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-   -   "Live" from our Southwestern Swing (https://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=36462)

Larry Hill 10-08-2011 07:54 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Well David and Ray Buckner said Jerry Davis' spaghetti was really good last night, so it made us hungry for spaghetti, too. So since we couldn't get outside and grill in the rain,, we cooked spaghetti tonight. I'm sure it wasn't as good as Jerry's, but we ate it anyway!

They are starting out at 9 in the morning (weather permitting) with Round 3 of Super Street, then finish round 2 of super comp, then all the top this and that, and comp and alcohol and round 3 of everything else, then stock round 3. So if there are many delays tomorrow, we may not run again until Monday. But we are still in!!!

More later

Larry Hill 10-08-2011 09:19 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
On a side note the track's $3.50 french fries are worth every red cent!

BobUnkefer 10-09-2011 01:43 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Hill (Post 286854)
On a side note the track's $3.50 french fries are worth every red cent!
Told ya so!

Unk

Geerhead55 10-09-2011 01:53 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobOrme (Post 286821)
I've spent a lot of hours in that "big" tower in recent years. :)

I've watched it rain quite a bit a few times. One year Bob Frey was there doing a piece for his Sportsman show at the divisional event, and there was a three hour rain delay. That was the most entertaining rain delay I've ever experienced! Bob did three straight hours of stand-up comedy. Not only is he one of the best drag racing announcers in the history of the sport, he's also one of the funniest people I've ever met.

I've seen racing delayed due to wind at Thunder Valley. I've seen that happen a few times at the Texas Motorplex too. The wind sure can blow in Texas and Oklahoma!

I was there the night Shelley Howard destroyed her TAD (and a gate) at a turnoff in the shutdown area. That was a very scary crash, but she walked away from it unhurt.

Heaven help you if race day activities end at the same time as a Sooner home football game ends. That little 4-mile stretch of highway 9 to I-35 can take 45 minutes to traverse when it is full of Sooner football fans.

I happen to really like the smaller drag strips like Thunder Valley. The experience, at least for me, is more intimate and friendly than it is at most larger (national event) tracks. Way too many of the smaller tracks have been closing in recent years, and that is very troubling for both racers and fans. When I see decent car counts at smaller tracks for divisional events, I can only smile. You folks really are the backbone of this sport. Your continued participation and support is greatly appreciated!
Bob,,, I hear you and agree that way too many tracks have closed in recent times, especially the smaller ones,, but all is not lost! Out here in Washington state, 2 men got together and put the resources, equipment and man power up to build a brand new multi-use facility. They were able to navigate all the permit and redtape processes and hit the ground running this past spring, and have transformed a stump ladened multi level piece of property into what promises to be a top notch racetrack for racers and fans to enjoy for many years to come. The road race course is already "booked" of the available 2012 dates, and I'm sure the dragstrip isn't too far behind.
Try this link: www.ridgemotorsportspark.com
Danny Durham

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 08:43 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Sunday, it's cool, it's cloudly, it's wet. Forcast on local tv is "dreary". 7:38 AM and no sounds of anything being done to the track. I hope they have a track dryer.

bob3240 10-09-2011 10:25 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Larry and Patsy, thanks so much for your reporting! If you see



Gary Moore, ask him if he raced pontiacs back in the 70's. And if so tell him that Bob Michael wants to know if he owns an oil well for each hemicuda? thanks , Bob.

Ed Wright 10-09-2011 10:55 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Ann & Gary Moore are long time friends of Jeanie & I. He did indeed run Pontiacs. He had a '61 bubble-top Ventura when we first met them. It was fast. No oil wells <G> just farming. Gary did a lot of work on that car that others would hire out. They are salt of the earth hard working people.

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 11:33 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Well the track dryers are going and it isn't raining! It hasn't rained all morning, but it is only in the 60s and it's taking a while to get good enough to go down. The local weather that I was watching this morning has rain getting to us pretty soon, but another good window from 2-7. If that happens we should be able to get it in today, but we are going to have to begin pretty soon!

