[MEXJOE]

My first Div. race was 1992 Dallas. I purchased the1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 from Tony Goodman in MI. K /SA In the fall of 1991. It was a super clean, beautiful car with 17 original miles on it. Ya 17 ! Any way, We went down to Lloyd Bray’s shop
in Bartlesville OK. We went on to Dallas with him and D.G..
My transmission burned up on the 2nd pass. I ripped it out went in to town, bought a rebuild kit, some place, and went back to the track.
I had the trans. apart on my open trailer when out of nowhere, A man came up and said,
“ Do you need some help son?” That man was John LeMoine, from LA. He slapped that 350 turbo together like nothing I have ever seen! I still owe him! I don’t know how I would ever repay him!

I managed to Qualify in the top 5 at that race.( did I forget to mention the car was also quite fast?) then, made it 3 rounds.

Then came a time I will never forget.
I had to go up in the tower to meet with Jay H.The Div. 4 Director. To see if he would let me attend the Huston National Event.
I did not have a points race until the Dallas event we were at.
He could have told me to go home.
Lloyd Bray and my friend, went with me. He was my attorney at charge, I plead my case. Jay sad I, “don’t know.”...
Just then Lloyd said in his “Okie Drawl”, Now, Jay you need to understand the young men, you see here are the Future Of NHRA. You have an obligation to let this young man who came all the way, from Minnesota, to race in Houston. He has a beautiful legal car, and wants to race. Jay said... Is that right, Lloyd?Jay, looked at me and my friend, then at Lloyd,..a long silence ensued. Jay looked up and said, “Well, Lloyd, I suppose you are correct, I will allow it this time. Never again! I paid the entry fee, and we were off to Huston TX! (Thank you,Lloyd, RIP my friend)

Arriving in Huston, we were in a mall parking lot. It had rained hard for days. The track was closed. We sat in the parking lot for 2 days. A nice Mexican Restaurant became home,.
Then another storm was coming. Big hail We had open trailers NOW WHAT?!

By luck, Mr. Mcelroy offered us a spot to park in his huge building! Thank goodness!
Holy Cow! ,
how much more luck could a guy have!

After days in the rain, the race was on!

I got to know many people who instantly felt like old friends.

We pitted next to Jerry Bennett.

I won class! I will never forget it!

1st round I had to race my friend, we traveled from MN. to Huston now we had to run each other in round one.(did I mention, my friend is JASON LINE?)

Well, I did win that round, made it to the semifinals then went on to red light.

We drove back to MN, going through a snow storm and other adventures.

If you think that’s a story to remember, I’ll tell you the story about the kick off to Jason Line’s Stock Eliminator World Championship!

This has been one Heck of a ride!

Wonderful People thank you all!


Thanks for the Memories!