKES (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe), the name chosen by Jon’s senior classmates at SouthLake Christian Academy in Huntersville, NC, is dedicated to educating teen drivers on safe driving and to saving lives. Put on the Brakes, the charitable foundation behind BRAKES, is a 501(3)(c) organization. For more information, visit www.putonthebrakes.com. [3/19/2008]