Live from Bristol - Page 7

thomas sheehan · 05-17-2009, 12:16 PM

151 pm .... finally finished top fuel and funny car
pro stock is next and then the sportsman

Bucky Hess got best engineered car..........
Congrats Bucky

M&M Motorsports · 05-17-2009, 05:12 PM

Thank you, Tom, for your care and concern following my "crunch" (one of my fellow racers informed me it's not a crash, it's a crunch). Thanks to all of you who wrote on this forum and those who called to check on me. I am doing very well today -- no lasting effects. I can (unfortunately) personally vouch for the safety features on these vehicles. They do their job well!

The Safety Safari here were great! All of the officials and other racers went out of their way to check and make sure I was doing well and to offer whatever help we might need with the car. I can't express my appreciation enough.

I was able to go on and race to 3rd round in stock.

What happened -- after crossing the finish line, I bumped the shifter up to 2nd gear and as I was reaching up to cut off the engine, I heard a thunk and started sliding. At the time I thought something had let go in the engine and oiled the tires. I tried counter-steering and pumping the brakes to no avail. Afterward, it appears that the transmission locked up for some reason, so I was just along for the ride. We are currently waiting for the wrecker to get here so we can get a line on the car, then pull the drive shaft so we can get the car loaded in our trailer. We started the engine yesterday, so all appears well there. With a bit (ha ha) of sheet metal work and a few other minor things, we should be back in business. In the meantime, I'll see you all at the races in my stock car.

Thanks again!
Mary Meints

icebrrrg · 05-17-2009, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M&M Motorsports

Thank you, Tom, for your care and concern following my "crunch" (one of my fellow racers informed me it's not a crash, it's a crunch). Thanks to all of you who wrote on this forum and those who called to check on me. I am doing very well today -- no lasting effects. I can (unfortunately) personally vouch for the safety features on these vehicles. They do their job well!

The Safety Safari here were great! All of the officials and other racers went out of their way to check and make sure I was doing well and to offer whatever help we might need with the car. I can't express my appreciation enough.

I was able to go on and race to 3rd round in stock.

What happened -- after crossing the finish line, I bumped the shifter up to 2nd gear and as I was reaching up to cut off the engine, I heard a thunk and started sliding. At the time I thought something had let go in the engine and oiled the tires. I tried counter-steering and pumping the brakes to no avail. Afterward, it appears that the transmission locked up for some reason, so I was just along for the ride. We are currently waiting for the wrecker to get here so we can get a line on the car, then pull the drive shaft so we can get the car loaded in our trailer. We started the engine yesterday, so all appears well there. With a bit (ha ha) of sheet metal work and a few other minor things, we should be back in business. In the meantime, I'll see you all at the races in my stock car.

Thanks again!
Mary Meints

Sorry to hear about what happened with the car, Mary, but I'm very happy to hear that you are doing well. Paul and I hope to see you and your husband at the races later this year!

Mark Berg
I/S 2665

Dave Ribeiro · 05-17-2009, 07:45 PM

Tom,

Thanks, for all the great pictures and updates from Bristol... You did everything you could this week and had a great race with Fletcher... Nice job and congrats on winning the Strange $$$$..........Good luck the rest of 2009, Say, hi to Dad ..

MEMORIES · 05-18-2009, 04:20 AM

Tom got down to 6 cars, had a .006 react and Fletcher a .002. Fletcher won by .0005, approximately 1 inch. WOW!

Congrats on some great driving, Wayne.

Dale Slusser · 05-18-2009, 07:17 AM

Tom ..Thanks for the great pictures and updates from down south and Congratulations on a Good weekend .

Rick Carlson · 05-18-2009, 07:02 PM

Tom,

The photos are great...Thank you for sharing! All I was able to see from my vantage point were wheelie bars and taillights. AND great wheelstands.

All these years doing my D-7 races and finally working my first "east coast" race at my "new" home track (only on my 4th year here). The show the stockers & S/S'ers put on was great. I thank those of you took the time to say "hi", or just call me names. Even though the forecast was absolutely lousy, the weather wasn't too bad, especially for those who made it to Sunday. But, when you make it to Sunday, it's always a pretty good day. It was awfully quiet this year, without the Nitroplate Party Zone.

Today was pro test day and open to the public at Thunder Valley. Many new fans came out and I had several that came into the tower and I was asked many times..."When will see those "wheelstanding cars" again?"...Yes, fans DO watch Stk and S/S.

Again, I thank all of you who came to Bristol for putting on the show at Thunder Valley.

Rick Carlson

Bill Harris · 05-19-2009, 06:32 PM

Sorry to see the aftermath of Mary's incident at Bristol.
I have a question though....

Mary wrote:
"What happened -- after crossing the finish line, I bumped the shifter up to 2nd gear and as I was reaching up to cut off the engine..."

I'd like to understand the shutdown procedure described here. The car is an automatic, presumably a 3 speed, and is going 120+ MPH at the finish. What could possibly be the reasoning behind downshifting to second and then shutting off the engine? What transmission can be downshifted at that speed? Is there some GM trans that freewheels in second when coasting, or was the downshifting accidental? I think if I did that with my FoMoCo C4 I would be picking up pieces of either the engine or trans. Just wondering.

herbjr · 05-19-2009, 07:02 PM

Read again, it was a mistake, as she went for the switches she bumped the shifter into 2nd. It wasnt on purpose.

