"They always run best just before they break.."

I heard that axiom quite a few times yesterday... first competitive race of the season yesterday. Not registered for the Friday classes but thought it would be good to get some more real practice runs before my Saturday classes and Sunday King Street. Air was decent (if not dam cold!) and time trials were good ran back to back 11.82x's and got my stumble out of the hole sorted out when leaving off the 2-step (jet extensions and notched float and it turned out the original float was set way too low)...

first round eliminations and it was getting colder with the sun going down... lined up next to an old '54(?) Desoto with a 18.86 dial in against my 11.80 dial in (I fully expected to run 11.79 all out)... waited a couple seconds after the desoto left to mash the gas into the 2-step but was still sitting there 4 seconds or so on the torque converter.

Left like a bat out of hell with my best ever 60' (1.677) but didn't make it much further than that... lost power and some backfiring... checked gauges and switches (all good) and killed the key.... coasted the rest of the way hugging the wall and didn't see any fluids behind me... just as I was about to "take the stripe :) " the crew on the ATV passed me and got there first (they could have at least let me run it out :LOL: )

Was really worried (first time I busted on the track) pulled the valve covers and was at least sort of relieved I tore a rocker clean off the stud :eek: big chunk missing out of the base (at least I didn't drop a valve)...

Buddy helped me pick it up this morning with his trailer and hauled it to my engine builder who had a set waiting (and to find the missing chunk :whacked: ). Races today got SNOWED out so at least I'm not behind in the points chase and it looks like I'll make the King Street race tomorrow.

I think I'm one point closer to getting the wife convinced we need a trailer and a truck to pull it :D

Thanks for listening...

-Chris

Breaking is never lucky, but that was about as close to lucky as you can get!!!!!! Hope you have a better day tomorrow....

Bummer........But at least you were local. We towed from So. Cal. all the way to Brandimere (1000 miles one way), and "broke a cam" in the first round, then towed back home. Fix it, and go get'em.

Have fun

trailers sure do take a huge burdon off your back. Mostly if you drive your racer to the track, rolling the dice there. The faster you go the more you tear up!!!!!!!

Yup... these race weekends would be much less stressful without having to worry about getting the car back and forth. Main problem now is finding a place to keep a trailer with the HOA Nazis around here I don't have many good options...

So after looking at the set of stocker rockers my engine guy had on hand we determined they were pretty much junk so we borrowed a spare from one of his buddies/customers who had a couple extras. So now I have one big red aluminum rocker amongst a bunch of small grey steel ones... It's a pretty funny sight :LOL:

In time trials ran three personal bests in a row... the air was cold and very good compared to what we usually get up here... cracked off 11.75, 11.71 and a 11.675 in succession (I was shocked to see that 6 on there :D ) Previous best was 11.799 with a very stiff tail wind.

First round of eliminations by some twist of fate I got laddered against the guy whose spare rocker made its way onto my motor late the night before :LOL: ... With my crummy reaction and car missing the dial I sure tried to make up the favor but he went red chasing me down :HMMM:

Anyhow, car was great and I got lucky a couple of times but got eliminated second round in two different classes...

-Chris

I just figured out how to edit and post videos so here's a little montage of the happenings last weekend... enjoy:

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/F...ter_159857.htm

-Chris