I apologize guys.

Playing with cars, writing stories, interacting with our friends on the net...all provide a respite from the everyday grind of life. But sometimes life grabs you by the nape of the neck and demands all of your attention. Whether it's health, marriage, kids, financial, legal, or other wise, you have to be the patriarch on occasion, and handle what's thrown your way.

It's been a particularly trying week, but, much like we've learned from DW, you deal with the problems as they arise, and move forward to the next obstacle!

We've officially passed the halfway mark between DW-15, and DW-16, and with registration already completed, car swaps, and new plans...I should be working on The Preparation 16 story, and yet here I sit, only 75% through this story! Frankly, by expanding the scope of the story, and trying to provide a larger window into the happenings of drag week, I've probably bitten off more than I can chew...Then again, if you've read most of these stories, you've come to understand that perhaps, that is situation normal for the Gebhart bunch.

The March Meet at Famoso was a bucket list type item for me, and it was a memorable trip. The Thursday run for the Valiant was initiated by a nice wheelstand and the second best 60ft. the car has ever produced, a 1.413, and a great photo op., but the re-entry was a little rough, and I was on the rev limiter before I gathered myself, and bumped it into second. Apparently the rough landing had also jarred loose the 50+ year old, stock hood latch, and at the 1000' mark, the hood flew up, and ripped itself loose from the stock hood hinges. The only damage to the rest of the body was a small scuff above the windshield where the abs plastic aero scoop hit the top on it's way over the car. At the 1/8 mile it was 6.582-102.27, versus a 6.596-103.87 on my best ever 10.39-128, so despite needing more jet, it was on a heck of a pass! I lifted when the hood disappeared, and slowed to a 10.52-114 on the D-Gas 10.60 index. Since I was now hoodless, I was required to install my small, restrictive air cleaner on the 950 carb. I know from experience that the air cleaner usually costs me 2 mph in the quarter with the hood scoop in place, but since I was already too fast, I decided to go with it. D-Gas runs on a .400 Pro Tree, which is a tall order for a back halved bracket car with a tied down front suspension and 24" front runners. A small tire ladder bar street car with 261/2 tall street tires on the front, and full A-body travel...pretty much impossible! Even so, my .226 way absolutely horrible! So I had Boone crawl under the dash, and crank the two step from 3700 to 4200, in an attempt to improve it.
At no time before I staged the car Friday morning did the thought enter my mind that the removal of the stock steel hood and hinges, combined with 500 more rpm at the hit, might result in a larger, higher wheelie; proving once again that I am neither intelligent nor intuitive! The resulting 1.400 60ft is the Valiant's best ever, and then I felt the rear tires drive under me, and frankly it scared me. Once again, it was popping against the rev limiter before I managed the shift, and it seemed to pull hard all the way to the stripe. 10.62-122.8, ouch, I should've been happy to run only 2 hundredths over the index, and qualifying tenth...but 122? The small diameter air cleaner, and no hood scoop, just killed the car five mph...that's pretty ugly.