Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Hi kids - Well , here's the thing - you know what they say about the best plans etc - forget about that , this is the first race of the season for us in D1 and whatever can go wrong will .And that explains why i'm still in Bethlehem instead of Virginia Motorsports Park .More about that later .

So one has to ask himself ( opps, or herself ) am i ready for this new season ? Fresh gas - check.Credentials all up to date- check.Belts still good? check .And now that we have a new decal czar - Jill McKenna - do we have the latest decals on ?When getting teched this weekend it might not be a bad idea to pick them up at the NHRA tech trailer .

Today will be test and tune and maybe , just maybe someone who is there will post a few times and pics for us as i won't be arriving till later in the day .

More as the day wears on .........Oh, and if we're lucky our fearless leader will show up and pitch in till i get there .Yo Ken ! ! !

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Just received an email - the schedule MAY be changed because of possible bad weather to roll in on Sunday .Those changes may included 3 runs on Friday and going straight into eliminations first thing Saturday morning .More as it becomes available ......

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Raining now

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Sorry Jack, you are on your own. I had other commitments, I know you can handle it on your own. Here is the only photo I have, its from Tuesday. The weather was great and the track was empty.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Starting to clear

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Already made the call to run all time runs on Friday (Top 8 Races will be run after 2nd session if possible), no time runs on Saturday and all eliminations will be completed on Saturday since Sunday is looking like a complete wash-out. All cars entering on Saturday will be placed on the bottom of the ladder.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Good morning all -What a night , the Weathermen were right on as the rains came during the evening but quit around 4 AM and since then nothing but some fog and pretty dreary out .I'm pretty sure that the early morning start that was planned won't be happening as they are calling locally for some scattered showers this morning but the rest of the day looks great .

If you're headed here there's plenty of good pit space left .....more later.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

OK, I'll fess up - the race hasn't even started yet and my weekend is already in the crapper - no kidding - see pic # 1 and you'll believe it .Then you can look at pic # 2 and see an appliance?? that is not normally seen inside a motorhome - you'll get my drift .After that we can talk about my scooter - which wouldn't start this morning - then i realized that i took the battery out to charge it up - and it's fully charged but at my shop back home. After all that we can examine the weather situation - it's 10 o'clock - tech is open but not much else going on except in my pit where its a Chinese fire drill for sure .

I can't wait to get to my trailer and race car ............and then there is the breakfast story but i'll save that for later as you're probably spitting out your coffee laughing as it is .

Some days it's hard to be me ......

Wind is picking up - not sure what's going on......Later.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Its all how you look at it Jack......that is clearly the lucky Wally Winning crapper.....it will protect you from bad driving decisions, non-favorable heads up runs, and rapid weather changes that screw with your dial and most importantly for your COPO......racecar breakage......the price....well if you have a nor cold and it has gone into needs to be reset mode, thats not too bad......at least you have an igloo, and you can do the reset procedure during the day...if the fridge is dead, better it be April than July. The waste oil tank so near is clearly a gift from the gods......

Enjoy your lucky pit spot. Might want to close the windows on the side of the Wally Winner.......the plexiglass punisher will surely be visiting.....with malodorous cloud following shortly thereafter....

Eric

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

They just announced that we'll be on the track in less than hour - we will see ! ! !

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Good stuff Jack!

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

So the NHRA was telling the truth - Stock just got in their first qualifier and I for one can tell you the track had really big teeth . Plenty of wheelstanding photos along with some great ET's considering the water in the air .But the DA 980' when we ran ..........

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Jack do they still plan to go straight to eliminations in the morning? Would like to come this evening but I like having one shot also.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

You have a better shot getting one tonight than tomorrow .

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Stock and S/S got their first in but it will be later in the afternoon till they get another .

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

I have some free carload passes for this weekend if anyone has the need .......

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

A car load pass is a great idea free or just a small fee. Should help with butts in the stands.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Congratulations on your #1 qualifier, Jack and thank you for the always informative and interesting reporting!!

Good Luck to you and everyone this weekend. Be safe and HAVE FUN!!

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Jack, out in D3 2015 COPO went 1.20 under. Thanks for the reports.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

And Indy isn't fast the east coast track!

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Yes Bobby - Rich Rinke qualified on the pole today in his '15 Camaro but his is a 396 " combination ..............And a very stout run indeed ! ! ! And yes, he'll be getting a gift Tuesday from the folks at NHRA .

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

First qualifying session for stockers
Friday April 29, 2016

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Sheets from rd 2 Stock and S/S

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

First qualifying session for super stock
Friday April 29, 2016

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

So just when you thought you've heard and seen it all at the racetrack along comes something new - this morning I tried something new at the food court here at VMP- would you believe Chinese breakfast ? Yep , it was bacon fried rice with veggies - some link sausage and a sunnyside up egg on top .Doesn't sound good but it was tasty -try it tomorrow morning under the grandstand .Really ...........And yes I took my pills this morning !! !

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

It's a stick car....

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Second qualifying session for stockers
Friday April 29, 2016

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Second qualifying session for super stock
Friday April 29, 2016

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Good morning members and guests - In an hour or so we'll be starting eliminations here at VMP and most are looking forward to getting this done and getting on the road before the storms hit .Yesterday afternoon the Sun peaked out for a few hours and was actually pleasant but today is another story as its cool and overcast which will make dialing a bit tricky .

Back a bit later with updates .....

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

For those of you interested the weather is at this moment - 60 degrees , 64% humidity , 29.92 barometer , .34 vapor pressure , 49 grains of water, and a DA of just above 700 feet .

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Stock and S/S got their first rounds in and as promised it was tricky .Many,many double breakouts as it was blinding fast this morning because of the better weather and a big tailwind ............Round two in a few hours .

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Stock and S/S RD 2 LADDERS

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

OK - I admit it --I ditched you guys right after the race was over to start working on some of my broken stuff and made some real headway .I wanted to get some of it at least out of the way so I could maybe get to the next race .

Anyway , today we got it all in and this reporter must tell you some great racing took place .The Stock winner -Joel Warren had no cake walk for sure plus he had two heads-ups on his way to the final - one of them being against the mighty Plymouth of Eric Bardecoff where they both recorded 10.20 et's with the win decided by thousants .

On the other side of the ladder at his home track was longtime D1 racer Sterling Simmons in his familiar Camaro SS waiting for his chance at the Wally in the all LT1 final but ran out trying.

In Superstock it was the old and the new facing each other - local racer Mark Alvey in his '02 Camaro against West Virginia's Bucky Hess who treated his HEMI car like a bracket racer recording dead on dial-ins .It was all to no avail as he went red in the final handing the win to Alvey .

Anyway I've got a bunch more pictures to post tomorrow as it's getting a little past my bedtime tonight ............

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Congrats to Joel and the Warren family, Joel lost some close races lately good to see him gets some success. And congrats to Sterling as well.

Re: Live from Dinwidde,VA - NHRA Lucas Oil Series #1
 

Nice of that young fella in the Moser hat to sit this one out and let someone else win one. :-)