We were two and a half hours into the class car session when Lonnie Grimm made the call for a hard cut-off. That didn't surprise me so much, as they had cleared out rows 1&2, and were about half way through lanes 3&4, so those of us left in the lanes just figured to wait where we were until they finished the session of Street Machine Eliminator. Instead, Lonnie demanded that we clear out of the lanes to allow the SME cars to fill them! I was so angry when I returned to the pits.
"This is a bad move! Now everyone is going to crowd up around the lanes in an attempt to jump in as soon as they open. I just sat up there for an hour, and when the all-run session opens, guys who already ran can jump back in the lanes ahead of me. This is ridiculous, Lonnie has lost his mind!"
I slammed the door then looked at Rachael.
"You better get the Belvedere up there, because who knows if he'll do the same thing to SME as well!"
Dale looked at me like I was crazy. "The lanes are only 5 wide here, he really didn't have the option of leaving you guys up there and still give the SME cars a chance to fill the lanes!"
"Aren't you the guy who complained in your story about the SME guys not getting a fair shake?" Boone gave me a wry smile and a shoulder shrug.
I felt like they were playing me, but I couldn't contain myself, "It was a dumb move! It'll be a free-for-all the rest of the day!"
Their laughter did nothing but fan the flames, so I sat in the passenger seat of the Belvedere until Rachael drove it to the lanes.

Rachael was the first Mopar in SME to run, and she was lined up next to a Cobra, which I was looking forward to her outrunning. Unfortunately, something was amiss with the nitrous, and she only managed a 13.19. Not a good start for our first day, one turned away in the lanes, and another a second and a half slow!