After many seasons as rivals, Angelle Sampey will join the Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team for the first four PSM events of the 2019 season. She will be riding the Harley-Davidson Street Rod Pro Stock bike as a showcase rider with team regulars Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec.

“I’m truly thrilled for Angelle to have this opportunity to run with us on the Harley-Davidson Street Rod,” said Vance & Hines founder Terry Vance. “No question, Angelle has been one of the toughest riders we’ve battled with for so many seasons out on the track. I have so much respect for her and what she has accomplished in this class, and I’m really looking forward to seeing her give the boys a run for their money on the Harley.”  (Pam Conrad photo) [01/07/19]

Team Aruba enjoyed a historic year in 2018. They debuted a new Jerry Haas-built 2018 Mustang, attended their first ever NHRA U.S. Nationals (shown), went to the semifinals or finals at every race, and driver Trevor Eman welcomed his second baby girl, Maya, into the world.

Eman and the Aruba.com Mustang will once again compete on their regular Professional Drag Racers Association circuit, chasing an Extreme Pro Stock Championship. However, after the initial test run for incorporating mountain motors with the traditional 500-inch motors of NHRA Pro Stock at the U.S. Nationals, NHRA has announced mountain motors will be able to join their field of Pro Stocks at four events in 2019: The Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals (April 26-28), Bristol (June 14-16), Epping (July 5-7), and Dallas (Oct. 3-6). The Aruba team will attend those events also.  (Ron Lewis photo)   [01/07/19]

Dave Todd will head to South Coast Raceway’s South Coast 660 – round six of the Australian 2018/19 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series – this weekend buoyed by recent victory at the Portland (Victoria) venue.

The local racer took the win at the track’s Chicago Shootout Event in December and is also currently second on the Super Sedan points standings for the bracket in the 18/19 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series rankings.

“Any time you take a win it is fantastic but it was even better to take it out in front of my local crowd who can’t travel with us,” said Todd, who races a 1978 four-door full-chassis Gemini with a 427 Ford Cleveland engine, powerglide transmission and Ford 9-inch 454 gears.

Round six of the 18/19 Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Series, the South Coast 660, will be held at South Coast Raceway on Jan. 12-13.  (Automotive Event Images)   [01/07/19]

The Agent notes that with the U.S. government shutdown, one of many unanticipated ripple effects is that advertising agencies for the government (which spends nearly $1B for various departments) will not be paid and many advertising campaigns will be put on hold because no one in the government can conduct any business. Advertising Age reports that the government’s largest advertised “brands” include the Army, Health & Human Services, U.S. Postal Service, Air Force, and Navy.

Guess it wasn’t all bad that the Army dropped Tony Schumacher at the end of last season. It would have been tough to get ready for the 2019 season only to have the payments stopped until who knows when. At least this way they were already looking for a replacement.

Team owner Don Schumacher tells the Agent that son Tony will not be racing until a new sponsor is found.   [01/07/19]