What was your best moment in racing - Page 3

GarysZ24 · 11-24-2011, 03:36 PM

1. Winning the King of the Hill Memorial Day drag race (an unofficial state championship), at Bandimere Speedway in '77 as a Senior at Denver's South High School, with a (bought brand new by my Union Local 7 wages at a Safeway grocery store), 1976 Chevy Vega (which was so special to me that I remember it's vin # to this day 1V77B6U220942). Unless someone knows something I don't, that's the last state-worthy championship that the school has earned by any of it's classmates to date!

2. Winning five races out of six final rounds in the '79 season (also with my 20+ second Vega), and finishing 3rd in the Div. 5 et finals (Street Eliminator),as an add-on to team Bandimere (I finished 14th in their points standings that year).

3. Going back to Marion, Sd. in '81 and winning the Div. 5 Street Eliminator Championship, driving 1260 miles round trip to participate in it with a dented & scratched '73 Pontiac Ventura, with 100k+ miles on the odometer...special thanks to the Div 5 racers who allowed me to find out they (racers from other tracks) were saying "what's he doing out there in that car"? I knew good and well what they meant by that, and used it to keep me amped up to make my presence felt in a Championship way!!!

4. Winning Bandimere's only (known to me that is), highschool reunion race in 1990, with an '85 Chevy Celebrity (4cyl., fwd). I not only won my bracket, but the overall championship afterwards.

5. Winning the King of the Track in a 2002 race at Pueblo Motorsports Park, with my current car.

6. The .006 package I put on Tony Hernandez in my rnd 3 win at the '06 Mile High's, in route to a quarter-final finish at the same race...Ryan McClanahan best be glad I got light headed (due to dehydration, and my pit space was way up there in Bandimere's dreaded "North 40" prior to our race"), because he was only .014 over his dial, and got out of it quite a bit against me (since I ran my car with a too warm intake plenum), and ran .13 over my 16.66 index, for the loss...if I would've run just .06 quicker, I believe I would've broke him out, and would've been Mike Loge's semi-final round opponent...thus as long as my light would've been clean & green (in that potential race), I would've been the final round opponent to Scott Burton (Mike's car stumbled to run nearly 1sec over his dial), that was televised on ESPN's "Inside Drag Racing" show a week later!

THE LEGEND · 11-24-2011, 03:38 PM

1) 2010 I won the IHRA Summit Box et World Championship at VMP. Was on TV, ran with the pros,Came down the return road in front of the crowd with my wife,Rachel, and Beard there. Way Cool.

2) 1988 IHRA Pro-AM Nationals first National event win

3) 2011 IHRA Hot Rod World Championship race at VMP

Thats Top 3 but have so many memories hard to narrow it down to just 3.
Chip Johnson

Billy Nees · 11-24-2011, 03:48 PM

I've had a bunch of good moments and a couple of great moments but I haven't had my BEST moment yet! (I hope)

Chad Rhodes · 11-24-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat Joffrion

In early 1993, a young kid needed a ride to State Capitol Raceway. Since I had my brand new '93 Corvette with the top down, I decided to bring the kid to the track. I had not been to a drag strip since my oldest daughter was born in 1972. Back then, I had to buy diapers and couldn't afford entry fees.

As fate would have it, SCR was running a huge street-legal race. I asked the teenager, "Is it still three yellow bulbs, then green?". So I entered the race with a borrowed helmet, and lost in the finals (8th round) to Jarod Granier.

The rest is history... BTW, still have the Vette, and because of Boo Boo Russo (the kid needing a ride), we all have No Problem Raceway to play with our toys.

Now THAT is a cool story

larry dowty · 11-24-2011, 04:28 PM

in 1976 and 77 we towed from seattle to indy to race in mod. elem. lost in class and towed home the greatest moment i have had, it still beats wining class in today's racing

Toby Lang · 11-24-2011, 05:11 PM

My best moment was when my mom would get on her three wheeler and drive down to the end of the track to tell me good job after winning a race. Then going to dinner with her later at the Outback.

Miss you mom.

-Toby

Mark Lewis · 11-24-2011, 05:44 PM

1 Winning the IHRA Spring Nats in 1985 for my first Natl Event.

2 Going home and putting Ray Heads camaro back together and going back to Darlington and winning the Stock shootout in October 1996, Ray had a career ending stroke in Feburary, never had drove the car before.

Hate to say worst moment was when my friend Wayne Shaw died.

