First Divisional or National event stories
 

Hello CR, I'm just trying to make the most of my "COVID"time. I was hoping with all the Stock/SuperStock aficionados here, there would be some great stories to share.

It doesn't have to to be your first event, but just anything memorable.

I thought this would be a great time to read something fun and wholly entertaining. While possibly gaining some insight, on the in's and out's, do's and don'ts of participating in an NHRA event one day.

Thank you in advance, and I hope and pray no more persons of this great community are affected by this virus.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Spring 1993, my first Divisional: Cecil County MD. Though I have admired Stock Eliminator for years, I have don't know many of the racers, and have never attended a race with anyone. Ryck Campbell gets the unenviable distinction of teching my car. The car is from Division 3, so no one in Division 1 really knows the car. "What's your carb numbers?" "I don't know". "What's your head number?" "I don't know". Ryck is quiet, but you can tell that he's not happy. He checks what he can see, checks my safety equipment, and lets me in.

I don't have access to a scale, so I tech in as C/SA with a minimum of 3725 lbs. I go to the scale before my first run and the person running the scale hollers out "45!". So, I go up for the first qualifying run. When I cross the scale, the scalemaster says, "You're 100 lbs. light!" I don't have any lead, the previous owner had rightfully removed it from the car. I go to the tower and talk to Greg X. "Don't you have any weight?" "No" "Can't you borrow it from someone?" "I don't know anyone." Perhaps for the first time in the history of NHRA, I am allowed to change my class to B/SA.

First round, I draw former World Champion Tex Miller. I give him a small head start and away we go! Second gear, Third gear, focus on the opponent, set the car right in beside him, a cone flashes by between us, back off, look up for the win light, and it's the 1000 foot cone! Back on the throttle, and I can't catch him.

Time to load up and go home. Though I feel like a fool, I can't wait for the next opportunity to try it again!

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Thank you Greg, that’s exactly what I was hoping for, a story like that. Thank you.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Here’s my story of getting to the semis in my first IhRA race.


back in 2011 or so I had the brilliant idea to take the bone stock 100,000 mile 318 motor that came with my car and put it in my dart to run Q stock. Replaced a bunch of gaskets so it didn’t leak, etc. Get it all together and it goes 13.50 something at the local track (non prep street night) on Wednesday. Figure this is great! Mind you this was with 87 Pump gas and had no clue what the weight was... loaded up and headed into Canada with a borrowed truck and no registrations/ titles etc... stopped to pick up race gas. Figured let’s put c-11 in it cus i read its fast! Stopped to pick up vinyl numbers for the car in Niagara Falls. Get to the border and they didn’t wanna let me in. Apparently heading into Canada with No title/registration, borrowed old truck is frowned upon. Spent an hour there before they finally asked. “How do we know this is your car and you won’t sell it here?” My response was simple. My Name is on the window and my wife would kill me.. so they let me in. 😂. Get to the track after midnight so gets are closed but my close buddy knows someone at IhrA so we “sneak” in.

Race day! Put the c-11 head to the scales, 150 light. No problem I got that, add the weight and we are ready for the first hit. Burn out great.. thing sounds like it’s got 600hp not 180 something. Run it through and it’s a dog 😂😂. 14.20 something on the 14.10 index, 200+ degrees thru the lights, poppin and banging, ready to grenade. Turn off track and head to the pits. Totally by passing the scales. 😅. Mind u it just went 13.53 earlier in the week. Pull a plug and it’s super lean. Take a drill to the stock jets in the 2 barrel and drop some timing out. Head back up. 14.18. Hit the scales good. Fuel check good. Did I mention it was 96 degrees outside. So first round dialed 14.10. Guy goes red. I go 14.18. Win
Second round next guy is a day late I’m really good and go 14.14 with my foot through the floor board... get to the semis and I go red like an idiot. Run it out the back door pissed off and it goes 14.103 on a 14.10. Get my check for $200.

Sounds crazy, stupid, bush league, amateur hour. You name it but looking back it was AWESOME and I wouldn’t have changed any of it. Just made me wanna jump in with both feet. Next winter had a motor and transmission built for it.

For my first NhRA national story.. got hooked heads up round one😂😂. That’s a story for another day

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

But wait! . . . There's more! My first national event is Columbus. First round, I get paired up with Bob Gere I think; he had a 350 Buick back then, J/SA. We're staged, the lights come down, he takes off, my second yellow comes on and then nothing. How I didn't move, I don't know how, but I didn't move. I look over at Buster and he's just looking straight ahead. So, I drive down the track, get my time slip, and go back to the tower. Turns out Buster's finger slipped and he shut off the tree! On the re-run, I won the round, which is probably all that I won that weekend.

