Ideas for the next Shootout

[Ronnie Russell]

Tommy, Recieving a handshake from you is on the top of my list of --the great things that happened at Thompson, Ohio--. At some point during the weekend, I intended to get a few private minutes with you to tell you how much I like your 61 Ford. ( Let's keep that between us. ).. I did get to see the blue car and it is everything it is cracked up to be. Guess we got spoiled at Norwalk, the exhibition area was great for our crowd. The show car people certainly got shafted at Thompson. The silver lining on the cloud would be that this will be addressed for the future. Thanks for your efforts to make the long trip. I got my handshake and nobody can take that away from me. See you at the next one.

 

[raymar58409]

Ronnie, Not only did I get to shake Tommy's hand, but had the pleasure of sitting next to him at the "legends (me excluded) dinner. And I got to see how his GPS navigational system works, riding with him to the dinner. Right Tommy?

Ray

 

[rstreet]

I happen to have a little bit of inside information Since the York show this year is featuring the Ford's, Tommy's 61 Starliner is "supposed" to be there. All of our east coast members that can make it should try to attend the show, Heck we can all shake Tommy's hand to not let Phil be ahead of us
Ray maybe your dispatcher will really mess you up and send you East that weekend. If that occurs call one of us and we'll try to get you there.
robert

 

[real61ss]

Ronnie....the pleasure was mine, meeting you was at the top of my list also. Wish we could have had a chance talk some too. I'll have to email you some pictures of the Ford.
Robert....We do plan to take the Ford to the York event, I've never been to that so I'm looking forward to it. Maybe we'll see some of the east coast guys there. I hope Bob Walker will be there, as close as we are to each other, I've never met him.
Next show for the blue car is Super Chevy at the new Z Max Drag strip in Charlotte later this month

 

[dq409]

OK here go's. If no one told me that you had a delay box I never would have known. I would say that all electronics that give an advantage on the light should be turned off in this type of race to level the playing field, hell you don't need a delay box to whoop me on the light What the hells up with a delay box anyway? Seems like an unfair advantage, can't you cut a good light on your own? I need to sit down with those who use them and have a debate. Trans brake is a must for some cars so that would not be an issue. Mixing amateurs with pro's is a fact of life for meets like this so get over that! Just lay your cards on the table, if we all know what were up against and everybody knows what we're running, bring it on bang Bottom line, this was and will be a meet for 348/409 W engines. Let's not deviate too far from the original concept please. Let's all have some fun, good friends is what this is all about.

Regards, Ray
Fathead racing.

Ray, You can adjust your trans brake button to work like a delay box!!!
My button is adjustable so it can delay the activation kind of like a delay box.
Adjusting just makes it take a bit longer or shorter to disengage the the trans brake.
So delay box or trans brake they can work the same.
That is why some races don`t allow either.dq

 

[Barry Taylor]

The Brain, My loss your gain.

DQ, I used one of the adjustable buttons also with some success before I got the delay box, but every time I got a new gadget I would think this is it, I'm gonna kick but with this and low and behold it wouldn't happen. Then I finally realized that my feeble brain still had to tell my index finger, Let Go Of The Button Fool. So until the perfect gadget comes along I will continue to be a hero one round and a Zero the next round. BT

 

[raymar58409]

And the winner in D/G is captured in this photo. Any other photo's of this victory by the Phantom?

Ray

 

[PAINTJOHN1]

Ronnie....the pleasure was mine, meeting you was at the top of my list also. Wish we could have had a chance talk some too. I'll have to email you some pictures of the Ford.
Robert....We do plan to take the Ford to the York event, I've never been to that so I'm looking forward to it. Maybe we'll see some of the east coast guys there. I hope Bob Walker will be there, as close as we are to each other, I've never met him.
Next show for the blue car is Super Chevy at the new Z Max Drag strip in Charlotte later this month

Tommy,the York show is a phenominal show,one of the best.I was invited last year into the building with my Chevy,we had 2 great days in the building.This year we were supposed to go on a boat cruise the same week ,or I would be coming as well.Since then we cancelled the boat cruise because of illness in my immediate family,so I might be able to attend on Saturday.If I do I will definetly look for you.Probably drive my Chevy that day for the outside of the buildings John.

