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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515751
10/16/13 10:54 PM
10/16/13 10:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
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OP
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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Rachael and I were working the Belvedere through the lanes, when we heard the familiar, "Are you MoparBilly?". It was Howard (draginmopars, Moparts) and Gayle (Jnkgal, Moparts) who had came out to check out opening day of the race. Howard and I had both shared in the pain of waiting on Airwolf heads to show up on our doorstep. "Mine arrived on Tuesday after labor day, two days after I left for Oklahoma!" I informed them when the inevitable question was asked, "So I haven't even got a chance to look at them yet." Sharing stories with fellow Moparts members sure helped the 45 minutes in the lanes go by quick, and Rachael appreciated the opportunity to visit with another female mopar drag racer.
She finally got her shot at the Beech Bend track, and we agreed that a nice no-bottle warm-up pass was all we needed. She rolled up in the water box, braked, brought the rpm up, and looked over at me. Good brake stall, but we are supposed to be turning the tires! I jabbed my upturned thumb towards the sky a couple of times, and she stabbed into the throttle until the tires started smoking and I motioned her forward. She cleared the traps at 13.50-101, and the local announcer commented, "Rachael is one of five Gebhart family members entered in the event! I wonder how many of them will be speaking to each other by Friday?".
"Wow", I thought to myself, "He must've read some of my stories, or he has brothers as well".
Since Boone was only about 6 sets behind Rachael, I hung around and brought him into the water as well. He had so much smoke rolling off the ET Streets, I couldn't motion him forward fast enough. We had discussed it earlier, and had agreed he should just roll into the throttle as opposed to slapping it open, because we didn't know how the drivetrain was going to react on the first hit. He was in the right lane, and I made my way to the wall to watch his pass. When he launched, the amount of body lift, and roll to the passenger side was astounding, and it seemed to pull the Barnyard toward the wall on that side, he nearly had it back to the middle when he hit 2nd, and it made another move to the wall. "Don't be a hero Boone, lifting is OK", I was saying to myself as I heard him hit 3rd and begin wrestling the D-100 back towards the center of the lane. The announcer let us know it was an 11.45-115, but I never took my eyes off the Truck, knowing shutdown in that beast can be as treacherous as accelerating!
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515753
10/17/13 01:47 AM
10/17/13 01:47 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Phoenix, AZ
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Darryl and his Dart went 11.18-120 a few cars after Boone, and I headed back to find Rachael in the lanes. We were about 5 sets from getting her second run in, when they cut off the class car lanes, and went to Daily Driver. I walked back over to the pits to get the Satellite and see what everyone else was up to. Darren was still knee deep in the Charger, and since the next hour and a half would be DD cars, he didn't need to rush. I walked over to where Dale had the Gremlin's Dominator tore apart, and was looking at Boone's time slip.
"You going to run again?", I looked at Boone.
"Nope, I'm Done... that thing had me white knuckled after 330 feet! Kept dragging me towards the wall, then once I got in Drive, the front end felt like it was floating and I was just praying for the finish line!
Darryl walked over with his time slip.
"You going back up?"
"Nope", Darryl shook his head, "not interested in sitting in the lanes, simmering in my own sweat for another identical E.T.!"
"Thought you wanted a 10.99?"
"Well, if it went 11.04, I might try again, but it's not getting there in this soup, no way".
Ok, two down, four to go, and I headed to the lanes in the Satellite. Forty-five minutes later I pulled into the left lane, as nervous as I'd been in quite some time, because I have virtually no seat time in this car. I launched, hit the horn (N20) at about 60ft., watched the tach jump past five grand, then shifted to neutral! Let off the N20 and the gas, found second, nailed both again, then shifted to neutral a second time. Finally found drive, then just half throttled it to the finish, 13.84-82, and embarrassingly wriggled my way back to the lanes. I had the exact same luck as Rachael, getting all the way to the front, only to get cut off and told they were running the class cars again. At least I didn't have to walk far to help her get ready! I turned on the bottle as she got situated, and reminded her to only use it from 60ft. until about a 1000ft., then drive it on through. She drove the Belvedere perfect, and we had an opening day 12.17-113, almost identical to her first day run last year! I went back over, leaned on the fender of the Satellite, and watched the remainder of the class car 2nd session for about 20 minutes, when Rachael walked up to me.
