Race Report - Governor’s Cup 2016

Governor’s Cup report!

 It all started about a week before the Governor’s Cup. I pulled the car out of the trailer as I had to replace the exhaust valves from the previous race. Some of them had stretched almost .025 during the converter blow up at the beginning of the year.

I know, I know, why did he wait so long? 

Well I have many engine jobs going right now and it is tough to fit in the race car.

When I pulled it apart I also found one spark plug with the ground strap burned off even though the jetting is still on the rich side. 

Well, I found out I had put two steps hotter spark plugs (NGK -8) in by mistake. Don’t know how that happened! The hotter plugs raised the temp on the spark plug and burned the ground strap. I put the correct NGK -10 in this time.

 I started taking it apart about 5 days before the race and got everything ready to go by Friday which is the day before the race. 

I started putting it back together at noon on Friday and I didn’t really expect to get it done in time for the Governor’s Cup and resigned to the fact that I was getting it ready for the Hot Rod Reunion in October.

Somehow everything went together smoothly and Lisa and I started it around 9pm that night.

 I worked getting ready until about midnight and then got up at 6am to finish up and get to the track. 

We barely made it in time and showed up about 15 minutes before first round of qualifying.

Don Dicero said hey, “qualifying starts in 15 minutes” and I said “plenty of time!”

 Bryan, Cliff and Paul got me up and running quickly and the car was ready for the first pass of qualifying. I ran 7.08 on the 7.00 index so that was a big relief.

The second round of qualifying the car started bouncing real bad and I shut it off early and still ran a 7.41 @135. The idle rpm was real high after the run and come to find out it blew a burst panel on that run.

Probably all the bouncing cause a spike in the boost.

 We got it ready for first round of eliminations and I had to run my good friend Don Dicero.

We had a fantastic race as we both ran 7.11 and I edged him out by just a small margin. 

We are now 1-1!

 Next round I raced Billy McDevitt and I had a great .005 light and won with a 7.12 to his quicker 7.05 run. 

That made me feel good as I did my job. Not bad for an old guy!

After I went through the lights on that run everything was fine and while coasting to a stop it sounded like I had a rock machine under my car and I thought my night was over. 

The engine would not even turn over so it looked pretty bad. Come to find out I had sheared all of my torque converter bolts so there was hope.

 It was a thrash as me and Lisa, Cliff, Greg Underwood, Kenny Fansler and Paul Andrews all worked feverishly to get it done as I was in the finals and time was running out.

 The finals were uneventful as I red lighted and spun the tires.

I was way too high rpm on the torque converter and that is why it spun. 

The sad part is my opponent Richard Phillips had trouble down track and was only able to run 8.30 so a mild run would have sealed the deal but I was going for it because he is a real hitter!

I really am very happy with the results and will take the runner-up spot. 

It was fun with lots of friends at the track and Shantel was there with the boys.

Bryan was there doing his match race, Tramp vs The Patriot and they both put on a good show.

It was really cool to hear that Josiah got everyone together to pray for his Poppy! 

What a good boy! 

Brooklyn came up to me after the race and said “Poppy we prayed for you to win!” 

That makes my heart soar.

If only Jade could have been there I would have had all 5 grandkids there but I know she was rooting me on by Facebook!

Thank-you to my crew, Cliff, Bryan & Paul and to family & friends that both helped and offered their help! (Shantel Aflleje, Kenny Fansler, Gregg Underwood, Jim Novotny, Kevin Aube, Ryan Doyel & Travis Varner.)

And of course, thank-you to those who came out to watch and cheer us on... (LeRoy Hall, Luis Torres & Ariyah, Connie Novotny, Kelly Underwood, Ulrick Lee, Dick Mayer, Stephanie Baker & boys, Jay Linn & girls) you keep us motivated.

What an awesome Racing Family we are blessed with!

Thanks to my great back up girls, (BUGS), Stacey and Kelley.  You ladies are the best!

 Many thanks to my wife Lisa for helping me get the car ready.

Thanks to Les Stripe my race partner as I would not be at this point if not for him.

And to my other race partner Ron Whitman, thanks buddy!

 I hope I am making you proud as you are looking down on us from the best vantage point of all!

Ron Whitman RIP 2012  

      

Next race, Bakersfield Hot Rod Reunion, October 21-23!

"The Statement"

The statement “If it was easy everyone would be doing it” is the best way to describe racing. Yes, many can talk about how fast they are, or “I would have done it that way”, but until you put your own program together and actually go out to the track you will never know how really difficult it is. I have nothing but respect for those that race and are able to do it with some consistency and win. It is not easy.

 So why do we do it? Maybe the challenge to do something that most can’t? The thrill and excitement of driving fast?  The fulfillment of bottling up 1500 hp, strapping yourself in and lighting the fuse?  Or is it just the fact that you can get your friends and family together when the words are spoken, let’s go racing! I think it is all of the above but mostly the latter. 

 Sometimes things don’t go your way and a little part breaks to ruin your racing weekend. Do we get discouraged, yes.  But do we quit, no. Not if you really want it. You keep spending money, staying up until all hours of the night and dreaming of that perfect weekend when everything comes together and you win a race.

 Some go their entire lifetime and not win a race. I have won a few races in my life, some that I can barely remember yet I still continue. I continue because I like the people, I like the competition and l like the fact that family and friends come together at the races.  Some of my most memorable races were ones I lost by an inch yet I can barely remember the wins if not for a distant picture or two.  

 Recently someone told me,” I remember when you won the first nostalgia drags at Sacramento” and if not for his remembrance I probably would have completely forgotten. Why is that? I guess racing is much more than just about winning , it is a dream.  Anyway, thank goodness for computers as we can now document our musings, keep thousands of pictures and share the excitement of that big win and the story line behind it.

Let’s go racing!

Bryan's Altered Race Car Thrash

Bryan got a bee in his bonnet (lol) and decided he wanted to make the Nostalgia Reunion Race at Sacramento Raceway this weekend!

So, we Hall Bros., in typical fashion, went into overdrive and did a Race Car Thrash! 

(That's the way us "poor boys" do it!)

We started on Monday night with Bryan bringing over his heads to dad's garage:

 The heads needed an overhaul and a new set of valves. In addition new springs and titanium retainers were installed.

On Tuesday night, the thrash continued as the engine was put back together at Bryan's Garage:

Sweet Baby Claire was helping her Poppy make some decisions about the pushrods!

Uncle Cliff came over to help also.

And it was a good thing that he did...cuz it was looking like Claire Bear was not about to let go of her Daddy so that he could help out! LOL!

While the guys were hard at work...the little one's were distracted by a visitor to Rio Linda....

Yes! That's right...JB stopped by for a visit! (Well...at least the cardboard version of him stopped by!) The girls were busy entertaining him in the boat and didn't seem to be interested in the race car drama going on right next to them.

It's always good to have Dad around for advice and guidance!

Close inspection of the pushrods, to be sure they will hold up to the extreme pressure a blown engine can exert during one pass on the track!

The blower and injector.

When it was all put back together, and we tried to run-up, we experienced a minor problem with the batteries...

Soon, it was fixed and we had a successful start-up...at 11:00 pm no less!

Check out the video here:

Happy Faces all around here! 

With a few minor things to check-off the list, this baby is ready to run Friday at the Nostalgia Reunion!

Only one thing missing from this equation that could have made it any better...

Miss you everyday Dad...we know you'd be proud and we know you'll be there cheering Bryan on this weekend!