5MP Short Track
Supernationals. Well, have to
admit that this "open" show
caught my eye early this year
when it was scheduled. It's
close, and another opportunity
to race at 5 Mile Point which
I've always liked. We debated
the event this past week,
knowing full well that it would
likely attract some stiff,
overhead competition. Earlier
this year though we ran
against some overheads at
Thunder Mountain with the
MVSCC, and did quite well.
Bolstered with that
performance I took a half day
Friday, stopped down to Dougs
Speedshop and picked up
some fuel. While there I tlaked
with Joe Buchek who thought
the races would get in as teh
weather was supposed to clear.
HOme I went and prepped the
B29. Ed Moyzan called and
wanted to join us and I was
more than happy to have the
company. The car prepped,
Saturday morn. came wet and
dreary, I raked some leaves
and waited for it to dry out.
Finally, the sun came out, Ed
pulled up and off we went to
the historic 1/4 in Kirkwood.
Pulling in, Scott Gates and
Mike Cole are already in line.
Jim Florance has come donw
to help Dad pit and he pulls in
shortly after. Scott relates "I
pulled the 240 and put in this
351, I got it from Rousch." I
notice Mike has more
carburation on also, it's an
'Open'. We sign in and on the
way back I look over Lyn
Highhouse's Gremlin, it's
immaculate. In the pits I walk
over and meet Jeff Richardson,
we help lift his Gremlin over in
the enclosed trailer and roll it
out, it's light. He relates "We
hav to weigh 2650 with the
NVDMRC, today I'm at 2450." I
inquire about the engine, "it's
a 383 stroker.." Some quick
calculations in my head, let's
see, 400 lbs, 89 cubes and
likely 200-300 horsepower.
There's no way I can make my
car wide enough..
Warm the car up and then
run the fuel out, click click,
@#$#%#^&. The starter is
locked, get a hammer. Good
thing we've got time..loosened
up and it works like a charm,
out for warmups. The track is
in decent shape, the sun is
out and there's the green...
the car feels good, engine is
running well and ROWR!!
Lynn Highhouse slide jobs me
into three, get on it, can I saty
with him? No. Next lap,
ROWR!! Rob Casti is by with a
slidjob in three again - Jesus!
Am I in the way here? they're
the only two by and I'm
gaining on Cole, welt, let's see
what happens in the heat.
Dad's 43A suddenly has lost
power as we're getting ready to
line up, I yell to check the
terminals. He does but it's too
late to make his heat so I pull
out for the second one. I'm
starting last which is OK with
me, at least I'll be able to
gauge how competitive I'll be.
We pull onto the track and the
green is dropped immediately,
and they're gone. I run hard
for a few laps but they're
getting away, this is useless.
I've come to a gunfight with a
popgun. The only car in my
heat I figured I'd have a
chance with is the Tasnady 44,
he's got a 427 with injection
but a passenger car frame, he
get's a flat as I'm gaining but
he's the only one I see. At
least I didn't get lapped but
only because they ran out of
laps to do it. I pull in and Dad
says "Well, you're running
good but against those guys
you look slow." I know it, and
I'll be in their way as well. He
says "There isn't any sense in
wearing out our flatheads
against these guys, I'm
loading." Me too. The Flathead
is officially dead, or at least
outclassed against this
equipment, and there isn't any
doubt. And that isn't to say
that we're upset, just
confirmed our suspicions. The
really fast guys race with the
NVDMRC, they're out of sight.
Their cars are beautiful, fast
and we're no match for them.
Oh well, worth a try. You
cannot make up weight,
horsepower, suspension travle
and 20 years or so of
technology. If we're going to
race these old cars in a
competitive situation then it's
gotta be apples vs. apples. I
truly believe many of these
guys would do well against a
sportsman modified, and
possibly hold their own on a
small track against a modified.
That said, all that I met were
friendly and fun to talk with,
and we had a good time. Just
wish I could have been a little
more competitive, but it isn't
to be.
I stuck around to see how
Paul Jensen would do, and got
my answer early. First lap of
warmups and he got wadded
up with Dave Camara, and
he's done. I addle up next to
John Keegan at his pits and
Paul is working with a
come-along, checking out the
rear, it's twisted up and he's
upset. Ed is in the truck
resting his back, he's been
taking pictures for me but
looks like he's ready to go. The
sun is almost down, the car is
loaded and I've acheived two
goals, on the trailer in one
piece and I found out where
we stand competitively against
the good overheads. Dad has
already pulled out, he knows
and wants to check and see
how Carl Capenter is doing.
My boys are waiting so off we
go. On the way home Ed and
talk of next week at CRAP
Speedway, and that we've
made the right choice in
pursuing restoring show cars
to be preserved instead of
racing them. I guess if I really
want to go racing again, it'll
have to be in something more
advanced than what I
presently have. I just don't
think we have enough of the
old cars to put together a
decent show anymore, it's a
nice dream. We also talk of
going to Middletown for the
Eastern States 200, but only
with show cars, they'd lap me
in 5 laps down there... Afton
has teh Spooktacular coming
up as well, but again, it'll be a
show car for me there as well.
We'll see what the weather is
like. Hopefully it'll be nice
next weekend and we'll have a
good turnout for our cookout
and kid rides, see you there.
