Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Hi there. Well, I finally made it here to the track. I should be in my pit spot by now, but I had a few troubles on the trip. Yesterday about 7 PM in southern Oregon a nice young lady pulled up along side me and told me I have a problem with one of my trailer wheels. I asked her if it was a flat and she said she thought it was. So I thanked her and looked in my side view mirror and sure enough there was smoke coming from the left side of the trailer. I took the next exit and whipped the trailer around so I could get a better look. Hmmm, looks like the tires are still inflated, I sure hope it isn't what I think it is. Luckily there's a Love's truck stop on exit 119 so I pulled in to take a look at it. Sure enough I lost a wheel bearing. So I pulled it into the truck parking area.

I had a wheel bearing go out back in 2003 on the way to Reading. Not surprisingly it was the same wheel. Ever since then I started carrying extra bearings, races, brake shoes etc... I was able to get the crown nut off fairly easily. So I got out my trusty three pound hammer, chisel, file and thread file and went to work. Four hours later I was back on the road again. One thing I didn't have though was a new seal. I'm glad that lady told me about it when she did or it could have been a lot worse. I'm definitely going to need a new drum. The outside race doesn't fit very tight anymore. :)

I usually stop at the Walmart in Red Bluff, CA, but I stopped at the Walmart in Grants Pass, OR for the night. Then today a little north of Redding, CA, I heard a big boom so I pulled over and sure enough I had blown out a rear dually tire. So I pulled into a parking lot at the next exit and changed the tire. It was a refreshing 100 degrees today in Redding. I forgot how much fun it can be traveling to the races. :)

Infineon Raceway is probably the most unlevel track on tour for the sportsman racers. Like ex-pit worker Ray used to say, "if you want your rig to be level at Sonoma, you better bring a trees worth of wood with you."

There's going to be a lot of racing going on over the next two weekends. Hopefully I can keep you up to date on what's happening at the track this weekend. Maybe I'll post a few pictures also.


-Toby

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Wow, Toby, sounds like you needed a drink by the time you got down there! Hope the weekend goes better for you!

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Toby, after all that, you'll probably win this weekend.

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Here's some pictures looking towards the track from where we are pitted:

http://pic.leech.it/i/46bce/e1916a3track1.jpg
http://pic.leech.it/i/cee82/3bb7660track2.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

http://pic.leech.it/i/35e9f/79e522atrack3.jpg
http://pic.leech.it/i/bceb9/fabfdf9track4.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

My car owner Jim Meador did a bang up job saving us a spot and a half for three cars. :rolleyes::

http://pic.leech.it/i/c968b/14ba9178pit1.jpg


Jim has Phil and Tony Mandella over helping with the car so you know it must be serious:

http://pic.leech.it/i/f698c/26574c2bpit2.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

The uphill S curve by where we're pitted:

http://pic.leech.it/i/5c384/31b6d17epit3.jpg


Up the hill from where we're pitted. This is where the pro's park their motorhomes:

http://pic.leech.it/i/10228/9e73ea2pit4.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Grreats pics Toby keep them coming.

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

The line-up for tech is fairly long right now:

http://pic.leech.it/i/99b1f/f5cb6074tech.jpg


A shot towards the starting line and tower:

http://pic.leech.it/i/ec53c/38164309tower.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Toby...really great pics!! Is the grass dead, or is it really dry or there just isn't any grass around??

Also, do you know when this track was built? It looks fairly new!?!

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

The grass is dead.. The track ran the 1st major race in March of 1969.

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

what is wrong with jim's car

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

There's nothing wrong. He had an A-arm bolt come loose the last time he ran the car at a combo race in Fontana. He kept it off the wall and there was minimal damage. He had the front end aligned and the alignment bolts were a little bit short so they were replacing them with longer ones.

They were also adding some kind of electronics to his car. I can't remember the name of it. I think he said it was a matty ... a matty something they were installing.


-Toby

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Not much chance of crashing into a tree around there! Any sign of Rory McNeil? He was talking about going. Thanks for the pics and updates btw.. Almost as good as being there but a lot cheaper. Good luck to all and race safe.

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

tell jim hello
what the is a matty is that a dance

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Victor,you don't want to know.Wouldn't be good for your blood pressure.

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Yes, I just got done talking to Rory. He was changing front tires and getting ready to lay down a lap in class tomorrow.


-Toby

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Toby -- Sure hope your luck changes today - ask Meaner if he needs me to come out there and wire-up that Matty deal for him ...............

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Jack,they say that getting there is half the fun.You got to stay in some nice places. I think Grants Pass is great.I could live there very easily. Some of my friends I went to high school with 40 years ago have lived there 30 or so years now, I probably will see them next month when we're up there for a school reunion. It probably was very wise not to attempt the trip to Redding that late in the day after a delay. Have a great race!!