"The Belvedere won't go into reverse..."
"It doesn't have reverse? Like it just goes into neutral?"
"No...like it locks up and won't move!"
"OK", I shook my head, "I'll have to look at it after my run."
The Charger, and the Gremlin, were nose to tail, and quickly made their way through the staging lanes. Darren laid down a no bottle 12.89-106, and Dale followed him down that lane with an 11.000-122, barely denied a 10 second run to start his drag week out. I pulled around into the left lane water box, directly behind a certain purple duster. I glanced to the right lane, and realized he was racing a certain silver Aussie valiant charger... and I had the best seat in the house! Faraone took his time spooling up the Valiant Charger, so it wasn't a side-by-side match. But Eddie's 8.71-152 to John's 8.52-164 was still enjoyable from where I was at! 120 feet into my run, the bottle ran out, and I was still struggling with the shifter, this was just not my day, 15.90-74!
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515754
10/17/13 02:01 AM
10/17/13 02:01 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,602
Las Vegas
Al_Alguire
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,602
Las Vegas
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Man I really need to go do this one day..
"I am not ashamed to confess I am ignorant of what I do not know."
"It's never wrong to do the right thing"
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515755
10/17/13 05:09 AM
10/17/13 05:09 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,415
nielsville, minn.
quickd100
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,415
nielsville, minn.
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Quote:
Rachael and I were working the Belvedere through the lanes, when we heard the familiar, "Are you MoparBilly?". It was Howard (draginmopars, Moparts) and Gayle (Jnkgal, Moparts) who had came out to check out opening day of the race. Howard and I had both shared in the pain of waiting on Airwolf heads to show up on our doorstep. "Mine arrived on Tuesday after labor day, two days after I left for Oklahoma!" I informed them when the inevitable question was asked, "So I haven't even got a chance to look at them yet." Sharing stories with fellow Moparts members sure helped the 45 minutes in the lanes go by quick, and Rachael appreciated the opportunity to visit with another female mopar drag racer.
She finally got her shot at the Beech Bend track, and we agreed that a nice no-bottle warm-up pass was all we needed. She rolled up in the water box, braked, brought the rpm up, and looked over at me. Good brake stall, but we are supposed to be turning the tires! I jabbed my upturned thumb towards the sky a couple of times, and she stabbed into the throttle until the tires started smoking and I motioned her forward. She cleared the traps at 13.50-101, and the local announcer commented, "Rachael is one of five Gebhart family members entered in the event! I wonder how many of them will be speaking to each other by Friday?".
"Wow", I thought to myself, "He must've read some of my stories, or he has brothers as well".
Since Boone was only about 6 sets behind Rachael, I hung around and brought him into the water as well. He had so much smoke rolling off the ET Streets, I couldn't motion him forward fast enough. We had discussed it earlier, and had agreed he should just roll into the throttle as opposed to slapping it open, because we didn't know how the drivetrain was going to react on the first hit. He was in the right lane, and I made my way to the wall to watch his pass. When he launched, the amount of body lift, and roll to the passenger side was astounding, and it seemed to pull the Barnyard toward the wall on that side, he nearly had it back to the middle when he hit 2nd, and it made another move to the wall. "Don't be a hero Boone, lifting is OK", I was saying to myself as I heard him hit 3rd and begin wrestling the D-100 back towards the center of the lane. The announcer let us know it was an 11.45-115, but I never took my eyes off the Truck, knowing shutdown in that beast can be as treacherous as accelerating!
I know EXACTLY what it's like herding my old truck down the strip. After the strip can be as exciting as the run sometimes. I think the worst is that floating feeling when it's on the verge of loosing all steering control.Dave
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515756
10/17/13 09:29 AM
10/17/13 09:29 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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I backed the Satellite into my designated spot in our line of six and jumped out with the intent of swapping in a fresh bottle, but I was immediately swallowed up in the flurry of activity surrounding the rest of our group. Darryl was standing nearby, studying the route map to Indy, as he had already been to the tower to turn in his time slip.
