Post by sportf on Jul 11, 2023 20:29:36 GMT
Mopar Blast Race Wrap Up
Saturday 8 July turned out to be a great day at the race track. If anybody didn't show because of the rain forecast, I must say the weather men really got it wrong. It never rained the whole week end, and the overcast sky on Saturday and part of Sunday really turned it into a very nice track day in the high 70's. It was a little warmer on Sunday when the sun came out, but still a fine day. We had 25 cars show up, and they were all ready to race, but Kurt TeVault's car ended up having a little trouble.
When Kurt's car came back down to earth after one of his "moon shot" wheelies, something didn't feel right in the steering department. When he got it back to the pits he crawled underneath, and, well, not good. His dodge had broke a factory welded tab of the K member and the whole steering box was in there crooked. Those of you who know Mopars know those welds look like a monkey did it on a bad day. When that isn't the problem, it's the 3 5/8 headed bolts holding the box on that come loose. How about all of us with Mopars check this area out before we show up at the next race. I know I'm going to!
Victory got two test hits on Saturday, before the 'Mopar Blast No Box Race', so we were all pretty ready to go when the lane call was made. I'm not sure how many cars entered, but there were buy backs after first round, so there was a fair number of cars along with all of the Victory cars. And, I must say, Victory cars just dominated this race.
When the race came down to 11 cars, 8 of them were Victory Cars. In the final, it was an all-Victory race, with Jeff Blickenderfer over Shaun Johnston in a tight race.
We had our drivers meeting after the first round of the 'No Box' race. We had our usual handouts, and I will detail this at another time. After the second round we had our 'snack out social/ bench race feed out' session and that made a nice closing to the Victory gang night. Plenty of food, plenty of talk, and plenty of good company. Of course, at this point, there were still a LOT of racers still in the no box race!
We really owe this 'snack out' tradition' along with all of the Victory features to Chris Schneider, our founder and director. He paved the road for us.
Another couple of people that don't get noticed, are Robert and Dennis, and of course Leanna Hagenhoff. They do more running around when we aren't looking! After the racers get back to the pits after a round, these folks are getting the run sheets, updating the ladder, and checking out the run schedule with the track. This is what makes all of the racing run as smoothly as it does. Thanks gang, for what you do.
Sunday
Wow, weather was better than it felt, so when we had our single qualifier almost half of us broke out from poor guessing. But John Hamer killed it, a dead on with a 3 to get the number one qualifier award and a place on the ladder for a potential buy run. Two other racers ran dead on as well, but John was just a little tighter. Not bad for some foot brake racers, eh? Well, with 24 cars on the ladder, John had to fight through 3 rounds of racing before he got the bye, but it put him right into the finals.
By the way, someone then said to John that the number one qualifier never wins that race.... .John asked me about that, and I know it's not true for me, and it turns out that it was not true for John either. But then, the guy who said this doesn't have a Wally, but his wife does. I think I'll listen to her instead.
On to round one!
I was laddered up with Bobby Westhoff for this first round, and this is the third time I raced him in recent history. First round at Cordova a couple weeks ago, then he took me out in the fourth round of the 'Mopar Blast No Box' race the night before. Now again, I line up with him. I wasn't looking forward to this. I don't remember him red lighting in a long time, nor cutting a bad light, nor not running his number, so here we go.
We got called to the lanes, and we are kinda waiting around for someone to go in front of us..... but nope, nobody moving yet. We look at each other and decide, well, we will be the first pair. Just like Cordova, I have a little better light than Bob, but we both cross the finish line real close together and I get a win light. By the way, someone at Gateway must have complained about not seeing the win lights at the end of the track, now they fixed that so well that it looks like a full on fireworks display at night when you go flying by. Maybe even enough to disturb you.
Second pair: Jim Hagenhoff and Mike Kurz line up. Jim gets a true gift here, when Mike, in his metal flake red '63 Dodge turns on the matching red bulb at the starting line. Jim runs it out and shows us he has the number covered, and Jim goes on to the second round.
Next, Curt Hoeft lines up his rocket powered Comet against the black max 64 Dodge of Brian Haberburger. Brian is having a pretty good year, going rounds every race, and today will be no different. Brian cuts a light on the Comet and puts Curt out of orbit with a "I'll take the stripe here", and he goes on.