It makes me think that there really is a lot to learn at this game. When I bought the car, I knew nothing about having to go to points races, etc. to get into national events. I thought you just showed up, paid your money at the gate, and ran the race; just like the local bracket race. For anyone that's going to try it, I do suggest that you attend at least one race with someone who's done it.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My most memorable race. back in the day was attending the Dutch Classic at Maple Grove back when they had that race in the Springtime in May either ‘74 or ‘75. We had an entourage of about 5 or 6 cars follow each other from upstate N.Y. , most of us flat towing our cars using those old NMW hubs. Cars ranged from my ‘69 Camaro stocker, Clem LaChance and his H/MP Maverick, Fred Rice with his D/SA Mustang and a couple other local racers with their cars from back home.We arrive late at night and park in the driveway outside the gate. We all ended up sleeping in either the “Camaro Cottage “, “ Blazer Bungalow” or the “Ford Motel”. I slept in the back seat of my Camaro with my feet hanging out of the side window. I’m 6’4” tall and man did I pay for that mistake the next day ! Anyway, I make it to the semis in stock eliminator and I’m paired up with the “Mooney and Weed” E/SA Cobra Jet Convertible. I win the round and return to the pits when an Official comes up to me and says we had the handicap wrong and you need to rerun the round. Back then there was no scoreboard showing any dial. I don’t believe the index system was used yet and we may have run off national records ? Anyway, after cooling our cars down we rerun our race and I win again. Back in the pits again an official tells me they still had the “spot” wrong. We run a third time and I lose. Now everything is fine ??? I was just a 19 or 20 year old kid at the time and who was I to bitch to ? Still had a great time and would not trade those years for anything!

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Justin,
I dreamed all my life to run stock eliminator. I thought it was the coolest class in the world but I had no money! Started buying parts slowly thru the years. I’m a machinist and started doing as much machine work as I could to keep the cost down and finally after a couple of years, I get the engine done. Dyno the engine and it made great power, 17 pulls to be exact. Put the motor in the car and she is ready to go. The car sat in the trailer for about three weeks and then it was time for my first divisional race at Maple grove. I head out to Maple grove a day early to make some test runs prior to the meet so I can learn something and learn how this whole class racing works because remember, I know NOTHING about this class except I thought it was cool as hell. And remember, I know nobody there. I was a very lost person!!!

I get the car teched in and everything is good! Now I’m excited. I have a great engine, car and I’m finally here. I head to the staging lines for my first time trial. Bring the rpms up in the burnout box, pull second gear and BOOM! It kicks a rod out the side of the block. I get back to the pits and want to puke. What the hell happened? I drive home the next day and tear the motor down very carefully to analyze everything. Found a crack in the bottom of the cylinder that was leaking water!!

Built a new motor for next year and was able to run 1.1 under and the rest is history! Sine then, I have met some of the nicest people in the world. I love class racing and people in it. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world being around all you great class racers, regardless of all the complaining about NHRA and differences in personalities. I couldn’t be happier!

I’m truly living and dream being around all of you. I have learned so much from a lot of great racers! And I would like to thank everyone that helped me or gave me advise, it meant a lot to me and my wife!!

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

1989 Indy points meet, it was not my first points meet but I recall meeting and talking to a YOUNG Lance and Jason Line at this race. I drank HEAVILY in those days so I could have a. few things mixed up. Jason was driving a R/SA 66 Chevy wagon that he purchased from Canadian Peter Boslovich. He was a very thin, well mannered kid from Minnesota. He was either in the military OR was set to join ....Little did I know that in a few short years he would go on to win the STOCK world championship , work for Joe Gibbs, crash in his first pro stock race and eventually win a Pro Stock championship. Lance would go onto building some of the baddest STOCK eliminator engines on the planet. The mom and dad race, all the siblings race, the cousins race, Lance’s daughter races...
The LINES are an amazing RACING family....

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

In 1972 I was a partner in a SS Barracuda and I also worked for Buster Couch and Darrell Davis in Division ll as did my partner. Buster didn't really like this idea but he let it go but made it VERY clear if there was ever a question about anything, we loose. This is the first race for a new car and once it was at the Phoenix City track my partner and I had nothing to do with it. The car was light when it was weighed before time trials so our driver got some weight and "added" it to the car. First round he beats Jimmy Waibel and I was at the scales and as the car rolls across and I say the weight is good Jimmy tells me to look under the carpet behind the seats and there was loose ballast he had seen being added. With the words of Buster in my ears we threw out our car. No one knew I had anything to do with the car and we kept it that way. Not the beginning we had hoped for but we got thru it. Later that year I got drafted and the car was sold. I ended up at Fort Bragg and kept working for Buster a few more years but no more cars during that time.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

I don't how to express thanks or gratitude to you guys for sharing your stories. I'm over the moon, stoked that you guys answered. You've made this "old" kid really happy...and hopeful.

I hope you all know, it's greatly appreciated. ;)

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Hi Justin,

My first brand new car was a 1969 Yenko Camaro, which I gradually turned into a class car, a Super Stock D entry, which I sold in 1973. A few years ago after the racing season was over and boredom had set in I started thinking about that car and decided to do some investigation. I had heard about a website that had a lot of history about the original Yenko cars and I thought it would be interesting to see if my old car was on their registry. They have everything listed by VIN and sure enough I found my old car, but it was missing some information, so I sent a message to the Webmaster and asked if he would like some of the original information to fill in the blanks. Much to my surprise, he started a new thread, "Where is 69 Yenko Camaro 124379N663539?" Some of the members started asking for more information, so I started writing some short stories about the car and my DAD who co-signed a loan for a 19 year old kid so I could buy that car. One of the stories was about my first NHRA divisional race and my first opponent, the one and only John Lingenfelter. Actually, it wasn't my first NHRA race I attended with the car, but it was the first where I was allowed to race, which is a story all in itself.

