Well, I wasn't going to maiden this weekend because of the dove hunt. Now, I'm not ging hunting because The NHRA Fall Nationals are this weekend in Ennis...RIGHT OWN!!! Love me some 300+MPH thunder cars and the smell of nitromethane . I'll be in the pits washing down the yellow smoke with a cold bud by 10:00AM Saturday VAROOOOOOMMMM!!!!

I'am with ya DW on the nitro as two of my buds ran fuelers and on sat nites i would help them and run my gasser on sunday, nothing like pushing it up to the line with those zummie pipes blowing that nitro in your face.

Like they ran on the radio ' Long Beach Saterday Nite ' they would have a 20 or so top fuel show each week and smoke'm right through the lights at about 210 - 215 back then.

Front motored 392 diggers on 95 percent smoking the hides thats what drag racing was all about.

G Don

You know, it's a shame, I can't get any long time friends to go with me and see the drags. They say, oh, I've seen those cars on TV so I don't want to go and see them in person. I try to explain what is estimated at ~9000HP (dyno's won't read 'em anymore) and they just don't get it. My daughter loves it so her and I and a friend that's never been will go. People just looks down into a 3 inch screen anymore and are just lifeless zombies.

Right after it opened, I almost landed a glider at that drag strip in Ennis... I found a thermal at 800' and got back to the airport... It wasn't really made for NO horsepower...

I'll be in Ft. Worth... and Bedford... the week of October 3... Don, you gonna be around? I get to see my new grand-daughter...

Well I guess you would have had a smooth place to land. One solid piece of concrete, no expansion joints. You gonna be here during either weekend or just during the week? Would like to meet you FTF and strech a Hi-Start!

Maybe they are afraid that the car will end up in the box seats. spectating can be dangerous. Just ask the people in Reno

Highflier

You know, highflier, when I heard the nationals were gonna be here, that's the first thing that hit my mind. Be all thinkin final destination and stuff .

Gee, Jack. If you hang around Fort Worth another month, I'll drive past/through on my way to Elgin.

My uncle, who used to own a garage (may still, for all I know, but he was talking about retiring 20 years ago; was still there about 5 years ago, though) used to give a little money to railers to put his name on it somewhere, and worked on some of them a bit. 'Fraid I was just never into it.

Originally Posted by granada don

I'am with ya DW on the nitro as two of my buds ran fuelers and on sat nites i would help them and run my gasser on sunday, nothing like pushing it up to the line with those zummie pipes blowing that nitro in your face.

Like they ran on the radio ' Long Beach Saterday Nite ' they would have a 20 or so top fuel show each week and smoke'm right through the lights at about 210 - 215 back then.

Front motored 392 diggers on 95 percent smoking the hides thats what drag racing was all about.

G Don

I had a local a few years back contact me about doing the break-in runs on a Nostalgia Class front-engined rail dragster in front of my hangar. His neighbors didn't like it. He figured no one would complain about noise at the airport. I said sure, bring it out. He brought out the car and his whole team, set up the car on the stand, hooked up the computers, poured in the nitro, and cranked it up. Talk about emptying the neighboring hangars, everyone wanted to see what was howling...

After the first run, while they were taking off their hearing protectors and started checking the data, one of the spectators came over to talk to me for a minute. He walked off and I went up to the owner and said "Hey Chuck, I just got a complaint about the noise...." Everyone's jaw hit the tarmac. Then I smiled a nasty little grin and continued "... he said it wasn't loud enough!"

Everyone had a good laugh. They came back several times that year. It was quite fascinatinating how high tech the "sport" was.

Scott

Hi Scott

I think in the Nostalgia top fuel they are limeted on the nitro to 25 % i think and in the jr fuel it is just plain alky, if you go to the new drags i think they are 80 or 90 % now but they sure do ' Cackle ' on a load of fuel as there is not another sound in motor racing quite like a fueler on a big load of nitro.

G Don

I can't remember what percentage nitro they were running. I just remember thinking how glad I wasn't paying their fuel bill, cuz that engine sucked that tank dry in nothing flat!

But you're right... that sound was unique!

Scot

Originally Posted by dwells

Well, I wasn't going to maiden this weekend because of the dove hunt. Now, I'm not ging hunting because The NHRA Fall Nationals are this weekend in Ennis...RIGHT OWN!!! Love me some 300+MPH thunder cars and the smell of nitromethane . I'll be in the pits washing down the yellow smoke with a cold bud by 10:00AM Saturday VAROOOOOOMMMM!!!!

FAIL!
But Don if you are out spending your spare time hunting and gathering, or breathing in hot rubber fumes we would be ogres to begrudge you your fun, it's a poor second to maidening your most excellent looking Oly but I understand.

So, being the benevolent dictator that I am, I shall give a stay of execution to this thread, until the end of October You are a crafty old dog Don, I'll give you that. My dastardly ploy came so close to working but you were more cleverer.


Used to visit Willowbank raceway a lot when I was younger, watching Victor Bray and the boys push the limits on top door slammers and the bikes too. Unless you are there it is hard to appreciate the sheer energy the cars release, the vibes are awesome.

I had only recently been introduced to thw world automotive. Until three years ago, a car was a car, and it had wheels. I never did understand why people would race them around in silly circles. OK, actually, I still don't understand the circles. Gimmie a good TRACK, with right and left hand turns, and I'll be cozy.

Three years ago, I was given a '79 FIAT 131 Brava. What a fun little car! I really learned to drive in it. I have done a couple autocrosses in it, and had a BLAST. I even won my class in the second race! Well, erm, OK... I was the ONLY one in my class. I was, by far, the slowest on the track, yet I still won my class. We go one tours frequently with the FIAT club. This summer we put together our own tour. Starting in 'Frisco, we went over the Golden Gate Bridge, up and over Mt. Tamalpais, up the coast, stopping at a carnivorous plant nursery for lunch. Yep, even the plants had lunch, I brought bugs. Then it was back on the road, across another bridge, into the Oakland foothills, and dinner at a favorite haunt, though I admit, that's the first time I've ever driven in for dinner. It's usually a sail-in affair. The few that braved the trip loved it.

This weekend will be a new experience-- A gimmick rally. I still don't quite understand it, but it sounds like FUN.

Hi Scott

The fuel to air is 14 to 1 on gas
7 to 1 " alky
2 to 1 " nitro

That is why the tank was empty sooo quick !!

In 65' fuel was $ 4.25 a gal then when pump gas was .25 cents i remenber going to Micky Thompson's in Long Beach and buying 10 gal and it was 40 some bucks about a third of your pay check, the stuff was like liquid gold.

G Don