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Rain in California in the summer months is extremely rare. But in the winter it's nice and green.....:-)

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Toby, thank you for taking the time for showing us what we're missing. Good thing that you were prepared with spare parts for your trailer and Ramp truck. Good luck and thank you very much for taking the time taking pictures. Claude

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

What I was told about the "grass" was they sprayed down chicken fat then laid straw over it to keep the dust from blowing. This was quite a few years ago. It's held up fairly well. There are small clumps of live grass here and there though.

The big grandstand is fairly new. I think it was finished in 2002. They repaved the drag strip in 2001. Jim Meador and I were the last stockers to make a pass on the old track when we ran each other in the final that year.


-Toby

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Here's some shots from Super Stock first round of qualifying. I was going to take shots of them leaving the stating line, but they wouldn't let me go past the fence by the burn out box without photographers credentials. Weak. I should have told them I know Jack Maytag, I'm sure they would have let me by then. Kenny needs to get me some credentials. :) I was taking pictures of second round of Stock class from behind the fence and they asked me if I was with one of these cars because they were "trying to keep the area clear." Of course I told them yes.

A shot of the staging lanes. Jody's in the front of the line. I had to get a picture of that:

http://pic.leech.it/i/7fc7e/56e55fblanes.jpg


Scott Pearson - Bob Earleywine:

http://pic.leech.it/i/5c7ef/fddc727pearsonear.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Rich Pinoski:

http://pic.leech.it/i/35ffc/f84ffa67richpinosk.jpg
http://pic.leech.it/i/3db30/fe7b113frichpinosk.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Bill Riddle:

http://pic.leech.it/i/b1dbb/fdab9fbbillriddle.jpg


Mike Blackstone:

http://pic.leech.it/i/9e193/55c1e7adblackstone.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Brad Rounds:

http://pic.leech.it/i/5040a/9030ce0bradrounds.jpg


Brett Brown:

http://pic.leech.it/i/1759f/06b50d7brettbrown.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Dave Bridgewater:

http://pic.leech.it/i/8df5a/33eda516bridgewate.jpg


Dave Raybourn:

http://pic.leech.it/i/43036/d93b055daveraybou.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Dennis Paz:

http://pic.leech.it/i/9f127/f070b80fdennispaz.jpg


Don Keen:

http://pic.leech.it/i/44f91/9593696fdonkeen.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Don Durham:

http://pic.leech.it/i/8969d/6afc53cadurham.jpg


Mark Faul:

http://pic.leech.it/i/4f17b/0e8ced2faul.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Toby,

Having been away for too long........what's the history on Dave Raybourn's dart.......new build....or?...........and awesome photos by the way.........thanks

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Gary Williams:

http://pic.leech.it/i/febf3/c580691garywillia.jpg


Grant Singer:

http://pic.leech.it/i/6a18e/70052b8grantsinge.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Steve Hanby:

http://pic.leech.it/i/b1dbb/cdb36efahanby.jpg


Jim Rau:

http://pic.leech.it/i/5aa7b/6e10bd05jimrau.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Jim Sherry:

http://pic.leech.it/i/d5565/c35b3b5jimsherry.jpg


John Calvert:

http://pic.leech.it/i/d8e67/7c4050fbjohncalver.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Greg Luneak:

http://pic.leech.it/i/3db2c/90e6b9cluneak.jpg


Mark Vieira:

http://pic.leech.it/i/cf43e/7cfd907markvieira.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Mike Graham:

http://pic.leech.it/i/86844/fbc8bd9mikegraham.jpg


Rick Paton:

http://pic.leech.it/i/78da7/fd78758rickpaton.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Stephen Negrini:

http://pic.leech.it/i/152c0/3c0f84f0stephenneg.jpg


Ted Seipel:

http://pic.leech.it/i/85718/b1a98b0ted.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Terry Anderson:

http://pic.leech.it/i/e00a9/87f37483terryander.jpg


Tim Smith:

http://pic.leech.it/i/09060/a989e3adtimsmith.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Tom Armanino:

http://pic.leech.it/i/601f4/8fd9f9d1tomarmanin.jpg


Tom Watts:

http://pic.leech.it/i/968b8/dc1d708tomwatts.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Here's some shots from Stock class round 2.

Bob Aceves:

http://pic.leech.it/i/d5565/f352ac7caceves.jpg


Bernie Cunningham:

http://pic.leech.it/i/21442/32d875abernie.jpg

Re: Live From The Fram Autolite Nationals
 

Chris Tastard:

http://pic.leech.it/i/b49a3/8f0e466christasta.jpg


Don Keen:

http://pic.leech.it/i/73b2b/73aa7bd3donkeen.jpg