If you are bored and have a few hours, you can go to Google and put in the search bar, "Where is 69 Yenko Camaro 124379N663539?" and the whole deal will pop up. I should mention that the Yenko site switched things around with a different browser and some of the stories will have some unusual punctuation and will look odd and that is not how they were originally written, but that is how they look now. Even with the odd punctuation and characters you will get the idea of the story. If you take the time, I hope you enjoy the memories of this old guy and his youth.

Gary Merrick
3522 Stock

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Justin, my first National Event story in Stock Eliminator is very short. I believe it was Gainesville in 2002, maybe 2003. I knew Anthony Bertozzi from all our years running IHRA. I saw him in the staging lanes waiting for my first round pairing. He said, "Bailey who you got" I said, "some guy named Biondo." He just laughed and said, "way to go", and walked away. You can guess the rest of the story.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

When we first got the Nomad running, we went to Hallsville, TX, broke the cam in the waterbox first TT. We had engine parts scattered on our open trailer, got the front half of cam out, but not back piece.....use magnets someone suggested, after multiple efforts we pulled the trans & knocked it out the back, scrambled to find a cam. The beginning of a good friendship with the Johnson's (Dad, Gilly & Brent), as they loaned us a cam, after which I red lighted first round.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

I ran my first Divisional event at Brainerd in 1998. I had just turned 16 3 weeks prior. Got everything sorted a little late and didn't have time to run across the scale before the first pass. We knew we were close ended up 10lbs light. Next pass the fuel dad had purchased earlier in the season didn't pass. Cleaned out the system and put in the tracks fuel which was so bad that it barely tested straight out of the tank. The car slowed down .20 but at least I was on the sheet. Before first round we drained the system again and found some c-12 to use the rest of the weekend. Was lucky enough to draw Gary Stinnett first round. We ended up qualifying with an 11.54 with the bad fuel. The first pass the car had gone 11.32 when we were light. So we dialed the car an 11.3-. Gary was uncharacteristically late. I was like .016 to his .074 and I ended up picking up the win. We made it to the semis that day. Went up to the tower to get our check and Gary was standing there picking up his check for super comp. The whole time we were waiting he was just staring at dad and I. Finally he walks up and says why the hell did we dial a 30 when we had only gone a 54. Told him what had transpired over the weekend and he shook his head. Said it had bothered him all day. We got a good chuckle out of it. Since then I have run Gary 3 times all in either the semis or quarters. I've had pretty decent lights all 3 times and all 3 times I've left second and the win light has been on in the other lane. Go figure.

Rick Ryan

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My first points meet was at Memphis in '95ish. My car was very stock. Stock camshaft, valve covers had never been off, etc. Would just barely run the K/S index. I was running pump gas and wasn't sure if it would pass fuel check. But the bigger problem was that Red Anderson was running fuel check and he scared the crap out of me. So I man up and go down there with my fuel jug, picture the one you use to fill your lawn mower, and ask Red if he will check my fuel. He looks at me like I was completely clueless (he wasn't wrong) and tells me he's too busy and to come back later. So I do, and the 2nd time he tells me to leave my fuel can and come back later, he wasn't happy. I come back later and my fuel can is right where I left it and he growls at me "It's fine" or something similar and I get my fuel can and get out of there as quickly as possible. I think he could smell the fear on me.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

I was at the Gator nats with Rick Stewart was the starter, when I came up to the starting line I looked and my dial was wrong. I racing the car through the mufflers so there was no other way to get Rick's attention, so I blew the horn, Rick nearly jumped over the Christmas tree. Evidently he didn't expect a car horn!

Casey Miles
248H Stock

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

What A Great Thread Idea!

2005 Division 7 Bakersfield

My first Points Meet was Div 7 in Bakersfield in 2005. I took my B/SA 69 Camaro there with a borrowed open trailer to make the trip. The car was a good piece - I got a lot of great advice and help in the two years when I was building it. I ran the Test N Tune and with the help of Chuck Echmalian, John and Terry Schloe the car ran really well. My big debut awaited the next day and I was really pumped up to go racing.

When it came time for the warm up the car made a weird noise when I went to start it, and the motor didn’t turn over. As I pondered what it could be, the guy pitted next to me came around the front of his trailer with something in his hand. “Looks like you could use one of these” he said and held out a starter for my 396. I didn’t know what to say - I was there on a bare bones budget and had virtually no spares. Even worse - I had to leave Saturday to go to work and knew I couldn’t return it that weekend. “No problem, just bring it to your next race whenever and you can give back then.”