Fourth pair: Kevin Czajkowski lines up with Dalton Bruemmer. Dalton is having a good year also, and cuts a better light than Kevin. But it ain't over 'till it's over. Kevin catches Dalton at the top end and goes screaming past him, taking a little too much stripe, and Dalton goes on. Wow, quite a disparity in speed between these two cars and that is hard to judge on both racers part. But, only one moves on. That fast Ford is a great looking car, but it's going to stay in the pits next round.
Fifth pair: Clay Kossuth, Rosie's husband, then lines up his real max wedge '63 Dodge against the '64 Plymouth of Tom Head. Clay does cut a better light than Tom, but they both run it down to the end. Clay takes the stripe, with Tom running dead on with a 2. Clay takes the win that was set up at the starting bulbs.
Sixth pair: Rosie Kossuth, then lines up with Jon Landwher. (Rosie has a Wally, by the way) This is a 10.0 on 10.0 index with both these cars flying. Jon knows he has his hands full, but knows how to win with a better light. Well, that was the plan, Jon's light was great, but just on the wrong side of green. The Wally trophy holder goes on.
Seventh pair: Kevin Miller lines up with season Champ Shawn Johnston. Both cut close lights. Both these guys are good, heck even great. But only one gets to go to round two. Kevin runs dead on, Shawn just a little over, and the win goes to Kevin. I'd have liked to have watched that race, as these two guys are ALWAYS going to give their opponent a race, and I've been beat by both more than once.
Eighth Pair: Derek Strait lines up Large Marge, a '65 Dodge, against the '64 Dodge of Donnie Gains. Donnie is second in points at this point and Derek is right up there as well. Derek is on a 11.50 index, Donnie a 10.50 index. Lights come down for Derek and he is off. One second later, besides a slight human delay, Donnie takes off .... late ...... and can never catch Derek. Donnie's brother Tim, watches the second in points racer Donnie, pull the car straight into the trailer gate, ready to load for home. Darn, done for the day. At the other end of the pits, Derek joyfully puts the charger on the car ready, to go again. This racing is tough ...... sometimes, we all wish for a "do over" that can't happen.
,
Ninth Pair: John Hamer, number one qualifier, lines up with Bob Haberburger. We know John has to win this, and does so by a double break out. Both these guys have really close lights and both run the heck out of the finish line, trying to take the stripe, and both run too quick. But John comes out on top here, and that race car of Bob's is parked in the pits, done racing for the day. We all know what that feels like, but we will not only come back for more, we will PAY to come back for more (how does that work?).
Tenth pair: Jeff Blick lines up to run the 'Rideout Rocket' in this next pair. Jeff cuts a light on the rocket powered Rocket driven by Kory Rideout. Jeff takes the stripe, the bragging rights, and the next round shot with him to the pits.
Eleventh pair: Bob Lantero, points leader, lines up with the hemi powered, 65 Plymouth of Don Bruemmer. Take a look at Bob's clean looking race car next time you get a chance. Clean and simple, and fast, not unlike Don Bruemmer's hemi car. Fast, simple. Lights come down for Bob and he is off, going through the gears. He is looking for Don at the top end and, according to Bob, "Don drives by me like he is going to Walmart". Don takes the stripe, but Bob gets the win light. It's not until Bob looks at his slip that he realizes Don red lit. That is concentration by a racer, in a good way, and that may be why Bob has a really good chance of taking home all the marbles this year.
Twelfth pair: Jeff Wood lines up with "4 speed gear banging Ronnies Sox shifting" Jimmy Fergeson. Jeff cuts a better light than Jimmy, but it ain't over yet. Both are screaming for the finish line and both are going to take it. But, Jimmy breaks out more than Jeff, and Jeff gets to get ready for next round. The problem here is, in the getting ready for next round by Jeff. The transmission isn't right, so that is not good. Not much of a second gear. Let's see what happens.
Round two
Once again Kevin Miller and I are waiting for someone to go first, so that we aren't the first to go down the track. But nobody is coming, so up we go. Kevin has lane choice and he takes the left, I take what is left over. Kevin cuts a light on me that I shouldn't be able to recover from. But we both break out, and I got to add here, we are both kind of surprised by that after looking at time slips. I get lucky, and break out less. I get the flashing win light, but it was close. It always is with Kevin.
Second Pair: Dalton Bruemmer lines up with flying Jim Hagenhoff. Dalton cuts a green raceable light, Jim cuts an almost identical light, but on the "I'm done right here side" of the tree, and Dalton gets ready for the next round.
Third pair: Derek Straight lines up 'Large Marge' against Rosie Kossuth's '64 "Lady Max" Dodge. Derek cuts a light on Rosie that is going to be hard to overcome, but she goes running by Derek, trying to take the stripe and breaks out, but just by a little bit. But with Derek running dead on, with a 9, he can't be beat here. The 'Lady Max' Dodge is done for the day.
