Drag Racing Scene Summer 2016

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In This Issue Drag Racing Scene Vol. 2, Issue 2

Features

28 DOOR WARS 36 CLASS IS BACK IN SESSION At Maryland International Raceway

After many years, Dave Morgan is back to teach the racer chassis science

44 MATCH RACE MAULER 52 SPRING IS IN THE AIR John Lawson's Nitro Funny Car Lights Out 7 And Outlaw Street Car Reunion III

MARCH, IT MUST 68 IFBEIT'S THE MEET

The March Meet at Famoso Raceway

82 HONORED BY THEIR PEERS International Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductees

86 PRESTON DAVIS

Hall of Fame inductee and his current Southern Pride dragster

92

DIALING IN

Junior drag racing series’ focus on youth development

2 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

33

MATCH RACE MAULER John Lawson's Nitro Funny Car

52

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Lights Out 7 and Outlaw Street Car Reunion III

Tech

24 COOL ADVICE

Dispelling myths and correcting misconceptions about drag racing cooling systems

32 LOCK-UP TECHNOLOGY 40 RACING FOR A LIVING

Amazing performance gains and repeatability

20

COOL ADVICE

Dispelling myths and correcting misconceptions

Lunati's Kirk Peters and Justin Bowers understand drag racing from multiple perspectives

HELPING OF 48 DOUBLE-DOUBLE BRAKES

Dual-caliper brakes from Aerospace Components

58 60 YEARS AND STILL BUMPIN' 72 THE RIGHT SAFETY GEAR? 76 RACE CAR CLARITY 78 RACER PROFILE 88 BRIDGING THE GAP

Crane Cams has seen it all since its beginning Providing the protection you expect

Thermoformed windows make a difference Jeff Reed

FAST XFI Sportsman systems

28 DOOR WARS

At Maryland International Raceway

Departments FOR 4 FUEL THOUGHT

Letter from the editor

6 DRAG NEWS

Important happenings in the drag racing world

ON THAT 19 STOMP LOUD PEDAL

Tuning windows, clutch discs, and performance gains

20 BORN TO RACE 22 TRACK TESTED Hooked for life

10 12 TOP ELIMINATOR INSIDE THE 94 LIFE AT THE HELMET 14 DRAGSTRIP DIGITAL GUIDE

Where to find us online

Unfactored factory mayhem

Bob Bartel

How it all started

Assessment: Data logger for your brain?

16 IN FOCUS

IT 95 PUT TO THE TEST

18 VIDEO REWIND

96 LIFE AT 1320

Photography of Chris Simmons Cool videos we found online

Magnetic Deck Bridge

Vendor Midway XSeries Digital Gauges AEM................................................ 62 Voodoo Lightweight Crankshafts Lunati............................... 63 Front Pro Coil System for Chevrolet B-Body and Corvettes QA1............................................................. 64 XP10 0W-10 Racing Oil Driven Racing Oil........................... 64 XFI Touch Screen Dash with Data Logger FAST..................... 65 Short Travel XD Hydraulic Roller Lifters COMP Cams............ 66 Mini Versa Starter Shields Design Engineering.................... 66 Front and Rear Drag Race Brake Kits for the 2015 Mustang Wilwood................................................ 66 GM LS RaceMax Camshafts Crane Cams............................. 67

SPECIAL THANKS

The staff of Drag Racing Scene would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the talented photographers that supplied images found in this issue.

Chris Simmons: facebook.com/chrissimmonseventphotography Steve Vreatt: cs-motorsports.com Jeff Kline: facebook.com/racingoutlawz Bryan Epps: facebook.com/bryan.epps Mike and Jeff Burghardt: bangshift.com/mike-and-jeff-burghardt Richard Shute: autoimagery.com Mike Galimi: facebook.com/mike.galimi

Detroit Autorama

DragRacingScene.com 3

e: tsilvey@xcelerationmedia.com

The EPA, your race car, and your congressman

U

nless you are a racer who has been living under the proverbial rock, you are reasonably aware of the recent upheaval in the motorsports industry. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) fired a shot that would prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into race cars, in their words.

The reach (or overreach) of the EPA is very simple. The United States Congress passed a federal law titled the Clean Air Act back in 1973. Once that law was handed off to the EPA, they could create regulation under the umbrella of the Clean Air Act. So, while visions of factory smokestacks and dirty diesel machinery fill the EPAs public pitch, they were burying this new regulation targeting motorsports within a 629-page document entitled Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles.

History lesson over, let's talk about today.

Through the hard work of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), word of mouth, the internet, social media, and even dragstrip PA systems, people have touted what motorsports is up against. The call by SEMA to sign an electronic petition to the United States White House asking for a stop to these regulations recently made eye-opening strides. The100,000 signatures required to get an official response from the Whitehouse was eclipsed by 170,000 signatures in just a few weeks. Subsequently, congressmen have introduced a federal bill titled the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. Since this one-two punch of resistance, the EPA has stated they have withdrawn the proposal. The unfortunate aspect of this statement is that the internet has been quick to claim victory over the EPA, which is not true.

The only way to fully stop this action is not to take the word of the EPA. There is some kind of old saying about trusting someone as far as you can throw them.

To write your Congressman is something I dare say less than one percent of racers have ever done. Why am I asking you to do the unthinkable? I want you to imagine a dragstrip without race cars utilizing bodies that once had VIN numbers.

How many cars would be there at the next event?

Though many federal legislators have voiced support for the RPM Act, many are still undecided. It is crucial every motorsports business, race track, and most importantly, individual racer, contacts THEIR OWN legislators asking for their support for the RPM Act. There are electric forms that can be filled out by you and will be sent to your U.S. Senators based on your zip code. Easy peasy. But, if you really give a damn, make a personalized effort that has tenfold the effectiveness.

You may find this hard to believe, but each of you has more political persuasiveness than you can imagine. It is very easy to get the contact info of your representatives by punching your zip code into a number of websites. Email is good, a physical letter is very noticeable, a polite call to their legislative assistant, asking for your opinion to be noted is great. Legislators receive a lot of correspondence. Following a few simple rules will make certain your message is read, and can help influence their decision to vote for The Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act of 2016 (RPM Act). Always include your name, address, and phone number when sending a short, informative, personalized message to YOUR Congressman. He/she wants to hear from their constituents only. Include a photo or image of your race car in your email or mail. Tell these people what importance racing holds for you.

Be factual, not emotional. Keep your message short and to the point. Explain how the issue affects you, your business, and your fellow racers. Be courteous, and never threaten or argue. You can always use the information from the SEMA websites to help compose your correspondence. Do not sit quietly and wait for the worst to happen. Take a few minutes to voice your urgency to legislators to pass the RPM Act. DRS

Staff Group Publisher

Shawn Brereton

Editorial Director

Todd Silvey

Senior Tech Editor Tech Editor

Jeff Smith Richard Holdener

Contributors Mike Galimi Brandon Flannery Chris Simmons Dan Hodgdon Jeff Huneycutt Tami Eggleston Clay Millican Michelle Furr Darr Hawthorne Bryan Epps Advertising/Subscriptions Ivan Korda Dave Ferrato Jonathan Ertz For advertising inquiries call 901.260.5910.

Copy Editor

Cindy Bullion

Production Art

Hailey Douglas Jason Wommack Zach Tibbett

Drag Racing Scene is published quarterly to promote the growth of drag racing as well as recognize the parts and services from participating manufacturers. The magazine consists of dedicated information from partner companies with the mission of disseminating unfiltered editorial on companies, products and services directly to drag racing participants and fans.

Editorial content and advertisements for each issue can originate from partner companies participating in the magazine.

Drag Racing Scene is a hybrid of content that was originally published at DragRacingScene. com and original content that was created for this quarterly print magazine. Magazine distribution occurs through direct distribution from parent company Xceleration Media and partner companies.

Drag Racing Scene is a property of Xceleration Media. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent from Xceleration Media. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Shawn Brereton caught the staging lane patience at STA Memphis ANDGED RE ADY International Raceway.

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Drag News PRESENTED BY

Same accident claims life of racer Ronnie Davis, seriously injures journalist, Ian Tocher All-around Top Sportsman standout Ronnie Davis from Suwanee, Georgia, was transported to Moore County Regional Hospital and then to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, after losing control of his Corvette beyond the finish line at the Professional Drag Racers Association (PDRA) Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway on April 9.

In the same incident, photojournalist Ian Tocher was severely injured by debris from Davis' car and transported by care flight to UNC Hospital as well.

During qualifying, Davis violently crossed the track and became airborne. The car struck the top of the right side guard wall and rolled beyond the track surface.

Ronnie “the King” Davis ultimately succumbed to his injuries the following evening. He was the reigning PDRA Top Sportsman World Champion, as well as a two-time NHRA division champion and a five-time IHRA Top Sportsman World Champion.

He received his “The King” moniker from his multiple championship wins at the “King of the Hill” competition at Atlanta Speed Shop Dragway.

The name has always followed Davis

Ronnie Davis

from notoriety as a great ambassador to sportsman drag racing.

Ian Tocher, from Roswell, Georgia, is still in the UNC Hospital trauma unit and has undergone multiple surgeries to address the severe injuries to his legs and pelvis.

Reports also state that the surgeons and doctors are very positive about his current condition. Tocher and Davis have been longtime friends, and Tocher had created numerous stories about Davis and his racing accomplishments.

The remaining PDRA event at Rockingham was postponed Saturday with the event finished Sunday. A large prayer vigil for both Tocher and Davis was held at the base of the Rockingham Dragway tower. The tremendous gathering of racers and fans displayed the camaraderie of motorsports.

An outpouring of assistance has come about including "Bridge the Gap" funds by God Speed Ministry to help cover the expansive medical costs for the Davis family and Tocher, One hundred percent of donations to those accounts will go directly to their needs. There has also been a gofundme.com effort titled the Ian Tocher Support Fund. As of the 20-day mark, the Go Fund Me page has raised more than $63,000 for Tocher's growing medical expenses.

EPA says it will drop motorsport regulation The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)recently announced it is dropping language from a proposed greenhouse gas rule that would have prevented hobbyists and amateur drivers from converting street cars into race cars.

The shift comes three days after a group of House Republicans sent a letter pressing EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy stating, “The EPA had no business using Heavy Duty Truck rules to sideline race cars.”

At issue was a proposed regulation to slash greenhouse gas emissions by medium- and heavy-duty vehicles that would have also

mandated certified motor vehicles, engines and their emission control devices remain in their certified configuration.

The EPA maintains that the language was only meant to clarify previous rules and did not represent a change in policy.

Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry has introduced the RPM Act, a congressional bill to combat EPA overreach into amateur racing. McHenry released the following

Stay up to date with the latest news at DragRacingScene.com.

6 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

statement after the EPA withdrew its proposed regulation of amateur racers: “The EPA’s attempt to regulate amateur racers is misguided and unnecessary. While it's positive to see the EPA react to my legislation, the need for Congressional action on the RPM Act remains. Passing the RPM Act into law is the only way to ensure this ill-advised, job-killing regulation is stopped for good.”

Read much more about past and current events concerning the EPA regulation effort at the SEMA Action Network website: semasan.com

Shirley Muldowney takes On F1 Chief Drag racing legend Shirley Muldowney appeared on BBC World News speaking out against comments Formula One Group Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone made about female race car drivers.

Ecclestone’s comments included that female drivers would “not be taken seriously” and are “not physically able to drive a car fast.”

Muldowney's response: “I'm a 50-year veteran in the sport of NHRA drag racing. I've won four championships (three NHRA and one AHRA) and to listen to this man just degrade everything that any other woman has done out there, myself included, is a little bit of a put-down.”

She continues her involvement with the racing community through her non-profit organization, Shirley’s Kids charity, which helps children in need at events related to various NHRA markets.

Muldowney points out the encouragement of females in motorsports with these excerpts from

New additions Xceleration Media Group has expanded its video production department with the creation of a 5,000-sq.ft. plus studio. The studio features four unique sets that can be used individually for installation, product spotlight, and interview videos. Three of the sets can also be shot as one large set for video projects with multiple elements.

The Xceleration Media Group has also acquired Cars & Parts magazine from Amos Media Company. Cars & Parts will complement Xceleration Media’s already robust suite of automotive titles including Power & Performance News, Street Rod Life, Gearheads4Life, Drag Racing Scene, and OneDirt magazines.

Visit xcelerationmedia.com for more info.

Shirley Muldowney vs Bernie Ecclestone

her BBC interview: “It already has happened. It happened back in 1971 when the NHRA, the first to accept women on an equal basis, allowed me to come into the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. I reached the top of our sport. I wanted to go out there and teach them the right way to do it, show the fellas the way home, and no one gave me a quarter. I did it… with great crewmembers, and I always had my

own equipment. I was the boss, and it kinda looks like I called the right shots when you look at history.

“I started with the sport in its infancy and I grew with it. I was the first woman. They did everything they could to outwit me, to make life difficult, but you know, I didn't go to the corner and cry, I just got even right on the starting line and on the finish line. That was my taste of glory."

Erica Enders Returns to Sportsman Roots Two-time Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders returned to her racing roots behind the wheel of the ORTEQ Energy Technologies Super Gas car at the NHRA Division 4 race at No Problem Raceway Park.

Before moving to the professional ranks, Erica Enders raced Super Gas and won an NHRA National Event in Houston in 2004. She is driving for since I've raced Super Gas, and car owners Buddy Wood and Cody Orlike anything else, to be good at towski in the first of several Sportsman something you need to do it a lot, races she'll compete in this season. but it's not like I haven't been drag How did Erica do? racing." Wood and Wampler raced "We had a good time down in alongside Enders as her teammates Belle Rose. I went to the semifinals that weekend. in the Gambler's race and drove Erica will continue to compete in pretty well. Sunday, I drew a former Super Gas this season with a schedSuper Gas world champion first ule to be determined at a later date, round – and got my butt kicked! though she'll compete in eight to 10 I'm sure everyone will bring their national events in conjunction with A-game to the starting line." Enders her Pro Stock activities. continued, "I'll try my best to hold them off and go some Keep up with Erica's racing accomplishments by rounds. It's been 12 years searching “Erica Enders” at DragRacingScene.com.

DragRacingScene.com 7

Drag News PRESENTED BY

Entire shop lost to freak engine explosion Texas based Tarkington Race Engines [TRE] was destroyed by fire on February 25 after a fire ignited from an engine in the shop. Taylor Lastor was quoted in the Dayton News that he was "working on an engine when it 'blew up,' quickly engulfing the shop."

The building, machining, and shop equipment are a total loss. A post from Taylor’s personal Face-

book page states: “Thanks for all the support and everyone checking on

us. This is one of the worst things I've ever experienced and almost impossible to believe 25 years of equipment, tools, and memories are gone. I don't think a single machine is salvageable. Millions of parts and pieces melted away."

Nine fire departments responded to the fire, but it is estimated the $400,000 shop, equipment, and inventory is a complete loss.

Vandergriff retires, Top Fuel teams of Leah Pritchett and Dave Connolly parked With the announcement of immediate retirement by Bob Vandergriff, team owner of Bob Vandergriff Racing (BVR), the Top Fuel racers Dave Connolly and Leah Pritchett along with all related employees have been released from their duties.

Effective immediately, the entire BVR Dave Connolly organization has been shut down. This was a devastating blow for Dave Connolly, who is currently No.7 in NHRA Mello Yello Championship point standings and Leah Pritchett, who is currently No.10

and just came off of her first Top Fuel victory at the recent NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Vandergriff issued a statement: “I've been considering retirement for a few years now, and I’ve actually done it once already when I retired from the driver’s seat at the end of the 2014 season. Now it’s time to retire from the sport altogether. We’ve had a tremendous group of people at BVR and I expect and wish for great things in the future for each and every one of them."

In the short period of time following the announcement, Dave Connolly is still looking for a professional ride but did compete in Top Sportsman at the recent NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

Leah Pritchett quickly rebounded and returned driving the Lagana family dragster at the Four-Wide Nationals and again at the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston flying her previous Quaker State sponsorship with Vandergriff Racing.

It has also Leah Pritchett just been announced Pritchett will join Don Schumacher Racing for two scheduled NHRA National Events in Atlanta and the Indianapolis U.S. Nationals with FireAid as her sponsor.

A drag strip named Happy Land... in Vietnam Investors in Vietnam are building the country's first drag strip. The first Motor Speedway named Happy Land - Motorsport Park, will include a 1300foot total length drag strip.

According to a translated Google Maps, the new motorsports facility being built in Long An province in Vietnam is located approximately 20 miles Southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.

There is no information on the completion date of the paved portion of Happy Land - Motorsport Park, including the drag strip. The facility held its first dirt motorcycle race in November 2015.

8 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

The overhead illustrations show the multipurpose tracks with numerous road courses and the translated

description describes a 400-meter dragstrip which equates to just shy of a quarter mile of total length.

Since many of our drag racing readers are United States Armed Forces veterans of the Vietnam War era, it is an interesting take on the world to see such a country move towards motorsports. The Happy Land - Motorsport Park Facebook page says, "Many hope the track Happy Land - Motorsport Park can become a breeding place for racing talents to attend the racing world."

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Ed Verhelst for being randomly chosen as the winner of the Drag Racing Scene Use Your Head Promotion presented by RaceQuip.

Ed has chosen his helmet and gloves from the RaceQuip website (www. racequip.com) and will be receiving the items soon.

With 2015 being a Snell update year, plenty of people are looking for

an affordable option that exceeds the new standards and RaceQuip has done an excellent job with their Pro15 SA2015 line of helmets.

Additionally, their 2 Layer SFI-5 Rated Nomex gloves not only provide the protection your hands need, but the comfort you deserve. When it comes to safety, you can't be careful enough. RaceQuip has been the best value in auto racing safety since 1975!

Congratulations Ed! We hope you enjoy your new helmet and gloves compliments of RaceQuip!

The World Series of Drag Racing officially moved to Memphis, Garlits to serve as Grand Marshal MIR officials announced six premier drivers who will compete in the 2016 World Series of Drag Racing presented by Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau slated for Aug. 26 and 27.

Garlits will lead the event featuring drivers such as current NHRA world champion Erica Enders-Stevens, who will race five-time Pro Stock champion and Super Gas world title holder Jeg Coughlin.

Six-time IHRA Top Fuel world champion and local Drummonds, Tennessee, native Clay Millican will be on home turf to race drag racing legend Bruce Litton, who will bring his famed Top Fuel dragster to Memphis.

Father and son team Tim and Daniel Wilkerson are set for a rematch against each other in the Funny Car category.

Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon is also scheduled to make an appearance. MIR officials expect to release additional exciting announcements soon.

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The relocation of the World Series of Drag Racing has been made official by IRG Sports + Entertainment (IRGSE). IRGSE owns both Cordova International Raceway (CIR) and Memphis International Raceway (MIR)where CEO Chris Lencheski issued an official statement that included; “The World Series of Drag Racing will become a lifestyle event similar to what Comic-Con is for fans of Scifi/Comics in San Diego.

We plan to continue the existing traditions and add some new exciting elements to drag racing’s premiere fan event.”

Noted as the longest running drag racing event in history, the 62-year history of the World Series at CIR is known by sports writers over the years as “the Woodstock of drag racing.”

Don "Big Daddy" Garlits, the "Father of Drag Racing" will serve as Grand Marshal for the now titled World Series of Drag Racing presented

by Sunoco and the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Highlighting an individual who has helped promote the sport of drag racing whether on or off the track.

Bob Bartel

0n any given race day, you might see Bob Bartel hanging around Cordova Dragway in Illinois. It won't strike you that the unassuming 95-year-old gentleman in the large brim hat took a chance six decades ago to build an unknown venture to people on the east side of the Mississippi River. Now, lots of hot rodders knew then of the West Coast phenomenon, and it immediately paid off for Bob on the opening day of Cordova Dragway on Labor Day weekend 1956.

Bob remembers, “Opening day we were just jam-packed full. They didn’t even know what a dragstrip was in those days. Spectator price that day was $1 each, and you could race a car for $2 or $3 more. We had cars coming out like you can’t believe. Everybody in town wanted to try their car out at the new dragstrip. I had thought we might have a good turnout, so I had plenty of help lined up, and we teched every car that came in the gate."

Before it was a dragstrip, the property was nothing but sand.

“It grew good watermelons," Bob says, "That’s basically all that would grow there. They tried all sorts of other stuff, but that’s all that really worked.”

Once he had the track built, the John Deere factory kept the track well mowed, as they wanted places to test their mowers.

“I gave them a set of keys and they kept it looking nice," Bob says.

Paul Carlson, the sports editor at the Moline Dispatch, took a liking to Bob and to the dragstrip and gave them great coverage.

“I had good cooperation from them, " Bob says, "I could just casually talk with him after being out at the track shoveling sand and the next day, it would be in the paper."

To keep interest in the track growing, Bob also was one of the very first to hire racers to match race.

Says Bob, “Racing newspapers ran stories about cars going 150 mph. So, I started hiring in a few guys with modified cars. Big engines in little Ford coupes. They helped put on a show.”

That proved to be the way to keep the spectators coming in the gates. As the dragstrip grew, Wally Parks stopped by the track and tried to convince Bob to pay NHRA sanction fees.

“I had good insurance, better than Wally had at the time," Bob says, "He and I didn’t see eye to eye. We were always friendly, and he wanted me to join and pay dues to NHRA. I wasn’t making enough money to do that.”

In the track's second year, Bob came up with the idea for the World Series of Drag Racing.

“We were getting good publicity from Doris Herbert and Drag News," he explains. "She gave me a list of names, and through her influence, we were swamped with dragsters, 102 of them. I don’t know of any track that had ever had that many.

Sometimes it was leather straps holding a car seat to a frame.

We had 102 dragsters that went down our quarter mile during that event. That was the opportunity that established the World Series and made it popular.

“They were trying to build an NHRA meet at Indianapolis. The teams all came to Cordova first and got acclimated to the Midwest altitude. They came to race the weekend before, and then went on to Indy for the U.S. Nationals.”

