NSRA Hot Rod Drags 2008
About sums it up for me!
 
Beauties and the beast
I really love this meet its a no bullshit put up or shut up meet, all the bar room bragging gets proved or disproved here.
My good mate Pudzz set off the day before me with his daughters boyfriend (Chris) who is really enjoying his trips to the Rod Runs with us. I was to come down Sat with another good mate of mine Nige (Snap on guy) who I have been good mates with for over 25yrs and also coming with us was his Son Sam who at 14yrs old knows all about Drag racing and loves it, but this was to be his first at Shakespeare County raceway and first Rod meet so he was real looking forward to it, I think he was looking forward to the drive down in my truck to ;o)..
We had a great drive down again in the F100, I am just amazed how it runs so well with no real nasty teething problems.. it just drives mint and I have no idea how I did it.... it's weird. We sat at just a tad over the legal speed limit all the way with no problems.
Nice sight to greet us some posh Northerner's who where staying at the Hotel (pub) we stopped at. Loui Turner 34 (steel) 5 winda and Phil Mallas (glass) 34 3 winda next to my yella Van.
We arranged to meet at a pub just up the road from the track so we could have a decent meal to set us up for the rest of the weekend. The place turned out to be fully booked from 7:30pm and it was now 6:30pm so they said if we had the carvery we could eat if it was right now.... so we took that deal and it was worth it. We gave Pete and Sandra Whiteside a bit of a shock I think as us noisy buggers waltzed in the restaurant as they were having a nice quiet romantic meal...... Good job they know us.
After the great meal we all got a beer and sat outside to relax and had a real good laugh recounting stories we have told umpteen times before, but still raise a laugh. And marvel at what we got away with when younger that you would be locked up for nowadays. It was a nice way to start the evening off.
Pudzz had already put my tent up, all I had to do was put my junk in it. But by the time we had it all sorted we had missed the cacklefest "we were gutted" We were told by shags of people how great it was after *twat's*... ;o)
So we consoled ourselves with a few cold ones. Had a look round the pits even though it was dark, had a good laugh with Bob Booth and Keith Freeman who had pitched camp in the pits as the grass area was flooded when they got there Friday and listened to AC DC for a while to as we stood about taking the pee out of each other and telling more stories.
The night just flowed really and we all laughed as Pudzz recounted the previous night, telling us about some guy coming up to him and saying his boyfriend thought he had a lovely arse ha ha... Pudzz instead of being annoyed gays where eyeing up his rear, was really quite chuffed as he thought it a big compliment ;o) it still makes me chuckle......
Band were good entertainment.
Is this really the environment to bring an impressionable young lad to ;o) ( foreground is Sam my mate Nige's lad)
The band were good playing in the marquee from what I remember, but I flitted in and out talking with various people and generally just being nosey, Chris was doing his very camp dancing much to the amusement of some and annoyance of others. Later we went over the club house to finish the night off where they have a disco. I must say I have never seen the Hot Rod Drags so busy it was mobbed everywhere. I met and talked with a few of my Hot Rod heroes but I wont say who they are to save their and mine embarrassment, but it sure does feel good talking to people who you look up to in the Rodding scene and when they compliment me on my Truck build I just cant believe it is happening, it feels a bit strange being in their company really like how the fuk did I get here????
Just a small part of the massive amount of people at the Drags Sat night.
 
Pete Whiteside gets down and boogie's as guy behind admires his behind ;o) He was eying Pudzz'z up the night before.... Dude in the Top Hat was an impressive sight with spikes poking out his face Cool or what.
I kept trying to get a good photo of him but they kept turning out blurred or I missed the shot. I told Pudzz and in his aminitable style he just grabbed the guy (much to his protest) but Pudzz is a very strong northern lad and just pulled him to his face for a pose... fuk it still turned out blurred...
Anyhow the night soon was at an end and I crashed out pretty quickly, but not until Pudzz had us all in stitches again as he always does, he just has that knack.
The great NSRA guys who got this whole show organised and all just for the love of it!
