Okuma America Corporation, a world leader in the development of Computer Numeric
Controls (CNC) and machining technology, has entered into a manufacturing and
marketing partnership agreement with Don Schumacher Racing, becoming the
"Official Machine Tool Supplier" for Don Schumacher Racing.

"With the rapid expansion of Don Schumacher Racing comes the need
to design and manufacture more and more proprietary parts in house," said Don
Schumacher. "To make that happen we needed to align ourselves with a world
leading company in the CNC industry. We knew that Okuma already had a variety of
successful programs in the motorsports industry, including Bill Miller
Engineering, Competition Cams and with Richard Childress Racing. On top of those
programs, Okuma partnered with the NHRA as the Official Machine Tool Company. We
did our homework and we realized we didn¹t need to look very far. It made sense
for Don Schumacher Racing to partner with Okuma."

Torco's CompetitionPlus.com has learned from multiple sources that Don
Schumacher Racing driver Shaun Carlson's future may be in serious jeopardy and
there's a likely chance he will be absent from the next event in Brainerd.

"I have no comment on the situation," team owner Don Schumacher
said. "I can't say whether or not Shaun will be driving the car in
Brainerd."

Whit Bazemore denies he was giving anyone "the finger" during Sunday's ESPN2
telecast.

"I was not making an inappropriate gesture to anyone. I was
telling a young fan to wait a minute while I went back into the trailer to
retrieve a Sharpie," Bazemore said. "If you study the TV footage in slow motion
you can see that it is clearly my index finger. It does look suspect in real
time, but I would never flip someone off in the presence of fans, especially
young ones, who had started to crowd around when I walked out behind the car to
pack the parachute.

"Plus, I do not know Scott Kalitta well enough to make that kind
of gesture, even jokingly, and I had no reason to do it anyway.

"I am extremely disappointed in ESPN's lack of discretion to air
something that is so misleading."

With the recent split of Erica Enders and Victor Cagnazzi Racing and the
sponsorship with SLAMMERS, we have witnessed similar situations facing NASCAR
and IRL. Ad Age asks the question, "Who owns the sponsorship?"

We've often wondered the same thing.

Who Owns the
Sponsorship?

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The cover blurb on the October 22, 1981 issue of National DRAGSTER said it all.

1982 Rules: Pro Stock Revamped.

The NHRA decided they’d had their fill of the pounds-per-cubic-inch format which had defined the Pro Stock division since its inception in 1970.

The continual factoring of the leading Chevrolet and Ford combinations had proven aggravating at best, and controversial to say the least.

The Pro Stock division would now be based on a universal 500 cubic inch limit with a weight of 2,350 pounds.