Alan Roehrich · 05-19-2009, 07:12 PM

On a GM three speed, like a TH 350 or a TH 400, if it is set up for racing, it has no 2nd gear braking band. So, if you shift from high to 2nd, and do not step on the gas, it free wheels, as it would in neutral. The sprag that is part of 2nd gear will not hold in deceleration.

By the way almost any full manual valve body will select any gear you shift it into at any speed.

05-17-2009, 12:16 PM	#61
thomas sheehan Photographer Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,717 Likes: 24 Liked 75 Times in 29 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol 151 pm .... finally finished top fuel and funny car pro stock is next and then the sportsman Bucky Hess got best engineered car.......... Congrats Bucky __________________ Tom Sheehan SS GT/NA 1046

05-17-2009, 05:12 PM	#62
M&M Motorsports Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jerome, Michigan Posts: 119 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol Thank you, Tom, for your care and concern following my "crunch" (one of my fellow racers informed me it's not a crash, it's a crunch). Thanks to all of you who wrote on this forum and those who called to check on me. I am doing very well today -- no lasting effects. I can (unfortunately) personally vouch for the safety features on these vehicles. They do their job well! The Safety Safari here were great! All of the officials and other racers went out of their way to check and make sure I was doing well and to offer whatever help we might need with the car. I can't express my appreciation enough. I was able to go on and race to 3rd round in stock. What happened -- after crossing the finish line, I bumped the shifter up to 2nd gear and as I was reaching up to cut off the engine, I heard a thunk and started sliding. At the time I thought something had let go in the engine and oiled the tires. I tried counter-steering and pumping the brakes to no avail. Afterward, it appears that the transmission locked up for some reason, so I was just along for the ride. We are currently waiting for the wrecker to get here so we can get a line on the car, then pull the drive shaft so we can get the car loaded in our trailer. We started the engine yesterday, so all appears well there. With a bit (ha ha) of sheet metal work and a few other minor things, we should be back in business. In the meantime, I'll see you all at the races in my stock car. Thanks again! Mary Meints

05-17-2009, 07:45 PM	#64
Dave Ribeiro VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Williamsburg, Va.---USA Posts: 1,827 Likes: 1,612 Liked 56 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol Tom, Thanks, for all the great pictures and updates from Bristol... You did everything you could this week and had a great race with Fletcher... Nice job and congrats on winning the Strange $$$$..........Good luck the rest of 2009, Say, hi to Dad .. __________________ Dave Ribeiro 1033 STK

05-18-2009, 04:20 AM	#65
MEMORIES Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 298 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol Tom got down to 6 cars, had a .006 react and Fletcher a .002. Fletcher won by .0005, approximately 1 inch. WOW! Congrats on some great driving, Wayne.

05-18-2009, 07:17 AM	#66
Dale Slusser Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Gardners Pa. Posts: 92 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol Tom ..Thanks for the great pictures and updates from down south and Congratulations on a Good weekend .

05-18-2009, 07:02 PM	#67
Rick Carlson Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Laurel Fork, VA, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Posts: 57 Likes: 2 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol Tom, The photos are great...Thank you for sharing! All I was able to see from my vantage point were wheelie bars and taillights. AND great wheelstands. All these years doing my D-7 races and finally working my first "east coast" race at my "new" home track (only on my 4th year here). The show the stockers & S/S'ers put on was great. I thank those of you took the time to say "hi", or just call me names. Even though the forecast was absolutely lousy, the weather wasn't too bad, especially for those who made it to Sunday. But, when you make it to Sunday, it's always a pretty good day. It was awfully quiet this year, without the Nitroplate Party Zone. Today was pro test day and open to the public at Thunder Valley. Many new fans came out and I had several that came into the tower and I was asked many times..."When will see those "wheelstanding cars" again?"...Yes, fans DO watch Stk and S/S. Again, I thank all of you who came to Bristol for putting on the show at Thunder Valley. Rick Carlson

05-19-2009, 06:32 PM	#68
Bill Harris Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ooltewah, TN Posts: 421 Likes: 13 Liked 26 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol Sorry to see the aftermath of Mary's incident at Bristol. I have a question though.... Mary wrote: "What happened -- after crossing the finish line, I bumped the shifter up to 2nd gear and as I was reaching up to cut off the engine..." I'd like to understand the shutdown procedure described here. The car is an automatic, presumably a 3 speed, and is going 120+ MPH at the finish. What could possibly be the reasoning behind downshifting to second and then shutting off the engine? What transmission can be downshifted at that speed? Is there some GM trans that freewheels in second when coasting, or was the downshifting accidental? I think if I did that with my FoMoCo C4 I would be picking up pieces of either the engine or trans. Just wondering. __________________ Bill Harris ex 2172 STK ex 2272 S/S

05-19-2009, 07:02 PM	#69
herbjr VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Greensboro NC Posts: 1,027 Likes: 1 Liked 83 Times in 32 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol Read again, it was a mistake, as she went for the switches she bumped the shifter into 2nd. It wasnt on purpose.

05-19-2009, 07:12 PM	#70
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,105 Likes: 1,564 Liked 1,789 Times in 408 Posts	Re: Live from Bristol On a GM three speed, like a TH 350 or a TH 400, if it is set up for racing, it has no 2nd gear braking band. So, if you shift from high to 2nd, and do not step on the gas, it free wheels, as it would in neutral. The sprag that is part of 2nd gear will not hold in deceleration. By the way almost any full manual valve body will select any gear you shift it into at any speed. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S