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 03:00 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Well they had the track about dry, then sprinkles continued and they are scraping the track. But we just saw the ambulance leave the track. There has been no announcements, but unless they were just going out to get something to eat--this doesn't look good.

Chris Hill 10-09-2011 03:38 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Hill (Post 286953)
Well they had the track about dry, then sprinkles continued and they are scraping the track. But we just saw the ambulance leave the track. There has been no announcements, but unless they were just going out to get something to eat--this doesn't look good.
Well, at least you don't have to go to work tommorow!

442OLDS 10-09-2011 04:52 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCSt...40675#indextop


Still planning on Phoenix???

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 05:21 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Yeah, Daryl, we are on our way to Phoenix now! We moved up to #9 in the Division, but after being down to 9 cars, we thought we had a chance at gaining a little more. Oh well, that's racing. It is really bad for Jackie Alley who is #2 in Super Stock and from Idaho. Or the Super Street guy, Chris Butcher who is from Massachuetts.

Well they don't have to worry about us ever coming to Noble, OK again. Twice in 9 years is 2 times too many.

We got loaded up in the rain pretty quickly (for us). Of course, Larry looked like a drowned rat when he got back in. We didn't have any trouble being stuck since we were in rock just beside the pavement. Larry said one of the Emmons cars was stuck, though.

bob3240 10-09-2011 05:52 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
thanks, Ed. I can barely remember Gary but I do remember he had a Chevy ramp truck that he hauled a 72 Firebird on that was much like the car I had and then Pontiac guys had a close bond. Just tell him I said hi after 40 yrs. Bob Michael.

rod butcher 10-09-2011 07:34 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Sorry to see you guys leave us here in muddy Noble. We are staying and going to ride it out. It was good talking with you and larry this afternoon. Good luck and have a safe trip.

rod

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 09:12 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Good luck to you and Chris, Rod. We will be pulling for you. It was really neat to see in the first round of Super Street, a family from Mass, the Butchers, running a family from Wash, the Dalrymples in OK. It was like they said "I'll meet you in the middle" (of the country).

For any of you headed west on I-40, there is a nice dump station with fresh water at the rest area at milemarker 10 in OK.

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 10:58 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Rumors heard at Noble: 6,6 1/2, and 7 pound classes. Still doesn't put new cars in their own class. Just makes Fezell's car fit stock again. Also front wheel drive cars absorbed into regular classes. Stick and autos run together with sticks having to carry an additional 100 pounds. Don't know if any of this is true, just rumors at this point.

Dennis P Chapman 10-09-2011 11:16 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Hill (Post 287015)
Rumors heard at Noble: 6,6 1/2, and 7 pound classes. Still doesn't put new cars in their own class. Just makes Fezell's car fit stock again. Also front wheel drive cars absorbed into regular classes. Stick and autos run together with sticks having to carry an additional 100 pounds. Don't know if any of this is true, just rumors at this point.
Can't wait for this one more enhancments.

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 11:24 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Here are a couple of pics from today:

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ncamera013.jpg
Scraping the track at Noble.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ncamera014.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ncamera016.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ncamera018.jpg
Heading out of Oklahoma City.

Larry Hill 10-09-2011 11:31 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ncamera019.jpg
Oklahoma countryside after it stopped raining!

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ncamera025.jpg
Drilling new oil wells

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ngNoble003.jpg
Wind farm

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...ngNoble005.jpg
The 2 lane road to the right is the famous Route 66. Larry always wanted to take a trip along Route 66, so now we are doing a 2 in 1 trip!

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 07:44 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
A good effort by all at Noble to get the race in. The track worked well, french fries were great, and we got to see our friends from div. 4 and 5. The track had a Big four wheel drive tractor for the planned escape from the red mud. Mother Nature was the only stick in the mud!

OK needed the rain so every thing worked out. Most of the crops look to be a total loss from no rain.

