Boone and I had moved out of the stairwell as the line of racers began to make their way in and out of the tower suite, showing their pictures of the last checkpoint and turning in Friday's best time in order to receive the fifth, and sixth Official Drag Week Time Slip that represent a successfully finished week.
We found ourselves peering though the back door window of another suite so we could watch the first round action. In the first pair Steve Eden bailed out Drag Week, and bracket racing newcomer Micheal Peevey and his nitrous assisted BBF 73 Ranchero by taking a car and a half to break out by two hundredths.
The second pair was Clark Lamb's Barracuda up against Scott Brown's LS powered 53 Chevy.
Clark's light was significantly better to which Freiburger commented, "The left lane was .167, but the right lane had to get an eviction notice! What?...no?"
I elbowed Boone and laughed, "NHRA announcer Lohnes is explaining to automotive journalist Freiburger off mic that you aren't supposed to give reaction time info over the speakers during eliminations!"
Lohnes announced Clark's deft use of the brake pedal to an 11.50 on his 11.33 for the win, while Freiburger was still mystified as to why he was being corrected, "What? I missed it, what happened there?"
Lohnes glossed it over like the pro that he is, but for me it was comedy gold, and I was laughing out loud...standing on the back balcony of the tower...while 30 or so other drag weekers looked at me like I lost my mind.
I turned my attention back to the third set. The black third gen Camaro with the red hood left nearly at the same time as the patina 63 Chevy II wagon. That was a problem for the wagon because it was dialed 7 tenths slower, but at least there wasn't a comment about it from the announcers.
Ken Passerby made quick work of a 4th gen Camaro with his trusty 70 Nova, the same car that had carried him to a Division 7 NHRA Stock Championship a decade earlier along with a pair of National event wins.
"If this were on a sportsman tree, I'd have money on Ken", I looked at Boone, "but I don't know about a pro tree."
"Passerby just laid down an .082 light on the four tenths pro tree, best of the round so far", Lohnes announced over the loud speakers.
"Well...OK then", Boone shook his head.