Fourth pair: John Hamer lines up with Jeff Wood. Jeff has done what he can to speed up the car, to overcome the "no second gear" challenge. Jeff dang near does it by running a 10.79 on a 10.75 index. But, Hamer has to win this and he does, really, by the better light at the starting line. Jeff gave it a really good shot, but he is going home to rip out the tranny in hopes of fixing it before Eddyville.
Fifth Pair: Brian Haberburger lines up with Clay Kossuth. Both cut raceable lights, with Brian leaving on his 11.0 index and Clay on his 10.50. It comes down to the finish line, neither can tell who is going to take it, and neither is going to back off. Both break out, but Brian is a little closer to the index, and that is it for the '63 Dodge of Clay's. Brian gets ready for next round.
Sixth Pair: Bob Lantero lines up with the 'Mopar Blast No Box' winner from the night before, Jeff Blick. Jeff cuts a light on Bob that he can't recover from. Jeff gets down to the other end and sees Bob can't catch him. Jeff drops the gas, pinches the brakes, crosses the finish line looking for that win light .... but doesn't see it. Doesn't see Bob's light either. Jeff checks the time slip when he gets back, not knowing. At this point, as a racer, you still have hope. But, it is not to be for Jeff. Jeff breaks out, Bob doesn't. Bob will go on, and on.'
Round 3
It's getting later now, and is about 7:45 Sunday evening. The sun is no longer beating us up at the staging lanes. I line up with Derek Straight in 'Large Marge' against my '63 Sport Fury. Derek leaves on his 11:50, I leave with almost the same light, and we have a race. But I manage to just squeak by him and take the stripe. I get to get ready again, and Derek comes over a graciously congratulates me. This is what Victory does, every time. It's what makes us Victory NSS.
Second Pair: Bob Lantero lines up with Dalton Bruemmer. I've seen the ladder, and for me, I'm hoping Dalton can take out Bob so I don't have to run him. Yeah, wishing a friend will take out a friend. Well, that's racing at times. Friend on friend. That is the hard part. But it is easier to lose to a friend, all will agree to that. Dalton breaks out by a smidgeon, trying to keep ahead of Bob. Once again, Bob will go on, and calm and collected Dalton will cheer the rest of us on. Again, that is what makes us Victory NSS.
Third pair: John Hamer then lines up with Brian Haberburger. John has to win this one, and does so by cutting a light on Brian, and catching him early. John plays the top end right, and it is the end of the day for the Black Max car.
Semi Final round.
Well, I have to line up with Bob Lantero, and that is what we do. Lights come down and we are off on the green. At the top end I can see that Bob can't catch me with my 10.50 index against his 10.0. and I squeak on the brakes and take the stripe. I get back and get told "nice light". Really? I don't know. But the announcer told the crowd I had cut a .001 against Bob, and that bit of luck turned on the win light for me. Bob will remain the points leader after this race, so for him it was also a darn good race.
John Hamer, number one qualifier, has fought all this way to the semis, and finally gets to use his bye run to get to the finals. This is the only bye run this race, and he earns it. He breaks the beams and this makes it a little easier to cool the car down for the next round thar is coming quickly.
Final Round
John and I line up on the track, with just a faint orange glow of the setting sun at the end of the track. Score boards are pretty visible this time of night. For me, this is going to be the end of a really good day of racing. This is a 10.50 on 10.50 race so we are going to be side by side. But, my tired tires are going to make a difference here, I just don't know it yet. Saturday, I had lots of tire spin and Ronnie said, "Hey, do a longer burnout with those tires." and I did. This fixed that entirely, well, right up until now.
Lights come down on this long day, its 8:30 Sunday night, we both cut lights within .007 of each other. Not great lights, but here we go. My tires slip so by the 60 foot mark, John has got me by a fender. And, as we go down the track, I was surprised at his top end charge, as he was pulling away from me on what must be a break out run. But John is not a season champ without a reason. I am waiting for his front end to drop because I know I can't break out with that launch back at the starting line. Sure enough, I see his front end drop and I drive past John like I'm going to Walmart. But he takes the stripe. Well, a darn good day, and I lost to a great friend and racer.
Both John and I drive down the return road in front of the grand stands, to the waiting victory gang cheering us on. It is late Sunday night, we take pictures and there are congratulations all around. This is what makes us Victory. We are the one and only "Victory NSS".