Don Kennedy 10-10-2011 09:29 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Larry and the "Excutive in Charge" of the whole deal "Patsy" > Gate 1 at firebird is where all the cars are staged go in get in line then early wednesday morning we will go into second holding area for a while then into the pits for the fun to begin .Don't worry about any rain here in Arizona we have :dry heat" it will cooler and a nice race. The weather will be cool at around 90 degreees in the afternoon and a possibility of no wind .:)

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 10:33 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Well we drove another 300 miles after we left Noble to just west of Amarillo, TX. We had planned on staying at "The Big Texas Restaurant" where they have a 72 oz. steak for free (if you can eat it in an hour). But when we got there their truck parking was full. We almost had to be towed out whenever we got in a hole and had to engage both axles to get out. So then we decided to stay at a Walmart and put the address in the GPS. Then we decided we were not going in to a very good neighborhood, so turned around at a convenience store. So we finally went on down the road a piece and stayed in a truck parking area and slept quite soundly. We slept in a little this morning while we waited for the fog to clear and are back on the road. Oh, when we were driving in the dark last night we kept seeing these red blinking lights. We found out this morning that it was a wind farm!

Well more later.

C and W Racing 10-10-2011 01:17 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Hill (Post 287015)
Rumors heard at Noble: 6,6 1/2, and 7 pound classes. Still doesn't put new cars in their own class. Just makes Fezell's car fit stock again. Also front wheel drive cars absorbed into regular classes. Stick and autos run together with sticks having to carry an additional 100 pounds. Don't know if any of this is true, just rumors at this point.
I was told in Charlotte that there would be a 6, 6.5, and 7 pound class. Didn't hear anything about the rest of the stuff though
Chuck

Jody Lang 10-10-2011 01:36 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Thanks for reporting guys.

Larry & Patsy did they say why they were waiting until Thursday to run the race? It sounds like they were doing everyone a favor by doing it on Thursday. Still seems like a long tow to Georgia for those that might stay.

Dyno 10-10-2011 02:28 PM
Thursday Race
 
I checked Mapquest and it is 1034 miles to Phoenix (15 hours driving time) from Noble. I just talked to Randy Mans at Noble and they are still scraping the track. I t will be a long hard tow to make it cross country that far. They should run the race on Wednesday so everyone can make it on time, or have a late cleanup run on Friday afternoon for racers getting there late. Larry (Patsy), keep the updates coming, it is fun to be traveling with you this way. Dyno

Jim Kaekel 10-10-2011 02:58 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by C and W Racing (Post 287090)
I was told in Charlotte that there would be a 6, 6.5, and 7 pound class. Didn't hear anything about the rest of the stuff though
Chuck
If so, I wonder how NHRA will designate them?

Dave Casey 10-10-2011 04:02 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
7lb class WTF/S (way too fast)
6.5 lb class OMGWTF/S
6lb class DOUBLEOMGWTF/S

BobUnkefer 10-10-2011 09:40 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jody Lang (Post 287095)
Thanks for reporting guys.

Larry & Patsy did they say why they were waiting until Thursday to run the race? It sounds like they were doing everyone a favor by doing it on Thursday. Still seems like a long tow to Georgia for those that might stay.
With the amount of rain that fell Sat night the track got substantially soaked & water got under the rubber and caused blisters in the rubber on the track. BOTH lanes were going to need to be completely scraped, be treated with resin and then dragged repeatedly after the resin was worked in to restore the racing surface, obviously a process that takes a considerable amount of time & labor. With the amount of work that needed to be done it was felt that it would be Wednesday mid-day before the possibility of sending a car down track could even be considered.
There was considerable discussion with numerous in & out of division racers and the track owners & management before a final decision was made. Several options were put on the table & each was thoroughly reviewed & disected before the call was made to run on Thursday morning at 9 am. There was even a mapquest search done to determine how far from Noble to Reynolds & Phoenix (just about the same actually) in trying to address those who needed to travel.
Yes, it does put a strain on those that were heading east to Reynolds or west to Phoenix, and those events played heavily on the final decision. Being able to assemble the needed personel to work the track, and then staff the event had to be handled too, because like most who race, they have weekday jobs too.
Over the last 22 years being invloved in the sport I've had the opportunity to watch & listen as unfortunate situations have been dealt with, and in my opinion everyone involved deserves a huge ATTA BOY for the way this one got handled, to me it was diagnosed and thought out about as well as it could be.
Nobody likes to get rained out, nobody, but track Manager Marcia Crook, owner Todd Stephens & Division director Craig Hutchinson all worked / are working very hard to make the best out of a bad situation.
Everyone can grumble, bitch and moan all they want, but until you've walked a mile in the shoes of the people that made the call this weekend, you really have no idea the anguish involved in trying to make the best of the situation, ....FROM WHERE I SAT THEY ALL DID A HELL OF A JOB!