Bob operated the track at Cordova until 1985.

“I just got tired," he says of retirement, "I had a guy who wanted to take it over. His promises didn’t pan out too well. But the guy after him, Bob Gibson, was a racer and would work on the track until it was time to race his car, then he was out racing. I never agreed with that.”

After Gibson left, Scott and Laura Gardner took over the Cordova Dragway and ran it for several years with great success.

With the 2014 purchase of the track by IRG Sports & Entertainment, Bob mourns the loss of the World Series to Memphis International Raceway.

“I built up the idea that you race the entire season and then culminate with the World Series at the peak of the season. That will all be lost now.”

When asked, ‘If you had to tell the world of all the work you put into Cordova Dragway, would you tell them to build a track?’, Bob laughs and says, “Yes, if they are willing to work.

I didn’t hesitate to be out there shoveling sand or building a structure myself. Some track operators did nothing but publicity and skirted the work, but I just didn’t work that way.”

Bob has always enjoyed going to the track, and has continued to do often even at his age.

"I always enjoy going out there and sitting around talking with people, "he says, "Many racers and staff are always happy to see me. That makes life fun." DRS

day we were “Opening jam-packed full. They didn’t

even know what a dragstrip was in those days. Spectator price that day was $1 each.

12 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

”

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13 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

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What started it all

A

s it happens for many, I got involved in drag racing as a kid. I went every weekend to watch one of my dad’s friends, Denny “The Skunk” Breckenridge, terrorize tracks such as Quaker City, Dragway 42, Norwalk Raceway Park, and Thompson Drag Raceway in the '80s.

My dad bought me a junky little 1.6 film camera, and I started taking photos in the pits. As I gained experience, Dad got me a real camera, and Denny talked to Bill Bader Sr. about getting me on the starting line at Norwalk.

It started out as a hobby; I would go around and ask drivers to sign the photos for my own collection. Racers started wanting to buy them, and I turned to Norwalk's track photographer, Mark Meyer, for advice. Mark taught me a lot of camera basics, and I sold my first photo at about 14 years old.

In the mid-'80s, Bob and Chris Bastian created Northern Ohio Bracket Racer magazine, and I started covering the Ohio tracks. That led to a lot of nights sleeping in the backseat of my car, to allow me to cover all four tracks each week.

I got tired of that and wanted to travel to different facilities.

Soon, I met the official IHRA photographer, Jim Bralley, the person who would eventually change my life forever.

Jim was living my dream job, touring around the country taking photos. I wanted to start traveling, so I joined local racing associations, which led me first to Tim Little and his Super Gas Association. I also joined the Supercharged Outlaws as their photographer. Then, Bob and Cathy Floch created the Mid America Funny Car circuit and took me to new tracks and even to Canada, opening my eyes to a lot of "new" things in life, thanks to a few drivers who will remain nameless.

I would shoot whatever I felt like, and the next week, I would bring 4x6 prints back to sell to drivers for a dollar each or, if I was traveling, I would gather addresses before the races and mail out proofs.

My next step in getting my dream was going to the IHRA Bracket Finals as track photographer for Norwalk, Dragway 42, and Thompson. I took pre-orders from the racers and mailed them a package after the event. That didn't go over well with Jim Bralley since he was the official photographer.

Each team was able to bring their own photographer, but I worked for three tracks.

While attending the event, I met Billy Cunningham, IHRA media director. We worked out a deal so I could attend a few national events the next year. I was 18, and IHRA was still open to vendors who wanted to come shoot and pay to sell photos at national events.

I had a full-time job, but my boss would let me leave early on Fridays to travel to three-day events. It was time to choose one or the other in 1991 when I was asked to shoot my first IHRA event for Drag Review in Baton Rouge. It was the chance I had been waiting for, but the event rained out three straight weeks and was eventually cancelled. I stayed the whole time with Pro Mod racer Randy Moore and his crew. I used up all my vacation time because I wanted this chance. My next event was Bristol, but Jim was still working with IHRA, so I went as a vendor.

14 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Jim and I were great friends, although we were fierce competitors at the tracks. He was getting tired of the travel and the work. Little did I know when we got to St. Louis for the IHRA Nitrous Nationals, this would be a turning point.

That weekend was a disaster because only 130 cars showed and neither of us made any money.

two minutes I wrote him a “Within check and said, “I don’t ever want to see you at another race again. ”

The conversation took place about Jim's retirement and what it would cost for me to buy his business. He was working as official photographer for NHRA Division 2, IHRA, IDBL, and all the Winter Series events in Florida. I asked how much it was going to take, and he told me the figure.

Within two minutes I wrote him a check and said, “I don’t ever want to see you at another race again.”

We became best friends and I considered him my "On the Road Dad." I moved from Ohio to North Carolina, only 30 miles away from Jim. He offered advice when I was home between races. I had finally reached my dream.

I'm still with IHRA 26 years later, doing the Winter Series and just last year gave up the NHRA Division 2 job. It's been a great adventure as I plan to continue on for a few more years, but I certainly couldn't have done it without so many people in the beginning. DRS

Bryan's archives are full of historic photos as his dad started him at the track at a young age. At 5, he was already shaking hands with the likes of Ronnie Sox.

Local racer and good friend, Denny Breckenridge, took Bryan to the track as a kid, giving him his first chance to take his own racing photos.

IN FOCUS

CHRIS SIMMONS PHOTOGRAPHY

Where is your hometown?

I reside at whichever racetrack I am shooting at, in my travel trailer. I am originally from Mechanicsville, Maryland, where my parents still live. I am currently engaged to my fiancĂŠe, Tammi, who resides in Indiana. I try to make it to both locations as much as I can, but with my demanding schedule, it makes it hard.

What type of cars do you normally shoot? What track(s) do you frequent?

A wide variety, anywhere from Top Fuel to street cars, and everything in between. You will see me at an Outlaw event, a random Test and Tune, or the Million Dollar Bracket Race. I think I've shot every variation of drag racing.

How long have you been a photographer?

15 years, 11 years professionally.

16  Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

What camera, lenses, lighting, etc. do you use?

Currently, I use a pair of Nikon D700 camera bodies, a Nikon 24-120 f4 for my wide angle, and my Nikon 70-200 2.8 VRII is my go-to telephoto lens. I always carry a 1.4x teleconverter for a little extra reach also. As far as lighting goes, I use pocket wizards to fire remote Alien Bee strobes, to try and turn the starting line into a mini studio.

Where can people find your work?

My images appear from time to time on ihra.com,dragracecentral.com, dragcoverage.com, and competitionplus.com. Every now and then I will post some on my Facebook page.

What sets your photography apart from others?

I don't really think my pho-

tography is that much different from others. I do use professional lighting equipment in my action shots and have gotten that pretty much down to a science. In being an event photographer vs. being a photo-journalist, my main goal is to have the sharpest, most vibrant colors possible to make a customer happy with my final product.

Who are your influences?

Dave Milcarek from Atco Raceway was my first major influence. I saw him using off-camera lighting for his shots. I knew I wanted to figure out how to master off-camera lighting.

When it comes to my business, Bryan Epps is my most major influence, one of my best friends, and my business partner. Bryan has shown me the ropes in how to make a living selling photos at the track.

How did you get into motorsports photography?

I was shooting photos for fun from the stands and finally asked if I could come out and shoot photos trackside during my senior year of high school. I shot there after school on Friday nights and spent most of my weekends there.

If you had one car you could choose to shoot, what would it be, and why?

That's tough, I would have to say either Jay Cox's or Stevie Jackson's Pro Nitrous Camaros. I want to shoot them at South Georgia Motorsports Park, at night, and from about 300 feet down track. I've seen both of those cars ride the bars mid track with flames near the roof, I want that shot more than any other.

facebook.com/csimmonsphoto

For even more info and pics search “Chris Simmons” at DragRacingScene.com.

DragRacingScene.com 17

Video Rewind

RACING / PRODUCT / ENTERTAINMENT

To watch all the videos below, head to:

DragRacingScene.com/video-rewind

Drag Racing Scene interviews racers at Fastest Outlaw car in the theworld Outlaw Street The KH Series V6 become the fastest Outlaw car in the world running 3.87 at 199 mph.

Car Reunion III

International Drag Racing Hall of Fame induction speech of Preston Davis

Great heartfelt video of Preston Davis’ acceptance into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Another treat within the video is Ray Godman’s introduction of Preston, who drove the famed “Tennessee Bo-Weevil” for Godman in Top Fuel and Funny Car competition during the 1960s and '70s.

For original content head over to DragRacingScene.com/videos.

18 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

We interview many standout racers over the weekend about their racing and their new combinations. Interviews include: Darren Hilterbran, Justin Martin, Greg Henschell, Jason Brock, J.D. Campbell, Philip Reichardt, Tommy Rainer, and Tim Kincaid.

All about that boost!

Richard Holdener takes a 351 Windsor and adds a Vortech V3 Supercharger! How much horsepower does it add? Watch!

Meet Jay Blake

"I can disassemble the entire car myself."

Racing's only blind crew chief tells an inspirational story.

Get to know: Todd Silvey

Meet the man who makes this magazine what it is. Hear how he gets the stories that can only be found in the pages of Drag Racing Scene magazine!

Tuning, clutch discs, and performance gains

T

he drag world is mixed up right now. Electronic fuel injection is now in Pro Stock. The playing field has been leveled in the nitro classes, with a variety of winers in Top Fuel and Funny Car classes.

NHRA announced last year that the Pro Stock cars must now back into their pit area and will not be able to hide everything that they are doing. One of the interesting things the Pro Stock world learned as a result was Erica Enders was running A-arms instead of a strut front suspension.

With that announcement also came the news there would be shorter wheelie bars and EFI will be allowed. I’m not sure how much difference the shorter bars have made, but the EFI has certainly shaken things up. We saw two cars that always run really well suddenly become dominant again: Greg Anderson and Jason Line.

They have been pretty much unstoppable. It leaves the other teams scratching their heads as to what those guys have figured out that they haven’t. The other teams are gaining on them, but they haven’t quite figured out what they are missing.

In Funny Car, we continue to see huge performance gains. Everyone keeps talking about the headers having so much to do with it. They have swept the headers back, and instead of the headers being used completely for downforce, they are using them to create some forward momentum for the cars. It started with Jack Beckman’s car drilling off unheard of numbers last year. As in most things in racing, the rest of the Funny Car class has now caught up with Beckman.

Everyone used to go nuts when a Funny Car ran three anything ETs. Now, we are seeing the field of seven to 10 cars be in the three second zone. These Funny Cars are now running numbers dragsters would call a good run just a few years ago. At the moment, you can’t name a dominant team; we have seen a couple of different camps get wins this year.

I would really love to know how much is headers and how much is something else they have figured out.

That happens regularly in all of drag racing. A team will pick up a lot of ET and speed, then the word spreads around that this is what they’re doing. It promotes every team out there to start pushing the limit of other parts.

Sometimes they find something by accident that helps the team out. A lot of times, once you start pushing the limits on one part, you find something else.

Over the years, we have certainly been trying to find another avenue to make the Parts Plus/Great Clips car run quicker. A lot of times, you will find the opposite is true.

You start heading down a path of better ETs and suddenly you can’t get your car to run right. When you go back to what you were doing before, you can’t seem to undo it. Race cars are very temperamental machines. The crew chief always looks for a bigger tuning window. If you find a big tun-

ing window, you can get away with a lot. You can take a big swing. All of a sudden, however, it can swing back to where you have a tiny tuning window and the smallest of changes makes it so you can’t get the car down the racetrack.

Often, it’s not necessarily the engine combination that causes the issue. The real secret to keep a nitro car consistent is in the clutch wear, especially how much the clutch wears on the front. Clutch discs have their own personality; no two are alike. Discs are made in batches of a few hundred at a time. Once you run out of that particular batch and introduce a new batch, your clutch wear is suddenly different.

When your clutch wear is different, the levers that apply the pressure are suddenly not working the same as they were before. There goes your tuning window. You have to stop working on whatever you were doing and get your clutch wear back to where it was. That can throw you a huge curveball.

That’s why the teams with huge budgets have a huge inventory of clutch discs so that they are not completely dependent on any certain batch. A small team like us has several different batches of discs in each clutch pack.

We have a six-disc clutch and if all six discs are from one batch, and you run out of them, you are in left field. So we try to keep two to three different batches of discs in our clutch pack at any one time. When you introduce a new batch, you are only changing one or two disc combinations. It is always scary when you run out of a batch of clutch discs and have to introduce new ones.

This year, Top Fuel has been extremely entertaining to start the year. In the first few events, we have had two female winners, two first-time winners and cars put huge numbers on the scoreboard. The Parts Plus/Great Clips car has been one of them. I've upped my career best already this year. Just this past weekend, I ran a career-best 3.722 with one pair of cars left to run. I'm standing there waiting to be congratulated for being No. 1 qualifier only to have Richie Crampton go 3.68. It's crazy.

The Nitro classes as a whole have become what Pro Stock used to be. We're not seeing any one team dominate like we have in the past. The mega-teams are not leading the way; the smaller teams are hanging in there. It looks pretty level so far this season, and if it stays this way, we're in for a heck of a battle to the championship. I plan on being a part of it. DRS Clay Millican is a 6-Time IHRA World Champion Top Fuel dragster driver who now plies his trade as the driver of the Parts Plus/Great Clips T/F dragster in the NHRA. You can follow Clay’s exploits throughout the season at claymillican.com. @claymillican @claymillican Clay Millican @stringerracing @stringerracing Stringer Performance DragRacingScene.com 19

Hooked for life

I

remember sitting in the staging lanes, looking up and at age 15, I sat behind the wheel at Elk Creek Dragway at the tower knowing I was about to make my very with Dad beside me in our ’55 Chevy BelAir 4-speed. He first pass at an NHRA national event. I was smiling taught me how to push in the clutch, put my heel on the from ear to ear inside my helmet. I had dreamed of this brake and my toes on the gas, and then it happened. It was moment since I was a little girl, having cast it aside as I the most awesome feeling ever, the tires squealing and spingrew older, realizing it may never become a reality. I also ning. Wow, did I just do that? I was hooked for life. had no idea how significant zMax Dragway in Charlotte, I met my husband, Rick Furr, in our small town while North Carolina would become to me. in college. He was a leather jacket, cowboy boots and LeI grew up at the track, attending local bracket races with vis kind of guy with a smile that was contagious. I knew he my dad, Ron Privett, as early as 5. Dad was a well-known was my guy and five months later, we were married. He has bracket racer who had his share of wins. I loved being his made it possible for me to live my dream of driving race pit crew. We would race at Elk Creek Dragway in Virginia cars. He is often asked why he doesn’t race. His answer is, alon Saturday, then drive to East Bend Dragway in North Carways with a grin, “I’ve drove twice, a runner-up and a win . . . olina to race on Sunday. My I have nothing else to prove.” strongest memory with him is So, here I was at my first not a good one. It was in 1980 national event at ZMax Dragwhen Dad’s ’56 Chevy veered way, ready to live my dream. off to the right just past the finLater that weekend, I was litish line, flipping end over end erally laughing inside my helthrough a field into the trees met after an awkward ‘oh no’ before bursting into a blaze moment. When sitting at the that nobody could get close head of the lanes ready to ento. Luckily, Dad had attached ter the track, I was waiting for his seatbelts to his seat and the right lane car to finish the was ejected through the windburnout. I put the dragster in shield. He went flying through gear and pulled into my lane. the trees, breaking limbs 50 As I turned to the left to look feet high, landing a good disfor Rick, I thought “where is From the age of 5, Michelle grew up at the track as pit crew for tance from the car. her Dad, Ron Privett. She dreamed of the day when it would be her he? Wait, where is anyone, behind the wheel.

I didn’t see it happen, as I where are the officials, jeez, had turned to walk off the track where is the tree?” I quickly after watching him cross the turned to my right, and there finish line. I was 13 and vividly was Rick running across the remember everyone running lanes, the officials, the tree . . toward the top end asking . I had pulled into the LEFT ‘which car wrecked?’ and hearlane! I’ve never seen so many ing those words, the ’56 Chevy. tech guys, each and every one I screamed “Daddy!” as I ran of them looking directly at me all the way down the track and with a confused look on his across the field. I picked up face. Where is the guy who was his helmet that I found lying supposed to be in this lane? in the field. The strap was still So, I sat there and played it hooked, but pulled loose from cool, and they pulled the next one side. car in the right lane up next My little brother, John, and Dad, along with husband Rick, daughter Madi and son Adiayn, proudly to me. zMax Dragway has four I sat and waited for Mom to lanes, two separate tracks bejoin Michelle in each winner's circle. make the trip from Galax, Virside each other and at the ginia to pick us up and head to the hospital. I was so scared time, they had huge barrel type displays between the two that I would never see my dad again. It took a long time tracks. I had pulled up on the right side of it, which was acfor them to stabilize him. Dad’s legs were broken in several tually the left lane. places, his face fractured, his ear ripped off by the helmet.

Now it was time to show them (hopefully) that I wasn’t His organs were bruised, but the seat was still strapped to his really that inexperienced and I knew what I was doing. I body, ultimately saving his life. He spent 65 days in the hosstaged the car, let go and that pass felt amazing! The ET pital with a multitude of surgeries. But, he survived. slip at the other end said 8.899. I thought, ‘I’ll take it!” Who We took a few years off from racing, but as any true racwould have known then what was about to happen with me er knows, it’s hard to stay away. We headed back to the track and zMax Dragway? DRS 20 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

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Un-factored factory mayhem

I

n 1959, a gentleman by the name of Harold Ramsey was declared winner of the first-ever Stock Eliminator class held during the US Nationals at Detroit Dragway. The category ushered in a new era for NHRA, as Stock Eliminator is a prominent category some 57 years after the kick-off. The rules have evolved over time, and its unique style of mixing bracket racing, no breakout index, and headsup competition is certainly a testament to its survivability. I won’t sit here and proclaim to know everything about the class, but I will say that everything changed in 2008.

One year short of Stock Eliminator’s 50th anniversary, a little nameplate was dusted off and put back into service— Cobra Jet. The first step was a mighty one, as Ford Motor Company officially recognized there was drag racing beyond the John Force Funny Car program and even outside of the Pro Stock ranks.

The first iteration of the Cobra Jet was a major step from a Big Three automaker.

Those on the outside wouldn’t understand the red tape that had to be cut in order to get into the race car building business. Fifty units of the 2008 Mustang Cobra Jet were built and sold virtually immediately, as the concept was a smashing success. Thankfully, many of those first Cobra Jet models did see the drag strip instead of the inside of a museum.

Ford’s move into the grassroots drag racing market thrust open the doors for the other two automakers to follow suit. Dodge didn’t initially offer a turn-key Drag Pak Challenger, but it eventually evolved its program to off-the-showroom-floor complete cars. Chevrolet made a big splash with its 2012 COPO Camaro and success has followed the Bow-tie brigade since its inception.

In my opinion from a pure outsider’s perspective, the factory drag race programs are the biggest thing to happen to Stock Elimination since its birth in 1959. I casually watched and checked out Stock Eliminator, but I never followed it closely until these factory powerhouses came

into the picture. Now, I chase down both divisional and national event results to see how the Cobra Jet, COPO, and Drag Pak cars have run.

From 2008 until to the new 2016 models from each manufacturer, each passing model year is one step higher, one step more racy, and one step closer to producing the perfect turn-key race car program that doesn’t need a thing in order to go out and win on Sunday. But while Stock Eliminator does a fabulous job of maintaining indexes and factored horsepower ratings, there wasn’t a consistent heads-up, first-to--thefinish line program to let these machines and their owners/ drivers run wild. Prior to 2016, there wasn’t a place where they could let it all hang out and not play the index and factored horsepower games that makes Stock Eliminator the compelling and long-standing category it has become.

These cars might have been designed to play the Stocker strategic games, but in 2016, the supercharged cars will go head-to-head in NMCA and NHRA competition— no breakout, no repercussions of destroying an index, and certainly no playing around at the stripe. It is a bare-knuckle brawl to the finish line in a heads-up race. NHRA has dubbed it the Factory Stock Showdown, while NMCA calls it Factory Super Cars. Regardless of the class moniker, the factory drag programs can duke it out at 160-plus mph, and it is going to be an awesome show to watch.

As I write this column, we are a couple races into this heads-up game, and I love it. Ray Barton won the first NHRA event while driving a COPO Camaro, of all things.

Bruno Massel took another win for the General, but in NMCA competition. The Cobra Jets have made a lot of headlines with fast performances, and Randy Eakins scored a win during the second NMCA event of 2016.

The cars pull big wheelstands, have bumper-to-bumper competition, and are based on your favorite modern muscle car. These factory race cars are the closest thing to the original Pro Stock concept in decades. DRS

of the class moniker, the factory “Regardless drag programs can duke it out at 160-plus mph and it is going to be an awesome show to watch.

”

22 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

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COOL ADVICE

Dispelling myths and correcting misconceptions about drag Words Todd Silvey racing cooling systems

S

Selecting the proper radiator will always be key if you want the most effective cooling system.

Meziere Enterprises encourages racers to err on the large side. The weight difference between small and ineffective compared to a larger radiator is not that much, but the difference in terms of control over the heat cycles during race day can be quite significant.

24 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

natching up a water pump at the swap meet and a radiator from a discount website may effectively create the illusion your engine install is complete, but short of a couple of fixed leaks, do you really now have a cooling system? Well, cross your fingers and hope it remotely does the job.

We talked with Don Meziere from Meziere Enterprises about the misconceptions that often hamper the completion of a proper cooling system.

“Don’t cobble it, engineer it,” is the first piece of advice Don offers. “Consider the heat generation intensity and duration," he says. "Drag racing applications are very intense but not for a very long period of time. With most of the Drag Racing Scene readership being street/strip or dedicated drag car racers, the cooling requirements are a bit less stringent. Still, attention to detail

will help your system to be efficient in order to cool down during longer drives or round-robin eliminations.”

