TALLADEGA '09 THREAD

[hemi68charger]

What a trip! I'm never likely to do anything like it again. It was good to meet a few of the members here and put some faces to the names.
I must say a special thank you to; Joe, Sean, Dan, Dave, Gary, Dick, Jason, Dewey, Gary and Bill, you were the best bunch of people to be travelling with!   I apologise to those that were following me and got covered in an oil film, but that was fixed, I still haven't fixed the rear lights, Gary!
We have made it to Daytona Beach, funnily enough we are not using much oil at all now, perhaps it's because we are cruising at 60 rather than those higher speeds  
Just taking it easy for a few days before the Ocala show, and then we head back West to L.A.
Thanks again
John and Derek

John and Derek...
Thanks for taking on such an effort to join us all here in the US of A. I'm hoping you're enjoying yourself. It was great talking and getting to know you both... You have a great 'Tona there...... Thanks for the magazine with my Daytona in it....

Best regards and Bon Voyage...

Troy

[440mop]

Doug, not a problem as such, just that two of the lamps in the rear clusters were too bright!
Excellent pics by the way, thanks.
John

[nitrometal]

It was great meeting everyone!   

Sorry that I was such a drama queen.    I saw my doctor today and he's gonna run a bunch of tests to determine if I did have an episode or not. 

Despite that I had an amazing experience bench racing with everyone and listening to all the stories.  There is so much information accumulated about these unique cars with everyone that it was "sensory overload".  And how cool was it talking to those people that were there and experienced it back in the day?  I swear, I could have stayed there for weeks and listened to them until they lost their voices.

And kudos to the Wellborn's for being such gracious hosts and showing off the most awesome Mopar collection I've ever seen.  I'm still trying to soak in everything I saw.

If I have any complaint it would be the parade lap.  That was incredibly boring cruising around Nascar's fastest track at 35 mph    When I went to Texas Motor Speedway I was able to hit 150 down the backstretch and I heard that the Mopar Nationals in St. Louis lets groups go out according to how fast they want to go.  If Tim Wellborn has any pull out there maybe he can get us up to a speed that we could at least climb up on the banking next time.  It's ridiculous to drive around at a speed I use to find a parking place at the mall.  Yeah, I know that the Nascar officials are a bunch of jerks.  Maybe they're afraid of us because we don't have restrictor plates slowing us down, huh?   

[70Sbird]

It was great meeting everyone!   

Sorry that I was such a drama queen.    I saw my doctor today and he's gonna run a bunch of tests to determine if I did have an episode or not. 

Despite that I had an amazing experience bench racing with everyone and listening to all the stories.  There is so much information accumulated about these unique cars with everyone that it was "sensory overload".  And how cool was it talking to those people that were there and experienced it back in the day?  I swear, I could have stayed there for weeks and listened to them until they lost their voices.

And kudos to the Wellborn's for being such gracious hosts and showing off the most awesome Mopar collection I've ever seen.  I'm still trying to soak in everything I saw.

If I have any complaint it would be the parade lap.  That was incredibly boring cruising around Nascar's fastest track at 35 mph    When I went to Texas Motor Speedway I was able to hit 150 down the backstretch and I heard that the Mopar Nationals in St. Louis lets groups go out according to how fast they want to go.  If Tim Wellborn has any pull out there maybe he can get us up to a speed that we could at least climb up on the banking next time.  It's ridiculous to drive around at a speed I use to find a parking place at the mall.  Yeah, I know that the Nascar officials are a bunch of jerks.  Maybe they're afraid of us because we don't have restrictor plates slowing us down, huh?   

All of this and you still turned down the opportunity to drive a real 4-speed 'Bird
I really think you are sick! I am glad to hear that everything turned out OK.
It was great to meet you and I look forward to next time!
Scott

[Mopurr]

wow 35 mph you got to go fast other years have only been 20mph.

The fact that your tires touched the track is the fact that Tim does have pull other wise it would not have happened at all.

Monster Mopar at St. Louis are laps at 50-60 mph now........because of legal issues and people that did not obey the rules when they used to tell us to not pass the pace truck. 

The fact that the cars are allowed on the track is a privilege allowed to us, and we need to remember to appreciate what we get to do and respect the rules of the events so that the opportunities do not go away.......St. Louis is watched closely every year by track owners and I am sure that other events are also.

Hope your tests come back ok.

[hemi68charger]

Phil..
Glad you're doing ok... Hope the tests are good...... Scott, man,,,, I should have swapped keys with ya for a time, would have been great to drive a pistol-grip 'Bird........