See you at the next race
Saturday 8 July turned out to be a great day at the race track. If anybody didn't show because of the rain forecast, I must say the weather men really got it wrong. It never rained the whole week end, and the overcast sky on Saturday and part of Sunday really turned it into a very nice track day in the high 70's. It was a little warmer on Sunday when the sun came out, but still a fine day. We had 25 cars show up, and they were all ready to race, but Kurt TeVault's car ended up having a little trouble.
When Kurt's car came back down to earth after one of his "moon shot" wheelies, something didn't feel right in the steering department. When he got it back to the pits he crawled underneath, and, well, not good. His dodge had broke a factory welded tab of the K member and the whole steering box was in there crooked. Those of you who know Mopars know those welds look like a monkey did it on a bad day. When that isn't the problem, it's the 3 5/8 headed bolts holding the box on that come loose. How about all of us with Mopars check this area out before we show up at the next race. I know I'm going to!
Victory got two test hits on Saturday, before the 'Mopar Blast No Box Race', so we were all pretty ready to go when the lane call was made. I'm not sure how many cars entered, but there were buy backs after first round, so there was a fair number of cars along with all of the Victory cars. And, I must say, Victory cars just dominated this race.
When the race came down to 11 cars, 8 of them were Victory Cars. In the final, it was an all-Victory race, with Jeff Blickenderfer over Shaun Johnston in a tight race.
We had our drivers meeting after the first round of the 'No Box' race. We had our usual handouts, and I will detail this at another time. After the second round we had our 'snack out social/ bench race feed out' session and that made a nice closing to the Victory gang night. Plenty of food, plenty of talk, and plenty of good company. Of course, at this point, there were still a LOT of racers still in the no box race!
We really owe this 'snack out' tradition' along with all of the Victory features to Chris Schneider, our founder and director. He paved the road for us.
Another couple of people that don't get noticed, are Robert and Dennis, and of course Leanna Hagenhoff. They do more running around when we aren't looking! After the racers get back to the pits after a round, these folks are getting the run sheets, updating the ladder, and checking out the run schedule with the track. This is what makes all of the racing run as smoothly as it does. Thanks gang, for what you do.
Sunday
Wow, weather was better than it felt, so when we had our single qualifier almost half of us broke out from poor guessing. But John Hamer killed it, a dead on with a 3 to get the number one qualifier award and a place on the ladder for a potential buy run. Two other racers ran dead on as well, but John was just a little tighter. Not bad for some foot brake racers, eh? Well, with 24 cars on the ladder, John had to fight through 3 rounds of racing before he got the bye, but it put him right into the finals.
By the way, someone then said to John that the number one qualifier never wins that race.... .John asked me about that, and I know it's not true for me, and it turns out that it was not true for John either. But then, the guy who said this doesn't have a Wally, but his wife does. I think I'll listen to her instead.
On to round one!
I was laddered up with Bobby Westhoff for this first round, and this is the third time I raced him in recent history. First round at Cordova a couple weeks ago, then he took me out in the fourth round of the 'Mopar Blast No Box' race the night before. Now again, I line up with him. I wasn't looking forward to this. I don't remember him red lighting in a long time, nor cutting a bad light, nor not running his number, so here we go.
We got called to the lanes, and we are kinda waiting around for someone to go in front of us..... but nope, nobody moving yet. We look at each other and decide, well, we will be the first pair. Just like Cordova, I have a little better light than Bob, but we both cross the finish line real close together and I get a win light. By the way, someone at Gateway must have complained about not seeing the win lights at the end of the track, now they fixed that so well that it looks like a full on fireworks display at night when you go flying by. Maybe even enough to disturb you.
Second pair: Jim Hagenhoff and Mike Kurz line up. Jim gets a true gift here, when Mike, in his metal flake red '63 Dodge turns on the matching red bulb at the starting line. Jim runs it out and shows us he has the number covered, and Jim goes on to the second round.
Next, Curt Hoeft lines up his rocket powered Comet against the black max 64 Dodge of Brian Haberburger. Brian is having a pretty good year, going rounds every race, and today will be no different. Brian cuts a light on the Comet and puts Curt out of orbit with a "I'll take the stripe here", and he goes on.
Fourth pair: Kevin Czajkowski lines up with Dalton Bruemmer. Dalton is having a good year also, and cuts a better light than Kevin. But it ain't over 'till it's over. Kevin catches Dalton at the top end and goes screaming past him, taking a little too much stripe, and Dalton goes on. Wow, quite a disparity in speed between these two cars and that is hard to judge on both racers part. But, only one moves on. That fast Ford is a great looking car, but it's going to stay in the pits next round.
