Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...een2011080.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...een2011081.jpg

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Quite a few "Dude looks a lady" images.

Isn't there a code about not taking pictures in Vegas and posting on the internet for your children to see?

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

They would give another meaning to drag racing if you could get them lined up for a sprint!

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Well we have been to the Sema show at the Convention Center. What a zoo! And way too much walking! And wow, has it gotten windy here again~

When we got back here, they were making you enter the divisional in order to get in the gate. It is so windy, we are waiting til tomorrow to make a decision about the Gamblers race. It is a head wind and it would be really bad if the car got up and the wind caught it!

We still don't understand why everyone else gets 2 runs before we get our 1st run?????

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

With over night lows around 40. S/SS running later in the day might work out pretty good.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Every year I go to Vegas to play in a pool tournament and from looking at your pictures I'd say every night is Halloween ! I see you found Fremont St. and it's always strange there.

Good luck and have fun!

JimR

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Well the Gamblers Race has been cancelled for today. It is cold and windy and they have decided to postpone it until tomorrow to run in conjunction with the test and tune. Larry went up to get his money back and will wait and decide tomorrow whether he will race then. This has been the most disorganized thing that I have seen lately!

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

This is Div 7 at their finest with a Div director that is so biased towards the Stupid cars he penalizes the real performance orientrated classes.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

That would be a sight to see...NOT!!!

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

We were invited to the HRIA reception tonight at the Sema show by John McLeod of Classic Instruments. John is a A/SA racer from Michigan who drives a Drag Pak Challenger. He won the Sema best new product award. It is called the Sky-Drive and has to do with GPS and the speedometer. We are very proud of John and enjoyed celebrating with him along with Keith and Tonya Lynch. Here is a picture of him (on the left) with his guys and the trophy.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...1/sema/043.jpg

Well tomorrow is test n tune day and the Gamblers race. The wind has died down some and it is going to be pretty cold tonight.

More tomorrow.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

It is bright and sunny here today. Wind is not nearly as bad. They are running test n tune and the gamblers race. Nothing much happening here for us today. Larry had entered the gamblers race yesterday, but got all his money back when they cancelled it. There were not but about 30 cars yesterday and I think there are less today. We decided not to enter today. We had to return our rental car today, so we are here for the duration.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

No other pics lately??? I'm leaving tonite after work, I will see you guys in the morning.

PS. This day is draaaaaaaging, 4:30 can't get here fast enough

Rick

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

There is not a thing to do in the morning Rick, except tech

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I'm sure I can find something to do while I'm there....... watch the planes @ Nellis and socialize, watch friends race, set up the pit, watch the planes @ Nellis, socialize, clean the car, watch the planes, clean the trailer, socialize, watch the planes......

Rick

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

There will be plenty of time for that on Saturday!

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Here are some very unofficial results from round 1 of the combo race:

Zavala over Gilley (redlight)
Etter over Zane
Faul over Biondo
Loge over Gay
Gaynor over L. DeForrest
J. DeForrest over Setters
Markkanen over Plourd
Santangelo over Hidalgo (redlight)
Stein over T. Lang
Mandella over Roddell
Wann over Fletcher (redlight)
Glenn over Cairo

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Here are pics from the stands of round 1:

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace001.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace002.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace003.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace005.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace004.jpg

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace006.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace007.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace008.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace009.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace010.jpg

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace011.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace012.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace013.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace015.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ersrace016.jpg

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

What is the main reason for the poor turnout in the combo race?

Wasn't there something like a $10,000 purse IF there were 64 cars?

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

I left today and forgot to check the schedule. Are there any changes?

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

LAS VEGAS - The sixth 2011 Division 7 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV

Today's activities will feature initial rounds of qualifying and time trials for all Sportsman competitors.

The first round of qualifying for the Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car categories is planned for 3:00PM this afternoon. They will be followed by the first of four qualifying sessions for the Nitro Harley Motor Cycles.


Weather prediction for today :

Mostly sunny early then increasing cloudiness later in the day. Slight chance of an afternoon shower. High 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.

Friday's Planned Run Schedule



8:00 AM Super Street T-1
Super Comp T-1
Super Gas T-1
10:30 AM Top Dragster Q-1
Competition Q-1
Top Sportsman Q-1
Super Street T-2
Super Comp T-2
Super Gas T-2
3:00 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Q-1
Top Alcohol Funny Car Q-1
Nitro Harley Q-1
Super Stock Q-1
5:00 PM Top Dragster Q-2
Competition Q-2
Top Sportsman Q-2
Stock Q-1
Nitro Harley Q-2
8:00 PM Secure

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Any more news? Anyone?

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just read on facebook that Ken Etter had bye into the final.

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Santangelo over Etter.


-Toby

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Kevin and I have arrived 120 miles north of Dallas, and figure we will be home before stock gets a time trial. After the Wed race was cancelled, the points race starts probably much later than the5 pm, more like 8 or 9 for stock, we pulled the plug on a really bad weekend. When I was getting my refund for the cars, was asked if we were staying, and I said I had not come 1750 miles to race at night. Seems if you have a throttle stop, you get premium times to run out west. Some stock cars are running 9.50s @ 140 plus on 9 in tires, so we get the cold track. We were looking at the weather forcast and the wind had some issues either today or tomorrow. Anyway Ain't comin back. Lot's of rumors, we will see what is true and what is fiction. More later.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

...In Anthony's 69 Camaro Stocker...Never drove it before...

