2009 Summer Schedule
By Emily | March 21, 2009
It’s finally here! Our 2009 summer racing schedule is finally together. Please feel free to check out the dates and hopefully we will see you all out there!
April
April 10/11 (Friday and Saturday) – Testing – Bremerton, WA
May
May 1-3, 2009 (Friday – Sunday) – NHRA Div. 6 Divisionals – Boise, ID
May 9/10, 2009 (Saturday – Sunday) – PNSCA Race 1/2 – Bremerton, WA
June
June 6/7, 2009 (Saturday – Sunday) – PNSCA Race 5/6 – Spokane, WA
June 12-14, 2009 (Friday – Sunday) – NHRA Div. 6 Divisionals – Spokane, WA
June 19-21, 2009 (Friday – Sunday) – NHRA Div. 6 Divisionals – Seattle, WA
July
July 17-19, 2009 (Friday – Sunday) – NHRA Northwest Nationals – Seattle, WA
July 25, 2009 (Saturday) – PNSCA Race 7 – Mission, BC
August
August 1-2, 2009 (Saturday – Sunday) – NHRA Div. 6 Open – Medicine Hat, AB
August 15/16, 2009 (Saturday – Sunday) – PNSCA Race 8/9 – Bremerton, WA
September
September 12/13, 2009 (Saturday – Sunday) – PNSCA Race 10/11 – Woodburn, OR
September 25-26, 2009 (Friday – Saturday) – NHRA Div. 6 Divisionals – Eagle Point, OR
October
October 29 – November 1, 2009 (Thursday – Sunday) – NHRA Las Vegas Nationals – Las Vegas, NV
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While We’re At It
By Chris | March 1, 2009
I promised an update on the engine, and you’ll get one. On Tuesday we’re taking it to the dyno, and you’ll get a full report and pictures after that. But I’ve been working hard on the car, and Em’s all over me for a blog update in the mean time, so here you go.
Perhaps the most fun part about winter with a race car is the chance to take a look at what you have, and imagine how it could be better. So this winter, as I started getting things out of the car, I began looking at improving things. And I got a bad case of the “while we’re at it”s.
The current case of it started with a simple little problem. As we started working on the engine, Bob pointed out that we really should fix the fuel pressure gauge. You see, the engine was out and the fuel lines were on the floor, but it was still reading pressure. Probably should fix that. And it would be great if it was in the dash, so Em could know if there was a problem. OK, maybe we can work that out, I thought.
Old Dash Now Empty
Then, we realized that with the new vacuum system we should probably have a gauge for that too. And that created a problem, a really crowded dash. Or what could be called a “10 pounds of stuff, but only a 5 pound bag”.
In addition, we wanted to have the Racepak record those pieces of data. This isn’t a big deal, as it can record all kinds of things. But the dash was a real problem. Fortunately, Racepak makes a neat electronic dash (the IQ3) that easily connects to our existing data recorder. So, the answer was simple: replace the tach, water temp gauge, and oil pressure gauge with the IQ3. And we’d get all the other data there too.
This means rearranging the whole dash, and building a new one. I’m up for that, I thought, no problem. Of course, that caused another problem: the Dedenbear CC3 delay box wouldn’t fit on the dash in the new configuration. That’s OK, they make a smaller box (the Lightning) that has all the features we need and will fit. Then the next problem, all the switches wouldn’t fit. Tried a new Painless panel, but it wouldn’t fit either (gotta love the narrow chassis…). So I ended up returning it, getting all new switches from Painless and committing to redoing the existing switch panel as well.
All in all, I ended up gutting the dash, and starting over. A project I was looking forward to. Until I got into it. The more I tore things out, the more I found that needed to be fixed. Wires that were patched, some were undersized, and some that were completely unnecessary now that the Racepak was going to handle it all. So, another case of “while we’re at it” came, and a complete rewire of the car was added to the to-do list.
Gutted Car
And if that’s not biting off enough, as I got into the rewire job, I found more and more that needed to be done. Several circuits that should probably be on relays were not. So in came a Dedenbear Multiple Relay Center, a neat solution to the problem.
The back panel behind the seat would need to be organized, with the new vacuum system, and much of the wiring was connected to it. It would also be nice to move the radiator overflow catch can up there (from back by the read end). And it would be a neat place to put the relay center. So a new back panel had to be crafted.
When I stared laying all of this out, I realized the MSD ignition box was a) old and out of date, and b) bigger than ideal for the space. And if I got a new MSD 7AL-3 box, I’d have the latest box, and would have an even better place to put the relay center.
