I don't know what really happened and I feel pretty strongly that no one on this board knows what really happened. Only the ones directly involved with the program would know one way or the other and I doubt they will ever have much to say about it, or have confided in casual acquaintances or buddies.
On the subject of hidden nitrous, that would be easy. The small amount needed to gain an advantage, would mean hiding and finding a way to get it in, would be fairly easy, especially since NHRA was likely not actively seeking hidden systems. A shot at the top of the carbs would deliver well over the 5hp somebody here stated. A good fog over the carbs, coupled with the tendency of carbs to get rich down track anyway, you could get a substantial top end charge with some proper carb tuning. The supposed "nitrous backfire" picture on the cover of SS&DI is most likely a non issue, just fuels the rumors. "IF" and I use the term "if" they were spraying, they would probably not spray off the line. Pro-Stockers are hard enough to launch, without the added punch of nitrous, plus the system they would have been able to hide, would be more beneficial down track vs the hit. Like I said, I don't know what really happened, but do have a good idea of what it would take to do it, how to apply it and how to hide it.
My thoughts on Darrells personal problems mirror most of the others here. He was a good guy, great driver, who made some bad choices or got mixed up with the wrong crowd. He admitted his wrong doing, paid the price and moved on. I respect him for that, more than his feats on the track. We have millionaire movie stars doing this crap everyday and committing suicide and it is always "poor so and so". A racer does it and he is a punk and a loser. Some people need to look at their own history before casting stones.
