Well, this is tough. Called my brothers yesterday, spoke to them at length, they encouraged me to carry on. I cannot overstate how important family is to the whole Drag Week experience. Husbands and Wives, Fathers and Sons, Mothers and Daughters, Brothers, multiple cars, or riding together, it's the norm, not the exception. The family interaction, battling mechanical and logistics problems, head on, together, is what gives the event the emotional juice, the palpable texture that draws us back again and again.
We make friends, and we form bonds, that are hard to replicate in everyday social settings. We also feel loss, and pain, when those bonds are broken, or our friends suffer setbacks or tragedy.
The emotional risk/reward equation is no more complex than the mechanical. Sharing this journey with people who share the same passions is awesome, wringing out your car on the track, while depending on it to get you across the street or to the next town, is exhilarating. You feel, you FEEL! We become numb to the routine, numb to our co-workers, and our surroundings, and sometimes it takes horsepower, friends, and the open road to shake that off! Then tragedy strikes, and you lose someone who shared that journey with you, then you long for the insulation of everyday life, long for the dullness, and the numb.
It's good to feel, it's great to care, even when it hurts. I didn't get a chance to talk with Dillon Ogle this year. I look forward to meeting him next year and telling him face to face how much I liked his Dad, and miss the opportunity to get to know him better. I cherish the memories I've made with my daughter on Drag Week, so I take solace in the fact that Jason and Dillon shared that as well.

Well said Billy.

You remember the old concessionaire's call-out, "You can't tell the players without a scorecard"? Drag Week exemplifies that, as every year we have about 90-100 rookies, and even the veterans are switching cars or classes. Boone and I had a print-out of the pre-entries, so we were consulting it, and comparing the numbers to the sea of cars filtering through.
"Have you seen the Horns", he squinted into the infield.
"Nope, and I've made several loops around, no way that Challenger could hide from me".
"So the Super Street Small Block Normally Aspirated Champ from 2014, pre-entered, and is a no-show?"
"Looks like it. It's a long time from late April to September...reminds me of those big Marathons that give you a discount if you sign up early, knowing many of those people aren't going to make the race", I answered.
"Yeah. How about Cornman?"
"The Demon? He's here to rough up the Street Race Small Block Normally Aspirated boys again."
"I'm not so sure, there's like five guys claiming to be in the nines", Boone shook his head.
"Well, he can run that fast, so he'll be in the hunt".
"Who else has a Mopar that you haven't seen, or don't know? I looked at him as he perused the list.
"Clint Livengood, 71 Duster, black."
"Nope, not here...it's a little rough around the edges, big block, back half, fenderwell exit headers, with exhaust down the rocker sill like mine. I've been looking for him".
"How do you know so much about a car that's never ran DW?"
"He's pre-entered in Pro-Street Normally Aspirated, same as I am, so I did some facebook stalking..."
"You've ran Modified every time with the Valiant", he cut me off with a flip of the papers, "Why a switch to Pro Street?"
"Did you look at the new rules? Modified can run lexan, non-stock dash, no bumpers, and no weight limit, it's basically small tire unlimited! Anybody could build a lightweight tin can, and crush that class!"
"Like Dale's Gremlin!" He gave me a toothy grin.
"Exactly...only the next guy might actually bring a real engine!"
"But...the pre-entry numbers favor Modified to be a softer class".
"All I know is last year, I finished fourth with a 10.88 average, and Darren finished third, and won a plaque, with an 11.26 in PSNA, so I'm going to try it."
"Those tires technically aren't big enough", he began to protest.
"I know...but they are bias ply, they fill up the fender-well, the car has aluminum tubs visible on the inside of the car, small as they may be, so I should be able to sneak in.
"Any other thing to worry about?"
"Well...they wrote a specific rule about every car in NA, cannot have any power adder parts at all, and I always leave my plate and solenoids on, just no bottle in the car..."
"Probably wrote that in after you bragged about spraying during the shootout in last years story!" Boone was laughing at me now, "you are your own worst enemy!"
I know, I know, you're supposed to write the tell-all book AFTER you retire from the game...I just can't help myself!"
"Ok...we've got Darryl Johnson, 70 Plymouth Dust..."
"Nope, that's DusterDJ! They were just getting the new Hemi on the dyno before I left Phoenix!"
"How many years in a row has he missed?"
"A bunch, he's a having a major race with Mr. P-body, and I'm not giving odds on that one for nothing!"
"Next up is David Meyer, Blue 66 Belvedere, Super Street Power Adder."
"Where from? I need more."
"Pittsburgh, PA", Boone was smiling, knowing I was stumped.
"Holy crud...that's Northern Bel! No way Troy would've let him take that on Drag Week!!"
"Northern Bel? Who's Troy..." Boone looked at me, puzzled.
"Troy Trepanier, Rad Rides by Troy, he's building it, Stock looking on the outside, 572 TT Hemi on the inside...think Urban's green Nova, only show car, not ratty! Way too nice for Drag Week, that baby will be headed straight for SEMA!"
"How do you know so much about it, if it hasn't even been shown yet?"
"Are you kidding, Troy's been calling me every other day asking for advice, I've had to hold his hand through the entire build!"
Boone started laughing before I got the sentence fully out, despite my best effort at a straight face, "Now I KNOW you're full of crap!"