When addressing coolant flow rate and how much is enough on a dedicated race car, a pump rated at 35 gallons per minute (GPM) is more than adequate for normally aspirated dragsters and door cars. Don says, “When you get into more extreme and demanding engine combinations such as nitrous, turbo, supercharged, or high compression applications, a 55-GPM system will be much more effective battling the heat,” Don says.

Coolant flow speed becomes important when you are running said power adders and the cylinder pressure is much higher and hotter.

“You need more coolant flow speed on the back side of the combustion chamber in order to pull the intense heat from that area of the engine" Don says. "So, for power adder or very high compression applications, it is really important to have the highest flow rate you can get.”

The key word for proper race car cooling is the word “system.” This denotes the accumulation of multiple components to perform one task, keep your racing engine at a manageable temperature throughout the entire racing cycle of leaving your pit spot, racing, and returning. An efficient system will keep the car at an even temperature for a reasonably long cycle of driving. You should never be worried about fluctuating temperature in the staging lanes or be in a rush to get back to your pit after a pass. Even for lower horsepower race cars, unexpected spikes in temperature can gradually take its toll on your engine.

Some believe, flowing the coolant too quickly is not efficient. “Speaking strictly about systems with electric pumps, the only instance where we really see a problem with flowing too much coolant is when the radiator is undersized." Don contends. "In general, if your system improves by slowing the water down, you would probably do better by investing in a higher quality radiator or improving air flow.”

One common mistake which adversely affects airflow through the radiator is improper fan mounting. “We would never recommend zip-tying a fan through the radiator core," Don explains. "In order for the fan blades to move air to their fullest potential, there needs to be a half-inch space between the fan and radiator. The entire core

Most expansion tanks used in OEM applications are separate tanks, but the Meziere reservoir style pump is perfect for many drag racing applications. The expansion tank is directly mounted to the low pressure side of the pump. This fill point allows coolant to be maintained from the most optimum point in a cooling system.

area of the radiator needs to be covered by the fan shroud. That will guarantee the air is drawn equally from the complete radiator core area through the electric fan in order to get the most air flow.”

Selecting the proper radiator will always be key if you want the most effective cooling system. “When it comes to the correct size radiator, we always encourage racers to err on the large side," Don says. "The weight difference between small and ineffective compared to a larger radiator is not that much, but the difference in terms of control over the heat cycles during race day can be quite significant.”

Racers are ever in search of higher quality products and increased reliability. Whether it is the first round or the final round, each one is important and any parts failure is disappointing to say

the least. When it comes to the quality and reliability of your water pump, many improvements have been made over the years.

“It has been 20 years since we started building our pumps," Don says. "At our first trade show, we were met with the idea that electric pumps are nice for racing but can’t really be used on the street. We are still fighting that misconception.”

Meziere Enterprises’ pumps design utilizes a carbon ceramic face seal technology used by auto manufacturers in their OEM pumps. These seals are expected to survive for hundreds of thousands of miles.

“These seals have a life cycle rating of 10,000 hours," Don adds, "The seals are much more robust than the typical lip seal used many years ago.”

The electric water pump line has expanded into units that are direct replacements for OEM mechanical pumps with proven success in street applications.

“The advance of seal technology allows us to challenge these misconceptions head on,” Don explains. “We now offer many different pump applications that incorporate an idler pulley into the electric pump. This allows the customer DragRacingScene.com 25

to use an electric pump with their factory serpentine belt drive system. You pull off a mechanical pump and put on an electric pump and your belt goes right back on. Your accessories continue to run just as they were.”

Meziere also offers an extensive line of mechanical pumps featuring all of the high-tech seals and rebuildable designs of their electric brothers. Their water pumps for competition or street carry a two-year warranty.

Don tells us, an electric water pump is not a complicated item. “You have the elec-

tric motor with a magnet ring, armature, etc., he says. Then you have the impeller, bearings, and seal. That's about it. However, a racing engine can be pretty harsh on a weak electric motor. They will rattle around pretty good at 8000 rpm. We have found that the racing engine vibrations are particularly hard on the armatures. By using the best technology on these components, the end product is much more reliable."

The entire core area of the radiator needs to be covered by the fan shroud. That will guarantee the air is drawn equally from the complete radiator core area through the electric fan in order to get the most air flow.

When an engine mounted pump is not available or space limits the ability to use one, the remote pumps are the answer.

Remote pumps can be mounted to the chassis or custom radiators are available for direct mounting. This also removes the pump from the extremely high vibration environment of the racing engine.

Meziere makes many remote pump configurations that flow from 20 to 55+ gallons per minute. The remote pump can be configured to use almost any size line. All of Meziere Enterprises pumps can operate properly in a harsh environment.

There are many different electric pump applications that incorporate an idler pulley into the electric pump. This allows the customer to use an electric pump with their factory or custom serpentine belt drive system.

You pull off a mechanical pump and put on an electric pump and your belt goes right back on.

Your accessories continue to run just as they were.

26 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

The Meziere brothers have taken the initiative to incorporate important improvements into the electric motors," Don adds. "These are crucial to help the motors survive on drag racing engines. By taking the extra step to protect the armature against vibration, we have eliminated a lot of the issues we used to see with electric motors.”

Identifying the optimal filling point for your cooling system is a foundational aspect to address when designing your set-up. Don’s opinion is sound on this topic. “I was just at a large bracket race and I can not believe how many of those large fill necks mounted above the intake manifold/thermostat housing are being used," Don comments.

"Although it certainly creates a high point to fill at, it also creates a big problem.”

Don explains the function of a cooling system in terms of “pressure areas.”

“Many think that filling at the highest point, at the thermostat housing, is the right thing to do," he says. "In most cases, it’s not. The reason is the thermostat neck is on the high-pressure side of the coolant system. If you are using a pump with any decent flow rating, it will try to push water out of the same hole you are trying to fill.”

“You can think of dynamic pressure this way,” he says. “Your pump is the mover, the motivator of the water, so the exit of the pump will be the point of highest pressure in your system. Once the water makes its way through the engine block and the cylinder heads, it has undergone one pressure drop or point of restriction, but not the most significant one. The radiator presents a much larger point of restriction. If you have a single pass radiator, the correct fill point will always be past the restriction of the core and closest to the radiator exit, the lower hose. Things get a little trickier with a double pass radiator.

In that instance, you may have to settle for filling after the first pass but before the second pass. In every instance you want to fill at the low pressure point closest to the impeller. Filling at the high point is also a consideration but is secondary to the pressure consideration.

“For vehicles where filling will be a challenge, an expansion tank can be added to provide a proper fill point.

Most expansion tanks used in OEM applications are separate tanks, but the idea is perfect for most dragsters. That is why we came up with the reservoir-style pumps. It provides an integral expansion tank which makes filling very easy.”

Still having trouble filling your system? There is one more trick you should put up your sleeve. If your race car has a low radiator or unique cooling system routing, you can take advantage of newer vacuum filling technology. This new cost-effective tool is used by automotive shops to fill newer model cooling systems with difficult fill points. These tools can also cure cooling systems that trap air, which is the number one culprit that can render a cooling system totally ineffective. The tool creates a vacuum in the cooling system allowing the tool to displace air and, the system filled with coolant (We smell a future tech article).

By analyzing the pressure areas, removing any flow restrictions, and achieving a high flow of coolant, any racer should be on their way to a reliable and effective cooling “system.” DRS Source: Meziere Enterprises, meziere.com

This dragster application is a perfect example for the use of the Meziere reservoir-style pump.

With a horizontally-mounted radiator and coolant lines routed under the engine, this self-purging pump will maintain the cooling system, automatically eliminating air pockets.

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WARS

Maryland International Raceway super event pays homage to the doorslammer

Photos Steve Vreatt

More than 24 Pro Modifieds showed up for Door Wars. Mac McAdams got the win in his Supercharged 1953 Corvette while achieving a career best 3.87 at 191mph on the Maryland International Raceway 1/8-mile.

M

aryland International Raceway (MDIR) has been throwing the party known as Door Wars for several years as their first big special event of the season, kicking off the year in a big way for them. The event highlights the best in door slammer action with an array of classes to entertain every fast/heads-up door car fan.

This year, fans were blessed with picture-perfect weather and record-setting performances all weekend long.

For 2016, MDIR decided to make it their goal to take Door Wars from a regional showcase and give it a national presence. This is the eighth year MDIR has held the event, but the first listing Haltech as the title sponsor and Winegardner Auto Group as presenting sponsor. Also new for 2016, Radial vs.

World was sponsored by Precision Turbo, and Nitrous X was sponsored by

Pro Mod racer Bill Lutz laid down a MDIR track speed record in the Pro Mod at 262.95 mph during Friday qualifying. Lutz also ran his own career best 5.86 ET. The Camaro is powered by a 540c.i. HEMI engine with two Garrett turbos.

Mac McAdams has recently retired from drag bike racing to concentrate on his Pro Mod full time. This was Mac's first major trip to the winner's circle with his Corvette.

DragRacingScene.com 29

Salvato Designs, Nitrous Express, and Ultimate Convertor Concepts, joined the 8.50, 10.00, and 11.50 index classes. Additional categories included X275 (sponsored by Atomizer Racing Injectors), as well as Limited Drag Radial, and Ultra Street.

This year’s event posted more than $60,000 in purse money. It is the season kick-off event for the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association (NEOPMA) quarter-mile Pro Mod circuit. Pro Mod rac-

er Bill Lutz of Canal Winchester, Ohio, laid down a track record in the class at 262.95 mph early on Friday morning during qualifying. More than 24 Pro Mods were at MDIR to vie for the win and bragging rights. Mac McAdams parlayed his top qualifying start to claim his first-ever class win.

The event is also a season points meet for the Mickey Thompson Outlaw 10.5 National Series. ATI Performance Parts sponsored the class for this race.

Barry Mitchell came out on top of Radial vs. the World with the suede black 800c.i. Camaro.

RESULTS DOOR WARS • Budds Creek, MD Shawn Pevlor would ultimately pull off the Nitrous X class win with his '93 Mustang. Shawn was the undisputed quick car of the eliminations with a string of 4.71 to 4.72 passes.

Pro Mod

W – Mac McAdams, Harwood, MD R/U – Kevin McCurdy, Harrisburg, PA

Outlaw 10.5 W – John Carinci, Woodbridge, Ont.

R/U – Mike Decker, Jr., Baltimore, MD Radial Vs. The World

W – Barry Mitchell, Hamptonville, NC R/U – Shawn Ayers, Corinth, MS

Limited Drag W – Steve Drummond, Laurel, DE Radial R/U – Don Burton, Glen Allen, MD X275

W – Ron Rhodes, Townsend, DE R/U – Rich Bruder, Edison, NJ

Nitrous X

W – Shawn Pevlor, Cincinnati, OH R/U – Tim Knieriem, Shepherdsville, KY

Ultra Street

W – Ronny Rhodes, Townsend, DE R/U – John Albrecht, Jr., Bellmore, NY

11.50 Index W – Keith Mayers, Middletown, DE

R/U – Eugene Townes, Upper Chichester, PA 10.00 Index W – Pat Estevez, White Plains, MD

R/U – Paul Barham, Huntingtown, MD

Outlaw 10.5 is an anything goes, single power adder in a back-half back half chassis on maximum 33x10.5W slicks. Don Carinci put his ‘Vette in the 4.0’s for the Door Wars championship.

30 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

8.50 Index

W – Louis Schalow, Chesterfield, VA R/U – Todd Geihler, Westminster, MD

Nine cars would battle it out for the title in the category, with near-record-setting performances keeping it interesting. John Carinci got the hole-shot win over Mike Decker Jr. in the final round.

Radial Vs. The World made its first-ever visit to Door Wars at MDIR. Shawn Ayers established a first-time track record for the class with a pass of 194.94 mph in the first round of eliminations. Kevin Mullins was eliminated in that round, though he did set the track ET mark at 3.996 during Saturday’s qualifying passes. Barry Mitchell grabbed the win, taking out Ayers in the final.

X275 2015 champion Ron Rhodes repeated his victory in 2016, eliminating new national ET record holder Rich Bruder in the class finals. And, another Rhodes added a winner’s trophy to the family shelf as Ronny Rhodes grabbed the title in Ultra Street.

Door Wars is quickly becoming a heads-up door slammer fans’ dream event and soon to be springtime classic must-see race. MDIR management has every intention of continuing to build Door Wars into a monster event, which will serve as a season big-time kick-off event to coincide with the World Cup Finals event that does the same to wrap up the season each year.

“The 2016 Door Wars event was a success and I look forward to continuing growth for the event and to further it on the national stage,” Rick Lindner, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at MDIR, said. “I would like to personally thank all of the great first-time sponsors of the event this year as well as the racers and fans. Bigger things are yet to come for this spring-time classic.” DRS

Ron Rhodes continued his win streak at Door Wars. The 2015 champion in X275 class came out on top again, defeating current national ET record holder Rich Bruder.

DragRacingScene.com 31

LOCK-UP

TECHNOLOGY Amazing performance gains and repeatability in ATI's new bolt-together torque converter

T Words Todd Silvey

orque converter lock-up technology is making strides in the family sedan world with drivability, mileage gains, and much more. To apply stacks of horsepower from Outlaw Street Cars and Pro Mods with a lock-up application takes a whole new feat of engineering. Lock-up converters are not a new concept for ATI Performance Products. They have been a leader of this technology applied to hard-

Chris Rini’s brand-new Pro Modified has turned a career-best of 3.746 secs at 198.68 mph in the 1/8 mile with the ATI lock-up trans/converter combination.

32  Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

With all of the checklists, spec sheets, and paperwork bagged, tagged, and ready to go, the keen eye will see this ATI Performance Max Duty T400 3-speed trans and Outlaw Series billet lock-up converter is rolling out the door to Chris Rini for his Pro Modified Camaro.

core Powerglides, such as the ATI Superglide 4 transmission, since 2009.

The Super Glide 4 has a custom sun gear to accommodate the 1-3/16� input shaft and utilizes a Vasco gearset with a 4340 carrier and T400 output shaft. This makes the ATI ‘Glide an extremely durable performer in cars making in excess of 3,000hp.

The evolution towards the 2-speed Turbo 400 transmission applications grew from the need for a better starting line ratio (SLR) for heads-up competition. Big horsepower, combined with the low 1/8mile gear ratios in the rear end, required a taller first gear ratio in the transmission. Even the power glide ratios were too low for some combinations. A taller first gear would prevent the SLR from being too aggressive with smaller tires such as the 275/60 drag radial.

The answer was to convert a T400 transmission to a 2-speed application, where the second and third-

gears effectively become first and second.

Subsequently, the 1.48 second-gear ratio in the Turbo 400 became first gear, which significantly calmed down the SLR. Traction improvements from tire and suspension technology have advanced tremendously in the heads-up drag racing world. The performance paradigm has shifted from traction to a new goal towards every ounce of ET gain. Ah, the nature of heads-up competition. Keeping these high horsepower cars within the peak of their power band is the answer to lower ETs. A 3-speed transmission is obviously advantageous in lessening the RPM drops, with each shift compared to a 2-speed trans.

Several custom gear ratios are now available for the Turbo 400 transmission that are numerically lower. And with these, the original 3-speed design of the traditional Turbo 400 has now come back into play.

Today, the new higher ratio first-gear options will again keep that starting line ratio manageable.

Now that we are back in the graces of the traditional Turbo 400 3-speed, ATI has been at the forefront of the lock-up torque converter application, which again provides that extra gain for the heads-up competitor.

Think of the torque converter lock-up application as a “4th gear� when applied to the 3-speed Turbo 400. With the conventional practice of the converter lockup taking place at the top end of the pass, all other gear ratios from first through third gears can be reconsidered as to hold that power band to a tighter RPM spread throughout the race.

Experimentation does exist to lock-up the converter at earlier points during a pass with shifts taking place after the converter is locked. This is considerably abusive to the converter, but something the ATI converter is designed to withstand.

ATI mentions that the 2-speed T400 is still a popular part number in their catalog. Many racers with brute horsepower are more interested in controlling a 1-2 shift in relationship to more gear changes to maintain a power band.

New from ATI is their bolt-together torque converter that can also feature lock-up technology. The converter is based internally on a 10.5-inch diameter torque converter. So, their high strength manufacturing processes for internal components like sprags, heat-treated turbine The new bolt-together converter easily fits within standard transmission bellhousing areas. This view shows the unique spacers that are bolted to the face of the converter. You can interchange these spacers if you change bellhousings or midplate dimensions. It's also an added feature to eliminate loose (dropped) spacers when bolting a converter to your flexplate. The converter also features a bronze pilot bushing that is replicable.

34  Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Johnny Foltz and Steve Drummond have shaved an impressive half of a second from their ETs (on small radial tires) solely due to the new ATI 3-speed T400 transmission and lock-up converter combo. The twin-turbo Camaro now dips into the 4.20 zone in the 1/8-mile.

This ATI Performance Products Max Duty T400 3-speed trans is outfitted with the electric/ hydraulic circuitry to lock-up the billet converter. Wiring to the left controls the solenoid for the lock-up converter, while the right side wiring is a Hall-effect sensor that mates to a sensor wheel attached to the forward drum to gauge torque converter slippage with a data recorder.

hubs, and their own aluminum stators are proven designs.

The ATI aluminum stator is unique compared to many steel stator designs and can handle more than 4000hp without issue.

The entire bolt-together lock-up converter is only 24 ounces heavier than ATI’s older aluminum cover lock-up design, a good trade for a converter that features five times more holding capacity and zero percent slippage. Unlike the aforementioned OEM application, the new ATI lock-up converter is capable of handling almost 5,200 lb-ft of torque. The converter halves are connected with a strong through-bolt design and feature double O-ring sealing for a proper fit and zero leakage.

The source for the torque converter lockup starts with a lock-up specific ATI T400 valve body. When actuated, a 12-volt solenoid at the valve body directs transmission fluid at line pressure through a port inside of a custom ATI Supercase to the rear of the input shaft. This specialized input shaft uses a unique center bore and O-ring seals to transfer the fluid pressure to a clutch/ drum area in the torque converter.

The input shaft now has two functions. First is the normal duty of connecting the rotating power from the torque converter to the transmission.

Secondly, it now transfers fluid pressure forward to the lock-up clutches which then bypass the entire fluid-coupling section (impeller, stator, and turbine components) inside of the con-

A new ATI Outlaw Series billet lock-up converter beginning to take shape on one of their 5-axis machining centers. ATI features machining processes that can hold tolerances to as tight as .0003 inch.

verter. This results in a continuous 1:1 coupler between the flexplate and transmission input shaft.

Though standardized 12-volt nomenclature is used to describe the lock-up control solenoid, it is best to note most competitors using the lockup converter use a high-amp alternator fed 16-volt electrical system to combat any laziness from the solenoid in this high pressure application.

All components for every ATI transmission and converter are 100 percent manufactured in-house at ATI. A look at their computer drawing for each component illustrates tolerances held to .0003 inch in some cases.

The solenoid that operates the lockup function can be controlled by a timer or RPM switch. You can also use the controlled output circuits from your electronic fuel injection or ignition system. Take heed, you need to have enough power to pull a locked up transmission. If you do not make enough power, a lock up will actually slow the car down.

Johnny Foltz uses the new ATI billet bolt together lock-up converter and T-400 transmission in his twin-turbo, 632c.i. all-steel Outlaw Camaro. The car weighs more than 3400 pounds with Steve Drummond in the driver's seat.

They recently won or finaled at numerous heads-up events, such as the World Cup, Lights Out 7, and Door Wars. The Camaro previously used a Powerglide combination, but with the new ATI 3-speed T400 transmission and lock-up converter combo, it shaved a dramatic 1/2 second from the 1/8-mile ET to achieve a best of 4.20 @ 181 mph with a 1.11 60ft. time on a small radial tire.

Another key example of the advantage of eliminating converter slippage with the lock-up technology is Drummond’s bracket racing-like repeatability. The twin-turbo Camaro recently ran 4.20 to 4.22 ETs over an entire event weekend.

Many clutch and Lenco-outfitted Pro Modified competitors have a keen eye on the ATI Max Duty T400 3-speed trans and Outlaw Series billet lockup converter technology used by ATI Pro Modified poster child, Chris Rini.

Chris’ brand-new Pro Modified has turned a career-best of 3.746 at 198.68 in the 1/8-mile with the ATI lock-up trans/converter combination.

With this new locking technology, we end up with record-breaking ETs and higher mph on our time slips.And isn't that what we are all after? DRS Source: ATI Peformance Products Inc., atiracing.com

DragRacingScene.com 35

IS BACK IN SESSION

After many years, Dave Morgan is back to teach the racer chassis science Words Todd Silvey Photos Todd Silvey, Dave Morgan

I

Whether your chassis adjustments have you launching for the sky or firmly planted on the ground, that virtual "sweet spot" of weight transfer mystifies many a racer. The science of learning your race car center of gravity and the related suspension adjustments can be grasped by reading Dave Morgan's book, DVDs, or live seminars.

36 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

n the 1980s, custom tube chassis and increasingly sophisticated suspension designs were coming of age for sportsman drag racers. On top of that revolution surfaced the question, “How do I tune this crazy 4-link suspension? My car is spinning the tires while my buddy with a similar chassis is wheel-standing skyward.” Dave Morgan very quickly became a household name for drag racing chassis instruction.

While building up his drag racing savvy, Dave participated in California Sports Car Club of America competition and ultimately became director of the club. This work, combined with technically oriented automotive media involvement in both television and magazines, led to his keen interest in motorsports engineering.

Dave became an employee of Tom and Chris Alston’s version of Alston Race Cars in 1979, as head of their marketing department. Tom and Dave developed the concept of chassis tuning seminars.

"Somewhere along the line, Tom and I started using seminars as a sales medium, Dave says. "We would give seminars to racers where we would present the product line while giving tips about aligning the rear end, ladder bar, and 4-link adjustments, and that sort of thing.”