Supernationals. Well, have to
admit that this "open" show
caught my eye early this year
when it was scheduled. It's
close, and another opportunity
to race at 5 Mile Point which
I've always liked. We debated
the event this past week,
knowing full well that it would
likely attract some stiff,
overhead competition. Earlier
this year though we ran
against some overheads at
Thunder Mountain with the
MVSCC, and did quite well.
Bolstered with that
performance I took a half day
Friday, stopped down to Dougs
Speedshop and picked up
some fuel. While there I tlaked
with Joe Buchek who thought
the races would get in as teh
weather was supposed to clear.
HOme I went and prepped the
B29. Ed Moyzan called and
wanted to join us and I was
more than happy to have the
company. The car prepped,
Saturday morn. came wet and
dreary, I raked some leaves
and waited for it to dry out.
Finally, the sun came out, Ed
pulled up and off we went to
the historic 1/4 in Kirkwood.
Pulling in, Scott Gates and
Mike Cole are already in line.
Jim Florance has come donw
to help Dad pit and he pulls in
shortly after. Scott relates "I
pulled the 240 and put in this
351, I got it from Rousch." I
notice Mike has more
carburation on also, it's an
'Open'. We sign in and on the
way back I look over Lyn
Highhouse's Gremlin, it's
immaculate. In the pits I walk
over and meet Jeff Richardson,
we help lift his Gremlin over in
the enclosed trailer and roll it
out, it's light. He relates "We
hav to weigh 2650 with the
NVDMRC, today I'm at 2450." I
inquire about the engine, "it's
a 383 stroker.." Some quick
calculations in my head, let's
see, 400 lbs, 89 cubes and
likely 200-300 horsepower.
There's no way I can make my
car wide enough..
Warm the car up and then
run the fuel out, click click,
@#$#%#^&. The starter is
locked, get a hammer. Good
thing we've got time..loosened
up and it works like a charm,
out for warmups. The track is
in decent shape, the sun is
out and there's the green...
the car feels good, engine is
running well and ROWR!!
Lynn Highhouse slide jobs me
into three, get on it, can I saty
with him? No. Next lap,
ROWR!! Rob Casti is by with a
slidjob in three again - Jesus!
Am I in the way here? they're
the only two by and I'm
gaining on Cole, welt, let's see
what happens in the heat.
Dad's 43A suddenly has lost
power as we're getting ready to
line up, I yell to check the
terminals. He does but it's too
late to make his heat so I pull
out for the second one. I'm
starting last which is OK with
me, at least I'll be able to
gauge how competitive I'll be.
We pull onto the track and the
green is dropped immediately,
and they're gone. I run hard
for a few laps but they're
getting away, this is useless.
I've come to a gunfight with a
popgun. The only car in my
heat I figured I'd have a
chance with is the Tasnady 44,
he's got a 427 with injection
but a passenger car frame, he
get's a flat as I'm gaining but
he's the only one I see. At
least I didn't get lapped but
only because they ran out of
laps to do it. I pull in and Dad
says "Well, you're running
good but against those guys
you look slow." I know it, and
I'll be in their way as well. He
says "There isn't any sense in
wearing out our flatheads
against these guys, I'm
loading." Me too. The Flathead
is officially dead, or at least
outclassed against this
equipment, and there isn't any
doubt. And that isn't to say
that we're upset, just
confirmed our suspicions. The
really fast guys race with the
NVDMRC, they're out of sight.
Their cars are beautiful, fast
and we're no match for them.
Oh well, worth a try. You
cannot make up weight,
horsepower, suspension travle
and 20 years or so of
technology. If we're going to
race these old cars in a
competitive situation then it's
gotta be apples vs. apples. I
truly believe many of these
guys would do well against a
sportsman modified, and
possibly hold their own on a
small track against a modified.
That said, all that I met were
friendly and fun to talk with,
and we had a good time. Just
wish I could have been a little
more competitive, but it isn't
to be.
I stuck around to see how
Paul Jensen would do, and got
my answer early. First lap of
warmups and he got wadded
up with Dave Camara, and
he's done. I addle up next to
John Keegan at his pits and
Paul is working with a
come-along, checking out the
rear, it's twisted up and he's
upset. Ed is in the truck
resting his back, he's been
taking pictures for me but
looks like he's ready to go. The
sun is almost down, the car is
loaded and I've acheived two
goals, on the trailer in one
piece and I found out where
we stand competitively against
the good overheads. Dad has
already pulled out, he knows
and wants to check and see
how Carl Capenter is doing.
My boys are waiting so off we
go. On the way home Ed and
talk of next week at CRAP
Speedway, and that we've
made the right choice in
pursuing restoring show cars
to be preserved instead of
racing them. I guess if I really
want to go racing again, it'll
have to be in something more
advanced than what I
presently have. I just don't
think we have enough of the
old cars to put together a
decent show anymore, it's a
nice dream. We also talk of
going to Middletown for the
Eastern States 200, but only
with show cars, they'd lap me
in 5 laps down there... Afton
has teh Spooktacular coming
up as well, but again, it'll be a
show car for me there as well.
We'll see what the weather is
like. Hopefully it'll be nice
next weekend and we'll have a
good turnout for our cookout
and kid rides, see you there.
All Pictures by Ed Moyzan - Thanks Ed!