Try posting a screenie after you replace your top section with the following:
Code:
<!-- top section -->
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" align="center">
<tr>
<td width="10" height="32">A <img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pic1.png" /></td>
<td width="10" height="32">B <img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pic2.png" /></td>
<td width="100%" height="32" style="background-image: url($stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pic3.gif);" class="pic2"><div align="center">C $vbphrase[whats_going_on]</div></td>
<td width="10" height="32" align="right">D <img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pic4.png" /></td>
<td width="10" height="32" align="right">E <img src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/pic5.png" /></td>
</tr>
<!-- / End top section -->