The numbers of the Charger's "survival week" look like this :

Tulsa 8.293-168.14
Ennis 18.557-42.24
Gilliam 13.318-109.66
Memphis 13.905-116.81
Tulsa 8.380-160.00
Final 5 day AV. 12.490-119.37

The crazy guy who wore short shorts all week, (see pic below) was telling Darryl about thier spin-out in the rain and Darryl looked at him quite serious and commented, "You know, you may get away with stuff like that in Australia, but looping a car and trailer down the highway is frowned upon over here!"
He looked at Darryl like a kid being chastised, then quickly grabbed Darryl and kicked him! That's when everyone knew he got the joke! Just a wild cast of characters, who worked thier tails off to finish on Saturday. Then for reasons I don't understand, didn't turn in thier Saturday slip! I had to watch the live feed replay to find the run.

The Aussies in the Charger Valiant had a tough week. After their breakage on Monday, they were just limping the thing along during the middle of the week, running 13 second passes with a very sick tranny. We were pitted close to impound at Memphis and when the guys finally made it to the track, the staff flagged them down and put them in impound(!!!!!!!!!) They had a brief discussion with the race director and kind of looked incredulous. I didn't see the point.....poor guys were just trying to make it back to Tulsa in one piece and were totally out of the running by then.

Cant remember which track it was but they got ready to hitch up the trailer only to find that they had put the receiver hitch in upside down.I asked"You guys arent tired are ya"? There reply was a "Maybe" and they burst out laughing.I warned my son in 2011 at Great Bend to stay away from them in the parking lot.They like to talk,have fun and drink beer He looked like crrapp the next morning.

I wonder what all chassis work Larson did on it? I found some videos of it from past events down under and it was still plenty fast but it didn't leave near as nice. According to the video that was a new best ET for them on Day 1.

I think if it wasn't for the trans issues they would have had them a plaque for 3rd in unlimited. They didn't have any engine trouble and when the trans worked it seemed to go straight and true.

I can't believe that car is that heavy, its really not all that big, but there is a shot of it on the scales down under at 4190lbs or something. I think they need to find out what trans lutz runs and get them one of those.

Clark,
It's something that has plagued high HP Drag Week competitors since this event began. You call up the convertor manufacturer of your choice, and you explain to him that you have a Procharged/Nitroused/Turbo combo that makes 1500+ ft. lbs. of torque at full song, and you need to be able to harness that on the full pass and not drive through it on the top end. That is a tall order, so they do thier best to put the stall where you need it, but not be so loose that you drive through it, to handle the huge torque load this unit is going to end up being an 11-13 inch job, not the smaller 8-9 inch most are used to in an NA combo.

Now, how efficient do you think this killer 'Vert is going to be at say, no power adder, 300ft lbs of torque, cruising through a mountainous, undulating terrain at 50 mph?? Uh, NOT! It's a slobbering, spungy, heat building PIG!!

But, logistics being what they are, we don't have room for a custom, light weight trailer, so we will just rent a huge overbuilt U-haul unit and put 1000 lbs. worth of spares, tools and fuel in it.

My brother Dale is planning to pull a trailer next year, so he did research this year questioning many of the guys. One competitor actually said adding the u-haul raised his cruising RPM by 600! Even if that is an exaggeration, and it was really only 200-400, do you realize the heat that is generating? Now, most of us are from a drag racing background, and when we are putting this ride together, we buy the same tranny cooler that we have always ran in the past, and a trans temp guage? Naw, that's overkill!

I watched Rick Prospero, and helpers from Yost's entry pull the Glide out of his Nova wagon, and play hot potato with the converter, trying to dump fluid out that looked like motor oil. How many times did the Aussies, complain about the tranny being COOKED, and try to blame that on the builders? If you've went through 5 trannys in the two years you've been refining your engine and chassis, and then go through 1 a day on Drag Week, perhaps it's time to address the problem and not the symptom.

Besides the obvious reason of having to launch with a clutch and shift, why not put a stick shift in? Or how about a Clutchflite? What about running smaller diameter tires from track to track, or do rules not allow tire changes for road days?

Michael

I'm not pretending I know the answers, sure, it's easy to say, "They must keep the tranny temp down!", but what does it really take to accomplish that? As I said, just getting an automatic to hold that power, at that weight, is an engineering nightmare, then you want to drive it down the road? Wow, just wow, It's a huge challenge!

When I was at SCSN, the hot set-up right now is the Rossler 3 speed in the Pro-Mod cars, and I did see the Aussies talking about trying that route. Rossler made his name building 200M's for Stock and SS use, and he calls this trans the Pro-Mod TH 210, so I'm not sure what it's based on, but I'm assuming every peice is aftermarket. Troy Coughlin was running 5.80's with one and his Crew Chief swore to me it's a low maintenance unit...whatever that means...still doesn't mean it will drive down the road pulling 5000+ lbs without burning up!
BTW, the Aussie Charger, and Turbo Dodge SRT10 were Pro Street PA entries, Same class Eddie Miller won from in 06. I don't think there has EVER been a serious Mopar entry in unlimited.

