"Live" from Route 66 Jegs All-Stars Nationals in Joliet

[Sean Cour]

Ok, so here's the story. Back at home, before leaving to head east, I switched from C16 to C12. Like an idiot, I drained the system from the pump side, and not the return side. I let the system stay open for a couple of days, obviously doing the appropriate steps to clean filters. After my father left with the truck, I realized that I didn't drain from return side. I told my father when he arrived in Chicago to drain the return side until C12 came out.
My son made his first pass, and failed fuel check. We flushed, cleaned, and ran fresh 12 through the system. Drove the car back to fuel check, where the official said "I've never seen someone clean up a dirty fuel so well, it's perfect!" My son went on to run his last two qualifiers and first two rounds without a hiccup. He ran his third round, and fuel checked. The official told him that "the fuel is a little flat.". My son came back to the trailer, where he told me that the fuel was a little flat. I said what does that mean? I asked if the official said anything about it being close to failing. My son said no.
He goes out on Sunday morning and wins the fourth round, and fails fuel check. I ask the official about the problem, and he tells me that he said to my son "I told him it was on the edge of failing". I asked my son this, and he said that the official said nothing about it being borderline failing. I asked the official this, and he said, " well I told him it was flat". I asked what the heck is flat? The official says "I have to DQ him for fuel." My son and I go back to the trailer, where my son precedes to take both jugs of C12 back down to the fuel check trailer and have them tested. Both jugs check perfect.
I must have not gotten the fuel filters clean enough! I feel like a complete boob! This was my sons first national, after just turning 18 a few weeks ago. I really feel terrible for him......he did nothing wrong!