Biggest handicap start you've seen/been a part of

[Mike Carr]

Just curious how many slow/fast S/SS (or bracket racers) have had a huge handicap difference. I might have one of the best stories.

From Quaker City Raceway, in an all-run Wednesday night bracket race.

‎10:38 pm 23/JUN/2004 quarterfinals
Me, HF/SA Sunbird My opponent, Super Pro dragster
Left Right
car # 18 #323
Dial 18.24 8.35
R/T .021 .047
60' 2.486 1.200
330' 7.393 3.444
660' 11.499 5.331
MPH 59.52 129.69
1000' 15.001 6.923
1/4 18.229 WIN>> 8.371
MPH 70.53 159.59

Left 1ST .0587
Right MOV .0327

On the brakes, lost, took the stripe too much. Fun race though. 89 mph difference against a black dragster at night. I'm lucky I didn't take double that much stripe. LOL!

Any other good stories like this?

[Jack Matyas]

Mike - great light on his part considering he had time for a cigarette and a Coke before his green came on -- waiting 20 bulbs worth ............you on the other hand - well he had to be going more than twice your speed .......a little tough to judge - hard loss for you after a even better light ..........Soon we'll have races like this in Stock between the CJ's and many of the lower classed cars .They are very entertaining to watch ..............Come to think of it we already have .........isn't that right Eddie ! ! !

[FLOYD RUSSO JR]

Hey mike it has been a lil while back about 4-5 years now .. We had a gamblers race at noproblem an i was in at a 9.30 et an the heavy hitter in the other lane was a geo storm at a 21.20 et ... An yes sir i was tired of waiting.. How bout that one for the books!!!!!!!! He broke out an i won 9.320 on a 9.30......

[Bob Gullett]

Years ago at our local track I was running my pickup in a jackpot race where there was no ET breaks. I was running I think 18 seconds or so. I was paired against a 8 second dragster. When we were both staged he got on the trans brake at wide open throttle. Needless to say you can figure out what happened. I don't think he moved 10 feet after he let go of the button. That cost him a trans.

[Phil Veldheer Racing]

At US 131 Dragway, in the spring several years ago. Before regular racing started they had gamblers races and the winner of the box class ran the winner of the no box class for all the cash. This night it happened to be 650.00 cash. I won the box class with my red 10.50 et Cutlass and ran an 18 second old pickup for the loot. Once I left the line I thought there was no way I would catch someone half way down the track.....the good news is he cut a terrible light and I passed him and slowed down and took the win light. Now for the bad news, MY WIFE CAME ALONG THAT NIGHT and pocketed the 650 cash....really.

I wear the pants in my family, except my wife tells me which ones to wear....

Phil

[Mike Carr]

Jack, yeah .045 wasn't bad, even with a delay box. When we left, I noticed his top bulb was on same time as mine. I think it was something to do with Cross-Talk, whatever that is. His dial-in on the time slip was 8.35N (maybe the N means no cross-talk--not sure). I figured he set up for a soft light, figuring I was one of those "non-driving sport compact aces". 89 mph difference at the strpe. I think the car rocked like a boat when he went by.

Boo-boo, as one who has always been on the "leave first" end of large handicaps, what's it like sitting there that long?

Bob, it amazes me the number of drivers who get on the two-step/transbrake right away, even when giving up large spots.

Phil, but who wears the firesuit in your family? Is your wife's name DeLana, by chance? LOL

[Jack Matyas]

Originally Posted by Mike Carr

Jack, yeah .045 wasn't bad, even with a delay box. When we left, I noticed his top bulb was on same time as mine. I think it was something to do with Cross-Talk, whatever that is. His dial-in on the time slip was 8.35N (maybe the N means no cross-talk--not sure). I figured he set up for a soft light, figuring I was one of those "non-driving sport compact aces". 89 mph difference at the strpe. I think the car rocked like a boat when he went by.

Geez Mike -- All this time I thought Cross-Talk is when you and the Mrs. were having a discussion and one of you is pissed ....................

[Dion Hildebrandt]

Last year at the Ashcroft BC national open, my car h/sa chevelle dialed at a 12.40 or something and Peter Willie and his ss/ah cuda dialed a 9.30 i think, I will have to go into the archives for the actual numbers. My reaction was .017 and his was .35 I think, I watched him in my side view mirror what seemed like all the way down the track before I saw his huge wheelstand. I took the stripe with some brakes to spare, the p.a. was silent.......I guess I wasnt favored to win, fun race though. It rocked my car at the top end also, I didnt think heavy cars like mine could move like that

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Mike,

Many years ago I used to go to Union Grove every week where they would have all run Wednesday night trophy races. I was in a 351M 2V LTDII which weighed in at a svelte 4,200 lbs. and dialed at a turtle like 19.20 something seconds that night. Made it to the final and had to run a low 9 second Vega tube chassis car. I remember his father coming up to me in the lanes and telling me to "stay in your lane because me son is going to be running over 140 mph." I guess he thought that at 60 mph and barely accelerating it might drift out of the lanes. I don't recall how red his son was on the tree, but it was by a bunch and he still just passed me at the line. The speed disparity was pretty big. I think the sight of that huge class 3 receiver and the 200 pound rear bumper kept him in his lane.

And somehow I was once again able to keep it in my lane at a blistering 60+ in second gear pass to accept the huge trophy. Or maybe it was a coffee mug...

[GRAPE]

Bob Benders Z/S VS Struse Smith & Welsh C/S at Maple Grove almost every week
in 1975