Anderson, wow: Champ blasts to 6.60 in testing!

National Dragster, Jan 28, 2005

Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson blasted down Gainesville Raceway in 6.608 seconds at 208.23 mph during testing Jan. 18. It was the quickest and fastest unofficial quarter-mile pass ever recorded in a Pro Stock car. Anderson's new Jerry Bickel-built Summit Racing Equipment Grand Am also ran 6.620 at 207.91 mph, 6.621 at 207.99 mph, and 6.639 at 208.04 mph. Erica Enders, meanwhile, posted four 6.63-second passes on the day, all in the 207-mph range.

New Dodge boy: Don Schumacher has named Richie Stevens Jr. as the driver of his second Bob Glidden-tuned, Hemi-powered Dodge Stratus R/T Pro Stocker, joining Jeg Coughlin. The 26-year-old racer from New Orleans competed in Pro Stock from 1998 through 2002, collecting four event victories in seven final rounds. He cut short his racing career in 2002 to take over the family business, Stevens Collision Center, when his father underwent open-heart surgery. "I am proud to have Richie join our Pro Stock team," said Schumacher, owner of the largest team in NHRA Pro competition at eight teams in all four Pro categories. "We are committed to winning a Pro Stock championship for Team Mopar, and with the combination of Richie's youth and talent along with Bob Glidden's experience and proven track record, I feel we're already one step ahead of our competition in making that a reality."

Signed: Lucas Oil will be a major sponsor for Top Alcohol Funny Car ace Frank Manzo, one of the most successful drivers in NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman racing with nine national championships and 15 Division 1 titles. His 56 career national event wins place him seventh overall in total NHRA wins. Said Lucas Oil Products President Forrest Lucas, "With my son Morgan moving to Top Fuel full time in 2005, we needed a veteran in the Top Alcohol ranks with championship character. Frank was the obvious choice for us."

Royal Purple has announced an associate sponsorship of Bullet Racing's Pro Stock team and driver Dave Connolly. In addition to signage, Connolly's Cavalier will be running Royal Purple motor oil, rear-end grease, and bearing grease. "Royal Purple has made an impressive mark in the racing industry," Connolly said. "They helped put the Bullet Motorsports Pro Stock Cavalier in the winner's circle three times in 2004. We're proud to be working with such a quality organization."

Pro Stock veteran Mark Pawuk has signed an associate sponsorship agreement with Summit Racing Equipment, a company he has represented for 12 years. "We're extremely pleased to continue our affiliation with Mark," said Jeff Winters, marketing manager for Summit Racing Equipment. "He did an exceptional job of representing the company for a dozen seasons, and we're happy to be able to continue that relationship through this coming aeason and possibly beyond. 'The Cowboy' has always been a first-rate representative for Summit Racing Equipment both on the track and as a personal representative for us, and his professionalism is beyond question."