"256 mile jaunt for us today, when do you think you guys will be ready to roll?", he looked at me. I noticed quickly that he already had his Dart packed up.
"Are you done, or not?" I asked Darren.
"If I get the nitrous hooked up in time, I'd like to try another one", he shrugged.
"Boone, what's with the Belvedere?"
"It's stuck in a forward gear, it pulls forward in neutral and locks up in reverse, so it could have a clutch pack welded together, or just a valve in the valve body stuck. The fluid isn't burnt, we can try dropping the valve body if you want, or we can swap to that other trans..."
"Left it in the truck in impound!" I winced, "what do you want to do Rachael?"
"I don't care, either way, fix it or leave it, whatever we have to do", she smiled, standing there with her time slip still in hand.
Robert (6pak2go, Moparts) walked up about that time with a big smile on his face, and a firm handshake. "I see you made it! I told him.
"Yeah, rented a Charger , and I'm ready to check out this adventure, today has been awesome already, so I figured I'd follow you guys to Indy, or I'm ready to start wrenching if needed!"
I looked over at Dale, and James, in the middle of the Gremlin carb again, and asked, "Are you going back up or getting ready for the road?"
"One more", Dale shook his head, "This thing won't make any RPM, barely hit the chip that run".
I looked at my phone, it was 12:45, and the announcement had already been made that the last car down the track would be 2:15. The pits, and staging lanes were thinning out considerably as most were making their way towards Indy. My quick assessment was that the Gebhart clan was probably going to be the last group leaving Bowling Green this evening, and I didn't want to drag Darryl and Robert into that abyss on the first day! So I told Rachael to go turn in her slip, and get a route map for Robert, so He and Darryl could get rolling, and leave the rest of us to our misery. Everyone seemed to agree to that plan of attack, so we set up on our course of action. By the time Darryl and Robert rolled out of the gate, Boone had the Belvedere up on jack stands, and Dale had the Gremlin headed back to the staging lanes. I stuck a new bottle in the Satellite, and told Rachael to run the old one over to Monte's trailer for a re-fill (Thanks again to Holley/NOS for providing free re-fills to us junkies on this trip!).
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515757
10/17/13 10:43 PM
10/17/13 10:43 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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Dale made another hit, but the 11.01-121 was not an improvement. He came over to check on me, as I was fiddling with the Satellite's N20 system.
"Well, this is not what I expected!" I confided, "Bring two cars all the way from Phoenix, and my Drag Week is pretty much over before the first track session ends!"
"What do you mean?", he looked at me, "This car is fine!"
"Except I can't shift it on the bottle!" I shook my head, "If I turn in this 13.80, I'll have no chance at a quick 32 spot".
"Want me to take a shot at it?" He volunteered.
"Can't hurt!" Even as it slipped out of my lips I knew how absurd it was, yeah it could hurt bad, he can break an anvil with a rubber hammer!
He grabbed the bottle at the hit, and blew the M/T Drag Radials off, let off, stabbed it again, same result, the back end of the Satellite had wagged left the first time, then right, so he let off the N20 until the tires caught up again, then laid into it. From the fence it really seemed to be moving in the back half 12.62-118.2. The mph stunned me! "That thing will go 11's!" I laughed to myself.
I knew he would not give me a chance to stop him, and sure enough he drove right back up to the line. The time slips read 1:48pm on the first, 1:51pm on the second. I also knew the fuel system wouldn't support that kind of power with everything hot. Sure enough, it laid over at about the eighth mile, and he nursed it through to a 12.27-105.9.
He handed me the two slips, "Un-real! That thing scoots...uh, it's the 3.55's isn't it! It's an animal!
Now it was my turn to gloat, "I told you it didn't have enough engine for those 2.76's, didn't I!"