So, a serious case of “while we’re at it” has resulted in a car that is completely gutted. I’ve spent so much time tearing it apart, I’m not sure if it will ever go back together. But I’m sure it will… with time.
Unfortunately, I only have a month. We’ve decided to do our first test session on April 10-11. That gives me very little time to stop tearing things apart and starting to get them back together. It will all start with the engine and a trip to the dyno on Tuesday. Stay tuned.
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Rain Nationals
By Emily | February 15, 2009
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! Or not…
Maybe we'll see some racing!
Chris and I had been eagerly waiting the kickoff to the 2009 racing season. The off-season work on the car has kept Chris (and Bob) pretty busy these past couple of months, but nothing gets the blood pumping like hearing those engines run. Chris and I had planned our trip to Pomona months ago and could hardly contain our excitement for this past weekend. I planned to fly out to Seattle Thursday night and meet Chris for our 7am flight the next morning. We made it to Ontario early on Friday holding our breath for that day’s qualifying. The weekend was supposed to be filled with rain, but Sunday was looking like the clouds were going to part and bless the track with some racing.
Friday was a complete bust. We headed to the track, just in case the rain held off long enough to race. We walked around, said ‘hello’ to a few friends around the track, and ultimately ended up underneath a tent while the hurricane ensued. We finally gave in and decided to head to the car only to be caught mid-storm. The result was two soaking, cold and grumpy race fans hiding out in the rental car. The rest of the day consisted of course work for me, programing for Chris, and naps for all.
Cold and Silly Looking
Saturday offered a little more hope for racing. When we arrived they were busy drying the track, and the racing started, better late than never. We were thrilled to hear those engines start up again! They made it through a couple of pairs before they were forced to stop because of rain. The whole day was stop and go racing due to the rain. And it was cold and windy in the stands. But they managed to get one qualifying round in, which was enough to race on Sunday. The forecast was looking good for race day and Chris and I were crossing our fingers.
Sunday proved to be a huge disappointment. It started only 30 minutes late, but a few pairs would run, the rain would start, and two hours of drying would take place. Rinse and repeat. It was like that throughout the entire day until the unforgiving rain canceled the whole event. NHRA was barely able to make it through one round. It wasn’t until Tuesday that they were able to finish the race. I can’t tell you how much I wanted to see those final pairs.
As Chris often says, “I love this sport, but we really do spent a lot of time waiting.” If I had one complaint about drag racing it would be the ridiculous amount of time I spent on my behind waiting for the next pair. Ah, well. You take the bad with the good, right? All in all, I’d pick a rained out weekend with Chris over nothing at all.
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Engine Work
By Chris | January 10, 2009
Bob Johnson with our Block
As I noted in the last post (here), we managed to get the engine out of the car and over to the home/shop of our wonderful engine builder Bob Johnson. Bob had the thing torn apart within something like an hour, or at least it seemed that way. The guy is amazing. And given that he does all this work in his garage, his den, his kitchen, his driveway, etc. he has the most understanding wife in the world.
Once he had the engine apart, he started going over the parts and checking out their condition. We bought the car from the world famous Jack Beckman, and the engine is the very one that he used to win the Super Comp national title a few years ago. But it has had 290 runs since the last rebuild and we just weren’t sure what the inside was going to look like.
We’ve told Bob that our objective is to get a good, solid, and reliable engine, and get a few more miles-per-hour at the top end. We’re not trying to build an exotic 1200 horse monster, and we’re trying to keep the expenditures under control. So with that in mind, we started with the idea of saving most of the parts, yet still shooting for 900+ horsepower (up from what we think is somewhere in the low 800s).
Cleaned Up Pistons
Bob had mostly good news after the teardown, even for an engine with that many runs. The pistons were in very good shape, with just some galling on the wrist pin area. It seems the wrist pins were a little tight last time around and not enough oil got in there. But in general, they looked great.
The heads are an older style, but are in good shape so we’re going to run another year with them. A new set would cost another $3k, and would mean we’d need new pistons. That’s an expense we hope to wait another year to confront. We are pretty sure that, next year, we’ll need to go with new pistons (see below), so we’ll tackle the new heads at that time.
The block, a great Merlin piece, is in very good shape. He had it honed and almost all the scratches came out. There are some remaining, but we’ll live this year with them. Next year we’ll tackle the project of going to a slightly larger bore size with its accompanying requirement for new pistons (see above). But the block looks super, and now that Bob has painted it all a pretty black, it almost looks new.