Once again I was amazed at the generosity and good sportsmanship of Class Racers. Although I think he knew who I was from my years of crewing for my friend, I didn’t really “know” this gentleman at that point. We went on to become good friends over the years. Always humble, and a really good driver - God Bless you Larry Belden!


2005 AC Delco Nationals Las Vegas

This was my first National Event driving, and I was really excited to be there and get a chance to run in Class Eliminations. My car was running great and I had found some performance in the events leading up to this one. They called Stock to the lanes and I coasted down the hill to the staging area to join the group of racers in B/SA and sort out the pairings for Round 1. In 2005 the racers were still doing the pairings and this group decided to use a deck of cards for the line up. I felt like I had snuck into a Stock Eliminator Hall of Fame drivers meeting: Dan Fletcher, Stevie Wann, Clark Holroyd, Mary Ann Method, Dick Dreher, among others...nine of us in total. I got lucky and drew one of the non-legends like myself with car that I knew I had covered by a couple of tenths.

As it turned out my opponent red-lit so badly that he left before the tree was activated. I did not have to run the car out and reveal my hand. Second Round we drew cards again and I got the bye run - Lady Luck was on my side. I did not run my car out on the bye run - I felt it was best to keep the others guessing as to what it might run (not that it mattered actually - no way was my car as fast as the legends’ cars) Round Three had me paired up with Clark Holroyd’s 70 Nova - a rocket ship for sure. Clark had done the carbuerator on my car, and I consider him a friend. My improbable run was about to come to an end, but man what a blast so far!

I did my burnout and pulled up to get ready to stage. After what seemed like an eternity (in all likelihood probaby 15 seconds) the starter rapped on my window and held up one finger. I looked over my shoulder and they were pushing Clark’s car back out of the waterbox - I was getting a single into the final. Once again I launched the car but did not run it all the way out. I would arrive at the final an enigma; the new guy on the scene who had yet to make a full pass that weekend.

Now came the final and I was paired up against Mary Ann Method in the 1970 Nova that she and her husband Cal had campaigned so successfully. Cal Method builds some really fast motors, and they both had more experience already than I will probably ever achieve. There was no way I was going to outrun her that day, but as they say - anything can happen. And boy did it! Despite trying to focus 100% of my attention on the bottom bulb I caught a sliver of motion out of the corner of my eye as we launched. The race was already over because she was half a car length ahead as our front wheels came down. There was no way I was going to catch her.

But as I looked down track I noticed my win light was on. I glanced up at the scoreboard and saw the dancing lights indicating I had won. How could this be I thought as I let out a war whoop suitable for a John Wayne movie. I had just won the Class Elimination Final in B/SA at my very first National Event - despite the fact my car was not the fastest by a long shot. When I got my time slip I saw just how lucky I had been.....she had gone red by -.001 and I had dodged a major bullet. On that day I was not the fastest, but I was the last man standing. It was a day I’ll never forget.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Brainerd points meet 1986. Zenon Kotelko and I were having coffee and he was bugging me to come with him to Brainerd. I'm not a good spectator and was in the process of converting the Nova into a stocker so had no ride. At the time I worked at the local Ford dealer. The had a used 1981 Ford Escort wagon with of all things a stick in it. At the time it fit FF/S. I took the exhaust off it and loaded it up on the trailer and went to Brainerd. Ran the test and tune and was I think 4 tenths over index. New I was going to be a duck. First round drew the A/SA mopar of Marlin Bogner though if I remember someone else was driving the car. We were a few pairs back and some guy walks up to the car and says he bracket races the same car I was driving. I asked him how do I make it go faster? He said when it don't rev no more then shift it. I thought I got nothing to lose. Launched the car and tried it. Thought I had a decent lite. Got to the MPH marker and thought he's not going to catch me. And he didn't. I went a hundredth over the dial in and won my first round. IN A FORD ESCORT STICK CAR! The guy who I beat was pitted close to me so I thought I would go over and talk to him until I saw the helmet and a few other things flying. Figured I'd better keep my distance! LOL. Raced Dave Young in Scott Carlson's car next round and got my butt wooped but still had a great time.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

I enjoyed reading the stories. I'll add mine.

It was 1982, when NHRA first allowed FWD cars into Stock. I read an article in one of the magazines on how they built a Daytona (?) for the Winternationals. They seemed to have no problem getting it under the index so I thought I would try. I was working at a Dodge dealer in north Jersey at the time, so I rented a Dodge Aries 4-door sedan off the lot.

I drove the car down to the Division 1 WCS opener at Englishtown. The total modifications to the car that I made on site were: apply stick on numbers and class (Y/SA), remove the hub caps and air cleaner assembly, insert a remote starter switch into the radiator fan wiring so that I could run it at will, and guesstimate advance the distributor.

The car was a dog. It was at least a second off the index. I knew I had no shot in eliminations, but I actually dialed down a tenth to try to throw off my opponents. I deliberately tried to line up against the quickest car I could find, and I succeeded. I had Dave LeBrun's A/SA Camaro in the other lane for Round One. I had hoped that the huge handicap would force him onto a foul, but no luck.

