Jerry Eckman misses the home he
knew for almost three decades. To him, driving a Pro Stocker was the place he
had lived since 1955. He’s still involved in the sport but a fine related to a
controversial situation in the mid-1990s keeps him from returning to active
competition.

Eckman is a crewmember on Kenny Koretsky’s Pro Stocker driven by
Mike Thomas. The gig with Koretsky represents his first full-time racing gig
since the infamous nitrous explosion at Columbus in 1994. The controversial
incident took place in the pit area before Eckman had even turned a tire under
power in competition.

Veteran Funny Car pilot Tommy
Johnson Jr. and Don “the Snake” Prudhomme’s Skoal Racing Funny Car team will be
featured on the popular History Channel series Modern Marvels during a
60-minute episode dedicated to horsepower. Modern Marvels is for an
audience eager to dig a little deeper, explore a little further, and get a
little closer to the knowledge that shapes our everyday lives.

Johnson, a seven-time NHRA winner, will be prominently featured in
the first segment of the hour-long program that will air on Wednesday, June 21
at 10 p.m. (ET). The Modern Marvels production team attended the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series event at Houston Raceway Park in late March to
gather b-roll footage and interviews for the Modern Marvels: Horsepower
piece. Johnson’s wife and Top Fuel driver Melanie Troxel also will be featured
during the segment.

It’s the clarion call for racing
fans as they listen to the radio, “Sunday, Sunday, Sunday.”  It’s the day for
eliminations at the drag races and this Sunday was no different in that
respect.  The 4th Annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion finished with a
bang at Beech Bend Raceway Park.

Unfortunately, that "bang" came from a thunderstorm that ended the
racing activities at Bowling Green a bit earlier than expected.  NHRA officials
determined results based on elimination runs that had been completed before the
rains came, and on best qualifying time for those classes that had not yet run
an elimination round.

Drawing on the excitement and spectacle
of the former Screamin’ Eagle Nitro Harley-Davidson class the IHRA contested
from 1998 – 2002, the sanctioning body announced the addition of the Nitro
Cycles as an exhibition class during this year’s Skull Shine World Nationals
presented by ACDelco at Norwalk Raceway Park, August 24 – 27.

The
Nitro Cycle class will consist of six riders: Steve Stordeur, Jay Turner, Mike
Romine, Mark Cox, Bill Furr and Mike Lehman. All accomplished competitors, the
riders will make one pass Friday night and two passes Saturday.

“The
Nitro Cycle class has always been a fan favorite and will be an exciting
addition to one of IHRA’s biggest events,” said IHRA president Aaron Polburn.
“By including Nitro Funny Cars to the eMax Drag Racing Series this year, and now
the motorcycles to the World Nationals, the event will offer a unique mix of
vehicles and one of the strongest nitro-burning fields anywhere.

The Lyn St. James Foundation
recognized the late Barbara Parks’ achievements in the world of NHRA drag racing
today by presenting the Mildred Marcum Pioneer Award in her honor during the
fourth annual Women in the Winner’s Circle luncheon at Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.

Mrs. Parks, wife of NHRA founder Wally Parks and a driving force
behind the early successes of the 54-year-old sanctioning body, succumbed to
cancer in late January after a long battle with the devastating illness. In
contrast to the many women who take the much deserved spotlight as a result of
their untiring efforts to contribute to the progress of automotive hobbies and
racing, Mrs. Parks, by her own choice remained in the background. But she was a
force — an important, determined and very creative influence — in the earliest
days of the founding of hot rodding and, of course, the National Hot Rod
Association and championship drag racing.

She was active to the end, remaining at her husband’s side as he
pursued with painstaking effectiveness the efficient operation of an NHRA
museum, a monument to the sport’s illustrious history and a showcase of the
archival record of NHRA drag racing. Many of the features showcased in the
museum, now named for its founder as The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum,
are the product of Barbara’s vision, creativeness and talents.

Famed alcohol Funny Car racer Arnie
Karp, who is best known for his series of “Boston Strangler” and Mountain
Dew-sponsored floppers, had his life saved by a kidney transplant several years
ago. Now his sister Elaine is facing the same procedure, only this time her
outcome may not be as favorable as her brother’s.

In an e-mail recently sent to many friends, fans and family, Karp,
now retired from racing, makes a plea for help in the form of a donation and/or
participation in a 3.3-mile walk for Elaine, to be held on September 17 around
the Charles River near Boston. “Elaine,” he says, “is now faced with the same
health issues I had several years ago. She is in need of a kidney transplant. So
far, she had not been as lucky as I was.”

Karp received a kidney from his long-time friend and former
“bottom end” man Pat Murphy, and is now in good health. “It (the transplant) has
been a life-altering experience for both of us,” Karp writes.

Melanie Troxel, driver of the Skull
Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster for Don Schumacher Racing,
was awarded The USAC Kara Hendrick Spirit Award today at the fourth annual Women
in the Winner's Circle 2006 luncheon, benefiting the Lyn St. James
Foundation.

At the function held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in
advance of the NASCAR Brickyard 400 this weekend, Lyn St. James presented Troxel
with the fourth annual award which honors a female driver whose spirit,
determination and
driving ability are reminiscent of the excellence
demonstrated by Kara Hendrick during her brief racing career.

America’s Baby Cancer
Foundation (ABCF) and SpeedFreaks have inked a long term
and integral marketing partnership to help raise the awareness of children's
cancer.  In addition, Kenny Sargent and Lugg Nuttz, hosts from the
SpeedFreaks Radio and Television programs, have been elected to its
Board of Directors.

“SpeedFreaks finally found a cause we could really grab a
hold of and make a difference," says Sargent.  "Serendipitously, it was a
charity golf tournament that started the Freaks' wheels to roll after we met
Samiya, Matthew and Eddy, three of the many children America’s Baby Cancer
Foundation's helps from the Kaiser Permanente Hospital ’s Pediatric Cancer
program."