It's a Race Against Time



It will be a race against time as to whether or not our new engine will be ready in time for the Medford race this weekend as the crank unexpectedly has to be demagnetized which puts things back yet another day. We are still planning to go but it means we will likely miss the Friday test session where we intended to shake the car down. So we will likely go right in to qualifying on Saturday and into eliminations on Saturday night, July 4th. Art is doing all he can to make things happen so we can be there, so kudos to him, and we can't say enough good things about him.

This engine explosion that we experienced (for lack of a better description) took just about everything we had as it bent every valve, took the crank, the rods, the pistons, the pan, everything put the blower and one head. The other was repairable. But we will preserver and move forward.

The event is being held at Champion Raceway. Gates will open at 5:00 PM Friday for a test and tune session that will go until 11:00. On Saturday, Gates open at 8:00 AM, with first qualifying rounds commencing at 10:00 AM, first TEW passes will be at approximately 11:00 AM. There will be a total of two qualifying passes for this event. As in typical Champion Raceway fashion all racers and fans will be treated to a spectacular fireworks display at the end of the event on Friday. Also on the schedule are jet funny cars and pro mods.

UPDATE: Thank Goodness for Art Mendoza!
Art has been working all night and even had to retrofit parts to get the new engine built. Art works harder than all of us combind and he's an amazing person. He's someone that we have a lot of respect for and Brent and I couldn't run this operation without him. I just want the people reading this to know how much Brent and I appreciate his dedication.

A New Pic a Day for the Next 64 Days!
Sixty Four Funny Cars!

Whites Lightning


Kenney Goodell drove this car as a nitro funny car before Wendel White bought it from Goodell and took over the driving and converted it to a BB/FC. This car would never race on Saturdays as Wendel was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church. Wendel raced mostly at Woodburn on Sunday of course.

Chuck Steinberg scanned a whole bunch of pictures and capracing.com is going to show a new funny car picture every day for the next 64 days! If you miss a day you miss a pic! The pictures are picked completely at random and some won't be perfect by any means but they'll be interesting and will bring back lots of memories.This was how it was folks. Some will be action shots but most will be from the pits. Feel free to drag one off or request one at no charge by Contact Us.

Car #1 The Powergloss Hawaiian Monza, Los Angeles CA, 1976
Car #2 The Jam Air Special Olds, Los Angeles CA, 1985
Car #3 Mr. Auto Supply Omni, Marrysville WA, 1981
Car #4 Mountain Dew Citation, Los Angeles CA, 1984
Car #5 Insanity Corvette, Los Angeles CA,1985
Car #6 Condit Bros Arrow, Los Angeles CA, 1980
Car #7 Bubble Up Firebird, Edmonton Canada, 1979
Car #8 Klampe and Lewis Vega, Salem OR. 1979
Car #9 The Jean Machine Arrow BB/FC, Portland OR. 1982
Car #10 Showtime Firebird, Minniapolis MN, 1985
Car #11 Whiskey River Corvette BB/FC, Portland OR. 1982
Car #12 The Green Elelphant Vega, Seattle, WA. 1977
Car #13 Springer and Price Vega, Eugene OR. 1975
Car #14 John Collins Tom McEwen's #2 Duster, Los Angeles CA,1976
Car #15 Teacher's Pet Monza, Los Angeles CA, 1976
Car #16 Wheeler Dealer Mustang, Edmonton Canada, 1977
Car #17 The Blue Max Mustang, Dallas TX. 1977
Car #18 The Olympia Beer Mustang, Seattle, WA. 1981
Car #19 Jim Moore Arrow, Ancorage Alaska, 1978
Car #20 Jim Dunn, Omni, Los Angeles CA, 1980
Car #21 Nitro Nick's US Marines, Arrow, Portland OR. 1980
Car #22 Twig Zeigler, Mustang, Pendelton OR. 1978
Car #23 Tom McEwen, Coors Corvette, Los Angeles CA, 1982
Car #24 Larry Palmer, Plmouth Satellite, Portland OR. 1977
Car #25 Tommy Ivo, Dodge Duster, Hollywood CA. 1977
Car #26 John Lindsey's Inpulse Mustang, Los Angeles CA. 1982
Car #27 Romund's Chariot Vega BB/FC, Canada. 1978
Car #28 Alky Motion Omni BB/FC, Portland. 1982
Car #29 White's Lightning BB/FC, Portland. 1976



George Evans Crashes at Bremerton
Some bad news from Bremerton Washington. George Evans who drives the Evans Racing - Lucas Oil Dragster, crashed at the top end at Bremerton Raceway this past weekend. One of the last blown alcohol teams left in top dragster, we consider the Evans team one of our longest and closest friends at the track and we hate hear this news. But as I was told a few years ago after my crash, race cars can be replaced but people can't. Fortunately, George walked away with no injuries and they have a second car so that's the good news.

