New Camaro Pro Mod coming for Leverentz and Kulik

A new team that has signed on to compete in the 2009 Pro Modified Racing Association tour will be applying years of experience in the Pro Modified field. Headed up by Billy Leverentz, the Oddy Automotive/Kulik Automotive Pro Modified team is well versed in the class, as Leverentz worked with Pro Modified legend Jim Oddy.

”I worked with Jim for many, many moons,” said Leverentz, who purchased Oddy’s Automotive Inc. when Oddy retired from the Elma, NY, business. “I have built a lot of engines over the years. I got involved with cylinder head work along with camshafts, but I did it all. Jim and I worked well together. We’d try different things and then take it to the track. There were some bizarre combinations, but they usually worked.”

There was a short stint in drag racing with a 13-second 1966 Dodge Charger, but Leverentz next got involved with truck pulling, both as a competitor and an engine builder. Although he no longer drives competitively, Leverentz continues to be involved in pulling; he recently returned from Italy, helping a customer with a new dual Chevy engine setup that was purchased from him.

The Pro Modified will be driven by Dave Kulik Jr., who has been piloting a 1962 Chevy 7.50 Top Sportsman car. Leverentz’s brother Dave will also get behind the wheel of the 1967 Camaro-bodied Pro Modified eventually.

The Camaro, which came from the G-Force Race Cars shop, will be powered by a 440-style supercharged Mopar Wedge engine of 572 cubic inches. Behind the engine is a Lenco three-speed, and on top will be either a Kobelco or SSI blower. Leverentz said a Hemi engine is in the works, but the team will start the season with the Wedge.

Billy Leverentz will be crew chief on the car with help from his brother Dave and Joe Kulik. We’re still (ahem) waiting on a photo, Mr. Leverentz. [4/28/2009]

Jet bike goes over 200 mph

At the IHRA national event at Rockingham Dragway in exhibition action, Kevin Martin’s “Ballistic Eagle” broke the 200-mph barrier for a jet bike with a pass of 7.887 at 202.55 mph. (photo courtesy IHRA)

And just for fun, here’s an earlier video of Martin’s jet bike running Mike Charlton’s Chevy-powered bike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=BF1KkbstHUA [4/28/2009]

If ya can’t drive, ya can still talk

After Jack Beckman’s spectacular first-round crash at the Sacramento Funny Car Fever event, “Fast Jack” took to the announcer’s booth to provide a little color commentary. See complete coverage in our Lead Story.  (Darr Hawthorne photo) [4/28/2009]

Source Interlink files for bankruptcy

Source Interlink Cos., the publisher of Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Car Craft and 72 other magazines controlled by billionaire Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos., sought bankruptcy protection as it moves to become a private company.

The company, which also distributes newspapers and other publications, listed debt of $1.9 billion and assets of $2.4 billion as of April 24 in Chapter 11 documents filed yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. [Editors note: We are running this story exactly as we have received it but are puzzled as to how bankruptcy works if a company has a half billion more dollars in assets that it owes.]
“This restructuring will materially reduce our interest expense and debt levels,” Source Interlink Chief Executive Officer Greg Mays said today (April 28) in a statement. The Bonita Springs, Florida-based company also runs Web sites and distributes CDs, video games and DVDs in the U.S.
Source Interlink was previously known as Primedia, which purchased Petersen Publishing, begun by Robert E. Petersen. [4/28/2009]