How Hard Some Racers Work!!

Darcy Clarke · 07-16-2022, 11:31 AM

During the National Open at Edmonton Clarence Bidniak had a ring sealing issue, rather than pack up and go home he worked all day Saturday and rereringed the engine inside his trailer!! He missed the qualifying pass but made First Round and ran .03 off his dial!!! Very impressive to see the work ethic!! This is what Stock and Superstock is about!!

Darcy Clarke
6254
SS/EA A/SA

Kevin Panzino · 07-18-2022, 12:00 PM

Oh I hear you. I changed a converter at the sportsnats only to then get rained out and never try it. But that’s nothing. While I was blessed to be able to use Tony Fagnilli’s stacker lift, at the same race I watched Mike Walter change out converters TWICE in the grass with the car on jack stands.

Mike Pearson · 07-18-2022, 02:37 PM

I saw Bobby Warren do that one year at the Gators. Yanked the engine out of his car and tore the engine down in the hotel parking lot. Scuffed the cylinders with some sand paper and put it back together. Qualified near the top of the field the next day.

Most ambitious for me was I broke a lifter on my first Q pass at one race. Pulled the engine out of the car and took the oil pan off. Cleaned out the broken pieces and put it back in and made the clean up round in the afternoon. I was much younger back then. Now I would lick my wounds and head for the house.

Joe Martens · 07-18-2022, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Panzino

Oh I hear you. I changed a converter at the sportsnats only to then get rained out and never try it. But that’s nothing. While I was blessed to be able to use Tony Fagnilli’s stacker lift, at the same race I watched Mike Walter change out converters TWICE in the grass with the car on jack stands.

Kevin, he also did a ring and pinion change I think twice. He was out there at 5am!

Clarence Bidniak · 07-19-2022, 09:39 PM

Hey Darcy, thanks for the kind words; however, what I do pales to how hard you work on your cars plus the National and Divisional tour that you are about to embark on. Good luck and safe travels!!

mtkawboy · 07-22-2022, 01:11 PM

Bill Dyer & I reringed his F/G 58 Corvette in the Holiday Inn parking lot overnight at Indy in the 70s & started it at 4 am. Me, Marty Snowball, John Dee, Robert Snowball & a host of others swapped the engine out of his 69 Torino into his 69 Cobrajet Mustang overnight at Bradenton {they locked us in the track } and he won the points meet the next day. Youth is a wonderful thing but those days are gone for me except Bill Dyer still works his butt off in his 70s

richie 2 · 07-22-2022, 05:29 PM

mid 80's, D1's dick henry with his camaro was relentless....

rboyle · 07-22-2022, 08:41 PM

The hardest working man I've seen anywhere is Frank Aragona Sr. At 77 years old he's the crewchief for not only Frank Jrs fleet of cars but 2 Junior dragsters, my Stocker and almost anyone else that comes calling.
Seen him change piston and rod in the tow vehicle before leaving for Quebec. He still is the rig driver too. He is in incredible shape and sharp as a tack! Much love and respect for him.

Doug Hoven · 07-22-2022, 10:07 PM

I can say I had never worked so hard in my life on a car as I did at the division race this past spring at Cecil county. I went there with the intent to test and tune the car to try and go faster and ended up being on the hairy edge of running the index the entire weekend. Had the transmission in and out of the car 2 different times changing torque converters to try and go faster. Even got to the point where I changed the cam timing as a last ditch effort. Ended up going 3 rounds that race just on the edge of running the index. Turned out that the rear end gear was bad in the car and it kept slowing it down more and more due to excessive wear. That being said it is not uncommon for people in my family to work quite hard on their cars at the track. I remember watching my uncle and a few fellow racers take the engine out of his firebird at Englishtown and changing rod bearings to make first round the next morning.

Jack McCarthy · 07-27-2022, 08:16 PM

those stick shift guys are gluttons for the punishment ... i knew the schaechter brothers feet and shoes for 6 months before i saw them standing up !!

and the vegas guys out there jetting etc. trying to dial in the weather and its always 100 degrees and 27.70 barometer with a somewhat air / burned jet fuel mixture

was at tylers race last year st louis april was -2600 feet > no hard work there i never opened hood and it was cool so no sweating