The presentations became more involved as the demand for chassis tuning increased with the widespread application of the transbrake, pro-tree “Super Gas”-style competition, and increased torque and horsepower with increasingly popular big cubic inch engines.

Dave's fascination with engine torque and torque converters landed him at

ATI Performance Products where he was working for Jim Beattie.

“I learned a whole lot about torque.

There are a lot of chassis builders and tuners that don't understand torque.

I didn't understand it much myself at that point,” Dave explains. “We did a seminar series where I would fire questions to Jim (Beattie), but I constantly kept re-engineering my chassis seminars in my head as I learned more about torque and other variables, which meant I still missed the tuning chassis part of the sport.”

In 1989, while also writing a chassis and technical column for National Dragster, Dave started his own publishing company. With his broad background in writing and engineering, combined with his keen interest in drag racing chassis tuning, Dave created the first edition of Door Slammers: The Chassis Book, which became an instant “bible” for tuning of Sportsman drag racing chassis and suspension.

Because his teachings are delivered using easy-to-understand examples such as a child’s swing set, racers absorb chassis tuning without need for a geometry degree.

Dave presented his seminars from coast-to-coast and beyond as racers wanted to learn beyond the pages of his book, in ways only the author could explain. For many years, from the mid- 90s through 2004, he was traveling non-stop during the winter months to present seminars.

The Dave Morgan chassis seminar is a two-day course. Day one features classroom teachings of proper weight and measures of a race car, with the related tuning converted to mathematics and geometry. Dave’s diagrams of the race car are presented in what he calls “cartoons’. These diagrams are demonstrated by Dave as “cartoons you must play in your head” while thinking out the chassis tuning process of your specific race car.

“It’s each racer's job to play out the cartoons (diagrams) in their heads as their car performs to improve the car's adjustments," he says.

Dave begins his presentations with “Math is beautiful. Math is truth.” He explains this opening statement telling racer/students to not be afraid of the math involved.

To continue the cartoon and math explanation, Dave first describes front and rear suspension as “two glorified swing sets.

“There is a pair of swing sets in the front of your race car and one big heavy, torque driven swing set in the rear of your car," he says.

Dave took a break in 2004 from the hectic life of providing his chassis seminars worldwide. Mike Ruth from Alston Race Cars asked him to resurface and present his seminar at the Alston/Heidts shop recently in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

Door Slammers: The Chassis Book is filled with illustrations to help you to understand your race car's mathematics. Dave describes the weights and measures of a car with such easy-to-interpret analogies as "swingsets and teeter-totters".

Once the center of gravity is calculated, Dave explains at his live seminar the application as it affects your 4-link adjustments.

DragRacingScene.com 37

Dave follows that you need to visualize the action of these three swing sets (left-front, right-front, and overall rear suspension) moving up and down within the chassis.

He provides formulas about weight transfer, torque as it travels through the driveline, wheel thrust, load, lift force, springs, shocks, tire load, and many small nuances between these calculations.

The class moves on to a second day, during which the group gets handson learning of all of the Morgan “cartoons” as they take a real race car and perform all of the weights and measures on the chassis.

Dave had quit his chassis seminar presentations in 2013. He has been, and still is, involved heavily in his church, but now wants to share his religious dedication with his motorsport chassis teachings.

Mike Ruth from Alston Race Cars, a division of Heidts Automotive in Lake Zurich, Illinois, asked longtime friend Dave to come out of “retirement” for his customers in the Midwest.

Concerning Dave’s influence on door slammer chassis tuning Mike says, “I think he is a huge asset to people that want to know. He is one of the guys that share all the secrets. He has a very calm demeanor, and you can understand how he converts in-depth mathematics into racer-speak.”

The phrase “He literally wrote the book on it” can aptly be used in describing Dave Morgan. "I think what he has done over the last 35 years from that initial book is impressive. The Door Slammers: The Chassis Book came to popularity in the very early ’90s, and all of Dave’s theories and explanations are still sound to this day.”

Mike expanded the seminar by adding two other key speakers that complemented Dave’s teachings.

“We brought John McCrory from Aurora Bearing in to talk about rod ends about 8 years ago,” he says. "He taught the class about rod end technology, construction, and their inner workings. This year we expanded the seminar again by adding Mark Erickson from Autometer. Mark explained how data recorders could assist in learning chassis and shock absorber movement along the entire dragstrip pass.”

Dave and Eric worked off of each other during the presentation, with Eric’s explanation of data acquired working directly with Dave’s formulas.

Dave sometimes presents a two-day classroom seminar and on other occasions, splits the two days into a classroom and a hands-on experience. Utilizing the host’s shop area, he applies his teaching 38 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Dave Morgan interacts with Mark Erickson from Autometer Competition Instruments as they discuss the utilization of data recorders to assist in achieving real-time chassis movement.

Manufacturers related to the chassis seminar are often integrated into a presentation. John McCrory from Aurora Bearing also discussed how rod ends can affect suspension movement.

diagrams “These are explained as

cartoons you must play in your head while thinking out the chassis tuning process.

”

This race car is leveled and set-up on scales. Note the weight bags on the radiator to replicate the doghouse removed for adjustment.

Why raise a car high off of the ground? To easily establish centerlines and suspension measurement across the floor of the shop.

Door Slammers: The Chassis Book contains 200 pages of diagrams and calculation examples for the non-mathematician to follow. Once the entire car is level, scaled, and center of gravity established, it is mapped out on the floor in actual size beside the chassis to begin chassis adjustment.

These students learn there is only one true way to accurately determine the height of the center of gravity in a race car. To do this, you need to raise the rear axle centerline 20 inches and take comparative scale measurements between level and raised and perform the proper calculations.

Retailers like S&W Race Cars and Powerhouse Products still sell Door Slammers: The Chassis Book as a proven source for over 27 years.

Even without a sophisticated spring test tool, a drill press and race car scale can give you an accurate measurement for gauging your proper spring rates.

to an actual race car. The car is weighed and scaled, and the current chassis geometry is measured and noted, so the student can visualize this chassis from actual car to paper. Once the current geometry of this example car has been converted to “cartoons” or diagrams, Dave then calculates, with the formulas presented during the classes held the day before, how exactly the car will react from the torque and various forces. He provides scenarios with the example car.

“If this car was equipped with a reasonable 400 lb-ft of torque, here is what you can expect from this chassis set-up.”

Dave further explains, “If this car was exposed to varying scenarios of higher horsepower and torque, or say a higher or lower multiplication from the torque converter, I teach the different reactions to force this car would have from our diagrams and calculations.”

Mike also explains how the Morgan seminars, book, and DVDs have helped him relate to customers how the products they sell match their needs, by quoting an expert within his sales.

“Many times, I can talk to a racer who can tune a racing engine but is intimidated when purchasing a chassis component like a 4-link suspension kit," he says. "They may be scared to tune an intersect point on a 4 link, but we use Dave's teachings to get them comfortable with making the best of their purchase.”

People ask when Dave is going to write a second book. He says he plans to become more active in his chassis teachings, and he tells us, “I want to create a series of smaller books compared to the original 200 page Door Slammers: The Chassis Book. Hardware like data loggers, anti-roll bars, adjustable shock absorber technology, and radial drag slicks have evolved in the 26 years since the original book was published. I can envision an entire family of individual books on so many individualized topics beyond just one single chassis book.” DRS DragRacingScene.com 39

RACING FOR A LIVING Lunati’s Kirk Peters and Justin Bowers understand drag racing from multiple perspectives

F

or many years, Lunati used the tagline “The Racer’s Company,” a nod to both the performance outfit’s business and the background of its employees. While that saying has slowly faded over the years, the staff at the Olive Branch, Mississippi-based company remains full of longtime racers and motorsports enthusiasts. Two of the most visible are Kirk Peters and Justin Bowers. Peters, a west coast native, served as a longtime drag racing crew chief/ car chief on the west coast, while Bowers has raced around the Mid-South for much of his life.

Kirk Peters is a performance industry lifer. From starting in outside sales at a local speed shop to his current role as National Accounts Manager at Lunati, from building his first engine at age 14 to serving as a nitro crew chief, Peters has seen the world of racing from every angle.

“We understand racers,” Peters says about how his lifelong vocation applies to his job today. “When a guy needs something right away, you understand that he’s trying to make the next race, so having the product on the shelf is a huge thing.”

is like a “Racing big jigsaw puzzle.

I always liken it to trying to put things together.

”

Words Dan Hodgdon

Bowers, on the other hand, grew up racing and working on vehicles, but has only worked in the industry for just over five years.

“I get to talk about what I love to do and indulge in my passion of muscle cars, race cars, and hot rods of all sorts,” Bowers, a technical support representative, says. “I get to help the customer and actually get paid to talk to people about racing on the phone.”

Peters is a native of Baldwin Park in racing-mad Southern California, where he first caught the racing bug from drag racing uncle and next-door neighbor Barry Lewis.

“I was probably 9 years old when I went to the racetrack for the first time,” Peters says. “It wasn’t long after that I started building models. I remember getting one of those clear plastic V8 models that was operated by 2 class ‘C’ batteries; it didn’t rotate very fast, so I got a hold of a 6-volt battery, rewired the motor and had an 8,000-rpm engine.

What I didn’t think about was the lack DragRacingScene.com 41

Peters has spent his life in racing. He served as crew chief for many drag racing teams on the west coast and is now the national accounts manager at Lunati in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

of oiling and broke the crank. Funny thing, that was the last time I ever broke a crankshaft outright.”

Peters’ Uncle Barry started out racing a Corvette in a variety of classes at California’s Lions Dragstrip and Irwindale Raceway, before getting the itch to go 200 mph and moving up classes to a Junior Fuel car. Once the price of nitro got too expensive, Lewis moved to Comp Eliminator.

“At that point, my education of engines moved forward, learning about the inner working of the internal compression engine,” Peters says.

42 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

“There’s a book that’s still available to this day called How to HOT ROD Big-Block CHEVYS. [My uncle] gave it to me and said read it frontwards and backwards until you know everything in this book. I did.

So basically, at 14 years old, I put my first race motor together. Even before I could drive, I was building the engines.”

A former standout basketball player, Peters never drove himself, but went through the drag racing ranks throughout the ’70s and early-to-mid ’80s, before growing tired of the travel and stepping away from the sport. However, he couldn’t stay away long and, in the early 1990s, began working in Hooker Headers’ tech department in California before moving on

to K&N, Goodrich Hose and Fittings, and SCAT Crankshafts before relocating east to Mississippi and Lunati.

“Racing is like a big jigsaw puzzle. I always liken it to trying to put things together,” Peters says.

Justin Bowers, meanwhile, is a lifelong resident of Tipton County in West Tennessee. In addition to attending his three daughters’ softball games, in his spare time, he runs a rear engine dragster in Super Comp and bracket classes, as well as bracket races a small block ’72 Chevy Nova. He has raced on a variety

of strips, but most commonly competes at Holly Springs Dragway, Jackson Dragway, and Memphis International Raceway near his home.

He began racing ATVs when he was 8 and did that until he was 15, when he began bracket racing. He remembers spending time in the garage with his dad growing up and says he has always done his own work building engines, rear ends, and more, simply because he couldn’t afford to hire somebody.

Learning how to make a vehicle go fast was at first a necessity, but that quest for knowledge has become a major benefit of his work today.

“There’s so much in this industry to learn that you never know everything,” he says. “If you ever think you know everything, then it’s time for you to quit.

With the way that the automotive industry evolves, there is a steady learning curve. Whenever the manufacturers come up with something new, it trickles down to us, and we have to familiarize ourselves with what they are doing in order to serve the customer with the right knowledge of the parts.”

While Peters and Bowers have each found a niche in the sales and customer service portion of the per-

Bowers is a longtime drag racer who also applies his knowledge to the technical services department at Lunati.

formance industry, both still have their own racing dreams.

“As far as race cars go, my passion is what I do now,” Bowers says. “I just love the Sportsman racing. I love what I do — sportsman, bracket, super class racing — to me there’s nothing better. Lots of people want to drive a Pro Stock or a Fuel car,

but I’d just as soon drive a Sportsman.”

Meanwhile Peters and his uncle are in the process of building a Comp Eliminator car.

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Peters says. “I want to go 200 miles an hour.” DRS Source: Lunati, LLC, lunatipower.com

IRG Sports + Entertainment (IRGSE), a TPG portfolio company, is expanding their portfolio of properties and is looking for motorsports professionals to grow with the company. IRGSE is accepting applications for the following positions: Track General Managers, Track Public Relations Directors, Sponsorship Sales Directors, Drag Strip and Drag Racing Directors, Hospitality and Guest Services Directors, Ticketing Sales and Group Sales Directors, and Administrative Assistants. The positions are located at currently owned properties and future planned venues across the country.

If you are interested in an exciting career opportunity with the leading marketer and promoter of sports and live entertainment, please send a cover letter and resume with salary requirements to – careers@irgse.com IRGSE is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, age, marital status, disability, or status as a veteran in accordance with applicable laws. In addition, the IRGSE companies comply with applicable local laws governing equal opportunity and non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the IRGSE companies have facilities.

www.IRGSE.com

Match Race Words/Photos Todd Silvey

J

ohn Lawson has quite a few years under his belt at handling a nitro-powered Funny Car. After years competing in Alcohol Funny Car in the '90s, Lawson stepped into the Lucas Oil Nitro Funny Car in 2000. After that three-year ride, he continued in the nitro driver’s seat over the years, not only driving their own independent car, but also for Dale Creasy or Dale Creasy Jr. The new carbon fiber '70-1/2 Camaro body is set-up on a 125-inch wheelbase John Force Racing chassis originally used by Robert Hight. JT Race Cars provided some reworking of the chassis, then it was given a finish by Winning Colors Powder Coating. Rick Evans (Lawson's son-in-law), laid the custom paint on the Camaro body. All of the fuel, oil, and control containers were custom fabricated for this chassis

by Force Racing.

see this engine “We combination making right at 6,000hp and putting us well into a 5.20 ET zone for match racing.

”

John Lawson has been manhandling professional Nitro Funny Cars for years - now the match race circuit is calling his name

You might spot a trend here, as a number of components that make up the new hot rod are from John Force Racing. Lawson has a long standing relationship with the team, personally and from driving for Creasy Family Motorsports.

“We have a great friendship with John Force, his family and entire team," John says. "I think so much of them.”

The power plant nestled within the new rails starts out with a 500c.i. John Force block with a PSI crankshaft and Bill Miller rods and pistons. One of the unique aspects of the Lawson engine combination is the 1970s-era Crane Cam that is fitted to the valvetrain. It’s a proven grind that Lawson thinks is perfect for this application.

“It’s not very hard on valve springs," John says. “And it works well with what I call a heritage tune-up we are going for.”

Manton push rods and Jesel rocker arms complete the valvetrain.

The Camaro utilizes a 14:71 blower with a Force Racing “no offset” intake DragRacingScene.com 45

and DJ Safety blower restraints. The fuel system consists of a Gerardot Performance Products 66 gallon-per-minute fuel pump that is combined with an “old school” Enderle injector hat.

The entire fuel system was developed

by Fuel Altered racer, Tom Motry, who also happens to be a close friend and match race partner for many bookings on the 2016 circuit.

The clutch and transmission section of the drivetrain is based on simplicity.

A John Force 4-disc clutch will be a centrifugal design without the use of timers, computers, etc. This will be bolted to a direct drive Lenco transmission.

“There is a timing controller for the engine," Lawson explains. "That is all of the sophisticated controllers we want.

We can make an abundance of power and keep this car a fun match race combination. We see this engine combination making right at 6,000hp and putting us well into a 5.20 ET zone for match racing.”

The rear differential is a Strange 12inch unit with 3:20 gears, along with Strange brakes and DJ Safety Equipment parachutes for stopping duties.

The car already has a busy season on the calendar with more than a doz-

46 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

These business views of the Camaro show off the 500c.i. Force Racing block and heads that are outfitted with a 14:71 blower, MSD magneto and Enderle/Gerardot/Motry 66-gallon-per-minute fuel system. (Below) The rear differential is a Strange 12 -inch aluminum differential with 3:20 gears, Strange brakes, combined with DJ Safety Equipment parachutes, to stop the match racer.

en match races scheduled with various cars, including his other Funny Car, a similarly prepared 2001 Firebird called "Quick Draw", which is piloted

by Joe Haas.

Lawson and his wife, Lisa, tell us the group it takes to keep any nitro

Funny Car humming is like family, or is family to him. Mike Skole (sonin-law), John Terhaar, Carl Pennington, Hank Delair, Todd Hare, Dawn Evans (daughter), Samantha Mitchell (daughter), and Pat Fitzgibbons are all on the crew.

The Lawsons have a pair of Funny Cars now, including their similarly prepared "Quick Draw" Firebird. Rocky Haas (left) and John Lawson (right) have many match race bookings on the schedule for 2016 between each other, and also against other Funny Cars and Fuel Altereds.

“I really want to thank some true friends and fellow racers I couldn’t live without,” Lawson says. “They are Dale Creasy Jr., Robert Hight, and Guido Antonelli."

Major sponsors that get the team down the road include: Morgan Lucas Racing, Gilbert Trucking, Joliet Suspension, Schepel, JT Race cars, and DJ Safety.

John’s own business, Lawson’s Auto Rebuilders, is a big part of his busy weekday life based around the Funny Cars. The family business specializes in auto repair and specialized auto and custom restoration.

Lawson is looking forward to hanging out the header flames for the first time in the Camaro.

“The entire family and team want to have a good time mixing it up with the match race cars. The response as people see the car sitting still has been great. Now let’s see if we can't lay down some numbers.” DRS For even more info and pics search “John Lawson"at DragRacingScene.com.

A pair of Firefox fire suppression bottles surround the custom-made fuel cell for the retired John Force Racing chassis. The controller box does not house exotic timers or clutch control systems.

The only automation this car utilizes is a timing controller for the hemi.

DragRacingScene.com 47

A Double-Double Helping of Brakes

Add a second pair of rear brakes with Aerospace Components dual-rear caliper brake kits

S

ome things just go well in double servings like two scoops of ice cream instead of one, or a Double-Double for those who enjoy In-NOut Burger. But when it comes to braking systems, a double set of calipers tends to be just as good as a double helping of your favorite comfort food.

Aerospace Components offers several different dual-caliper braking systems for both dragsters and door cars, which are particularly helpful in both turbocharged combinations and topend stopping force.

All Dual Rear Brake kits are specifically engineered for the double calipers with brackets and hardware included.

Each system comes with the same high quality made in the U.S.A. products that Aerospace Components has become known to design and manufacturer.

The Aerospace Components dual-caliper braking system is very popular as stopping power for dragster applications. It fits within the standard 15-inch diameter racing wheels and offers huge benefits with brakes limited only to the rear differential.

48  Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Words / Photos Michael Galimi

The dual calipers fit neatly behind the Race Star wheels on the BG Racing EcoBoost-powered S550 Mustang. The 2015-to-present Mustang is the latest Dual Rear Brake design to be offered by Aerospace Components.

Adding a Dual Rear Brake kit has several advantages, particularly in rear engine dragsters. One of the benefits of a dual rear brake system is to help slow down heavy race cars without brake fade since the braking force is split between two calipers on each side of the vehicle. That brake fade can, and will, come into the picture as you go further in the rounds and race officials begin to run the class in a round robin style.

In both dragsters and door cars, that type of quick turnaround time doesn’t allow braking systems to cool off properly and the second set of calipers prevents the hot pad problems.

In the case of a dragster, the benefits are obvious because rail cars only feature brakes on the backside. The system can take more abuse because of twice the amount of pads handling the braking.

The term building boost has been a time-honored tradition for serious turbocharged entries. The driver will stand on the brake pedal just before the pre-stage beams or with the top bulb turned on. As the engine works against the load of the brakes, the turbocharger will start to create positive pressure in the intake manifold.

The engine torque and horsepower increases as more boost is present, which in turn attempts to turn the rear tires, however the two sets of Aerospace Components rear brake calipers will hold the car to prevent that from happening. With the engine producing boost, the driver will then creep into the stage beam ready for action with the boost at an optimum level to help the car perform at its best.

Here is the chart showing how to run the brake lines and the specific installation notes for Dual Rear Brakes. Aerospace Components recommends a minimum 1 1/8-inch master cylinder, adjustable proportioning valve, and a residual valve for this application.

DragRacingScene.com 49

In some situations, like in the more serious turbo vehicles, once the engine starts to make boost, the driver will ease the car into the lights by slightly/partially releasing the brake pedal pressure while simultaneously grabbing the transbrake button. This “bumps” the car into the staged beams. The technique can be difficult, particularly for drivers that are new to the turbo world.

Thanks to some ignition and digital solution manufacturers, there are now specific pulse modulators, affectionately nicknamed a bump box, that have replaced the driver’s manual control of the transbrake in the staging technique.

Despite these awesome electronics, the Aerospace Components Dual Rear Brake kits are still a vital and essential component in the staging process for turbocharged applications to hold the vehicle when the engine revs are brought up against the stopping force of the brakes.

We caught up with noted NMRA racer Brad Gusler of BG Racing, who has been pushing the edge of Ford’s latest engineering marvel, the 2.3L EcoBoost engine. His 2015 Mustang EcoBoost recently eclipsed the ten-second barrier, the first time for that engine platform. He explained the new Aerospace Components S550 Mustang Dual Rear

50 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Brake kit was an integral part of his success, partly due to class rules and the fact that the aftermarket hasn’t developed a transbrake yet for the factory Ford 6R80 transmission.

Gusler relies on his braking system to achieve

the proper launching technique for the best performance and consistency when competing in the Index-based Super Stang category.

“It has been a night and day difference from the single caliper to the dual caliper,” comment-

The Aerospace Components Brake kits are available in several different configurations for a variety of applications including front brake applications.

ed Gusler as he reminisced about the recent switch to the Aerospace Components kit. Before he added the dual rear calipers, his 2015 Mustang EcoBoost would push through the lights varying from three to five pounds of boost. And according to Gusler, his starting line technique was very inconsistent.

