DND
Racing 2005 Race Report
Number
1
Indy
Spring, Division 3 Points Meet
Welcome Race Fans!!!
Following a very long cold winter in Michigan, the DND Race
Team is happy to report that they are back on the track!
Thanks very much to the CDS Race Team for once again allow
us to run their 360 V-8 Dakota in the NHRA Stock Sportsman class E/FIA.
Ironically, the first meet of the season finds us back at Indianapolis
Raceway Park. The very same track at which we closed out the 2004 season.
It will be good to see all our friends and competitors
again.
When you ask a racer, “So, what changes did you make over
the winter?”, the standard answer is usually something like, “ Oh, nothing
much, just standard maintenance.”
Then when you see the ET’s they‘re turning, you know they
are giving you the regular racer’s lie!
Thursday
April 14, 2005
Believe it or not, Crew Chief (Dave), Driver (Dan) and
mascot (Rockwell, small 120lbs. Rottwieler) depart the DND Race HQ, pretty much
on schedule Thursday night. Dan drives the 74ft. rig, all the way to Indy.
This leaves the crew chief time to plan race strategy, go
over last years numbers, steep up the pre race check list and down a few “diet
barley pops” along the way.
Unlike last year, we make the trip to Indy in good fashion.
Our goal was to reach the entrance gate prior to the 11:00PM
cut off time.
We roll into the main gate at about 10:45PM. We pause to
read the marquee that states,
“T/AF,AFC, SS/S, S/C, S/G enter Main gate, all others use
Gate 8.
Dan carefully turns the rig around and we head to Gate 8.
Promptly roll thorough the “back door” gate, through the empty back pit area,
only to find the interior gate to the front pit area locked!
A big u-turn again, and back to the main gate we go.
We enter, down the drive towards the check in trailer, only
to see a number of cares heading the other way. We get to the credential
trailer, just as the they are locking the gate.
“See you boys at 7:00AM” says the attendant. Oh, well, back
on DND Race time.
We camp out in the stacking area for the night.
Fellow Super Street racer, Jim Clark has our pit spot
reserved, just behind the start line grand stand reserved for us, so life is
good. We do have the dubious honor of being the first in line for the morning
entry.
Friday
April 15, 2005
7:00AM bright and early, we roll into the track, find our
buddy, Jim Clark and set up the pit area.
Our plan is to replace all the tires on the Dakota with new
rubber. We decide to make then first pass on the old tires, to get a good A-B
comparison.
The “pre-race” check list that the crew chief prepared on
the way down is put into action. The preparations go flawlessly (believe all
that & and there’s a couple of
bridges you can buy).
Now, I should warn you fellow racers that the DND Race
driver has been practicing on the “tree” over the winter. First pass “jitters”
subside, and the Dakota rolls into the burn out box just before 10:00AM.
Dan takes the Dakota through the burn out, and rolls into
the start beams.
Air temp is a pleasant 61 degrees, humidity at 49%, and
barometer at 29.47 in. Hg, , with the air density at 836, track tem is a little
cool at 73 degrees, winds are not a factor. Should be good run!
It’s good to hear the race engines, smell the rubber, and
the sweet exhaust from the race fuel.
The Dakota turns a 11.828 second pass, 60 foot time clicks
off at 1.513 sec. Dan’s reaction time 0.016 sec. GOOD PASS!
The truck checks out OK at the weight scales at 3490 lbs. a
little heavy for the class, but we’ll live with it.
Now it’s time to get the new rubber. While searching for the
correct trailer, my cell phone goes off. It is the 911 Operator from the River
Rouge, Michigan Police department. She is following up on a 911 hang up call
from my cell phone number. Now, I haven’t been in River Rouge in 10 years. She
says I must have dialed the number by mistake. No way, I don’t even have it in
speed dial, and I know that Rockwell can’t push the tiny number buttons with
his club like paws. Chalk this one up to ????????????