I kept the car for one more week before returning it, and raced it at Island where I made the money rounds in Street Eliminator. A couple of months later a magazine did an article on the variety of cars in Stock and a picture of the car from the WCS race was in it.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

In July of 1961Okla City had a NHRA Regional event which preceded divisional races. I had a '53 Olds that I had been running in J/SA for a little while on a weekly basis but had never won class. At the divisional I went a couple or three rounds for class and had to run a similar Olds from Kansas for the class. I had a mentor who was Fonzie before Fonzie was and he told me to watch the flagman's muscle and leave when I saw it flex. It sounded far fetched at the time but I tried it and my opponent sat there a bit and I won the class on a hole shot, first ever trophy and I still have it today along with the clipping out of the paper listing all the class winners. My late friend Freddie Cain had the Dragster with the race in it but it didn't list individual class winners. I'm sure there will be much better stories posted but probably none will go back further than mine.

Jimmy Parker

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

I wrote that article for Super Stock (lol).

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

You're right, Don. I remember that from the last time I posted this story. :)

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

This is a little different, hope it is ok
1968 my cousin and I took off for Tulsa (Finals?) with no clue about anything
We drove a 57 2 door and slept behind a gas station in the car
Next morning at Denny's we asked someone if they knew where the drag strip was....he pointed to the sky and said follow the planes!

We got to the track: watched Jenkins, Strickler (?), Smothers Brothers, I think George Cureton among others, a great trip and memory

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

I bracket raced when in high school and college and then sold everything to raise a family. Forward to August 2018 I buy my first stocker. I run some test and tunes and Orlando and Bradenton races to get some seat time as it has been over 30 years since I have been in a race car. The car is not fast but it runs under the index so I’m happy. Come February I’m ready for my first divisional race in Orlando. Take the car off the trailer and hear a funny sound but thought it might have just been a heim joint changing position. Go up to make my first qualifying run and the car spins at the leave. The car never spins so thought that was strange. I’m by myself so trying to figure out what happened. Check the car out can’t see anything wrong. Go up to make the next time shot and the same thing happens. This time when I get to the finish line the car pulls and I realize it is a broken axel. Try and find one so I could race on Saturday with no luck. Fix the car and go to SGMP for the next race and get to the semifinals. Really excited at this point. Go three rounds at Gainesville. So, I figure I will try my luck at a national event. Get into Atlanta and the car won’t run the number. Mess with fuel injection and take fuel out as I thought it was rich when it was really lean. (first time messing with EFI) Come to find out one of the injectors has a broken wire that drove me nuts for 5 months.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

The Pennzoil Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park when I was 18. I believe it rained Wednesday and Thursday. We had (1) qualifying run on Friday. I think the quickest run per class was designated the class winner. I wasn't the quickest run. I got my time slip and was invited to the tear down barn along with the (2) other youngest racers running stock at the event (Bryan Sorce and Gary Simpers Jr). In the lanes before first round, the security guard tried to throw me out of the lanes because he thought I was a spectator even though I had my credentials. I lost brake pressure and pushed through the staging beam 1st round for the loss. Definitely had the full National Event experience during that race.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

I'd already been mostly bracket racing since 73 and in Aug. of 81 a friend ends up with the x Bobby Warren Gumout Camaro. The previous owner had already entered the Indy Nats. and the new owner talks me into going and driving the car. So before I think much of any of this through were on our way, 5 guys in a 69 Chev wagon and an open trailer. We made it to the Speedway where it was all day to pass tech. Over to the strip, back then you had to go through Scrutinering ( or something like that ) to show your entry and ...... can you say nervous....? but I fluffed my way in. Every pass I had trouble and we couldn't figure it out. There was about 24 cars in SS/JA and back then we ran off the record that was 11.33. Boburka lines up with me, 5 yellow tree, no rt's, I jump out a car on him and of course the engine misfires and he drives by me, I go 11.31. Jim wins class and I think he won the elim. as well. Congrats. Drive thru the night to Cayuga Dragway, take the single point distributor out of the wagon, short shift it and it goes 11.08.

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First nhra D4 race I went to I pull into tech and Wesley walks up and says nice car wrong trim. Get it fixed before you come to another race.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My Son's first race in a Stocker was in 2016 @ Tulsa divisional.
We had some idea as what to do, but after his first TT, he got his weight & fuel checked like he was supposed to.


The next couple of TT's, he didn't have anything checked, since he didn't improve anything.