Cleaned Up Block
We are going to replace the intake manifold. The current one is an older one, and Bob’s pretty convinced that a new Edelbrock Super Victor intake will give us a solid boost in horsepower. Mercifully, these aren’t that expensive, and rank high in the bang for the buck sweepstakes. Bob’s going to tweak it to match the heads and we should have a super combination.
We’re putting in new valve springs, just good insurance for another year of smooth running. But the valves themselves were good to go after Bob cleaned them up. We’ve decided to go with a new camshaft as well. The Comp Cams guy suggested we needed some more duration on the exhaust, so here again, we’re making an investment with a good return on the investment. And of course we’re replacing all the seals, bearings, and gaskets.
The last major update to the engine is we’re going to install an active vacuum system to provide negative manifold pressure. This will replace the puke tank we have in the back of the car, and should give us a solid increase in horsepower. Bob’s never seen a vacuum system add less than 19, and he’s thinking we’re likely to see something closer to 30 additional horses over and above the puke tank setup that we have today. This will require new valve covers, and we have a special surprise coming there. Stay tuned.
Most of the parts arrive here this week, so Bob can get it back together soon. Then we’ll head for the dyno to see how much we gained in the way of horsepower. Next up is the transmission. We’ve found some issues there, but that’s a subject for another post.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more updates.
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Winter Work Begins
By Chris | January 4, 2009
Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time to start thinking about the next season of racing. But there’s a lot of work to do before we get there. It’s time to get the hands dirty again!
We put something like 80 passes on the engine this year, and it already had a couple hundred on it before we got it. That means it’s long overdue for a freshen. And there are a number of parts that are at or close to their certification dates; we need to get those out and replaced. So just from the strict maintenance perspective we have work to do.
But, we also have some improvement goals as well. For the trailer, I’d like to get a better weather station. While our current unit works, it is cumbersome, needs 110v which requires us to run the generator at all times, the pager is flaky (dying at the worst possible moments like in the staging lanes), and generally is technology from the early 1980s. I have a new one in my sights, from Family Software. I also have some other improvements, like air and electrical lines to the pit side of the trailer and a new awning. But those will have to wait for the incessant snow here to finally disappear and outside temps to get above frigid…
For the car, our main goal is to get a few more miles per hour at the top end. In Super Comp, the faster car has a distinct advantage, being able to see the opponent throughout the entire run — and can play all kinds of “finish line games”. We don’t really want to play those games, we need a few hundred more passes behind us before we’re at that level. But if we’re closer to our opponent’s speed, it will make it hard for people to play those games on us. So I’d like to see our top speed, currently around 168, move into the low 170s. This simply takes more horsepower, which just takes more money — of course.
Fortunately, we have been very lucky to find a super engine builder just a few miles from our house. Bob Johnson is a local legend, having raced and built engines for years. He’s been building a lot of engines for people in the our local association (the PNSCA), and is the nicest guy you want to meet. And he’s a member of the NHRA’s sportsman advisory council, which is helping to set the rules for sportsman classes.
I’ve been talking with Bob about freshening the engine for a couple of months, but just never found the time to get the engine out. The other day he came over and we got the engine and transmission out of the car. It wasn’t hard to do, except that when it’s 40 degrees outside (with snow all around) it sure makes it a little chilly. But with Bob’s expert help, Em’s help and support (and a painful trip to the trailer for a couple of tools), and the occasional sun break, we got it done in a couple of hours.
Bob took the engine and the tranny back to his house/shop to begin the work. He’s going to get the engine all torn down, and give it a thorough going over so we can decide what to fix, or update. His son is going to take the transmission and put it into a new SFI certified case. We’ll send the carb to get a full once over as well. When we get it done, we should have a great engine and a nice solid transmission and converter.
Our goal is to take the engine from an estimated 850 horsepower today to something just over 900. Bob and I think this is a reasonable goal given the engine combination we have, and we should be able to get there without having to resort to boring it out to 572 or other more extensive modifications. Just to be sure, and to make sure we get just the right new torque converter, we’ll be running the engine on a dyno when it’s complete. That will let us tune it just right (eliminating some of the tune part of our first test-and-tunes with the new combination) and give us some solid baseline numbers for the future.
The only weird thing is that the car is now sitting in the garage almost naked. It’s so weird to go out there and see just a rolling chassis with a hole where the engine and tranny used to be. The one saving grace is that Em and I got a chance to run the engine before we took it out — how great it was to hear it and smell it running again. Can’t wait until we get it all freshened and ready for the spring, then we can really run it in earnest!
