I’m still working my way through the day 5 replay.

Looks like the valiant hood got some action at the top end on Billy’s first pass....... don’t know if was an attachment/fastener issue or “something else”.

Also, a few pops and bangs out of his old challenger.

And......I’m still working through the day 5 replay....... but it looks like the clocks were pretty screwed up for at least some of the SE run offs.

Yes the clocks got all jacked up and they made us switch to 1/8th mile.

With a big event like this, they need to be 100% certain everything works, and have backup plans.

I got to Atlanta Dragway the friday before Drag Week, and I raced there saturday. The clocks were screwed up then. So they were aware of a problem, and they had time to fix it right, but apparently didn't. There is no excuse for that.

I finally got thru the day 5 replay.

I agree, it would have been nice if they would have addressed the issue with the timing system during the 4 days they had between day 1 and day 5.

Of the “post drag week” races they had, I enjoyed the quick 8’s and the stick shift race....... would have been better if they were 1/4 mile though(imo).

I’m amazed at how many mid-8 second passes those turbo SB guys can make in a day with no issues.

On another note, and I’m probably just being overly critical here...... but......

Not real impressed with the 2018 Demon performance, or the 797hp challenger that lohnes and Freiburger ran.

Anyone know the combo in Dean Kyle's yellow '70 cuda? Looks like he broke after day 3 I think.

I agree 100%, of the four tracks we were at Atlanta was my least favorite. Still a very nice facility, hotels were close, clean and spacious with good restrooms, but...

Another SME driver's wife heard a local talking in the timing tower and they said the clocks messed up everytime the weather turned hot.

Four or five concession stands and only one open with huge lines.

Four dollars for a bottle of water, it was two dollars Darlington. We bought a cooler and case of water for the last day and saved time, money and still have the cooler.

Except for the fact that is was slow, Bristol was our favorite.

My Two least favorite start tracks since I started participating? National Trail, and Atlanta. Both owned by the NHRA.

Atlanta Dragway had free water under the tower for racers, and crew. I told as many people as I could about it.

The timing issue as Joel said started on the Saturday night bracket race before Drag Week. The timers worked fine on time trials, like normal Drag Week. The issue was when the bracket race, and the timing couldn't figure out the stripe.

ZMax was a complete rip off. Bottled water for $5... Nice place, but really? ALL the tracks this year, were nice tracks I thought, or at least what little I saw of them. While it's cool to see new tracks at Drag Week, if you want to be a Class contender, you really do not have time to take much of it in. I couldn't tell you what the Darlington track looked like. Spent so little time looking down the lanes, and most of the day in the staging lanes.

another drag week lesson...always have at least a case of water bottles with you. I guess living in AZ like I do, it's just a natural thing to do.

I didn't have much time to think about the facilities at the various places, too busy fiddling with the car, etc. They all worked ok for me, maybe I just don't expect much?

Jim, hopefully at some point you’ll share some of the issues you were having with your car that prevented it from running to its potential.
I was pretty surprised to see it put up a “10” with a run that looked as bad as it did....... it sure seems like there’s a lot left in it.

I had no issues with the tracks other than the timing system at Atlanta. All in all, some great facilities, and we were treated very well. We drove right in each morning with no hassle, other than getting lost trying to find our way into Bristol, with multiple entrances. I'm happy that these facilities are available. I carry my own 1 gallon jug of water and refill it at any handy faucet. No $5 water bottles for me. I ate at the hotel in the morning, and tried to grab an apple and a bagel to pack for lunch. Plus the ladies in the tower had candy, so I mooched that. So I didn't have to wait in line or pay big $ to buy any track food.

I don’t know how you can get the full “experience” of each track without sampling the track food.🍔🍟🥤

I honestly didn't have time. I was either getting the car ready to race, in the staging lanes/on track, or getting the car ready for the street. Then gone. We didn't want to get to the hotel at dark:thirty every night.

Joel, I’ll be looking forward to reading your “tales from the track”, along with your plans for improvements for next year.

We did Rocky Mountain Race Week this year. My favorite part was having time to hang out at the track and not have to always be in go-go-go mode every day. Sucks to visit cool places and not even have time to soak it in.

Chip, The Yellow Cuda had a Ray Barton Hemi, but I don't know much beyond that.