Updates Page

2007 and 2008

Update 8-24-09: Double Down and Rollin

Man what a change in attitude and results a month off can bring. As most of you know by now, we are less than happy with our change that we did back in May of this year. The numbers we have been putting out are decent, but if ANYONE knew how hard we were working this thing over to make it run like that, they would stroke. I just can't get the combo right. The pieces are killer, but I'm lost and just haven't been able to find the grimlin that has us by the throat. Imagine that! Anyhow, we have to make the most of what we have to work with like I wrote in the last post. We went to Orangeburg Dragstrip in Orangeburg SC this past weekend. After arriving Friday night, we went to work in a major way, and blistered a 5.17....yeah that's right. Here we come world. Man I was pissed! Saturday morning came, and we decided to do whatever it took to make this thing run. First round of qualifing, we mustered a 5.02 @ 147 ish. Not good at all, but hey, we'll take it I guess. The weather was hot and muggy, so maybe that slowed us down. Next round came around, and we worked on the tune up a little, had a heart to heart with her, and busted off a 4.94 @ 148ish. Now, with the heat, and the track not being perfect, we were actually fairly pleased with that run. We qualified number two and were off to the show, with heads held high, and our "new attitude" of "do what it takes with what we have with us to win". And then the rains came! Oh well, Sunday was to be our day of racing. We got to the track around mid morning, unloaded the ole girl, and got ready for round one. Thank the Lord we had a bye run, cause what we had in mind and what the track had in mind, were two completely different things! And man did we do a smoke show. Learning from that we went into round two against Brian McGee, who has one of the slickest, and sickest black nitrous guzzling Mustangs you have ever seen. Great, nothing like pressure! Brian and I chose lanes, burned the girls in, lit the bulbs, and suddenly he was gone! He redlit handing us the win in what would have been a great race. Hate to take one like that, but I need anything I can get this year. Next round was the finals where we had to race the always consistant and FAST Jeff Tyson. We had lane choice as we ran a 4.97 against McGee, and Tyson had run a 4.98 against our good friend Jason Richards. The track just wouldn't hold much more that day. No one could really lean on them much. Jeff and I burned the ladies in, let em sing to each other, and disappeared when the ambers lit. Much to my surprise, we were side by side in the 60 foot. By half track, I was out by about a half a car, and then here came the turbo trying to rip the paint off my door! I told the ole girl if she would just hold on I would give her some more time off, a new power plant, and whatever she wanted. About 400' out, she started missing and stuttering almost like she was talking back. I felt bad for the ole heap as I pressed a dent into the floorboard! We crossed the lights and I knew it was close, but I was thinking we had taken the "W" on this one. Sure enough, a 4.97 to a 4.95 (for Jeff), we had won this one in a barn burner! This was a sweet day for us as we had to beat ourselves and the car to death. We were less concerned with numbers, new motor being slow issues, and why does it do this. We were concerned with winning this race, just like we were at Wareshoals two weeks before. I think we have found that winning spirit, and attitude we used for 2007 and 2008. We were the underdogs for the majority of those years, and we are that again in 2009. Thanks again to my Team because I couldn't do this without you guys, and specially my Sponsors. Without them, this year would have never come this far, and I can't stress enough what top class partners they have been for us this year. If you need anything that they provide and you get it anywhere else, you will regret it. It's a new attitude people, a new day, and familiar results. Changes are coming though, things are gonna get wild, and new sponsors are already on board. Wait till you see this! We gonna make some heads snap clean off! I will announce it soon, but when the time is right. And it will be right...

