Hey again,Robbie!

 

Robbie! How've you been? Hope your holidays were good!

I found a site a few years back that you could turn yourself into a SouthPark tpye character...scary similarity!!

Thanks,Robbie. How the heck are you?

HI Rob,
I've been pondering your experience on the track, and would like to offer a couple of possible scenarios to help you understand what may have happened with your ET's. First, knocking off over half a second in three runs on your first time out, is terrific. But, while it may seem you didn't have as much tire spin on your third run, you may actually have had more. That would help explain the slower reaction time, but better ET. The clocks don't start until you move OUT of them. Remember, there are more variables with street cars than dedicated racecars. Variables will kill you on race day. With my drag bike, I started string red lights together like I had a cop car with me. You see this a lot with Pro Stock Bikes. All of a sudden, everyone is red lighting. I removed the drag racing front tire I had, and replaced it with a taller side wall road racing tire. NHRA requires PSB to use a "staging disc" type wheel, a wheel designed to stick up into the staging beams. Wrong way to go here. Need more "roll-out" with the tire. If you look closely at Top Fuel cars and Funny Cars, the front wheels are staggered for roll-out. You'll also notice that Stock and S/S cars run large front tires. Roll-out. "Super" class guys go for a smaller sidewall, because they all want the tire to "jump" out of the staging beam. My neighbor has a Super Gas car, and a couple of the his friends are Pro Sportsman racers (Dan Fletcher Comp #! and Billy Leber, S/S #3), and I've learned a lot. If you can keep posting .020/.030 reaction times, you'll do pretty well or the most part. Remember, you don't have to knock the tree over, just be on time. Good luck, Rob.

That's great,Robbie! Hope you do well. Good heraing from you and have a great Fourth!

LOL, I hate to tell you this, but I started of "small" too. The next thing I knew, I was up to a faster car, then faster, then added bikes, then faster bikes. Then I started going to national events, just to try my skills against all those I'd read about. Then I set a couple of National Records, and by now, the hook is set. I wish I could do drag racing through my veins. Just remember, the best way to make a little money at drag racing, is to start with a lot. If I can answer any questions, or help at all, please let me know. I recall what it's like to be the "new kid". Thanks for joining my group of friends, Robbie, it's a pleasure knowing you.

Hi Ron, just wanted to thank you for your comment on my blog. I'm glad that you've joined the world of drag racing. As you now know, you can race anything, no matter what. I started racing when I was 16, and now I'm 59, so you can imagine what I've seen in my time. I'm becoming more and more disenchanted with the emphasis on reaction times. I don't think they really measure driving skill, as much as the vehicles ability to move. My neighbor has a Super Gas car, and he's the nephew of the former driver of "The Motown Missile", Dick Oldfield. Needless to say, Dick is "old school" and has probably forgotten more about drag racing than I'll ever know. He, like so many of us, would love to see the abolishment of all the electronics on the cars. Who wants to watch all the cars "stutter" down the track? I hope you'll continue to race your Mustang, or whatever suites you. Like I've always said, "Drag racing is the most fun I ever had with my clothes on". Also, I love all the pictures you have posted, bring back so many fond memories.

Would you like tour of Yates engine shop ?
e-mail me if you do.