NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Benjamin got to meet some of his favorite race car drivers this past weekend at the 'Big Go' at Maple Grove Raceway:

Erica Enders (the First Lady of Jr Dragster racers) was super nice, and asked Benjamin about his Jr racing

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Ashley Force was also super nice

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John Force always makes time for the kids - even when he's leaving 'work' for the day, briefcase in hand, wife waiting in the SUV

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Benjamin was thrilled, and looks forward to racing against Erica and Ashley some day - soon! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

WOW thats cool as heck. Sounds like you guys had a great time.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Benjamin musta charmed the ladies with those blue eyes. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

That Erica's cuter'n a junebug. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Glad he (and you) had a good time. Lynn and Holly are ready to go to LV in a week or two!

Erica is such a sweetheart. We talked to her for a while here in Phx...

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Yea, it was a really great day! Drag Racing is still one of those sports where you get within close proximity to the pit action, and the drivers and crew are quite accomodating.

We had a crew guy from Del Worsham's team run us down and ask if Benjamin wanted to meet Del. Of course! So, under the ropes we went, past the crew tearing into the funny car, up into the big rig trailer - squeezed past a few crew guys downloading the run and up into the 'office'. Del was impressed with Benjamin running Jr's, and inquired if he liked racing, [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

We had another crew guy from another TF team come over and ask Benjamin if he wanted to pick out a blown up piston. Of course! Amazing what damage gets done on Nitro!

The best time to be at the track is on Saturday afternoon, after the last round of qualifying. The pressure is off the teams, they aren't packing up (like Sunday), and the crowds have really thinned out. I know that going around the pits with your son (who's wearing a shirt with the mfg'r of his Jr Dragster on it) obviously gets special attention from the teams. They really gravitate towards the kids. So, between the whole Jr Dragster 'feeder' series, and the attention from the professionals, the future of Drag Racing looks brighter than it did ~20 years ago.

Also, saw Jerry McNeish run his '67 Z - car was really hauling the mail! My buddy Stan Germanski (original owner of a CS Deuce) was running his '68 SS Camaro in F/SA, he's got the record - at the moment. Love watching the Stockers run, bring on the Dutch Classic!

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Keep that kid in circulation M. He maybe a prospect for Ashley when she takes over John Force Racing. Yes, Jerry is dialed in. If the air is good at the Dutch look for some 40's out of that little 02. Keep up the good work with your jr. dragster team.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

That's a great event. I' ve been to it once. McNeish sent me some photos from that race of his car. Check out the wheel stands.........I would not drive that car!

http://autoimagery.com/store/cgi-bin/ima...tm_medium=email

Told me that S. Germanski was going to set the record at the Dutch but he was thrown out at the Atco race this past weekend for excessive braking on the top end. And NHRA told him not to come back next week. Just talked with him last night. He and Stan are good friends. Was told a Super gas racer was killed there two weeks ago and they are cracking down. McNeish finished in the top 10 this season. Congrats to him.

Bob

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Excessive braking? What is that all about? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Excessive braking? What is that all about? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif[/img] </div></div>

That's sort of like when Judy Lilly blew out two front tires while on the brakes and sliding through the lights trying to keep from breaking out years ago. That kind of action used to be a rather common occurance in Super Stock.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Just made a phone call. Division director was at the finish line watching all of the eliminations. Anyone skidding brakes thru the finish line was DQ'ed. Two people were thrown out.

Bob

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Wow, as in locking up the wheels skidding? I can see where that would be a tad bit dangerous. Stan G was going that fast? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

At 145 mph it doesn't work out well!! I refuse to race up against some racers at Eddyville for that same reason.

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Should be FAST this weekend at the Grove if it ever stops raining and dries up some. Hemi Shootout, and MacNeish should be flying also in this weather. Maybe a new D/Stick record?

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Just off the phone in MD again. Stan had to run J. Shahl who is about a second faster, 10.00's to Stan's 11.00's. A/SA to F/SA. Stan got there first and hit the brakes as not to run quicker than his dial........was not intentional and he also thinks that something was wrong with his line lock.

McNeish is in bracket mode. 50lbs heavy, timing retarded and heavy oil in the motor. Has been running 10.50's like that. No need for him to go fast, but 10.50's is flying the way he's got the car set up now.

He was also going to give Stan a hand at the track this weekend and help out with him trying to set the record and share some go fast secrets.......they are both bummed out.

That's all I know for now.

Bob

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

I will be at the Grove on Friday.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SSRSBOB</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just off the phone in MD again. Stan had to run J. Shahl who is about a second faster, 10.00's to Stan's 11.00's. A/SA to F/SA. <span style="font-weight: bold">Stan got there first and hit the brakes as not to run quicker than his dial........was not intentional and he also thinks that something was wrong with his line lock.</span>

Bob</div></div>
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif[/img] Not sure I understand that last part? He hit the breaks so he wouldn't break out, but it wasn't intentional?

