[9 sec TA]

8.44 at 160, not to bad for a new combo with no seat time. my cousin just put the engine in his new car one week before norwalk, we went to moroso that friday and he hit the wall, did alot of damage to the front end. we thought we were done, no norwalk this year? but with alot of help from friends we were able to fix the front cap and go to the race. the engine is a 1973 400 block, bored .060 with a eagle 4.250 crank,4 bolt caps mgp rods, JE pistons, edelbrock heads, victor intake, built by gabby from wilson manifolds. and the heads are not wide ports! gabby ported the heads and intake also, its the best work ive ever seen. the car was geared wrong all weekend, only a 4.10. we tryed three times to install a 4.30 gear, but as luck would have it everything went wrong. car weighs 2350 w/driver, powerglide trans, motor makes power to 8000 rpm. we want to go to another pontiac race with everything rite, I think the car has got teens in it with good air. we all had a great time at norwalk. thanks alot

[johnta1]

Your car was running great, Jimmy.
Still liked your old car.

[9 sec TA]

I forgot to mention thats on motor! no power adders, we had 1.180 60 foot times all day. and the car went the best 8.41 at 161.33 in the heat. and the D/A was around 2800 feet most of the time. this was the first time out with the engine and the car. we have no idea what it wants yet, for timing, or jetting, or the 4 link. thanks again

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

Ray doesn't have a funny car. Ken does, but he can't make up his mind from one moment to the next what he wants to do with it.

Bwhahahahahahahahahaha.

[catalina_dream]

Below are the rules that I lifted from the website for Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL. I have watched this format run many times and it is always enjoyable. But as it states, the quickest 16 are the cars that run. Granted, if these exact rules were followed at Norwalk, no open cars would be allowed, and it may be hard to always find 16 cars that would be quick enough. This is also bracket racing, not heads up. With our Pontiac only event, it was inevitable that these rules would need to be modified, but I am not sure that the 8 and 8 rule should still be employed. A "true" Quick 16 would be a heads up, pro-ladder style run off of the fastest 16 cars registered to qualify in the class. Thus settling the question of who brought the fastest car this year. Should a car not be able to make it to staging after having qualified, the spot could be offered to the next fastest car that did not make the bump. If they decline, you go down the list until someone steps up. With bodied cars having run in the high 6's already, I think the bodied vs. open argument is about over. Should a rash of people decide to build open cars to bring to Norwalk, then there could conceivably be a Q-16 for bodied and one for open with the two winners going head to head in a battle for the glory. With the above suggestions, there should always be a 16 car field with no single runs. This would give the fans the show they seek and award bragging rights for the coming year. I am sure there will be differing opinions, however I believe this would stay truest to the spirit of the Quick 16.

-Kevin


TOP SPORTSMAN

• QUICKEST 16 QUALIFY TO RUN
• HANDICAP .500 FULL-TREE (OPEN TOP BULB) CROSS-TALK ON
• TREE CONFIGURATION – CROSS TALK
• CAR MUST HAVE TWO DOORS, FENDERS, ROOF, AND LEFT HAND STEERING
• CHASSIS MUST BE NHRA CERTIFIED
• DRIVER MUST BE NHRA LICENSED
• MUST PASS NHRA & ROUTE 66 RACEWAY TECH INSPECTION
• NO RESTRICTION ON ENGINE, TRANSMISSION OR FUEL DELIVERY
• QUICKEST E.T. GETS LANE CHOICE
• ALL ENTRIES MUST BE SELF STARTING
• DIAL-IN MAY NOT BE SLOWER THAN THE SLOWEST QUALIFIED CAR OR 7.99
• QUALIFIERS WILL BE PAIRED 1-9 2-10 ETC. IN THE FIRST ROUND
• NO OPEN TIME RUNS PRIOR TO QUALIFYING
• NO BUYBACKS
• NO REPLACEMENT VEHICLES AFTER QUALIFYING
• NO ALTERNATES
• ENGINE MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH A PROPERLY FITTING LOWER-ENGINE BALLISTIC/RESTRAINT DEVICE

Payout for Top Sportsman 2005 Season
$1200.00 – Winner
$ 400.00 – R/U
$ 200.00 – Semi
$ 100.00 – ¼’s
Low Qualifier $100.00

[PONTIAC DUDE]

The problem isn't the 8 & 8. Everyone agrees to that point. It's that for the first time in the "history" of the Pontiac Nationals, they left a spot open for no given explanation. And apparently we are not going to get one.
And feel that the Pontiac racers, as a whole, do deserve an explanation in public.