Car Show News
First Blue Moon Attracts 230 Cars


As expected, the first night at the Blue Moon was a hit! Photo by Pam Foster.

You know it's summer when we talk about the Blue Moon. The first Blue Moon car show of the year attracted over 230 cars according to our buddy Jim Billings, who is the founder and organizer of the popular Saturday night car shows.

The events started at the A&W but wound up at the Blue Moon when A&W closed. The Blue Moon is located on Lancaster on the Chemeketa Community College grounds. The next event is Saturday night, July 11. The Blue Moon is free to show your car and free to attend.


Nostalgia Racing News
A Driver for Doty
Jeff Utterback is reporting on Dragracingonline that he will be driving George Doty's Crazy Horse Mustang at the Hot Rod Reunion event at Bowlingreen. And, the popular drag racing powerhouse, Doty himself has secured a deal with CAM2 Motor Oil and Hot Wheels. The diecast cars are now out in discount stores everywhere.

Classic Rock News
Asia and Yes Go Out on the Road
Probably one of the best shows in this summer concert season (and it's a meager one at that) is Asia and Yes. While both good bands, if that's the hot ticket you know things aren't good. Reportably, 80's hair band Cock Robin may open some of those shows but that's a strech. Also, Kansas has formed a new band and its opening for...Kansas. That's right they come out and do a set as Native Window and then come back out and play as Kansas. Before you freak, the new Native Window material is pretty good and is already out in stores and online This might be worth seeing just for the concept.



Feature Story
An Easy, Green, and Money Saving Solution to Keep Driving Our Big Cars and Trucks
While I recycle and try to do my part I only believe in sensible environmentalism. But I have said before that if you could find a way to put a gallon of water and a t-spoon of vanilla extract in the fuel tank without much effort then I'd give up on my criticism and cynical views of modern day environmentalism and global warming. While I still question global warming, that day has come where a little water will solve both our emission problems while giving us all better fuel economy. And all in the nick of time too when you consider the new draconian regulations and an upcoming climate bill which is sure to be a big burden to our economy and back pocket.


Believe it or not, this Ford Fairlane reportably gets 35 Miles to the gallon!

I discovered in Spokane that you can now have you cake and eat it too. Let me explain. At the NAPA event we did was a hybrid car. Not a Toyota Prius but a 1974 Ford Fairlaine! The car's owner, a nice gentleman by the name of Ernie told me he went from getting 8 miles to the gallon that his big block Ford was producing to over 35 MPG by converting the car into a hybrid. Ernie, who lives in Montana also told me that he often drives at over 80 MPH which is the norm over there. On top of that the Fairlane now has more power and zero emissions other than a little steam out of the tail pipe! And I will say that tail pipe looked pretty clean. Wow! what will the Sierra Club find to complain about now?


This is all it takes to produce the hydrogen that goes right to the air induction that mixes with oxygen!

So how does it work? In a nut shell, a "bubbler" and a small water tank actually produces hydrogen as you drive your car. The hydrogen produces a gas called HHO or Brown's gas. The HHO is then fed into the car's induction system and then burns the car's fuel much more efficiently. This gives the car more power and you are not consuming nearly as much fuel since there is no waste as it's all being used. Only steam remains as all of the carbon is burned before it goes to the tail pipe. These hydrogen hybrids are safe and much cheaper then the $10,000 complete hydrogen car conversions which use only hydrogen and no gasoline at all. The gasoline-hydrogen hybrid is the most economical and burden free alternative and is virtually maintenance free.

The best news of all is that the conversion costs less than $1000.00. In fact, if you know what you are doing you can actually do the conversion yourself for well under $500.00. When I heard this I looked over at our Chevy dually and almost had the conversion done right then and there but decided to wait until I got home to see if maybe this deal was perhaps a little to good to be true. After doing some research using Google, I discovered that indeed this hydrogen hybrid system is beginning to catch on all over the country with people reporting a 10 to 50 percent increase in mileage and better performance. It also works great for diesel trucks.

Our plan is to convert the Chevy Dually and see how it goes. If it pulls the trailer better, gives us better mileage and cuts emissions then it's a great investment. If it works for us who knows where this could lead. It might just save our rigs from the gitty car crushing hands of the US Government. We'll keep you posted. For more information, go to the H2 Pure Power FAQ page at www.h2purepower.com

Royal Purple NAPA Spokane Event a Hit



It's a long tow to Spokane but it's always a good time and always worth the drive. This time around was no different as we had the dragster in Spokane for NAPA Auto Parts' annual car show and tent sale. The two day event attracted over 130 cars that were proudly on display. There was also free food, a live radio remote each day, a NASCAR simulator, a benefit car wash starring the Hooters Girls, a hydrogen car (more on that later) and a jump tent for the kids. It was the biggest store event Brent and I have done and we helped Jim Rugg from Royal Purple sell a whole bunch of cases of motor oil and other products over the two day period. Fortunately, the event was held under partly sunny skies as the rain held back until the show had ended on Sunday afternoon.


