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FE Power Forums => The Road to Drag Week 2014 => Topic started by: thatdarncat on September 23, 2014, 09:20:04 PM

Title: Trunk full of Monkeys tour 2014 - Final chapter
Post by: thatdarncat on September 23, 2014, 09:20:04 PM
I'll give a wrap-up of the experience and a couple more pictures. Friday we awoke to light rain. We weren't scheduled to run until the afternoon, but the rain delay went until the evening. We went to the track and had a chance to walk around some between the drizzle. They did get the track dry and gave the Daily Driver class 1 1/2 hours to make time runs starting at 8pm. Joel had wired his air fuel meter to his rearview mirror to watch down track and his run did show the car was running very lean. When he returned we did a quick jet change and Joel headed up for another pass before they closed the staging lanes, unfortunatly something happened on the run and he didn't get a time. He felt the car ran a little better and the air fuel ratio was a little better, but we'll never know. Joel had gone into Dragweek knowing he most likely wouldn't get into the Quick 32 Daily Drivers that would run off for the winner, and he wound up middle of the pack. The 5 rounds of the Quick 32 were run very fast and it ended up having a storybook ending, with the winner running the car of the gentleman that passed away during Dragweek the year before. Saturday had perfect weather and was dedicated to the Class cars and the Shoot-out in the afternoon. Plenty of drama in Unlimited during the time runs. The Shoot-out was an all run event open to anyone who finished Dragweek. Larry Larson made his record run during the first round of the Shoot-out so it didn't count for his weekly average. There were a few upsets during the Shoot-out, the Unlimited cars didn't run away with it. And some like Larry Larson that had won their round elected not to come back, or didn't have time since it was run pretty much round robin. By the end of the week you start to get a little punchy, as you can see by this picture at a checkpoint
(http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/red0wl/DWad1.jpg) (http://s1235.photobucket.com/user/red0wl/media/DWad1.jpg.html)

And here's a cool shot at another checkpoint

(http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/red0wl/DWaddl3.jpg) (http://s1235.photobucket.com/user/red0wl/media/DWaddl3.jpg.html)

Anyone want to wire an Unlimited car?

(http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/red0wl/DWFS7.jpg) (http://s1235.photobucket.com/user/red0wl/media/DWFS7.jpg.html)

Here's a cool matchup on the final day

(http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/red0wl/DWFS4.jpg) (http://s1235.photobucket.com/user/red0wl/media/DWFS4.jpg.html)

Time to check the "Beer" box

(http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/red0wl/DWFS5.jpg) (http://s1235.photobucket.com/user/red0wl/media/DWFS5.jpg.html)

We stayed for the awards ceremony Saturday night and spent the night in Tulsa heading home the next day with no issues on the drive home. All in all we had a great time. Joel is stoked to get his '31 Plymouth coupe done for next year. Of course we would all have loved to see Jay running for a class win all week. I have to thank Joel for letting me ride along. Dragweek is best done with a co-pilot to help with checkpoint directions and another pair of eyes on the road. You are pretty much guaranteed to get to know your fellow gearheads during the week as well, relying on them for help as needed. We had a breakdown and Joel was able to get it fixed so it feels like we earned our Dragweek stripes. Anyone thinking of entering I'd say go for it. The slowest car during the week was a 21+ second VW, any FE ( or FT ) powered vehicle should be able to better that. The guys running the stock car lookin' Galaxie had smiles on their faces all week. Looking forward to next year, thanks for following along - Kevin
Title: Re: Trunk full of Monkeys tour 2014 - Final chapter
Post by: thatdarncat on September 23, 2014, 09:50:43 PM
Just a couple more pictures I wanted to include. A shot looking down track at Great Bend just before the start of racing

(http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/red0wl/DWth2.jpg) (http://s1235.photobucket.com/user/red0wl/media/DWth2.jpg.html)

And Mike getting interviewed by Finnegan I believe for Road Kill. A star is born

(http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff437/red0wl/DWth4.jpg) (http://s1235.photobucket.com/user/red0wl/media/DWth4.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Trunk full of Monkeys tour 2014 - Final chapter
Post by: Qikbbstang on September 26, 2014, 07:09:06 AM
Thanks for the great insider reporting job and posting pics
Title: Re: Trunk full of Monkeys tour 2014 - Final chapter
Post by: Hemi Joel on October 01, 2014, 02:52:39 PM
Kevin,
 thanks for the reports on our Drag Week adventure. It was a pleasure having you along as a Trunk Monkey in Training. I definitely learned a lot about NHRA drag racing by listening to you during the week. Thanks for all the help!
 Participating in the 10th anniversary Drag Week was a lot of fun and I feel like finishing without major drama was a worthwhile accomplishment .Meeting up with guys I only see at Drag Week, watching DW records fall, seeing all the cool and creative cars, that's a big part of the event, and something I think about all year.  It was sure not the same as usual without the Professor of FEology there, bummer about his busted rod.
It was especially nice to see my old F.A.S.T. racing buddy Dave Dudek there. Hopefully he gets hooked on Drag Week.

I know, the Olds isn't a FE, and it is just a 13 second street cruiser, but it was fun, challenging and a good start. Having never run the car down the 1/4 mile before, I had no idea what to expect. The first pass of 14.57 @ 98mph gave me a goal: 13's! There's more in it for sure, just by jetting and tuning, and driving technique.  I never did plan to turn it into a race car, and thus it is not set up properly, and never will be.

 I need to Thank Carl, who picked me up along side the road when my shift rod broke and drove me to a muffler  shop for a temporary weld, and also my friend Steve Hodges who let me use his hoist and  his buddy who is an artist with a tig welder who got the rod re-enforced and properly welded.
Next year I will show up with some more serious hardware.

Here is Kevin cleaning the bugs off the windshield, with Brian Kohlmans awesome Hemi Coupe in the background:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/hemicoupeatgasstation_zps18e8e399.jpg)

Here is Kevin filling up a tire, getting the Rokket ready for the highway:

(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/kevinattire_zpsafec3e43.jpg)


Yours Truly,
The Artist Formerly know as Trunk Monkey
Title: Re: Trunk full of Monkeys tour 2014 - Final chapter
Post by: Hemi Joel on October 01, 2014, 02:54:59 PM
BTW, the olds has a story: http://www.bangshift.com/forum/forum/bangshift/project-cars-update/24948-67-olds-442-convert-getting-woke-up-after-23-year-hibernation-update


(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/old/442onhook.jpg)


(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/old/442camperpuller1986.jpg)
Title: Re: Trunk full of Monkeys tour 2014 - Final chapter
Post by: TomP on October 29, 2014, 09:18:44 PM
Took me almost a month but i've read that whole Bangshift story. Wow, that explains it all very well. The old pictures are very cool.