I was advised to get up early if I wanted a couple of goes up the strip as it was going to be real busy. So by 9am I was up and lined up for scruteneering and lined up on the fire up road by 10am. With just a dozen or so cars in front of me.
My plan was to do a run of Petrol and another on LPG see what the difference was.
Dusty Laugher and Roberto Booth get it on with the first (after the tot rods) Race of the Day. 13.5's
Pudzz and me managed to get lined up so we could race side by side, I have a 302 V8 backed by a T5 manual, Pudzz has a 3:0ltr V6 (no idea what's done to it) , mine has big valve (2:02) ally heads, roller rockers, under driven pulley's, low restrict exhaust etc etc... so it was a forgone conclusion I would whoop Pudzz arse no bother... er wasn't it.
We staged clean and in no time flat the lights where green for go. I nailed it and just felt it spinning the wheels and tramping or it felt like tramping maybe just gripping then not as I knocked it into 2nd but Pudzz was away.. Bugger... I just gave it all I could but couldn't catch him. I was gob smacked and so was Pudzz, but I know he was also laughing his bloody head off. The times where the same 17.2 my top speed was slightly more than Pudzz. I was gutted not by being beaten by Pudzz so much but that my Truck did a 17.. There are flat heads and 4 potter's quicker than that a lot quicker than that.
Oh shit forgot the fuel ;O)
Next run on LPG was pretty much the same times and outcome yeah beat me again. I did set off a tad easier so to stop the wheel spin. The only difference was that on LPG it wouldn't rev out as it did on Petrol.
Real nice 32 sedan
Last run I did on petrol again just to see if my Truck was really that slow. I did a slightly quicker start and left Pudzz off the line and stayed in front all the way this time and got a 16:2 I think it was, I never bothered getting my timing slips as I was to ashamed. Pudzz apparently thought he had deep staged and was about to red light, so he was about to back up as I set off so would probably beaten me again and got his magic 16 he was hoping for, I hoped for 15's I was gutted.
I think mine is strangled with the LPG airpan I may try again next year with it removed. It feels very strong on the street and keeps up with modern traffic no bother so though it aint no tarmac terror it does feel good on the street.. I may look into a better cam .. maybe..
Colin Millar's real nice 32 with strong 350 Chevy doing 12's and has very sensible aircon as he drove it down from Scotland raced it and then drove back and these coupes do get warrmm.. "respect"
Andy Park same as above drove down from Scotland, raced his Y and then drove home *respect* this was one very quick Y doing low 12's
There was a great buzz in the fireup lane and this guy (very quick A) had a good natter with me as we moved slowley down the line. He lives in Spain where it is impossible to get a modified Car MOT'd (think it cant happen here read my news page) I really did enjoy the crack with this guy no edge & no b/s.
How does Steve Hudson keep his T so clean?? and he raced.
NIce 34 Sport sporting a new shiney grill and rear louvered rear pan.
Brizey arrives all happy and smiley.
One of Hot Roddings genuine nice guys.
Maybe the best Car there for me wild power plant spindle mounts old style slicks.. wow! and racing not posing.
Just looka dat engine whooooo hooooo sex!!
Brizey signs autographs in the pit lane.
Andy sure looks serious here dont he.
Cheating bastardo's.... Keith freeman gives Pudzz some drag race tips so he could show me up even more so.. Barstard's as camp Chris looks on! ;o)
Well it was getting real busy now, and the wait times had gone intergalactic, so we called our racing over for the day. We managed 3 runs before 12pm and would maybe only have got one more even if we had queued the rest of the day.
A sedan channeld, lowered and unchopped looked cool.
There was some fantastic racing to watch anyway so we did that. Andy Hadfield was aiming for an 8 in his wild T and managed a 9:3 at 149 which was fuking mind blowing really and sadly hurt his car on his last run though he vows to be out again in 2weeks what a hero he is I give him all my respect as he deserves it. I was talking with Andy and he says he does it for the crowd.. Just as my old mate Smax used to, his words were always he did it for the crowd.. I guess you get the speed bug and then get a kick from the crowd wowing at your speed and bravery.. yeah I get that, its not a selfish thing as many may imagine its entertaiment...er... at your cost..