Kids sat in the car all weekend as the adults had a good time.

Rich Bailey poses with "240 Gordie" Bonin and Cindy Gibbs Arias of SCR



Jim Rugg was doing Royal Purple demos as Bailey was rounding up more customers

 

The Hooter Girls car wash was popular as they washed a lot of cars over a two day period

Show Benefits 10 Year Old Daisy Keefer
Two Jets Featured at Night of Fire's Fire Fest, Friday Night August 21!



Derek Snelson called to tell us that not only are they bringing one jet funny car to put on a show at the Night of Fire, but they are brining out two! Two cars, one right after another will perform a fire show and it will be up to the crowd to pick which exhibition they like better in a show we are calling the FIRE FEST! This is sort of like a monster truck show only hotter! If you have never seen jets either in the day or night the Night of Fire is a must see event.

After an accident on the road last month where the truck hauling the jet cars to a race went over an embankment in Canada, the jets are back with a new car! Last weekend they ran in Yakima at the Night of Fire race and drew a big crowd, and now you will be able to see their only non-race performance for the whole year. In fact, the Night of Fire is the only car show in the world featuring a jet fire show of any kind. This is a rare event you have to see to believe. The Jets will perform at 9:30 to meet Salem's 10 PM noise ordinance.

This year's Night of Fire, scheduled for Friday Night, August 21 will help 10 year old Daisy Keefer of Salem. Daisy has Ewing's Sarcoma, an aggressive type of cancer. We will be working very hard for Daisy in the next two months to promote this event. We would like to pre-invite any racer willing to come display their car at this event. Please Contact Us if you are interested in helping this young girl out just by being at the show! Remember this has become a very big high-profile show over the past few years and there's none like it anywhere! We are also looking for t-shirt and raffle donations which is how a lot of the money is raised.

This family event is located at the same location as last year, the Salem Evangelical Church parking lot across from Applebes's dear the Parkway. Gates open at 2:00 PM.

Editorial
Happy Independence Day But...
If we don't start speaking out and declaring our independence things are going to get so restrictive that there won't be any racing or much of anything else to do. This one party rule that we are seeing from the Obama-Polosi-Reed juggernaut is a disaster for Independent and our economy. In our own back yard parts of Central Oregon is nearing 15 percent unemployment and Elkheart Indiana leads the way nationally with 17 percent unemployment. This is not Bush's economy it's Obama's now. Over the past eight years of Bush it hovered around 6 percent and how can we forget the rapid turn around after 911?

The media is much to blame for where we are now as their reporting model has become liberals good conservatives bad. They also disrespect you and insult your intelligence with all Michael Jackson all of the time reporting while not disclosing to you what this rapid fire legislation on health care, economic stimulus and "climate change" will do to your pocket book and ultimately our freedom. They also don't report that Obama has spent more money in his first six months of office than every President before him combined and at your children's expense! They also don't report he is supporting a would be dictator in Honduras that wanted an extra term after getting thrown out of office.

People are figuring this out on their own as they are seeing the overreaching by the congress and the administration right before their eyes and the poles are slowly starting to show it. And to be fair you are getting exactly what Obama promised you during the election. He told you that under his administration "energy will skyrocket" even double under his cap and trade plan. And why would any President implement such a policy when the economy is as bad as it currently is?

The only way to stop this out of control administration and congress is to vote the democrats out in 2010 and send a message to elected officials that they can no longer barter away our independence like the house did during the cap and trade bill. Call you senator and let them know where they stand if they pass this cap and trade bill that members of the house didn't even read. Our last chance to stop cal and trade is in the senate.

Happy Independence Day while we still have one.

THIS IS OUR OPINION AND NOT THE OPINION OF OUR SPONSORS

 

Thunder in the pipes #16-4:
IT WAS A SPECIAL AND FULFILLING TIME FOR ME AT THE RETIREMENT PARTY

By Jim Rockstad

The huge hospitality tent was located near the finish line at SIR which is a perfect place as you can talk with friends between the runs. Jack Coonrod had brought along a lot of old photos and he had enlarged a lot of pictures from that era. Scrap books were included and just added to the fun. It was 3 days of talking the old stuff as old friends began to arrive.

The original Northwind was displayed in the tent and it was the conversation piece of the entire weekend. It’s like the old gal had come home again to this race track as it was in the early 60’s when she ran here before. 189 miles per hour was plenty fast back then and especially with that ultra short wheelbase.