Update 9-10-09: End of Summer

Man what a bummer of a weekend we had. Looking back more honestly though, it was a great one in all. We are safe, the car is together and in one peice, and we learned that we still got the magic on the radials. We went to an Outlaw 10.5 race at Shadyside Dragway over the Labor Day weekend. The week before had been spent putting a new cam in the motor, borrowing a 16V battery from a friend, and going over the final things that I had in mind as to why the car won't perform for us. Heads were high, hopes were high, and results were low. You know, I've always heard that to every cloud lies a silver lining. That is true. The silver lining to the non-running motor that we have is simply, we have had to refine the chassis and car to a level that I never dreamed would exist. Through these desperate refinements we have developed a car that can take less horsepower than we've ever had, and flat make it run. On the first pass Monday, we rode the straightest, and smoothest wheels up launch that we've ever had. She hiked em about 12" high and stuck em there until around the 330' mark before touching down in what felt like a deep 70's pass only to reward us with a lackluster 4.95 @ 147 mph. This was the pass that broke our heart. With the changes we completed the week before, we are out of ideas. We switched up to the big Mickey Thompson 315's to do some testing on them since the motor testing is a futile waste of effort. Much to my surprise and happiness, she still has the walk on those big girls. No good numbers to brag over, but a Georgia mile of potential. With a motor that would run, we could without doubt stand the world on its ear with the 28's and the radials. There are more new technologies at work in this car than the common racer would believe. My Sponsors are without ANY doubt the best in the world. They have stood beside us through thick and thin this year, kept the new technology coming and at our disposal, and most have committed again for next year already. They are the backbone of this team and we can't thank them enough. Listed again in no particular order: Mickey Thompson Tires, VP Racing Fuels, Speedtech Nitrous, Team Z Motorsports, Finish Line Fabrication, Wiseco Pistons, Sheppard Race Cars, Lunati, TCI Automotive, Wison Manifolds, Southern Paint and Graphix, and Hickory Enclosed Trailer Sales. If anyone needs anything that these people produce, please call them. You won't be disappointed. For our delima now though, we are still fighting. Not sure what will happen, or when we will get her locked in, but if we do, it'll be a great Fall and end of 2009 Season for us. The ole girl is ready, we just need some more time to get her heart figured out. Wish us luck, say a HUGE prayer, and keep your fingers crossed. It's getting down to the wire, and we are still trying. Thanks to all the people that come by the trailer to talk with us and visit at each race. If we don't get to talk please don't be offended. Half the time we are fighting for our life. We appreciate all the fan suppport and luck wishes. Stick with us. We are down, but we are no where close to out.

Update 10-9-09: Seeing the Light

Man what a dose of reality we just received. After fighting for most of the year with an underpowered race car, we have found (at least we hope to have found) what the problem is. The reason that I have been so long in posting an update, is because I have been going through the motor, putting in borrowed bullets, and trying my best to keep my head above water. To start off, with endless frustration, I finally caved in and went to the engine dyno with my motor. After the first pull, it was obvious how wrong something was as it made a whopping 942 hp, and shook like mad. You know, the way we over build these cars is for pure safety. But you would be surprised what sypmtoms that can mask. After realizing there was a problem, we took the motor over to PAR Race Engines in Spartanburg, SC. I agreed to let them pull it apart to see where all the power was going. About 9 days later we had our answer, 3 spun main bearings. What! How in the heck did this happen? Well, after hours of looking over data logs, and computer graphs, I finally found it. We had been hurt for quite some time. So, we proceeded to have no choice but to buy a new crank, rods, pistons, bearings, rings, etc, etc, etc. We now have a brand new motor. Hopefully this thing will light the fires, and burn the coals because after seeing what we had to work with before, it's amazing that we have run what we have. We have been 4.80s with less power than a couple small blocks that I know of locally to where I live! Now don't get me wrong, we had her loaded for war, but there's only so much you can do with a motor turning in molases. We are ready now, and hoping and praying for a good weekend this coming weekend in Mooresville, NC. It is the next to last round of the PTRA series for 2009. With terrible car count, and falling attendance, 2010 will be interesting. We aren't sure what will happen yet, but I can tell you this, with any luck or prayers answered at all, we are going to go to an entirely new level next season. Pulling the motor 9 times in one year, going through 3 transmissions, 10 converters (testing purposes only, they DO NOT break), and countless race losses due to failure or flat out weakness by the motor, it has been a crushing year. We have gone from running the best times we have ever been at the start of the season, to seeing it all go away in broken parts. However, at the end of the month is the ORTC race in Bradenton, FL. With any luck, we are going there with heads held high, and hopes even higher to get busy and lay down some numbers. The car is ready and capable, no doubt. If the motor is cured, which we think it is, then we might see some things go our way. We appreciate everything that everyone has done to help us this year. Between my sponsors, and friends that lend a hand and help out, we have survived the hardest season so far. The remaining goals for 2009 are to do a fair amount of winning, reset a few records, secure 2nd in the PTRA Top Street Class, and finally show what all this work and research has taught us. If we can finally find the sweet spot with luck again, I think we will rattle the cage quite a bit.