Darren was still playing with the Charger when they cut the lanes, so I coaxed him into going up to the tower with me to turn in our slips. When we got back, Dale had a cordless drill and James had a wrench, and they appeared to be removing all the screws from the lexan side windows.
"I thought you told me those wouldn't come out, and that you were going to remove the aluminum plates from the cowl ducts?"
"Well", Dale shrugged, "Don (ksj, Moparts) thinks we are gonna die in this tin can, so he came over and looked at it 5 different times and decided if we get the screws out, the aluminum they put in the channels might be flimsy enough that we can wrestle them out! So I told him we'd give it a try".
"Got the valve body out" Boone hollered from under the Belvedere. Sure enough, after careful examination he found a sticky valve. We took it out, cleaned it with some emory, and got it working again, so the re-assembly started.
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515759
10/19/13 06:44 PM
10/19/13 06:44 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
master
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OP
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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The pits were really thinning out by this time, and Keith Turk came by to check on us.
"We may have to leave one of our cars", I explained, "So it's ok if we drive it back to impound, and drop it off."
"Yeah, shouldn't be problem, if you take it down there and leave it, then walk back up and join your group!" He was agreeable.
"Well...we thought we may have to take a car or two back there to pick up the driver..."
"You're a dang Drag Racer aren't you!" He pointed his finger at me accusingly, "I can pick 'em out of every crowd!"
"Oh yeah, guilty as charged! I've hung out in the Stock Eliminator pits at a National event and listened to all the old timers brag about the stuff tech never caught them on!"
"We just don't do that stuff in LSR racing!" He shook his head.
"I get that" I affirmed, "You have to respect your fellow competitors."
With that he went over to check on the other group still in the pits. Tom Taylor's Blue 79 Nova was under one of the huge shade trees, and it was getting plenty of attention from Troy Woolsoncroft, and Dan Wilcox, while their rides sat nearby. Troy would tell me later that Tom had popped a head gasket, and they decided to change both!
With Boone and I busy with the Belvedere, Dale turned his attention to helping Darren with the Charger. They wired in a spare tachometer, since the original had never recovered from the initial start-up last year, and they managed to finally get the nitrous hooked up, so it could live up to the "power adder' part of the class he had entered.
Darryl was well on his way, as this picture from Robert attests.
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515760
10/19/13 06:50 PM
10/19/13 06:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
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Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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What these pictures also attest to, as you notice Darryl is always in the slow lane and getting passed by every other Drag Weeker and random Semi on the highway, is what happens when you choose to go with 28" tires and 4.56 gears!
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515761
10/19/13 07:14 PM
10/19/13 07:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
master
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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At 5pm, the track manager drove over to check on us, and see when we would be leaving. I told him we had about 20 minutes left to finish the cars, then we would load up and be on our way.
"Alright", he explained, "I'm coming back at 6 to check, then I have to lock this place up". He pointed to the impound area, "too much money sitting down there to leave this place unattended!"
We fired up the Belvedere, after filling it back up with fluid...same result, still pulling all the time!
"Well, she has the gears we need, let's just go with it", Boone suggested.
I looked at Rachael and shook my head, "No...if we were at the second track, I'd go for it, but we've got our hands full, and to leave here with it like this doesn't make sense!
That decision was easy, the next was the toughest. I explained that we were down one mule, and we had to leave some of our stuff, but not one person wanted to leave any toys behind!
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515762
10/19/13 10:47 PM
10/19/13 10:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
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Phoenix, AZ
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I forced them to give up the little gas powered generator, and the corded power tools and lights it was capable of running, but we still only had about a half trunk full when Rachael and I took the Belvedere down to park on the trailer. When we returned, the bums had the Satellite trunk completely stuffed full, with the fenderwells appearing to be three inches lower! When I threw a fit about it, they all just seemed to look off into the sky, or were so intent on their own vehicles that they couldn't help me out. By the time we rolled out of the gate, the light was fading and only the group of three working on the head gaskets, were left.