The sport was in the beginning stages here in the Northwest, back then, and already Jim Albrich was making a huge name for himself.

My friend Joe Sherk contacted Don Garlits so we could include him in this grand party. I arranged to have him, and wife Pat, come for the weekend which really added to the whole picture. The list of attendees included Earl and Barbara Floyd, Steve Doane, Twig and Barbara Zeigler, Steve McGee, Bob Schoonhoven, my brother Dick and his son Ryan, Jim Albrich, Jerry Ruth, Ed and Danny McCulloch, Mel Bryson, Gene Bergstrom, Dawn Coonrod, Bill Jwayad, Terry Simonson, Wayne Harry, Jack Slawik, John Mitchell, Roger Orr, Jack Frost, the list of names went on and on. My wife, Mo, daughter Maren and son Zach were all in attendance supporting me as they had done for so very many years. I am so very grateful for their support all of these years.

I know there were many, many more and I apologize for leaving some out of this story….
….there was certainly a bunch.

All of these fine folks had something to do with getting me to where I was retiring at age 59……along with a lot more. You don’t go to Raceway 101 to learn about how to manage a race track but you can sure draw a lot of knowledge and support from friends …and, of course family.

“Big” and Pat had a great time. They had not been in Seattle for many years and it was
the perfect time for them to see old friends at the drags. Garlits spent a lot of the weekend talking motors with crew chiefs in that never-ending world of horsepower. I flashed back to the 60’s when Jim Albrich used to run a Crower camshaft called the DG205. It’s really interesting what a person remembers after all of these years. I’m not exactly sure but as I recall, Albrich ran faster than 205 with that same camshaft. I should have asked “Big” (yeah right!)

Garlits told me a little story about the early days of the sport. He was booked into Puyallup Raceway Park for a match race. He had towed all the way from who-knows-where, for a match race appearance there, and the event snowed out! For us folks from the Northwest that is a rare occurrence up here. I can’t recall ever hearing of a drag race here in the Northwest having snow on it. It must have been part of the Global Warming that was going on back in those days.

A little more about the original Northwind fuel dragster: Jack Coonrod owned the car, Earl Floyd drove it and Jim Albrich owned and built the motors. What a combination.

It started out a little rough for this team as the car was unloaded on an abandon road outside of Vancouver, Washington. With Floyd behind the wheel a push start was needed and they were off and running when everything went wrong. Seems like the “barndoor” injector stuck wide open and Floyd had a handful to deal with. Floyd rolled the car over in a storm drainage ditch with only everyone’s pride getting hurt. It certainly wasn’t the best showing for this team. But that all changed when it hit the drag strip. It was just a bump in the road beginning for a few drag racing careers that would have huge successes over the years ahead.

Both Northwind cars will be on display during the 22nd annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway in Seattle, July 17-19. The huge nostalgia display will be there in the pits with a special fire-up taking place with all the cars on Sunday just prior to the final round of eliminations.

Hopefully, a lot of old drag race fans can stop by the nostalgia display in the pit area. It sure is great to relive those old days. We have a lot to be proud of here in the Northwest with the sport of drag racing. A lot of great things in the sport took place right here on Northwest soil.

If you are in the area of Issaquah Christian Church (10328 Issaquah-Hobart Rd SE) on the 4th of July stop by for the Freedom Day Celebration with live music, free hot dogs and a classic car show featuring the gorgeous ’34 Ford 3-window coupe of Jim Cooper.

All recent stories can be found by clicking here

Rich Bailey Driver and Team Owner
Jim Rockstad Thunder in the Pipes
Photos By Larry McFarland and George & Karen Adams

NEW! Updated
Preliminary
2009 Schedule
Subject to change


April 18-19
Tulip Festival Drags
Woodburn

April 26
Performanace
Warehouse
Trade Show
Portland Expo

May 9
Jaycee Relay
Salem

May 14
Show Biz
Salem

May 15
Pringle School
Salem

May 16-17
Season Opener
Woodburn

May 18
Keizer Fire Dept
Open House
Keizer

June 20-21
NAPA Customer Event
Royal Purple
Spokane

June 24
Stan's Cruise-in
at Artic Circle
Salem

June 27
The Stereo Store
Corvallis

TBA
Blue Moon
Salem

July 4
Bi-Mart Night of Fire
Top Eliminator West
Medford

July 9-12
NHRA Divisonal
Woodburn

July 15
Victory Race Camp
Milwaukie

August 1
Nitro Summerfest
Medford

August 3
Neighborhood
Night Out
Salem

August 15-16
Summer in the City
Downtown
Salem

August 21
Night of Fire
Salem

August 28-29-30
Oregon Air Show
Hillsboro

Sept.12-13
Fall Classic
Woodburn

Governor's Cup
Sacramento