Why wasn't the spot on the open side of the ladder not filled when in ALL previous years it was.

And what are the rules going to be for next year. Are they going to be constantly changed without an explanation or reason without concern for the Racer paying his entry fee to qualify for the Q-16 ?

I know that if I had a car that ran close to the estimated bump spot and knew that in previous years that all spots would be filled I would be more inclined to try.
But if only 4 dragsters happened to make it and the other 4 spots are going to be left open with only 8 door accepted. Hummmmmmmmmmmm.

So who in charge is going to justify the reason for 7 open & 8 door cars this year? Who runs that part of the show? I know KRE puts up the money? Are they responsible or not?

[GTOGEORGE]

This format has always been 8 door and 8 open body, it doen't matter what other Drag Strips run. This is NORWALK! All it was, was an mistake...............SH_T HAPPENS, life goes on! I'll bet it won't happen again next year!

[Chris Roach]

GTOGEORGE,
We need to hook up, I run my Judge at Milan and will be testing my 70 GTO chassis car there before the seasons done! e-mail me at all_ryze@att.net next time you go and I'll make sure I'm out there so we can chat. Love your car!

Chris Roach

[KRE]

I agree that the Open side of the field should have been filled with an extra door car. I honestly don't know what had happened. Way to busy with customers and our own race car. I didn't know anything about it until I found out that Scott had a bye run in the first round, then somebody said they didn't fill the field. We've run this race program for 8 years and this is the first time for it, should not have happened!

For the cars that were on the bump spot I apologize! I would have been pissed if I was in that spot and didn't get in. So just to let everyone know we are considering a straight up 16 car field. No 8 & 8, so this doesn't ever happen again.

Thanks and again we apologize to the racers,
Jeff Kauffman

[PONTIAC DUDE]

And the New rules for next year.

[Brian Baker]

I didn't think it was a KRE mistake for the field not getting filled. They may sponsor the award money but the race is still directed/handled by the track officials. $-hit happens...learn from it and move on for next year.

[Jim Zeek]

The 8 and 8 format is fine. The track manager just needs to know ahead of time that if there are not enough cars on either side he needs to fill the spot or spots. If you just go with the quickest 16 you will eventually have a field of 16 dragsters.

[LiL Jack]

Yea there was some slow a$$ dragsters there, bring all that light weight junk on, and the funny cars too! :-)

[David Holmberg]

I agree with the last three, I don't think anyone thought it was KRE's fault, they were just pointing out an issue that needed to be addressed for next year.

[GTOGEORGE]

Quote: (Jim Keek) "The 8 and 8 format is fine. The track manager just needs to know ahead of time that if there are not enough cars on either side he needs to fill the spot or spots. If you just go with the quickest 16 you will eventually have a field of 16 dragsters."

Jim, I don't think so if you look there were only 2 or 3 dragsters that ran in the 8's. The door side were all in the 8's (the 9th, 10th & 11th cars were also in the 8's)...............the door car field is way ahead and in my opinion will always be ahead (quicker). YEA Door Cars!!!!!

[Rob]

Jeff and I used to hear the 16car thing all the time. Jim's right, just a matter of time before the rails take over! Open Body rules all!

-Rob

[Ray Cox]

Rob only 2 open body would have made the field, the numbers for opens wont grow, if you didnt give them a handycap they wouldnt be there insert big smile here!

[johnta1]

Wait till Brian Baker and the Dude get their funny cars out.
That'll be 2 more, Amy get's a dragster, that'll be another.
There's at least a couple on the west coast that didn't come this year.
That makes about 11, plus a few more in the works.
Can't wait for next year.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Hummmmmmmmmmm. I think it would be easier to make the field with a 2100 lb car compared to my 3550 lb street car. LOL. And easier on parts going rounds.

I am currently looking into a body swap gimic. F/C (2350lbs) for certain events and a roadster style (2150 lbs) for other deals. The F/C has 2 pins in the back and it's off. Could do the dzus fastner for the roadster gimic. A couple dudes down this way do that all the time.

I'm actually surprised that with all the engine development in the Pontiac world in the last 10 years that there aren't more 1600/1800 lb dragsters or roadsters with Pontiac power in bracket racing.
Hummmmmmmmmmmmm.

Won't miss next year. You can take that to the bank. Even if I have to fly Karen up after her store inventory is completed. LOL.

[johnta1]

I actually think their are more out there, they just don't come or know about Norwalk. I know of a few more that don't come.

Where else can you run a 500HP engine and run low 8's?
Think how fast I could go with 1200 HP?

Next year will be interesting.