But can't replace the people and places I have met along the way, as they say priceless.

I have even met the famous Lang brothers.
Mark Lewis

Jimi B · 11-24-2011, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby Lang

My best moment was when my mom would get on her three wheeler and drive down to the end of the track to tell me good job after winning a race. Then going to dinner with her later at the Outback.

Miss you mom.

-Toby

Almost brought a tear to my eye....

Jimi B · 11-24-2011, 06:21 PM

When I oiled down the track at the US Nationals right behind Big Daddy this year?

A round win here or there in my dads super street car... I think my first one was against a 4.80 sbc dragster (hauling for a small block 10 yrs ago) that I had done some machine work on and installed the motor the week before. Nick the destroyer we called him. Not to be trusted with Titanium rods that guy lol.

Ive helped a lot of friends and family over the years brackets to alcohol funny car and even hung out in the pro stock pits a bit. So ive been a part of some neat stuff. But Id say being at the Division 3 banquet while my dad was on stage for tying 2nd place in Super Street with rudy Matthews I was pretty proud of him.

Id say my neatest story was in 99. My friend and I that I had met in college that got me in to imports, set off to Pomona from Cincinnati for the IDRC (import drag racign circuit) World Finals. Neither one of us had been further west then Indy at the time. 18 years old, hadnt really towed anything before. Trailered all the way out there by ourselves, qualified third and made it to the finals of street class. We were running high 10s on street tires thru the mufflers in a 4 cylinder. Pretty slick for a cpl 18 year olds from Ohio in those days. Made the magazines and got on ESPN2 (or maybe speed?) for the first time. It was a major point in my life.

I hope there are many more. Im tired of being a brides made. I love seeing my motors that I worked on or tuned go down the track.. But im ready to add some driving to my resume!

Jim Wahl · 11-24-2011, 09:21 PM

26 NHRA & IHRA combined National Records, 14 NHRA National Event Class Wins. I have only had One National Event Win, the IHRA Winter Nationals held in Miami, FL in 1976 in SS with my 1972 340 Dodge Demon. (I still own the car). But my Stock win at the 2009 Southeastern Sports Nationals with my H/SA 1978 Volare Road Runner was my favorite win! Thanks George Widuch! Jim

11-24-2011, 03:36 PM	#21
GarysZ24 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tempe, Az. Posts: 1,266 Likes: 905 Liked 235 Times in 92 Posts	Re: What was your best moment in racing 1. Winning the King of the Hill Memorial Day drag race (an unofficial state championship), at Bandimere Speedway in '77 as a Senior at Denver's South High School, with a (bought brand new by my Union Local 7 wages at a Safeway grocery store), 1976 Chevy Vega (which was so special to me that I remember it's vin # to this day 1V77B6U220942). Unless someone knows something I don't, that's the last state-worthy championship that the school has earned by any of it's classmates to date! 2. Winning five races out of six final rounds in the '79 season (also with my 20+ second Vega), and finishing 3rd in the Div. 5 et finals (Street Eliminator),as an add-on to team Bandimere (I finished 14th in their points standings that year). 3. Going back to Marion, Sd. in '81 and winning the Div. 5 Street Eliminator Championship, driving 1260 miles round trip to participate in it with a dented & scratched '73 Pontiac Ventura, with 100k+ miles on the odometer...special thanks to the Div 5 racers who allowed me to find out they (racers from other tracks) were saying "what's he doing out there in that car"? I knew good and well what they meant by that, and used it to keep me amped up to make my presence felt in a Championship way!!! 4. Winning Bandimere's only (known to me that is), highschool reunion race in 1990, with an '85 Chevy Celebrity (4cyl., fwd). I not only won my bracket, but the overall championship afterwards. 5. Winning the King of the Track in a 2002 race at Pueblo Motorsports Park, with my current car. 6. The .006 package I put on Tony Hernandez in my rnd 3 win at the '06 Mile High's, in route to a quarter-final finish at the same race...Ryan McClanahan best be glad I got light headed (due to dehydration, and my pit space was way up there in Bandimere's dreaded "North 40" prior to our race"), because he was only .014 over his dial, and got out of it quite a bit against me (since I ran my car with a too warm intake plenum), and ran .13 over my 16.66 index, for the loss...if I would've run just .06 quicker, I believe I would've broke him out, and would've been Mike Loge's semi-final round opponent...thus as long as my light would've been clean & green (in that potential race), I would've been the final round opponent to Scott Burton (Mike's car stumbled to run nearly 1sec over his dial), that was televised on ESPN's "Inside Drag Racing" show a week later! __________________ Gary Hampton '86 Z24,173 V6 CF/S #5824 (#78 in 2021) Last edited by GarysZ24; 11-26-2011 at 08:29 PM.

