I know, I know, twenty days and 24 posts and this guy hasn't even made it through tech/registration yet! Bear with me, the setup is important, and I warned you, there were so many storylines to follow, and I'm not willing to narrow the focus this early in the process. Also, you can blame Bob Brehm, for taking so many quality photos, and I'm looking for excuses to share as many of them as possible with you.

Robert Reynolds (6pak2go/moparts) was all set to bring his amazing 67 Barracuda for Street Race Big Block Normally Aspirated this year after running out of time to finish it before the 2014 edition. Last year, he settled for taking his Ram R/T instead, and completed the event. He had even recruited a young, energetic gearhead to ride shotgun with him, plans were made, motels booked, vacations scheduled, green lights all around. Then a week or so before their planned departure, on a road test of the four gear beast, a cylinder head developed a crack, and pumped all the coolant out the exhaust. They decided to make the trip without the car, and had been visiting with me off and on all day. I was surprised he wasn't going to run the truck again, but as he explained, with the new tire rule, he wasn't going to buy drag radials for it, and the whole "been there, done that, nothing to prove feel". I was nearly through the tech process when I realized neither of them would have wristbands to get in each day since he chose not to enter, so I volunteered for them to sign on as our passengers.
We were standing in line to fill out the waiver and get our bands when Robert unexpectedly mentioned, "Yeah, if Aaron here rides with you, he'll have a chance to get the real experience, instead of just following around in a new truck".
I was just trying to get them arm bands, and had no intention of stealing his sidekick, but I've pretty much made it known that I hate doing Drag Week solo, so that was fine with me.
"Sure Robert", I smiled, "I'll break the kid in for you...so you will have a proper trunk monkey next year!
27 is not really a kid, and he struck me as well educated, well spoken, and most of all willing, so in a few minutes of offhand conversation, I had a co-driver...now I just had to hope he wouldn't bail once he realized the passenger's side seatbelt was still on my "to do" list!

Top pic: Reynolds' Barracuda
Bottom pic: Brian and Dianne Jensen's 77 Holden Torana SS