Re: "Live From" NHRA Gatornationals
 

The same thing happened to at least one stock Ford at the Winternationals, They chose to say nothing about it.

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Enough of my problems, back to what everyone wants. Here is the first set of pictures. Most people put their cars away, but I did find some cars still out.

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Ken, how long has the aluminum case been in the car? Funny thing is that the aluminum spool and lightened ring gear is worth more performance than the aluminum case. Go figure!

I will say that it's nice to see that someone actually looks at these cars a little bit. There is alot of stuff out there that gets a blind eye. But to be fair to tech, nobody is perfect all the time. Do you think somebody dropped a dime on you. I'm sure that thing sticks out like a sore thumb (from in front view) when the wheels are up on the leave. I would have been intrested to see if that was the flavor of the week target check, and if they were looking at the 8-3/4 mopars

As I was planning the build on my Corvette, I found out that the man with the answers is Wesley Roberson. He can break down the rule book and explain each sentence in detail. He corrected me real quick, but very professionally. I said but it does'nt say you can't do this. His response was "if it does'nt say you can do it....you can't"! I respect his style.

Wade Mahaffey

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Sorry to Hear that Ken
With the rule written the way it is. Would it have been a big deal to let you run it for this race? I know the rules are the rules, but it does not say “No aluminum”. Plus really is there areal big performance advantage.

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YO KEN, Sorry you had to do all that. Keep up all the good reporting

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Ken,
That sucks. I would've gotten on the 2-step over that.
Chip Johnson

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ken
where did you get the gloves

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Agree with Ken that his interpretation of the way rule is currently written should have been valid for allowing it.
BTW NHRA did not allow Jenkins his interpretation of ''space between bell housing and Lenco'' either......:):):)
Keep the new parts....the rules are sometimes changed rapidly to suit the interpretation/application......
Most of all enjoy your race Ken and thank you for sharing the experience.

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Bull****, thats what it is. Your how many miles from home, PLUS you just raced at Valdosta. You've run the car like that for how many years? Guess you should have used dry ice on the manifold and told them you didnt. LOL, now we know why you can run 9:80's too. Im sure it will be fixed and since the mopars are using the aluminum centers all the fords will also. Time will tell. I'll just put this out there, why dont you order a cj rear with the aluminum center section and get someone to put the spring perches on it? Then you'll be good to go....Right?

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Ken, thanks for the heads-up. This is rather interesting, I was also told that even though the rulebook doesn't say you can't have an aluminum center, it doesn't say you can.

The rulebook doesn't say you can have any of the following non-stock parts either: aluminum spool, titanium spool, back-cut ring gear, scalloped axles flanges, or gun-drilled axles. Ironically, those are all part that have a direct effect on performance. Are we to assume these parts are also illegal?

Where is the logic?

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I'd agree. Sorry you had to go through that. The missus sez $190 was actually cheap for overnighting something like that. :eek:

(But a removable steering wheel, really?) ;)

Hope the rest of the week turns around for you.

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Tony, Robert Pond had to remove his aluminum center section is what I was told today by a racer. I wish I would have known about it, I would not have had to go through this ordeal.

I am not going to say I didn't get upset about what happened, but I can't let it ruin my week. I know its allot of money but there are so many other things in life that are so much worse.

Wade, when I got the car back in 2007 it was in there and I didn't think it was a problem. I wanted spares so I recently starting using the Ford stuff.

I have been through tech with the aluminum center section at Indy many times along with numerous other national events over the last 4 years, I had no problems.

Vic, call Biondo Racing, that's were I got the gloves. Very comfortable and they have a good feel to them.

Michael, its nice to know I got a break on shipping. The removable wheel makes it easy to get in and out when the car is in the trailer, that's the only time I remove it.

Thanks everyone for the support, what's done is done, lets move on to racing.

Below are some pictures of Gary Richard's new CJ's. The paint work is beautiful, as you can see, under the hood, door jams and even the seat has custom paint. Very nice.

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There are lots of stockers using "Massaged" cylinder heads and intake manifolds not to mention lite pistions, pins, etc. and these parts have a direct effect on performance. Are we to assume these are illegal or legal just because they pass at one race and who knows at the next? Where does it stop? The tech guy in question was 100% right in this case. If the rule book dosent say you can do or use something then you are not supposed to do so. Its the interpitation of the rule book. Just so you all know Im on Kens side with this and think he should have been allowed to use the alum. parts but this is the way the tech guys are supposed to look at things and its been done that way for a very long time in both NHRA and IHRA. Greg X. was noted for doing things like this during his time in the barrel as tech director in Div. 1.
Hang in there Ken......It sounds like this could be your race again.

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It was just NHRA "enhancing" you experience for the weekend. Think they put a magnet on everyones center section???? yeh, right!!
Sometimes you get picked and nobody knows why. Want to go to an interesting "tech inspection" come with me someday to an NHRA event. I had them measuring my rod-ends on my four-link one day........of course, I have mentioned them a few times in my Editorials in DRO.....

So far I have survived tech and two electronic "inspections". I asked them on the last one, why not inspect the cars that guys WIN WITH? They were not happy with that comment, they kept looking and FOUND NOTHING.

