LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

We're off and running on a beautiful weekend here at the NHRA Div 3 at National Trail Raceway outside of Columbus, OH. Mid 70 degree weather on tap, and the track is hooking like gangbusters! The air was just 1900' this morning. It's come up a bit, but it's a grrreat day for racing.

A little birdie told me Wes Leopold will be debuting a new A/SA Hemi Cuda soon. Supposed to make an appearance this weekend for tech and a grade point. Fitzgerald's old car?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...05958410_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...75158302_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...32911702_o.jpg

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

First in-car from Terry Knott's G/SA '73 Dart Sport:




https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...74233488_o.jpg

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/...45639643_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...62875060_o.jpg

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/...75700305_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...38532190_o.jpg

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/...92999448_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...29566417_o.jpg

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

NHRA DIV 3 LODRS at Columbus, Stock and Super Stock Qualifying after 2 Sessions (does not include cleanup run)

Stock Q2
https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/...09762684_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...11435226_n.jpg

Super Stock Q2
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...51860577_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...80853201_n.jpg

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Sure hope the weather gets better for you guys. I'm gonna make my way up there today and tomorrow.

Lee,

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Even with nothing showing on the radar, we've had a pretty steady light rain persisting. We're in wait and see mode, which is about all you can do when the radar doesn't help! Been hanging out down at the trailer listening to stories from Travis and Pete, just trying to learn stuff.

Qualifying sheets from after last night's cleanup run is posted on www.facebook.com/LooseRocker

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Yes, extremely frustrating.. Radar shows nothing, but its been raining non-stop since dawn...Sky looks very unpromising as well....

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

The qualifying sheets on DRC are also "after cleanup."

Weather forecast for today wasn't all that bad, but "weather.window" at the track apparently shows a different picture.

Just checked WeatherUnderground again and they changed their forecast from 30% to 80% for today. I guess hindsight made them change their mind?

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

It changed drastically after midnight.My local showed some rain today thats why we havent showed up yet.
My question is since we didnt come on up and set can we enter and still race? its obvious we wouldnt have gotten the qualifier this morning.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Well amazingly, and against terrible looking skies we got quals in today.

down right now due to an alochol dragster breaking the rear end, streaking gear oil the whole length of the track...

first round 09:00 tomorrow morning.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

According to the schedule I got from Jay Hullinger about 30 minutes ago, Super Stock leads off Sunday at 8 a.m.

Final qualifying and ladders should be up on DRC in a few minutes.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Scheduled for 8am, but we're still sittin'. I ram through just a little patch of misty drizzle like we had yesterday, just the last five miles to the track. Sun's out now and a light breeze is picking up.

8:25am, Super Stock designated pairs and left side on standby.

Barometer's a little lower yet today, and the humidity's going to take a bit to burn off as we go from mid 60's to a projected high of 80 today. Likely to be pretty slow compared to Friday. I didn't even stay for Q3 Stock last night as it was apparent I wasn't going to move anyway. Heard it was after 10pm before they finally ran. Went home to see my honey and got a good night's sleep! Heard that shortly after I left an alky car went boom, leading to an extremely lengthy cleanup.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Wes Leopold Jr. looking good with a three pedal HEMI car, and Tony DePillo laid down a nice 8.890 with his SS/A '64 HEMI Savoy.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Thanks for the update and good luck to my racer friends there.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

I agree… WOW!!!

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

[QUOTE=Michael Beard;438500Heard that shortly after I left an alky car went boom, leading to an extremely lengthy cleanup.[/QUOTE]

TAD blew out the rear end, leaving a long trail of gear lube. Cleanup was long, but good - next car down that lane ran a 5.44 and bumped into the field.

(I have spies...)

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Thanks for the reporting, Larry! You are always greatly appreciated.


Sludgy slow this morning in the cut-it-with-a-knife humidity, but made it through in both Stock and Super Stock. There were a couple of heads-up F/SA runs first round. Bob Marshall beat Wick , and Chuck Weber beat Bellardo.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

I had an awesome time, this weekend, at Columbus...even with the rain...
I ran the fastest pass, so far, with the new combo... and it was good to get through tech and fuel check. I learned quite a bit, made some new friends, as well. Looking forward to the next one. Not sure when that will be, most likely Indy Fall meet... Who Won Stock? Oh yea, I redlit -.001 against Rick Winchester, 1st round... Even though i went out early, it was a good experience... $8 bag of ice, is a little over the top, though...hehe

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

From the better late than never file here are some pics from Columbus this past weekend. If you like Copo Camaros and Cobra Jet Mustangs this was the place to be....there had to be 25+ between stock and superstock. Interesting that there were only 6 or 8 of them there for the Class Nationals race in May that paid much better money.
Cool car of the race-Denny Fords dual quad,409,stick shift,Chevy Biscayne!!!!!!!

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

1 more group of pictures.

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

[QUOTE=Terry Knott;438715]... If you like Copo Camaros and Cobra Jet Mustangs this was the place to be....there had to be 25+ between stock and superstock. Interesting that there were only 6 or 8 of them there for the Class Nationals race in May that paid much better money.
QUOTE]

Perhaps it's been hashed out before but the West Coast just doesn't have the high % of newer cars and I don't quite understand that phenomenon. Only 3 of the newer cars at Sonoma this past weekend in Stock and Super Stock combined. Anybody have a theory?

Guess anybody can be fast with a West Coast Rulebook? (Just kidding, that last part was just to save Larry some typing LOL)

And thanks for the pics Terry!

Re: LIVE from Columbus NHRA Div 3 LODRS
 

Had a little more excitement than I'd hoped for this weekend. Seemingly innocuous enough, I had a flat front tire on Terry's Dart Sport after returning from Tech on Thursday. No biggie, I quickly found the offending puncture and plugged it. Fast-forward to Sunday... I got past 3rd round of Super Stock, and then past 3rd round of Stock. On the way back to the pits with the Dart, Terry flagged me down at the end of our pit road, indicating that we had a flat tire. The plug had somehow failed. By this time, the rounds were coming up fast, as all the 'show' stuff was out of the way. We hustled to get another plug and the air compressor. Aired it up, plugged it, and got it back to the pit. By this time, since we were parked out by the gate where we couldn't hear anything, I was worried about missing the call for Super Stock, so I jumped in the Volare and headed back up to the lanes. When I got to the ready line, I went into full panic mode -- my helmet was still in the Dart! I didn't know what to do. They backed me off as they should, but in an incredible display of sportsmanship, Larry Hodge pulled off to the side to wait. (We were first pair out). I drove the Volare all the way back to our pit, grabbed my helmet, and went directly back to the lanes, with just one car left to run. Larry proceeded to weld me with a .008 light, so karma did its job. ;) It was an incredibly stupid, embarrassing mistake, something I don't care to repeat! I'm usually overly conscious of "pants, jacket, helmet... pants, jacket, helmet" to the point of being paranoid when I'm bouncing back and forth between the two cars, but the flat tire debacle threw a wrench in my routine. Special thanks to Terry and Dusty for taking care of the tire while I was gone -- the plug wasn't working, but they were able to grab one of my spare front runners out of my truck and had it on the car by the time I got back, and ready for Rnd 4 of Stock (where Chris Stephenson schooled me at the stripe!)

Moral: Even if you get knocked out of your routine, stop, breathe, double-check everything, and then double-check it again. (and then one more time for good measure).

Thanks again to Larry for his great sportsmanship, and congrats on his well-deserved win.