Fifth pair: Clay Kossuth, Rosie's husband, then lines up his real max wedge '63 Dodge against the '64 Plymouth of Tom Head. Clay does cut a better light than Tom, but they both run it down to the end. Clay takes the stripe, with Tom running dead on with a 2. Clay takes the win that was set up at the starting bulbs.
Sixth pair: Rosie Kossuth, then lines up with Jon Landwher. (Rosie has a Wally, by the way) This is a 10.0 on 10.0 index with both these cars flying. Jon knows he has his hands full, but knows how to win with a better light. Well, that was the plan, Jon's light was great, but just on the wrong side of green. The Wally trophy holder goes on.
Seventh pair: Kevin Miller lines up with season Champ Shawn Johnston. Both cut close lights. Both these guys are good, heck even great. But only one gets to go to round two. Kevin runs dead on, Shawn just a little over, and the win goes to Kevin. I'd have liked to have watched that race, as these two guys are ALWAYS going to give their opponent a race, and I've been beat by both more than once.
Eighth Pair: Derek Strait lines up Large Marge, a '65 Dodge, against the '64 Dodge of Donnie Gains. Donnie is second in points at this point and Derek is right up there as well. Derek is on a 11.50 index, Donnie a 10.50 index. Lights come down for Derek and he is off. One second later, besides a slight human delay, Donnie takes off .... late ...... and can never catch Derek. Donnie's brother Tim, watches the second in points racer Donnie, pull the car straight into the trailer gate, ready to load for home. Darn, done for the day. At the other end of the pits, Derek joyfully puts the charger on the car ready, to go again. This racing is tough ...... sometimes, we all wish for a "do over" that can't happen.
,
Ninth Pair: John Hamer, number one qualifier, lines up with Bob Haberburger. We know John has to win this, and does so by a double break out. Both these guys have really close lights and both run the heck out of the finish line, trying to take the stripe, and both run too quick. But John comes out on top here, and that race car of Bob's is parked in the pits, done racing for the day. We all know what that feels like, but we will not only come back for more, we will PAY to come back for more (how does that work?).
Tenth pair: Jeff Blick lines up to run the 'Rideout Rocket' in this next pair. Jeff cuts a light on the rocket powered Rocket driven by Kory Rideout. Jeff takes the stripe, the bragging rights, and the next round shot with him to the pits.
Eleventh pair: Bob Lantero, points leader, lines up with the hemi powered, 65 Plymouth of Don Bruemmer. Take a look at Bob's clean looking race car next time you get a chance. Clean and simple, and fast, not unlike Don Bruemmer's hemi car. Fast, simple. Lights come down for Bob and he is off, going through the gears. He is looking for Don at the top end and, according to Bob, "Don drives by me like he is going to Walmart". Don takes the stripe, but Bob gets the win light. It's not until Bob looks at his slip that he realizes Don red lit. That is concentration by a racer, in a good way, and that may be why Bob has a really good chance of taking home all the marbles this year.
Twelfth pair: Jeff Wood lines up with "4 speed gear banging Ronnies Sox shifting" Jimmy Fergeson. Jeff cuts a better light than Jimmy, but it ain't over yet. Both are screaming for the finish line and both are going to take it. But, Jimmy breaks out more than Jeff, and Jeff gets to get ready for next round. The problem here is, in the getting ready for next round by Jeff. The transmission isn't right, so that is not good. Not much of a second gear. Let's see what happens.
Round two
Once again Kevin Miller and I are waiting for someone to go first, so that we aren't the first to go down the track. But nobody is coming, so up we go. Kevin has lane choice and he takes the left, I take what is left over. Kevin cuts a light on me that I shouldn't be able to recover from. But we both break out, and I got to add here, we are both kind of surprised by that after looking at time slips. I get lucky, and break out less. I get the flashing win light, but it was close. It always is with Kevin.
Second Pair: Dalton Bruemmer lines up with flying Jim Hagenhoff. Dalton cuts a green raceable light, Jim cuts an almost identical light, but on the "I'm done right here side" of the tree, and Dalton gets ready for the next round.
Third pair: Derek Straight lines up 'Large Marge' against Rosie Kossuth's '64 "Lady Max" Dodge. Derek cuts a light on Rosie that is going to be hard to overcome, but she goes running by Derek, trying to take the stripe and breaks out, but just by a little bit. But with Derek running dead on, with a 9, he can't be beat here. The 'Lady Max' Dodge is done for the day.
