It was really good to see Wes and be out at the track, even if it was a little warm, and with a touch of melancholy on my end. My dad bought the RR new, and told people I took my first car ride in it. His notes and the time slips show it last ran at Tucson Dragway in 2004. When I picked it up, the engine was apart, trans was out, fuel system gone due to an aborted alcohol conversion, tires old, certs out of date, and parts of the charging system and wiring were MIA. It took a while, but I assembled a 383 - factory forged crank, eagle rods, .030 diamond pistons, stealth heads milled for 10:1, small lunati voodoo solid, edm lifters, old TM6 and a 750 brawler DP. I went through the 727, also a first for me. It has a plate system but the bottle was empty. While I believe everything satisfies the applicable NHRA rules, I was happy when the inspector polished 10.0 on the window (cage cert expired and blanket only).
As Wes mentioned, the staging lanes ran perhaps longer than expected. I think a few of the participants went full send, even though the track was not particularly sticky. There were some delays. Apparently someone shelled a piston in a GR Supra. Anyway, one of my oldest friends came up from southern AZ to help. This made quite the difference - just having someone to open the passenger door for the cross breeze was huge, and he is an experienced racer. Now, up to this point the car had only moved under power in the driveway, when loaded on the trailer, and in the pits. I did not have big expectations and wanted to get from the tree to the traps.
I got staged, and the starter gave me the pro tree, catching me a bit surprised. I rolled through the beams and opened it up. Everything seemed OK, hit second with the shift light, and then near immediately bumped third (operator error) maybe around the 330. I eased up and motored through the 8th. Things still felt OK - tracking straight, no weird sounds or vibrations - so somewhere in the back half I gassed it and ran out the quarter with a blistering 13.80 at an even 100mph.
On the return road the headlights seemed dim. Back at the trailer I found the alternator belt had decided to exit the party, so we were done for the night. It was a pretty expensive pass all told, but my brother was there and our kids saw Grandpa's car make a pass. And, I got to see some good friends. Worth every penny.
The attached pic I believe I was going through the start procedure after being shut down in the burnout box while staff checked track condition.
The Hellcat powered Barracuda from Corruptt Builds/DC Grudge Match was in attendance - with an automatic swap. That was neat.
Based on the driver's meeting discussion from the track manager, it sounds as there will only be a few more opportunities to race at WHP/Firebird. The end of another era.
Bill
