After a frustrating season
of racing I thought, “what the heck…”
10/7/05
he season is wrapping up here in the upper Midwest. I think
there are two race weekends left on the schedule and our
season has been tough to deal with. We didn’t really
break any major parts or really tear something up but it
has been a test to our level of commitment.
We had rear tire problems on the “Project
4-Link” that we thought were converter problems that
caused four converter changes. We had engine “issues”
early in the season that ended up being the simplest of
things but caused the engine to be taken out twice and gallons
of oil to be dumped in order to check things out. A new
battery that would not hold a charge (part of the time)
was a small gremlin for several races. A brand new transmission
that leaked like it was cut open when we started the car.
A converter that had the pilot extension come off and sheared
off two of the three converter bolts, that was close to
a disaster but Andy felt it shake and shut it off. That
meant another transmission change. All of that, and not
one broken part to speak of.
The “Back-2-Basics” dragster is
a different matter. It ate up rocker arms and pushrods and
the delays getting stuff fixed meant we missed over half
the season. The good part is, we have fresh slicks, trans
and short block for next year. It is running good and we
will consider it ready for 2006.
I have spent a lot more time this year not
driving since my medical “adventure.” I noticed
a lot of different stuff and heard a lot more from racers
than ever before. This month I have put together some “what
the heck…..” things that interested me and ask
questions of all of us.
“what the
heck…..” is going on with Jr. Dragsters?
I went to a race and where we pitted was close to where
they turned off the track. If these aren’t the loudest
things at the local track tell me what is. Ear piercing
popping and crackling and the constant whacking of the throttles
just about drove us nuts. Why don’t they REQUIRE mufflers
on these things?
“what the
heck…..” is up with the $6,000 engines,
$2,000 paint jobs, gambler races and buybacks in the Jr.
Dragster ranks? This is the entry-level program? Cars that
can run way under the fastest ET the insurance companies
allow so they hang lead bars all over the car to slow it
down. Some cars are so fast they can only run “330
Outlaw Events.” Do the kids really want all of this
or is it the parent’s idea? All I know is I bet the
kids that don’t get burned out by the time they have
driver’s license will tell daddy the next car better
be an Undercover with a Reher-Morrison engine. No doubt
some will be good racers but their demands will be high
after racing a $12,000 Jr. Dragster.
“what the
heck…..” are we going to do IF and WHEN
the DOT finally decides to enforce the law? I was at the
Million and while cruising around the pits took some close
looks at the rigs that hauled in the 400+ cars. Some had
four cars, a golf cart, scooter and three or four drums
of alcohol in them. No DOT numbers, regular plates and who
knows about the safety items. The decal I liked is the “Not
For Hire” or “Recreational Vehicle” on
twin screw Kenworth chassis “campers”?
I would guess the Combined Gross Weight of
some of these 30 to 34 foot campers on Sterling or Freightliner
chassis could easily reach 40,000 pounds. Are the tires
rated high enough for the load on them? Is that racer deducting
the cost of the vehicles, trailer or racecars as advertising
or deducting it from business taxes? I don’t know
for sure but count on this. The DOT will soon be pressured
by their state director to find out. The states all need
more revenue and guess whom they will hit for that? The
citizens who have the money to pay the fines!
“what the
heck….” is happening to the ET Finals?
One time trial if you arrive on Saturday? You can’t
even get a shot at both lanes before the biggest race of
the year for local ET racers? The Gambler races, team photos
and “Olympic games” outweigh the time that racers
could use for an extra time trial? It forces everyone to
sign up for the Gambler races if they want any hits at the
track, just doesn’t seem fair to me. Now if they would
allow time trials for non-gambler racers, during the gambler
races, which would be an easy fix to the problem.