Update 10-16-09: Lettin It Ride

Here we are deep into the Fall 2009 Race Season. At times I feel like I should equip the ole girl with paddles, floats, and life vests. Man the rain is screwing things up. We are on cloud nine however. Reason being, Ms. Attitude is finally got her heart right. We went to do the Mooresville PTRA race last Friday night. When we got there, we found out that the race for Saturday had been called due to impending rain (shock....). Chad and I made the decision to test the new motor out and see where we might be for the last part of what has been the hardest year ever for our Team. Now, this motor is so new it has the new motor smell! We had to put in crank, rods, pistons, rings, bearings, valve job, etc, etc. So, not wanting to strain anything, I put the smallest tune up that I have ever used in the foggers, and pulled her to the lights. With anticipation that is undescribable, we loaded her up and pulled into the lights. Everything felt normal, and seemed no different. This actually concerned me. With as much as we had just changed and improved, I expected the earth to shake, and the ground to part when I was motor purging this thing! Oh well. So into the ambers like a theif in the night we went. Bringing her up onto the brake, that old familiar sound began ringing my ears as if it was her way of saying, "I'm here". Miliseconds later, boom! We were gone. Now this is where I normally give some incrementals to the pass and tell you how happy we are or are not with said run. Lets do it this way. Immediately, there was no steering. My thoughts, "hum, front end came up awefully easy". Second, we were spinning. My thoughts, "hum, the front end is still up???". Third, the track began to blur into what looked like three or four lanes. My thoughts, "hum, this is gonna shake my teeth out...the front end is STILL up??????". Now by this point, reality was checking in with the nut behind the wheel in a big way. Fourth, all vibration, shaking, spinning, and stupidness stopped. My thought, "THIS SEAT IS GONNA COME THROUGH THE HELMET!". See where I'm going with this? On the smallest tune up I own, this car was altering the rotational pattern of the Earth, causing tidal waves in the Ocean, and parting the concrete like a Scud Missle! Going through the lights, the first thing I did was explode. I knew this was a pass like we used to make every hit. The air was terrible to top it all off. 2100 ft, 100% humidity, and 68 degrees. When Chad got to the top end to pick us up, it was revealed that we just dumped a 1.195 60"(spinning), 3.22 330" (spinning), and a 4.88 @ 148. Now this mph isn't breaking any records, but for the pill set, it is great! We are anxiously awaiting the ORTC race in Bradenton Florida next weekend. There is more excitement in my camp than there has been in months. The car has her old swagger back (and much meaner too), the crew feels confident, and there is about $15000.00 on the line next weekend. This is the one we've waited on. The car is there, the tune is there, and time is here. Next weekend, my friends, we show our cards...

Update 10-28-09: Finally!

After what was the most painful mid season that we have ever experienced, man did things make a great turn around for us. We just finished the biggest race of our short racing career at the ORTC Boost Vs. No Boost Race in Bradenton Florida. We arrived about mid afternoon last Thursday. Wanting to put as few passes on the brand new motor as possible, we arrived to find out that we had to get our NHRA license. So right off the rip, there went plan number one. We unloaded and proceeded to prep the car for what was going to be a long weekend. After getting the ole heap hot and bothered, down to the line we went like little school kids. Once near the line, I reached up and hit the loud button. Dang what a sound this thing has now. It means business. I burned in, did the staging routine, lit the ambers, and was off like a....snail. A really bad spinning snail! In other words, we missed the tune up for the new radials. After a brief cool down, laugh, and changes, back to the line we went. This time after the aforementioned procedure, when I let her go, she pinned my head into the seat like a school yard bully, pulled the front tires when the 2nd system turned on, and proceded to fly to half track where I clicked her off for a plug read. We coasted a 5.12 @ 115. Thats just sick for how our year has gone! We came back made some changes, and decided we would find the back door this time. Once again, lite up, burn in, etc, etc. This time, when the front tires lifted, they stuck there only to touch down right before half track, and dump out a 4.84 @ 148! For the air conditions, the weight, and pill set, we were more than pumped! Friday brought us more testing, and the first round of qualifying which netted us number 2 out of about 30 cars with a 4.94 @ 148. This was mildly promising, but we needed more. A lot more. Saturday brought us two more rounds of qualifying where we ended up number 2 for good with a 4.90 @ 148. This was ok, but I was struggling bad with the tune up. This car had so much more in it that it was silly, but I could not find it for the world! Sunday morning, the ole heap and I had a talk. I explained that I really didn't want to go home until Monday so there was no need to rush gettin back in the trailer. Got my point? First round bye run in the heat we ran a 4.90 again. This was really good as the heat had been slowing us down tremendously! Second round, we snuck by our competition with a 4.89 @149. Notice the MPH? We were working on something. Next round, we got a little greedy on the tune up. This is where the drama begins. When I let the ole girl breathe, the took a real deep breath and we started into a wheelie from you know where. Much to my surprise, I pumped the gas one time and down she came smooth as silk. Only to reward me with a 4.98 @ 151. Notice the MPH?? We were dead on this thing now. Semi finals of No Boost class, saw us lay out a 4.87 @150.95, and a spot into the FINALS of the biggest race of the year! We lost in that round to a killer pass by Jason Black, but we found something in the car that we didn't even know existed. With a 1.26 60', we went a 4.82 @ 151! We were pumped and heading into the semi's of the Boost Vs No Boost Challenge. We had to race Mustang Mike with his twin Procharged Monster. When he and I bumped the ladies in, imagine my surprise to ride a wheelie out, pump the gas, and still win the round. What? That was not supposed to happen. REALLY glad it did, but it wasn't supposed to. Here we go into the finals against the Procharged Monster of Tony Ridnour (spelling??). By this time, the weekend was already a dream come true, and we were pumped to the moon. But, I found something in the tune up again. With a slight adjustment to what should cause the 60' to get better, and leaving the previous 4.82 tune up in otherwise, we were on a mission to set a record. When we loaded the ole girl into the beams, hopes were high, but trouble was looming. We drilled the tree, cut a 1.20 60', and were decently out on the Procharged monster to our left when suddenly, she nosed over. What?! Making a very long story short, a syphon tube broke off our number 1 systems' bottle. We ran a 4.98 @ 143 on 1 kit! But we lost. No hard feelings though. After the year we have had, to go and do this well is simply a dream come true. I couldn't have done it without my Team. Chad and Randy were priceless this weekend. Thanks again to all our sponsors on the front page as well. If you are buying something that these people make, and you buy another brand, it will be the first of many regrets for you. These people stand behind racers, care about them, and do what it takes to keep you moving. Thanks again to everyone. We have some big decisions, and major changes happening right now. Keep tuned. You won't believe this!

