Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Thanks Ken Miele for posting all the great pictures!

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

You have the NHRA and their rules committee to thank for that one.

Sounds like the track was/is horrible. Last year, about this time, we ran at Englishtown and it was scary to even attempt a full pass, the big end was scary!! Also, we blew the tires off on 3 out of our 4 attempts. And by blew the tires off, I mean immediately on the rev limiter through 1st and 2nd. What's the deal?

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Leaving central pa now...on to the summernationals what a wonderful name. Jack do you have any shirts? You and Kenny get first signs on it. Go John Shaul!!!

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Good morning gang - today it starts as first round of Stock is to go off at 10:15 .Yeah , it'll again be hot and ugly as it was yesterday but lets face the facts -it is the Summernationals and we should expect the weather to be what we've had .Here it is not even 6 AM and the temps are in the seventies .This heat and humidity really kicks your butte ........or maybe I'm just getting old -- or both ! ! !

I , like many other racers really wanted to come here this weekend and have some fun and do well and had I brought a different car I would have .Had I left my COPO home and drove my Trans Am at this race the fun meter would be alot higher .This race is not working out well for any Stocker with a high horsepower engine .We've thrown everything including the proverbial kitchen sink at our Camaro and the best we've got for our efforts is smoking the tires past the tree after pedaling ( I used to think pedaling was for John Force - not the case anymore ) . All this from a car that stood 'em up on the bumper last weekend at Maple Grove on every pass.If six or seven hundred horsepower can't get down the track what'll happen later today when 8,000 ponies are unleashed ?

I'm disappointed to say the least and if I can't hook for first round I'll be back at work lickity split .........and probably get anther pink slip from Kenny as he's had to work hard the last few days - something he's not used to doing but getting better at it .

Stay tuned ..........

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Jack I don't have any answers for the track conditions, but I do know if it were me I would protect myself and my race car , eat the entrance fee trailer my car and leave.
It's just not worth the risk.
Everyone else can make their on decision.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Carey to put it in perspective....the Beagle did a 1.416 and a 1.46....60 foot can't always trust 60 foot due to wheelie size, but I might have spun a bit.

Eric

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Jeff, NHRA states you can not place the camera on your helmet. David, I am glad to do it. Skills, Jack has plenty of shirts.


Like Jack said it will be another hot day, but I'm hoping the track will be okay for at least the first round before the heat gets to it. Stock and Super Stock will be getting 2 rounds in before 3. I will have more photos later and try to do another in car cam.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Same weather we have down here! Good luck to all...stay hydrated!
We'll be in it next weekend at our Belle Rose divisional.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Well that sucks! Thanks for the updates, photos, and video you can post.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

I don't know why the traction is bad but I can tell you....

I raced there twice this year and they had to switch to 1/8th mile due to the track being so "loose" and the cross winds aggravating it for fast cars like my dragster.

I went 7.47 at 177 there on the only good run I made on the full 1/4 mile and really had to force my self to keep my foot down....

Starting line traction was ok but I have way bigger tires than a stocker...

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Stock just finished their first round - don't look for it on Wide World of Sports - it was ugly .Although the track was better it was still junk .Me ? Instead of being off 5 tenths in the sixty I was only off two - and because of it I became a first rd victim . Ouch ! ! !

Think I'll just sit here in the coach awhile - maybe cool off while watching some cartoons .........

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Thanks for the reports and cool photos.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Hey Jack, I'm in the same boat. Out for first round, did not spin, just a poor job of driving and dialing. Loosing sucks no matter how you do it.

Its already in the 90's and as you can see by the first photo, water is the word of the day. I need to get under that for a while.

The other photos are from the staging lanes for first round in stock.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

If you get knocked out early and you're bored, there's a double-header Pro-Am at Pittsburgh this weekend, along with a S/SS Combo tonight. Headin' there shortly.