Once the new dual caliper setup was installed, “I can hold the car at 4,000 rpm and the engine is at 20 pounds of boost every time. That is a big reason how I can get the car to run 1.45 sixty-foot times,” he concluded. The sixty-foot time is impressive considering the car’s 3,600-pound race weight and IRS style rear suspension.

Staging a turbocharged application and dragster/fast door car aren’t the only benefits gained from the dual rear caliper kits. It is also a great tool in footbrake style bracket racing categories where a transbrake is illegal and the extra set of rear calipers makes a big difference when staging and leaving the starting line under the green light. For some applications, the greater clamping force allows a higher launch rpm, creating a quicker reacting vehicle, as the engine will be closer to peak torque than if the engine was at a lower rpm.

As for the Aerospace Components kit itself, the parts and pieces are all made in the U.S.A. with the same high quality reputation upon which the company was built. It all starts with the 113/8 inch diameter, 5/16-inch thick rotors, drilled to help save weight and dissipate expanding gasses.

The brake kits feature multiple mounting holes to accommodate several different five-lug patterns—4.5inch, 4.75-inch, or 5-inch. Provisions are also made for either 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch wheel studs. Aerospace Components engineers then turned to their in-house CNC machining capabilities to manufacturer the calipers, brake hats, and mounting brackets. All of it is made from 6061-T6 billet aluminum, ensuring quality, strength, and durability. The Dual Rear Brake kits include either a four piston or two piston floating billet caliper setup, depending on the application.

Hawk brake pads are standard just like all the other brake kits from Aerospace Components. Grade 8 hardware is also paramount to the strength and durability of the brake kits and a standard feature. All Dual Rear Brake kits meet and exceed NHRA/IHRA requirements.

Aerospace Components keeps the overall weight down to ensure the lightest possible rotating weight for better performance but uses high quality materials, manufacturing, and design to ensure optimum braking power.

For example, the new S550 Mustang Dual Rear Brake kit tips the scales at a scant 31 pounds, allowing you to have a few extra Double-Doubles at In-NOut Burger and not worry about adding weight to your Mustang. Or you can skip the extra burgers and reduce the weight of your race car. Aerospace Components notes that the S550 Mustang kits require rear wheels that have a minimum of 14.125-inch inside diameter in order to clear the twin caliper setup. Most other dual rear brake applications will fit with an inside wheel barrel diameter of 13.15-inches.

Whether holding the vehicle on the starting line or slowing it down on the other end, a second helping of brake calipers can help your race car perform better on track in order to go faster, run quicker, and be more consistent in your quest for lower elapsed times and/or the win light. DRS Source: Aerospace Components, aerospacecomponents.com

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SPRING IS IN THE

Outlaw street car racing kicks off 2016 with huge events at Lights Out 7 and Outlaw Street Car Reunion III

wo of the biggest events of the early season in small-tire racing exceeded expectations, as racers traveled from across the country to compete at South Georgia Motorsports Park and Memphis International Raceway.

Lights Out 7 Words / Photos Mike Galimi OSCRIII Words Todd Silvey Photos Shawn Brereton, Todd Silvey

On the sixth day of racing, the Duck said, "Let there be champions." And 10 racers drove their way into the win-

52  Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

T

Lights Out 7 coverage

ner’s circle at South Georgia Motorsports Park to close out one of the wildest small-tire competitions in history of drag racing. Lights Out 7 produced record times and massive crowds that pushed the park to the brink of its capacity. It was outlaw racing in its finest hour as it all came together for the final rounds with racers leaving nothing in the trailer and putting it all on the line for the glory and money.

If you wanted photos of the Murder Nova and Crowmod pits, you needed to be there early during the Outlaw Street Car Reunion. Justin Shearer and Shawn Ellington took time to talk and sign autographs for the fans all weekend.

Nearly a week of testing and qualifying came down to $54,000-to-win for the Radial vs. The World category, as companies like UPR Products helped pump the purse even higher in the final hour. The last two combatants were two of the sport’s most prolific racers and talkers. Stevie “Fast” Jackson and his quick-talking grudge race style lined up against Keith Berry, the two-time NMCA champion who is no stranger to long speeches and trash talking.

With their game faces on and their biggest tune-up in their cars, both racers took to the line in what was the biggest race of their illustrious careers. As the light dropped, it was Berry away first with a sharp .026 light. Jackson got off the line with a .066 light, which is good for the average driver, but that deficit would be too much to overcome by the stripe that was a mere 660 feet away.

Berry and his brand new Pro Line Racing small-block engine screamed as the Precision turbochargers charged forward with well over 40 psi of boost in the manifold, and rumors of the team cranking it up over 50 for the final round. By the stripe, both racers would run a radial career best — Berry with a 3.93 at 192 mph and Jackson stopping the timers in 3.89 seconds at 194 mph.

The win light shined brightly on Berry’s side of the track as the difference was his .04 reaction time advantage and a margin of victory of just .002-seconds! It was a storybook ending for Berry who barely made it to the race after upgrading the engine from an LS small-block to the CFE billet small-block; he was the last racer to roll into the gates.

Lights Out 7 was more than just the Radial vs. The World excitement and drama, as the X275 category packed a powerful punch with great performances from the top runners in the 32-car field. It boiled down to the baddest small-block nitrous car in the

Kyle Huettel was on the top of the Radial vs. The World qualifying with a 3.902. Huettel and his Supercharged HEMI Corvette outdid himself by knocking on the door of the world record with a 3.88 at 198 MPH.

Ronny Rhodes won the largest-ever X275 gathering in history. Out of 52 entrants, Rhodes used a string of mid-4.40’s to get the big win.

DragRacingScene.com 53

Keith Berry dominated Radial vs. The World at Lights Out 7. Coming off that big win in his turbocharged Corvette, Outlaw Street Car III was another story as he fell first round.

Michael Roemer ran in both X275 and Ultra Street classes with his recently updated “Flying Pickle” S-10. His lightened chassis and new engine combination will have him in the hunt for 2016.

category’s history, the 1968 Camaro piloted by Ron Rhodes, against the quickest turbo car in the class, driven by the youthful Jared Johnston. The turbo car smoked the tires out of the gate, and Rhodes blazed his way to the finish line with a 4.44 at 158 mph performance.

Barry Mitchell had a weekend he won’t soon forget by double-entering his newly acquired 2002 Camaro in both the Outlaw Drag Radial and Pro 275 categories. He went candles-lit on his way to two Winner’s Circle photos. The Outlaw Drag Radial victory came with a 4.23 at 181 mph as a hole-shot win was recorded over Ron Hamby, who ran 4.19 at 178 mph. Mitchell unleashed a .033 light to Hamby’s .081. The team hustled to turn the car around in less than 20 minutes, and Mitchell proceeded to

RESULTS LIGHTS OUT 7 • VALDOSTA, GA Radial vs.

The World

W - Keith Berry, Gainesville, GA R/U - Steve Jackson, Evan, GA

Outlaw Drag W - Barry Mitchell, Hamptonville, NC Radial R/U - Ron Hamby, Bessemer City, NC

Pro 275 rules for Lights Out 7 feature single power adder monsters funneling the power through M/T Pro 275 tires. Eric Gustafson qualified No. 1 and set low ET in the class with a 4.22 ET. 54 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

X275

W - Ron Rhodes, Townsend, DE R/U - Jared Johnson, Raymor, MO

Pro 275

W - Barry Mitchell, Hamptonville, NC R/U - Steve Drummond, Laurel, DE

Ultimate Street

W - Joel Greenhouse, Oakland, KY R/U - Butch Kemp, Romeo, MI

Leaf Spring

W - Bryan Marrow, Ft. Lauderdale, FL R/U - Dale Arrogast, Michigan

Outlaw 632

W - Bruce Johnson, Jacksonville, AL R/U - Troy Blake, Palm Beach, FL

Nitrous X

W - Darren Hilterbran, Tipp City, OH R/U - Tim Knieriem, Sheperdville, KY

6.0 Index

W – David Delk, Waycross, GA R/U – Randy Womack, Cartersville, GA

Now tagged “the biggest small-tire race in the world", the massive crowds each day became a cheering section for Barry Mitchell who doubled up with wins in both Outlaw Drag Radial and the new Pro 275 eliminator.

The RHS® LS Solid Aluminum Block is the perfect solution for “cast blocks only” drag racing classes.

run even quicker in the Pro 275 final against Steve Drummond — 4.20 at 181 mph to Drummond’s 4.27 at 178 mph. Mitchell had the most impressive performances from consistency to sheer number of runs; the team put on the Fulton 768c.i. nitrous to qualify strongly in both classes and take the double win.

The Nitrous X finale came down to perennial class badass Darren Hilterbran and noted engine builder Tim Knieriem. Hilterban had the advantage on paper, and it looked like Knieriem turned it up for the finals. He spun and ran an off-pace 5.07, while Hilteran streaked to another Nitrous X victory with an impressive 4.67 at 143 mph.

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Outlaw Street Car Reunion coverage

In the nitrous-only Outlaw 632 ranks, the radial-equipped Pontiac Trans Am driven by Bruce Johnson overcame a field full of tube chassis cars and Pro Mods to secure the victory in a close match-up against Troy Blake and his 1969 Camaro. Johnson won the pair with a 4.43 at 161 mph to Blake’s near-identical 4.43 at 165 mph, with the starting line advantage deciding the win. Bryan Marrow and his awesome Camaro took the Leaf Spring win on a solo hit.

The Ultimate Street class wrapped up rather quickly with Joel Greathouse and Team KBX entry dropping the alltime quickest run in class history with a 4.76 at 149 mph to top the field of 50. Greathouse, driving a ProCharger-equipped 1993 Mustang LX coupe, beat the naturally aspirated race car of Butch Kemp in the finals.

Weather conditions are always a concern when it comes to racing in the early Spring months. Unfortunately, Mother Nature seemed especially bipolar for the 3rd edition of the Outlaw Street Car Reunion at Memphis International Raceway in March. Conditions started out picture perfect for Thursday testing but went progressively downhill from there throughout the rest of the weekend, ultimately forcing the cancellation of the final rounds around midnight Saturday due to unsafe track conditions.

Event promoters Tyler Crossnoe and Mark Samples had to make the tough call to split the purse among the remaining racers and roll the Battle of the States Bonus over to 2017. The $10,000 Bonus was to have been paid to the state that won the event. All entries from the winning state who made it into the Top 32 qualified field would have split the extra $10,000.

It was an unfortunate ending for an event that has quickly grown to be one of the most anticipated small tire races of the season. Diehard fans filled the grandstands each day of the event, even as the temperatures dropped and the clouds moved in. Despite

the struggle with wind, rain, and cold, the well-prepared track surface led to some amazing runs.

In Radial vs. The World, Kyle Huettel qualified in the top spot at 3.902, 196.67 mph. Dewayne Mills had the fastest speed in the category at 210.14 mph, landing him in the number three position. In X275, Rich Bruder qualified number one, running 4.415 at 159.93 mph in his ’88 Mustang.

Only one category named a win

RESULTS Outlaw Street Car Reunion III • Memphis, TN Final Competitors when event cancelled

It took an impressive 4.11 ET by Marty Robertson's "Bad Fish" ’68 Barracuda to get into the Radial vs. The World field at Lights Out 7. MOPAR fans went crazy when Robertson upset No. 2 qualifier Dewayne Mills in first round.

Radial vs.

The World

Justin Shearer, Mustang, OK DeWayne Mills, Sand Springs, OK Bob Bales, Yukon, OK

X275

Dennis Johnson, Madison, AL Rich Bruder, Edson, NJ Jared Johnson, Raymore, MO Alan Felts, Bowling Green, KY

Pro 275

W - Barry Mitchell, Hamptonville, NC R/U - Steve Drummond, Laurel, DE

Limited Drag Radial

Barry Mitchell, Hamptonville, NC Michael Newcome, Crossville, TN Craig Ondrick, Carthage, MO Don Burton, Glen Arm, MD

Ultra Street Joel Greenhouse, Oakland, KY

Butch Kemp, Romeo, MI

Keith Haney put down a 3.89 at 191 mph with his first pass at Lights Out 7. After tangling with the guard wall on the following day, Haney made big repairs to continue into third round of Radial vs.

The World eliminations.

56 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

MX 235

Brad Medlock, North Little Rock, AR Brian Edwards, Bloomington, IL Darren Hilterbran, Tipp City, OH Shawn Pevlor, Cincinnati, OH

Leaf Spring

W - Dale Arbogast, Ypsilanti, MI R/U - Danny Tellman, Jefferson City, MO

6.00 Index

Daniel Ray, Corryton, TN Jeff Ferguson, Olive Branch, MS Johnny O’Daniel, Cleveland, TN Ricky Millard, Rossville, GA

7.00 Index

Spencer Smith, Dalton, GA James Norrad, Goodlettsville, TN David Smith, Batesville, MS Chris Blair, Carthage, TN

ner during the weekend. In the Leaf Spring finals, it was Dale Arbogast in his ’69 Nova getting the win light over Danny Tellman’s ’68 Camaro. Arbogast went 4.42, while Tellman managed a 6.35 ET. The remainder of the classes were in the semis or finals when the cold and rain called a halt to the activities, leaving them with a split of the purse at that point. DRS

The only class to complete eliminations at Outlaw Street Car Reunion III was Leaf Spring class, where Dale Arbogast dominated from No. 1 qualifying position to the class championship win.

The 2015 Hot Rod Drag Week champion Tom Bailey traded his big tires for a set of legal drag radials on his Pro Mod Camaro for Radial vs. The World competition at OSCR III. He qualified mid-field with a 4.24 at 177 mph.

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YEARS

60

Words Brandon Flannery

Crane Cams has seen it all since its beginning

L

ike a cam lobe, Crane Cams has had its ups and downs. But the company has managed to lead the industry thanks to a winning combination of employee passion and customer support. More than 60 years have passed, and they’re still bumpin’.

Company founder Harvey Crane Jr. was born in Hallandale, Florida, in 1931. His father ran a machine shop as a tool and die maker and put him to work at an early age. The younger crane discovered hot rods at 13 and spent his teen years learning how to hop-up flathead Fords. Harvey said his father taught him to “do good work and be proud of it,” and also how to ac58 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

curately repeat parts, a skill that would change his life.

He began illegally drag racing his ’39 Ford coupe on airstrips and desolate streets with the rest of the crowd and quickly learned how to make his car even faster. This led to helping others, making components, and then building engines. He even ground his first camshaft when he was 15. Though he was quick to admit it was “junk,” it was eventually gold plated and hung on his wall.

In 1950, Harvey prepared a pair of jalopy roadsters in his father’s shop. The cars’ owners offered him 10 percent of their winnings to help campaign the cars throughout the Midwest. They did very

well until Harvey learned they weren’t fully honest about the winnings. He went home to work in his dad’s shop and built racing engines in his spare time.

As the legend goes, he ordered a “hot cam” from California and it worked well enough for him to order three more, but none of them ran as well as the first. Upon inspection, he found none of them were even close to being the same. With his father’s training, he knew he could do better. He began accurately replicating performance grinds on stock camshafts. “Regrinding” was a popular method, and many of his early efforts were “copy type” regrinds of other cams.

Crane Engineering Co. grew from a small rented corner of Harvey Crane’s dad’s shop to a global powerhouse and an industry leader.

Harvey Crane

On January 1, 1953, he officially opened Crane Engineering in a corner of his father’s shop and hired three employees. One ran a lathe for rear axles, one ported flathead blocks, and the third helped grind cams. After working on a used cylindrical grinder, he ordered a Storm Vulcan camshaft grinder in early 1953 and took delivery in August.

When the Army drafted him to Fort Benning in Georgia, he drove home to grind cams on Saturday and Sunday and then, during the week, sold them on base from the trunk of his ’39 Ford.

In 1957, he began to explore cam profile engineering. He drew displacement graphs of lobe profiles and com-

pared them over each other on a light table. This led to his understanding of the “ramp” and the dynamics of “the area under the curve.” He implemented the .0001 four-point decimal place to accurately measure lift and used a new Bridgeport rotary table to rotate the cam for measurement, allowing him to cut his “model lobes” with unprecedented precision.

Crane became a household name in drag racing when “Sneaky Pete” Robinson bested all comers for the Top Eliminator crown at the 1961 NHRA Nationals in Indy. The Georgia racer took out Tom McEwen (who was driving Gene Adams’s big Old’s powered rail) with

his 352c.i. Chevy small block. Legend was born, and Crane rocketed into the national spotlight.

In 1963, the company became Crane Cams Inc. It had outgrown his dad’s shop by 1965 and moved into a new 15,000 square foot facility with 35 employees. The next year, Harvey started one of the first contingency programs by refunding the cost of the cam and lifters to all class winners at selected events. By 1967, Crane had surpassed Isky as the nation’s leading cam company.

Crane had already jumped on board the technology train, performing the company’s first computer analysis in 1965. Harvey created the first computer-designed cam profiles in 1967 using a program written by J.H. Nourse. The program was run over the phone lines to a time sharing mainframe at ComShare, Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This technology led to the first non-symmetrical hydraulic flat tappet profile in 1969. By the next year, Harvey’s “homeDragRacingScene.com 59

By 1967, Crane Cams was the nation’s leading camshaft company.

made” cam profile analysis measuring machine reduced the time it took to measure one lobe from five hours to five minutes.

An early SEMA advocate and exhibitor, Harvey was quick to realize the need for the organization and helped with its formation. His famous “Fireball” cams debuted there and, despite initial ridicule from his peers, went on to become industry standards. In 1972, he conceived revisions for a Berco RTM 180/B crankshaft grinder that led to a new Berco cam grinding machine, which changed the industry and is still in use today.

In 1974, Crane bought the Universal Camshaft Company of Muskegon, Michigan. The company’s roots dated back to the turn of the century, and it was the only supplier of SAE 8620 steel billet roller camshafts. It was also an

60 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

OEM supplier for big companies like Caterpillar.

After plunking down $60,000 for a Data General Nova 2 computer in 1975, Crane logged off all time sharing computers and brought their work in-house.

The resulting explosion of knowledge led to new discoveries, like the “Hi-Low - No Pop” design still in use today and the first hydraulic roller tappet cam in 1979.

Growth required a new 85,000 square foot plant to be built in Daytona Beach in 1980. A whopping 92 tractor-trailer loads of equipment and inventory were moved down from Michigan in 1982 to bring all of Crane’s business under one roof.

Harvey stepped down as Crane’s CEO in 1977 to concentrate on camshaft and valvetrain design. In his place, a newly formed Employee Stock Ownership Trust (ESOT) was formed, and

his stock in the company was slowly sold back to the company as employee bonuses and profit sharing.

Ever the hard worker, Harvey took his first real vacation, a four-month motorhome trip to Alaska, in 1986. He came home to pioneer the use of the first “personal” IBM compatible computer for design analysis.

By 1989, he was still the largest Crane shareholder with 17 percent of the company, but ESOT voted him out after a dispute and bought out his remaining shares. ESOT continued to run the company throughout the 1990s and 2000s, while Harvey successfully struck out on his own with Harvey Crane, Inc., hosting a Cam School, and doing consultation work for people around the world.

Though they made great technological strides branching into the ignition market with distributors and CD ignition with adjustable rev limiters, for ex-

Crane Cams uses the latest high-tech CNC equipment.

ample, ESOT voted to sell the struggling company to Mikronite Technologies in 2006. Mikronite had plans to grow the company by investing $12 million, but things didn’t work out and in 2009, Crane was put up for auction, closing its doors after 56 years in business.

Fortunately, S&S Cycles won the bid. In business since 1958, they were well-established in the motorcycle industry and rekindled Crane’s fires by developing their motorcycle-related valvetrain and ignition products. Then they steadily rebuilt the automotive product lines and distribution channels, re-hiring many former employees.

In 2010, they began grinding cams and producing rockers and lifters.

They even stepped back into sponsoring racing series and developed products for the LS engine platform. The company then changed hands one more time to an investment group who understands Crane’s legacy and passion, and has the means to weather it through any storms.

Today, it’s full speed ahead at Crane, where a factory is filled with the latest Landis CNC equipment, dyno cells, Spintrons, and a government-certified emissions lab that develops CARB-friendly components. To date,

The biggest names in all forms of motorsports called upon Crane Cams to help them make winning power. Crane’s ground-breaking use of computers helped keep them ahead of the curve.

they have the industry’s largest camshaft profile database with more than 80,000 profiles on file. Quality control is of the highest caliber thanks to Zeiss optical and Adcole equipment, and many of their long-term employees have come back and are thriving in their careers.

Though Harvey Crane Jr. passed away in 2013, the company he founded thrives, and does so on the lesson his father taught him: Do good work and be proud of it. DRS Source: Crane Cams, cranecams.com

Who’s Who

Winning racers using Crane products reads like a laundry list of “who’s who” in all forms of racing. To name a few: “Ohio George” Montgomery, Bill ”Grumpy” Jenkins, “Dyno Don” Nicholson, “WJ” Warren Johnson, Bruce Larson, Don Schumacher, Tony Bartone, Keith Berry, Jeg Coughlin, and Larry Larson in drag racing, NASCAR’s Junior Johnson, Red Farmer, Bill Elliott, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhadrt, and Cale Yarborough, to name a few. Steve Kinser and Donnie Schatz from sprint car fame. If it had a class and an engine, you can bet Crane was there!

Ultimate te M Ma tch-Up tch-Up Match-Up The

Ultra-Pro™ Mechanical Roller Lifters & 8620 Steel Billet Cams

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Heavy duty roller wheels Drop-in vertical tie bar Precision matched needle bearings Surface finished billet 8620 steel body Bearing Focused Oiling™ to wheels & axles Monel pins & washers secured tie-bars

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Custom profiles available Copper plated carburized steel Standard or large journal sizes Precision ground close tolerances Standard or special firing order Optional tool steel available

Drag Racing Scene has compiled a list of some of the hottest new products to hit the drag racing market. On the following pages of our Vendor Midway, be sure to check out the variety of racing products offered. Product and company contact information is provided should you see something you wish to purchase — and we know you will.

