Finally, some good good results!
04-27-2005, 10:11 PM
#1
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Finally, some good good results! For those of you I keep 
with my tales of carb'd bracket racing, this year has been an indeed humbling experience.
After getting shown the gate in the 2nd round at the NMCA opener race in Bradenton, FL the 1st week of April, I returned for the 1st of 4 weekends of racing at Gainesville.
1st weekend of points-I'm doing well, car makes 3 runs between 11.524 and 11.506 with lights no worse than .035. Little did I know what was awaiting me for 1st round.
1st round in the lane, with 6 pairs in front of me, I check the tires and find my right front is at 15 lbs (instead of the normal 30-34 lbs)!
Turns out the inner part of the valvestem had bent and caused a slow leak. I had to double time back to the pits and get an air bottle to refill, throw a dial on her, and barely make the front of the line where my opponent waited for me to suit up (a true gentleman). After only a thousandth difference on the tree, I took 7 hundredths of stripe to break out by .015 and lose! 
Last weekend was the opener Open Comp race for a 6 race series (sponsered by my buddies at Rollins Auto, and run similar to NMCA/NMRA open comp with a 5-tenths pro-tree and handicapped by a permanent dial-in of a tenth quicker than you fastest qualifying run). I was shown the gate after 1st round b/c my car won't cut a decent light on a 5-tenths pro-tree.
This past weekend was the 2nd points race. After going .029, .030, .010 and .010 reaction times in time runs, I felt I had a chance to go a few rounds.
Eliminations: I ripped off 7 passes between 11.450 and 11.412, along with 2 .00 and 3 .02 lights to win the footbrake class. But now the track combines the winner from footbrake and electronics to run for $1000. My competition: an 8 second dragster. We agreed to split the $1000 winner/$400 runner-up purse into $750/$650, and I proceed to go -.002 red
At least I made up some points and currently sit 2nd after 2 races. But I know I'll continue to have the bulls-eye on me after 2 great years at the same track.
This weekend is National Dragster Challenge, with each winner receiving a "Wally." I'm just hoping for a round win or 2.
Good luck to everyone racing this weekend, and sorry again I made this LONG!
Derek
with my tales of carb'd bracket racing, this year has been an indeed humbling experience.After getting shown the gate in the 2nd round at the NMCA opener race in Bradenton, FL the 1st week of April, I returned for the 1st of 4 weekends of racing at Gainesville.
1st weekend of points-I'm doing well, car makes 3 runs between 11.524 and 11.506 with lights no worse than .035. Little did I know what was awaiting me for 1st round.
1st round in the lane, with 6 pairs in front of me, I check the tires and find my right front is at 15 lbs (instead of the normal 30-34 lbs)!
Turns out the inner part of the valvestem had bent and caused a slow leak. I had to double time back to the pits and get an air bottle to refill, throw a dial on her, and barely make the front of the line where my opponent waited for me to suit up (a true gentleman). After only a thousandth difference on the tree, I took 7 hundredths of stripe to break out by .015 and lose! Last weekend was the opener Open Comp race for a 6 race series (sponsered by my buddies at Rollins Auto, and run similar to NMCA/NMRA open comp with a 5-tenths pro-tree and handicapped by a permanent dial-in of a tenth quicker than you fastest qualifying run). I was shown the gate after 1st round b/c my car won't cut a decent light on a 5-tenths pro-tree.
This past weekend was the 2nd points race. After going .029, .030, .010 and .010 reaction times in time runs, I felt I had a chance to go a few rounds.
Eliminations: I ripped off 7 passes between 11.450 and 11.412, along with 2 .00 and 3 .02 lights to win the footbrake class. But now the track combines the winner from footbrake and electronics to run for $1000. My competition: an 8 second dragster. We agreed to split the $1000 winner/$400 runner-up purse into $750/$650, and I proceed to go -.002 red
At least I made up some points and currently sit 2nd after 2 races. But I know I'll continue to have the bulls-eye on me after 2 great years at the same track.
This weekend is National Dragster Challenge, with each winner receiving a "Wally." I'm just hoping for a round win or 2.
Good luck to everyone racing this weekend, and sorry again I made this LONG!
Derek
Last edited by Villain281H; 04-27-2005 at 10:16 PM.
04-28-2005, 10:08 PM
#4
Congrats Derek. Freaking diggers, with their electronics they are almost impossible to beat unless you hit everything perfect. Good luck on your season. Hey I just realized I'm in 1st place at our track -- doesn't everyone start in 1st and work their way down (usually in my case). Our 1st points race is this weekend. Hopefully the SS is ready.
David
David
04-28-2005, 10:22 PM
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Coach,
Yep, bummer but I remember someone telling me a long time ago "If you don't red light every now and then you aren't trying hard enough."
David,
I'd rather work my way up from the bottom of the chart and be sneaky then be at or near the top and be aimed at all year. But being 1st, no matter what time you get it, is always a thing of beauty!
Good luck keeping it #1!
Yep, bummer but I remember someone telling me a long time ago "If you don't red light every now and then you aren't trying hard enough."
David,
I'd rather work my way up from the bottom of the chart and be sneaky then be at or near the top and be aimed at all year. But being 1st, no matter what time you get it, is always a thing of beauty!
Good luck keeping it #1! 