Tech Inspection stories?

[Bill Ringer]

My experiences included 8 teardowns across divisions 3, 4, 5 & 7 from 1987 to 1994. However, 3 of those were self-imposed from National Record certifications. I understood that this is just part of Class racing. It is what we signed up for so like it or not, all of us had to deal with it.
Most memorable was Indy, at Paul Harvey Ford. As the rigs left the track at sunrise to go into town there were two guys at the gate mocking everyone singing as loud as they could- "Paul Harvey Ford!!" Thanks a lot guys. Lots of cars at teardown and it went faster than I expected. My crew chief, Dwayne Scheitlin was there and his help was crucial to get me in & out on time since a second group was coming in the afternoon.
Pomona in 1988 also had a good building for teardown at the east side of the complex. D6 tech director, Jerry Valentine politely pointed out some things I needed for the future, plastic trim in the front valance was missing and the fog lamps too plus, the grills in my shaker scoop. Tech was not going to accept shakers without the grills going forward. At that time they weren't disqualifying anyone over this but telling us to get the grills back into the shaker scoops ASAP.
Quickest teardown was a points meet after the finals in Denver, winner & runner-up both. They were on time and the weather was really nice so why not? Done in just over 90 minutes since we didn't have to put things back together, just button everything up enough to stay clean and put it back together at home.
One issue came up during a National Record certification in Division 4. I got to know Red Anderson and yes, he was a thorough tech inspector but me and others feel he was always fair. The issue they questioned was sent to the national tech office and after some communication with Dave Danish I did get my National Record cert a couple months later. After getting to know Red Anderson I really liked him. More like him would be good to have today.
My experiences with the NHRA Tech officials were good, all were professional, reasonable and courteous. Back then there were stories where that wasn't always the case but fortunately all my encounters were positive.
I wish that after successful teardown we would have been given a little 2" sticker indicating the certification, the NHRA emblem with "tech" a wrench and a caliper would have been great to have on the fender or hood.
I am happy to see the push for more teardowns in the future. Teardowns give our classes credibility. Performance based sportsman racing is an essential part of the sport. I am happy to see that there are still many that feel that way.

[Dan Bennett]

Not a stock or super stock story, but might be of interest due to the circumstances.

We were running pro stock at indy and after the last qual session tech rode up and told us we needed to go to the barn. We all needed to be wearing depends when we heard that. As far as we knew, we were 100% legal but the thought of tearing things apart and getting them all back together was scary beyond belief. Seems like the other ps car was Yates.

Jenkins was building our engines and the team owners always paid for him to attend races to keep the engine tuned. It was a huge relief to have him there during teardown.

Luckily, we were only asked to do things we knew how to do, like pulling the engine. Lots of attention in tracing wiring went on. But I was totally confused that Jim Collins spent close to an hour inspecting our mid plate with a magnifying jewelers' loupe.

At the time, the news had not come out that the Gliddens had just admitted to the NHRA that they had used nitrous - and that it fed from a pinhole in the midplate to the supports for the hood scoop. When I learned that, the "we don't need to go into your engine, we just want to look at other things" approach became clear.

Yes, we passed. It was something we were proud of since it was the beginning of the nitrous fiasco. We were one of two cars who could absolutely state we were legal in every way.

[goinbroke2]

Great story Dan, mine too is not from S/SS but from stock car racing. The rules were 8" rim, 4" of clearance and 160psi cranking pressure.
I was running a 351C and seemed to always get 3rd (top three checked) As they slid the 4" angle iron on a rod under the car and checked rim width, I'd pull a plug etc. Always front left cyl (#5) and always 130psi or so. After a few races there were complaints (of course) and they wanted to check the other bank (1-4). I already had a plug out, nope, but I, nope. Checked #3 and it was 220 or something like that. Wwwwhat?? I said, that's weird! (I was running one open chamber and one closed chamber, lol)

Edit: Just to point out...I was a kid with several "influencers" in my circle at the time.

[bkraft]

Arrived at 2009 Dutch with a new SS/AH Barracuda. FJ did the cage and chassis. We did the balance of the work. This is back when 30+ cars would show up in our class. Get word that I'm, along with a few other AH cars are to report to barn before Q1. Mike Booker from the west coast arrived with his new car too. AH was now bumping under 8.50 so 25.5 cages required.
I recall they wanted to see the wiring and other build details. No humps allowed on inner front wheel wells was new. All checked out OK.
Didn't do well in the class runoffs. Had bought used crossram motor from Jim Pancake for steam. Dreamed about having a Barton or Westcott "tunnel ram" motor. That took another 5 or 6 years, before getting a good one from the Howes.
Regardless was asked again to bring car to the barn. They said to park the car next to the NHRA trailer. It was then I was told we were awarded "Best Engineered". A proud moment for sure.

