The word floating around the Pro Stock pits at the NHRA AAA Finals in Pomona, Ca., suggests team owners Rodger Brogdon and Steve Kent have purchased a 50-percent interest in a major Pro Stock engine supplier. Brogdon and Kent have offered a unified "no comment" followed by broad smiles. The team currently utilizes Victor Cagnazzi horsepower.

Sources have told CompetitionPlus.com that Don Schumacher Racing general manager Lee Beard has left the team. In the days prior to the Mopar Mile Nationals in July, Beard was reassigned within DSR after a less than spectacular outcome as tuner of the John Gray-driven Funny Car. There's no word at this time  where he will end up.

If you understand both modern and classic musclecar lingo, you'll understand the cryptic message we are about to deliver. The highly rumored "bumblebee", of which a past series champion was supposed to drive, has reportedly morphed into an elephant. An announcement could come along as early as Las Vegas next month.

A rumor is making the rounds in the nitro pits suggesting an expansion is possibly in the works for Al-Anabi Racing. Reportedly the Alan Johnson-managed group is said to be working on a program which could return a fuel Funny Car to their team.

Sources indicated the NHRA will release their 2012 schedule this week. From what we hear, the schedule will include a stop in St. Louis during October. As for Epping, we hear that it is a definite for 2013.

UPDATED: A source tells CompetitionPlus.com the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle schedule will be released on Thursday with the Phoenix event returning to February and staging their event on 17 - 19. We are also told several entities in St. Louia were told to expect St. Louis as part of the Countdown with a first weekend in October date.

Buddy Perkinson might be out of a ride behind the wheel of the Cunningham Motorsports NHRA Pro Stocker but our sources tell us he won't miss a beat in his rebound. We've heard Perkinson will soon be named as the new driver of the Dingman Racing entry on the ADRL Exreme Pro Stock series. Also in the works is a two-race deal which will put him behind the wheel of a Mustang powered by a Larry Morgan lease engine program.

If you correctly guessed the Pro Stock class, you are correct from what we hear floating around the pits. Multiple sources have confirmed the NHRA's tech department tore down all 15 Pro Stock qualifiers at the NHRA Northwest Nationals once they were eliminated from the event. As of this posting, there has been no official statement as to whether any infractions were discovered or what precipitated the extensive inspections which included removing a cylinder head.

Word has it that J.R. Todd could be returning to Top Fuel racing next season. We are told by reliable sources, Todd could be reunited with team owner Dexter Tuttle for a full run at the NHRA Full Throttle series in 2012. Where this leaves his doorslammer future remains to be seen.

Multiple sources close to the situation have told CompetitionPlus.com reporters that turbo phenom Brad Personnet has been let go from R2B2 Motorsports. There's no official word from the team at this time regarding Personnet's status but an inside source has confirmed the departure.