I’ll keep you posted as we decide our next steps in our constant quest to make more horsepower.
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PNSCA Banquet
By Chris | December 7, 2008
Last night the Pacific Northwest Super Comp Association had its end of the year banquet. Like any such event, it was a great chance for all the racers to get together, celebrate the champions, reminisce about the past year, generally wish it wasn’t cold and rainy outside. Unfortunately, Emily couldn’t make it, with too much homework to make the 10 hour round trip worth it, so I had to represent EMDUB Racing myself.
The event was held at an interesting place, the Nifty Fifty Bar and Grill, which besides being a bit of a dive, offered a challenge when it was realized that you had to be 21 to enter. While none of our racers were underage, some of their families and significant others were. After much negotiation with the establishment, including threats to move 50+ guests to another location, we eventually convinced them to allow the others in — if only through the back door.
Once that was settled, the annual meeting began. We decided on a couple of rules changes and drafted elected folks into the leadership positions. Ed Hauter graciously accepted the president’s job, John Young the vice-president, and Connie Woodruff the secretary-treasurer job. And I got drafted volunteered to be the webmaster. The PNSCA.com site is over a year stale and needs some help. Good thing I have nothing else to do…
Then followed festivities. There was a nice round of door prize handouts — the members all brought things, and Dale Green, the engine builder to many in attendance, brought loads of nice things for the crowd. I won a case of brake cleaner that was brought by Terry and Bambee Haddock (the Funny Car driver), a couple of hats, and other small items. I love it, I’m almost out of brake cleaner.
A wonderful letter from Steve Iverson was read. Steve was involved in a horrific crash at the Seattle national event this July. He crashed violently just as Emily and I were walking past the finish line. We saw up close the car and a rear wheel bound past us in a shower of sparks. After the better part of an hour of rescue including cutting him out of the car, he was taken to the hospital. He spent more than a month there, and the PNSCA took up a collection to help him out. Steve was told by his wife to never race again. Well, that didn’t last long, he couldn’t attend the banquet because he was driving to Texas to pick up his new car… Racers are hard to keep down.
Then the awards were handed out. Nice payouts all around, all the way down to 10th. The winner for the year was Bob Woodruff, who gave a moving and emotional speech thanking all those who helped make it happen. It was great to see him win, even though he beat out our friend Rick Dearinger by one point.
We ended with dinner that was, well… not special. I’ve seen less grease on the floor of a race shop. And they had but one waitress for 50+ people. Took most of an hour for the food to just be delivered, a few plates here, a few there… But the beer was cold and the company was warm.
It was a great evening, fun to get together with some super people, and it was just the proddding I need to get the engine out of the car for a freshen. Better get on that right away.
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Now It’s My Turn
By Chris | November 1, 2008
After a year of watching, wrenching, and worrying, it seemed only fair that I, Chris, get a chance to experience this whole driving thing. And it certainly couldn’t hurt for me to know in more detail what it was all about when it comes to tuning or setting up the car.
I have been a fan for 35 years, watching racing at Milan and Norwalk since my teens. I have seen more passes down the track than many people I know. But, other than a couple of forgettable times as a teenager, I’ve never made a pass down the track in earnest. So when the email from Frank Hawley’s School advertising a new class in Las Vegas came, I was intrigued to say the least.
After much hemming and hawing (along with begging and pleading of my forever tolerant wife), I decided to go for it. I signed up for the class in late September. Now the nerves could begin in earnest.
My biggest concern, strangely enough, wasn’t about driving the car. I pretty much knew what to expect there, having been through it with Emily in January. It was about fitting in the car in the firs
t place. I’m not a small guy, and I’ve been denied seats on roller coasters and other tight fits in the past. My fear was compounded when, just days before the class, someone from the school called to warn me that there was a non-zero chance I wouldn’t fit in. Ugh. I’ve been working out, Emily and her Mom even talked me into a “90-day Challenge” at the gym. I’m getting smaller. But these things are tiny… And I don’t do tiny very well.
When the time finally came, that cold morning in the desert with a whole group of other nervous students, I was awfully close to panic. Would I license? Would I like it? Would I simply fit in the car? I’d been up most of the night with these concerns. But Frank is good at this, and he settled most of it down… Until it came time to get in the car. I picked out a fire suit, gloves, helmet, and neck ring and waited my turn.