Good one, Joey ....Payin' for the trip!

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I had him at the tree 024 to 044 but he did a better job at the stripe. My 559 on a 57 to his 797 on a 78. Good job!

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Jeff, the reason I heard for the schedule change (it's pretty much the same as last year) is because Super Comp and Super Gas have been running late into the night at this race for years. This is Vegas and they want to take themselves their families out on the town. They felt they shouldn't have to run late at night every year.

Don't know how true this is, but it makes sense.


-Toby

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

As we were getting dressed for dinner, it was in the 2nd round:

Faul over Stein
Etter over Loge
Wann over Mandella
Gaynor over J. DeForrest
Santangelo over Markkanen
Glenn over Mandella

And you know the final results.

They were taking forever, so we had dinner reservations at Nora's, so we didn't see the rest. BTW Nora's was excellent. Thanks for the suggestion!

Tomorrow the schedule has changed a bit. Super Stock runs before Alcohol. Then Nitro Harley, then Stock. A couple of other classes run after us.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

The reason I did not run the combo is no track prepp, The track had only one person besides the starter . The $100. to test was cheaper than the combo race and as it was I spun on both of my test runs, for the very first time after coming here for the national event, test session, and now the pts race .

The schedule for the Points meet for the Stock and Super Stock racers is an insult and most likely the track may or may not prepp the track like it should .
while I am at it the way the sportman were left hanging to get in the track before the national event was a major insult to us . I will have a post on what happened , It was a mess and kinda of reminds me of the race in Chandler a few years ago year and now no one goes to that track , in fact because of the schedule of the points meet this weekend some racers are going home>> Posts to follow after the race

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Don, I think this sums it up very well.

Eric Voigt
Enjoying my Corvettes and others and miss racing for now.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

A schedule is just a preliminary plan.

If there is a drag race,you can almost guarantee there will be changes to it.

The first is due to rain.Whenever there is a drag race,ANYWHERE,it typically is accompanied by rain.

Also,whenever there are Alcohol cars and Top Dragster,there will be major oil downs.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Quote from Jeff Burk at Drag Racing online: Just Wondering… Since both Rockingham Dragway owner/operator Steve Earwood and professional bracket racer Jok Nicholson have come over to the Burkster’s point of view, agreeing that it has simply become too expensive to prep all tracks to NHRA national event levels, and since traction compound is approaching $1,000 a barrel, will local promoters and the NHRA cut the cost of labor and material to prep their tracks in 2012? The answer is absolutely! They won’t publicly say so, but cutting operating costs is going to be the number-one project of all track operators and sanctioning bodies for the foreseeable future. All racers had better start remembering how they used to get their cars down tracks that weren’t super-glued from the starting line to the finish line.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Everyone knows that for fair treatment some catagory has to be last. Why most catagorys get two runs before we, s/ss, get one is dificult to understand. If its because of a cold track and the .90 cars crash they need to follow the advice we, s/ss, have always been given: "The track is fine, you need to work on your car"

No one wants to see any loss of equipment or anyone hurt.

If stock is last this year, then next year it should be next to last or first. It would great next year if everyone got one run before before the second run was given.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

I think the $350 bill might've kept a few away also.

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I will pay more taxes IF it goes to defict reduction....(it won't)

I will gladly pay another 15-25 bucks entry IF it goes for decent track prep

35 Stockers + 35 SS (X $20) = $1400, a better deal than wasting $500-$1000 + for towing/motel/food/entry only to spin

It can't be done thru NHRA, they would waste the extra revenue while paying lip service to the racers....it possibly could be done by a S SS class rep approaching the upcoming LODRS track operator, and agreeing to slip him an envelope for correct chemicals and correct application

Sadly, there would be some racers opting out, and others (Comp-Super Categories) should be involved...but it seems only the S SS group is impacted more so by our chassis rules and tire limitations...so it would fall to us

Alex Denysenko said it years ago: "if you need an extra 5 bucks to insure hook, tell us"

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Well it is another nice day here in Vegas, at least for the moment. There is a possibility of rain in the middle of the day today. The high today is 63 and it is windy. Looks like it has turned into a tail wind today. Even with the rain coming, all the super categories still get 2 runs before we get 1. The schedule that is posted on Drag Race Central is incorrect according to the one posted on the trailer at the end of the track. That one has super stock before Alcohol and Nitro Harley and then Stock. Round 2 of Comp, TD, and TS is then after us.

More later.

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Hey, Patsy, why don't you or Larry go ask Mike Rice why the super classes get two runs before we get one run? Seems like a legitimate question to me.


-Toby

Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 

Here are some random photos that Sal Biondo sent me from last nights combo race and some from toady. Sal is driving John Edwards car in comp this weekend.

The first photo is Pete Bindo helping Joe Santangelo in the final against Ken Etter.