A friend of ours that has ran Stock & Super Stock for years, came down to our pit & said "tell your Son to stop after each TT, the NHRA officials were running after him as he went by" LOL.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My first divisional was pretty cool. It was 2001 at Boise when all the fast A cars were going for the first in the nines. On my way to the track Thursday evening my old Suburban diesel throws a fan belt going up a pass in the snow and I limp it in to the first town with a motel and an auto parts store. I make it to the track about noon on Friday and Jerry Valentine techs me in, checks a lot of stuff but not the carb. I did not know you needed to run a choke plate but had an air cleaner on so it was not noticed. As I walked around I could see everyone had a choke plate so I figured I would just see If it would continue to go unnoticed. I get to race the Tiger car in time trials and am so excited I shake his hand in the scales. First round I get Robert Pond and was just excited to race another super fast A car. It was only about 45 degrees out and he spun. I get lucky and keep going rounds I was pitted down in the hole and noticed Steve Wann moved up closer to the lanes as the eliminations went on. I ended up racing Steve in the finals and he said to me as we are in the staging lanes "you need to get more of those". I had to ask him what he was talking about. It was contingency stickers. I thought it was just cool to see the Wally's up on the guard. I ended up winning the race. Took 17 years to win another.

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MAN! I can't thank all you guys enough for the stories. I hope everyone reading has enjoyed it, and it's helped you get through this time, by remembering the good times and why we love these classes so much.

Thank you for the kudo Carl Battis. I hope to meet you at a D7 event soon.

So far, I've learned to know what parts are in your car, keep weight handy, and run some good fuel...of course, lady luck is always good too ;). The horn honking had me crying with laughter, I'm still cracking up as I'm typing.

I hope we can keep this going. Thank you again guys...really, really thank you!!!

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My first NHRA race was the National open in Milan Michigan. I won that race with a perfect .500 light in the final. My second race was the Divisional in Martin Michigan US 131. That race I set the National record. So my first few races were pretty memorable. nearly 30 years later still looking for that second win LOL. Been close but not quite.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Jim,
I can relate to my first round run also. My dad asked me who do you have for first round and I replied, some bald guy thats driving a silver 65 Dodge! Dave Barton, lucky me!!

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

In 2009 I attended my first D4 divisional at Dallas to get a grade point. Brand new John Holt hemi car (7.50 cert was done at his shop), new license, rookie driver and only knew the Tuetons at that time. Filled out the tech card, EVERY item. SN of each wheel yata etc. Lil' Joe said "follow me to tech" to help me if needed. NHRA guy with Wesley on his shirt starts checking my papers then took a quick look at the car. "Pull over here to the right." out of the tech line. Lil' Joe shrugged his shoulders, completed his tech and returned to his trailer. MAN, Wes was in the car, under the car, engine room, trunk, had a magnet. Saying nothing to me he took off on a scooter and came back with 3 guys and a ring binder. OH %*&#. Then they really went over it....By that time Big Joe was with me running the starter motor on that old orange cart all the time. "Son, what they doin'?" I was freaking out.
FINALLY after what seemed like hours, Wes came over and said that is the most correct build of a hemi car he has seen and used it as an example to show the new guys. Correct inner fenders, interior, trick hidden cage bars, 11 weight bars correctly located at key points, fire suppression, mounted collectors (before tethers were even required). A perfect build. BUT I must put an NHRA and a Lucas sticker on it somewhere. Phish
PS Then made a run and was #2 qualifier in all of SS, heck of a grade point.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My first Indy 1990 ran C/SA with 71 Cuda, white with 383 blue billboard. All the Union Hill, Tn. folks were parked in the "Triangle". We were squeezed in with our truck and off color camper shell complements of Jerry Bennett. Open trailer with shade provided by the umbrella borrowed from our lawn furniture. Across the road and down a couple of spots, but well within viewing distance, was the the C/SA of Dale Shannon. I think Dale won Class and the race at the Gators. His car had the all the "Good Stuff".

In Tech was a long hot day, heck it could have been cool, but I was sweating it. Made it through Tech no problem. The cool thing was the weight sticker 440 ci. 385 hp, not the 440 ci 390 hp that the 70 Cuda's and Challenger"s had to run with.

We had a four round race for class, man that was so cool. I can't remember everyone that was in the class, but here is who I remember. Darrell Stiger, John Foxbower, Manning from Michigan, Dale Shannon and others.

Being new to racing I received several pieces of advice, some good, some bad. It was all said to try to help me be a better racer. Richard Carter long time stick racer from "The Hill", advice: Hold a little bit and don't show'em what you got. Then when you need it, use it, and it will be like you hit them in the head with a hammer". The other piece of advice is from Ronnie Veatch, "There is a lot a ways to win a race without having the faster car, get in their heads."

So it was with that advice I approached Indy. We kept an eye out for Dale and crew. When they were out I would have Chris bring me some tools and go through the motions of adding or removing weight. Making sure that they noticed. Even if we just adjusted 5 pounds I would carry the weight in front of me like it was 50 pounds. You know walking stiff legged like the guy on the "Munster's" TV show. Then change shift points to slow down or speed up accordingly.

I knew I had one chance to surprise the racers for class. Talking to John Foxbower a few years later he said people were curious as to who the tall guy was with the straw hat. I get by Darrel in his Super Bee round one, he was runner up that year. Don't remember the second round race. I raced 1989 Class champ, John Foxbower, in the semi's. We had just enough time to put the weight adjusting show on one last time, This time I made two trips to the truck to make it look like we removed a hundred pounds or so. Dale and company took notice because they were in the finals also.