07-16-2022, 11:31 AM	#1
Darcy Clarke Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 201 Likes: 22 Liked 511 Times in 35 Posts	How Hard Some Racers Work!! During the National Open at Edmonton Clarence Bidniak had a ring sealing issue, rather than pack up and go home he worked all day Saturday and rereringed the engine inside his trailer!! He missed the qualifying pass but made First Round and ran .03 off his dial!!! Very impressive to see the work ethic!! This is what Stock and Superstock is about!! Darcy Clarke 6254 SS/EA A/SA

07-18-2022, 12:00 PM	#2
Kevin Panzino Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 575 Likes: 298 Liked 747 Times in 136 Posts	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! Oh I hear you. I changed a converter at the sportsnats only to then get rained out and never try it. But that’s nothing. While I was blessed to be able to use Tony Fagnilli’s stacker lift, at the same race I watched Mike Walter change out converters TWICE in the grass with the car on jack stands.

07-18-2022, 02:37 PM	#3
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,447 Likes: 615 Liked 1,923 Times in 578 Posts	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! I saw Bobby Warren do that one year at the Gators. Yanked the engine out of his car and tore the engine down in the hotel parking lot. Scuffed the cylinders with some sand paper and put it back together. Qualified near the top of the field the next day. Most ambitious for me was I broke a lifter on my first Q pass at one race. Pulled the engine out of the car and took the oil pan off. Cleaned out the broken pieces and put it back in and made the clean up round in the afternoon. I was much younger back then. Now I would lick my wounds and head for the house. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

07-19-2022, 09:39 PM	#5
Clarence Bidniak Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2022 Posts: 1 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 1 Post	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! Hey Darcy, thanks for the kind words; however, what I do pales to how hard you work on your cars plus the National and Divisional tour that you are about to embark on. Good luck and safe travels!!

07-22-2022, 01:11 PM	#6
mtkawboy Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Billings Mt Posts: 282 Likes: 186 Liked 54 Times in 18 Posts	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! Bill Dyer & I reringed his F/G 58 Corvette in the Holiday Inn parking lot overnight at Indy in the 70s & started it at 4 am. Me, Marty Snowball, John Dee, Robert Snowball & a host of others swapped the engine out of his 69 Torino into his 69 Cobrajet Mustang overnight at Bradenton {they locked us in the track } and he won the points meet the next day. Youth is a wonderful thing but those days are gone for me except Bill Dyer still works his butt off in his 70s

07-22-2022, 05:29 PM	#7
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 971 Likes: 426 Liked 205 Times in 93 Posts	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! mid 80's, D1's dick henry with his camaro was relentless....

07-22-2022, 08:41 PM	#8
rboyle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 604 Likes: 1,454 Liked 586 Times in 162 Posts	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! The hardest working man I've seen anywhere is Frank Aragona Sr. At 77 years old he's the crewchief for not only Frank Jrs fleet of cars but 2 Junior dragsters, my Stocker and almost anyone else that comes calling. Seen him change piston and rod in the tow vehicle before leaving for Quebec. He still is the rig driver too. He is in incredible shape and sharp as a tack! Much love and respect for him.

07-22-2022, 10:07 PM	#9
Doug Hoven Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Jersey Posts: 212 Likes: 191 Liked 853 Times in 164 Posts	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! I can say I had never worked so hard in my life on a car as I did at the division race this past spring at Cecil county. I went there with the intent to test and tune the car to try and go faster and ended up being on the hairy edge of running the index the entire weekend. Had the transmission in and out of the car 2 different times changing torque converters to try and go faster. Even got to the point where I changed the cam timing as a last ditch effort. Ended up going 3 rounds that race just on the edge of running the index. Turned out that the rear end gear was bad in the car and it kept slowing it down more and more due to excessive wear. That being said it is not uncommon for people in my family to work quite hard on their cars at the track. I remember watching my uncle and a few fellow racers take the engine out of his firebird at Englishtown and changing rod bearings to make first round the next morning. __________________ 1189 F/SA Defunzalo Racing Enterprises

07-27-2022, 08:16 PM	#10
Jack McCarthy VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: lyndon ky. ... louisville area Posts: 1,322 Likes: 29 Liked 476 Times in 117 Posts	Re: How Hard Some Racers Work!! those stick shift guys are gluttons for the punishment ... i knew the schaechter brothers feet and shoes for 6 months before i saw them standing up !! and the vegas guys out there jetting etc. trying to dial in the weather and its always 100 degrees and 27.70 barometer with a somewhat air / burned jet fuel mixture was at tylers race last year st louis april was -2600 feet > no hard work there i never opened hood and it was cool so no sweating __________________ Jack McCarthy 3609 STK "the Captain"