Update 11-22-09: What a Year

Sorry for taking so long to update the site. Since we came home from the Boost Vs. No Boost Race, everything has turned upside down! It's in a great way though as the Winds of Change are blowing (literaly). We wrapped up a lack luster season with the PTRA. Rain and bad luck bit us hard this year. We had the motor out of the car over 11 times at last count. Burnt pistons, killed rings, hurt bearings, a crank, broke 2 transmissions, replaced every peice of the car trying to find why it wouldn't perform, and still only netted 2nd place in the championship race. Ha! I guess that is not bad though. We won the Championship the first two years we ever raced in our life, did it back to back, set every record and held every record for extended time (except for MPH), made lots of new friends, got some of the best sponsors that a man could ask for, and over all had a ball. I guess that 2 out of 3 isn't that bad. I have to thank God for keeping us safe through it all, all of my Team for their help, ALL of my Sponsors as I CAN NOT DO THIS WITHOUT THEM, and everyone that has lent a hand along the way. Changes are underway for the new season though. And man what changes they are. If you saw the front page you know by now what the changes are. We are going to try something new next year as a Twin Turbo Big Block combo. Over half of the fab work is already done and we are like a group of junkies waiting on their next fix for a test session. This is a tried and proven peice that I have acquired. It's a monster, believe that. She's healthy! There are going to be hard times, lots of confusion, but we are ready to try something new. Sometimes in life you have to try something different to keep it fun and new. This is what we have done. I cannot thank my Nitrous Sponsor, Wayne at Speedtech, enough for his help. They are a great company to work with and were instrumental in what success that we did have this year. We won, and runnered up in two of the biggest races we have ever attended. Won 4 total races, qualified number one 6 times, set the PTRA Top Street Record with a hurt motor (and held it for about 6 months), and did it all with their help. We appreciate them greatly, and will still do everything in our power to promote Speedtech, and represent the kind of racer that they want to be partnered with. Keep tuned. There will be a ton of interesting times ahead. We are headed to PRI in December for the annual show. Hopefully we can load up the wagon with a little more help. Next year, we are going for the kill everywhere we go. We have some great knowledge now, and if we can apply it to the new combo, we are returning to doing what we did for all of 2007 and 2008. We raced to win. Not set records, not chase mph, but flat out win races. When my Crew and I put our minds out to do this, good things tend to happen. People claim who's the baddest and who's the best. Very few remember anything but the "One hit wonders" that lay down a record pass once in a while. However, the riches and spoils are in the winning, and the Championships and records of winners don't lie. We are returning home, to what we know, trying to win. We just have a bigger gun now!