Lower Class Stockers

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Kevin Zaskowski

My dad, Jim Zaskowski drove his '69 Camaro F/S to beat Tom Kasch's FWD stocker at the Indy points meet in the final round I think in 1988 or 1989 (have all 7 rounds on VHS video tape)! The very next year my dad R/U in the 7th round to MJ Quinn at Indy points meet, who I think was driving the kingswood wagon now driven by "The Captain". Oh yeah, lets not forget about the famous Q/SA shaggin' wagon driven by Charlie Downing who won an IHRA Nat'l event a couple years ago.

Kevin, if you have a copy of that you can make for me, I'll buy it from you. That's all I really like to watch on tv now that the '08 racing season is over...I could care less about those nitro blasters, and alcoholic (so-called) sportsman cars, I want to see more cars like ours (yes even the 12.99 & quicker types, as long as they're stockers or super stockers). Let me know if you can do that and I'll pm you my contact info? Thanks

[Jimmy D. Hyink]

As someone who works as a starter for a dragstrip, I do think that the loss of deep staging has hurt the racers with slower class cars. This is one of the few downsides of autostart, not so much the fault of the system, just need to let NHRA@IHRA approve it again. For a good line crew deep staging with autostart is not a problem. just an opinion.

Jimmy D. Hyink

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

Gary, Rob Roth was the name of the driver of Paul Rossi`s FWD Dodges. He was from the Northwest area.

Thanks Rory,

I have a book at home about fwd performance that would've told me about Rob Roth too, but I never thought this topic would even come up on this site, so "out of sight, out of mind" was my mindset...so much for thinking huh lol! Good luck next season with your car too up there in Div. 6 country...

I was rooting for Rob & Paul then, plus anyone else driving a slower stocker (from then on), because back then I was driving a '76 Vega Htchbk to the semi's of the '79 Div. V e.t. finals at our once "Thunder Valley International Raceway", in Marion, Sd. George Williams's success with his Vega was my inspiration for that car--I also won "King of The Hill" at the 1977 Memorial Day Drags @ Bandimere Speedway (for Denver's South High School), with that car plus five other bracket race wins and one r.u. at the now defunct "Mile High Raceway" (also known as Thunder Road & Dragway Denver), also in '79---that to date was my best year ever in drag racing with my '81 Division V Street Elim. win (also @ Thunder Valley) plus a Bandimere Street elim. win and semi (by -0.12 semi rt), making that year a close second---I was driving a '73 Pontiac Ventura that was an 18sec car. As the late great Carrol O'Connor (of Archie Bunker show fame) would say..."THOSE WERE THE DAYS"!!!

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Dennis P Chapman

Ed maybe I should take the spoiler of my car. LOL

Dont laugh Dennis,it might be worth a few,like you really need it.Maybe you'll have the RWD car ready next year.
Merry Christmas.

Ed

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Jimmy D. Hyink

As someone who works as a starter for a dragstrip, I do think that the loss of deep staging has hurt the racers with slower class cars. This is one of the few downsides of autostart, not so much the fault of the system, just need to let NHRA@IHRA approve it again. For a good line crew deep staging with autostart is not a problem. just an opinion.

Jimmy D. Hyink

I dont know about that.I know I've adjusted very well,and Toby's kind of figured it out LOL.Mike Meiers here in Div. 1 was killer with Billy Nees's fwd car.And he's even better with the Spirit.It's just a matter of
adjusting to the situation.Going deep was actually a pain in the *** when it was allowed.Us slow leavers thought we needed it but we've been proven wrong.

Ed F.

[Mike Meier]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

I dont know about that.I know I've adjusted very well,and Toby's kind of figured it out LOL.Mike Meiers here in Div. 1 was killer with Billy Nees's fwd car.And he's even better with the Spirit.It's just a matter of
adjusting to the situation.Going deep was actually a pain in the *** when it was allowed.Us slow leavers thought we needed it but we've been proven wrong.

Ed F.

Yeah, its easy to cut a good lite when you have 20 inch front tires. I think I was the only guy with tires smaller than the ones on Al Vanis's cars. In fact now that I have moved up to a quicker car it's a matter of backing off mentally so I just stay green.

Hey Ed, if it's nice out we're gonna come pay a visit to the car on Saturday morning, so we may stop by. How's the kitchen coming along?

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Mike Meier

Yeah, its easy to cut a good lite when you have 20 inch front tires. I think I was the only guy with tires smaller than the ones on Al Vanis's cars. In fact now that I have moved up to a quicker car it's a matter of backing off mentally so I just stay green.

Hey Ed, if it's nice out we're gonna come pay a visit to the car on Saturday morning, so we may stop by. How's the kitchen coming along?

Moving along ok.Bathroom next then maybe the central air.I'm keeping the economy rolling.Dont come by too early I need the sleep.

Ed

[Owen S Quirion]

Ed, don't be giving Dennis any more ideas. I am having a hard enough time figuring out how to beat his car now.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Owen S Quirion

Ed, don't be giving Dennis any more ideas. I am having a hard enough time figuring out how to beat his car now.

Owen;
Kick in to the RWD car fund.Then he'll park the shadow.Have a Merry Christmas and hope you dont get swamped with snow.
Ed

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Jimmy D. Hyink

As someone who works as a starter for a dragstrip, I do think that the loss of deep staging has hurt the racers with slower class cars. This is one of the few downsides of autostart, not so much the fault of the system, just need to let NHRA@IHRA approve it again. For a good line crew deep staging with autostart is not a problem. just an opinion.

Jimmy D. Hyink

Wow Jimmy, Thanks...and because of you I found something else I agree with Ed over. In my cars set-up, shallow staging works much better. I recanted my quarter final finish at the '06 Mile Highs, and noticed that my worst rt during elims was in fact my quarter-final loss to Ryan McClanahan (0.045)...I'll remember that race until I get a rematch against him, because I tree'd him by 0.026, and he was safe against his dial under by just 0.014 (and my car fell off that rnd by 0.133)! If ever there was a race I wish I could do over, it was that one, because 0.015 or more quicker by Ryan, and barring a foul in the semi's by me against Mike Loge (his car slowed against Ryan by 1.989 sec---13.409 on his 11.42 dial), I would've had the chance to race Scott Burton in the finals and thus had a chance to join Mark as the only fwd national event winners...plus I would've seen my car in action on the "Inside Drag Racing show after the race on ESPN"! Everytime I watch that video, I wish for a do-over because I know what I did wrong, and I felt that race was mine for the taking! It would've allowed me to be the first fwd national event winner this century---which is my motivation to keep plugging away at this, because as that saying goes, "every dog has it's day", and when I have mine I won't just be barking...I'll be "HOWWLLLLING!!!

I give credit to my car leaving like the rwd cars (shallow staging) due to the converter that Marv Ripes at A-1 put together for me, and the M/T slicks I used there for the grip. Someday I'll get my rematch against him (Ryan), and I will do my best to do to him what I did to one of my friends (Wes) at a combo race here in Phoenix ( shortly after I lost the quarters to him at last years Div VII race #2 in Tucson), a 0.017rt, and a right on the dial + 0.004 run out of my car on a slippery track, which earned me a 0.003 sec margin of victory!