We get the truck up on jack stands and remove all four tires. It looks like a
victim of midnight auto in Detroit.
All new rubber installed and we make the call for the second
qualifying run at 2:00PM.
Now the outside temp is up to 73 degrees, humidity at 29%, and
barometer at 29.43, and the density altitude at 2175, winds again are calm.
Good air! Track temp is around 110 degrees. I leave Dan in the water box a
little longer to speed up the break in period on the new Mickey Thompson radial
slicks.
His reaction time on the second pass is 0.018 seconds, the
Dakota covers the first 60 feet in 1.522 seconds and posts a final ET of 11.850
sec. at 108.97MPH. Another good pass.
The Stock field has 140 entries for only 128 qualifying
positions. This last pass puts us in the 78th spot.
We enjoy the company of fellow racers, good food, telling large
lies and moderate beverage consumption. After all, tomorrow we get one last
qualifying run and then, eliminations.
Saturday
April 16, 2005
RACE DAY!
Again we go through the pre-race check list. Raise the rear
tire pressure a bit, and all is ready to go!
We roll into the stage lanes a little before 9:00AM.
Air temp is 67 degrees, humidity 39%, barometer 29.53 and
the Air Density is an even 1000. Track is cool at about 72 degrees. Very
similar conditions as Friday.
Again, I leave Dan in
the burn out box a little longer to break in the new tires.
This time, his reaction time is a blistering 0.008 seconds.
The 60 foot time is 1.546 seconds. A little off yesterday. Looks like the tires
are coming in. Next time, a shorter burn out maybe in order. The yellow Dakota,
Yankee Flyer, posts a 11.812 second pass at 110.43 MPH. Another picture perfect
pass. This qualifying run puts us at the 98 position, still solid in the 128
car field.
We prepare for first round eliminations.
I should know better than to get too confident in the way
the truck is performing, but…….. With three passes within 0.004 seconds, and
the driver nailing the start line, things are looking good for first round
eliminations.
We are paired up against Jamie Fenner, a driver from the
local area. Jamie is a real nice guy and veteran racer in a beautiful 1970, 340
CID, Plymouth Duster. He qualified at # 34 with a 10.91 sec. pass. Jamie will
have to catch the Yankee Flyer, if he can.
Conditions for the first round eliminations are good. In
fact the deltas from the morning run on Saturday to the deltas between the AM
& PM runs on Friday are very close. Neither Dan nor I seem to have any
first round jitters. I am confident of the 11.83 sec. dial in I put on the
window.
The Top Fuel dragsters and the left side of the Stock ladder(32
cars) preceded our turn on the start line. The weather is good, air temp at 79
degrees, humidity at 39%, barometer at 29.42 in. HG and the Altitude Density at
2130. Track temp is about 108 degrees. This time I cut the burn out a little
short.
Dan stages the truck, Jamie just after. The lights come
down, Dan nails the throttle, the truck jumps forward unexpectedly, then
promptly spins the new M/T slicks and the dreaded “Red Bulb” comes on. I watch
is disbelief as the ET shows 12. 141 seconds on the board. I wonder what else
could have happened to screw up this pass. We are first round runner ups !
Back in the pits, the time slip shows Dan was “red” by 0.009
seconds. The 60 foot times dropped to 1.766 seconds! That’s what tire spin will
do. We lost 0.200 seconds in the first 60 feet.
Checking the “differential” time shows other than the start,
the pass was very close to the three previous.
Note:Our opponent, Jamie, went on to defeat all the other
127 cars in the field for the #1 spot in Stock for the event.
We stay the night to support our fellow racers who are still
in the competition and enjoy for another pleasant evening at the track.
Special thanks to the CDS Performance team for letting us
race the Dakota, McCormack Racing for helping with the new tires and a the
Clark & Sniesak , Blue Water Competition Engine Super Street team for
saving the pit spot.
Until next time………….
Keep the revs up.
DND Race Team