Even though I sent Boone out to check on them, the pictures and information I got back that evening was spotty at best. In true Gebhart fashion, they thrashed right up until the last minute, showed up at the track late and unprepared, and struggled to get any meaningful passes. The big fuel pump wouldn't work on the Challenger, so they had to run the street pump and it was starving for fuel, and James was struggling to remember where all the switches were, and drive a new to him car.

Dale ended up with a best of 9.15, and James only went 11.65. He took the Challenger home to do some body work and install the headlights, so Dale unloaded the Purple Duster from the trailer and pushed it into the shop, posting a few pictures on our group text.

As soon as I saw them, I called him to see what was going on.

"Remember when I broke the oil pump shaft in the 572 to start Drag Week 2016?"
"Yeah, and Darren said you should have parked it!"
"Well, the rest of that week it had an odd little sound in it, and when I took it apart to go through it we found one cam bearing was spinning in the block", he explained.
"I do recall that", I paused. "But what does that have to do with you dragging the Duster out of the trailer?"
"The other day, I was giving someone a ride in the Gremlin, and it broke a pushrod and tossed out a lifter which caused it to lose oil pressure for a second, and now that odd little sound is back. So, I either have enough time to pull the engine out of the Gremlin and go through it, or I have enough time to get Michael's Purple Duster finished and take it, but certainly not both!"
"Well, judging from those pictures, you've apparently made your choice!"
"Yeah", Dale paused, "I guess I have!"