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515764
10/19/13 11:33 PM
10/19/13 11:33 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
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OP
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Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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The sound of rubbing tires, and the smell of superheated rubber was evident before we even made it two miles down the road. Rachael and I found a gas and convenience store 4 miles from the track, and pulled in, with Dale and James in the Gremlin, and Darren in the Charger behind us. Boone and Dad in the Barnyard, just motored right on by, blatantly ignoring us. After fueling up, and getting ice for the ice chests, I pulled over to a side parking lot, and started unloading everything from the trunk of the Satellite on the ground.
"What's up?", Darren walked over.
"Can't drive it like this, that passenger's side tire will be blown out in ten miles!" I pointed at the smear of molten rubber on the sidewall.
I had all the tools to pull the tire off, but the jack was in the Barnyard Viper, which was heading north down I-65 at the moment. So we handed Rachael the jack stand and the four of us muscled the B body into the air long enough for her to put it under the passenger's side rear frame rail. I just had the tire off, when the threesome of chevies we had left at the track pulled in to fuel up and be on their way.
I handed James my two pound sledge, and he made the necessary adjustments to the wheelwell, then we re-organized the load, and added some tire pressure. Dale led us onto I-65 North with the realization that we were the last Drag Weekers to leave Bowling Green, at least, out of those that were making out of Bowling Green!
The little AMC was surprisingly moving down the big road pretty good, and I was at 2900-3100 to keep up with him for the first 6 or 7 miles, then he backed it down to where I was 2700-3000. I could tell his converter didn't like the rolling hills though, as his speed would vary considerably.
Boone and Dad had found an Arby's just off the highway, so we ran about twenty miles, and then pulled over and had supper. We walked out into darkness, and decidedly cooler air, with the purpose of putting some miles behind us clearly on our minds.
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515765
10/20/13 11:15 AM
10/20/13 11:15 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
master
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Phoenix, AZ
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This comparison may not make sense for many, but despite my girth, I really enjoy long distance running, and there are many similarities between the way you tackle drag week, and the way you get through a marathon, or a 24 hour race.
It's important to stay in the moment, focus, and set small goals rather than get overwhelmed by the entirety of the task ahead of you. In Drag Week each instruction sheet for the drive includes two checkpoints where you must take pictures of your car to show you followed the route. these become a focus point on the drive, "Let's just get to the next checkpoint and we'll handle everything else from there" is a mantra that's used quite often! So Rachael and I pulled out of Arby's, and headed back onto I-65N intent upon finding a live bait shop roughly 70 miles up the road!
My phone rang almost as soon as I turned onto the ramp, it was Boone.
"We didn't buy gas earlier, and Dale wants to fill up too, so he can see where his mileage is. You guys go ahead, and let us know what you find up there!"
"Ok, Dale has a 5 gallon fuel jug with him right?"
"Yeah, so his plan is to run until the 5 gallon cell is empty, put the jug in the cell, then start figuring his next stop!"
"Might be slow going!"
"Probably, just let us know when you find the checkpoint."
By looking at the line by line instructions, with the mileage listed by each one, we were basically looking at a 44 mile detour off I-65 to get this picture. We jumped onto US-31W, and drove right past Fort Knox, it was probably quite a scenic little drive, for those who left at a decent hour! Rachael and I were just squinting at poorly lit businesses trying to read address numbers, to get our bearings. Once we arrived at Pepper Tackle, I called Boone, and they were about 15 miles behind us, so we decided to start chewing into the 107 miles to the next one!
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515766
10/20/13 11:18 AM
10/20/13 11:18 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,131
New Lenox IL
cudadon
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,131
New Lenox IL
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Billy maybe I am missing something, but it seems to me that the BV (truck) could haul some/all of that stuff better than your passenger car?  Keep up the fantastic tale that this adventure is! Thanks for letting me live it through your tale.  Don
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515768
10/20/13 11:47 AM
10/20/13 11:47 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
master
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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We were nearly back to the I-65 when we passed a silver fox body on the side of the road, the driver was sitting on the tongue of the trailer he was pulling with his shoulders slumped forward, and a forlorn look on his face, but he motioned us on as we slowed.