Smarter, slimmer, sexier AEM, X-Series Digital Gauges AEM’s new X-Series Digital Gauges combine incredible looks, increased readability and a multitude of new, easy-to-use features.

Available for Boost, EGT, Fuel/Oil Pressure, Oil/Water/Trans Temperature and Volts, these gauges complement the X-Series Digital Wideband AFR and feature a four-digit LED display and LED “needle” lines along the edge of the gauge face for quick reference. A 33-percent overall increase in the gauge face display makes it easy to see at a glance. X-Series Gauges come with a black bezel and faceplate, and optional silver bezel/white faceplate accessory kits are available for each gauge.

They are contained in a standard 2 1/16-inch (52mm) diameter housing for mounting in a standard gauge pod. Overall depth is 62 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

less than 0.825 inch, with a cup depth of only 0.200 inch to allow mounting practically anywhere.

Two buttons on the faceplate deliver programmability for peak/ recall, 3- or 4-digit center LED readout, and user-selectable threshold warnings. The gauges are AEMnet CAN-bus enabled, so they can be daisy chained together for use with the Infinity ECU, Series 2 EMS, AQ-1 Data Logger, or 3rd party EMS or logger that accepts AEMnet. Zero-5V analog outputs are also included for inputting into data loggers and engine management systems. aempower.com 310.484.2322

Raise the bar, not weight Lunati, Voodoo Lightweight Crankshafts The latest crankshafts from Lunati are designed to provide the utmost in weight reduction. They are perfect for high-winding, naturally aspirated drag racing applications. These cranks are produced from the same 4340 steel forgings as Lunati’s popular original Voodoo Crankshafts renowned for durability and strength. The lightweight options raise the bar even higher, as they feature gun-drilled mains, pendulum-cut counterweights, lightened rod journals, and a star-cut rear flange for the maximum reduction in weight and ro-

tational inertia. The cranks are also fully heat-treated and nitrided for long-term wear resistance, while straight-shot oiling allows for optimum flow and bearing lubrication. All journal radii are ground to .125-inch for further increased strength. A variety of popular strokes are available for two-piece rear seal small-block Chevys in both 350 and 400 main sizes. lunatipower.com 662.892.1500

Better Products From A Company Built On Drag Racing Better Service SIGNATURE SERIES ROTATING ASSEMBLIES These rotating assemblies represent the strongest package of rotating components you will find for your engine.

Each kit includes a pulsed-plasma, nitride heat-treated Signature Series Crankshaft that is formed on a specialized, non-twist 4340 steel forging. Additionally, each kit comes with either premium I-beam or H-beam rods, your choice of Diamond or Mahle brand forged pistons and premium King or Clevite engine bearings.

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New state-of-the-art computer lobe profiles provide higher lift under the curve, resulting in increased power and throttle response. Tailored power bands also create more usable horsepower and torque for when it matters.

Vendor Midway PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

Cool coil overs QA1, Front Pro Coil System for 1958-1970 Chevrolet B-Body and 1963-1982 Corvettes QA1 now offers bolt-in front coil-over conversion kits for 19631982 Corvettes and for 1958-1970 full-size Chevrolet vehicles, including Impalas, Bel Airs, and Caprices.

QA1 Front Pro Coil Systems include adjustable aluminum shocks, high travel springs and all necessary mounting hardware.

The shocks have a threaded body that allows the car to be lowered from stock ride height to -2 inches while on the car. Multiple spring rate options — double, single or Drag “R” series — are also available.

The double adjustable shocks provide 18 positions each of independent compression and rebound adjustment, for a total of 324 possible valving combinations. Single adjustable shocks provide 18 positions of simultaneous rebound and compression adjustment. The Drag “R” Series shock provides 18 levels of simultaneous adjustment, while maintaining 90/10-style valving in each adjustment, allowing the front to rise easily and come down softly for a smoother, more controlled launch. qa1.net 800.721.7761

Made for the race Driven Racing Oil, XP10 0W-10 This blend features a viscosity typical of 0W-10 and utilizes low-viscosity synthetic base oils to fine tune for increased horsepower and improved ring seal. It is formulated with proprietary anti-wear and friction-reducing additives to fight valve train wear and provide additional power. XP10 0W-10 is compatible with Methanol, E85, and high-octane race fuels. It is ideal for wet-sump drag race engines, 800+ cubic inch drag race engines, Junior Dragsters, and restricted air-flow engines with tight clearances. drivenracingoil.com 866.611.1820

For even more new products head to

DragRacingScene.com 64 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Collect and analyze FAST, XFI Touch Screen Dash with Data Logger Can’t determine exactly what is going on with your XFI-equipped engine and vehicle systems? This unit not only provides an instant visual read-out of critical engine and vehicle functions, but also records the data from the XFI Electronic Control Unit (ECU) at the rate of 1,000 samples per second. With the standard 2 MB memory

module, you’ll have more than an hour of data stored for later analysis. Optional memory modules up to 16 MB are also available. fuelairspark.com 877.334.8355

Get More Power From Your Vehicle NEWS. TECHNOLOGY. PRODUCTS. • Engine & Driveline Tech • “How-To” & Installations • Technology Explained • New Product Reviews • Performance Testing

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Vendor Midway PARTS / TOOLS / ACCESSORIES

Best of both worlds COMP Cams, Short Travel XD Hydraulic Roller Lifters Certain engines respond better to a light lifter pre-load because it recovers more quickly from any bad harmonics in the valve train.

Others work better with a heavy pre-load because oil volume is reduced under the plunger, which increases lifter stiffness. COMP Cams Short Travel Hydraulic Roller Lifters let you have the advantages of both light pre-load and reduced oil volume, producing the most stable and highest-revving hydraulic lifter available. COMP now offers an XD version of these lifters that features a heavy-duty tool steel pushrod seat. This adds strength and durability in Xtreme Duty applications such as turbo drag cars. The lifters are available for a variety of Chevrolet, GM LS, and Chrysler engines. compcams.com 800.999.0853

It's a wrap Design Engineering, Mini Versa Starter Shields The all new Mini Versa Starter Shield protects starters and other components from the damaging effect of heat soak. The shield is constructed of an aluminized heat reflective material backed with a high temperature glass fiber insulation. Capable of reflecting radiant heat up to 2000°F and direct heat up to 500°F, the shield installs easily and can be trimmed to size. Its convenient hook and loop closure design allows the shield to wrap around the starter and attach in minutes. Most starters will not require removal. Simply wrap the starter with the aluminized side out, trim length to fit and secure the edges by pressing together the black loop material. designengineering.com 800.264.9472

When things get serious Wilwood, Front and Rear Drag Race Brake Kits for the 2015-Present Ford Mustang Three new drag race brake kits are now available for the 2015-present Ford Mustang. There are two front kits that include choices of either dynamic mount drilled steel rotors for dedicated “race-only” applications, or vented cast iron directional vane rotors for dual-purpose street/strip cars. The rear kit features dynamic mount drilled steel rotors without a parking brake to further eliminate unnecessary weight for drag race-only applications. The kits are configured with DynaPro 4R four piston radial mount calipers and fast-response BP-20 compound SmartPads. Each kit mounts directly to the factory suspension for easy bolt-on installation. wilwood.com 805.388.1188 66 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

When things get serious Crane Cams, GM LS RaceMax Camshafts The new RaceMax Series of lobes is designed specifically for 2006 and up Chevrolet V8 LS3/L92 6.2L engines (but can be used in all LS and Gen. III/Gen. IV engines with three-bolt timing sets). These profiles are made for maximum-effort drag racing applications and include compatibility for nitrous oxide systems. The cams are designed for “built engines� with internal modifications and upgrades, including ported heads and aftermarket pistons for additional valve

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clearance. The vehicle will require a full exhaust system and dyno tuning. Aftermarket racing valve springs will be mandatory, and the designs are for racing applications where valve train noise is not a consideration. RaceMax Camshafts are perfect for the most serious racers in the most intense levels of competition. cranecams.com 866.388.5120

IF IT'S

MARCH MEET

IT MUST BE THE

Rick Williamson saved his best run of the weekend for the final as Adam Sorokin was out first but Williamson powered by with a 5.572 second lap at 245.27 mph to a slowing Sorokin with a 6.709, 170.45 pass.

There is one best way to get your first dose of nitromethane for the season Words Darr Hawthorne Photos Photos Mike Burghardt, Jeff Burghardt and Darr Hawthorne

F

or years Famoso Raceway has been a gathering place for racers who chose to use nitromethane as a race fuel. Back when 64-car Top Fuel dragster fields would tow from across the country to prove who had the badass race car, Famoso was the place to prove your prowess.

Even during the Nitro Ban of the late '50s, Bakersfield’s Famoso Raceway, operated by the Smokers Car Club on an abandoned World War II airfield, continued to offer nitro racing when many West Coast tracks had switched to gasoline-only drag racing events.

That decision to stay with nitro led us to what has become today’s March Meet, one of the oldest, legacy drag racing events in our country.

The 57th edition of that event played out in March of this year and appears healthy too, with well over 500 racers who fight, round by round for a March Meet trophy.

All of the NHRA Heritage Series classes are included from the Hot Rod

During Nitro Funny Car eliminations, Kris Krabill re-set the NHRA national record with a blistering 5.552 second ET at 261.62 mph. The Bucky Austin-tuned Firebird performed quickest run in NHRA Heritage-legal trim, just missing the mph record.

It was a double-up weekend for one of the Royal families of Northwest drag racing. Drew Austin, the son of former Alcohol funny car Champion and Top Fuel pilot Pat Austin, defeated #1 qualifier Kin Bates for the A/Fuel win. Austin’s Ford hemi-powered entry ran a 6.418, 220.04 mph.

68 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

The A/Gas Eliminator is a 7.60 index class with the March Meet final pairing Jerry Jahnsen Jr. and Frank Merenda’s 1959 Rambler.

and Gasser classes up to the crowd-pleasing nitro Funny Cars and Top Fuel dragsters. The March Meet embraces the last vestiges of the post-war '50s car culture, the way it was.

Fortunately the stewards of this hallowed ground is the Kern County Racing Association headed by Blake and his dad John Bowser. And there’s nothing static about the event as they’ll try new ways of staging the rather traditional show with Jet cars, wheel standers, an awesome car show, swap meet and of course some of the closest racing in very open pits – where a spectator can actually interact with the racers.

Over the past few years, Good Vibrations Motorsports, a Southern California family-run racing parts emporium has sponsored the premier event helping to raise the level of visibility to an international level.

This year, the IHRA somehow scheduled their season opener, featuring the same nitro Funny Cars on the same, previously announced date as the March Meet, so some flopper regulars that'd ordinarily race for arguably the biggest event win in Heritage-type racing were not on the grounds.

The fans love seeing the unpredictability of these nostalgia cars running well down the dragstrip, but some-

With Adam Sorokin and Williamson in the finals of Top Fuel, Williamson also received the Mike Sorokin Award, in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the dramatic win by “the Surfers” Top Fuel Team of Mike Sorokin (Adam's father), Tom Jobe and Bob Skinner.

Nostalgia Eliminator 1 is a center-steer dragster, altered, and pre-’73 Funny Car class running on a 7.60 index. Brandon Seraphine’s ’23 altered ran a 7.652, 176.30 to get the March Meet win.

DragRacingScene.com 69

In Nostalgia Funny Car action, Steve Densham had been running consistent 5.60s all weekend, including his best of 5.640 against Kris Krabill in the final. Krabill's Firebird proved too much with an awesome 5.582, 256.94 mph lap in the final to take home the March Meet crown.

times passes get somewhat squirrelly.

One such case occurred on Sunday afternoon. Fuel Altereds, with their short wheelbase, supercharged nitromethane-burning engines are known to be tough to drive and produce some wild moments.

Tom Padilla and James Generalo, Jr. got together after the finish of a firstround race. Padilla drifted to the left then bounced off the guardrail after the finish line and back to the right.

Generalo's car drifted to the left and Padilla ended up hitting him from behind. Generalo's car rolled several times. Both drivers were OK after the scary incident.

In addition to all of the exciting on-track action, the midway, swap meet and car show were also packed full with plenty to do. Fans shopped for souvenirs, took time away from

Driver Cory Lee who piloted Don Nelson's California Hustler to the No. 4 position in nitro Funny Car mixes the "pop" for his next pass down the quarter-mile. He ran a career best for the team with his 5.731, 256.26 mph pass.

70  Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

the bleachers to meet the drivers and collected autographs from their favorites. Many race teams provided excellent access to their pit areas and welcomed the visits from their fans.

Parents took this opportunity not only for their kids to learn about drag racing history, but as a chance to reminisce about their own memories, as multiple vendors brought in t-shirts from historical races of days gone by and from tracks that no longer exist.

Memorabilia was also in abundance, allowing for sharing of memories of the past. Manufacturers brought in performance parts on the midway, and the swap meet provided an opportunity to find hidden treasures.

The annual car show at the March Meet was highlighted by more than 80 hot rods from every era on display. DRS

Roy Castagnetto is the 2016 B/Gas champion for the 2016 March Meet in his sharp '65 Chevelle. Gas Eliminator is contested by pre-1979 coupes or sedans running on an index such as the B/Gas 8.60 standard.

RESULTS MARCH MEET • Bakersfield, CA Funny Car

W - Kris Krabill, Tacoma, WA R/U - Steven Densham, Menifee, CA

Top Fuel

W - Rick Williamson, Stockton, CA R/U - Adam Sorokin, LaCresentia, CA

Jr. Fuel

W - Brad Woodard, Oceanside, CA R/U - Alan Hull, Arcanta, CA

A/Fuel

W - Drew Austin, Tacoma, WA R/U - Kin Bates, Anderson, CA

7.0 Pro

W - Errol Sharron, Las Vegas, NV R/U - Michael Peck, Redmond, WA

Charlie See and crew celebrated their Nostalgia Eliminator 2 win, making a single pass when Jay Huckleberry failed to show.

Fuel Altered W - Roger Lechtenberg, Cedar Falls, IA

R/U - Dan Hix, Central Point, OR AA/ W - Howard Anderson, Applegate, CA Supercharged R/U - Gary Reinero, Merced, CA Nostalgia W - Brandon Seraphine, Fullerton, CA Eliminator 1 R/U - Hans Jakob, Ontario, CA Nostalgia W - Charlie See, Fresno, CA Eliminator 2 R/U - Jay Huckleberry, Bend, OR Nostalgia W - Ed DeStaute, Rosemead, CA Eliminator 3 R/U - Wes Anderson, La Mirada, CA A/Gas

W - Jerry Jahsen, Jr., Sacramento, CA R/U - Frank Merenda, Paso Robles, CA

B/Gas

W - Roy Castagnetto, Elk Grove, CA R/U - Val Miller, Bakersfield, CA

C/Gas

W - Jim Finn, Rancho Cordova, CA R/U - Wayne Hoover, Alta Loma, CA

D/Gas

W - Ed Carey, La Jolla, CA R/U - /steve Barta, Bakersfield, CA

Hot Rod

W - Kurt Kaemerle, Redondo Beach, CA R/U - Raymond McIver, Atwater, CA

AA/Gassers put on a big show at the annual March Meet. The class is based on pre-68 bodies with no major modifications. These gas or alcohol supercharged monsters always bring the fans to their feet. Howard Anderson qualified No. 1 in AA/Supercharged driving his ’38 Chevy Coupe and in the final ran a 7.494 at 184.83 mph to defeat Gary Reinero’s ‘48 Austin, 7.706, 192.96.

DragRacingScene.com 71

DO YOU HAVE

T H G I R E H T

SAFETY GEAR?

Words Jeff Huneycutt

Most racers only really pay attention to their safety gear after they’ve had to use it – not a lesson you want to learn the hard way

I

n the last decade there has been an increased emphasis on driver safety in the big league racing series’ of NHRA, NASCAR, IndyCar, even Formula One, and the NHRA. And thankfully, much of that new awareness has also trickled down to the sportsman racing levels.

No, we aren’t seeing custom-fitted carbon fiber seats and $3,000 carbon fiber helmets in bracket cars too often, but we are definitely seeing an increased use of quality safety gear, head-and-neck restraints, and higher-quality racing seats practically everywhere we go. And that is much more important than the lightweight carbon fiber seat safety components.

But the trap with the personal protective safety equipment is that it can be tempting to simply turn your gear into a checklist. Helmet? Check. Driver’s suit? Check. Gloves?

Check. You get the idea.

Quite often, that checklist mentality for most of us simply comes from reading the rulebook.

The thinking goes, if the rulebook says you have to have at least a single layer suit to race, well then by gosh, that’s what I’m going to buy. If that’s what the rulebook requires, then it must be good enough to protect me. And besides, the multi-layer fire suit is more expensive, and I can spend that extra money on tires!

So you buy one of everything the rulebook requires you to have, check them off your list and go to the race track thinking you are all set. But the truth of the matter is the rulebook sets a minimum standard, and every racer should be aware of just how much safety they are getting with their hard-earned dollar.

To help you determine what safety gear is best for your needs, we’ve put together a few tips with the help of safety products manufacturer RaceQuip on the major areas where personal safety equipment is concerned. We aren’t necessarily saying you have to go out and purchase the most expensive of everything—in fact, some companies like RaceQuip specialize in providing grassroots racers top-level safety gear at very reasonable prices—but you should be aware that not all personal safety equipment is created the same. We’re all racing on a budget, so here’s how to get the best bang for your buck.

The driver’s suit, or fire suit, is probably the single biggest area where racers will try to get by with less than they truly need. In the spring and summer it can get awfully hot, so we understand the desire to use the lightest weight suit possible. Plus, sometimes the only requirement in the rulebook is that the fire suit be SFI certified.

A current SFI certification is critical for any driver’s suit, but that isn’t a one-size-fits-all stamp of approval. The SFI designation for a driver’s auto racing suit is 3.2A, but there are additional levels for that designation. For example, an SFI 3.2A/1 suit is a single layer suit that is rated for protection against second degree burns in a gasoline-fueled fire for three seconds. That definitely isn’t DragRacingScene.com 73

All Snell SA2015 Rated helmets have to pass the same tests, so while these RaceQuip PRO15 Models sell for around $200.00 you can rest assured that they perform just like any other SA2015 helmet on the market. Every five years the Snell Memorial Foundation increases the testing standards for auto racing helmets – are you racing with old technology on your head?

very long, but it is better than nothing. An SFI 3.2A/5 rated suit is a multi-layer suit capable of preventing second degree burns in that same fire for at least ten seconds. There isn’t a set number of layers for a 3.2A/5 suit, and sometimes manufacturers can achieve this level of protection with one or two layers but it requires space-age (read, expensive) materials.

If you think the difference between three and ten seconds isn’t very much, do a quick test. With your helmet on, buckle yourself into your race car and then have someone time you as you try to get out and see just how many seconds you need. Now imagine the car is on fire, and try it again.

The major difference between suits costing $100 and those costing $1,000 are the materials used and the number of layers the suit is made from. The two main materials used to build racing suits are Fire Retardant Cotton (FRC) and Nomex. FRC can go by many trade names, like Banox, Proban, Pyrovatex, and others. All of these FRC products are created by infusing a chemical treatment into the cotton fibers at the molecular level to be fire retardant. Nomex, on the other hand, is an inherently fire retardant, man-made fiber that can be woven into cloth.

74 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

Since an FRC suit and a Nomex suit will carry the same SFI rating, you can make an apples-to-apples comparison. Typically a Nomex suit will be built with a lighter-weight fabric than a comparable FRC suit. However, since cotton is a natural fiber, it is hypoallergenic and also wicks away moisture so it provides added comfort. The biggest difference between the two fabric choices is cost—a Nomex suit at the same SFI-rated protection level will cost you around twice as much as an FRC suit. Regardless of which type of suit you buy, the experts always recommend a minimum of a multi-layer SFI-5 suit for any drag racing—even if your series, sanction or track will allow you to wear an SFI-1 single layer suit.

Your helmet, like the driver’s suit, should also meet a minimum safety criteria. Every quality auto racing helmet has an “SA” certification which comes from the Snell Foundation. You will find the certification printed on a sticker underneath the interior of the helmet. The SA testing specifications are updated every five years, and the current certification is SA2015.

Even if your track allows you to race with a Snell “M” rated motorcycle helmet you absolutely should use a full face helmet with a Snell “SA” rating. A motorcycle helmet does not provide the same level of protection as an SA helmet.

Just think about the differences crashing a motorcycle versus crashing a race car—namely sliding down the road vs. multiple hard impacts against a roll cage. A motorcycle helmet is designed to meet a different set of criteria and does not have to meet the same level of protection when it comes to being flame retardant and strong enough to protect your head after multiple impacts against a roll bar. It’s also important to note that an M rated helmet will not have provisions for a head-and-neck restraint which are now mandatory for the Snell SA specification.

Also, if you are currently racing with an SA2005 or older helmet, we strongly urge you to consider upgrading to an SA2015 model. First, your helmet is at least seven years old, the liner is starting to break down, and the shell may be fatigued. And second, the Snell Foundation seriously upgraded the requirements with both the 2010 and 2015 testing specification, so all SA2015-spec helmets will provide a much greater level of protection than older models. Keep in mind that NHRA and most other drag race sanctions or tracks will only allow you to use your older SA-2005 model helmet for the rest of this year – you will need a newer model beginning in 2017.

When shopping, be careful not get too fixated on the weight of the helmet. While lighter weight means less strain on your neck in the event of an impact, it also means more expensive construction. All Snell SA2015 helmets have to pass the same tests, regardless of overall weight or shell materials used. In other words, a fiberglass helmet

Head-and-neck restraint systems are a vital part of the safety equation, and manufacturers are working to make adding them as comfortable as possible. For example, this belt system from RaceQuip is fully SFI compliant and has narrower two-inch wide shoulder belts for less binding—and thus, better protection—when combined with a head and neck restraint.

