Event Coverage Big daddy goes racing with the 60 Elco!

Looks like fun man! I like 1/8th mile drags. My Olds slips a lot off the line, I have tried spiking the converter, low air pressure, softer shock setting (QA1) but it loves to spin the tries.

What are you running for rubber in back? My best times are with M/T DOT Drags. Sticky!

 

Oh and Lloyd, try leaving at the first hint of the last yellow. She is probably reacting pretty slow keep squeezing the tree till you redlight then back her off a bit.

 

Lick Dicker........Step it up there sonny! Jeeze!

 

25 years ago I drag raced every weekend. I had a real dragster and a VW bug drag car. Ironically the guy that put me on the trailer yesterday, was one of the guys I used to race with back then. I did the Harley thing too, then I started having kids and realizing I wasn't the most important person in the world anymore, so I spent my money on more important things. Now I'm back, close to retirement, and having fun.

 

That is the funniest reply yet Billy! There's no bed floor, and it won't spin the tires! I think I said somewhere that this thing is a pig

 

Soooo.. Let me tell you about my very first 3 trips down the drag strip...

No, wait, I'd rather not relive that.... There was nearly a 2 second improvement between the very 1st run and the 3rd run.

Maybe the next 3 times down the strip, a year later? Na, not that one either...

The 3rd year? Yea! I beat some one, 2 out of 3 runs, barely. We were both slow. But there is something about running side by side with someone else.

My life long drag racing experience has been 12 runs. I did have fun, but coming from a dirt track background, drag racing was too short of seat time.

 

Yea, the seat time is short but the butterflies are huge! I still get so shaky I feel like I’m going to rattle apart!

 

Old buddy that sent me home.

 

Congratulations buddy on what I see as a very successful day at the track. You had a great time and didn't break it. In my eyes YOU WIN! I will be drinking a beer later in celebration.

 

Dirt track you say? Ever run in with Jack Boggs or Charlie Swartz?

 

Not unless they raced in the hobby stock class at the Freeport IL oval dirt track around 30 years ago.

I was not big time anything, but the "heat" races were 10 laps, and the feature was 25 laps, on the 1/2 mile track. Unless you crashed out, it was at least 10-15 minutes real seat time each night. That track was 2 almost 1/4 mile straights with a U turn on each end. Us slow guys were running in the 28 second lap times, with anywhere from 6 to 20 + cars racing at the same time. Picture 6 cars lined up together in 3 rows of two cars together in a heat race. All start with a parade lap and come off a 40 mph speed in the turns, get a green flat then its wide open to 100 mph down the straights before slowing down to 40 for the next turn, then wide open until you slowed down for the next turn, then start all over again for 10 times, not counting restarts if someone crashed. In the feature, you got everyone in your class that still ran, all together the do 25 more laps.

Could be hard on the car sometimes, but it sure makes sitting at a light waiting for a green light, mash the gas pedal, bang a few gears, then stop and park until the next time you get a chance to run again, seem a bit unexciting.

 

They were both late model. Black Jack Boggs raced for a living, also had a machine shop here back before he was murdered. Charlie invented the wedge design. Got thrown out of the world 100 when he showed up with the first one. I worked for him in his fab shop in the evening. His dad started Swartz chassis.

 

I've heard said you can make a small fortune drag racing.

 

It was aggravating dealing with my woes, but it'll get worked out. I'm gonna address the ignition system this week, and if that doesn't fix the issue, I'll move to the carburetor. But I am gonna go back to the purple spring in the carb for sure. If it boils down to the carburetor, I've got another 600 i can try.

 

Only if you start with a large fortune lol

 

Man Lloyd I was suggesting things thinking you are a new guy to drag racing! I didn't know you had prior racing experience. Sorry. Lippy

 

And I thought you were somewhere around 30 years old or something. Must be your sunny disposition.

"Close to retirement."

Oh... LOL.

 

Used to be every weekend! Lol... but that was a long time ago man. On a positive note, every Friday is test and tune here by the house. Even momma told me to relax, she put those time slips in my little tool box that I carry around, and said we'll pull em out and compare them once I get my other engine in the car. She's cool as hell and supports me in every way. She said she's gonna get some go go boots and be my back up girl, but not until the car runs a respectable time, she doesn't wanna be embarrassed

 

I can retire next year, but I can only draw 58%, so.....

 

Having a wife that has your back is the best thing in life. It just doesn't get any better then that.

I feel sorry for the guys that have never had that experience.

On the retirement thing, don't work at a job up until you die. When your wife can retire, join her. Spend the time you used to put in on the job with her. When you quit chasing the all mighty dollar, life gets better.

 

Names I haven't heard in a while. Remember Charlie's mid engine car?

 

Yes sir. I had a book that he gave me, called the life and cars of Charlie swartz. Had his stint in the world of outlaws in it too. I was fortunate enough to know his dad also. Lot of knowledge in those guys, including little Audie.

 

Being married 35 years that made me laugh .... Get your shit together I will dress up for you!

I just love it, you went out had fun. It is these memories we will sit back & enjoy as we get older & can no longer create them ......

 

I've been married to my 'trophy wife' for 40 years now, we're ready to put my '54 Ford coupe together for some strip time. (Famous Eagle Field is 20+ miles from us, and the fresh 406 is just 'nice'. Not tame, just...nice)
Miss ol' Memory Lane...It was just 1/4 mile long...

 

That is fantastic! Tell Miss Ashley to watch some Jungle Pam video's, That is how it is done.

 

Where you from, Lloyd? I thought Charlie was a Portsmouth area native? I sure miss those big body Late Model days, wanna go to The Hillbilly 100 again!

 

Lloyd, is it all 8th mile strips you'll race on?

 

I'm from grayson, Charlie was, i guess what you'd call west portsmouth. He hung around Steve Wagoner's garage when I was a teenager, that's where I met him. He wound up with Jack Boggs old race shop and started building hot rods there, that's when I was working for him. Now he's got his grandson in the dirt track world lol. I was friends with his father in law, Dave Bailey before he passed away.

 

That's what I have at home. 1/4 mile is in clay city, about 30 minutes away

 

Just want you to know that you are a bad influence. Just spent a couple hours at the local drag strip today.

Actually, my son is the bad influence. I just went along.