When I finally wedged into the car I was amazed, I actually fit. Sort of. I told the guy who came to strap me in how worried I was, and he said “oh, don’t worry, we’ve squeezed way bigger guys than you in here”. And he strapped me in. But the helmet was so uncomfortable and the neck ring so thick that I couldn’t see the dash. I made it to the line and made that stumbling first pass that everyone makes, to 200 feet, and quickly wrenched myself out of the car. I had done it.
Two more passes that day and I was through day one… With a welt on my forehead, and a pit in my stomach. Boy, that car sure hits hard on the launch. And that helmet and neck ring hurt. And I can barely get in and out of the car, the bruises in my armpits from wriggling out of it were painful.
I even, for a moment, considered not finishing day two. But when Frank said in his day two chat that comfort was key,
I decided to do something about it. I asked for a new helmet and neck ring, and you’d be surprised how much easier it is to drive when you can actually see what you’re doing…
I was never really comfortable, though. And it wasn’t all about the fit. My lights were just this side of lousy. It turns out 165 mph is pretty darn fast (who would’ve guessed?). And I never really got the whole “I love this, gotta do more” feeling that I really expected. Don’t get me wrong, it was cool, but…
So I completed the course, and got my license. I’m now NHRA license number 6304 (matches Em’s 6104 nicely). But I’m not sure what I’ll do with it. We’re really not in a position to add another car to the stable. We have a trailer that really only will work for the one car, the economy is taking a bite out of everyone, and it wouldn’t be popular on the home front.
For now, I’m ecstatic that I am licensed. I understand a lot more about what Em is going through — maybe I’ll be a little less of a butthead when she makes a mistake. I make enough for both of us anyway. And we’re both really looking forward to getting back to the racing next spring.
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More Publicity!
By Emily | October 26, 2008
An old friend and sorority sister asked to write a short article on my racing experience for a sports reporting position. She did a great job and I thought I should share it with you all!
Also, here is the link to the online article.
—
Emily Williams; “Life in The Fast Lane.”
What’s a girl to do when she feels the need for speed? For 22 year old Emily Williams, the answer was drag racing. Emily is currently racing a super comp dragster out of Woodinville, WA.
As a kid, Emily developed an interest in motor sports when her Dad Chris took her for rides on his motorcycle. While a college senior in Orange County, California, Emily enrolled in a Super Comp race class. From her first class, Emily was hooked. “Racing made me feel alive,” she said. Despite being one of the youngest students and the only girl in class, she earned her racing license.
After college Emily moved home to Washington. She prepared for grad school but also made time for her passion. Emily’s dad/crew chief helped her find an affordable car. Emily was ready to go and named her racing team – “EmDub Racing” after a nickname given to her by a sorority sister.
Before Emily could race competitively she had to make many practice runs with her father. She learned that, maybe more than any other sport, drag racing is a mental game. “Before I race,” she said, “I always run through the whole procedure in the car both physically and mentally. Consistency and procedure are essential for winning and safety.”
The race season ended as the rainy season began but for Emily it was an eventful rookie year. “Overall this year has been amazing,” she said. “Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better first season. I am passionately in love with drag racing.”
Not only did she get lots of practice runs on the track, Emily even competed in some actual races, getting her first win at the Fall Classic. Right now, Emily is focused on her grad school classes but by next season she’ll be ready to put the pedal to the metal!
-Maile Proctor
—
Thanks Maile!
EMDUB
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Gotta Love Those Win Lights!
By Emily | September 16, 2008
Well, it’s nearing the end of the season for drag racing and Chris and I knew we had to get one last race in before the rainy season hit. The Pacific Northwest Super Comp Association was having their last two races at the Woodburn Fall Classic in Woodburn, OR and it seemed like a perfect chance! However, there were a couple hurdles we had to jump before we were able to make it to Woodburn and one was transportation!
Chris had it easy with a fairly straight forward five hour drive from Woodinville to Woodburn. I, on the other hand, has a six hour drive through nowhere Washington. I left on Friday right after work and hit the road. Chris made it just fine and kept me company on the phone during the second half of my drive. I managed to hit construction, waiting for the clearing of a car wreck and sat through one lane traffic on I-84 due to the horrible fire. After 7 hours I finally made it to Woodburn and crashed in the hotel room.
