There are some combinations that were
always an institution in drag racing. For instance, we could always
automatically assume that Bill Jenkins was a Chevrolet man, that the talented
“Dyno Don” Nicholson was pretty much a Ford man at heart, and we always picture
Ronnie Sox in a Mopar. In the same vein, we could always associate Bob Glidden
with a Ford-powered entry. Sure there were the flirtations with a Chevrolet in
1976 at Indy, and the record-setting season of 1979 in a Mopar, but for the
most part the cagey veteran from Whiteland,
Ind., was always a
dyed-in-the-wool Blue Oval man.

However,
a little over two decades ago, unbeknownst to many Pro Stock aficionados, the
Hoosier nearly ended up in an Oldsmobile as part of a revered Hurst/Olds
project. Just what changed his path at the last minute? That answer may never
be fully revealed on the record, but the word on the streets is that the folks
at Ford objected, and at contract time they flexed their muscles by strongly
suggesting that their star driver “cease and desist.”

If we assume that at least a million words have been written about NHRA
founder Wally Parks – not about NHRA per se, but about its leader –
probably 850,000 of them have been positive. Editorial writers –
including this one, I’m sorry to say – have often attacked the sport’s
“father” for his perceived mistakes in first organizing and later
running the largest sanctioning body (in terms of members) in all of
North American motorsports.

In a scenario that’s eerily reminiscent of the 13-year-old who thinks
his father is completely out of touch with the modern world and knows
nothing and then, when he’s about 18, suddenly wonders how the Old Man
learned so much in just five years, so too have many people’s attitudes
towards Mr. Parks changed in recent years. This is not to suggest that
he’s now above reproach, but it’s more an admission, shall we say, that
in retrospect some of those decisions which were dissected and
questioned for their relevance now appear to have been the right ones
all along.

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FEEDBACK FRIDAY - January 19 

There's nothing more prestigious than winning Top Fuel at the NHRA U.S. Nationals, and that's exactly what inspired a group of sportsman racers to use the first round of eliminations as a protest platform. No sportsman division had dared to stand up to the seemingly invincible sanctioning body, not to mention during their flagship national event. There's always a first time for everything, however, and in 1981 a group of disgruntled sportsman racers took the NHRA to task in front of their paying customers.

This makeshift group of sportsman racers had been rumor fodder in the pits for a few months prior to the event, yet when they confronted the sanctioning body the issue was always sidestepped. On Labor Day weekend in 1981 they took the unprecedented step of airing their concerns before one of the largest crowds of the year. After all, they had nothing to lose.

Drag
racing success on the professional level has usually come about after a
long, often arduous climb up through the ranks, and few epitomize this
scenario more than Las Vegas resident “Hot Rod” Fuller. The winner of
13 NHRA national events, 28 points meets and numerous Division
championships in the Super categories, while few remember it now,
Fuller actually competed in Top Fuel back in 1995 and ’96, qualifying
six times in 15 outings. He never made headlines primarily because the
cars he was driving weren’t the most competitive, but all that changed
when he was tabbed by David Powers to handle his new Top Fuel operation
in 2005. Fuller’s selection followed multiple face-to-face interviews
and extensive personality testing in which the recreational weight
lifter outshone the other prospective drivers.

While the Powers team competed in only 15 races in ’05, Fuller and
tuner Richard Hogan amassed a significant record that included three
final round appearance with one victory. That’s an impressive final
round appearance percentage of 20% -- a mark that many veterans would
be envious of.

At the end of Fuller’s first season with Powers Hogan jumped ship to
rejoin mentor Alan Johnson at Don Schumacher Racing with driver Melanie
Troxel. While that kind of departure might have slowed some teams,
Powers reacted by quickly signing two proven veterans, Lee Beard and
Rob Flynn.

What’s in a name?

Almost everyone who staged up beside Steve Paulauskis, crew
chief Kelly Bluebaugh, and the rest of the WFO Motorsport team found out first
hand during the 2006 season.

Once just the moniker Bluebaugh gave to his one-man nitrous
engine and machine shop, WFO Racing and Machine, located in Phoenix, AZ, the
WFO stable has grown to include Bluebaugh’s own ‘World’s Fastest Citation’ and
most recently the Chevy Cavalier of 2006 Pacific Street Car Association Pro
Street Champion Steve Paulauskis.

Doug Foley doesn't plan on
failing.

The New Jersey native, just a few months removed
from a horrifying crash during an elimination run at the IHRA Canadian
Nationals in September, is back and ready to attack another drag racing season.
This is one horse that Foley is truly looking to get back on.

"You have to chalk it
up to that when you get into one of these cars, crashes happen," said
Foley, whose injuries included several broken bones, a separated shoulder and a
concussion. "You have to chalk it up to that and realize it is what it is.
You just have to get back in the car and do you're job."

What makes Al Billes so popular in Pro Modified? Well, for one thing,
he’s Canadian, with a genetic predisposition toward politeness. For another,
out of nine NHRA Pro Mod Challenges he attended in 2004, he won four. But most
importantly, he’s one of the pioneers of the Pro Modified class, having played
with nitrous oxide back when it was part of IHRA’s Top Sportsman class. Those
years of experience are currently being put to great use as Billes has become a
sought-after engine builder/tuner/consultant after a pair of crashes sidelined
him last year.

You can’t argue with the results. Thanks to Billes, Raymond Commisso and
John Russo attained career-best performances during the 2006 season. Commisso,
a fellow Canadian, roared out of the North Country to post some of the lowest
elapsed times of the season in both IHRA and NHRA competition, including
6.01-second efforts at Indianapolis
and Rockingham.

Every
Friday, Torco's CompetitionPlus.com brings you our Feedback letters.
Read what our readers have to say about our feature articles and you
can even offer your opinions.

FEEDBACK FRIDAY - January 12 

Since 1999, Torco's CompetitionPlus.com has offered the spirit of friendly
competition amongst the racing community in a "Best of" competition. Our readers
have assisted us in voting on everything from the best drag racers to their
favorite journalists to the prestigious Mike Aiello Memorial Person of the Year.

The nearly 10,000 votes have been tabulated for the 8th annual Torco's CompetitionPlus.com Dot Com Awards.