 

[Tony Salins]

We just got back from a family wedding in Chicago this weekend, so I just got to read this thread. Our sport is dragracing. We race almost every weekend from March to at least November. We are in points races at 3 Oklahoma dragstrips and we are also in the electronics class. The thrill of racing is competition and on our budget, bracket racing is where we can be somewhat competitive. We decided that instead of attending a big points meet that weekend, that we wanted to attend the 348-409 gathering at Thompson for the fun and camaraderie of racing with the members of this site. And as many of you have stated, it was one of our most fun and best weekends ever. We don't have a door car, it isn't a 4 speed, and our electronics are hard wired into our car (which means they just can't be removed at the drop of a hat). If the site decides that electronics should not be used, we would easily agree to not turning our electronics on and would expect the other members to trust and respect us that we would leave them off. All of that being said, I would like to bring everyone's attention to the fact that Steve (Wully Bully) kicked our a$$ in the very first round. Electronics don't insure you a win. It's still the driver's concentration and skill in cutting a good light and consistency that wins races. Oh yes, and one other thing - I'd rather be lucky than good most any day.

We were talking earlier today about how Fred would have viewed this Thompson gathering and he would have loved every minute of it, no matter what kind of W powered vehicle you had there. Dick McK. did an outstanding job of organizing and running the drag race portion of our get together. The cars that were there just for show needed a Dick McK to assemble and run the show portion of the get together. Maybe that is something to be worked on for the next gathering wherever it is held.

We should not lose sight of the fact that in the combined final round a full blown, tube chassied electronics-enhanced race car ran against an absolutely stock 14 second, 409 street car and the outcome was decided by a red light, not by electronics or who was "professional". As I walked through the pits, meeting and talking to my fellow members, I did not find anyone who regretted coming to Thompson whether they lived locally or traveled thousands of miles. We felt a closeness to Fred and the members of this site that we have not felt since Fred's passing. Let's embrace the ideals that Fred taught us while he was alive that we are all brought together by a common bond to share and have fun with as Fred did each time he talked to, emailed or chatted with us personally.

Bonnie and Tony

 

[raymar58409]

Tony,so glad you were there so everyone could see that cool rear engine 409. Ain't it great to be different.
I don't know how Dick did it but man did he do a great job.
Ray

 

[petepedlar]

Hey Tony & Bonnie, I really enjoyed meeting you guys........ your car is awsume & I wish we had more time to chat. May be we could change next years to a week long event ???? Even then there wouldn't be enough time .......

Dave

 

[dq409]

DQ, I used one of the adjustable buttons also with some success before I got the delay box, but every time I got a new gadget I would think this is it, I'm gonna kick but with this and low and behold it wouldn't happen. Then I finally realized that my feeble brain still had to tell my index finger, Let Go Of The Button Fool. So until the perfect gadget comes along I will continue to be a hero one round and a Zero the next round. BT

thats my line


BTW,,, this isn`t gunna be one of those 40 page Thompson threads ,,, is it???

 

[jim_ss409]

James and I will try to be there next year, and hopefully bring something to race. I like to idea of driving my 409 to these events, but that doesn't have to be the case. James has a trailer and we can always haul it with something, and he'd like to bring a vehicle with 409 power. We are looking at building a Gasser out of a 1950 Chevy, so it will not have an X frame. It will have a 409. Will that be OK?

James thrives on racing, and is somewhat competitive, albeit on a tight budget. I will be more like the "sponsor", and that's just fine. Just want to know if that's OK given the fun we are trying to have .

To me, such events are all about meeting new and old faces that type back and forth with one another all year long, then we get together and have just toooo much fun!

Cheers!
TomK (for James Schrader)

Tom, here's a picture of Gene Schwartz's Gasser, for inspiration.

 

[petepedlar]

Even though that old Chevy didn't have a 409 under the hood it was one very nice car !!!

ran well too....

Dave

 

[models916]

Any complaints?

Maybe I'll bring out the big gun for next year?

 

[petepedlar]

Hey Models....... get your butt in gear, I'd love to see that car run !!!

Dave

 

[Ronnie Russell]

C'mon Mike, you can't leave us hanging. That car has to have a neat story. Lets hear it !!

 

[region rat]

Models. How much will that guy weight? AFX 09. Wild!!!

 

[gearhead409]

Gene didn't pull wheelies like that back in the day but he was ALWAYS very competitive. i got to talk to him sat. for awhile, same guy, like me just a little bit older. i had a black 51 too at that time but the 6 banger sure wouldn't do a wheelie!!!!

 

[models916]

I wish?

Just kidding. My buddy keeps sending me that pic and insisting I go look at it. I don't even want to know where it is or how much it costs. From the looks of it, I would be going home with it.