NYLON 6.6 WEBBING –OUTDOOR EXPOSURE Breaking Strength Retained, %

offers the same level of impact protection as a carbon fiber helmet.

Head-and-neck restraints still aren’t mandatory in most classes, but given what we know now, no one should even consider racing without one. Even bracket cars attain enough speed to cause a lethal basal skull fracture if you hit the wall at the right angle.

Currently, there are four several head-and-neck restraint systems that have passed the rigorous testing and received the SFI 38.1 designation. The most popular are the HANS and Hybrid (both owned by Simpson), NecksGen Rev and the new kid on the block, the Leatt MRX. All four systems use the same basic layout to keep the head from moving too far forward in a frontal impact, but each has its own features and design. If you possibly can, try on different models on to see which you are most comfortable with. It really doesn’t matter which style you choose, as long as you get one and wear it every time you get in a race car.

Driver’s gloves and shoes have the same ratings as fire suits when it comes to protection from heat and flame.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can get by with wearing tennis shoes and no gloves at all, even if your track doesn’t check. After all, how good are you going to be at getting out of a burning car if you can’t unbuckle your harness because your fingers are too badly burned? SFI-rated fire retardant gloves are typically made using Nomex backing with leather palm overlays. Lately, more racers report that they prefer the feel of soft suede on the palm of their racing gloves. They say that it improves their grip on the wheel. Racing gloves are easy to get used to, and before long you will wonder how you ever raced without them.

Likewise, a good pair of racing shoes is also an important piece of safety equipment. Aside from the safety aspect, a racing shoe is designed to work within the narrow confines of a race car’s foot box, typically on very small pedals.

When they do happen, most fires originate in the engine compartment from spilled fuel, and your feet are the part of your body closest to that point of origin. They are also the last part to get out of the car when you are diving out to get away from a car fire. That image alone should be enough to get you to consider a quality pair of fire retardant racing shoes.

Without a good racing harness set, even the very best racing seat is practically useless. We once had a conversation with Brian Butler, owner of premier racing seat manufacturer ButlerBuilt, about racing safety and were surprised that he spent as much time talking about belts as he did racing seat design.

It is the belt system that holds you in place so that your racing seat can keep you cocooned and protected within its confines.

Unlike every other piece of safety equipment mentioned so far, the belts are unique because they stay in the car after you get out. That means they are subjected to an extra level of wear the rest of your protective safety gear is not.

When you wash the car they get wet, and when your car is sitting in the sun they are exposed to damaging UV rays while your driver’s suit and helmet are safely tucked away inside the trailer. That exposure to the elements will cause the materials to break down faster.

As a result, your seatbelts must be changed regularly. SFI recommends replacing racing seat belts every two years.

The science behind this is based on the tremendous drop in tensile strength of both nylon and polyester webbing after 24 months of exposure to UV rays.

Wait, you keep your car in the shop so they should last

Exposure Period, Months

longer, right? Well, your shop lights also put out UV rays, so just plan to replace them every two years or any time your car has to be brought off the track on a wrecker. If you hit the wall hard enough to have to be towed in, you probably stretched the belt webbing and/or bent the harness hardware. Racing seat belts are consumable, they only stretch one time. Once they have done their job they need to be discarded.

When we spoke to Patrick Utt, RaceQuip’s President, he summed up grassroots racing safety this way: “If I made the rules for sportsman drag racing, every racer would be required to wear an SFI-5 multi-layer suit, SFI-5 gloves, SFI3.3 shoes, an SFI 38.1 head-and-neck restraint system, and a current Snell SA auto racing helmet as the minimum standard—regardless of the class you race in.” That’s pretty good advice in our book. Following that advice may cost you a bit more up front, but there are safety companies like RaceQuip that specialize in providing top-level gear at a reasonable cost. And if it can keep you out of the hospital after a crash, then we all know it’s money well spent. DRS Source: RaceQuip, racequip.com

DragRacingScene.com 75

r a e c a C R

Thermoformed windows make a difference when it comes to how you see, when you race Words / Photos Todd Silvey

A

ll racers want a lighter race car but not at the sacrifice of some kind of quality or safety issue.

As necessity is the mother of invention, Bob Mayerle turned his desire for lightweight windows for his 1955 Chevy race car into the company Pro Glass Windows.

In 1983, the typical weight-saving window effort was an acrylic plastic sheet or a material called Plexiglas. Both of these materials refused to be bent or formed in any way. In a short time, these plastics stress-crack and haze. They also had a safety issue: of shattering and injuring drivers in the past. The most apparent negative trait is a term called “optical block”. This is the visible distortion of the plastic when you looked through the force-formed windows.

There was a newly emerging product, called Lexan from General Electric, in the 1980s. Bob became familiarized with the product and its heat-formed capabilities. Bob had seen some of this Lexan that had been formed to a shape in an oven. While it remained properly shaped, its key quality was the optical see-through clarity the material had after heat forming.

Bob’s first mission was to experiment on his own ’55 Chevy and duplicate a set of heat-formed windows from his original window glass utilizing the new Lexan material. Just like any research and development, it took time and experimentation with a makeshift oven to perfect the process. He had to work on perfecting the heating temperatures, heating time, forming and Bob Mayerle begins to cut a new order of race car windows from the hundreds of templates he has developed over the years. Bob says, "It is a rare case that we do not already have your window template ready to go. Maybe just a couple of times a year we will need to develop a new template for a unique car. " All templates are designed with a very slight amount of extra material for final fitting by the customer.

76 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

cooling process in order to develop a perfectly duplicated set of Lexan windows that amazingly appeared to have the see-through clarity of glass, but with the safety and strength of this new polycarbonate material.

Word quickly spread the new company, Pro Glass Windows, could create race car window glass that was formed to the original glass shape, saved approximately half of the weight over factory glass, and was shatter-proof. The business became busy in a very short time.

Today, Bob’s custom-built oven and proprietary baking recipes used to create his line of thermoformed windows could be called an art form. His oven and thermoforming process are some of his most closely guarded secrets. Bob still uses the GE brand of polycarbonate, but

improved materials have come along over the years including SABIC polymer shaped Lexan, a mar-resistant material highly suited for durability in a racing window application.

“I have experimented with other materials over the years but have found that the General Electric product holds the most optical clarity with the end product", Bob says. “Providing the best vision through our windows is what I value the most.”

The mar-resistant coating features enough durability that Pro Glass also has a steady business making street/ strip and hot rod/street car windows as well. Windows can be ordered in 1/8-inch thickness for most racing applications and a 3/16-inch material for street applications.

Every Pro Glass window order starts by accessing some of their more than 300 patterns that have been developed to duplicate the overall dimensions of an original car window. Once carefully cut to shape, Bob heats the material in his proprietary oven and applies one of his hundreds of shaping molds to the polycarbonate. After an equally careful cooling process, the formed window is then checked for optical clarity and moved to a spray booth area for an application of vinyl spray coating. This coating protects the Lexan during the installation process and is easily peeled away after installation is complete.

The windows are fabricated intentionally slightly oversized. Variances of automotive bodies require a slight trim by the customer to exactly fit the car. Pro Glass does offer the option of applying the black paint trim seen on many racing windows. If a customer supplies Pro Glass with their previous windows, they also offer the option of trimming the windows to exact size, applying the painted borders and drilling the mounting screw holes.

The most extreme applications are those such as the curvatures in Bob’s original ’55 Chevy or the large wrapped window glass in many late model sedans.

“Even side windows and some windshields that do not have a large curvature still can have a huge advantage in thermoforming,” Bob explains “When it comes to avoiding looking at the Christmas tree or down-track through a warped piece of plastic, many racers prefer to order all of their windows thermoformed, not just the extremely curved applications. DRS

There are as many fiberglass shaping molds in the Pro Glass shop as there are templates.

These are used to give shape to thermoformed Lexan during the heating process.

This is about as much of the specialized oven as you are going to see as it begins the heating of the polycarbonate.

It is a very careful heating, forming, and cooling process to maintain the optical clarity of the Lexan as it is shaped to your window form.

As this window is hung in the final cooling stage, you can see the almost "invisible" clarity of the formed polycarbonate.

Bob then sprays the window with a specialized vinyl coating. The vinyl is easily peeled away after installation.

For even more info and pics search “Pro Glass” at DragRacingScene.com.

Though a high majority of Pro Glass' windows are shipped to customers and chassis shops, this Dodge Coronet gets a custom install at the company shop. Note the window clarity at half the weight of glass.

DragRacingScene.com 77

Jeff Reed

• Racer Profile •

Words / Photos Brandon Flannery

I

f you’ve only worked for one company for 30 years, chances are good you know a thing or two about your vocation. Jeff Reed of TCI is one of those guys. After all of these years, Jeff knows two things: transmissions and drag racing, and he’s extremely proficient at both.

Jeff grew up around his father’s service station, back when they had those kinds of things. He cut his teeth “fixing flats and changing oil.” His friend Sammy Ford gave him a TCI shirt when he was in high school, and he clearly remembers thinking that one day he wanted to work there. Naturally, he found himself hanging around at the local dragstrip with the other gearheads as a teenager. He eventually met a racer who let him help pit, and the hook was set.

That racer also just happened to 78 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

work for TCI, over their transmission department. TCI was started in 1969 after Bill Taylor and Larry Coleman decided to go in separate directions.

They were brothers-in-law who had started Coleman and Taylor Transmis-

sions in the Memphis area and were doing quite well. The split was an amicable one, and Larry has long been quoted saying they “married sisters and lived two doors apart.” Both businesses thrive to this day.

Bill Taylor was an active racer for much of his life. He was also a track operator and spent time campaigning very formidable dragsters and funny cars. Eventually he formed Bill Taylor Enterprises, and TCI became part of the COMP Performance Group.

It was 1983 and Jeff was still a junior in high school, but he accepted a job offer and spent the summer realizing his dream of working at TCI. His first task was tearing down valve bodies; he jumped right in. When school started, he stayed on working nights after class until they closed.

Jeff was working full days on his

Can you take these parts and make a transmission that works? Jeff can.

Christmas break when he was called into TCI’s office. “I was very nervous,” he says. “As a kid, getting called into the office usually isn’t good. I didn’t know what I had done.”

This time, however, the news was

Jeff was crewchief for brother-in-law John Kolivas and his ‘93 Mustang. They ran the NMRA series and won three championships and Jeff scored a Crewchief of the Year award.

good. He was asked if he would be interested in going full time to build transmissions. With an enthusiastic “yes,” he was on his way. On January 27, 1984, he was placed under a guy who showed him how to tear down Powerglides.

“He bought me my first set of SnapOn wrenches,” says Jeff. “I’ll never forget that, and I still use them to this day.”

Tearing cores down allowed him to see where and how transmissions fail, which is then handy for diagnosing and building.

“I knew I was doing pretty good because after two weeks they put me on Ford C4’s,” he says. “I still don’t like those things. No, I’m joking, but they were a handful.”

Bill Taylor was very active in those days and taught him to “do whatever he was doing right the first time.”

This sound advice has served Jeff well

throughout his career. Bill was also very active in racing in those days, and TCI often brought their truck to NHRA events to repair and rebuild transmissions right on site.

“I remember being at the Atlanta Nationals in 1987 or 1988,” says Jeff, “and I fixed 27 transmissions. That was a record. We’d pull up at these events and the racers would just be lined up waiting on us.”

Jeff spent 16 years as TCI’s Transmission Production Manager and raced a ‘67 Chevy pickup on the weekends. In 2005, his brother-in-law, John Kolivas, decided to race his ’95 Cobra in the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) series and asked Jeff to be his

Small tires, big power! Jeff and John were a force to be reckoned with over the 2008 season, as seen here in Bowling Green.

DragRacingScene.com 79

crew chief. He was put in charge of all things, from car prep to making sure the car was lined up in the groove on the starting line. They raced together for five years until 2009 and won three championships. Jeff was also awarded NMRA’s Crew Chief of the Year in 2008.

In 2005 or ‘06, he bought a ’93 Mustang for himself. It was a bone-stock car that quickly gave way to the normal bolt-on modifications like a Zex nitrous oxide kit, a converter, and a rear gear change.

He kept it as a daily driver until 2009, when he added an 85mm turbo and built a 25.5 NHRA-spec roll cage.

He entered the NMRA event in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 2010 and qualified third. However, he broke a lifter and wasn’t able to finish the race. He says it all worked out because he didn’t like the quarter-mile racing anyways.

He spent 2011 to 2013 racing around the South at events like the Lights Out No Mercy Runs in Georgia and his local Memphis and Mississippi-area tracks, in the X275 classes.

To date, his fastest passes have been an 8.13 @ 170 mph in the quarter and a 4.41 @ 179 in the eighth.

“Most guys have what they call a comfort zone,” he says. “Those passes were extremely fast for me. My car runs 4.80s around 150, and at my age, that’s my sweet spot. I’m very happy there, and I feel safe in my car.”

In 2010, Jeff was promoted to Direct Race Sales at TCI. He works oneon-one with racers from all over the country to get them the right combination to win. His career allows him to be very hands-on with his custom-

Jeff’s first task at TCi in 1983 was disassembling transmission valve bodies.

While we had Jeff on the phone we asked him what it takes from TCI to put a small-tire car with a lot of horsepower down the track.

He says it’s finding the right combination of weight, tire height, rear gear ratio, horsepower, cam specs, and chassis setup. From there, they can begin to dial in the transmission gearing and the torque converter.

To get the car off the line, their ProX series of drag racing-specific transmissions offer some pretty steep gear ratios. The Pro X Powerglides come in a choice of 1.58, 1.69, 1.80, and 1.98 gear ratios, and they offer 2.97, 2.75, and 2.10 first gears for their Turbo 400s with three-speed setups.

On the two-speed versions of the Pro X Turbo 400, the gear ratios include 1.40, 1.48, and 1.57. These transmissions can also feature ringless input

shafts made from heat-treated aerospace grade steel.

Most racers are running a 9.5-inch converter. Obviously these are built to work with the customer’s specific car specs, engine RPM, and torque range.

Jeff says racers generally want their converter to lock up as fast as possible, and they try to run it as tight as possible.

“These days, with all of the technology, racers simply want the converter to be tight and lock up in high gear for the top end,” he says. “What used to be done in stall speed to aid in launch or traction is now done through the electronics like the FAST systems. On a small tire car, this is very critical, and

the electronics are far more consistent and adjustable.”

This is where data has become the most crucial element of racing and tuning. The data loggers and Race Packs now run sensors on nearly everything one could think of.

This can be analyzed, and both run data and tune-ups can be inspected.

Dialing in the electronics can then sometimes allow the converter to be tightened up 300 to 500 rpm.

Like everything else, the transmission and converter are part of a system that has to function correctly. Making changes to one element affects another until optimum results are reached.

ers’ problems, and his racing experience is an asset to both sides of the phone.

“When a customer sends in a part with a problem, it gets torn down and I look at it,” he says. “I put my hands on it and really understand where and why it went wrong, and I’ll fix it or build them another myself. When we talk again, it’s a direct link, and I really like that. It makes me feel good knowing they are getting my best.”

Competing in local events also helps him stay current with technology.

“Things have changed so much, especially with the electronics,” says Jeff.

“Data is everything, and the smallest of changes can have big results. If they can get me that data I can look it over and be of even more help. These days we can log every pass and review it later.

That has been a tremendous help.”

His history with turbocharged cars is also a huge benefit.

Additionally, Jeff helps those pushing the limits of the latest equipment.

A current project includes fortifying a high-end transmission for a new Mustang that’s supercharged. Weak and potentially weak parts are being replaced with ones that will hold up to the massive amount of abuse the car will put it through.

At the end of the day, Jeff has had one job, and it’s the only one he ever wants to have. He gets to be a part of the sport that he loves on many levels, and he gets to help people realize their dreams as well. You know what they say about choosing a career you love and not working a day in your life? That’s Jeff. Well, except for that one weekend in Atlanta when he fixed 27 transmissions. That was work! DRS Source: TCI Automotive, tciauto.com

DragRacingScene.com 81

The 2016 inductees include: Preston Davis, Laurie Force, Steve Earwood, and Dennis Priddle, Jack Beckman (accepting for Gas Ronda), Mike Miller (accepting for Marvin Miller), Jack Doyle, and Mark Oswald.

Words Todd Silvey Photos Richard Shute, Auto Imagery

A

t a March 17 ceremony held in Gainesville, Florida, the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame inducted eight new members. They include Preston Davis, Bartlett, Tennessee; Dennis Priddle, Yeovil, Somerset, United Kingdom; Gas Ronda, Palm Desert, California; the late Marvin Miller, Bakersfield, California; Jack Doyle, Wakefield, New Hampshire; and Mark Oswald, Houma, Louisiana. Steve Earwood received the Founders Award, while Laurie Force was chosen to receive the Pat Garlits Award.

Dennis Priddle is a legend of British and European drag racing during the 1960s and 70s, and known for popularizing drag racing in both Great Britain and across Europe. He learned his mechanical and construction skills in a five-year technical apprenticeship at Westland Helicopters. Another apprentice, Tony Gane, raced a Rudge-powered bike in sprint motorcycle racing, getting help from Priddle at the track.

In 1965, Tony had entered the bike in a Dragfest event. Some of the best drag 82 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

BY THEIR PEERS The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductees for 2016 are six of the sport’s most accomplished Top Fuel and/or Funny Car pilots racers from the U.S. had come to England to compete in the first-ever eightcar elimination run on British soil. This event brought Dennis headlong into drag racing.

Dennis partnered with Rex Sluggett to build a new dragster using the latest Keith Black 426 Hemi engine. He stepped into the driver’s seat and took to it instantly. The car ran well, setting records very early. He earned the moniker of “Mr. Six” as the first driver into the 6-second range outside of North America when he made a 6.995 second pass at Santa Pod Dragstrip in 1972.

Dennis is a member of the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, as owner/ driver of a series of Top Fuel and Funny Cars. His on-track rivalry against Clive Skelton, another well-known British

drag racer, helped to grow drag racing throughout Britain and Europe. He was inducted with the initial group of inductees into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2006 and was presented with a lifetime achievement award in 1998 at the John Woolfe Racing 30th Drag Racing Reunion.

Jack Doyle was successful not only as a driver and team owner, but also as the long-time general manager of New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire. He became involved in drag racing when the car club craze was becoming more prevalent in New England in the 1950s. Through these clubs, he began building hot rods, and in 1953 built his first drag racing car, a 1942 Plymouth sedan powered by an Oldsmobile “Rocket” V-8. During his driving

Dennis Priddle accepted his induction into the Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in popularizing drag racing both in Great Britain and across Europe in the 1960s and '70s.

career, he competed on the East Coast during the 1950s and 60s, in a variety of gas coupes, comp coupes and Top Gas dragsters.

Jack was a founding member, along with his car club members, of the New England Hot Rod Council (NEHRC), that promoted and coordinated activities around the northeast. He loved to find drivers to partner with in the race cars he had built, and his most successful driver was Don Roberts, a winning racer at AHRA National events. After stepping away from driving duties, he oversaw the building of New England Dragway, completing the facility in 1966. The track had been one of his main goals since becoming involved in the car clubs. He became track manager first, then general manager at New England Dragway, a position he held until 1992. Jack is considered to be “the Godfather of New England drag racing”. As he was instrumental in New England Dragway from its early begin-

Mike Miller accepted the award for his late father, Marvin Miller. Miller’s history includes the Warren, Coburn & Miller Top Fuel team and the operation of Famoso Dragstrip from 1970 to 1988.

nings and watched it grow into the respected solid facility of today, his influence is evident. He is still involved in the track today and is also a member of the building committee for the Northeast Motorsports Museum, currently under construction at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, due to open later this year.

Marvin Miller, was a partner in the renowned Coburn-Warren-Miller Top Fuel team known as the “Ridge Route Terrors”, arguably the most successful Top Fuel team of the 1960s. Though Marvin was never a race car driver himself, he was one of the most well-known and influential supporters of drag racing in the Bakersfield, California area.

When he found out it was needed, he supplied financial backing for theRidge Route Terrors team with his “Rain for Rent” business located in Bakersfield.

With his sponsorship, the partnership grew into a force to be reckoned with, first on the West Coast, then across the country. Marvin also partnered with Jack Williams to purchase the lease of Famoso Dragstrip in Bakersfield, improving the track, bringing in the best racers and making the March Meet the largest independent drag race in the country. He had always put everything he had into his passion of drag racing, and thoroughly enjoyed being involved with the Ridge Route Terrors Top Fuel team, as well as growing and improving Famoso Dragstrip. He passed away in September 1996.

Gaspar Ronda, nicknamed Gas at an early age, was a popular West Coast Funny Car driver during the 1960s. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he returned home to the Bay area, opening several dance studios.

He got involved in drag racing as a way to get away from the hard work of the dance studios. He started out driving a series of Stock and Super Stock cars and became known as a strong contender and a threat to win any race. After campaigning a Hudson Hornet and, then a Corvette, he looked for new challenge in the form of a 1960 Ford Galaxie powered by a V-8 engine producing 360hp. In 1964, he was asked to join the Ford “Thunderbolts” factory team, driving their newly introduced Fairlane powered by a 427c.i. engine.Gas became friends and partners with well-known engine builder Les Ritchey and with his sup-

Don Garlits presents the prestigious Founder’s Award to Steve Earwood. Earwood began an ambitious career in drag racing public relations, track management, and ultimately the ownership and success of Rockingham Dragway.

port, moved into the up and coming Funny Car class, driving a Mustang sponsored by his employer, Russ Davis Ford. He found success, winning races very quickly. Ford provided Gas with a 1965 Mustang in the new A/Factory Experimental class, as well as running his Fairlane in Stock. The best car of Gas' career was his last, a 1969 Mustang-bodied Funny Car, but his career came to an end when his engine exploded, seriously burning him and forcing him to retire from driving.

