As I walked back up through the lanes, someone (I should remember who, but I'm drawing a blank right now) told me in no uncertain terms, "You know that thing has to fire up on it's own in Tech, right?" "Really?" "Yeah, they call it the Gebhart rule!" He chuckled, and walked away, so I turned a 180, and told Dale about it has he stood in the driver's door of the Dakota with a fist full of wiring. "Oh, it'll run when we get up there, count on it!" I wasn't sure if he was trying to convince me, or himself.
Scott Abbott (Scott58, Moparts) came over and offered his assistance. He helped Dale figure out the pesky Ford starter solenoid they had put on to wire through, it was a model Dale wasn't familiar with, and he ran down the ignition wires in the stock harness that was strewn about the cab, so that was a big help. James was busy under the hood, throwing rubber hoses on the aluminum supply and return fuel lines, to connect to the Moroso regulator, so they could get fuel to the new E-85 carbs for the first time. As I glanced in, I noticed there still were no pedals in the truck, so brakes, and throttle weren't going to be in play today!
Once Rachael cleared tech, she wasted no time getting on the track, although without N20. First pass was a disappointing 13.43-101, I was expecting more from the 3.55 gear swap, but she hadn't raced the car in a year, so we could work from there. Next run was a 13.095, which is the quickest ET for the car on motor since I've had it, but the MPH was only 100.14, and from my vantage point at the finish line I heard it pop once or twice at about 1100ft. "What the heck happened up there", I questioned her as I looked over the time slip, "I heard a pop, and there should be more speed." "Uhh...well, I may have waited too long to shift to drive, it happens quicker now than before." "That is does, you need to work on that." John had picked up two tenths with the jet change, and was feeling pretty good about where the car was at with the air. John, his Dad, and Rachael, then set out on their "Get Billy to Make a Pass" campaign, badgering me mercilessly. "Just go up there and cruise down," John Sr. instructed, "short shift it, take it easy...it's no big deal, then we will know that everything at least works right!" Finally, I dropped the tire pressure a few pounds, grabbed my helmet, jacket, and headed up through the lanes. When I rounded the corner, and pulled into the water box, John pulled alongside me in the opposing lane, "I knew it! that dirty dog" I shouted in my helmet, as we started our burnouts. The 62 popped the front-end a little, then lazed it's way down the track as John and the 67 sped away, I shifted at about 6K, but it didn't feel nearly as strong as it did previously on the street. John ran 7.055-96.46, and 11.175-118.09 to my 7.899-85.9, and 12.532-105.40.
Back at our pits, Steve's sister Linda, asked, "Did you guys enjoy that friendly competition?" "I didn't", I boomed out, "He kicked my Tail!" "No he didn't" John Sr. shook his head, "you were just cruising down there, I heard it when you went by!" "That's all I had!" "You're going to have to work on that poker face, Billy", John laughed, "That's just all you wanted to give it!"