Good luck to all.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Just like the line from the seventies movie - " I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore " - that would be David Barton this afternoon - he let the NHRA know how displeased he was after spinning during his second round heads-up........This reporter thinks they got the message .................

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

It is much more difficult to hook a 115.7 '' WB car than a 107.1'' WB pony. Dave I know how you feel about blowing the tires off!

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

I was looking forward to the Sal Biondo - David Barton race. The starting line was not good for David. David spun hard, Sal hooked. Here are a few more photos before the run. It was hit or miss at the starting. Gary Richard spun hard a few rounds before David. Larry Papas spun hard with his firebird, right after Sal Biondo.... go figure, I have never seen Larry spin in his firebird.

Be back later....

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Good for Barton....

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

hope they don't tag him for removal of safety gear.lol!

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Some more random photos from todays action.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

What a day - plenty of highs and lows in the sportsman ranks .There were those who didn't have a chance but ended up winners and those who thought they had it in the bag but are now headed home .This heat and humidity made plenty of tempers flare -- even for the smallest thing .And then there were the big challenges like the track conditions to contend with .........My take is - and I've been coming here for more than forty years --- its the "Summernationals " and stuff is going to happen .But I've never seen track conditions like these ......ever ! ! !

I took a few photos today that were "just because " pics .Later ........

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Sounds like the Beagle just keeps bounding!! Good luck tomorrow Eric!!

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Thumbs up to David for letting NHRA's crew know what garbage the track was. No excuse for the conditions that Stock and SS ran on the starting line. .

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Good morning - well its a much better deal here at Raceway Park today - even at this hour the temps are only around seventy with a slight breeze - alot nicer than yesterday that turned out to be an oven .

Racing ? I wish I could tell you how terrific it was but the truth is most are looking to just get down the track and not overpower it .I've never seen so many lining up on the starting line " out of the groove " and most with great results .Even the lower horsepower cars were smokin' em - something we rarely see .I witnessed several LT1 powered cars with huge amounts of smoke coming off their tires a few feet out .Most of us don't want to hear it but getting traction with 140 plus degrees of track temperature can't be easy .

In a few hours we'll start up again with Stock and S/S that are in round three .............

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

It suddenly dawned on me - with class runoffs and the factory showdown they( NHRA ) skipped one important part - didn't see much in the way of tech or teardowns afterwards ......I personally don't agree with that but its not my call .Its always been part of class racing - something we expect ! ! And we know its about money .....its always about the money .

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Stock and S/S have 3rd and 4th rounds finished .After watching both I can tell you what a difference a day makes as I only saw one really bad spin and that was a S/S heads-up run where the car could have been 'tuned up' too much .As my pictures will show the track temp was 114 at the highest - a big difference from yesterdays 140 .

On another note - good thing I stuck around as the boss is rubbing elbows again with his comp buddies ........I've got to get him focused to the task at hand ...........

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Thanks Jack for keeping everyone updated. I had to jump camps and shuffle Sal Biondo running comp and the Hawk and Cook CJ around, we wanted to be on time when called to the staging lanes.

I know I kid Jack allot, but he does a great job reporting and I do appreciate all that he does. Its been another crazy week at the races. Between the in car cams, photos, reporting, racing and crewing, its hard to believe I got it all done. Not complaining here, I love what I do, it just goes by so fast you don't know your having fun until it all over. You say to yourself..... wow, I had a great week at the races... where did the time go.

Besides thanking Jack, I would like to thank Anthony Bongiovanni for letting me drive one of his Cobra Jets the last few races. You could not ask for a nicer car owner, he is a class act along with his team. I'm glad to see Anthony in the semi's, I wish him the best tomorrow at his home track.

I am home now, but I have some more photos from todays action....

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Some more photos from John DiBartolomeo DRAG RACING ACTION Magazine... http://www.dragracingaction.com/. I can always count on John to get great action shots.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Thanks for the photos and updates. Leaving soon from LI to watch Sunday finals, my only day off now that I can go.
Stay cool....... I hope.......