Another thing that opened my EYES at the Street Car Super Nationals. Watching Jeff Lutz go 6.00-220+ in his Pro-Mod Race Car. Yeah, THAT is the kind of guy who has the knowledge, drive, and wherewithal to average 7.07-209.9 and drive 1400 miles in the process! Larry was there struggling to run 7.20's on 10.5 tires, but I saw no less than 4 different Pro-Mod competitors invite him to the starting line to watch thier cars launch and provide advice/input. That's a tremendous amount of repect being shown by topnotch race teams.

I went to Drag Week and averaged 11.44, my fastest pass ever is in my signature, which by now you are all tired of looking at. Best NA pass with an engine I broke the bank to afford used was 9.26.. I'm not even in the same ZIP CODE with the top guys at Drag Week, and I'm perfectly OK with that.

Michael,
Larry Larson, and Joe Barry run Lencos, but Larry doesn't pull a trailer.

I was impressed with the Charger, and John Faraone's effort, can't even imagine shipping your pride and joy half way around the world just to take on such a crazy challenge!



Mopar #18 was George Browning's 79 Colt, with magnum small block power.
Tulsa 14.85-96.09
Ennis 13.696-100.32
Gilliam 13.396-102.74
Memphis 13.547-100.94
Final 4 Day AV. 13.874-100.02

George looked at the math, realized he wasn't going to make the DD bracket final, so loaded up and headed home after Friday's rain-out. I would certainly expect to see him on 2013's entry list though!

Pretty sure Lutz was running a Rossler with a timed shifter.Larry is still running a Lenco and shifting it himself.Uncharted waters for Unlimited as to what type tranny is best.Larry having the spoiler hanging off the front fender was a surprise.It seemed to help.I do know Larrys car has 70s in it BUT he doesnt feel comfortable running those e.ts.Just enough to win. LOL.Larry has had that car since the 70s(ran 12's )Everything he would do different he built into Doug Clines Camaro.Ahoka's is the only one who came close to what Doug ran in the first 60 ft and 330 in testing.But we know what happened to Doug.Poured his heart and soul into that build.Sure hope he shows up for 2013.2013 I think I will just ride along with someone and take pics.

Next up, #19 is Ed Kelly's turbo front scratcher, listed as an 87 Black Dodge Shadow, funny thing is the car making laps with that car number was a red 4 door Spirit!
I know what you're thinking, "Wasn't there a couple of new Challengers there?", yes, I know, but I don't make this stuff up!
Edward actually had difficulties that stopped him in Memphis, but Hot Rod gave him credit for finishing, and leaving after Friday's rain-out, and who am I to correct them?

Tulsa 14.612-98.61
Ennis 14.331-98.46
Gilliam 14.130-98.70
Memphis 14.41-99.82
Final 4 Day Av. 14.371-98.89

There were a few new Challengers there but we aint talking. Thats why Im riding shotgun next year.Ive enter 4 years and finsihed 3 times.I will still go as Ive met way too many great people but its time let someone else participate.

Admit it ksj, you're just afraid Patina isn't up to the task! Seriously, Drag Week is one of those events, where you can be the Mechanic/Co-Driver/Shotgun Rider/Trunk Monkey and still experience the full thrill of being there and competing, because your time and effort is just as invested as the person making passes at the track.

Shaun Brackett's Black 2011 Challenger R/T rounds out the 2nd ten at #20, and is another entry that left after Friday.

Tulsa 14.575-99.25
Ennis 14.424-98.54
Gilliam 14.271-100.73
Memphis 14.634-97.47
Final 4 day av. 14.476-98.99

For whatever reason I missed 2nd gear in Ennis and only made one run.At least I didnt get DQ'd for beating up my dad. That was a weired deal.Ifs and buts were candy and nuts. Patina needs to not be a one wheel wonder.Its time for my older brother to step up.We will see.Hes an Okie now so Im not holding my breath.

Finally, at #21 is Don, aka ksj, with his Red 2012 Challenger R/T. Self professed Drag Week junkie and constant thorn in my literary side! He easily should have been slotted in front of the front scatcher and other Challenger R/T, if not for the peculiar time slip he elected to turn in at Ennis. What happened Don, rest of your group wouldn't hang around and let you have another lap? Mike and Vickie in a hurry to get to Pizza Hut?? Enquiring minds want to know!

Tulsa 14.348-100.99
Ennis 16.138-80.78
Gilliam 14.141-101.14
Memphis 14.069-101.51
Tulsa 14.268-100.00
Final 5 day Av. 14.592-96.88

I've always felt like the premise of Drag Week was based on the movie Two Lane Blacktop. One of the underlying themes of that movie was the competition between the 55 Chevy Hot Rod, and the store bought, brand new 70 GTO with the driver who has the brochure memorized.
Funny, but 40 years later, you look at the forums, and the same discussion goes on today about Drag Week, there is still the same kind of disdain from some towards the modern iron!

I know your family's impromtu planning habits, and your desire to not let the cat out of the bag.... but is the truck going to make it out next year?

Ennis I missed second gear. Admission of this is my first step to recovery.