BREAKING NEWS:
2007 News
Summary of Route 66
Summary of St. Louis
Summary of Bowling Green
Summary of Columbus
Summary of the Door Slammer in Louisville
Atlanta, Dart Top Sportsman Invitational, Was A Terrific Time
Jeffery Barker, in the left lane, RT. (0.007), 7.20 dial on a 7.220, defeated Jeremy Glidewell, RT. (0.050) 7.26 Dial on a 7.271 in the Dart Final. We had great racing conditions and terrific hospitality during the weekend. Division 3 was represented by 6 racers, Don Peden "The Champ", Rick Corn crewed by Jimmy Englund, Reed Hughes crewed by Paul and Paula Mann, Tim Kirman, Brian Brown, and Mitch Smith.
Dart, Country Motor Trailer Sales and some Casino treated us to dinner and soft drinks. It was a nice time listening to Leo Tower, Jay Hullinger, Red and the gang from Division 3 give us the run down of the up coming events. Afterward the meal, we began to BS about racing, friends, and past experiences. It was nice to meet all the friendly D2 racers from the Southeast. Those guys are pretty sharp and on their game. Looking at their schedule, they are at the tail end of their season. This was the first race for many of us D3 racers, well the D3 racers with real jobs that could not go to Florida to race this winter.
For first round the track was in great shape and the weather was cool and dry. This made a perfect set-up for a break-out first round. The first round survivors were:
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Brian Brown, Coal City IL, with a red light win in his '02 Camaro, RT. (0.035) 7.50 Dial on a 7.452 -0.048, against Chris Rini, Holmes NY, '02 Neon, (-0.030 foul) 6.87 6.831 -0.039
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Don Peden, Edinburg IL, in his '05 Cobalt, RT. (0.005) 7.14 Dial on a 8.854 1.714, lucking out with a break out win by defeating Jay McHugh, Commack NY, '68 Camaro, TS, (0.057) 7.77 7.748 -0.022. Hey Jay, look behind you. Well the old saying holds true, I rather be luck than good, but Don is both luck and good.
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Mitch Smith, Anderson IN, in his '06 GTO, with a perfect RT. (0.000) 7.30 dial on a 7.287 -0.013, break out win over Allen Firestone, Velma OK, '01 S-10 pick up (0.028) 6.74 6.690 -0.050. This was a very close race at the finish line. Mitch had him covered at the finish line with the perfect reaction time. Allen took the strip and the loss.
The first round losers were:
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Rick Corn, Benton IL, '05 Stratus, (0.031) 7.37 7.327 -0.043 with a break out loss to eventual finalist, Jeremy Glidewell, Corinth MS, '95 Cutlass, TS, Left lane, (0.026) 7.42 7.421 0.001.
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Tim Kirman, Morris IL, '01 Grand Am, TS, Red Lighted (-0.011 foul) 6.83 16.391 9.561 against Mike Forsythe, Orange Park FL, '63 Corvette, TS, Right lane, (0.039) 7.45 7.428 -0.022.
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Reed Hughes, Terre Haute IN, '68 Camaro, with a Red Light loss (-0.001 foul) 6.98 Dial on a 6.975 -0.005 giving Ed Foley, Warminster PA, '02 Cougar, TS, Left lane, (0.024) 7.53 7.506 -0.024. It think Ed Foley's Mohawk hair do distracted me causing me to react too early. (Nice race Ed)
Advancing past the second round was one division 3 racer, Mitch Smith making it to the semi finals. The final 4 were both Jerry Barker Chevrolet cars, Jeremy Glidewell, and Mitch Smith. Mitch had a very early red light foul. He must have been distracted by something. In the Battle of the Barkers there was and interesting turn of events. The Senior Barker rolled into both the staging and pre stage lights. Jeffery (Jr.) waited for what seemed to be a minute waiting for Sr. Barker to back out (not wanting the bite the hand the feeds him). After waiting a long time Jr started to roll into the prestage beam when dad rolled out. Now Jr is sitting waiting in the pre-stage beams. Jr being the keen young man he is, quickly reversed the car and back out of the pre-stage beam. Both settled down and starting over again in a more conventional routine. Jr could have put it on old Dad but Jr was quite the gentleman. One thing of note. I raced the Barker Camaro my first year in Top Sportsman. Before we had the staging combination figured out on Paul's twin turbo Firebird (RIP), I rolled in deep, and the Barker driving the car quickly bumped in causing me to foul. Oh well, because I would have done it to him in the same circumstance.
Good Job Mitch keeping a Division 3 racer in the semi-final.
