Drag racing war stories

[Dave D]

Buddy of mine, Dart Dave and I regularly go to Kinston Drag Strip to mess with our cars on test and tune nights. Mostly street cars, there's a lot of grudge racing that goes on. I've had this rivalry with a '66 Chevelle that admitedly, I started. This car comes out of a local speed shop and everyone was talking about how "bad" this car was. Well, the "Chevelle" shows up and I wait until he goes go up to the staging lanes. I jump in my '66 Coronet, and chase him up to the burn out box. We do our burn outs, I dry hop, and pre stage. He sits there and sits there. I'm being burned down! He finally comes up and pre- stage. I stage, more nothing. He finally stages and the 'tree comes down, and we hammer it and I'm doing a good Chi-Town Hustler imiatation. He's out at least 2 car lengths when I finally get the 'Net to hook again and the chase is on. By the 330' mark I'm even and at the finish (660') I got him by a fender. Speed sho boys are not happy. Round two, they wait for me and we go again, this time I sit in the burn out box shut off until he's done his whole routine and pre-staged, then do my thing. This time, I hook and I'm gone! I'm out at least 4 lengths and keep it there. This went on all summer with the same results. Finally, they send a mole down to where I was working on my stuff to find out what I had. I told them the whole truth, right down to what brand shorts I wear when I race. They just refused to beleive that I was running a largely stock combo with just simple bolt ons, stock tranny and converter and mild gear. A few weeks later the Chevelle is nose high at the speed shop getting a new engine out of a 6 sec(eighth) bracket car and the blew bottle in the trunk. So far I haven't been able to answer the call to counter, but it sure was fun while it lasted. I'll get him though, sooner or later.

[cruzerjd]

Just shows what the competition will do to keep up with us folks with superior engineering. Hope you can get back on top and show the Chebby boys what a good ol Mopar will do. Most of the Performance Parts guys around here have chebby or ferd iron but one of the muffler shops has a real nice Plum Crazy Cuda with a tunnel rammed 440 that routinely cleans everyones clock. cruzerjd

[Richard Reardon]

Dave,

Don't fret! Just keep it in mind that the only way some people can get ahead/win is to ahum - cheat!
Let him keep his blow - bottle, maybe he'll get real lucky and have a melt-down!

Catch him some time when he's show'd 'em all his tricks and has emptied his bottle, then ask him if he wants to run it on true 'n tried brute horse power.

Chances are, you'll shut him up one way or the other, real quick.

Please keep us posted.

Richard

[Mr Belvedere]

Hey cruzer,

About this 'Cuda, do you have any idea what it's 1/4mile times are?

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"...they don't make no seatbelt for the mind, so I can't buckle up for this ride."

Mr Belvedere (aka Jason)

Current driver: 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II, 400BB (Torker 383; Purple Shaft 6pak cam; Carter Competition AFB; Hedman headers; 2 1/2" full exhaust with Flowmasters; Jacob's ProStreet Ultra Energy Team; recurved distributor; 8.2:1 smogger heads; Moroso 8qt pan/pickup; HV oil pump) and 727 Torqueflite (2400 Stall; Transgo shift kit)
This weekend: 1" plastic carb spacer
Best run 14.40 by previous owner (track opens in MARCH!)

[mopar34069 Joanne]

YEAH MY 50TH POST AND WHAT A BETTER WAY THAN TO RAG ON A DAMN CHEVY. IT BLOWS MY MIND WHEN THEY THINK THEIR CAR IS FASTER THAN YOURS ONLY TO FIND OUT THEY HAD TO ADD JUICE TO GET BY YOU. MOPAR OUT PERFORMS ANYTHING THEY WILL THROW AT US HP FOR HP WITH NO TRICKS. SOME HAVE ASKED ME IF I HAVE A BOTTLE ON MY DART AND I TELL THEM A MOPAR DOESN'T NEED A BOTTLE. IT IS ALL HORSEPOWER!!

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READY TO RACE!?