We had one more trick in the bag. Greg Luneack earlier in the year told me about this new thing called a 2 Step. It was faster but it made the #9 'Stones spin badly in the hot. Also another drawback I was Red or Dead Late, but it was 2-3 quicker.

With the sun going down, car at minimum weight, and the bleachers shading the track, maybe this 2 step thing will work. It worked and I got by Dale's 428 CJ Mustang to get my first class win at Indy.

Over the years we would talk and laugh about that Indy race. At that race Dale a made statement that to this day holds true.
During the first part of the week at Indy before anyone went down the track, the Ladies that used a pole in their dance routine would hand out free admission tickets to the clubs. Well Dale, not married, and crew used their tickets one evening. He said a good time was had by all. Dale said that the girls had so much cheap perfume on that if you were married "You would have to burn your shirt to keep from getting a divorce for it smelled real bad"

I wonder what happened to all the cars in class that year. Greg Gay has Darrell's car, John Foxbower has his 68 CJ, and I have mine. It would be cool to find out what happened to the other cars

https://i368.photobucket.com/albums/...0/IMG_3317.jpg

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My first Div. race was 1992 Dallas. I purchased the1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 from Tony Goodman in MI. K /SA In the fall of 1991. It was a super clean, beautiful car with 17 original miles on it. Ya 17 ! Any way, We went down to Lloyd Bray’s shop
in Bartlesville OK. We went on to Dallas with him and D.G..
My transmission burned up on the 2nd pass. I ripped it out went in to town, bought a rebuild kit, some place, and went back to the track.
I had the trans. apart on my open trailer when out of nowhere, A man came up and said,
“ Do you need some help son?” That man was John LeMoine, from LA. He slapped that 350 turbo together like nothing I have ever seen! I still owe him! I don’t know how I would ever repay him!

I managed to Qualify in the top 5 at that race.( did I forget to mention the car was also quite fast?) then, made it 3 rounds.

Then came a time I will never forget.
I had to go up in the tower to meet with Jay H.The Div. 4 Director. To see if he would let me attend the Huston National Event.
I did not have a points race until the Dallas event we were at.
He could have told me to go home.
Lloyd Bray and my friend, went with me. He was my attorney at charge, I plead my case. Jay sad I, “don’t know.”...
Just then Lloyd said in his “Okie Drawl”, Now, Jay you need to understand the young men, you see here are the Future Of NHRA. You have an obligation to let this young man who came all the way, from Minnesota, to race in Houston. He has a beautiful legal car, and wants to race. Jay said... Is that right, Lloyd?Jay, looked at me and my friend, then at Lloyd,..a long silence ensued. Jay looked up and said, “Well, Lloyd, I suppose you are correct, I will allow it this time. Never again! I paid the entry fee, and we were off to Huston TX! (Thank you,Lloyd, RIP my friend)

Arriving in Huston, we were in a mall parking lot. It had rained hard for days. The track was closed. We sat in the parking lot for 2 days. A nice Mexican Restaurant became home,.
Then another storm was coming. Big hail We had open trailers NOW WHAT?!

By luck, Mr. Mcelroy offered us a spot to park in his huge building! Thank goodness!
Holy Cow! ,
how much more luck could a guy have!

After days in the rain, the race was on!

I got to know many people who instantly felt like old friends.

We pitted next to Jerry Bennett.

I won class! I will never forget it!

1st round I had to race my friend, we traveled from MN. to Huston now we had to run each other in round one.(did I mention, my friend is JASON LINE?)

Well, I did win that round, made it to the semifinals then went on to red light.

We drove back to MN, going through a snow storm and other adventures.

If you think that’s a story to remember, I’ll tell you the story about the kick off to Jason Line’s Stock Eliminator World Championship!

This has been one Heck of a ride!

Wonderful People thank you all!


Thanks for the Memories!

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Great story, Joe. Lloyd was a great guy, indeed.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

After years of staying home as family demands were necessary I brought my oldest daughter to watch her Uncle race when her softball tournament got rained out nearby. He had a fleet of cars at that race and out of all of them she said she'd like to drive the Stocker he had there.
I told him if one becomes a available for a reasonable price to let me know.
When one did it was in Florida, I'm in NY so my best friend made some concessions and arrangements and next thing I knew I was flying to Gainesville to buy it. He hauled it to the Sportsnationals in Belle Rose and I was going to race it there.
What a great experience. I flew in and we did the test and tune. I made 10 runs. First run I did everything wrong, lifted my foot off the gas twice and shifted early. I got better every round and we picked it up a little each run. Fixed a few gremlins and changed plugs and timing, adjusted the valves etc. My last run of TnT I ran a 12.31 on the 12.30 index. Next morning was first qualifying shot andI don't think I slept at all.
Well I was the first pair down the track figuring we might need all the time between rounds possible. I left on the last yellow and it auto shifted then as it got to 5200 rpm started to vibrate a little, I shifted into 3rd hoping to clear it up and wham bang bam, silence. We t down the middle of the track all the way to the first turnoff since I thought I might run over the oil and spin or not be able to stop.
I shut the track down for an hour at least. Kicked a rod, cracked the trans in 3 spots, spit the driveshaft out and broke the yoke!
Thank God for ALL the help from my best friend and family!
Overall though it was an amazing experience! Got to eat Cajun food every day, ride in the Thrilla, a personal tour of the bayou, a pig roast! I think they put on such a great race and experience.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

