GEOFFRION GOES MOD WITH HILL

Scott Geoffrion made his debut at the wheel of Roy Hill's Racing School '66 Mustang Pro Mod during testing at Houston Raceway Park.

"Driving a Pro Mod car is a hoot; I love it," said veteran Pro Stock driver Geoffrion. "They are a blast to drive.

"After making as many runs as I have in Pro Stock, it became routine. I don't think there's such a thing in Pro Mod. That car pulls from start to finish. It's almost out of control. The front end is usually up for the first part of the run. It was harder to drive than I ever imagined. . .but it sure was a lot of fun."

A burned piston led to an engine malfunction and oil got under the tires in the shutdown area, giving Geoffrion a wild ride on his third and final trip down the Houston track. The '66 will go back to Jerry Haas' shop for a little more work and then more testing in a couple of weeks.

Hill will drive his 2003 Mustang and Geoffrion will be at the helm of the '66 March 18-20 at Gainesville, FL, the first event of the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge presented by TLR. New sponsors will be announced then.  (Auto Imagery photo) [2-7-2005]

AMERIQUEST ADDS DRAG RACING

Ameriquest Mortgage is close to completing sponsorship deals with both the NHRA and Don Prudhomme Racing. Ameriquest will be a major associate on the Miller Lite dragster driven by Larry Dixon and, in a separate deal with NHRA, will be the sponsor of The Ameriquest Nationals to be held at Chicago in June.

According to a story in SportsBusiness Journal, Ameriquest looked at a NASCAR sponsorship, but went with NHRA because the cost was about 10 percent of a NASCAR deal and there were no financial-services competitors. [2-7-2005]

TAYLOR CRASHES, GETS HELP TO REBUILD

Pro Mod racer Frankie Taylor took a wild ride during testing at the Pro Stock Superbowl at Houston Raceway Park, with his blown '97 Firebird getting the worst of it. Unexpected help for the independent Dickinson, TX racer came from within the Pro Mod ranks, as Jim Oddy was the first to pledge $5,000 to repair the car.

"Once I found out Frankie was okay, I knew what I needed to do," Oddy said from his Elma, NY engine shop. Oddy asked Missouri chassis builder Larry Jeffers, who was at the race,

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to check out damage to Taylor's car. Jeffers said it was fixable and Oddy told him to go ahead.

"Frankie and his brother Paul and their wives are great people," Oddy explained. "Frankie has provided a lot of joy and entertainment to me and my family at the races. If you've ever met him, you know what I mean."

Oddy added, "I don't want to be out there racing without Frankie."

A tip of the Agent's fedora to a class act. [2-7-2005]