BARTONE TO DRIVE FOR DUNN AT POMONA

One of Agent 1320's operatives called to pass along this little tidbit. Seems like -- and he knows this will come as a shock -- big Jim Dunn and Frankie Pedregon have come to a parting of the ways, again. Look for alky funny car/AFD shoe Tony Bartone to be in the K&N Filter Fuel Funny Car when it rolls into the beams for the first time at the 39th Annual NHRA World Finals at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA.

The Agent also hears that Bartone and Dunn are negotiating for Bartone to drive the car during the 2004 season. The Agent wonders if tuner Steve Boggs will be part of the deal/team if Bartone gets the ride. [11-06-2003]

LOS TRES HERMANOS

DRO hears that yet another three-car Fuel Flopper team has surfaced. We hear that not only will Tony Pedregon (right) be joining up with his brother Cruz (left), with rumored sponsorship from Quaker State Oil and Advance Auto Parts stores, but look for brother Frankie (center) to join his brothers with a third car.

The Agent figures that if Advance and Quaker State liked the two-car deal they might pony up a little more funding for a third car to put those two companies on the same plane as the three-car teams for CSK and Force/Castrol/Ford. (Jeff Burk photos) [11-06-2003]

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QUAKER STATE NEWS CONFERENCE

Sources tell DRO that the big Quaker State news conference scheduled for Nov. 5 at the SEMA Show (which was probably going to announce the Tony Pedregon sponsorship) was postponed because (oops) Tony is still under contract to Castrol and John Force racing. The Agent hears that Tony will make the official announcement that he has been let out of his contract with John Force Racing so that he can sign with Quaker State Oil and join his brothers. It seems that in sponsorship as well as on-track performance, timing is everything.
[11-06-2003]