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Looks like weather may cooperate today with cooler track temps?
Hopefully that will help, still a shame racers had to deal with such a bad situation.
Good luck to all remaining sportsmen racers .

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Thanks Jack and Kenny for the coverage. John Armstrong's Vette is the baddest Super Stocker on the planet!

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Grate job as always on the coverage, thanks. Did anyone notice that the 11.50 cars used a pro ladder?

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

The weather was a bear but no excuse for the starting line. Dallas and Redman have far tougher conditions at Bowling Green and they take great pride in the starting line. Redman may have 600 cars on the grounds but he will shut down everything to get the starting line right if there is problem.

I had a real problem with there being no qualifying sheets or run ladder posted before the class runoff. They should get those sheets out in rapid fire succession if they are going to run these cattle-call style races. Moooo!

These track condition and qualifing sheet issues would be prime examples to be taken up by the laughable srac if it was not a gutless little sham.

It was worth going to this race to see old friends and to speak to new ones. That's always the best part.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Hey kids - I'd love to tell you both Kenny and I are at E-town waiting on the semis to happen but it wouldn't be true .Not that both of us wouldn't rather be there but Kenny had to leave to take care of some important issues at home and me - well I just ran out of excuses on why I didn't leave Friday morning after I lost -that and I've got a huge "honey-do" list that I got started on at 7:15 this morning .One must remember there are more races coming and I was falling behind - and I hate hearing about it at dinner every night .

On to the race stuff - in Stock its a who's who deal - first we have Joe Lisa --# 5 in the world last year facing Don Pires Jr. - #7 in the world last year.Then we have the sentimental favorite -Sterling Simmons who has the bye this round .Oh - and did I forget to mention Sterlings class - that would be D/SA and if Mr.Lisa were to win this round we'd have a heads-up final .And Sterling had the faster horse in qualifing if that means any thing .

Then there's SuperStock - Anthony Bongiovanni with his mighty CobraJet will face last years Division One champ Lincoln Morehead .Along with this is Lil Joe Santangelo who will have the bye into the final .

Best of luck to those who are still in - many of us would love to switch places ..........

One last thing - I gotta shout out to Tommy Goldman - my friend , my chassis guy and former Stocker pilot who is in the SuperGas semis ........Good luck Tom & Kathy ! ! !

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Don't normally watch the "pro show" but tuned in because its Englishtown..
There is NOBODY in the stands, not really but attendance is WAY down.
Way back when I can remember you could not find a seat in the stands.
Sign of the times I guess.
Really sad!

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Dan

Maybe signs of Da Heat..........

It was brutal there ALL weekend....

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Nope don't buy it.
Back when it was the "Real" Summernationals( my first was '72)the stands were packed! And it was hot,muggy, thunderstorms you name it!
I know times have changed but still looking at the stands today was very dishearting.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Had some friends show up satuday..It was $53.00 PER TICKET,,ARE YOU F....ING KIDDING..theres your answer.NHRA is pricing out the family and average person.

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

Yup I saw those prices!
Outrageous !

Re: "Live From" Summernationals - Englishtown, NJ
 

I was going to roll up this morning to watch but, at $50+ dollars for a ticket and tolls it was just not worth it. I went Thursday, watched sportsman and paid $2.00 because I finally used those coupons they give you when you become a member.

I think there are a few factors as to why the stands were empty besides price. Dover had the NASCAR race this weekend and yes it's roundy-round but, if your a motorsports junkie you can only be in one place at a time. Also with Epping coming into the mix the crews who used to come down from that area will save gas and mileage and stay close to home.

Sportsman Photographer David Smith was saying on Facebook that some guy was screaming at him because he had his NHRA Vest or Shirt on and the guy was cursing him out by the stands. He was saying that it cost $200.00 for his family to get in and the Hamburgers stunk and blah, blah, blah.