Drag Week canceled...

[cjshaker]

I just got a notification on my phone that Drag Week has been canceled for 2020. I'm expecting to get a notification any day now that 2020 has been canceled.

[turbohunter]

Gas fumes carry Covid

[AlanCasida]

I knew I should have went on RMRW this year. This really stinks. 

[cjshaker]

I knew I should have went on RMRW this year. This really stinks. 

Yeah, I forgot you gave up RMRW for Drag Week, Alan. That does stink.

I have mixed feelings about it for me, personally. I just recently found water in the oil of my Mach, and the lifters in the 390 in my truck have been giving me fits, so I think the lifters and possibly the cam will have to be switched (reaffirming my hatred for hydraulics ), and with the way this year has been a total #@^*show for me anyway, there's no way I would have had time to deal with both, which means at best I would have had to have driven the Mach TO the event...IF I find that it's not a split cylinder wall. Not exactly a scenario that I was keen on.

I could use the 7 vacation days that I had scheduled and go on a long distance bike trip, but when almost everyplace is requiring masks and/or shut down, I'm not so sure that's even an option. Maybe I'll just make my own path someplace. I have the means...lol

[jayb]

I kind of suspected they would do this, in light of the bump up in the Covid cases.  Probably the FERR will get canceled too.  Fortunately, I've got a ton of stuff to do at home...

[BattlestarGalactic]

If things go south with racing.....the wagon will see the street!  Got plates, just need some kind of mufflers.  Especially since I put a shorter oil pan on it and wont have fo worry about clipping any sewer lids.

[Drew Pojedinec]

Now I don’t need to find another excuse to self isolate

[Falcon67]

Just saw the newsletter come in with cancellation of both Drag Week and the Power Tour. 

We are still racing as outdoor sporting event are "exempt" per the Governors orders.  It'll be 100+ this weekend, so yea - outside, any virus won't live long especially on any sun exposed surface.  But there's still an issue with people not following recommendations.  More people here are doing better now because up until this month it's been pretty much 6 here, 8 there, ain't no big thang.  In the last two weeks BANG we're at 25% total hospital capacity and climbing fast.  We ran a plot yesterday in Excel using the figures from the county - looks like a jet pulling out of a missing man formation.  From level flight to nearly straight up.

Already been in one lockdown thanks to an extended family member.  No positive test, but it'll happen again based on how they approach things. 

>I could use the 7 vacation days that I had scheduled and go on a long distance bike trip, but when almost everyplace is requiring masks and/or shut down, I'm not so sure that's even an option.

My wife and I both have close to 250 hr vacation and take a day or two a month to keep from losing at the 250 limit.  I've easy lost 80 hours this year.  But - nowhere to go.  We could take the trailer as an RV, but then do what.   

[JamesonRacing]

My employer removed the vacation cap for this year, so my vacation time just passed 330 hrs.  Hopefully can use it next year.

[Nightmist66]

Got the email this morning. And I thought I would ACTUALLY make it this year with FE power. 

I just recently found water in the oil of my Mach, and the lifters in the 390 in my truck have been giving me fits, so I think the lifters and possibly the cam will have to be switched (reaffirming my hatred for hydraulics )

That's too bad, Doug. Hopefully just an intake gasket. I ditched those stupid hydraulics, too. They're as bad as those automatic thingamabob doohickeys.

If things go south with racing.....the wagon will see the street!

Atta boy, Larry! 

[AlanCasida]

I saw where they also cancelled the Power Tour which I thought was kind of odd since you don't really need them to go on a cross country tour. If I were in that and still had my motels booked I'd probably still go. 

[Rory428]

According to the facebook page, it appears that Beaver Springs is running a fairly normal race schedule, so if that continues, maybe the FERR will happen, assuming enough out of state participants can attend. Looks like the closed borders will keep any Canadians from attending. Our local dragstrip has only had a few "private" test sessions, with 15 cars limit, no spectators allowed. All this years "Street Legal" Friday night events have been cancelled for 2020. Our Super Shifter group will be our first event this weekend, but each car is only allowed 1 crew member, there will be no spectators allowed, and the concession stand will be closed. We normally have several American racers that run with us, but not this year. Its gonna be kinda odd I imagine, but better than nothing I guess. At least I should be able to keep the "streak" going, racing continuously every year since 1974. The "no spectator" rule seems a bit unnecessary, even if any spectators were to sit at least 6 feet apart, and left every other row of bleachers empty, I would think at least 200 spectators could easily fit. Same with the crew restriction, for a regular race, there is plenty of pit space for "social distancing". I know some tracks have elected to not even try opening this year. What are some of your guys tracks doing for this year ?

[BattlestarGalactic]

Dang Doug, sorry to hear about your water.  Hope it is a simple fix.   Umm, unlike what I went through last year!!

Rory, here in Ohio, everything seems to be running somewhat "normal".   They are trying to limit things slightly, but no massive shut downs at the track.  At Quaker City the other week and the stands were open but people were distancing themselves.   At Magnolia this coming weekend the stands are closed, but they aren't that big to begin with.  I don't know about the concessions at Quaker, but I know Mag will be closed.

Yes, Norwalk closed up for the year.  He doesn't rely on weekend bracket racing.  He makes his big money at events and all those events closed up, so Bill Bader Jr. shut it all down.

I'm on my 25th straight season myself.

[The Real McCoy]

Regarding the FE Reunion, my daughter lives in Pennsylvania and she is hearing there may be a new state mandate coming that would put a limit of 250 people for outdoor gatherings.  Seems it would affect the FE Reunion, hope not.

[cjshaker]

Dang Doug, sorry to hear about your water.  Hope it is a simple fix.   Umm, unlike what I went through last year!!

Yeah, hoping it's something simple like an intake or head gasket, and not a split cylinder. I only had the chance to take it for 2 short 6 mile drives this year, just to keep everything lubricated, get some fresh gas in the carbs and make sure it was running okay, which it was. No odd signs on the oil pressure gauge while I had it out. It has a very minor drip from the pan plug and I was walking by it a couple weeks ago when I noticed that the oil spot under the plug (about the size of a quarter) had a bit of a milky look to it. I knew right away that wasn't good, so I checked the radiator and sure enough, it was down about an inch. I was hoping to get one more Drag Week and Reunion on the engine this year before replacing it with the new engine, then I had planned on tearing it down and giving it a refresh.

I ordered a small bore-scope so I can take a look around inside the cylinders, and I'll do a pressure test using the scope to check cylinders and inside the lifter valley and intake tracts before yanking it out and tearing it apart. I guess the timing isn't so bad since I won't be doing any racing this year. Trying to keep a positive spin on it...lol