Tell Us About Setting A Record

[Steve Polhill]

Originally Posted by DYER

national records died when they didnt put them in national dragster anymore that one page of paper most have been a big savings !!

If they gave National record holders a $20 discount at Divisionals and a $50 discount at Nationals I bet you'd see people fight over them again.

But you are right. National record cost more than they are worth.

[cmracing]

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

I just finished our N/SA Dodge 150 Truck a couple weeks before
the Winters. about 10 years ago. My good friend(Dave Whitnack) and chassis builder/Crew Chief had just lost his son in a motorcycle accident. We had him go to the open in Vegas with us a drive the new truck and set a National Record. My son and I have set them before and we thought it might help him to do it.

The next week at the Winters....I drove it for the first time and I guess my
foot was a bit heavier. I got about 20 or 30 ft. and broke all the right rear
wheel studs of the axle and destroyed the Tree(And the Truck) and shut down the Winters!

And now you know the rest of the story

I still have that picture. THAT is the way to hit the tree! Just kidding. That day had to suck for you. I heard NHRA was pizzed at the Stockers after that happened, screw them!

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Steve Polhill

If they gave National record holders a $20 discount at Divisionals and a $50 discount at Nationals I bet you'd see people fight over them again.

But you are right. National record cost more than they are worth.

Once upon a time if you were a National Record Holder you got in for free to race.

Some Local tracks honored that and I can recall getting our entry back at a WCS race at Sanair. Pre entry was required.

[Casey Miles]

I set the National record in F/S in 1974,75 and I think 77, but it might be 1979. I had one of the fastest 69 Z/28's in the country, now I think I have the slowest. Go figure!

Casey Miles
248H Stock

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Casey Miles

I set the National record in F/S in 1974,75 and I think 77, but it might be 1979. I had one of the fastest 69 Z/28's in the country, now I think I have the slowest. Go figure!

Casey Miles
248H Stock

I watched your car and Larry Pritchett's Z28 a lot during those times. You inspired my choice for the '67 Z28.

[Ven302]

Have done this once or twice now, memorable ones were in Kentucky first outing with the Mustang ever! Eighth was a minimum, so why not try? We did and had a fabulous time. Two weeks later went to Indy Fall Classic and set the 1/4 Records, made a bunch of friends in the "barn" even though I really didn't have as much work to do as the others I hung around and chatted with them all. It was like the coolest place on earth. Everybody was happy and we were all there for a common goal confirmation that our stuff was fast and right! Met Ernie Neal, didn't understand his fascination until he told me of his years in SS/CS have been good friends ever since. To say that setting a record is intoxicating is an understatement, I have since encouraged many who thought they "should" to "do it" if you don't try you will never know! My absolute best was driving to Atco for one reason, drove all night alone, slept at the gate. Got in unloaded the car, teched and prepped the car, waited for some cars to make some passes. I think I made a pass at 1:30 and 3:30 to that end the fastest I had ever been, best sixty foot and on and on. Dave sealed the car and said come back in the morning to pump. I passed the tech/inspection, handshakes and a quick scribble map and I was on my way home. The nine hour drive home felt like ninety minutes, the phone calls and banter with all the friends who could not come with me. At the border I was asked if I had anything to declare and of course I said " I am an NHRA record holder!" Guard looked at me with the "what on earth are you talking about" stare and said have a nice day he probably thought I was the loon. Got home late friday night, and decided to take the car to a local Dragstrip Memories car show Saturday, still dirty still had the R on the window I was wiped out but you could not take the smile off my face! Records matter, and I rue the day that they no longer matter!

[Lyn Smith]

I have a couple of National Record stories.First is a Record setting story.Second is a attempt story.Back in June 1978 I took my 71 Buick 455 G/SA Buick to Bunker Hill Indiana to a National Open where National records could be set.Neat little track with a lot of History. Track is still open today. If I remember correctly the scales were across the street at a defunct circle track,and speaking of the scales they were racer friendly to the tune of about 75 pounds.LOL That helped me set my first National Record at 7.82 88.14 MPH..The second story doesn't go so good.Had borrowed my buddy Bobby Dee Myers 1971 Buick Sport wagon to race at the Edgewater Ohio NHRA points race.It was real fast there so I called him and asked if I should attempt to set the record.He said "go ahead, but the new cam is real close on lift". We ran quick enough to get the record,and tear down would be after the first round of eliminations on Saturday night.That's when things started down hill. I had a heads up with a slower O/SA, car but got beat with a bad light. So we went to the onsite tear down barn and a friend I had with me started to tear the engine down and loosened up the fuel line enough to drain some fuel on the intake, then promptly arced a wrench against the + cable on the alternator.We hadn't been there 2 minutes and we had the borrowed car on fire.LOL Luckily there was a fire extinguisher near by. Long story short the cam didn't check and the record attempt was denied. Just another bad racing weekend that most every racer has.LOL

[Ed Wright]

We used to get points for setting records. Of course, we ran off the records then, no dialing. If we bumped our own ET record, we got 100 points. Winning a round at a points race was 100. Setting the MPH record held by someone else was also 100. Taking the ET record from another person was 200, like winning two rounds of eliminations.