First Divisional or National event stories

[Bob Gullett]

Brainerd points meet 1986. Zenon Kotelko and I were having coffee and he was bugging me to come with him to Brainerd. I'm not a good spectator and was in the process of converting the Nova into a stocker so had no ride. At the time I worked at the local Ford dealer. The had a used 1981 Ford Escort wagon with of all things a stick in it. At the time it fit FF/S. I took the exhaust off it and loaded it up on the trailer and went to Brainerd. Ran the test and tune and was I think 4 tenths over index. New I was going to be a duck. First round drew the A/SA mopar of Marlin Bogner though if I remember someone else was driving the car. We were a few pairs back and some guy walks up to the car and says he bracket races the same car I was driving. I asked him how do I make it go faster? He said when it don't rev no more then shift it. I thought I got nothing to lose. Launched the car and tried it. Thought I had a decent lite. Got to the MPH marker and thought he's not going to catch me. And he didn't. I went a hundredth over the dial in and won my first round. IN A FORD ESCORT STICK CAR! The guy who I beat was pitted close to me so I thought I would go over and talk to him until I saw the helmet and a few other things flying. Figured I'd better keep my distance! LOL. Raced Dave Young in Scott Carlson's car next round and got my butt wooped but still had a great time.