LIVE from Atlanta NHRA Div 2 LODRS

[Michael Beard]

As I left the house at 3am this morning, the temp reading in the truck was 76 degrees, an obvious hint of what's in store for us during the 2-day event. Forecasted highs are 92-93, so I've even packed the fan along with plenty of water, G2, and canned fruit. Made good time, not really hitting any traffic to speak of, as I meandered through a sleepy Charlotte. There was a bit of a smoke show from some building north of Greenville, SC. Not sure what the story was, but a news chopper hovered nearby to get the scoop. Actually got to Commerce ahead of the 8am scheduled gate opening, so I swung through the local bird bath to wash away the sheen of pollen/sap from the many trees at home. Even the driveway had the appearance that it had rained... pollen. Thankfully it came off easily. Pretty good line at the gate, and of course many rigs inside already. They're movin' 'em in. Tech opens at 9am, Qualifying at 10.

[Britt1112]

Good Luck this weekend Michael!!!!!

[Jack Matyas]

Good morning Michael - welcome to the "other side" .............and get that camera clicking ! ! !

[Greg Turk]

Mr. Beard, if you can't have fun with KWIG, you can't have fun period, they don't get much better than Kenny, as for side lined...I hear he's just layin low, makin ole Blue even faster!!, he has set the bar pretty high for the rest of us G Bodied KLM cars!! Don't let him bullcrap you.....he IS the MAN!!!
Good luck in the foreign (at least to you) land!!....can't resist..."like a duck out of water."....I kill me....

[Stewart Way]

Good to finally meet you too. I have had a lot of people say a lot of things after meeting me but I don't think " pleasure" has been used often, if ever, as you posted earlier. Good luck and wish we were still there but can't seem to shake the Monkey.

[Michael Beard]

Man, it's gotten brutal out. 96 I think. Brain hurts. Rnd 2, car was sliding on the starting line but I held onto and got lucky to keep it green and cover. Got Wilson next, who's been driving very well.

Yeah, Turk, we were talking about you. Nothing good, I assure you. ;-) KWig's a transmission-bustin' machine right now. Come to find out, he had been a Mopar guy, so he does have a redeeming quality. ;-)

Mr. Way, I don't know how them other folks have not be bedazzled by your sparkling personality. Sorry your weekend was shortened. Hope you get that Cuda conquered!

[HR9121]

Wow Michael, that's a big tire you're sporting under the Volare these days.

[Michael Beard]

While we did have to hop from line to line to line (gate, pay window, park, tech, registration), they have a LOT of staff at almost every position, so it may have taken some time, it wasn't arduous. Recent bracket/heads-up racer turn Stock rookie Lil Ricky Pennington mention that Atlanta has been rewired with fiber optic. I like a nice tight rollout! Didn't have to get after it too hard and came up .016. Ran a laboring 10.80, much like Pittsburgh. A better Barometer, but the heat has tempered the correction factor. The cross headwind isn't helping the cars, but the breeze has made it quite bearable, almost comfortable, in the shade. Scales, but no fuel, in the first session.

Weather: 86.9 deg, 50%, 29.14, 3340 DA

Saw Pittsburgh winner Emily Volkman, Jake Sealey, parked with Monty Bogan and Gale Pinkston, Mark Lewis is running the Tiffin Nova, Bob and Craig Marshall elected for the long drive for the shorter 2-day race format, and I had the pleasure of finally meeting Stewart Way in person, crewing on their Hemi Barracuda.

They're already back to the top of the order, except for a big cleanup going on in S/G.

[Michael Beard]

Paul Forte from Turbo Action is out making the rounds. Good to see him again.

Sounds like the cleanup is about done. Back to S/G... a 9.91 sez the cleanup was good.

[MikeMoller]

Michael,

Did Jake Sealey find a stocker?