Jok

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Sorry to here that Ken. You won't have to miss a race to make up for the extra expense ,cause you gonna win this one ,,,,,,...........Good Luck ,I'll be pullin for you....

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Interesting that the rule book states that the rear end can be replaced with another "from the same manufacturer". Do the aluminum center-sections have a Ford part number? Is cast iron the only material allowed, or is the nodular case OK?

BTW - could anyone prove that someone's rear axle didn't come out of a truck if you removed the semi-floating axles? :confused:

Sorry you had this trouble, Ken. Hopefully it'll be nothing more than a speed-bump on the way to the winners circle! Good luck!

Lew

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I guess now to play fair, NHRA needs to tell everyone with the girdle type rear end covers that they need to have a stamped steel cover. GM never made the girdle covers, since its not OEM its wrong...Correct?

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That could be a safety issue. If you have ever locked up a rear end while going down the track you might want to prevent that from happening again.

Ken, it sucks that they made you overnight that third member. Seems a little rigid to me but at least it wasn't the night before 1st round. At Topeka last year they made me pull my cam out at 9 PM and 1st round was at 8AM the next morning. Not much sleep that night but we made it through. GOOD LUCK!

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Just a warning for everybody, doesn't look like we might get started on time tomorrow cause I just spotted the ark a bit ago as its been raining big time here and suppose to rain off and on all night, so don't hound Drag Race Central in the morning if you don't see anything right away. Boy does Jack taste good while sitting back watching College Hoops and listening to it rain on the roof, lol

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Ken why didn't you get a letter from Shelby.

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Yo Ken, Sorry to hear about your ordeal. Get me started on this topic the next time you see me. Make sure that you have plenty of time.
On a lighter note, go back to tech and tell them that you are a close, personal friend of mine! OBTW, bring your tools!

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Any rigs floating or sinking yet?....Looks like a lot of the wet stuff......Gators wet again and that suxxxxs !

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A few years ago, I wanted to put one of the Mopar Performance aluminum center sections in my car but wasn't sure if it was legal. I called my division Tech Director to find out and he told me that it was NOT legal for my car. That was a few years ago so I don't know if anything changed since then.

Ken Kopecky
1454 E/SA

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Why would anyone want to use one in the first place? Like Ken said....there is no performance gain. The real gains are in cutting back in rotating mass such as spools, lite wheels, lite axels, lite cranks, lite pistons.....OOP's did I say cranks and pistons !

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Hope it clears up for the racers.....Its pouring here south of Gainsville.

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I had an aluminum center section in my car about 6 years ago, broke the rear end off the starting line and guess what, cracked the case. No one would or could fix it. Talk about an expensive situation, back to the durable cast iron center sections. Never saw any difference in ET.

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And this is why we call it "Rainsville". Jim



.

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Here is the latest update, no rain and they are still drying the track. There is standing water, but nothing like last year.

The schedule has not changed and they made no announcements as of yet. The weather is as follows for you weather junkies.

Temp 66
Humid 73
Bar 29.77
DA 1333ft

I found a few more pictures from yesterday. That's my future Motorhome, I just have to figure out how to pay for it. The down payment is more than what my home is worth.

Re: "Live From" NHRA Gatornationals
 

Ken, sorry about your ordeal and the expense involved; the pictures are great, and I am looking forward to the helmet/rollbar cam. Enjoy the rest of the week!

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Nodular less flexing, stiffer less frictional loss. Look at the High Strength Steel instead of Nodular that the NASCAR boys are know running 2.5 lb lighter than Nodular and guess what will stick to it??

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We got told as Mopar racers we could not use the aluminum 8 3/4 section years ago. but we can use a strange s60.? Go figure. just another reason to find a new place to race. NHRA= Not Helping Racers Anymore!

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[QUOTE=Ken Miele;

That's my future Motorhome, I just have to figure out how to pay for it. The down payment is more than what my home is worth.[/QUOTE]


Kenny - Not to worry as Sal said he'd buy it for you out of his end-of-year bonus ............

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I'm sure it's in the mail, :-)

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Contingency! But it does take a while to pay it off.
The 11lbs, or whatever the difference is, does make it a bit easier to handle when swapping.

I don't know when NHRA and Mopar started posting for it in Stock, but IHRA had it before the Drag Packs and I know of a few people that ran them. "Technically" NHRA shouldn't allow them in the new Challengers either, but is there a clause detailing that? Why post for a part if it's not allowed?

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it be raining again at the Gators, was starting to run Stock and called SG lanes and mother nature said hold on a bit as its raining lightly out. They will have to start over again drying the track as i can tell its soaked again.
Well guess we just wait. hope this isn't the sign of the one run and round one segment.

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I agree with Myron, things that fall in the 'grey area' such as these center sections should be posted in a bulletin, for instance ..
aluminum driveshafts are only legal in the following ..
aluminum center sections are only legal in the following ...
if you are claiming a 82 to 87 Camaro we don't care about the minor differences in interior or exterior just make sure you are claiming the correct HP ..
these cars only came with bucket seats ... don't put a bench seat in one ... etc

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Ken, weren't you at Norwalk when it was that bad for the first round of Stock qualifying? They actually gave us another run.

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