[Sam Capizzi Jr]

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