ADRL.us - Agent 660 Notes

March 10, 2010

First Look: ‘Tom Slick’s’ New PN Duster

Your Agent isn’t even sure he’s supposed to have these, but yes, these are the first published pics of the 1970 Duster being built for ADRL Pro Nitrous winner Thomas “Tom Slick” Myers by Andy McCoy Race Cars.

Okay, we can all agree it doesn’t look much like a Plymouth Duster right now, but it does look cool!

And the attention to detail is impressive. Check out that sweet, weight-saving, carbon-fiber suspension work for proof.

Anyway, now that your Agent has deciphered the security code to McCoy’s Washington, MO, shop, expect more pics with the body in place coming soon.

March 10, 2010

Change of Cars for Barklage

Your Agent told you a couple of days ago that Zach Barklage would be making his driving comeback this season in the ADRL Pro Extreme ranks, joining younger brother Cody on the Barklage Racing trail.

Shortly after, a press release from the Barklage camp confirmed the rumor, saying big brother would return to the tiller of the family’s ‘57 Chevy.

Well, not so fast my friends. Seems Zach will be back alright, but he’ll be steering this ‘67 Camaro originally built by G-Force, but recently upgraded at Chris Duncan Race Cars in Chandlerville, IL.

The car is owned by John and Sara Heath of HD Motorsports, who have teamed up with Barklage Racing to put Zach into as many ADRL events as possible this season, while Mark Daly will drive it this year in local outlaw events in Missouri.

Your Agent was told it’s unlikely the Camaro will be ready to join Cody’s ‘67 Firebird at the ADRL’s season-opening Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen next weekend in Houston, but look for a double-barreled Barklage assault when the series gets to South Georgia Motorsports Park in April.

(Photos courtesy Barklage Racing)

March 10, 2010

Rough PX Intro for Snyder

Your Agent feels for young Mick Snyder (near left with new teammate Jason Scruggs) after he found the South Georgia Motorsports Park wall on Monday in his first-ever launch of a Pro Extreme (PX) car.

Apparently a hung throttle threw Snyder’s new ride off line only a hundred feet out or so and the former Alky Funny Car pilot ground to a halt well down the track with much of the car’s front end missing.

It’s the same ‘63 Corvette that Scruggs drove to the first 200-mph pass by a door car over the eighth mile at Rockingham Dragway in 2007 along the way to his first of two consecutive ADRL Pro Extreme world championships.

Your Agent is pleased to know Snyder was uninjured in the accident, but also disappointed as it seems unlikely Snyder will be making his planned PX rookie debut Mar. 19-20, at the ADRL’s Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen at Houston Raceway Park.

Many thanks from your Agent to Marvin T. Smith for providing the pics.

March 9, 2010

‘Glass Doctor’ Sets XTF Track Record

Your Agent received these pics of Tom Ashley’s “Glass Doctor” ‘67 Chevy II down at Emerald Coast Dragway in the Florida panhandle over the weekend, where driver Michael Neal was shaking it down in Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 trim in preparation for the ADRL’s season-opening Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen Mar. 19-20, at Houston Raceway Park.

On what was described to your Agent as “a real tricky racetrack surface,” the Ashley-led team had to back down their prodigious power a little, but Neal still managed to set a new track record for 10.5W-equipped cars at 4.13 seconds while qualifying second for the track’s 2010 heads-up opener.

Going up against the “big tire” cars, Neal fell to “Big Money” Bil Clanton in the semis, leaving his father, Mike Neal in Don Stroud’s ‘53 Studebaker, to take on Clanton in the final round between the two former ADRL Pro Extreme multiple-event winners.

After leaving with identical .050 lights, Neal Sr. took the win in 3.91 seconds to Clanton’s 3.93 in the closest match of the day.

The next order of business for Neal, Ashley and the rest of the Glass Doctor gang will be trying to join the Mickey Thompson 3-Second Club for Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 teams once they get to Houston.

(Photos courtesy Jody Hatcher)

March 8, 2010

Another Barklage PX Entry?

After winning his first ADRL event (Columbus, OH) and making it into the Speedtech Battle for the Belts last year, it looked like young Cody Barklage was really coming into his own as a Pro Extreme (PX) pilot and could be a force to be reckoned with this year.

But fair’s fair, and after the Barklage Racing Team suffered a couple of devastating setbacks (including a freak, all-consuming roadside trailer fire), Cody and his brother Zach had apparently agreed to share the driver’s seat of the family’s potent Lucas Oil-backed ‘67 Firebird on a season-by-season basis.

So your Agent understands it was supposed to be Zach behind the wheel when they showed up for a tune-up race at Dallas Raceway this past weekend, prior to the start of the 2010 ADRL season at Houston Raceway Park in a couple of weeks. But apparently it was Cody who ended up making a career-best 3.71-seconds pass at just over 200 mph in qualifying while Zach remained an overqualified spectator.

However, your Agent heard a promising rumor from one of his most highly trusted operatives that Zach Barklage managed to pick up his own ride for this ADRL season, so it will be interesting to watch the Barklage pits when they arrive at HRP for the Mar. 19-20, Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen.

UPDATE (11:45 a.m.): Within minutes of your Agent’s posting, the rumor of Zach joining the team as a second driver was confirmed by a Barklage Racing press release. 

(ADRL/Graves file photo)     

March 8, 2010

Moyer Makes it Into 3s in HRP Testing

It was a happy Todd Moyer (top left) and team after making a pair of three-second passes yesterday—their first ever in the “threes”—during Houston Raceway Park’s DragRaceHose.com Spring Warm-up Test Session.

Moyer and his Flowmaster Extreme 10.5 twin-turboed ‘04 Caavalier, fresh from some updating work at Terry Murphy’s chassis shop, first turned the trick with a 3.983 at 196.59-mph blast, then came back with the 3.96 at 197.74 shown above.

With the ADRL season-opening Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen scheduled for Mar. 19-20, at Houston Raceway Park, it looks like Moyer’s a real contender to join the exclusive Mickey Thompson 3-Second Club for the XTF racers.

(Scott Singleton photos)

March 8, 2010

ArabianDRL Hospitality Appreciated

Your Agent stumbled across a very nice thank-you article today by Senior Master Sgt. David Byron of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs department regarding the recent visit of 400 or so U.S. service men and women to the final round of the Arabian Drag Racing League’s 2009-10 season at the Qatar Racing Club.

ADRL President and CEO Kenny Nowling is quoted in the story (with his name suffering from an all-too-common misspelling; there’s no “K” in Nowling) and his sentiments certainly represent your Agent’s as well.

Good to see our guys and gals in the military getting some much-needed R&R in the region courtesy of Sheik Khalid and the ADRL.

(Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force)

March 8, 2010

Goforths Go Fast in Houston Testing

Your Agent wishes he could’ve been there to witness it in person, but he has to settle for photographic evidence that the Goforth Racing duo of Cary (top) and his father, Dean, both exceeded the official ADRL Extreme Pro Stock speed record during testing on Sunday at Houston Raceway Park.

Both runs came in the right lane, with Cary’s 179.09 and Dean’s 179.11 just a little faster than the 178.26-mph record set by current XPS World Champion Matt Hartford last October at Ennis, TX.

Looks like the Goforths will be all set to go Mar. 19-20, in the season-opening ADRL Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen at the same location of their testing heroics.

(Scott Singleton photos)