Fourth pair: John Hamer lines up with Jeff Wood. Jeff has done what he can to speed up the car, to overcome the "no second gear" challenge. Jeff dang near does it by running a 10.79 on a 10.75 index. But, Hamer has to win this and he does, really, by the better light at the starting line. Jeff gave it a really good shot, but he is going home to rip out the tranny in hopes of fixing it before Eddyville.
Fifth Pair: Brian Haberburger lines up with Clay Kossuth. Both cut raceable lights, with Brian leaving on his 11.0 index and Clay on his 10.50. It comes down to the finish line, neither can tell who is going to take it, and neither is going to back off. Both break out, but Brian is a little closer to the index, and that is it for the '63 Dodge of Clay's. Brian gets ready for next round.
Sixth Pair: Bob Lantero lines up with the 'Mopar Blast No Box' winner from the night before, Jeff Blick. Jeff cuts a light on Bob that he can't recover from. Jeff gets down to the other end and sees Bob can't catch him. Jeff drops the gas, pinches the brakes, crosses the finish line looking for that win light .... but doesn't see it. Doesn't see Bob's light either. Jeff checks the time slip when he gets back, not knowing. At this point, as a racer, you still have hope. But, it is not to be for Jeff. Jeff breaks out, Bob doesn't. Bob will go on, and on.'
Round 3
It's getting later now, and is about 7:45 Sunday evening. The sun is no longer beating us up at the staging lanes. I line up with Derek Straight in 'Large Marge' against my '63 Sport Fury. Derek leaves on his 11:50, I leave with almost the same light, and we have a race. But I manage to just squeak by him and take the stripe. I get to get ready again, and Derek comes over a graciously congratulates me. This is what Victory does, every time. It's what makes us Victory NSS.
Second Pair: Bob Lantero lines up with Dalton Bruemmer. I've seen the ladder, and for me, I'm hoping Dalton can take out Bob so I don't have to run him. Yeah, wishing a friend will take out a friend. Well, that's racing at times. Friend on friend. That is the hard part. But it is easier to lose to a friend, all will agree to that. Dalton breaks out by a smidgeon, trying to keep ahead of Bob. Once again, Bob will go on, and calm and collected Dalton will cheer the rest of us on. Again, that is what makes us Victory NSS.
Third pair: John Hamer then lines up with Brian Haberburger. John has to win this one, and does so by cutting a light on Brian, and catching him early. John plays the top end right, and it is the end of the day for the Black Max car.
Semi Final round.
Well, I have to line up with Bob Lantero, and that is what we do. Lights come down and we are off on the green. At the top end I can see that Bob can't catch me with my 10.50 index against his 10.0. and I squeak on the brakes and take the stripe. I get back and get told "nice light". Really? I don't know. But the announcer told the crowd I had cut a .001 against Bob, and that bit of luck turned on the win light for me. Bob will remain the points leader after this race, so for him it was also a darn good race.
John Hamer, number one qualifier, has fought all this way to the semis, and finally gets to use his bye run to get to the finals. This is the only bye run this race, and he earns it. He breaks the beams and this makes it a little easier to cool the car down for the next round thar is coming quickly.
Final Round
John and I line up on the track, with just a faint orange glow of the setting sun at the end of the track. Score boards are pretty visible this time of night. For me, this is going to be the end of a really good day of racing. This is a 10.50 on 10.50 race so we are going to be side by side. But, my tired tires are going to make a difference here, I just don't know it yet. Saturday, I had lots of tire spin and Ronnie said, "Hey, do a longer burnout with those tires." and I did. This fixed that entirely, well, right up until now.
Lights come down on this long day, its 8:30 Sunday night, we both cut lights within .007 of each other. Not great lights, but here we go. My tires slip so by the 60 foot mark, John has got me by a fender. And, as we go down the track, I was surprised at his top end charge, as he was pulling away from me on what must be a break out run. But John is not a season champ without a reason. I am waiting for his front end to drop because I know I can't break out with that launch back at the starting line. Sure enough, I see his front end drop and I drive past John like I'm going to Walmart. But he takes the stripe. Well, a darn good day, and I lost to a great friend and racer.
Both John and I drive down the return road in front of the grand stands, to the waiting victory gang cheering us on. It is late Sunday night, we take pictures and there are congratulations all around. This is what makes us Victory. We are the one and only "Victory NSS".
See you at the next race