Troy

[A383Wing]

If I have any complaint it would be the parade lap.  That was incredibly boring cruising around Nascar's fastest track at 35 mph    When I went to Texas Motor Speedway I was able to hit 150 down the backstretch and I heard that the Mopar Nationals in St. Louis lets groups go out according to how fast they want to go.  If Tim Wellborn has any pull out there maybe he can get us up to a speed that we could at least climb up on the banking next time.  It's ridiculous to drive around at a speed I use to find a parking place at the mall.  Yeah, I know that the Nascar officials are a bunch of jerks.  Maybe they're afraid of us because we don't have restrictor plates slowing us down, huh?   

When we were there in '99, some asked why we were not allowed on the high banks...answer was that our carbs were not "correct" for the track...something about the floats not shutting off the needle & seat inside the carb and allowing it to flood over when on the high turns

[nitrometal]

All of this and you still turned down the opportunity to drive a real 4-speed 'Bird
I really think you are sick! I am glad to hear that everything turned out OK.
It was great to meet you and I look forward to next time!
Scott

Scott,  thank you so much for picking me up at the hospital and then taking me back to the hotel to get my Petty outfit for the Halloween Party.  I really appreciated the way you and the guys went out of your way to help me.  Troy, a special thanks to you for being my "wingman" and keeping the wife informed.  It was awesome to meet you all!

And to answer your comment about turning down the opportunity to drive your car....first off, I was shocked that you offered and was so taken aback my first thought was, no, I really shouldn't. Secondly, if something would have happened and I damaged your beautiful car you would have had to take me back to the hospital but this time to the morgue!    Maybe next time if you're feeling generous again, okay?

****

As far as having the "privilege to parade at the track".  I don't see it that way.  I'd rather leave my car in the garage instead and take it out when I can at least run her up to 70 mph legally on any highway in America.  I don't know about your car, but mine doesn't even wake up until it hits 50 mph and those slow parade laps threaten to overheat these small fresh air intakes on these cars.  I don't understand how Doug was able to keep the Ramo Stott car going that slow. I heard Charlie Glotzbach say that he'll burn out the clutch unless he changes out the rear end gears going that slow.  Just my 2 cents.

[WINGR]

It was great meeting you Phil, we really hope that everything turns out well for you with the Doc's.

Take care,

WINGR/Steve

[3--Daytona]

I have to agree with Mopurr,,having been fortunate enough to lead the parade lap twice,. I will allways consider it an honer  to even get a car on the track.
A 100 cars at 100 mph,,,what a mess,,,,,, enough said--

[Aero426]

The parade lap at Talladega is painfully slow.  Yes, it is way too slow.   Having said that, there are a bunch of reasons it is that way.   In 1988, we had a car get up on the banking a little and catch fire.  It was extinguished with no significant damage.  In 1999, we had a Daytona lose a wheel (!) and the errant wheel hit another car.    

As to Monster Mopar, they put you out with a pace truck at 60 mph.   But there is no unlimited running or anything like that.    It is also on a non-race weekend so they do not have the crowd control issues with spectators crossing from the tri oval grandstands to the pits like Talladega.    At Talladega, we are lucky the track lets us do what we do, and they did try to put us out there a little later this time so more people would see it.

The other new wrinkle that I am sure most are not aware of, is that most collector car policies now have an no-coverage exclusion for any kind of on-track event.   It used to be that timed racing events were prohibited, but "non-competitive lapping days", or "driver education" events were allowed.   Well the insurance companies have now closed that loophole by saying that any time you are on the track surface, you are not covered.    My interpretation of this is that a claim resulting from an accident that occurs on the track has potential to be easily denied, even if it is a parade lap.  

[nitrometal]

It was great meeting you Phil, we really hope that everything turns out well for you with the Doc's.

Take care,

WINGR/Steve

I really enjoyed meeting up with you too Steve.  It was a pleasure!

I went in to get an MRI of my brain yesterday. They'll find out for sure if that saying "In space, no one can hear you scream" is true or not!  Today I'm scheduled to get the carotid ultrasound that the surgeon that was sitting with Dan Kanofsky (sorry, I've forgotten his name) advised me to get ASAP and my doctor agreed with him.
Phil

[Dave Kanofsky]

I went in to get an MRI of my brain yesterday. They'll find out for sure if that saying "In space, no one can hear you scream" is true or not!  Today I'm scheduled to get the carotid ultrasound that the surgeon that was sitting with Dan Kanofsky (sorry, I've forgotten his name) advised me to get ASAP and my doctor agreed with him.
Phil

Dr. Dean Govostis, he's a vascular surgeon in my area.

Good Luck on your test, we'll keep you in our prayers.

[nitrometal]

My interpretation of this is that a claim resulting from an accident that occurs on the track has potential to be easily denied, even if it is a parade lap.  

Oh yeah Doug,  now that you mention it...when we were trying to get temporary insurance on John's Daytona when he was coming over from New Zealand they freaked out over the idea that we would be taking a Parade Lap, even if it was at a slow pace.  Just the fact that we were going to be "on" the race track was an issue.  If I remember correctly John had to forget to mention that we were doing that parade lap and take his chances.

