Wednesday's 5:00am alarm went off much too early, and the weeks lack of sleep was taking its toll. I knew if I was struggling with it, Mr. 8 hours wasn't going to be doing well either. I figured I'd get up and get dressed right away, and make my way to the Hotel lobby area, and see if any breakfast was out. Told Joel to get up, and get moving. "No problem, we're on Drag Week, I can do this!" So I left, and walked down to the area where breakfast is normally served, but was told that wasn't served until 6:00am. We won't be waiting for that... I figured sleeping beauty was going to need his morning coffee, so I grabbed a cup, filled it, and made my way back to our room. When I entered the room, Joel was in the bathroom, and apparently he was taking Tuba lessons. Didn't know where he had that stashed in the car, but I didn't want to listen to more of that. I grabbed my bag, and told Joel coffee was on the table, and I'd meet him outside. I also grabbed a hotel towel, so I could wipe the Coupe down, from the rain the night before. I'd like to apologize to the cleaning crew at our Hotel. That towel wasn't coming clean, no matter how much bleach was used. I'm sure the damage Joel created in the bathroom was even worse...

With the Coupe wiped down, unlocked, and the tarp removed from the engine, we were ready to go. Out walks Joel with a smile on his face, 3 bags in one hand, and his must have pillow and coffee in the other. No Tuba? I told Joel I had to bring the towel back into the room, but I was afraid. It would have to be a quick open the door, and toss in the towel while holding my breath. luckily, I made it out unscathed.

It was a pretty easy drive to the track gate. Once we got into the gate, the train crossing guards started flashing. Could we have possibly made it? Maybe. Was Joel taking a chance that the Holley 94's wouldn't bog at the worst time? No. The train was moving slowly by, but once it passed, it wasn't a big deal, as the gates getting into the pits were not open yet, and a line had formed inside. Less than a minute passed, and the gates opened up. The train didn't hold us back at all. As we went through the gate, Joel was handed a tech card. "Fill this out, and bring it to the Tech shack." Great, just what we need, Joel wandering around trying to find the Tech shack... He can barely find the Tower at the tracks we go to some times. Joel wheeled the Coupe into the pit area, and tried to find a spot that wasn't flooded with water. We both got out, and did our thing. Empty the trunk, Air cleaners off, mufflers off, header extensions on, passenger seat out, spring rubbers out, and fuel check balls switched over. As I was dropping air pressure in the tires, Joel fired the HEMI up, and started revving it up? The header tube was aimed right at my head. i quickly backed off, and looked at Joel, and said "What are you doing?!" "Draining the carbs." "Could you warn me first?" I'm not deaf like him, and I'd like to keep it that way. "Sorry." Quickly changing the subject, he asks "Hey where did they say tech was?" "In the staging lanes." Joel grabbed his snowmobile suit, shoes, and helmet, and made his way to the staging lanes. I walked as usual. On my path to the lanes, Jim Forbes was switching tires on his Nova, and we said hello, a few words, and I kept moving. It was fun talking with Jeff Oppenheim, and Dan Nissen in the Lanes for a bit, when my phone rang. I looked to see who is calling "HEMI Joel". "What do you need now?" "Can you walk back to the pit, and get my GoPro?" "I told you, you were in charge of your GoPro's." "Can you just go get them?" i hung up the phone. More walking... It takes a little effort to find your pit spot after leaving it, as all you can see is stuff piled up all around, and small trailers filtered in every other pit spot. You have to find the pile of parts, tools, and other crap that looks familiar. The easiest thing to look for for me, is the exhaust from the Coupe. It has a distinct look. I find the GoPro, do a 180, and walk back to the staging lanes. "Here you go Joel." handing him the case. "You'll have to set it up, I don't know anything about them." I think I mumbled something about Joel's wife being a Saint... "Hmmm?" he says. "Nothing. I'll take care of it." About this time the track went hot, and cars started going down. I went as fast as I could to get the GoPro set up, and in the car. The first 2 lanes had moved fairly quickly, and the third lane the Coupe was in, started to move now. I wasn't about to leave with GoPro case, and bring it back to our pit spot, so I gave Joel a fist bump, told him good luck, and made my way to the starting line. The Coupe made the corner from the staging lanes, under the famous bridge at INDY. At the bridge, you are about 12-15 pairs of cars back from the starting line. Maybe 3 or 4 more pairs of cars go down track, when all of a sudden it goes silent. i look down track, and a newer Mustang is pulled over to the wall, and rumored to have broken a rear end. This might take a while. Joel stays in the Coupe, and waits it out. i walk over to the passenger door, and open it so he can get some air moving through the car. While we were talking, and joking around, someone from Hot Rod magazine walks up, and asks me if he can take Joel's picture? "He's not Blake Shelton's Stunt Double after a bad accident, you know." The guy starts laughing. Not wanting to pass up an opportunity to get his picture taken, Joel smiles for the camera. The photographer walks away, and I start giving Joel grief about it. "I wish I had my comb right now. The Paparazzi always comes around when I look my worst." I reassured him he always looked that bad. The tracks flat bed was loading up the Mustang, and another familiar face arrived. This time it was Calvin Seith. he was also taking pictures. We met Calvin at Drag Week 2018. Great guy, and fun to talk with, and he absolutely loves the HEMI Coupe. With the Mustang removed from the track, cars were able to makes runs again. As Joel made his way to the burnout box, I found my place at the gaurdrail. I think I turned the GoPro on? Well to late now... Joel staged the Coupe, and brought the HEMI up on the 2 step, and when he dumped the clutch, the car bogged, but was moving forward. The scoreboards lit up with a 10.61 @ 129 mph. Slowed down again. Would that be good enough, or would we have to struggle to get another pass in? i started walking back to my pit area. As i walked by the concession area, i glanced to see what they had for breakfast. Not much. Everyone gets giddy about being at INDY, because of it's history, but not me. Wish we were at Norwalk yet. Love that place. I got back to the pit just before Joel, as the pits and return road combo at Indy are on opposite sides. It's a goofy mess if you ask me. Joel parks the Coupe next to our stuff, and climbs out. "Are you going to take that, or make another pass?" "We are in survival mode. No sense in trying to catch Mark, and we are safe over 3rd place by over a second. I'm going to turn in the slip, and hit the road." Just what I wanted to hear. Time to get to work, and do my thing.

By the time I almost had everything switched back to street trim, Joel had made his way back. I was proud of him that he didn't get lost this time. He got right to doing his job, and we were ready to hit the road. "Well, Saddle up Partner!" Joel fired up the HEMI, and we were one our way out the gates of Indy. With the transmission leak fixed on Day one, and the water leak fixed on Day 2, which turned out to be a minor fix, we were feeling hopeful, and excited to hit the road early once again. "There is a Casey's gas station just down the road from here" Joel said. We took a right out of the gate, and as I looked over the route sheet, I hear the normal CLANK of the trans going into 2nd gear, CLANK of 3rd gear, and the DEAD silence. The HEMI quit running...