Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!!

Hiya Kids...Well, Here we are in April and for my birthday, I set a goal to have the Dragster ready to run. And run we did. A huge Thank You to my employers Steve & Pat Rezz from American Racing Supply & Universal Automotive for giving me a truly great birthday.

Steve said "Let's get that car out to the track" and so we both worked a half day and we loaded my car into the trailer and headed to the track. There was a scheduled Noon - 4  "Test & Tune" session which we had hoped to participate in. We got to the track and 2pm, but had to wait nearly 4 1/2 hours for the head of Tech to come over and certify the car.

Since we missed the "Test & Tune" session, we were offered 2 runs during the bracket race program. By the time we actually got to run, it was 9:15 pm...Steve and I were both exhausted and we made just 1 shot.

I have been having problems with the shifter since we broke it in 2010, and it is very hard to get it into gear and to shift in general. Once we got the car fired for the run, it did a heck of a burnout!, getting into reverse was tough but once I did Steve got me backed up straight and I was off and short but FUN 400 foot pass. It went straight, true and smooth!!!

After we packed up Steve asked of I would stay at the track with the trailer (trailers get stolen a lot here). I curled up in the back of my Titan and had  restful 3 hour rest. After a 16 dollar brekfast buffet at the truck stop, Steve picked up the trailer and home we went. It was a costly, but fun and memorable weekend.

Entry...................................$ 50.00
Pit Pass for Steve.................  15.00
Additional Pit Vehicle Pass...  20.00
Food & Drink......................  50.00
Chassis Certification.............180.00
5 Gallons Methanol..............  27.51
Generator Fuel.....................  15.00
---------------------------$ 357.51

1 - 16.39 second run....WORTH IT!....Cant wait to do it again!!! BTW, the last picture is of the thousands and thousands of grasshoppers / locusts flying all over the place...they got in everywhere, the car, the trailer, my truck...Crazy!!!

dave

Here We Go....Again?

Well folks, here it is, March 2013, I just got back from a trip to Hawaii with my now ex g/f and its time to get the car ready to race again. First thing was to lose some dead weight (see above...)... and do some clean-up and re-certification of safety equipment.

I had been trying to get the car started for a couple months, it would kick over but not start.. I was baffled because I couldn't figure it out. I decided upon advice from my braintrust to send the fuel pump out for a rebuild. I pulled the pump, and unhooked the main fuel line...Only to find a blue shop towel stuffed up and thoroughly blocking the # 12 line...(See Above) .Then I remembered...I had taken a handful of the blue paper towels and wiped out the inside of the fuel tank... Obviously, one detached and was drawn up into the main line...Well, once I got it cleaned out and re-installed I tried firing the car. There was some residual paper in the fuel system and it took a while to get it running...once it did and I tweaked the throttle a few times, all was well..

So next up is removing the Trans shield, Flex Plate shield and seat belts for re-certification. If I were still in Orlando, it likely wouldn't be a big deal...But, since "The Strip" in Las Vegas is a premier track with the NHRA, I have to step up and make sure it is all correct.

Once that is done I have to get the chassis "tagged",  get a physical and get licensed...I am geeked to be doing that out here. The reason may seem kind of silly...But growing up..I KNEW that all the top hitters came from California. The "Snake", Jeb Allen, James Warren, John Mulligan, Mike Sorokin, Gary Cochran, "Mongoose" were all from Division 7. So it's always been my dream to have my competition number start with the number "7" .

So, now it begins....I can hardly wait!!!