"Live From" NHRA Gatornationals

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Ken Miele

"Original rear end may be replaced with another from the same automobile manufacture"

Ford sells a replacement rear that has a aluminum center section, tell me were it says I can not use a aluminum center section. The car is built according to the rule book. I except their decision, but the rule book needs to be changed or they need to let us use parts that we can buy from the manufacture. I thought that was the idea, we race and buy parts from companies that support us.

I'd agree. Sorry you had to go through that. The missus sez $190 was actually cheap for overnighting something like that.

(But a removable steering wheel, really?)

Hope the rest of the week turns around for you.

[Ken Miele]

Tony, Robert Pond had to remove his aluminum center section is what I was told today by a racer. I wish I would have known about it, I would not have had to go through this ordeal.

I am not going to say I didn't get upset about what happened, but I can't let it ruin my week. I know its allot of money but there are so many other things in life that are so much worse.

Wade, when I got the car back in 2007 it was in there and I didn't think it was a problem. I wanted spares so I recently starting using the Ford stuff.

I have been through tech with the aluminum center section at Indy many times along with numerous other national events over the last 4 years, I had no problems.

Vic, call Biondo Racing, that's were I got the gloves. Very comfortable and they have a good feel to them.

Michael, its nice to know I got a break on shipping. The removable wheel makes it easy to get in and out when the car is in the trailer, that's the only time I remove it.

Thanks everyone for the support, what's done is done, lets move on to racing.

Below are some pictures of Gary Richard's new CJ's. The paint work is beautiful, as you can see, under the hood, door jams and even the seat has custom paint. Very nice.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

Ken, thanks for the heads-up. This is rather interesting, I was also told that even though the rulebook doesn't say you can't have an aluminum center, it doesn't say you can.

The rulebook doesn't say you can have any of the following non-stock parts either: aluminum spool, titanium spool, back-cut ring gear, scalloped axles flanges, or gun-drilled axles. Ironically, those are all part that have a direct effect on performance. Are we to assume these parts are also illegal?

Where is the logic?

There are lots of stockers using "Massaged" cylinder heads and intake manifolds not to mention lite pistions, pins, etc. and these parts have a direct effect on performance. Are we to assume these are illegal or legal just because they pass at one race and who knows at the next? Where does it stop? The tech guy in question was 100% right in this case. If the rule book dosent say you can do or use something then you are not supposed to do so. Its the interpitation of the rule book. Just so you all know Im on Kens side with this and think he should have been allowed to use the alum. parts but this is the way the tech guys are supposed to look at things and its been done that way for a very long time in both NHRA and IHRA. Greg X. was noted for doing things like this during his time in the barrel as tech director in Div. 1.
Hang in there Ken......It sounds like this could be your race again.

[chevy620]

It was just NHRA "enhancing" you experience for the weekend. Think they put a magnet on everyones center section???? yeh, right!!
Sometimes you get picked and nobody knows why. Want to go to an interesting "tech inspection" come with me someday to an NHRA event. I had them measuring my rod-ends on my four-link one day........of course, I have mentioned them a few times in my Editorials in DRO.....

So far I have survived tech and two electronic "inspections". I asked them on the last one, why not inspect the cars that guys WIN WITH? They were not happy with that comment, they kept looking and FOUND NOTHING.

Jok

[danny waters sr]

Sorry to here that Ken. You won't have to miss a race to make up for the extra expense ,cause you gonna win this one ,,,,,,...........Good Luck ,I'll be pullin for you....

[Lew Silverman]

Interesting that the rule book states that the rear end can be replaced with another "from the same manufacturer". Do the aluminum center-sections have a Ford part number? Is cast iron the only material allowed, or is the nodular case OK?

BTW - could anyone prove that someone's rear axle didn't come out of a truck if you removed the semi-floating axles?

Sorry you had this trouble, Ken. Hopefully it'll be nothing more than a speed-bump on the way to the winners circle! Good luck!

Lew

[Duane Eiskant II]

I guess now to play fair, NHRA needs to tell everyone with the girdle type rear end covers that they need to have a stamped steel cover. GM never made the girdle covers, since its not OEM its wrong...Correct?

[Pedigo Perf]

Originally Posted by Duane Eiskant II

I guess now to play fair, NHRA needs to tell everyone with the girdle type rear end covers that they need to have a stamped steel cover. GM never made the girdle covers, since its not OEM its wrong...Correct?

That could be a safety issue. If you have ever locked up a rear end while going down the track you might want to prevent that from happening again.

Ken, it sucks that they made you overnight that third member. Seems a little rigid to me but at least it wasn't the night before 1st round. At Topeka last year they made me pull my cam out at 9 PM and 1st round was at 8AM the next morning. Not much sleep that night but we made it through. GOOD LUCK!

[Nitro Joe Jackson]

Just a warning for everybody, doesn't look like we might get started on time tomorrow cause I just spotted the ark a bit ago as its been raining big time here and suppose to rain off and on all night, so don't hound Drag Race Central in the morning if you don't see anything right away. Boy does Jack taste good while sitting back watching College Hoops and listening to it rain on the roof, lol

[race watcher]

Ken why didn't you get a letter from Shelby.