First Divisional or National event stories

[Dave Casey]

1st National event , Summernationals around 1975. Pull in for tech, no idea who the tech inspector was. Looks at my car (66 nova) promptly turns tech card over and writes down these infractions

wrong glove box emblem

It's a nova not and SS, need door edge molding down both sides

There are holes in the bottom of the doors(for the SS trim which I removed)

laying under the dash he can see light thru a couple of holes in the firewall

"Fix it and come back he says"

off to the local bone yard, we find some impalas and buy the edge trim, and cut it down , glue or screw it on. Also find a NOVA emblem and attach that to the glove box

buy some red silicone(car is red) and fill the holes in the bottom edge of the doors

buy some black silicone and fill the firewall holes

Back to the track and we pass, whew , how times have changed

[Glenn Briglio]

My first national event 1983 Summernationals at Englishtown,NJ. I freshen up engine two weeks before race. I assemble complete engine and install into my 67 Camaro F/SA.Start engine up in my garage on Long Island, NY. It precedes to run for 10 seconds and shuts off and doesn't want to turn over by starter or by hand. Pull engine out and disassemble. Come to find a hole in cylinder wall were a broken valve punched a hole in it.The person who degreed in camshaft screwed up. Yes only myself to blame.I called Pierre Mansur who was doing my machine work and sheepishly asked what could we do. Pierre said no problem bring complete engine into Brooklyn with new block and heads.We got all the machine work done in 4 or 5 days. I assembled complete engine again at Pierre's shop in Brooklyn.Got it done on the Tuesday before the summers and asked Pierre how are we going to get it home and to the race? No problem Pierre says bring car into Brooklyn. Next day get car on an open trailer into Brooklyn and car onto sidewalk outside of his shop.Get engine out of his shop and it starts to rain. OK no problem until lightening storm and wind whip up. So Ken Lazzeri of Indy Cylinder fame and myself are putting engine in race car in a major storm on the sidewalk in Brooklyn.Get it installed but nothing hooked up because of storm. No problem Pierre says bring it over to my cousins Farid's shop.It's now 8pm and we go to Farid's shop Fark's supercars in Brooklyn. Get it all done and running at 12pm.Ok time to get to Etown. Next day pretty wiped out but car is running well. I run class eliminations but lose to Bill Quinn in class final. Bill gets torn down and gets bounced for something I can't remember and I get my first class win!!!!! Can't thank all the people involved enough for all that I put them through including my family.

[Dennis Petras]

First Divisional, late 1980's Englishtown when they had the 1st Divisional in May. 1st time through tech and I fail due to the mounting plate for my shoulder harnesses on my cross bar is to high with respect to where the belts pass over the seat. Tech guy says you need to find someone to cut and reweld lower. Totally dejected, I relegated myself to the fact that I have to pack it in and rework at home. Frank Johnson (aka "Deer Slayer") who ran a 70's Mustang in the same class (H/Stick) comes over and asked what's the problem. I explained and he looks in and says, why don't you reposition so the belts run under the cross bar to get the required distance? Called the tech guy over who rejected me and explained "Plan B" and he says "That will work...call me over when its repositioned and I will validate your tech card". Got to race the week end and made my 1st drag racing friend.