[cruzerjd]

I don't know the 1/4 mile times, but I can stop and ask later on when I get over there. I do know there is a small block Duster around the corner that is dialed in at 13.77, I believe he is running a 318 but I am not sure. cruzerjd

[Dave D]

Thank you for your support. As I said before, I will get him sooner or later, but being a regular "working stiff" lif many times gets in the way of the fun(y'know, food, shelter, taxes,etc)and my budget for a while is blown as I had exploded the tranny. New tranny is in but the wallet has imploded! For anyone who cares, here's the 'Nets combo: '70 440 hp with Hughes 501/514 cam, Edelbrock Performer intake, Holley 3310, orange box, curved distributor, CPPA 2" headers, 3" exhaust w/2 Flowmaster Big Block muffs. The tranny is a 727 w/a custom built shift kit, extra clutches, MP deep pan, and a B&M Street Fighter converter. 8&3/4 rear stuffed w/3.55's and a cone type sure grip. The only chassis mods at this time are some bolt-in subframe connectors of unknown source(they were under a parts car I bought) and a MP adj. pinon snubber. The rolling stock consists of Centerline Auto Drags with some Firestone F560's up front and BFG Drag Radials out back. This combo has pushed the 'Net as quick as 12.98@108mph(qtr) and 8.29@83mph(8th) with a best sixty foot of a 1.83. The log book averages are 13.17@106.38 and 60 ft avg is 1.94. The track anouncer loves to talk the car up and it's gotten to the point where it's getting hard to get many of the other in off the street cars to run against me. The last grudge was against a boy in his 280ZX with a Chubby Smallie stuffed in it. There's a large group of guys that hang up near the starting line and bet on anything and one of them was the owner of the Z. Judging from the reaction after I beat him, most of the money was on me, so that made me feel pretty good!

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'66 Coronet 440
'89 Ramcharger
'93 Shadow ES

[Mr Belvedere]

cruzer,

Does the guy with the 'Cuda do any street racing? For bucks? I have a buddy with a '96 Cobra that may be willing to run him after the break-in is done.

Jason.

[RufusTheRam]

Dave D... didn't ya'll just get a 1/4 down there in kinston? i'm up in raleigh and i've been going to benson, but i'm getting a little tired of the 1/8, and i don't want to go all the way to rockingham for the 1/4...

[Dave D]

Rufus, KDS is running 1/4 mile during test and tune only. It seems everyone down hear has gotten 1/8th mile fever. BTW: Kinston's going to be out of action for the next few weeks. Bobby Smith anounced that he was going to completely re-pave the track starting this week. I guess he got tired of hearing all the complaints about the lack of traction and rough track conditions. If you ever want to make it down this way give me a shout, and we'll hook up!

[RufusTheRam]

Dave D... sounds good! i didn't realize they were open year round. benson doesn't open back up until march or april i don't think. i've inherited a 73 duster with a 70 340 4 speed from my dad. he built it about 8 years ago, and it's been just sitting around for about 5. he claims he's not old enough to drive it yet (long story). anyway... it was resurected this past summer and hopefully will be ready by spring. he's helping turn the wrenches and funding it, so i've got a pretty good deal. right now the frontend is out of it for a rebuild. it'll be rough for a while, it needs an interior and some body work but my main focus now is getting it ready for the strip.it had some 8 sec. 1/8 runs back in its day, so i guess we'll see how it does. i'll sure try to give you a holler when i head that way though. just look for a white duster with a black stripe and 340 decal and centerline rims lightin it up. i assume the test and tune is fri. nights? what's the fee down there?

[Dave D]

Kinston's t&t jumps around. During the off season they do it on Sat. 1-5, and usually from Memorial day to Labor day they usually run Thurs. 4-9 or so. The best hing to do is to call ahead. It's $15 car and driver and $5per crew member. If you make it look for either my '66 Coronet(it'll be the only one there) white w/ black racing stripes, Auto Drags, and an Ultralite tach on the dash. I'll be the Bubba near it. The Duster sounds cool, you and my buddy David will get along great as he's always willing to jaw with anyone else running a 340 powered A-body. Me, I'll talk to anyone with a Mopar. Oh, you might also find me there with my new Dakota R/T, Flame Red(probably the only one there too!)

[cruzerjd]

To Mr Belvedere: I do not know of he races on the street or not, the guy owns a muffler shopp here in Eugene and the car is usually parked next to the place. It is pretty cool though, nice Plum Crazy paint, Tunnel Rammed 440 etc. Like I said, if I can get the oppurtunity to talk with the guy, I will let yall know what it does. cruzerjd

[Mr Belvedere]

Thanks cruzer,

I look forward to hearing more about it.

Jason.

[RufusTheRam]

Dave D... drop me a line when ya'll open back up down there. I'm taking my truck just to play with even if the duster isn't ready.