NHRA SEEKING SLOWER RACERS.

Byline: BILL SCHLOTTER

Cory McClenathan's record 321.77 mph run at the Revell Nationals last weekend has had the same effect on NHRA drag racing that Mauricio Gugelmin's 243 mph lap at the California Speedway last month had on the CART Indy car circuit.

It refocused attention on finding ways to slow down NHRA cars, particularly those racing in the top fuel and funny car classes.

The NHRA, in fact, began a series of tests Monday that it hopes will lower top speeds to around 300 mph by dropping the compression ratios of the engines.

``I feel uncomfortable with the speeds we are running,'' said veteran mechanic Dale Armstrong, whom the NHRA put in charge of the project. ``. . . If we don't do something, we're inviting disaster.''

NHRA officials said lowering speeds would not only be safer, it would save teams money by reducing engine damage. And it would contribute to better racing, they think, with fewer cars overpowering their tires with torque.

Trains, boats and planes: With the NASCAR Winston Cup series running another exhibition race in Japan Nov. 23, the organization faced a logistical challenge in getting cars and equipment for all 30 teams across the Pacific.

Here's the plan:

Each team must have its cars in Atlanta today. There, the cars will be loaded onto railroad cars and shipped to Long Beach, where they will be loaded aboard the cargo ship California Luna on Oct. 30.

The ship will dock Nov. 12 in Nagoya, Japan, where the cars will again be loaded on railroad cars and shipped to Suzuka by train.

In Suzuka, they will be loaded onto trucks and driven to the track.

Anticlimactic: The end of the 13-race Trans Am series was disappointing - if that's possible - for 11-time winner Tom Kendall.

Kendall's only other non-win was a second in the 12th race of the season.

Kendall remains unsigned for the 1998 season, and entertains hopes to moving up to another series.

Formula One finale: The season-points championship of the Formula One circuit will be decided Sunday at the European Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain.

Michael Schumacher leads Jacques Villeneuve by a point entering the final race. And the two racers are angry with one another following an incident in the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this month.

Villeneuve claims Schumacher's Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine allowed the German to pass, then refused to extend the same courtesy to Villeneuve.

The point is moot, really, since Villeneuve's run was thrown out as punishment for his failure to slow for a yellow flag during practice before the race.

But the drivers haven't forgotten it and heatedly debated the issue at a news conference Thursday.

If Schumacher wins the title Sunday, it will be his third.

Villeneuve won the PPG CART title in 1995 but does not have a Formula One season title.

Tracy to Kool: After his surprise firing by Roger Penske, CART driver Paul Tracy wasn't out of work long, catching a ride with Team Kool Green.

Tracy and Dario Franchitti, who drove for Hogan Racing in 1997, replace Parker Johnstone, who finished 16th in season points this year, and Raul Boesel, who was 22nd.

Off-road series: Off-road icon Ivan Stewart is one of the forces behind a new stadium off-road series planned for next year.

Stewart's Protruck Racing Organization has joined Beachport Entertainment in promoting the series, which has scheduled events in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Seattle, Denver and Phoenix in 1998.

The Los Angeles event is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, at the Coliseum.

Hot rod trucks: The NHRA has announced the formation of a Pro Stock Truck class which will run a 12-race series next season.

The trucks - with 358cc engines and five-speed transmissions - will hold their finals on Saturdays to avoid being lost in the shuffle of the NHRA's other drag events, which conclude on Sundays.

IRL heads for junior year: The second season of the Indy Racing League is over, with Tony Stewart taking the season title and Jim Guthrie winning rookie of the year.

Arie Luyendyk was the tour's top money winner with earnings of $2,079,150.

Valley products Mike and Robbie Groff finished in the second 10 in season points, Mike at 14th and Robbie at 20th.

Another driver with Valley roots, Sam Schmidt, wound up tied for 27th.

Nuts and bolts: The 1998 CART season-opener in Miami has been moved from March 1 to March 15 to accommodate television. . . . Chevrolet and Pontiac will run new engines in their Winston Cup cars in 1998. . . . Drag racing great Shirley Muldowney ran her first NHRA race in six years last weekend at the Chief Autoparts Nationals at Dallas. The 57-year-old legend failed to qualify.

COMING UP

NASCAR WINSTON CUP

Sunday: AC Delco 400, North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham, N.C.

FORMULA ONE

Sunday: European Grand Prix, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.

NHRA

Sunday: Matco Tools Supernationals, Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas.

LOCAL

Perris Auto Speedway: Saturday and Sunday: World of Outlaws.

Ventura Raceway: Saturday: USAC Three-quarter midgets, 360 sprints, Legends cars.

CAPTION(S):

Box

Box: COMING UP (see text)