Saturday morning Chris and I were pumped to get to the track. We unloaded and made sure we were all set up. We spent extra time checking the weather, our calculations and the track. We wanted to be able to get the most out of our two qualifying runs. Our first two runs went well, even though we waited in the staging lanes for a good hour before each run. I qualified 11th and was paired up again Marcia Miller, a strong racer in the Super Comp division. Important to note that during the day I had been hitting killer lights on the tree. My first shot was a .009 and my second was a .003. I should have known that my lights would only get better and that it would be helpful to put some delay in the box, but I didn’t. So, I red-lit the first round against Marcia and I was really upset. But Chris reminded me that these things happen and that we still had a whole other of racing. We where both so exhausted that it may have been a blessing in disguise as a packed up and headed to the hotel.
Sunday was a much better day. Chris and I felt really rested and were pumped for our last race of the 
season. Like I mentioned before, it was the Fall Classic that weekend and the track was packed. We were called into the staging lanes early, but there was a blown engine a few rounds before us. As they were trying to clear the track two tow vehicles crashed on the return road and we all waited as fire trucks and ambulances tried to clear the crash. We finally got a chance to run and almost everyone in the field broke out. Only four of the seventeen races were above 8.90. Even with our breakout we were able to qualify 8th and were matched against Ross Souza. Ross is quite a talented racer and had significantly more experience than I did, so we knew we had to step it up. I put a little delay in my box, as I red-lit in the qualifying run, set the throttle stop and hoped for the best. And just to make things interesting, Chris had me change the throttle stop setting as I rolled into the water box for the burnout.
I couldn’t believe it when the win light came on and Chris screamed in my radio that I had won! First round win ever and with an 8.904 to his 8.907. Not a bad run at all! I couldn’t have been more please and that one win light made the entire year worth it. Having never been to a second round, Chris and I didn’t know what to do with ourselves. We jumped the gun a little and put too much in the throttle stop for the second round. We did breakout, but we were still so excited about our first round win that I doubt anyone noticed our second round loss. What a great day!
Overall this year has been amazing. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better first season and I am passionately in love with this sport. Chris has been an amazing Crew Chief, father and fan. Thanks for everything, Dad!
Please keep in touch during the off season. We’ll keep you updated as we freshen the engine and tweak the little things to get ready for 2009.
Thanks for all the support!
EMDUB
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EMDUB’s First Race!
By Emily | August 23, 2008
Okay, I’m officially behind on my blog and I don’t really have a good 
reason. Whoops! So much has happened in the past month and they are all very exciting events. So, lets back up and start from the beginning.
Chris and I only had a few weeks before I had to be back in Pullman for school, so we wanted to get in as much racing as possible. We were searching the track websites for any chances to race when we happened to stumbled across the Pacific Northwest Super Comp Association’s race at Bremerton the weekend of August 9-10. After Jack Beckman got on our case about not having entered a race yet, we decided to go for it. So, we headed out to Bremerton and spent Friday night testing to make sure we were reading for the race on Saturday! We had a great night with strong times right around 8.90 and we felt like we really had a handle on the track and car.
Saturday morning we were a the track early and met the group of racers in the Super Comp Association. They
are all very nice people who passionately love racing in the Super Comp class. They are casual and really out there to race. I was welcomed with open arms and they all offered as much advice as possible. I honestly could not have asked for a better group of people to help me get into the racing scene. They had a race scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in order to get the most racing in as possible. We had two qualifying runs in Saturday and were getting ready to race when it began raining. It ended up raining out the entire day, but we spent a lot of time in the pits getting to know all of the association members and making some great friends.
Sunday we decided to see if we could get in both races, depending on time. We had one qualifying run and I managed to qualify 2nd! Pretty impressive for our first race. We were paired against Mo (a pretty tough competitor) in the first round. I left the line with a .033 light and had a 8.91, which on any day would be a great run. However, Mo is quite a great racer and cut an even better light with a 8.907. Although I lost my first race, the experience was such a great learning situation.
We were able to get the rained out race in on Sunday. We were paired up with Rick Dearinger, the winner of the previous race, on our first round of this race. I knew it was going to be a tough race, so I really focused in my light. I managed to cut a .013 light (my best light of the weekend) and even beat Rick on the tree (by .001)! Yet, once again, we were paired up against a tough competitor. Rick has been racing for many years and was able to play some games on the track (like lifting on the accelerator toward the finish line or being able to ‘feel’ an 8.90 run) and ran a perfect 8.903. However, our 8.896 was not far off! I was disappointed that we lost both races, but my dad pointed out just how well we had done for our first time out there. And honestly, I haven’t had that much fun in a LONG time!
We plan to head to Woodburn on September 13-14 for another Super Comp Association race. Hopefully I will come back with at least a round win!
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