Well, it was quite an event yesterday. Weather was about 59deg. but the recent rains had left the entire complex, a large pond and mud bog. The turnout was amazing for a Jan. inagural race, everyone was having to find a spot to park on the concrete and this caused lot's of congestion on the return roads etc. Boocoo, racers from surrounding states. Just goes to show how much we crave to race again. Got the 347 off the trailer and chgd. oil after warm-up(had condensation from high humidity lately) With so many entrants, only got two time trials instead of the usual three. The wait in the staging lanes was almost and hour each run, just in our class. Wanted to do a "easy" first run to see if all the mod's I had done to the car such as rear disc's and the newly built stroker, were up to snuff. Also we were running 1/8th mile instead of our regular 1000ft. With the increase in cube's and new cam and higher stall converter, took a bit of learning to make it work. First pass was a 6.89 at 101mph, feathering it. The light sucked, as not setting the launch rpm's correctly etc. Second pass, decided to let it all hang out and go for the gusto to get an idea what to dial for the first elimination. Mind you, this was on a new engine and tranny with an old guy at the wheel. Ran a 6.80 at 101mph, had a .596 light which was way better than the first fiasco. Decided to put a 6.78 on the dial board, drew a Firebird from Ft. Smith, who I have raced many times and the win numbers are in his favor(killer on the tree and it runs on the number most times). Came up a few r's to see if I could tree him, he had a 7.something for his dial and left first. This old guy pulls a .511 and blow by him fast enough to lift at the 1/8th, 6.80. "My God, I won" Feeling a bit cocky and using some old calculations on the slowly dropping temps( first elimination was 2:00pm and is now almost 4:00, so I chg. from a 6.78 to a 6.75 on a guess what the old girl will run. Being a pro/street combo, I draw a nice clean Ranchero with 8+ dial in. Also with my previous run and win with good number's, had the best pkg. and got the bye run but ended up with odd number of cars, so I had to run the Ranchero. Do the same consistent burnout and staging deal, except I got a little heavy on the gas pedal and the Mont moved foward ever so slightly. Yep, .488 red bulb with a 6.78 run at 102mph and done for the day. Figure it would have been a bit closer on the 6.75 if I had not bumped in a bit. Was getting dark anyway and having to pull home alone is not in the general public's or my safety zone. Made it ok and was still satisfied with the results. The big let down was the new schedule that was handed out for this coming spring, the track management has cut the bracket race days for the entire year in half and is concentrating on the Saturday night heads up racers. This puts a whole new picture on my future racing plans, to compete in heads up, other than street stock, it is who has the most money and not so much driving techniques, as in brackets, which takes money also but not as much as those four and five second 10.5 guys spend. And in my opinion, there is more cheating going on, than in brackts. Am really down this AM over this change and may have to do some serious thinking on it.
Damn dave, looks like the car is doing good, sucks they cut out the brackets to 1/2... looks like we'll be racing the new fair grounds when they get it done, or the long haul to Prescott. I know I sure cant compete in the door slammer 10.5 class, even tho my car is 100% streetable, I just dont have the motor.
well dave, sounds like the car is going to be consistent and quick so hopefully you'll have a good season. my season starts next saturday. fired the freshened motor yesterday. our track in tucson was just leased to 3 or 4 guys that are racers so we'll have to see what adjustments are to be made there. the summit series races schedule has been set already. but hopefully there will be a lot more racing there. guess we wait and see. glad the car worked good for you.
Great numbers, Dave! Sounds like that new 347 is a screamer - only to get even quicker with more tuning/seat time.
I doubt that anything will be done at the fairgrounds. There has been here-say and rumors floating around, but so far NOTHING has been done...and the rumors & here-say are from unreliable sources. One of those sources even supposedly goes to church with the people who are in charge of the race track; and for at least 3 years now the same things have been said over & over again with NO changes whatsoever. I've only been there once, had a good time driving street cars (nissan Xterra and a Maxima), and saw but a handfull of "real" race cars. Most of the race cars weren't running the full length of the track either as slowing down was a challenge. I think the fastest car there was a S10 pickup that was running 6-teens in 500'. Besides, there is simply NOT enough room to expand that track to a full 1/4 mile...or for that matter even a full 1/8 mile with room to shut down...unless there is some more property that I don't know about. I'm not a heads up racer at all. Heads up has boiled down to who can build the fastest car, which means whoever spends the most money is usually in the finals. Judging by what I've seen on Sat. nights, I can't afford that stuff. There are $100,000 race cars that consistently win rounds and with my POS Maverick, I don't think I can even compete with those 4.8X timeslips. Plus, I work saturdays and I dont see that changing anytime soon. IMO, cutting back the bracket program is just a kick in the nuts for the regular bracket racers who have built that facility up to what it is today. It all boils down to GREED. They are greedy for the money that is made by sat. night racing (because they don't pay out a dime) as compared to bracket programs which pay a regular payout, which sucks, but it's better than nothing. It's been proven time & time again that cutting the bracket program also cuts the sat. night car count. The end is near for them, IMO. It's ok though....maybe someone can lease/buy the place that knows how to run a drag race facility correctly.
