First I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Pinks at Firebird Raceway was an adventure this year. Hollywood could not go due to family health issues, so Diego had to make the trip solo. I had gotten an E-mail from the Pinks website that noted registration would be on Thursday not Friday, so I had to call in sick as we are on mandatory overtime and all annual leave requests were being denied. I left Diego Town Wednesday after work. Not more then 10 miles from home I had a blowout on one of my almost new Carlisle trailer tires, on the freeway side of the trailer. I changed to the spare on the side of the road avoiding the death run of mad semi drivers. I called my wife and she located the nearest Discount Tire store and luckily they had a tire. Two hours later and a carne asada burrito and I was back on the road.

Getting to Chandler was no easy feet and I had to weave in and out of many rurel communities without a GPS and trying to read my Mapquest instructions, which seemed like they were written in Greek.

I made it to the track and waited for 4 hours for them to open the registration tent. I got my credentials and headed to the pit area. I was pitted near the front and started to unload when the word came that they were not going to tech until Friday! WTH, So I locked the trailer and headed to the hotel for some shuteye. I got up early Friday and headed to the track. A bunch of my childhood friends had come in for the race and met me at the track and helped me set up.

I headed to the tech line, which was moving at a swift pace. I met member Duster7695 and chatted a bit, I was called to the front of the line and met the tech guy from hell. He put me through the ringer for a good half hour before releasing me so I could finish tech.

La Putita’s first run went well she ran a best of 9.78 @ 137.48. My second pass did not go as well, I did my burnout and staged, when I let go of the transbrake I was looking at the tree and had to get out of it, there must have been something on the track and I was done for the day. The next day my first run I got on a cold track and the car slowed a bit. They had just called my number for the last run of the day when the Pinks interview team cornered me, they asked me to give them a lively interview, which I did!! I jumped back in Putita and headed for the staging lanes. I did my burnout and staged. The car pulled a little to the left but I reeled her into the grove and was rewarded with bests all the way around. My 1/8 mile time was 6.15 @ 112, my ¼ mile time was 9.66 @ 139.76. I didn’t get picked for the finals but met a bunch of great members, I spent a lot of quality time with my childhood friends at the racetrack, who could ask for anything more.

Diego

Glad you had a good time Ted...BTW you pocket dialed me at 1AM last Saturday/Sunday morning. Figuered you were having a good time...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Glad to hear ya had fun..... you gotta get rid of
those Carlisle trailer tires... JUNK... happy turkey day

Yea, Al I saw that, glad I didn't wake you! Mr. P they are the best I could find out west. I hate paying for shipping but I hate being on the side of the road worse. What do you use?

Diego

Glad to see you out playing again Ted. I hope to make a MaTS appearance in 2011.

....Once upon a time I ran a set of Goodyear Marathons about 4 years. Was tuning on the car up in Vegas and the sun was shining just right on the trailer that I noted the tread was coming off. In a pinch a local guided me to the nearest Discount Tire where I bought a set of what they had......Carlisles. I lost three within a year. They were the D rated ones just the Goodyears were. I'm currently running some Maxxis E rated tires. Unfortunately the trailer was parked shortly after that so I have no real feedback on them for you other than they don't "fold" like the D rated ones when you are making tight turns.

J da Bod, It would be great to see you running down the track at MATS. Where did you get the Maxis? My Carlisle are 10 ply E rated.

Diego

Ted, congrats on the new best, I'd been waiting for the pinks report.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to do more than say hi in the tech lane. I saw the tech inspector doing a lot of pointing and talking with you... Hope it wasn't too painful. That same inspector failed mine at Truckin' Nats - but for good reason.

I was chasing a gremlin in the truck all weekend long - and only getting 2 passes in the 78 hrs I spent at the track didn't narrow it down much. I hope your next outing is less costly in the tire department and good luck in the upcoming 2011 season!

Was there, saw yours run.. It ran well.

We had new best and were in the wheelstand contest..

I thought we won.. But I guess that's what I get for thinking..


Chris..

Yours looked great flying down track!

I wish I would have just ignored how badly mine was running and just went around visiting. I would have accomplished the same result. LOL

Hey guys! I talked to Duner, but didn't get a chance to introduce myself to the rest of you. I had a lot of friends in town for the event and am still learning the ropes of running a car. Had a great time, chased some gremlins myself.

Sounds like every one had a good time! Congrats on the new best,Ted!! What class did they pick? I wonder too if that was the last Pinks All Out....

First, congrats on the new best, I love those!

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... so I had to call in sick as we are on mandatory overtime and all annual leave requests were being denied.

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That is the way to go, do they think you are a slave or a person?

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I changed to the spare on the side of the road avoiding the death run of mad semi drivers. I called my wife and she located the nearest Discount Tire store and luckily they had a tire.

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Sounds like your wife is better than On-Star! LOL

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Getting to Chandler was no easy feet and I had to weave in and out of many rurel communities without a GPS and trying to read my Mapquest instructions, which seemed like they were written in Greek.

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Well, that is close. They are written in computer GEEK.
What did people do before all these gadgets? Oh, I remember and still don't need that stuff. LOL

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I was called to the front of the line and met the tech guy from hell. He put me through the ringer for a good half hour before releasing me so I could finish tech.

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If it took him a half hour, he must not know what he is doing. Just a bad apple in my book. The car is either good or not, it shouldn't be a half hour torment from hell.

Way to go Ted! Pinks is a fun event whether you get selected or not, I was going to try and be there but I got stuck on a project up in Union City.
Congrats on your new best!

Great job Ted.............I always knew that beast had WAY more than you were getting from it.

I was paired up with a long time Speed Channel employee for most of the race. We talked about the future of the show. He said that as of Saturday the Speed Channel had not entered into any agreement with the company that produces Pinks. He and most other employees feel this was the end of Pinks. Only time will tell.

Raul

Thanks everyone, it was a really great show, wish I could have spent more times in the pits with fellow Moparts members. I was really pleased with the way La Putita ran, I have a feeling there is some left on the table, just have to get it to the track.

Chris you should have won the wheele contest you car was flying. It was great to see it down the track!!

I hope someone picks up the show, it has been great for the grassroots racer.

G-Bob, what's going on with the car? Is Momma's done yet?

Diego

A Neighbor friend sent me this from the Wheelstand Contest..

We were ROBBED..


Chris..