LIVE from Piedmont
 

Well, TRYING to be live from Piedmont... Been sitting in the parking lot formerly known as US220 in Asheboro for 10 min. Was dead stop, now crawling a little finally. Maybe?

Trying to make the Test n' Tune tonight to try some stuff with the Duck Tape Jr. It is absolutely gorgeous out, mid 70's, mostly sunny w/ a cool breeze. More later hopefully!

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Be there later tonite.
Heard over 125 cars already there.....

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Good Luck this weekend!!:)

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Just been told that 220N is going to continue to be a parking lot until about 5:45pm. They didn't say what the deal-io is. I happen to be right at an interchange, almost at the underpass, completely stuck, with no outs. Some cars have been able to squeeze a 180 and get back to the exit, but there's no room to turn the trailer around. Yippie. Shut the truck off to save the gold-plated gas.

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

We may beat you there now MIke and we ain't even left yet.....
Looks like parking before the ticket gate...
At least it will be quiet out there....lol
Be carefull dude...

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Moved a 1/4mile, then parking lot status resumed. Passed a fire engine in the median, but no sign of why it had been there. (Gone now). Someone has gone back to a Horseless Carriage, but he's just as stuck as the rest of us. ;)

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

After a 2hr delay and long backtracking detour, finally made it here, and made 4 passes about round-robin. Started out with a brisk tailwind, tapering off as the night went on. Packed pits, and I see they got some nice grass to grow along the back row. Place looks great.

Weather at end of T'n'T... 74.9 F, 27%, 29.11 Baro, 2160 DA.

Off to enjoy the sizable repast offered by the track... Block Party! Ortiz is missin' it....

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Stock is in the lanes for Q1, weather at beginning of rnd: 60.9 F, 55%, 29.33, 1077' DA

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Q1 weather 62.7 F, 51%, 29.33, 1187' DA
Q2 weather 71.2 F, 39%, 29.31, 1764' DA
(Sorry, low signal here, ate up the phone battery). Chamber of Commerce, and a great turnout of folks here to enjoy it. 44 Stockers on the sheet first round, and 41 in Super Stock.

Greg Fulk made it down SE Ohio, Bill Bricker from Maryland, and just cars out of the woodwork, and I can even think of a number of "locals" who aren't here.

Saw the McDonald's SS/OA Cutlass, and said "That looks like an old Gary Chimeri car!" And the gentleman replied, "Yup, hasn't turned a tire in 15 years!"

With all the improvements they've made here at the track (many chronicled during the March CCRA event), it looks the work continues. Don't know when it was added, but the stands look like they've been refurbed with new boards and painted. There's a little landscaping or something planned for the area right in front of the short chute pit spot I found.

Got some SS pics I'll post when I get home.

Got to meet Bob Orme from DragRaceCentral, who also participates on ClassRacer.

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Ok, finally put the cell phone camera away and got out the real camera...

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

pics...

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more pics...

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a continuation of photographic images...

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even more photos...

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Photo compendium addition...

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photo extra...

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still more stills...

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insert your own subtitle here...

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Final batch.... good night!

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Mike thanks for all the photos and coverage. See a lot of new cars out there too. Looked like a great day for racing as well. Good luck .

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313 cars second largest division race ever for IHRA.
We had 52 Hot Rod cars.
Kinda reminded me of the old days.
The place was Packed to say the least.
Good Job Piedmont and IHRA for getting done too. Time Trials started at 9 and race was done by 10 p.m.
CHip Johnson

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Great Job, Michael! Thanks for the pictures!

Lew

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Thanks Mike for the nice photos. I would think with this car count, IHRA could have a National event in the Carolinas.

Good Job to all WINNERS!!!!!

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Hey Chip, What was the largest? 2001 Norwalk? I think we had 110 stockers there. Those were the good old days for sure!

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John,
Norwalk was a national.
I was told yesterday the largest was Rockingham 2005 I think 400+
Chip

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Sterling,
Very sad we can't have a national here when we get more cars at a division race than they get at any Nitro Jam. Don't understand.
Chip

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Mike

Great Pictures thanks for posting. Looks like fun !!!


Turk

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

No Chip they had a National and a Divisional there that year. That was the last year Norwalk had a IHRA divisional.

http://www.ihra.com/results/2001/hsc/norwalk.html

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

10-4 on the Good old Days It was a great circuit to run being based out of Indy and the Div 3 Fields were pretty stellar.
Tri State
Kanawa
DW 42
Milan
Martin
Great Lakes
Byron
Osceola
Clay City
Miss those days

Turk

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

It is great to see that turnout at Piedmont, but look at the showing at West Palm Beach.

16 hot rod and I don't even want to talk about stock/ss. Not even enough cars to cover the purse.

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

No kidding about the low signal, but it was better than when I worked that event 2 years ago. There was no signal back then and the tower wireless had password protection that I couldn't get past - had to hardwire ethernet connect into their system. This time there was a signal, but I had to time my uploads to the number of bars showing. Too many smart phones in the pits were interfering with my aircard signal...! ;)

I think everyone was pleasantly surprised by the turnout. A long day at the track is a very good thing when the reason is a whole bunch of cars.

It was great to finally meet you! I'll be at London next week (don't know if you're going to that one), and I'll be at Mooresville and Dunn-Benson next month.

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I love Palm Beach. I would've liked to have gone, if it wasn't scheduled on the same weekend as a TOC Qualifier an hour from my house, both this year and last year.

Turk and Musial.... how you guys doin'? Been a loooong time since I seen y'all!

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Great track! My car hadn't made a pass since last Oct. It went 8.00= 8.01=8.00-8.01....now then if it just had a driver! This is the way IHRA races were when I started! FUN race! $375 in gas for the truck was a bit hard though ( 1/2 Chevy 4x4 28' enclosed 784 miles round trip)

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Good to see you Greg.
1/2 ton Suburban and 20 ft open trailer w/ golf cart ,scooter and car 325 miles round trip and $125.00 fuel and still have a 1/2 tank when i got home....
Oh, -.005 red in stocker 1st rd and broke planetary on the launch 1st round in Superstock.
That just plain suxxxs.../still had fun and no W's.....
Nice to see a good turn-out...

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Mike,

Everything is fine here just living the good lifeThanks for asking. Putting together a smog motor Pontiac 400 and moving the GTO into one of the GT lower classes ( K or L ). Needed a change and have been wanting to give SS a go. Hopefully see you out there somewhere this year. Thanks again for posting pics

Turk

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Great photos and nice work. I'm curious about the silver Nova that runs in SS. Do you know who it is and what combo they run? I'm not familiar with some of the IHRA classes. I think hes in SS/PG-1. Its a good looking car,,,let me know if you have any info. Someone out here in the NW is looking at a similar ride,,but you see few 68-72 Novas in NHRA SS.
Thanks for any info.
Danny Durham

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Who races the good ole charlie brown 57 wagon now?

Robert
Stk 2061

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Robert, I think Mike Boyles is credited with the phrase " When they pry my cold dead fingers off the wheel " I think that's one of those cars that gets burried with the owner. :-)

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9433 PD-1 Tim Jones, Rural Hall NC, '70 Nova

Re: LIVE from Piedmont
 

Thanks Bob,,'ol buddy. I appreciate the info. As the IHRA slowly moves further out west, this is an option a friend of mine is considering,,,especially since the hood rules are less restictive. Running a big block in SS with a 68-72 Nova (NHRA style) is tough since the flat hoods leave little carb clearance. The issue isn't as bad in Stock.
Take care,,,,,,,,,,Danny Durham