"He looks like his dog just died", Rachael commented.
"Or another credit card is getting smoked!" I added.
We were cruising down the big road once again, when we got the call that the boys had made their first checkpoint of Drag Week 2013...here we go!
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515769
10/20/13 12:49 PM
10/20/13 12:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
OP
master
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Phoenix, AZ
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Don,
The BV has the lightest rated SS springs under it, and they are 20 years old!
The second stop for a picture on our route, should have been fairly straight forward, as they dumped us back on US-31 North which basically runs parallel with I-65, but it's a divided highway, the crossing street signs are terribly small, and the business we were stopping at had all it's lights out, with only a county pole light out front! We passed it by two miles, then made our way back, finally pulling around the dirt road behind the business and easing up to a large 25 foot rocking chair. When Rachael and I got out to take our picture, it was eerily quiet, so we stretched, walked around a bit, and tried to get a picture that would show the chair and the car in the pitch blackness.
Then, like a scene out of a bad zombie movie, we were surrounded with activity! First, Eddie Miller and his Duster came rumbling into the parking area, followed by his buddy Luke, in his Maverick. We pulled up enough for them to get staged for pictures, then Eddie and I started talking about Ray, and Duster DJ, and the chevy boys and all the internet stuff that had preceded the event.
The conversation was going along great when Eddie said, "Is that Maschmeier?"
Sure enough the low, flat black 68 Camaro with the 4 inch side pipes was coming around the front of the building. Todd and Travis had no sooner extricated themselves from the menacing nitrous burner, than four, yes four of the local police cars pulled in with bright lights and spot lights lighting up the whole scene! Two other Drag Weekers had entered from the other direction, and were now trying to make their way near the rocking chair also! I looked at Rachael and said, "I think it's time for us to move on down the road"!
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: Drag Week 2013: The Experience
[Re: MoparBilly]
#1515770
10/20/13 01:06 PM
10/20/13 01:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,103
Tulsa OK
Bad340fish
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,103
Tulsa OK
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Quote:
Don,
The BV has the lightest rated SS springs under it, and they are 20 years old!
The second stop for a picture on our route, should have been fairly straight forward, as they dumped us back on US-31 North which basically runs parallel with I-65, but it's a divided highway, the crossing street signs are terribly small, and the business we were stopping at had all it's lights out, with only a county pole light out front! We passed it by two miles, then made our way back, finally pulling around the dirt road behind the business and easing up to a large 25 foot rocking chair. When Rachael and I got out to take our picture, it was eerily quiet, so we stretched, walked around a bit, and tried to get a picture that would show the chair and the car in the pitch blackness.
Then, like a scene out of a bad zombie movie, we were surrounded with activity! First, Eddie Miller and his Duster came rumbling into the parking area, followed by his buddy Luke, in his Maverick. We pulled up enough for them to get staged for pictures, then Eddie and I started talking about Ray, and Duster DJ, and the chevy boys and all the internet stuff that had preceded the event.
The conversation was going along great when Eddie said, "Is that Maschmeier?"
Sure enough the low, flat black 68 Camaro with the 4 inch side pipes was coming around the front of the building. Todd and Travis had no sooner extricated themselves from the menacing nitrous burner, than four, yes four of the local police cars pulled in with bright lights and spot lights lighting up the whole scene! Two other Drag Weekers had entered from the other direction, and were now trying to make their way near the rocking chair also! I looked at Rachael and said, "I think it's time for us to move on down the road"!
Only at drag week can you have a mini Elvis in an 8 second NA mopar, and a 7 second second camaro pull up along side you at a giant rocking chair in the middle of the night.
I opted to go with the taillights in my pic as this picture didn't look near this bright on my phone.
68 Barracuda Formula S 340
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DW 07 we had someone who was all lexan windowed up.Had to get him out of the car every 30 minutes.My original suggestion was a hole saw.After I saw the way they were installed it was an easy cure.Wasnt it Dale that I saw at a Midnight Madness at TRP before DW started?Priorities. LOL
