Rado Update
A disappointing no-show at the NHRA's season-opener was Christian Rado's radical, factory-backed Celica. This is the tube-frame blaster Rado hopes will be the first front-drive drag racecar to run a 200-mph trap speed in the quarter-mile.
"We were still working on it," says Rado who instead piloted Craig Paisley's old Supra to a win at Gainesville. "But we should be ready by the summer." To prove work on the car continues, Rado sent along these photos. Looks sweet, looks nasty, looks fast-but looks don't count for ka-ka in drag racing.
By the time you read this, Rado's Celica should've performed in competition at least once. And, if Rado's right, set a record doing so.
NOPI, Universal and Microsoft Go Racing
NOPI, or Number One Parts Inc., has been a big supporter of import drag racing over the years. But NOPI isn't content to put on just the occasional race, so in May it re-launched the NOPI Drag Racing Association (NDRA) race series as the "NOPI The Fast and The Furious Racing Series" in association with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. Plus, it also made a deal with Microsoft's XBox to be series sponsor. In fact, the top points winner in the NDRA will get to hoist the "XBox Cup" over their head as champion.
Beyond titling the series with a name ripped off last summer's hit movie, Universal will also develop "co-branded" merchandise and display props from the film at events. There are also rumors that the upcoming sequel "The Fast and The Furious 2" will be set amid events at the NOPI series.
Even more information about the NOPI shenanigans is at www.nopi.com/ndra.htm.
2K2 Supra Meet
he Supra 2K2 meet in Houston was by far the largest Supra meet in history with Supras coming from as far away as Florida and Arizona. Put together by Peter Blach and MVP Motorsports, the event took place March 22 to 24, and consisted of a dyno day, an autocross day and a trip to River City Raceway for a day of drag racing between Supras, Vipers and 'Vettes.
The weekend started by at a local Houston shop to dyno 30 of the fastest Supras at the event. Eighteen spots were held for cars making at least 550 whp and 12 spots for the rest. A few of the cars actually had to have people sit in the trunk to hold the wheels to the dyno rollers. The top four cars put down more than 840 whp. These are corrected rear wheel numbers.
| 1. Jesus Rivera (T88H) | - | 858 whp (903 whp actual) |
| 2. Tommy Banh (T78) | - | 851 whp (896 whp actual) |
| 3. Darren Strunk (HKS twins) | - | 844 whp (890 whp actual) |
| 4. Peter Blach (T72) | - | 840 whp (904 whp actual) |
With the first day wrapped up, it was time to travel south to Hitchcock, Texas for the autocross at the Blimp Base. Supras easily took the top three spots in a field of Supras, Vipers, 'Vettes and a lone Ferrari 550 Maranello. The top three times of the day were:
| 1. Andi Baritchi | - | 48.783 (Supra) |
| 2. Shane Duvall | - | 49.954 (Supra) |
| 3. Jay Brown | - | 56.229 (Supra) |