"Live" from our Southwestern Swing

[Mike Fuller]

Second round winner! Go Larry Go!!!!

[Larry Hill]

Thanks, Mike. Yeah, we made it thru the 2nd round. It has just started raining here. I think they finished up the 2nd round of Super Stock, too. We are on hold for the moment. The radar doesn't look good right now. I made a few pics that I will post in a while.

[Ed Wright]

Feels like ice water down on us now.
Got round two of SS in.

[Mike Fuller]

Radar looks like you guy's are down for the night. Rest and relax and enjoy Patsy's indoor kitchen.

[Larry Hill]

Here are a couple of shots from today:


Here is the big tower here at Thunder Valley

[Larry Hill]

This picture was taken from the stands. The horses are closer to the racetrack on their side than I was on my side!


Harry McCurry J/SA The car is owned by Ed Dobson.


Jimmy Hutto's AA/SA with Walter

[Larry Hill]

Brent Bratsen I/SA


Bob Sharp's car A/S


David Pearn L/SA


Scott Burton B/SA

[BobOrme]

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

Here are a couple of shots from today:


Here is the big tower here at Thunder Valley

I've spent a lot of hours in that "big" tower in recent years.

I've watched it rain quite a bit a few times. One year Bob Frey was there doing a piece for his Sportsman show at the divisional event, and there was a three hour rain delay. That was the most entertaining rain delay I've ever experienced! Bob did three straight hours of stand-up comedy. Not only is he one of the best drag racing announcers in the history of the sport, he's also one of the funniest people I've ever met.

I've seen racing delayed due to wind at Thunder Valley. I've seen that happen a few times at the Texas Motorplex too. The wind sure can blow in Texas and Oklahoma!

I was there the night Shelley Howard destroyed her TAD (and a gate) at a turnoff in the shutdown area. That was a very scary crash, but she walked away from it unhurt.

Heaven help you if race day activities end at the same time as a Sooner home football game ends. That little 4-mile stretch of highway 9 to I-35 can take 45 minutes to traverse when it is full of Sooner football fans.

I happen to really like the smaller drag strips like Thunder Valley. The experience, at least for me, is more intimate and friendly than it is at most larger (national event) tracks. Way too many of the smaller tracks have been closing in recent years, and that is very troubling for both racers and fans. When I see decent car counts at smaller tracks for divisional events, I can only smile. You folks really are the backbone of this sport. Your continued participation and support is greatly appreciated!

[Larry Hill]

Well David and Ray Buckner said Jerry Davis' spaghetti was really good last night, so it made us hungry for spaghetti, too. So since we couldn't get outside and grill in the rain,, we cooked spaghetti tonight. I'm sure it wasn't as good as Jerry's, but we ate it anyway!

They are starting out at 9 in the morning (weather permitting) with Round 3 of Super Street, then finish round 2 of super comp, then all the top this and that, and comp and alcohol and round 3 of everything else, then stock round 3. So if there are many delays tomorrow, we may not run again until Monday. But we are still in!!!

More later

[Larry Hill]

On a side note the track's $3.50 french fries are worth every red cent!