Mark Oswald, 63, has won during his storied career a multitude of championships in virtually every class in which he has competed. He has been involved in drag racing for more than forty years, starting his professional career as a partner with Cincinnati Ohio racers Tom Kattleman and Ross Thomas behind the wheel

After a 40-plus year in racing, Mark Oswald was recognized for racing his way to championships in virtually every class he has competed, including multiple Top Fuel and Funny Car world championships.

DragRacingScene.com 83

Laurie Force was awarded the Pat Garlits Memorial Award presented by Mopar. As the 35-year wife of John Force, mother of NHRA drivers Ashley Force Hood, Brittany Force, and Courtney Force, Laurie has been a cornerstone of the drag racing family.

of the Thomas-Oswald-Kattleman Top Fuel dragster. His success with the team caught the eye of the Candies & Hughes team and he drove their Top Fuel dragster, then moved into their Funny Car team. Mark won the 1984 Funny Car world championship for Candies & Hughes, then joined forces with Bill Schultz, driving the In-NOut Burger Funny Car until he retired in 1997.

Mark then used his engine-tuning skills to bring success to a multitude of race teams. He helped tune for John Lawson in 2000, when the Alcohol Funny Car racer stepped up to a Nitro Funny Car. He then tuned for Mike Ashley and his Gotham City Racing Team in 2005. After Mike sold his operation to Don Schumacher, Mark

Jack Beckman accepted the award for Gas Rhonda for his lifetime achievement of driving Ford Stock, Super Stock, AFX, and early Funny Cars throughout the 1960s.

84 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

moved on to tune for Dexter Tuttle Motorsports, with Steve Torrance driving a Top Fuel car. In 2007, he rejoined Ashley Racing, along with Don Schumacher. He is now co-crew chief alongside Brian Corradi on Antron Brown’s Top Fuel car as part of Don Schumacher Racing.

Steve Earwood, grew up in a drag racing family but was never a racer himself. He didn’t want to drive the cars; he wanted to promote the sport.

After a short tenure as co-manager of Gainesville Dragway in Florida, NHRA hired him as National Media Director, pairing with Dave Densmore to put together a successful effort to build a major market media around their national events. After leaving NHRA, Dave and Steve formed Denswood Sports Marketing, representing an impressive client list of teams and tracks. Steve also managed Texas Motorplex and Atlanta Dragway before he purchased Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina, which he continues to improve and operate today.

Laurie Force, wife of 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force, was recognized with the Pat Garlits Award. She has been a supporter, partner, and promoter on the team for more than forty years. The award was given in appreciation of her role within the drag racing team. Her commitment and energy personifies the spirit of Pat Garlits while also remaining steadfastly beside the character who is John Force. DRS Source: International Drag Racing Hall of Fame

Jack Doyle was honored into the class of 2016.

From his start in drag racing in 1953 to his development of New England Dragway in the mid-1960s. Doyle continues his involvement with the track and also as a member of the building committee for the new Northeast Motorsports Museum.

P

PRESTON DAVIS Hall of Famer is still racing

P

reston Davis, 74, is one of the most well-known drag racing personalities in the Memphis, Tennessee area. He was a driver for another Memphis area Hall of Fame member, Raymond Godman, whose Tennessee Bo-Weevil Top Fuel dragster was one of the most successful and popular drag cars in the Mid-South and Southeast United States. Preston drove for Raymond from 1968 and notes his belief in him was the catapult for his success..

Preston was, like many teenagers in his era, fascinated by automobiles and loved racing. He joined the Memphis Rodders Club at 21. He had a 1950 Mercury he had built and dropped a smallblock Chevy engine in to compete in the D/Gas class. Preston continued to move into faster and quicker cars as he progressed in experience. By 1967, he had moved into the C/Dragster class and held the national elapsed time record.

Raymond was a fellow Memphis Rodders member and had watched

Preston's growth. When Preston asked Raymond if he could drive the Tennessee Bo-Weevil, Raymond agreed. Raymond was also the owner of the Lakeland Dragstrip, the only dragstrip at the time in the Tennessee/Arkansas/Mississippi area. Preston noted that the Lakeland Dragstrip was one of the most important tracks in the Mid-South region and the tough competition only made him more competitive.

Preston began driving the Bo-Weevil in 1968, and the team found quick success. Preston and Raymond earned the NHRA Division 2 Top Fuel title in their first year out and repeated the feat in 1970. In 1971, Raymond added a ’70 Plymouth ‘Cuda-bodied Funny Car to the mix, to become part of the fast growing new class. Preston was immediately successful in the Funny Car, winning the Division 2 Funny Car championship.

Preston says the highlight of his career was in 1972, when he not only won

another Division 2 Funny Car title but also finished as runner-up to Tom McEwen (Mongoose) at the National Challenge meet in Tulsa, Oklahoma against many of the leading racers of the era.

After a serious engine fire destroyed the new Mustang body in 1974, Preston left racing, grateful that the newly mandated fire suit rule had saved him from more serious injuries.

Words Todd Silvey Photos Shawn Brereton DragRacingScene.com 85

He began building a construction business with his family, but racing kept calling to him. He was able to drive with Raymond once again in 1979 at the 25th Anniversary U.S. Nationals and other outings, but gremlins in the car caused him to step out of the Bo-Weevil for good. That was the final season for Raymond and the “Tennessee Bo-Weevil.”

Not willing to give up racing for good, around 2000, Preston began to search for and restore some of the old “Tennessee Bo-Weevil” cars with Raymond's assistance. The collection includes the 1961 supercharged Chrysler modified, their championship 1970 Top Fuel car, and the last of the Bo-Weevils, the 1979 Plymouth Arrow Funny Car. In 2013, Preston was invited to be grand marshal at the Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, Kentucky. After participating in the event, he really wanted to just go down the track again. He built a front engine dragster and named it "Southern Pride".

When asked where the name came from, Preston remembers, "When I started driving for Raymond, I always put a rebel flag on the back of my cars.

I'm from the south and proud of it.

Southern Pride just stuck in my head."

At 74, Preston is happy to be driving a race car once again, participating in nostalgia events with NHRA and other groups.

"We ran all last year with the Nostalgia Drag Racing League (NDRL) Preston says, "The guys are mainly from the Indianapolis area and they're a good bunch of guys."

Preston and his son, Mark, have been doing well with their construction company, and they were able to build the new car just to have fun. But, when he started running with the NDRL, he found out how good the racers were.

"I thought this was going to be a piece of cake," Preston says, "Let me tell 86 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 1

For even more info and pics on the Preston Davis dragster, search “Preston Davis” at DragRacingScene.com.

you those guys are really good. I'm running the 7.0 Pro class and we had the car running 7.05 without leaning on it.

I had issues that I just didn't know what to do about them. We missed the first race and wound up about seventh in the points."

The dragster has a Race Fab Performance chassis.

"Race Fab is owned by my friend, Steve Gurley," Preston comments, "He is an electrician by trade and works on cars at night and weekends. He had a front engine dragster that I saw about six years ago, and it was a trick car. I knew I wanted him to build the car for me."

The car is a 225-inch front engine nostalgia dragster. It has a slip-tube chassis with a full body also built by Race Fab Performance. The paint was put on by friends Ricky and Michael Neal.

"They painted the 1960 Boll Weevil that I restored," Preston says, "They're just great painters."

Power is provided by a 417c.i. Donovan billet block with Alan Johnson heads. The blower is a Hampton 871, reworked by Fowler. The engine utilizes an MSD magneto and a Racetak computer system. The engine was built by Peters Racing Engines. Preston uses a Performance Torque Converters powerglide transmission and PGC converter. It has Hilborn fuel injection, and all fuel lines, fittings, etc. came from Godman High Performance.

Mickey Thompsons are on Weld wheels in the back and spoke wheels are on the front. Preston has sponsorship from Parts Plus and Lucas Oil, and has his own construction company, Davis Contracting, emblazoned on the front of the car.

Preston still gets advice from Raymond on a regular basis.

“He wants me to use his shop any time I need to. He loves to have the car at his shop and comes back to make sure I'm doing what he taught me," Preston laughs, "He is a special person to me. I will do anything for the man.

All he has to do is call, and I will be there for him.”

Preston, Mark, and grandson, Chris, are having a blast racing the car.

“We’re having a good time. The car is there now, where I want it. It got back in my blood, even at 74. My wife thought I was crazy. I will be 75 next month, but I’ve got a 30 -year-old mind when it comes to racing. This car is capable of running with anybody. If the driver doesn’t screw up, we’re going to be in good shape.” DRS DragRacingScene.com 87

BRIDGING

FAST XFI Sportsman systems are outstanding budget options for serious racers Words Dan Hodgdon

F

or drag racers, control is everything. From starting line to shutdown, each pass is the culmination of hours of precision work and detailed adjustments, every one made to ensure a successful few seconds on track. While money can buy speed, many racers don’t have deep enough pockets to throw untold dollars at their car or truck in hopes of lowering ETs. They do have the smarts and the talent to know what it takes to run fast though. That’s where the aptly named FAST XFI Sportsman comes in.

Designed by the same engineers at Fuel Air Spark Technology responsible for both the revolutionary self-tuning EZEFI products for the street, and the XFI systems produced for the highest-stakes levels of drag racing, the XFI Sportsman is designed to fill in the space between those two options. It has just enough control for a racer to make a multitude of adjustments, but is still simple enough for the street/strip enthusiast to not get overwhelmed.

“Bracket racers at all levels are a good fit for the XFI Sportsman system,” says FAST Sales Manager David Page. “It has all the features and engine control they need, plus simple, easyto-use data logging built in at a great value.”

The multi-port engine control system will set a user back just around $1,600, while a system featuring a throttle body costs just over $1,000 more.

racers at all levels are “Bracket a good fit for the XFI Sportsman system. It has all the features and engine control they need, plus simple, easy-to-use data logging built in at a great value.

”

Bob Ellison owns ABC Automotive in Denton, Texas, and serves as a mechanic on an XFI Sportsman-equipped 1977 Dodge Aspen RT driven by Gary Kemble in the Pro Muscle class of the Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge. The team utilized an EZ-EFI setup in the past, but swapped over to XFI Sportsman at the end of 2015.

DragRacingScene.com 89

“The reason we chose the Sportsman is to get more data,” Ellison says, noting it’s particularly beneficial to keep track of varying weather conditions, especially as the days get significantly hotter from qualifying to race time.

“If you’ve ever been in Texas, the weather changes quickly,” he says. “By the time you race, it may be 30 degrees hotter, and the air density is way worse.”

Stock Eliminator and Super Stock racers are also good candidates for the XFI Sportsman system. Racers in these disciplines are some of the best and most talented in the drag racing world, but not being professionals (or having the disposable income to hire one), the simplicity of the system fits into their wheelhouse.

“The software is simple to navigate, and the harness has all connections clearly labeled so it’s easy to install,” Page says.

“Plus the pre-installed base tune only requires a few simple set-up tips before cranking the engine.”

The system utilizes C-Com Software and requires a laptop to use. Far from the complicated programming necessary

90 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

software is simple to navigate, “The and the harness has all connections

clearly labeled so it’s easy to install.

Plus the pre-installed base tune only requires a few simple set-up tips before cranking the engine.

”

for some ECU tuning, the “Help” file in the software is an easy-to-navigate tutorial organized by topic. Each year, FAST also offers two-day hands-on training courses at its headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee.

According to FAST, the bank-to-bank system features full tables to monitor fueling, acceleration fuel, timing, and air/ fuel targets. A user-configurable auxiliary input channel and full-function data logging are also included. XFI Sportsman

supports both naturally aspirated and boosted applications up to 5 bar, is compatible with wet nitrous, and has nitrous timing retard control. That’s good to know if your engine setup has a little extra “oomph.”

It’s easy to utilize other FAST components as well, as builtin CAN network support for FAST’s EZ-TCU, EZ-LS, XIM, and eDash products means users can easily plug-and-play those components with the included CAN network wire. The FAST XFI Sportsman system features a Bosch wide-band 02 sensor, utilizes built-in diagnostic LEDs, a water-resistant ECU enclosure, and includes a premium, mesh-type wire loom multi-port harness.

The throttle body option also features a die cast, 4150-style throttle body utilizing common late model OEM sensors and

supports stock to 1200-hp engines. It utilizes eight hidden injectors, features an integrated fuel pulse damper for precise control, and allows the use of either return or returnless fuel systems.

“The system is perfect for sportsman or bracket racers who need ultimate tunability from a simple-to-install and easy-touse EFI system,” Page says.

Bob Ellison agrees, even though he says he and his team have barely scratched the surface of what the system can do.

“We can make adjustments, look at air/fuel and the fuel pressures, temperatures, and the control fans,” he says. “It’s really helped us a lot; we have a lot of control over what’s going on.” DRS Source: Fuel Air Spark Technology, fuelairspark.com

Junior drag racing series’ focus on youth development Words Cindy Bullion

W

hile many 18-year-olds are looking to spend every free minute with friends or work a part-time job to fund college and fun, Tyler Allison finds himself caught up in a sport that seems to be accomplishing both — and more.

Tyler is a driver, and one of the top among hundreds, in the protecttheharvest.com Midwest Junior Super Series (MJSS). He has secured more than 120 trophies and awards in addition to more than $20,000 in winnings since his Junior Dragster start at age 8. In 2015, Tyler claimed the No. 1 points position in the 330 Outlaw class across five events.

But, the Columbia, Missouri, senior isn’t one to gloat.

“Cockiness is not the best attitude,” Tyler says. “You may be on top one weekend but maybe not the next, so you can’t really take it when you win as you are the best.”

NHRA Top Fuel World Champion Antron Brown says that sportsmanship attitude is just one of the many lessons drivers like Tyler learn through MJSS, which is open to children as young as 6.

92 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

330 Outlaw racer Tyler Allison at launch during a Midwest Junior Super Series event at Lyons Raceway Park in 2015. He earned the most points in that class for the season.

“I’ve been to numerous races where people race just for the competition. This wasn’t about just winning and losing,” says Antron of his first experience with MJSS. “Discipline, respect. These kids were learning, at 9, 10, 11 years old, lessons I didn’t learn until my 20s! I looked

at how the kids just conducted themselves with one another, like mini adults.”

Antron says he was so impressed that he got his three children, ages 8 to 14, involved in the series and signed on to serve as MJSS’ volunteer marketing director.

Abby Svoboda is one of hundreds of Junior Dragster racers who participate in the Midwest Junior Super Series.

“It makes me feel good to give back,” he says.

What MJSS drivers get from Antron is real-world advice from a professional drag racer. During down times on race weekends, he often hosts seminars offering tips on securing sponsors, communicating with media and race officials, and racing, of course.

“They are learning the mental game of the sport,” Antron says. “I want to teach them the business side, too.”

For example, Antron says one driver implemented a fundraising strategy that involved sending friends and family to a restaurant on a designated night in exchange for a portion of profits.

MJSS founder and director Dave Beimfohr says the series focuses on lessons both on and off track because next-generation development is paramount.

“If we don’t start cultivating these kids, where are we going to be someday?” he says. “This is more than just racing. This is about our future leaders.”

Also recognizing the need for investment in youth, COMP Cams has signed on as a sponsor of the series’ Pro-Sportsman class.

“Drag racing is a great way to teach kids mechanical skills and show how what they’ve learned in school can be applied in the real world, no matter their future career choice,” says Billy Carroll, COMP Cams contingency coordinator.

Dave says he is grateful for the racing community supporting MJSS’ mission through the years and notes it has come from both businesses and individuals. Just last year, NHRA Funny Car driver Johnny Gray and backer Terry Chandler each put their stamp on the series and its youth, setting up two college scholarships.

This fall, one of those $10,000 scholarships will help send Tyler to the University of Northwestern Ohio’s College of Ap-

NHRA Top Fuel Champion Antron Brown (right) and his car chief, Brad Mason, help Brad’s daughter, Kylie, at a Midwest Junior Super Series race in Indy. She is in the 6- to 9-year-old class.

is not the “Cockiness best attitude. You may

be on top one weekend but maybe not the next, so you can’t really take it when you win as you are the best..

”

plied Technologies, where he will begin study in high performance motorsports.

“I obviously wanted to go to college, and probably would have ended up in general automotive, but this (scholarship) definitely opened the door,” Tyler says. “High performance is what I always wanted to do, so when it came up, it became a reality. I can do this.”

Dave says it makes him proud knowing MJSS and its supporters are helping Tyler get one step closer to dreams of a career with a traveling professional racing team.

“We know for our sport to succeed, or even continue, we have to invest in our youth now,” he says.

Part of that investment, according to Antron, includes the series encouraging whole family involvement.

“It’s a family venture,” he says, noting families often pitch tents in the track infield and then spend time together there tweaking race cars and prepping for competition. “Kind of like going to Yogi Bear (campground) then racing together.”

Says Tyler of the family-focus impact on teens, “You’re not out partying on Friday and Saturday. You’re with your family. It brings you closer.”

What began with Dave and friends Brad Holzhauer and Rod Schaeffer in 2008 — because they and fellow young drivers wanted more races closer to the

Jesse Lasik lines up for a run in the Pro-Sportsman class of the Midwest Junior Super Series.

St. Louis area — has now evolved into a series positively affecting the lives of hundreds of youth each year.

MJSS will hold seven races this season at tracks in Indianapolis; Lyons, and Terra Haute, Indiana; Hebron, Ohio; Martin, Michigan; and Madison, Illinois. An average of more than 400 entries per race made 2015 the series’ best year, with drivers traveling from as far away as Canada, California, and Pennsylvania to participate in the August race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. Payouts to winning youth range up to $1,000, with “Big Daddy” (Don Garlits) trophies also awarded in 11 classes.

The 2016 MJSS season begins May 27 at Lyons Raceway Park in Lyons, Indiana. DRS Source: Midwest Junior Super Series, midwestjrseries.com

DragRacingScene.com 93

ASSESSMENT: Data logger for the brain?

A

bout three years ago, Mike and I put a data logger on our dragster for the first time. Previously we had a simple handheld thing to which we could download a few things and then print on an old dot matrix printer, but then we added a data logger to the dragster, and oh my! Suddenly I knew everything! I could plot out RPM, drive shaft, fuel pressure (don’t even get me started on all I have learned about fuel pressure), lateral g-force, g-force, vacuum, voltage, etc.

But what I really wish I had was a data logger for Mike’s brain, or the driver’s brain! Mike is my husband and I am his wife/crew chief/sport psychologist! My dad drag raced too, so I have been at the track doing burnouts and filling out log books for about as long as I can remember. We bracket race, quick rod/super comp race, and do a little big buck stuff, a little quick series, etc. I also teach sport psychology at McKendree University and work with many McKendree sport teams from bowling to basketball. And what most of us know is that once you have your car working pretty well, most of winning and losing in drag racing- and almost any sport- is really what happens with the driver or the athlete. So yes, I wish I had a data logger for the athlete brain.

So to get started on our sport psychology adventure together, let’s do a little assessment. That is what all good therapists do on the first meeting, let’s see where we should start. Let’s put on the invisible data logger and take a look under the helmet at the driver’s brain.

The first thing you need to do is be very honest with yourself and think about the following: • What are your main strengths as a drag racer in terms of the car? (You have a consistent car, you have a car with good mph, etc.?)

• What are your main strengths as a drag racer in terms of your environment and resources (money, time, pit crew, family and friend support, etc.)?

• What are your main strengths as a drag racer in terms of the driver? (You have good motivation, you have good lights in general, you work hard, you drive the stripe well, etc.?)

• What are your main challenges as a drag racer in terms of the car? (Your car is not consistent, your car has tire shake sometimes, your car breaks, you have fuel pressure problems (did I mention don’t get me started on fuel pressure?) etc.?)

• What are your main challenges as a drag racer in terms of your environment and resources (money, time, pit crew, family and friend support, etc.)?

• What are your main challenges as a drag racer in terms of the driver? (Your motivation, inconsistent lights, hard on yourself, hate losing, stress, pressure, etc.?)

Be very honest and do a clear assessment of yourself.

Don’t try to be defensive or rationalize. After you have thought about this, it would be good to ask a friend, another racer, your crew, etc. But be open and honest.

The quickest way to get better is to keep utilizing your strengths, own those strengths, make the most of them, and 94 Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

fix your challenges. Start with the low hanging fruits—the easier-to-fix challenges. Some challenges you may not be able to change, or at least not right now, or at least not easily. Simply knowing your strengths and your challenges truly is the first step of getting better. You can’t fix it if you don’t acknowledge it.

Back to fuel pressure and our data logger system, Mike and I could quickly see something was wrong with our fuel pressure. We switched to gas this season, and the data logger showed the fuel was wrong. It would be easy to say, oh it will work itself out, it isn’t wrong every pass, or let’s just not worry about it. But we knew it was wrong and we knew we needed to keep working on it to fix it. The same thing is true for a driver, if you know you have a problem, it probably won’t just magically go away. You need to identify the issue and then, the hard part, start to think of concrete ways to make some changes and get better.

knowing your strengths “Simply and your challenges truly is the first step of getting better.

You can’t fix it if you don’t acknowledge it.

”

Assessment isn’t fun, but if you don’t know where you are at, there is no way you can get any better. I encourage people to write it down—it makes it very clear what you are doing well and what needs to be improved.

The BEST way to become better is to focus on your challenge or weakness.

What is it? What needs to be improved? (Be specific) What three things could you work on to improve this? (be specific) In future articles, I am going to select some very common issues that athletes have and identify those issues and some ways to start fixing them. Hook up the brain data logger, look at the data, and then make some changes to try to fix the problem. Pretty soon your own brain fuel pressure may be just right! DRS

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Brandon Flannery is a globe-trottin’ automotive photojournalist, content developer, and certified shop rat now living in Hernando, Mississippi, with a herd of projects and a daily-driven ’73 Satellite Sebring known as The Blue Goose.

LIFE AT Sometimes race car beauty comes when just sitting still.

Xceleration Media comrades Todd Ryden (Editor, Street Rod Life) and Shawn Brereton (Group Publisher) brought back some great images from the Detroit Autorama.

96  Drag Racing Scene / Vol. 2, Issue 2

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