"Did you see Addie, and Gary Ross' Falcon Wagon today?" I pointed back at them as I mentioned it to Boone.
"Yeah, the woodgrain? Very cool, and it's Adalie this year".
"What's up with that?"
"Well, she's growing out of those childish nick names, I suppose." Boone smiled.
"Or maybe they are twins, and only one gets to make the trip each year...which one is better looking", I added with a laugh.
"Well...Adalie, of course...she's a year older...and blossoming into a stunning young woman..."
"Gary will cut you with a knife if he hears you talking like that!" I gave him an elbow.
Now his smile was a full on, ear to ear grin, and he chuckled, "I meant it in a distinguished gentlemanly sort of way", he protested.
"Keep it up, as a father of two daughters, I might cut you!"
"Did you see their class letter...Street Machine Eliminator, and it has a bottle this year!" Boone deftly changed the subject.
My shoulders slumped, "Yeah I know. They changed the name from Daily Driver to Street Machine Eliminator, and dropped the minimum ET from 10.80 to 10.00, and as soon as the rules were released, everyone complained that they have killed the no-bar cars from making the quick 32. I screamed from the highest mountain, and on multiple websites that they were over-reacting. I spelled out how the numbers don't support that big of a move. What I didn't count on was how many class cars would make the move to Street Machine Eliminator...was it the name change, or the ET? I don't know but it looks pretty tough for the 11.50 cars already!"

Top pic: Addie in 2014
Bottom pic: Adalie in 2015

That car is DEADLY.Always like the long roof cars that have gone on DW.That one,Prospero's and ShowCar Frank Sapanaros cars have caused me to have a soft spot for wagons.IM thinking a Gebhart needs to bring a Pentastar wagon to DW.

Good stuff sir. Here's my pictures. If you need a copy, let me know.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hemipwr70/sets/72157658402017589



Ryan

Speaking of long roofs...
Kelvin Poe's 61 Tempest Wagon on late model GTO chassis.

Top pic: 2014
Bottom pic: 2015

People were upset when he admitted the patina had to go, imagine what they thought when he ditched a set of doors as well!

Been debating restoring the Dart. If so Probly going to be Kelvin doing it.An honest paint and body guy.He told me he didn't want to do it.Only original once.

Holy crap, I didn't even notice that he made it a two door, I just though he painted it lol.

Dad and I talked to him last year about the patina. Everybody loved it but Patina isn't a good thing to have when your a paint and body guy for a living.

The one thing you can count on, year after year, is that Michigan's own Rick Callahan is going to show up with a beautiful 68/69 B Body. Which B-Body, well sometimes he doesn't even know, as many times the car he pre-enters is not the one he shows up with. I was always a fan of his absolutely stunning maroon 68 Road Runner, but the last few years he's been on a Factory Appearing Stock Tire kick, bringing Hemi power and Dave Dudek with him.

In 2014 it was a Super Bee.
In 2015 a Road Runner.

We were getting closer to tech, I was seated in the Valiant with the door open, and decided to make sure I was ready. I remembered that I had wired the horn to a shared button...but now I couldn't remember which way I did it. I tried several, and was frozen in thought with a dumbfounded look on my face when Jim Forbes (Squirrel) bent over and looked at me with a knowing smile.
"It's the horn, isn't it? It's always the horn!" Jim shook his head
Busted, just like that, so I had to explain what I'd done.
"How was the trip up from Sierra Vista", I asked him.
Jim and his son had driven their Drag Week car, his blown 427 AWB 62 Chevy II, all the way from home in AZ to the starting drag strip in St. Louis, no support vehicle or trailer required (hopefully). A feat also matched by Troy Clark in his twin turbo 30 model A coupe from Phoenix. I love my fellow AZ drag weekers, but that's just crazy! Boone and I did it in 2006, and we were only 500 miles from the start...never again.
"It went well", He replied, "We took our time, hung out with some drag weekers, used their shop to do some maintenance, it was nice".
We chatted for a few minutes more, then he moved up the line. The next button and toggle switch combo I tried was the right one, the horn beeped,
Jim gave me a thumbs up as he walked without even turning to look.

