Tech Inspection stories?

[Ed Carpenter]

The first race I went to with the 66 Chevy II I used to own, I pull up to tech and get out. Wesley walks up to me and I introduce myself. He says nice to me you Ed nice car wrong trim on the trunk don’t bring it to another race like that….

[TGould]

1999, still living in Virginia,, I took the Corvair to a Division 1 race at US 13. I was pitted near Billy Nees and Michael Beard. I think it was the first tine trial I was directed to the NHRA tech trailer. Tech man walks up, says "do you know Billy Nees?" I said yes. He said pull a carb. I said which one. He said both of them. .

[hrs1326]

Back in the day when NHRA US Nationals took 50 stock one day and 50 SuperStock cars another day for Tear Down and inspection at Paul Harvey Ford. Each day there were random picks such as the 16th car through the doors would be required to pull a rod and piston. On this particular day the 16th car was a big block 69 Camaro Stock Eliminator car. Needless to say he wasn't very happy that he had to remove a rod and piston.

Well tear down was in full swing with cylinder heads being poured, camshafts being rolled to check specs, carbs checked and measured,etc.

The owner of the 16th car in approached the cylinder head table were I was positioned and offered a rod and piston to me. He wasn't mad any more because the rod bearing in the rod that was pulled was rotated 90 degrees! Needless to say the racer was pleased to have found this.


Not your typical tech story but a good one.



Can anyone tell me who the racer was???

[MR DERBY CITY]

Either Dwight Southerland or Dave Lebrun

[James Perrone]

2006 I barrow Joe Lisa E/SA Camaro 9 cars in class I’m the 3rd slowest
Run fastest car 1st rd he goes red every round we are trying anything metring rods carb and lo and behold we are in the final and have to win class to get in So I get the by to the final and racers are have given me an X pipe carb and as I about to leave a racers says Put this yellow stuff in the oil And don’t pedal it and shut it off
Well that stuff smelled like NITRO 😂
I have the pleasure of racing some GIANT man child in a PINK car and I get lucky and the GIANT goes red I’m cheering as I go down the track
Bruce says at the scale congratulations you just won class now go in the barn
Piston and rod wow I’m the slowest winner there We pass tear down and the officials want know why haven’t left
I told him I wanna get the oil pan on then leave after An hour and change We DROVE IT TO Get our class photo s. Unforgettable
By the way the nitro was worth a bunch. But with 3 quart ls of zero wieghy glad it was Joes engine

[JP1738]

Not necessarily tech, but very frustrating and strange. I went to Richmond dragway a few years ago to footfeed my pickup truck as my bracket car was down for the count and I still wanted to go have some fun. I get there and pay my sportsman entry, then go to "tech" to fill out my card and officially enter. Guy hands me my tech card back with the car number already filled in. I asked the guy "can I not run my own number?" I was just going to shoe-polish my usual number on the truck. He looked at me and laughed right in my face like it was crazy to him that I wanted to choose my own car #. Maybe he thought I was some dumb kid who didn't know anything about bracket racing, but I'd NEVER been anywhere that gave you a number instead of letting you have your own. F*ck that guy and that track, I'm not even mad it went under. I know it seems petty, but the way he pointed and laughed with such distain, it infuriated me. Everyone that worked there was a dick to me every time I went, race car or not. Racers were great though, met some awesome people while I lived in that area for a while.

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by JP1738

I'd NEVER been anywhere that gave you a number instead of letting you have your own.

FYI, At the Flings they give you a number which is preceded by A, B, C or D depending on your class and you get 2 letters if doubled entered.

[JP1738]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

FYI, At the Flings they give you a number which is preceded by A, B, C or D depending on your class and you get 2 letters if doubled entered.

And I think that's dumb too.

[1320racer]

well, if you ever compete at a Fling, I guess you can drop that in the suggestion box.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by JP1738

Not necessarily tech, but very frustrating and strange. I went to Richmond dragway a few years ago to footfeed my pickup truck as my bracket car was down for the count and I still wanted to go have some fun. I get there and pay my sportsman entry, then go to "tech" to fill out my card and officially enter. Guy hands me my tech card back with the car number already filled in. I asked the guy "can I not run my own number?" I was just going to shoe-polish my usual number on the truck. He looked at me and laughed right in my face like it was crazy to him that I wanted to choose my own car #. Maybe he thought I was some dumb kid who didn't know anything about bracket racing, but I'd NEVER been anywhere that gave you a number instead of letting you have your own. F*ck that guy and that track, I'm not even mad it went under. I know it seems petty, but the way he pointed and laughed with such distain, it infuriated me. Everyone that worked there was a dick to me every time I went, race car or not. Racers were great though, met some awesome people while I lived in that area for a while.

I've been to many tracks where they have the tech cards pre-numbered.
I just cross out their number and write in my own.
Your mistake was to even ask about it.