11-24-2011, 03:38 PM	#22
THE LEGEND VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Fayetteville, n.c. Posts: 1,411 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: What was your best moment in racing 1) 2010 I won the IHRA Summit Box et World Championship at VMP. Was on TV, ran with the pros,Came down the return road in front of the crowd with my wife,Rachel, and Beard there. Way Cool. 2) 1988 IHRA Pro-AM Nationals first National event win 3) 2011 IHRA Hot Rod World Championship race at VMP Thats Top 3 but have so many memories hard to narrow it down to just 3. Chip Johnson

11-24-2011, 03:48 PM	#23
Billy Nees VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: On a hilltop in Pa. Posts: 4,486 Likes: 3,587 Liked 7,683 Times in 1,731 Posts	Re: What was your best moment in racing I've had a bunch of good moments and a couple of great moments but I haven't had my BEST moment yet! (I hope) __________________ Billy Nees 1188 STK, SS I'm not spending 100K to win 2K

11-24-2011, 04:28 PM	#25
larry dowty Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: chewelah wa Posts: 283 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 4 Posts	Re: What was your best moment in racing in 1976 and 77 we towed from seattle to indy to race in mod. elem. lost in class and towed home the greatest moment i have had, it still beats wining class in today's racing __________________ larry dowty 6388 SS

11-24-2011, 05:11 PM	#26
Toby Lang VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Auburn, WA Posts: 2,133 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: What was your best moment in racing My best moment was when my mom would get on her three wheeler and drive down to the end of the track to tell me good job after winning a race. Then going to dinner with her later at the Outback. Miss you mom. -Toby

11-24-2011, 05:44 PM	#27
Mark Lewis Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 345 Likes: 63 Liked 207 Times in 44 Posts	Re: What was your best moment in racing 1 Winning the IHRA Spring Nats in 1985 for my first Natl Event. 2 Going home and putting Ray Heads camaro back together and going back to Darlington and winning the Stock shootout in October 1996, Ray had a career ending stroke in Feburary, never had drove the car before. Hate to say worst moment was when my friend Wayne Shaw died. But can't replace the people and places I have met along the way, as they say priceless. I have even met the famous Lang brothers. Mark Lewis

11-24-2011, 06:21 PM	#29
Jimi B Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 226 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What was your best moment in racing When I oiled down the track at the US Nationals right behind Big Daddy this year? A round win here or there in my dads super street car... I think my first one was against a 4.80 sbc dragster (hauling for a small block 10 yrs ago) that I had done some machine work on and installed the motor the week before. Nick the destroyer we called him. Not to be trusted with Titanium rods that guy lol. Ive helped a lot of friends and family over the years brackets to alcohol funny car and even hung out in the pro stock pits a bit. So ive been a part of some neat stuff. But Id say being at the Division 3 banquet while my dad was on stage for tying 2nd place in Super Street with rudy Matthews I was pretty proud of him. Id say my neatest story was in 99. My friend and I that I had met in college that got me in to imports, set off to Pomona from Cincinnati for the IDRC (import drag racign circuit) World Finals. Neither one of us had been further west then Indy at the time. 18 years old, hadnt really towed anything before. Trailered all the way out there by ourselves, qualified third and made it to the finals of street class. We were running high 10s on street tires thru the mufflers in a 4 cylinder. Pretty slick for a cpl 18 year olds from Ohio in those days. Made the magazines and got on ESPN2 (or maybe speed?) for the first time. It was a major point in my life. I hope there are many more. Im tired of being a brides made. I love seeing my motors that I worked on or tuned go down the track.. But im ready to add some driving to my resume! __________________ Jimmy Bowling BF/S 3808 www.facebook.com/jimib1980

11-24-2011, 09:21 PM	#30
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,844 Likes: 666 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: What was your best moment in racing 26 NHRA & IHRA combined National Records, 14 NHRA National Event Class Wins. I have only had One National Event Win, the IHRA Winter Nationals held in Miami, FL in 1976 in SS with my 1972 340 Dodge Demon. (I still own the car). But my Stock win at the 2009 Southeastern Sports Nationals with my H/SA 1978 Volare Road Runner was my favorite win! Thanks George Widuch! Jim __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.