Keith Turk was the first part of the tech gauntlet, he was in charge of class designation. He hasn't been as involved with Drag Week as much the last few years, and frankly, it's suffered without it's Napoleon. He's not always right, but he's official.
"What class you runnin', Sugar Britches?" He asked me with his usual toothy grin and a hand shake. Despite his upbeat demeanor, he was looking pretty haggard, and worn down...it had been a long day for all of us.
"Going for Pro Street Normally Aspirated", I tried to project an amount of certainty.
"You should've brought more car if you want to tangle with them boys", he observed, looking down the side of the Valiant, with his head slightly cocked to one side.
"I brought all I had, Keith!"
"Good enough for me! Pull up to this next spot, and those two will check your lights and horn, then Tonya will need your registration."
First rung on the ladder, done. Pulled the light switch, blinker handle up, then down, step on the brake, hit the horn button again, rung number two completed.
The headlight checker stuck his head in the window, "Pull up under the pavilion, and the NHRA tech guy will be with you in a minute...we're kinda in a delay because he's certing the chassis for one of the Aussies!"

"Sorry about the delay", the Gateway NHRA tech offered as he took my registration sheet from my hand.
"Don't mind at all", I motioned towards the Brian Jensen's Torana (think Australian for "ugly vega") "I just think it's cool you took the time to do that for them, I appreciate that".
"Aw heck", he smiled, and reddened a bit, "I couldn't let them get this far, and not be able to run the car all out because of one little sticker!"
He paused, and looked down at my sheet, I had pre-checked the 10.00 box...you know, just to help out a little...
"Ok, ok, you got a helmet and jacket?"
I pulled the foam back on my helmet and showed him the snell rating, then held up the three layer jacket.
"Seat belts up to date?"
I flipped up the harness for his perusal.
"Great...you're good!" He signed off on my sheet and handed it back. I pulled up one more car length, handed my registration and insurance to Tonya Turk, and she gave out instructions to the guys about what numbers to affix to my front and back glass.
That was it, I shot out the other side of that pavilion like gas through a funnel, eggs through a hen! Ok...not really, but any time you get the chance to use a line from Wolf Creek Pass, you should probably take advantage of it (youtube it, young folks, it's a song).

I know, I know, twenty days and 24 posts and this guy hasn't even made it through tech/registration yet! Bear with me, the setup is important, and I warned you, there were so many storylines to follow, and I'm not willing to narrow the focus this early in the process. Also, you can blame Bob Brehm, for taking so many quality photos, and I'm looking for excuses to share as many of them as possible with you.

Robert Reynolds (6pak2go/moparts) was all set to bring his amazing 67 Barracuda for Street Race Big Block Normally Aspirated this year after running out of time to finish it before the 2014 edition. Last year, he settled for taking his Ram R/T instead, and completed the event. He had even recruited a young, energetic gearhead to ride shotgun with him, plans were made, motels booked, vacations scheduled, green lights all around. Then a week or so before their planned departure, on a road test of the four gear beast, a cylinder head developed a crack, and pumped all the coolant out the exhaust. They decided to make the trip without the car, and had been visiting with me off and on all day. I was surprised he wasn't going to run the truck again, but as he explained, with the new tire rule, he wasn't going to buy drag radials for it, and the whole "been there, done that, nothing to prove feel". I was nearly through the tech process when I realized neither of them would have wristbands to get in each day since he chose not to enter, so I volunteered for them to sign on as our passengers.
We were standing in line to fill out the waiver and get our bands when Robert unexpectedly mentioned, "Yeah, if Aaron here rides with you, he'll have a chance to get the real experience, instead of just following around in a new truck".
I was just trying to get them arm bands, and had no intention of stealing his sidekick, but I've pretty much made it known that I hate doing Drag Week solo, so that was fine with me.
"Sure Robert", I smiled, "I'll break the kid in for you...so you will have a proper trunk monkey next year!
27 is not really a kid, and he struck me as well educated, well spoken, and most of all willing, so in a few minutes of offhand conversation, I had a co-driver...now I just had to hope he wouldn't bail once he realized the passenger's side seatbelt was still on my "to do" list!

