Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Last Thursday, the old man made a trip up to central Missouri to pick up a couple of "surprises" for my kids. We figured why tip-toe into something with a single car when 2 cars *has* to be twice the fun (and work! lol!!)...1 was an 8.90 car and the other was a 12.90 car. We have a local 1/8 mile asphalt go-kart track that we used to race at that sits unused now, so we loaded up the kids this week and took them out for some beginner lessons in drag racing. We pulled the fiberglass off of both cars, just in case something went "awry", and for easier access to the pedals and so we could watch their footwork. Anyway, here's the kids after an after school "test session" yesterday...

https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500/kids.jpg

Then last Friday night, we loaded up the '10 Y-Camaro and the Deuce and headed over to Ozark International Raceway for a Test 'n' Tune...nothing too eventful with our cars, the Deuce ran some 10.80s after being on a strict 1/8 mile diet the last few weeks, and the '10 Camaro needs a little tuning. But here's where it gets neat...

A few weeks ago, the owner of a local tire shop lost his wife to a long battle with cancer, and while helping him with the services we got to know him a lot better. This gentleman is a Buick guy through and through, and is interested with anything that is automotive related...but he told us he'd never been on a drag strip before, but he's always wanted to. So, we naturally offered to show him the ropes, and told him about the T'n'T Friday night, but he didn't know if he could make it or not. Well, he, his youngest son, and a buddy of his jumped in his GN and surprised us while we we're unloading...they then put the GN through it's paces for the better part of the evening. Here is a picture of him and his very first time slip...

https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500/dirk.jpg

He and his boys and the rest of their family and friends have been through a lot lately, but hopefully their time at the track helped raise their spirits, if only for a little bit...I know *I* thoroughly enjoyed having them there.

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Good stuff Rob. Nothing wrong with spreading a little cheer around! Photos say it all! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Well! It's about time you got those poor kids some Jr Dragsters, [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Love the pics, post some more. 2 cars is 4x the work.

Hope you liked racing your big cars, you won't be seeing them for a while. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

Tell us more about the chassis, clutch, etc....

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Tom &amp; Rob,

ENJOY EVERY MINUTE!!!!! Time flys by quicker every day.
Yeah, the new cars are probably more work, ..... but I'm bettin you're both smiling all the time you're 'working' on them. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

(Also, you might ask your new friend if he could start stocking race tires. I got a feeling you're gonna need some. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] )

I'm subscribing to this thread so I don't miss all the updates!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Good for you Rob...this will be fun to watch progress!

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

You'll be doing this soon:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ninthePits.jpg

No better way to spend time with the kids! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Looks like great family time! enjoy and be safe!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Ran down to Newport yesterday afternoon...in the middle of nowhere amongst the rice &amp; soybeans, basically...but the nicest, most laid back atmosphere I've ever seen at a drag strip, southern hospitality at it's finest! Anyway, dad's posted about this place before, but it's on old airport, and the return road is used/maintained by the state for their truck driving school...all concrete strip, HUGE asphalt pits. Best cheeseburgers I've ever had at a track...and I consider myself a cheeseburger connoisseur.

Here's a shot of the tower...you literally enter the track through the staging lanes (far right of picture), so they use the upright aluminum &quot;shields&quot; to keep the cars/spectators as they enter/leave the track from being pelted with rocks/rubber/water/etc. You're literally &lt;10 ft. from the rear of the burnout boxes as you pay your admission &amp; sign the waiver. [note the kiddy pool to the right of the tower...that is to help occupy Speedy's boy while he's running the program!]
https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500/medium/newport.jpg

Note the pipe on the lower right hand side of the tower in the photo above...that's not a gutter, that's where the announcer/timer drops down the time slips...
https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500...m/bucket_1.jpg

And the bucket...both slips (white winner and yellow loser) are on the same clothes pin, so dig through the bucket, find your pairing, then take the appropriate slip...every so often Speedy's daughter comes by and collects some clothes pins and run's 'em back up into the tower...
https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500...m/bucket_2.jpg

And my oldest daughter's first time slip, from her first &quot;official&quot; pass...first pass was a 10.5x letting off mid track for some reason, then followed it up with a string of 9.5s &amp; 9.6s (1/8 mile). I tried helping her stage for her first past and had her confused, so I rolled her back, she quit watching me and did it herself and bumped in like a seasoned pro...evidently her old man was selling her short, lol!
https://www.yenko.net/photos/data/500/medium/tay.jpg

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Awesome pics!! Keep 'em coming. Love the old school tracks, quite laid back and very enjoyable.

Sure sounds like a bracket car with those back to back runs, she's ready to run NHRA 8.90 class!

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

Re: Hillbilly Racing Team: week in review
 

Good stuff Rob. One proud daughter!!!