If You Missed This Race, You Missed the Race of the Year
Summit Raceway Park at Norwalk, OH May 20, 2007
The facility at Norwalk has a reputation with high expectations. I hate being the guy that is asked the question, "Do you know how many 'fill in the blank' to ' fill in the blank'?" I always answer some huge number so I don't look stupid. You know, like, Do you know 'what the Army paid DSM Racing' to 'sponsor his Team'? So I don't want to look stupid, I say "10 Gillion Dollars." And the guy that asked the question says no only, "9 Gillion Dollars."
Well! When I went to the race I was expecting a 9 Gillion Dollar show and I was surprised to get a 20 Gillion Dollar show. If you missed this race, you missed the race of the year. Sorry Leo, I know you must have not been feeling well but I don't know if anyone can announce like Bill Bader Jr. You know how the NASCAR TV and Radio personalities hype a race and make a boring 3 hour show turn into the something wild and exciting. Bill Bader Jr. is a level above those guys and he is genuinely into it. He makes a great show of it too. Oh, by the way, I had 2 of those delicious bowls of $1 ice cream and the track had a cook-out Friday night too.
Let's start out with qualifying. There were a ton of Top Sportsman cars (50) and a ton of Stock, SS, SG, SC, S/St. There were 14 F/C going for 8 spots. Well Comp was a little light, and that is expected. Top Dragster was a bit disappointing, 24 cars. I think in TD the IHRA guys were afraid of the NHRA tech process, and the NHRA guys were afraid of the IHRA regulars out qualifying them. Well now that I am an official door car guy, I can say the door cars are much faster than the dragster trash. (Just kidding about the trash part) 21 TS cars qualified below 6.99. Stupid Fast. The TS bump was 7.14 and fast qualifier was 6.52. That won't hold up long but I can say it for now.
Saturday the pits were packed with fans and the weather was a bit on the crappy side. Cool, Overcast, and light occasional sprinkles of rain. Well the fans showed up anyway because the Norwalk track always gives the fans their money's worth. We have all scene Jet Cars and exhibition cars with fireworks but this was a better show than I have ever observed. It was set to music with all the showmanship and class you could bring to a show.
Bill Bader Jr. was in a Tux, the track workers were all clean and in clean and pressed uniforms. This track is the best NHRA track I have ever observed. The US Nats, Los Vegas, Route 66, Gateway, Bristol, and many not worth mentioning could not hold a candle to the time I had at the Points Meet in Norwalk call the Cavalcade of Stars, at Summit Motorsports Park at Norwalk, OH. It felt like I was at an amusement park. All the walk ways were clean and neat. The bathrooms (and showers) were fresh and well kept. All the workers were friendly and they were glad to see us. I can wait for next year.
Oh yea, did I say there was racing? The Top Sportsman field smashed the last fastest field by more than 0.35 seconds. Oh by the way, the last fastest field race was my favorite race win, 2006 Route 66. The top qualifiers for TD and TS were Cassie Simanton, Spring Lake Park MN, Meyers-KB 6.629 200.77 MPH and Scott Ray, Greenville OH, '63 Corvette 6.521, 219.36 MPH. Ricky Adkins, took home the trophy in Top Sportsman with a quick run of 7.124 seconds at 184.98 mph beating Howard Michael. Top Dragster racer John Maggiulli Jr. ran a time of 7.315 seconds at 167.45 mph to earn the win over Top Sportsman winner Adkins in Top Dragster.
The Paul's Custom Service 68 Camaro ran well qualifying 10th 6.891, 195 MPH. In the first round of eliminations, the car experienced driveline failure at 1100 ft. Paul and Paula are working to repair the damage. The Paul's Custom Service Camaro will return as soon as the aluminum God's deliver new materials to the Jasper, Indiana shop. Sponsorship or donations can be made to 585 Wernsing Road, Jasper, IN 47546. Be a part of the history making Top Sportsman Team of The Paul's Custom Service Team and the TURBOMANNRACING.COM as they go for the Top Sportsman Title in Division 3. (That last line is funnier if you were at the race listening to Bill Bader Jr.)
Copied from the Dragracecentral.com website. You can link to that website here.
INDY BLUES AND JET LEG
The weekend at Indy was controversial before it started. Due to snow, the race was rescheduled to the "Double Jeg's Race in OHIO" weekend. We don't race for a month and then 3 races scheduled for the same weekend. This is my luck this year. Two Jeg's races and the points meet the same weekend. Humm.... what should I choose. Well work made that decision for our team. I had to go to England and return with a sever case of Jet Leg. More on that later.... The easy going pace of the points meet and the fact that Paula bought a new Motor Home made it better to stay in one place at Indy.
