Skippy was complaining about the Belvedere reaching 250 degrees almost as soon as they parked for their picture, so that got everyone's attention. Drag Weeker Jeff McConnell, who was riding shotgun in Doc's Camaro this year, walked over for a look, with a small infra-red temp gun in his hand.
"Two twenty at the very hottest spot", he shrugged, "I don't think the gauge is accurate".
"I've suspected that for a while", I confirmed, "What about you guys?"
"Well, he had zero road time on that big Hemi, before we arrived, so we've been dialing in the fuel injection as we go. With all our little tweaks along the way, we've pulled about twenty-five degrees of engine temp out of it since we left St. Louis, but those first twenty miles had us really nervous!"
James "Doc" McEntire walked over and I asked him if he got the number he wanted today. His face instantly lit up, "Yeah! 8.37-169! Quickest NA car on Drag Week, now we just have to keep it together!"

Rachael, Skippy, John and Opal had all been monitoring social media for constant updates from other drag weekers, and there was a report of a bridge out fifty miles up the road, and several, different versions of which was the best way around it. Rachael was scribbling alternate routes on my sheet...now that made me nervous!