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Jerry M. went a 10.48 at 126.00 in D/S with some weight in and more gas. The car really leaves hard. Running good and consistent. Dave Barton went an 8.31 in SS/AH and Westcott went a .34 at 161.00 on Thursday. Scott Gove from Maine went the fastest time a SS ever went I believe a 7.96 in his SS/AM small block Mopar gear changer. I think it is one of those old Pro Stock truck type motors. A few good cars could not get down the track on Friday. Breakage and some starting line problems was the deal. Track was fast BUT still plagued with the water seepage monster. Going back on Sunday.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Just talked with McNeish, he did go a 10.48 in bracket mode, 40 lbs heavy without a hop up on the motor. Would have run 10.38 if he wanted to reset his own record. Good air on Friday.

He had a very stellar year, finished in the top 10 in NHRA's division one points, #9 out of 233 drivers in Stock Eliminator. Set a new national and world record back in April and had a three page spread in Super Chvey on his new 67 Z28 race car. When me and my boys were at his shop, the race car looks like a show car! It's that nice. Hard to believe that he can beat it up like that and keep it that nice. Hats off to him for all he does in the hobby! Very happy with our engine job and carb job on my boy's Z28.

Also heard that the Wescotts could have blown the record away if they could have hooked the car. They equaled the record spinning the tires.

Bob

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It was a fast weekend Bob in DIV-1.

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That's what I heard and then it got slower on Saturday and even slower on Sunday. McNeish missed his dial by .007 1st rd.

Bob

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

you are right. I talked with him on Sunday and the cars did slow up some especially by then.

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I am Stan's son James. Just to set the story straight, we did screw up a bit. We cut a coil off the front springs to lower the car over the winter. It wasn't a problem until now. Dad DID NOT LOCK THE BRAKES, he may have been a little harder than usual, but in 18 years of running the car it is not his style to lock them up. The tires hit the fenderwells and it got ugly. He straightened it out and no harm was down to either car. We know we have a front end issue now and it WILL be corrected over the winter. That being said we are back in good graces with NHRA and will continue trying to set the F/SA record. The car is an all steal '68 Camaro 327/275 powerglide car. It has a Q-jet, iron 1.94 heads and a .390/.410 lift hyd cam. It has been as fast as 10.72@120+ Really cool to see my dad and the car talked about here. Come see us at Atco, E-town, MP or any of the killer Division 1 tracks next year.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Nice! Love seeing that car, and all of the stockers, running so well at the Grove.

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J Giermanski</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I am Stan's son James. Just to set the story straight, we did screw up a bit. We cut a coil off the front springs to lower the car over the winter. It wasn't a problem until now. Dad DID NOT LOCK THE BRAKES, he may have been a little harder than usual, but in 18 years of running the car it is not his style to lock them up. The tires hit the fenderwells and it got ugly. He straightened it out and no harm was down to either car. We know we have a front end issue now and it WILL be corrected over the winter. That being said we are back in good graces with NHRA and will continue trying to set the F/SA record. The car is an all steal '68 Camaro 327/275 powerglide car. It has a Q-jet, iron 1.94 heads and a .390/.410 lift hyd cam. It has been as fast as 10.72@120+ Really cool to see my dad and the car talked about here. Come see us at Atco, E-town, MP or any of the killer Division 1 tracks next year.</div></div>
Whoa, that coulda been a lot worse! I'm glad to hear that's all that became of it...keep doin' what you're doin'! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/burnout.gif[/img]

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Update! The Camaro is just about ready. Discovered that we had 3 broken teeth on the ring gear so the rear was rebuilt along with the normal winter upgrades. Also dad bought an A/B/C/SA '70 steel head 402 Nova, really nice car. I am going to take over running the Camaro and he has the wheel on the Nova. Looking forward to a great year.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Whats you car numbers? I will look you up. Sam

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Awesome! Can't wait to see you guys running at the Grove.

Is the Nova silver - will he put some Deuce stripes on it? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

STOP with the Yenko stuff M. Chevy did build other cars ya know! HA!

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You forget what site you're on my friend! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] Plus, if it weren't for that silver deuce he bought new I never would have met these guys! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Pics

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Camaro

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the nova and camaro both 2 good running cars! They look real good too.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

Nice! Are you guys going to be at the Grove this weekend?

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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice! Are you guys going to be at the Grove this weekend? </div></div>

I was wondering if anyone from here was going to the Super Chevy event at Maple Grove this weekend. I plan to take my '61 Impala to the show there, if anyone is there please stop and say hello.

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Unfortunatley we are not going to the Maple Grove race this weekend. Should be a cool show, there will be an East Coast Stock/Super Stock race going on as part of it. Our next race is Epping New Hampshire points race the following weekend.

Re: NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
 

BTW Marlin I bust him all the time for getting rid of the Yenko and started with the &quot;paint it silver&quot; campaign soon after he bought it. I would love to know how a stock eliminator prepped LT1 4spd Nova would run. NHRA has never excepted the combo though.