With Joel's health improved, and back to normal, it was time to get back to work on the Coupe, and make a push for Midwest Drags in Norwalk. The event is similar to Drag Week, but smaller, and there is a ET cutoff for cars, as the Promoter wants to keep the event RACE only. No Plan B's, unless it's another race car. The classes are the same as Drag Week more or less. That allowed Joel to enter the Hot Rod class. Rocky Mountain Race Week has a Hot Rod class, but the rules are more open, and stuff like turbos and Blowers are legal. It's not the place for a 8 carb 392 HEMI. That event also has "travel" days, stretching the event out a full 7 days. Summit Midwest Drags sounded like the best option to go for a win.

As time went on, I'd call Joe and see how progress was going on the Coupe. He was working on it steady, but having a issue getting valvetrain parts. Somehow, someway the planets aligned, and Joel, and the manufacturer were able to piece together the right combo, and get him what was needed to finish the HEMI. Once that was done, he could get the engine in place, and on to the rest of the drivetrain. The old Soft Lok was out, and in went a twin disc setup, that was going to be 2 sintered iron discs with a floater ring, and then to adjust the clutch at the hit, Joel bought a "Hillbilly Soft Lok" Basically this is a spring/dampner that slows the release of the clutch pedal, the slip the clutch at launch. It took a little doing but he got it in there. With the Coupe finally running again, it was time for a test drive. Problem one on the test drive, was the clutch didn't work properly, and it was determined the new sintered iron discs were too big for the pressure plate. Joel removed the trans, and clutch, the proceeded to try and turn down the discs on his lathe. No such luck. The discs have a Rockwell hardness off the charts it seems. Rotate the discs in the lathe, and use a grinder? That is what he did. Got the turned down to the diameter that was thought to have worked, and reinstalled everything. No luck. Back out the trans has to come. With time running out, Joel thought it was best to install the sprung hub organic discs that came with the clutch assembly. BINGO. That worked. But on to the next issue. The motor was not happy. Would barely run, and Joel just could not figure out why? Midwest Drags was fast approaching, Joel was burning the candle at both ends, and doing what he could. Here is the part I'll come off and look like an A hole. I wanted to go racing my own car on Memorial Day Weekend, and I did not much time to help him. The older I get, the less I want to not miss time at the tack with my friends. Joel was OK with it, as the car issues were mostly a one person job. A friend of ours named Steve, came over and helped with what he could. I had told Joel the weekend before we were to leave for Midwest Drags, I needed to know if we were going or not by Wednesday. If we were not going, I was dragging my Road Runner to Thunder Valley in South Dakota, and racing with my friends. If we were going, I'd be ready to go. Joel didn't want to give me an answer until it wasn't possible to make the event. Friday rolled around, and I called Joel right away in the morning. to ask if the car was running. No... So I loaded up my stuff, and made the 5 hour drive to South Dakota. I told Joel if something changes, call me and I'll head back home. I ran my car on Saturday, and lost first round. About that time my phone rings, and see Joel is calling. He has thrown in the towel on Midwest Drags, but had an idea. If I drove home, we would then drive to the first day of MWD, watch some racing, and from there head to North Carolina to pick up his enclosed trailer, and new to him Land Speed racer that had work done on it in NC. Sounded like a good idea to me, so I loaded up, and headed home Sunday morning. After a 5 hour drive home, I packed a new suitcase, and headed to Joel's place, where he had the camper ready, and we headed out. We made it to Norwalk the night before the event started on Monday.

The plan for Monday was to watch one round of cars, then pack up, and head south. Mark Fisher who is a veteran Drag Weeker, and in the Hot Rod class, was also at MWD. He was running his familiar 32 Ford truck with a 496 Big Block Chevy. We really wanted to see what he would run. It didn't take long to see Mark make a pass, and after he did both Joel and I just sat with a dazed look on our faces. Mark ran a 8.98 @ 150 mph. He is a great guy, and it was difficult to be upset about it, but Damn... I asked Joel, now what? "I'm not sure I want to chase that...