That's my .02

Unk
See ya in Phoenix this weekend

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 10:07 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Well, I guess you wonder where we have been all day since we haven't been posting. We have been too busy watching the scenery go by to post. I took 165 pictures today, so after I weed thru them I will be posting a little later tonight.

Ed Fernandez 10-10-2011 10:23 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Casey (Post 287122)
7lb class WTF/S (way too fast)
6.5 lb class OMGWTF/S
6lb class DOUBLEOMGWTF/S
If they keep it up I might get to run WJ in eliminations someday.Way to go NHRA covering your ***** with Ford and Fiat Motors.

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 11:14 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Hey Don, thanks for the info. We are in Holbrook, AZ tonight at a KOA. We should be to the track tomorrow sometime. See ya then!

A few pics from today:
These start out in West Texas, thru New Mexico and into Arizona.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ002.jpg
This is west of Amarillo. All of those black and white spots are cows! I have never seen so many cows in my life. "Hamburgers on the Hoof"

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ003.jpg
The bottom left corner of the Garmin shows the elevation. Do you remember the movie "High Plains Drifter"? We felt like Clint Eastwood all day. We came across the high plains. I have shots ever so often of the elevation. We just kept going up but you could see forever!

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ006.jpg
Just looking out!

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 11:20 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ009.jpg
In New Mexico now!

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ012.jpg
At the Welcome Station in New Mexico

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ013.jpg
A bull and a bullsh**ter

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ024.jpg
We are still on Route 66.

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 11:30 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ031.jpg
A train carrying containers to or from China?

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ032.jpg
The train! The train!

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ034.jpg
More New Mexico

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ043.jpg
We are at 5000' here

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 11:37 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ045.jpg
Speed limit in NM

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ047.jpg
5800'

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ054.jpg
6400'

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ055.jpg
The scenery at 6400'

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 11:45 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ060.jpg
How about the crow on top of the sign? He's real!

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ061.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ070.jpg
Coming into Albuquerque

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ073.jpg
Neat looking overpass. This was about the time a kid in a Camaro was giving us the bird for getting into the lane whenever he wanted that lane, too.

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ077.jpg
More of New Mexico

Geerhead55 10-10-2011 11:49 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
I didn't see the sign where you passed "Radiator Springs"! Great job, you two. Keep up the good work and best of luck the rest of the way. I'm hoping you will go all the way to Pomona, since you'll be so close,,, you still have your "West Coast Rule Book" with you don't you Larry? Take care.
Danny Durham

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 11:50 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ078.jpg
more NM

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ081.jpg
Lots of different topography

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ082.jpg
more NM

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ088.jpg
Another train with Church Rock in the background

Larry Hill 10-10-2011 11:59 PM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ091.jpg
pretty flowers

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ096.jpg
We are now in Arizona!

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ095.jpg
Big Rocks!

The rest of today's pictures were all taken in the Petrified Forest National Park. It is a 28 mile long road that you can drive thru with amazing scenery. Pictures don't do it justice.
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ098.jpg
The Painted Desert

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ099.jpg

Larry Hill 10-11-2011 12:04 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ100.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ105.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ106.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ110.jpg

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o.../TXNMAZ111.jpg

Mark Yacavone 10-11-2011 12:06 AM
Re: "Live" from our Southwestern Swing
 
Larry, Are you going to take the scenic route or I 17 to Chandler?
17 will put you in a lot of traffic around downtown after about 2:30. Better take the 101 East thru Scottsdale at that time of day . Should be a little better anyway.


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