Top pic: Reynolds' Barracuda
Bottom pic: Brian and Dianne Jensen's 77 Holden Torana SS

Blame me for all the pics that Brehm took.He and my brother were classmates in high school.Bob has ridden with me 3 different DragWeeks.This year he took thousands of pics.You are correct about getting the story setup correctly.

"Sure Robert", I smiled, "I'll break the kid in for you...so you will have a proper trunk monkey next year!

And a fine job you did! Aaron was in gear head Nirvana. He really enjoyed helping where he could. He was scheming to get a Dart for a DW project all the way home, lol!

Hold on to your seats folks, he just getting started!

With arm bands secured, I was directed to the Gear Vendors motor home, to get my windshield banner, and the Hot Rod T-shirt vendor for my event t-shirt. Knowing how quick they sell out of big guy sizes, I went ahead and picked out three of the other Drag Week designs as well. Most of our group had cleared the pavilion by the time I returned to the Valiant. Darren was last in the Charger, and when he got out, I could tell he was ready to bite someone's head off.
"Keith's a freaking idiot! He says I can't run my tires, because they're treaded!"
"I read the rule a hundred times", I explained to him, "It says no CONVENTIONAL treaded tires...there is nothing conventional about M/T Sportsman Pros...they're a soft compound, bias ply, wrinkle wall tire!"
"That's what I told the moron...but he just kept repeating 'treaded, treaded', I wanted to pop him in the mouth! Where the heck is DF, or Lonnie, I need to talk to someone else."
"I brought that pair of M/T radials with me, we'll just have to get them mounted", I offered. I would argue his point tomorrow if we had no option, but you have to pick your fights, at the right time, and right place. The end of the day, when everyone was worn out, wasn't it. He seemed to be mollified by the fact we had an alternative, and headed off to get his banner.
"What did they say about the nitrous plate", Boone asked me once everything had settled down.
"Uh...well", I shrugged, and looked over towards the Valiant, "Now that I think about it, I went all the way through tech and never raised the hood!"

LOL

Robert and Aaron helped Rachael and I put our windshield banners on, and everyone had cycled through the process of t-shirts, then goodie bags. We were just basically standing around chatting, when John looked around and mentioned, "don't you think we should get back to our pit spots, and start getting ready for tomorrow, we still have plenty to do".
"Yeah", Dale quickly agreed, "I'd still like to get a test hit or two tonight if I can".
I groaned audibly, but kept my comments to myself as we loaded up in our cars. Secretly, I was hoping Dale wasn't serious, we had plenty to do without beating on stuff.
Aaron jumped into the passenger's seat of the Valiant, made a quick assessment, and said nothing. We made it about half way around the outside of the oval, and he finally said, "I'm not going to call my mom and tell her I'm riding with you instead of Robert. Her first question would be about seat belts, and I'd hate to be forced to lie to her!"
"It's on the list", I shrugged.
"Duly noted", he laughed.
First hurdle cleared.

Once back in the pits, the preparations started in earnest. I decided to take the alternator off the Belvedere, and put it on the Valiant, so I could be sure it was good. I put Rachael and Skippy on the Belvedere, while I started removing the one from the Valiant. The long alternator bolt wouldn't clear one of my electric fans, and the bolts on the individual fan were spinning in the bracket.
"Let's just pull the entire set of fans loose from the radiator", John suggested, as he peered into engine compartment from my right side.
"That could get ugly in a hurry", I protested, "I don't want to take the car half apart!"
"Naw, come on, it's just a couple of bolts, then we'll slide it down and get that alternator out". He started grabbing wrenches off the inner fender, and I realized he wasn't going to be run off this time.

I met Troy Clark on his way to DW almost by accident. Jim Forbes (squirrel) txt'd me and said he and his son were in town, so I ran over to see them. When I arrived, Troy was in the parking lot of the same hotel. I introduced myself and then Jim and his son came out and we bs'd until late. The next day, I found Troy at a local O'Reilly's with dang near the whole top end of his SBF apart. He was grooving roller lifters in an attempt to get some top end oiling because he was burning up pushrods. It worked and he made it to DW only to succumb to a trashed roller cam on Day 1.