Great stories by all and a great way to kill some time since I know everyone is about to go crazy. My first national was Charlotte, I don't remember what year it was but it was the year they changed it to March for one year. North Carolina can be a little unpredictable weather wise in March and I thought this might be a mistake by NHRA when I saw the schedule for the year the first time.
A week or so before the race the weather forecast looked terrible, cold and rainy Thursday and Friday and then just plain cold the rest of the weekend. Quite a few dropped out but I was determined and for the most part I think it was close to a full field for quota. We got there and parked late Thursday and by luck we got parked behind the grandstands where the Pro Mods normally park even though we got there late. If I remember correctly Friday was a complete wash but they had started drying the track several times even though it was only about 42 degrees. None of the usual "Live" reporters were there that weekend so my buddies Greg and Steven Rowe talked me into starting a "Live" from thread so I did and that was how I got started in the Reporter business.
It was determined late Friday that we would get one hit on Saturday morning and then into eliminations. This is where it gets good, the week before I had put new disc brake conversion on the rear of the car. One and only qualifier the car didn't feel like it wanted to leave initially and I had like a .120 light even though I felt like I nailed it. Car runs about .90 under in -200 of DA but wasn't that concerned because I was trying to slow it down. Get back to the trailer, jack it up and pull the rear wheels. After inspection can't really find anything and someone gets in the car pumps up the brake and releases them but for a split second you can't turn the axle then it finally frees up. Must be air in the system so we decide to bleed them and this is when we find out how smart I am. I had installed the breeders on the bottom of the caliper. Genius, pure genius! Get it straightened out and ready for first round.
First round I'm running like a Q/SA can't remember who it was but neither one of us is particularly great on the tree and he wanted the stripe awful bad so I dumped hard and win the round going like a 11.43 which is 1.02 under the index.
I didn't really understand the AHFS at the time and thought I need to slow this thing down some more but one of my friends says well you already flagged it one time so it really doesn't matter now and it was flagged earlier in the year. So I thought he's right and it will be hard to dial it if I change anything.
I had some good rounds and was able to make it to the quarters before finally losing a good race to Jeff Strickland.
So at my first national I became Live reporter for Classracer, won 3 rounds and got to race on Sunday and looked like an idiot making 4 passes more than a second under the index.

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

1st National event , Summernationals around 1975. Pull in for tech, no idea who the tech inspector was. Looks at my car (66 nova) promptly turns tech card over and writes down these infractions

wrong glove box emblem

It's a nova not and SS, need door edge molding down both sides

There are holes in the bottom of the doors(for the SS trim which I removed)

laying under the dash he can see light thru a couple of holes in the firewall

"Fix it and come back he says"

off to the local bone yard, we find some impalas and buy the edge trim, and cut it down , glue or screw it on. Also find a NOVA emblem and attach that to the glove box

buy some red silicone(car is red) and fill the holes in the bottom edge of the doors

buy some black silicone and fill the firewall holes

Back to the track and we pass, whew , how times have changed

Re: First Divisional or National event stories
 

My first national event 1983 Summernationals at Englishtown,NJ. I freshen up engine two weeks before race. I assemble complete engine and install into my 67 Camaro F/SA.Start engine up in my garage on Long Island, NY. It precedes to run for 10 seconds and shuts off and doesn't want to turn over by starter or by hand. Pull engine out and disassemble. Come to find a hole in cylinder wall were a broken valve punched a hole in it.The person who degreed in camshaft screwed up. Yes only myself to blame.I called Pierre Mansur who was doing my machine work and sheepishly asked what could we do. Pierre said no problem bring complete engine into Brooklyn with new block and heads.We got all the machine work done in 4 or 5 days. I assembled complete engine again at Pierre's shop in Brooklyn.Got it done on the Tuesday before the summers and asked Pierre how are we going to get it home and to the race? No problem Pierre says bring car into Brooklyn. Next day get car on an open trailer into Brooklyn and car onto sidewalk outside of his shop.Get engine out of his shop and it starts to rain. OK no problem until lightening storm and wind whip up. So Ken Lazzeri of Indy Cylinder fame and myself are putting engine in race car in a major storm on the sidewalk in Brooklyn.Get it installed but nothing hooked up because of storm. No problem Pierre says bring it over to my cousins Farid's shop.It's now 8pm and we go to Farid's shop Fark's supercars in Brooklyn. Get it all done and running at 12pm.Ok time to get to Etown. Next day pretty wiped out but car is running well. I run class eliminations but lose to Bill Quinn in class final. Bill gets torn down and gets bounced for something I can't remember and I get my first class win!!!!! Can't thank all the people involved enough for all that I put them through including my family.