Rachael, Boone, and I decided to take advantage of the on-site shower facilities at the track while the drama of the last ten minutes of runs played out without us for a change. Both Lutz and Cline made last ditch runs that greatly improved their positions, and set them up for a showdown in Tulsa with the overall win hanging in the balance. By the time we were organized, and ready to leave, we were still among the very last cars to leave SRCA Dragstrip.

Traditionally, when we raced Divisionals in Great Bend, we always visited the local Great Wall Buffet, so we stopped there once again, and celebrated Rachael's 25th birthday as well. There was actually a pretty large contingent of Drag Weekers already on location when we arrived, so it was quite enjoyable.

I didn't make it two miles from the restaurant, before my electric fuel pump sounded like it was starving for fuel...that's when I remembered that I hadn't added race fuel at the track, and had simply ran on 91. I bailed into a Casey's General Store only to realize they only had 87! Oh well, I had to put fuel in, so I went with seven gallons and hoped for the best. I passed the rest of our group at another station two miles down the road, but figuring I would have to stop again at the next town to add 91, I just kept motoring. Five miles out of Great Bend, it was dark enough that I turned on my lights. Lyons Kansas was 31 miles down US-56/KS-96, and thankfully KDOT had outfitted the road with centerline rumble strips, as I was clearly in "driving by braille" mode at this time. I'd attempted to get the guys to hole up in Great Bend for the night, as Friday's race in Tulsa was scheduled for the afternoon, but they were so gun shy from our Topeka-OKC debacle, that they all vetoed the notion.

If you look closely at the pic, you will see a fender skirted 53 Chevy still in the nearly deserted pits with us as we were ready to leave. They were changing out a piston/rod on a junkyard 5.3 LS, and yes, they made it to Tulsa!