I Won! I Won! I Won!

Daytona · 10-02-2006, 07:58 AM

This past weekend at RP was the The NHRA Xplōd Sport Compact Racing Series "NHRA Sport Compact Fall Nationals" sponsored by Toyo Tires. Unlike the other big sport compact and import races there that are only sanctioned by NHRA, this one was actually RUN by them just like their regular Divisional races and National events. ESPN2 was even there filming it for later broadcast.

As usual, I ran my 100% stock Mitsubishi-engined Daytona in the B-1 bracket class (15.00 seconds and slower). Heavy rains in the morning caused a 2-hour delayed gate opening and extra drying time of the track. Then, unlike normal race days, they brough out the fastest pro classes first onto the cold track and worked their way back to the slower classes. Usually they build up the rubber by going slowest to fastest but not this time. My class didn't even get our 1st (and only) time shot until 5:30pm!!! Then after another 90-minute wait, it was Round Robin through to the Final Round. I ran the last 4 rounds all within 25 minutes of each other. And I definitely didn't even have time to cool the car down in between the later rounds. Earning the only bye run was great (for best RT 1st round) because it coincided with the semis and leaped me directly into the Finals.

As usual at these events, the field was packed with regular points racers so it was no picnic. There was even a points guy from Cecil and Atco running in our class. I took out fellow points racer Eddie Mockovack 1st round, though we all tried to avoid running each other 1st round as a sign of respect for our fellow points racers. There was a ladder beginning 2nd round so all future match-ups were unavoidable.

Apart from a glitch 2nd round (which ended up not mattering), my car ran dead on the number all evening. Ran within .01 seconds of my time shot all night (except 2nd round, obviously).

In the Finals I faced Ryan Rodriguez who had beaten me in the Finals of the Spring SportCompact race. He had just beaten another tough points guy Pat Glade in the Semis. This time I won our match-up on a very tight race from the lights to the finish with me barely eeking out the win on a double-breakout (-0.001 seconds for me to Ryan's -0.027).

I got my picture taken in the winner's circle with my car & someone from NHRA for National Dragster magazine and the local Raceway News newspaper. And, being it was an NHRA-run event I also won a "Wally", the same trophy they hand out to National Event winners!!!

See photo here of some Wally's held by the 2003 overall points champions of NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series – George Ioannou, Nelson Hoyos, Cesar Febus, Marty Ladwig, and Scott Mohler (NHRA's Wally Parks in the suit): http://www.urbanracer.com/gallery/ar...rds/splash.jpg

The trophy's heavy - probably 5-8 pounds. And big! SWEET!!!!! It and my Event Winner hat are now sitting above my TV in my living room. I also received 2 Event Winner stickers and a gold RP Eliminator sticker for my car. Signed some forms to get extra contingency $$$ from sponsors, including Summit, for using their products and having their stickers on my car, though I don't know how much they'll be paying me. Too bad I switched from Goodyear's to Firestones a few years back and Dodge backed out 2 years ago from contingency payouts or else I'd be raking in even more bonus money!

To cap it all off, I got $250 in cash from the track! It was supposed to be $500, but the rain delays caused NHRA to cap the number of vehicles racing so they cut all the payouts in half as well.

WOOHOO!!!!!! I am SO freakin' pyched! I started calling everyone in my cell phone list on the way home, including Redog - most of whom, including Ken, didn't answer. But that's okay. It doesn't take away from the fact that I am now an NHRA SportCompact National Event winner!!!!!

jackal2000 · 10-02-2006, 08:01 AM

damn dude, CONGRATS!!!

BlackJack · 10-02-2006, 09:46 AM

red hot man.....that gets me thinking.......15 seconds and slower....I'm bringing my Razor scooter to the track. Do I have to wear a helmet?

jackal2000 · 10-02-2006, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackJack

red hot man.....that gets me thinking.......15 seconds and slower....I'm bringing my Razor scooter to the track. Do I have to wear a helmet?

yes, and elbow and knee pads

SweetNLow · 10-02-2006, 09:52 AM

thats awsome that you won a wally....... congrats

Redog · 10-02-2006, 11:04 AM

Dude that's cool!! I was thinking about going to that but the fund sistuaion is low and even more so since the Delta is at teh shop.

I'm def taking the ALero to the import day on Oct 22nd, maybe I'll see you there.

I would have answered if you called my house, the cell doesn't work inside the house

Oldsman · 10-02-2006, 11:04 AM

congrats on the wally dood

jturkey69 · 10-02-2006, 12:46 PM

Congrats!!!

Daytona · 10-02-2006, 12:56 PM

Thanks, all! I'm still in "overly happy" mode right now. Noticed they didn't include the Bracket class winners in the main article on the front page of the series website: http://www.nhrasportcompact.com/ but that's okay. I'm still a National Event winner, the money's still mine, and the trophy's staying in my home.

battistoni21 · 10-02-2006, 01:07 PM

thats awsome dude, congrats!

Redog · 10-02-2006, 01:23 PM

That's why I wanted to go, the dyno challage

Dood congrats again

Daytona · 10-02-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redog

That's why I wanted to go, the dyno challage

Dood congrats again

The free dyno challenge got booked up fast. I went over at 1:30pm only to find out that they had closed out the entries (gates opened at 10:15 and took most of us an hour to get into the pits). After the winners were announced at 3pm they opened the dyno back up but all pulls then cost you. $30 for 3 hp pulls, $40 for 3 hp & torque, and $50 for 3 hp, torque, & air/fuel mixture. (or maybe it was $20, $40, $60 - I forget). I know that's really cheap compared to what shops normally charge you but I didn't want to hassle, especially since I was afraid of screwing anything up on the car before time shots. One of the girls I raced said they blew her motor on a dyno comp pull one year and wouldn't reimburse her for repairs. Didn't think my all-stock motor would tank but figured I'd leave well enough alone. If I was able to get some free pulls then maybe but didn't feel like handing them the last of my cash from my pocket (not knowing for sure if I was going to win it all back later).

Daytona · 10-06-2006, 01:45 PM

They finally posted pics of the race on UrbanRacer.com. Here's 2 of me in the winner's circle:

And here's a few of the bikini contest. Would show you more but with the dental floss some of the girls were wearing, the pics would not be office-safe, nor Aleormod-safe (knowing all the leg-humpers we have here). It was $1,500 or $2,500 to win (I forget which) so they were going all out for the money.

Coldfire · 10-06-2006, 02:26 PM

Congratulations

jturkey69 · 10-07-2006, 12:18 AM

what do you mean by all out for the money...lol

BlackJack · 10-07-2006, 01:10 AM

I think he explained that with "not office safe"

Redog · 10-07-2006, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jturkey69

what do you mean by all out for the money...lol

Just means "Which girl gonna give the best S&F"

I watched those contests at E-Town before and every one of those girls are skanks. I wouldn't touch them with a 12 foot pole, let alone anything else

steve-o · 10-16-2006, 02:12 PM

looks like a fun time, congrats