My Pinks All Out experience (well worth it)

[Hemidoug]

Well....First off I have to say that despite several setback I had an absolute BLAST! The whole weekend was worth every nickel spent, every drop of blood spilled, and every stroke of a wrench. To say it was a giant car party is an understatement. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time to take pictures so I don't have many but I look forward to enjoying all the others. I met so very many great people, and several new friends! Everybody who attended has 100 stories to tell...so here's mine

Right after I left home my tow van took a crap...seamed at first to be a ballast resister. Swapped it out and got it running in a matter of 5 minutes...so far so good.....
Then 3 miles from the track it took another crap...same problem. Swapped out the ballast resister again (from the Charger this time)...no good. So here I am 5 minutes from the track, in the middle of a major intersection with a van that will start but quits as soon as the key goes to run. After jiggling wires, cleaning terminals, and trying to start it, it finally stayed running and I was able to get to the track. They park me over on the grass, and give me a number for the next day (15). My buddies show up in the motor home about an hour later and it's beer and burger time! Man what a nice ending on what as probably one of the nicest days of the year.

Woke the next day to a gorgeous morning, Got on line to sign the paperwork and get my sticker....the whole process went smooth as silk....I think it took 30 minutes from paperwork to when I parked in the pits. Being at the front of the line really paid off, as I got to have my pick in pit spots. As it turned out it was one of the best spots there, all the cars that were headed to stage went by the spot so we got to see all the cars that were there without having to get out of our seats!

Got the car off the trailer, the pit area set up, and waited for tech inspection. The were calling cars by racer number to the tech area so that went smooth as well. You had to go through two tech stations, one for the track and one for Pinks. After filling out the tech cards and signing a bunch of forms they took a picture of me with the car and it was back to my pit. I got the car ready for my first run in T&T and waited for the track to open (2 pm start time). They called cars to the staging lanes by car number (cars 1-50, ect), so I was in the first group. As soon as they called the cars I was ready to go, so it headed for the lanes. As it turned out I was the first to show, so I was the first car to make a pass! I pulled up to the burnout box and I soooooo hyped  I did the biggest burnout I've ever done with the car, there was just smoke everywhere! As it turned out, I overheated the tires and blew them off on the green all the way through first. Turned a 12.5 with a 2.1 60 ft time. Got back to the pits and there was water poring out from under the car. Opened the hood and it was coming from the radiator core....freeking fan blade hit the core on the run and gouged out the core. I had the radiator out within 5 minutes and ad it was apparent that it wasn't fixable at the track. As just the same time I was talking to the crew about options, the camera crew shows up (steam still coming of the engine and all) and tells me they have chosen the car as a "feature" car. So the set up their camers and take shots of every square inch as one of them is putting a mic on me for an interview! Here I am all pissed off about my fan kissing the rad and I'm doing this interview! So the interview went well, I was asked all kinds of questions about the car (yes, it's a factory hemi car, Yes I drive the crap out of it..so on) but in the mean time I'm burning daylight and I have a broke car with one run on it and no dial time! After 45 minutes of interview time, I finally was able to start making some decisions. I knew I had a good radiator back home (one and a half hours from the track) so that was what I went with....I took off with a friend, who drove me home in his car (remember the van?) and 3 hours later (7:30 PM) I was back at the track stuffing a radiator back in the car! I got back in the staging lanes just as they were shutting them down. Turned out I was the LAST car down the track that day! I made the fist and last runs of the day.....My last run started out great, car hookes but seemed slow. I got to the end of the track and noticed the breaks really grabbing hard....And then I noticed the light for the line lock was still on. I had run the entire pass with the line lock engaged! As it turned out when I went to second for the burnout the wires got pinched together and shorted out acting like a switch! I ran a 12.8 with the front brakes on......Another wasted run!

Got back to the pits, got the car sorted out AGAIN, had some chow (it's like 9.30 now) A couple of beers and it's off t bed...

We got up the next day (another beautiful morning) and as it turned out it went flawlessly! The car ran GREAT, made my first pass, spun out of the hole and ran a 12.4 (60 ft times still off). Made some adjustments and checked a few things and waited for the arm drop pass. I went up for the arm drop pass and it went PERFECT! I got a great burnout, staged perfectly (Got a thumbs up from Rich) and tree-ed him! It was the best pass in the car to date, but no time slip.

Even though I didn't get picked (knew it was slim to none from the get go) it was a great time! The car may make the show anyway as a feature car so keep your eyes peeled. The had cameras all over the car every time I went up to the staging lanes so I'm sure there will be something. Of course on the way home....yup the van died. Had to hot wire the coil to get home, but I did, at 1 am.

Bottom line...if you have the chance to do a Pinks All Out....DO IT! Even as a spectator it's a great time!


Thanks to ALL the people that helped me out during my troubles.....it won't be forgotten. If there is ANYTHING I can do for you guys in the future do not hesitate to ask!

[Brock Samson]

 Excellent report - thank you! 

[Charger-Bodie]

Awesome report ! Glad you had a good time and WOW what an story to remember and share for years to come!! 

[firefighter3931]

Doug, way to go buddy....seems like everything was fighting against you.  Did you break a motor mount ? How did the fan end up kissing the rad 

Looking forward to the televised show....hopefully they will air some footage of the featured car 


Ron

[Hemidoug]

Hey Ron...Thanks!

No broken mount...we don't really know the why. At the time it didn't really matter. All that mattered is that I had one pass on the car and if I didn't pull SOMETHING out of my butt it was going to be the last....As it ended up I ran the car without the fan (I wasn't going to let THAT happen again). The following day we sorted it out some more and was able to put a fan back in. I even spend 100 bucks on an electric fan......I learned that a rad for a 71 B body fits a 69 B body.... Yep...used the one out of the 71. Man I did some scrambling this past weekend. The story behind the story is that if I hadn't had bought that fan, I wouldn't have had the wire I needed to hot wire the van at 12:30 am on the side of Rt 80 last night....things happen for a reason for sure.

[firefighter3931]

Doug, sorry to hear about the rad....hopefully it can be recored and put back into service. 

From your description it seems that you've been in scramble mode for the past few weeks....time to relax and have a cold  you deserve it ! 

Geez, even the tow vehicle was playin with ya. 


Ron

[bsakal]

Doug,
good story. A friend of mine was trying to talk me into going real early saturday, but I had other commitments, I probably should have gone.
what was wrong with the van?

[grinner]

very cool. sounds like a blast

[4speed]

sounds like fun

[Hemidoug]

Doug,
good story. A friend of mine was trying to talk me into going real early saturday, but I had other commitments, I probably should have gone.
what was wrong with the van?

I'm not sure just yet....something in the iginition circuit.....jumped the positive side of the coil to the batt and it ran all the way home....I'll sort that next week....

[squeakfinder]

What an adventure. If anybody on this board knows when an if your car shows up on pinks, I hope they post the date and time.

[71ChallengeHer]

Sounds like your trip was more eventful then our Carlisle trip.    Looks like you made the best of it and had a great time.    And you write a really good short story. 

[BrianShaughnessy]

 

Congrats Doug!   

[Hemidoug]

Sounds like your trip was more eventful then our Carlisle trip.    Looks like you made the best of it and had a great time.    And you write a really good short story. 

Just remember...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.....

I wouldn't have missed this for the world. It was something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was a great time! Now to turn to on my 65.......