Well sports fans, it's that time again. Time to watch an old geezer that shoehorns his way into a time capsule and burns up fossil fuels in the interests of fun. (Who writes this crap?) Friday the 13th October I saddled up for the 5 1/2 hour drive to Heathcote in Victoria, Australia for the Nostalgia Nationals put on by the Australian Nostalgia Dragracing Club held on the 14th. No big dramas on the way apart from my GPS sending me into the Puckapunyal army base. Try explaining to gatekeeper guard why you want to slip through the boom gate with a trailer load of vintage equipment. He was okay and after getting me turned around I was on the right path to Heathcote arriving around 6.30pm. After a few beers around the campfire talking dribble it was off to bed in the form of the front seat of my ute. (I sold my enclosed trailer a few months back and reverted to a single axle open trailer to save on towing costs so didn't have a bed). Entrant numbers were down for multiple reasons which was unfortunate but as I'd already entered in the Hotrod bracket we had a field of 4. There would've been 5 but one bloke on his way to the event had a screw drop out of the base of a carby and damage a piston. My first qualifying run was a 13.85 with a reaction of .009 so I was fairly happy with that. Next one was 13.90 and third was 14.011 with reaction of .046. First race run was a win with my opponent redlighting. 14.003 on a dial of 13.85. (Forgot to turn my camera on). Weather had changed slightly so everyone was running slower. Second race my opponent redlit as well. (I think I get under their skin). 14.004 on a revised dial of 13.95. No, I don't back off because they've handed me the win. Third race I left my dial at 13.95 and ran a 14.004 because I backed off slightly on the line because I could hear him freight training up behind me. He broke out so that gave me 3 wins and into the final I went. Stay tuned , more tomorrow.
So into the final I went. At the start of the day I didn't give myself a chance of a win let alone being in the final so I was chuffed. Kept my dial at 13.95, up against the Hemi powered pickup. Reaction time of .197 (scared of redlighting) and did a 14.043 for the win because he broke out. The old geezer does it again. 5 1/2 hour drive home and in bed by 12.30am. Thanks for staying awake and see you next time.
The Jalopy Journal