Great new on the engine, Don. I think the old girl has another tenth in her when the thing get's some time on her, too. By the way Andy, I am just calculating from the new schedule, that the number of bracket points race's, is going to be half of the norm. This is not carved in stone, but several years of rumors to that, looks like it is going to happen. Also rumor of closing down in August, for awhile when the heat and humidity are so oppressive. In response to Mavman's comments on the reasoning behind this change, must look at it from owner's side too. It is a business, and to stay profitable, some changes must be made. We have all been lucky to have raced on a consistent basis, for the last 14 years, with little regret's. But the owner's are looking at their future and as the old saying goe's "It is their game and they can set the rule's" My concern is a bit one sided, because my future racing endeavors, are limited by age and monetary issue's. Beside's that, you know that I get crabby and cranky when things are not as I think they should be. Good Lord, the whole world is on the verge of chaos, and it pee's me off, that I can't change much of it, for the better. Life is a bitch, and we must live with and adjust to change. Our forefather's, probably sat around the pot belly stove and said similiar things, about the new Model T's and such, never replacing the horse and buggy. But they did and things are better, because of Mr. Ford's effort's. Hell, some even said the Maverick would be a farce, just like the Edsel. But they were wrong and I hope I am too on this racin deal.
I hope they change the schedule back... Im a bracket racer by heart. Only thing I can win at legally. Sure, I've kicked butt and taken names on the street w/ my old truck but not at the track in heads up. Your right on the money issue. they make a killing on saturday due to a million high school kids showing up, and at $5 to watch and $10 to run, plus the consession they are making pure profit considering teh trophies you win are about $10 a piece. The brackets are more fun to watch and race in my opinon as you can tell who wins a heads up usually by the first 60'... but not in bracket. Its all a mind game. Maybe there will be a new track open up thats worth a crap, or they will fix the bracket racing there. To be quite honest, i think part of the sunday thing is being cut due to one certain racer not racing anymore. Not mentioning names... but Todd and Dave know exactly who I am talking about. The guy only bracket raced there and help sponser certain things, and he isn't doing that anymore
Went to Ernies and got the info as it should be. They are not cutting back on bracket racing, just the number of points races. The remaining open dates will be combo races like we had Saturday. So we can still race all we want, also the combo's will be 1/8th mile and even maybe the point races also. Rumors are all out of whack on is going on. Glad we can still race all we want and still have a chance at winning.
we only have 8 points races at tucson. this allows me to also race the 8 points races at firebird also. so i'm scheduled usually for about 2 weekends a month and if i want there's always races on the other 2 weekends. i try to let the wife have a couple of weekends for what she wants to do. keeps everyone happy.
The wife was kinda happy when I ranted and raved about only having half as many races to go to this year. Was doing the same thing you mentioned to keep the lid on things around here. Now I am going to break the news tonight that the same racing dates are still filled for me to go play. Got a month to smooth things over and take her somewhere to enjoy. Probably try one weekend this spring in Branson. Only about 3hr drive from here, been there many times, but we really like the place and something always new to see each time. ESPN is supposed to do a series on our track starting in Feb. Don't know any details yet, but will keep you informed. Being it is the 15th year the present family has owned and operated it, and we have been there for fourteen of them, maybe they will do a piece onTodd's Maverick that has been raced there from the get go. Hope they get the oldest driver still racing, who is 74yrs young this month, on too. Good story on his life and racing starting at Orange County, California. Come to think of it, I may be the second oldest, there EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!! PS: Got a fellow that comes and races once or twice a year with us, from Oklahoma. "Pops" Carter. Has a neat older built 60 Corvette tube car. He is 84yrs young, and comes alone and can haul the mail in Super Pro. Maverick Dan probably can tell more about him.
Glad to hear they are still letting the brackets go like they are supposed to. Still kinda sucks about the non points races, but who knows, it may bring in more people or it may take away some... only time will tell The ESPN thing will be great if it actually happens. I have no clue what you guys mean about going to the races and getting griped at for it? lol my ex wife started to gripe after i quit taking her with me. lol My new fiancee was mad when I sold the Comet, but wants to go to the races with me regardless so she's very supportive in the matter
don't get me wrong. my wife dosen't gripe. she's very supportive of my racing. and i'm smrt enough to want to keep it that way.
Must be nice. Last girl I dated gave me the ultimatum....either take her out on sundays or go racing. Well, I'm still racing. New one...she came to the races once and now she wants to drive. She doesn't want to watch, just race. In a way, IF the season changes hold out like I'm understanding they will, it should be neat. I like the idea of less stress chasing points and having more FUN. Got some more work done today. I was totally excited when Brown truck showed up. I had to make a trip to the UPS place early this morning to pick up a deck lid & spoiler...came off of Bob Johnson's old Pro Stock Maverick. Anyone remember him or that car? I am the proud new owner of some of his old parts. Also got me a primer/plus dealie...that lets you idle on gas (normally runs methanol only) which saves a bunch of meth in a day's races and heats the motor up quicker.
Glad to see you finally got your parts in. Im waiting for the big brown truck to show up at my house also, and more funs to buy some headers, even used ones. Hopefully if weather keeps up nicely and money goes like it should. I will be up there by the end of febuary. Hopefully I can get my 8.8 rearend, so i can put some actual wide tires on it instead of the 14x6s on it now