The motor home is sweet. I understand it is a bit slow compared to the old turbocharged gas engine in the old motor home. You can make Paul an offer on the old motor home drive train. It is a turbo charged, electronically fuel injected 454 Chevy with intercooler. This motor home pulling a 24' trailer can pass most cars up Mont Eagle. I witnessed it myself. The gas mileage is a bit better than most other big block motor homes of the same size.
I hate getting to the race late because I can't visit with the other races and we were hurried. I landed at 2:00 PM in Indy and we made our first pass at 3:00 PM. My bags were late as usual on Northworst Airline. I left my bags there and raced through Friday afternoon traffic to make it on time. After driving on the wrong side of the road and twirling through all those stupid round-abouts all week in England, it was nice to just drive fast and straight in Indy traffic before getting to the track. I don't think there was any urban planning in England and they think Americans are backward. I watched a little TV in the evening and they only have 6 channels, the BBC and Sky TV. Did I ever tell anyone Cricket sucks. Baseball is slow but baseball's speed compared to Cricket is like comparing a TF/FC to Stock. Not easy to understand rules for Stock and you have to be a diehard to fully appreciate the sport. Do you know why people can sit an have a picnic lunch in the out field during a Cricket game??? Because they can and they do not have to worry about being interrupted. What a stupid game...
Jet Leg kicked in after my return from the airport. I had to return to the airport for my bags Friday evening since the bags came in on a later flight. I had a bad case of Jet Leg. You have never heard of Jet Leg?
My wife's grandmother and close friend Helen were two retired school teachers in the late 1970's. They were getting too old to drive two days to Florida by themselves from Indiana to Fort Meyers. Their kids made arrangements for them to Fly from Evansville to Fort Meyers. Upon arrival, the two or three hours of flight made Helen legs sore from a lack of movement. That evening Helen's legs continued to bother her. When her daughter called her to see how she was doing from the afternoon's travel she said,"Not well. This was my first flight and my legs are hurting badly. I read in the magazine on the plane that after long hours of flight passengers experience these problems. They call it Jet Leg." Everyone died laughing. They explained the term was Jet Lag and that she would be OK in the morning.
The event highlights and low lights
The track at Indy was a fooler. The air was crisp and cool for Mid-July but the track was hot from the mid day sun. I believe that people thought the track would be better than it was. It fooled us too. The air was terrific. The sleeping weather was fantastic. No air-conditioners required at night. We made plans to go out to dinner that night but I found out later they had a racer appreciation event Friday night. Very unusual... but nice and I was sorry we missed it. Back to racing, we had a lot of tire shake Friday night and the pass was very slow.
Saturday, Chris Ray blazed a fast pass during the first session setting low qualifier for the weekend. That eliminated the Hail Mary attempts Saturday evening. There 9 six second cars and there were 4 folks that did not make the field. Per the schedule there was no Top Dragster at this event.
In the final, Daniel Howorth, Yorkville, Ill., '97 Camaro, 7.365, 181.08 def. Jerry Albert, Avon, Ohio, '97 Camaro, 7.793, 131.13 by winning by a red light start. Dan had his strongest showing this year. The first round the son of a gun put a 0.004 light on me and ran 0.006 under all out. My 0.011 light was late as I drove through the finish line taking the strip by a couple of feet. The first one there lost. Good race Dan and congrats to your first win in D3 Top Sportsman. Dan had good lights all day and every pass was close to the Dial.
Two friends met up first when Yates and Smith raced first round this time Bill came out on top. Charlie E. driving the Frankenstein Camaro went into late rounds when a mechanical failure gave Jerry Albert a break single in the Semis. Scott Fitzgibbon's Dodge boy car has really picked it up lately, qualifying in the 7.0's. Scott, did you borrow Rick Corn engine from Indy Cylinder Head? I saw Rick was driving a borrowed car.
The top 4 qualifiers were: 1. Chris Ray, Louisville KY, '03 Cavalier 6.714 210.14; 2. Greg Clevenger, Camden MI, '57 Bel Air 6.819 199.52; 3. Tom Stultz, Terre Haute IN, '92 Firebird 6.827 206.26; and 4. Cathy Belcher, Rantoul IL, '90 Camaro 6.898 200.59.
Our next race will NOT be in Columbus. The crank dampner is pulling off the front of the engine. Paul is working on the engine and hopes to race next August 4, at Bunker Hill.
See ya at the races...