I guess that I shouldn't bitch about taking a slow lap anyway.  I was lucky to show up with a running car at all, much less one that could run at any speed.  I probably would have been the one that caught on fire after a wheel fell off the way that my luck was running, huh?  Then you guys would have really had something to talk about!

[nitrometal]

Dr. Dean Govostis, he's a vascular surgeon in my area.

Good Luck on your test, we'll keep you in our prayers.

Dang it!  I meant Dave not Dan!!  Sorry about that.  
Thanks for the prayer Dave.

[The70RT]

When they have the Good Guys show at Kansas Speedway they let like 20 cars out on the track at a time and we run 3 laps. We get to go like 60 or 70 unless you lag back then Hammer it.

[nitrometal]

Yeah, that's where I was when I hit 150mph, at a Goodguys show in Fort Worth (Texas Motor Speedway) cruising behind a car club buddy's GTO when a lime green '57 Cadillac with a blower sticking out of the hood blasted by us like we were standing still.  How he made it through turn three without crashing I'll never know, but it sure was cool!   

Speaking of my car club buddy with the GTO, he just called me yesterday from the SEMA show in Vegas and as he was getting Richard Petty's autograph he told him that just a few days ago he was loading up a Petty car on his car hauler (the one I borrowed) and watched it go to Talladega.  He stopped and stared at him for a second and then asked him "Do you mean that guy from Texas that has my Superbird?"  Funny, he still calls it "his car"!  At least he still remembers me!! 

[440mop]

Yep, the insurance company were quite specific, if I went on the track I wouldn't be covered.
Had a bit of bad luck in Ocala, the oil pump seized and sheared the shaft, luckily it was as we were pulling out of one of the host hotels. a 2nd hand pump and shaft were obtained from one of the vendors at the show who pulled them off a complete engine and didn't want any payment. I'll see him in the morning to offer my profuse thanks!
An early start tomorrow crawling under the car, hopefully it will all go together without too much trouble and then on to the show.
Thanks again to all those that have helped
John

[moparnutty]

Troy, Thanks for letting us follow you back to the hotel........Ken

[The70RT]

Yep, the insurance company were quite specific, if I went on the track I wouldn't be covered.
Had a bit of bad luck in Ocala, the oil pump seized and sheared the shaft, luckily it was as we were pulling out of one of the host hotels. a 2nd hand pump and shaft were obtained from one of the vendors at the show who pulled them off a complete engine and didn't want any payment. I'll see him in the morning to offer my profuse thanks!
An early start tomorrow crawling under the car, hopefully it will all go together without too much trouble and then on to the show.
Thanks again to all those that have helped
John

That's too bad. I hope everything goes well 

[C5X DAYTONA]

Yep, the insurance company were quite specific, if I went on the track I wouldn't be covered.
Had a bit of bad luck in Ocala, the oil pump seized and sheared the shaft, luckily it was as we were pulling out of one of the host hotels. a 2nd hand pump and shaft were obtained from one of the vendors at the show who pulled them off a complete engine and didn't want any payment. I'll see him in the morning to offer my profuse thanks!
An early start tomorrow crawling under the car, hopefully it will all go together without too much trouble and then on to the show.
Thanks again to all those that have helped
John

Hello John,  We made it back to CA Wed Night.    The broken drive gear is a common issue.  They brake inside the pump.  Culprit is the brass bushing up near the cam shaft under the gear.  You will have to pull the pump.  The pump is easy to pull on your car.  They do make drive gears with hardend tips.   Is Derek still with you?   

[hergfest]

We just home to Seattle tonight, the last 100 mile were in a driving rain storm and I couldn't get over 55 mph or the car would start hydroplaning.  Uneventful trip home, wish we had taken some time to see some stuff on the way home but the trip there and the event was a blast!  Well, execpt for that deer,...lol

[440mop]

Hi all,
Derek is still here, hasn't decided to hitch back to L.A. in a Corvette!
changed the pump and shaft so all good now.
Going to leave the show an hour or so early tomorrow and try to put a few miles on before stopping.

[nitrometal]

Wow John, a seized oil pump as you're leaving the hotel.  Is that something that would have wasted the motor at highway speed?  If so, that was lucky.  I hope that the rest of your trip is trouble free.

Did you get to meet Big Daddy?

Phil

[hemi68charger]

Hi all,
Derek is still here, hasn't decided to hitch back to L.A. in a Corvette!
changed the pump and shaft so all good now.
Going to leave the show an hour or so early tomorrow and try to put a few miles on before stopping.

Whew John.. Thanks goodness nothing was harmed... Glad to hear your beast is up and running...  Hello to both you and Derek. It was a blast getting to know you too and chat in line for the dinner Friday night...

Best of luck on the continued US tour..

Cheers,
Troy