[Nick Heath]

I'll throw one on here. It is not controversial, technical, or even unique - but it's the best one I got!

Brainerd Nationals 2002. This was the first year without the altitude factor. My dad's car was running "OK" but somewhat off the pace. It never seemed to like Brainerd. We could go to Earlville 3 weeks later in similar air and pick up two tenths. Then again, this was a backyard built stocker with a stock computer, stock block, "both" of his speed secrets, and years before every piece could be replaced with something aftermarket.

1st or 2nd qualifying session (maybe both, can't recall), Bruce Bachelder is waiting by the scales. He smirks at my dad and gives him this little wave.
After the class (single) run-off, guess what. Bruce is at the scales again. No wave this time, he walks over and says, "I would like to invite you to a little party in the teardown barn."

Here's one of the "stockest" cars you could build and run under the index with, qualified in the bottom half of the field, with probably every one of the same parts they already looked at when he set the record in Fall 2000 - getting called to the barn. But that's what I thought was so cool about class racing. Didn't matter if you were #1 or #128 - you could be spending the afternoon at one of those "parties." And with how many cars were there - maybe the word party was appropriate!

He passed teardown that day. I remember Bruce antagonized my dad a time or two after that with that wave. Never got invited to another party though. And now I wonder when the last party was in that barn in Brainerd...

[Mark Yacavone]

I wish to exert my 5th amendment rights on this one ;-)

[bigshow2966]

Had my Valiant at a bracket race at RT66. Went through tech and was waiting for the line to move to go back to my pit. My old friend Animal Jim Feurer stopped by to look at my "new" car. Car had been thfough tech at 66 a bunch of times. Jim just happened to look at the battery tray and saw the retaining bars with J hooks.

He was nice enough to tell me to fix it before the next time out.

He teched the car the next time and never looked.

[Bill Bogues]

We were at a nhra divisional back in the early 80's at the old houston international. We were testing and after a baseline pass we swapped the heads to see if their was any difference. After that we put the old set back on to run the race. After qualifying red anderson comes over and invites us to teardown. We liked to have wore the head bolts out and my back that weekend. Oh the good ole days.

[Lyn Smith]

Originally Posted by bigshow2966

Had my Valiant at a bracket race at RT66. Went through tech and was waiting for the line to move to go back to my pit. My old friend Animal Jim Feurer stopped by to look at my "new" car. Car had been thfough tech at 66 a bunch of times. Jim just happened to look at the battery tray and saw the retaining bars with J hooks.

He was nice enough to tell me to fix it before the next time out.

He teched the car the next time and never looked.

Lyn comments.
My Tech moment happened at a RT 66 bracket race also. The tech there was just as strict as any big races I go to. As I was leaving tech with my Stocker I was told by an older tech official that I had to put my "dial in" on before I left the tech area? After a few quizzing moments asking how I was going to do that since I had not run the car yet another tech official came over and waved me on. Later I figured out that it was the class designation he wanted on the car(Super Pro, Pro, or Sportsmen). Not the dial in. LOL.

[Mark Yacavone]

Okay, here's one:
If you ever got teched by Marty Barrett it was worth the price of admission, alone.

We're out at Amarillo for the 73 finals, with the 66 Chevy II SS/J car.
Tech was in some God-forsaken vacant lot they picked out.
Marty comes walking up , pulling up on his pant legs,,,"gotta watch for the snakes" he says.
He goes around to the back of the car, still on an open trailer. He's looking underneath but not saying anything. This was before weight boxes, ballast bars, etc. You had to run your natural class, only. No dropping down a class...Spare tire, jack ,full tank of gas...whatever it took.
We had moved the springs in ,which was legal. We took a 3x3 piece of angle iron and ran it from one side to the other, and hung the shackles off that...Finally Marty says " nice way to add some ballast back there".
He then puts his hand on the big SS plate on the deck lid.Glad you've got that in place
We told him..of course...Nice and heavy too.
Marty says.."well, you boys have a nice day" We told him to watch out for the snakes,...and off he went.

The good ol' days...