The Dusty and Bob A coupe grudge match was great to watch as they are so evenly matched at 13.5 consistent runs, I think Bob edged the win in the end. Bob was a bit peeved as he had changed his rear gearing for more performance on the strip but ran slower, though I heard everyone say they were running slower times today (especially me ha ha)..
Perfecto Chevy Truck parked in the Marqee area.
Saw some great Hot Rods race and some real nice Street Rods to ;o). There was bucket loads of Yanks doing their thing but they don't really do anything for me as I have just seen so many, shame they cant stick to their own meets like the Mopar Nats but they fit the NSRA criteria for this meet so every right to be there I guess, though it is supposed to be the Hot Rod Drags.. and Factory Hot Rods don't cut the mustard for me. I would be quite happy to comply if they did strict rules of Rods only and I just had to sit and watch even with my slow 55 F100. There was a quick Mini there and some quick VW's aswell oh how I hate it when they are so quick showing up the rods again not sure they are the style fo cars for this meet, there are plenty of meets for these cars.
I was sat up on the stands enjoying the racing when Toad came over to me grinning like a cheshire cat and said hold your hand out Holmsey, I have something that will make your Truck go faster.... *hum?* I thought... I know he is a joker and thought no way am I putting my open hand out to him and letting him drop what ever he may have into my hand... no fukin way... I refused but he was persistant.. So I thought Ok why not and what was it ??? a Bloody 50pence coin... " There ya go Mate put 50p in ya gas meter it may make it go faster" Ha blody ha.. it was a slight on my LPG chioce to power the truck and maybe not to far off the truth... Arent mates great eh!
I felt sorry for the traders as everyone was to busy watching the racing to venture much into where there were, also the area was a quagmire, so I hope they all did ok and it was worth their while being there..
The pits was chokker and worth a look round... We didn't want a late start home so decided to get off when Andy broke his T as it was going to be a long time moving it and fixing the track.
Cool A coupe pulls in for fuel looks ace seeing Rods on the street to rare a sight for me.
The Scottish guys had a couple of very quick Rods that were driven down from Scotland, hammered on the track and then driven all the way home again, now they are the real deal.
Colin Millar way up north on the M6 we turn off here and they have the same distance we have gone from Shakey still to do.. what a journey.
Me blowing Pudzz off on the M6 with Andy Park in front also ;o)
Hot Rods at the Hot Rod Drags:
Kerry Tates cooler than cool 3 winda. I had no idea it was Kerry's, I knew he had one but didnt realise he had even started it let alone finshed it. I was looking through the view finder took the photo and thought I saw someone acknowledge me... only when I looked at the photo after did I realise who owned it. Sorry Kerry for not realising. Kerry Originals Hot Rod company sure does build some hard core Rods and in very quick time to.. what a daily eh! bet he dont get up think *groan* bloody work again eh!
What dreams are made of a Steel 32 coupe.
36 Truck, wish I had the bottle to drive and own something like this as I do think they look cool well maybe with the engine etc painted that is. ;o)
Saw this A as we walked back to down camp looked real straight.
Some people are just simply off their heads ;o)
Loved the rear view treatment Austin Ruby?
Please dont let it rust away it is so cool
Ahhhh sanctuary one thats finished nice and painted...
Sorry not sure who's cars they all are as they dont knock around with squares in shiney Trucks ;o) *joking*
Saw this nice coupe as we walked back to camp also.
Wild T
I dont useally do Customs but this is stunning.
I would like to say thank you to the Rodder's who spoke with me over the weekend I do enjoy that. The Guys for turning up with some cool cars to Race and also to the NSRA committe who put on a fantastic meet and wish them all the best when they stand down this winter and enjoy your free time guys mucho respect. I do love this Hobby and this was the best meeting yet for me.
Well thats the end of the season for me. I had a blast finally getting My Truck finished got some recognition from it its all over now though as you get one season unless real stunning so I can settle down now and just use it not worrying about getting it scratched and looking used.. yeeha!! Maybe a few mistakes on this wrte up I havent read it over yet... |
