Mike Kloeber will return as crew chief for the Stringer Performance Parts Plus/Strutmasters Top Fuel dragster driven by Clay Millican next season and beyond. The announcement was made by Straightline Strategy Group, the new ownership group of the team.

Kloeber led Millican to 50 IHRA Top Fuel wins and six IHRA world championships during a seven-year period. His last involvement in racing was in 2014, running a few events with the Sidnei Frigo team.

“A reunion with Doug (Stringer) and Clay is the exact situation I’ve been looking for,” said Kloeber, who had previously worked with Stringer on the Jim Epler Rug Doctor Funny Car. (Joe McHugh photo)   [11/01/18]

The iconic racing brand Holley/MSD was acquired by private equity firm Sentinel Capital Partners on October 29 and the sale was officially announced today. Sentinel will combine the new acquisition with Driven Performance Brands (Flowmaster, B&M, Hurst, APR, and Dinan) that was bought by Sentinel in 2015.

This marks the third time since 2012 that MSD has been sold individually or as part of a package of companies. It is the first time the Agent is aware of that Holley and its group of companies (Sniper EFI, Accel, Diablosport, Superchips, Edge, and Hooker Blackheart) have been sold.

The Agent can't help but lament the passing of the era in motorsports where most if not all of the high-performance parts manufacturers were owned and operated by racers who understood their customer/racers or the sport their businesses supported. Today a majority of the speed equipment businesses are owned or controlled by management who are only concerned with their bottom line.   [11/01/18]

2018 Pro Nitrous champion Jason Harris (far lane) and Tommy Franklin at GALOT. (Roger Richards photo)

It was pretty much no contest as Musi Racing Engines took the 2018 Flatout Gaskets Nitrous Wars a all but one of the PDRA Pro Nitrous drivers relies on Musi Racing Engines power.

A Musi driver was on top of the pack seven out of eight events, with Jay Cox giving Buck Racing Engines one lone #1 qualifier award at the second tour stop.

The incredible part of the Flatout Gaskets Nitrous Wars dynamic is that only one driver was able to repeat the pole position all year. Tommy Franklin topped Pro Nitrous qualifying at the season opener and then again at the Drag Wars. Other #1 qualifying awards in the first half of the season went to Musi customers Jason Harris, who is the 2018 Pro Nitrous champion, and Randy Weatherford.   [11/01/18]

DENSO, the world's second largest mobility supplier and manufacturer or DENSO spark plugs, has acquired EASE Simulation Inc. The company will merge with DENSO Products and Services Americas, Inc., based in Long Beach, CA, and continue to provide top-quality aftermarket products, services and technology. DENSO acquired 72.1 percent of EASE in 2014, and now owns 100 percent.

As the definition of mobility and transportation continues to change, DENSO is expanding into software-based solutions in addition to its hardware expertise. EASE, founded in 1993 in Scranton, PA, develops automotive diagnostic equipment, automotive inspection software, automotive emissions equipment, and automotive telematics systems. The full acquisition of EASE enables DENSO to enhance the services offered within its Original Equipment Service (OES), aftermarket and non-automotive businesses.

DENSO will move existing EASE employees and their expertise in automotive diagnostics to a business facility in Mayfield, PA, known as the Northeast Environmental Technology Center.   [11/01/18]

A new interpretation of the legendary Dodge Super Bee logo, the “Angry Bee,” marks the front fenders, instrument panel, illuminated Air Catcher headlamps, startup splash screen in the instrument gauge cluster and key fob of the 2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack 1320.  (FCA US photo)

Dodge is accelerating its efforts to champion the achievements of enthusiasts competing in sanctioned quarter-mile drag races with the launch of the all-new 1320 Club. Members of the 1320 Club will have the opportunity to show off their official drag strip accomplishments with pride, and challenge themselves and fellow racers to best their times to earn a top spot on either the Stock or Modified 1320 Club Leaderboard. The 1320 Club lives on Dodge Garage, the brand’s digital content hub for racing and car enthusiasts.

The 1320 Club is currently open exclusively to U.S. and Canadian owners of late model Dodge Challengers (2008 – current) and Chargers (2006 – current). All 1320 Club members will have the ability to create a public profile displaying their rides, take the safe racing pledge, comment on entries, submit time slips for review and approval, find the next drag strip to conquer, view the most recent racing news articles and earn digital achievement badges.   [11/01/18]