My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

We did the training thing with Danny last weekend, and then kept testing him with questions all week. So, when this past Saturday rolled around at Numidia he was ready to prove that he had this thing down! With remote starter device installed, Danny embarked on his Jr Dragster Licensing Passes - 6 in all. Final answer from Danny - 'I want to go faster!' [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] Ben said the same thing to Ron Capps one time at MGR, Ron quickly replied 'don't we all!'.

The 6 Track Tests are; 1. pull behind (or push), 2. 60' stop, shut off, 3. 330' stop, shut off, 4. 660' moderate pass, 5. 660' full pass &amp; 6. 660' full pass. I had pushed Danny down the track last weekend, so we had 1 completed - although he didn't know it. So, Saturday was Track Tests 2, 3, &amp; 4 and he did great. His moderate pass was a 16.13 ET where he slowed to a stop just after the finish line at 23mph. He was very proud of his slip!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psaju5aoro.jpg

On Sunday we repeated the moderate pass test again just to get him back on focus, except this time his confidence grew and ran it pretty hard with a 12.95 at 45.2MPH. So, we went for the full pass Tests - he did awesome with a 12.46 at 49.5MPH and backed it up with a 12.36 at 51.9MPH! He was on Cloud 9, [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img] He doesn't believe that he should have to wait till Spring to actually race....explaining that he's licensing for the 8-9 year old class at age 7 is irrelevant to him!

Staging lanes for final pass:
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...pszghvfwue.jpg

Suiting up for the final pass:
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps3x4vgsnc.jpg

Final pass slip:
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps1mode6bb.jpg

Putting the slip into the Drag Slip Analyzer App:
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psqocarghi.jpg

Numidia Track Officials signed off, he's good to proceed:
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psohu4mmws.jpg

Time to clean the car....
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps1azhrlm3.jpg

After 3 runs Danny says 'I'm beat!'. He slept good last night. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]


PS: didn't need this, but I felt a whole lot better knowing I could shut the car off from 1/4 mile away with a flick of the finger!
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psd63b9a33.jpg

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

That is priceless....
Totally awesome.....

Congrats

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Now that the Jr racing season has ended, it's time to start prepping for next year. I have Benjamin's Jr all torn down, but Danny's body needed to be painted. Unfortunately, Danny's car came loose on the way home from E-Town back in Sept, so I had to repair the nose from the underside with fiberglass and then cut the top side and fill with epoxy. Finished it off with a little body filler. This extra work consumed the best painting weather, but it had to be done.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...sypsckxzp.jpeg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...sutb139cp.jpeg

I was really hesitant to lay PPG paint over the primer coat on the body since I didn't know what type of primer it was. So, we sanded it off - being careful not to break into the gel coat. We sanded the inside too....

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...sonwms3it.jpeg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...sak5muhnc.jpeg

For the primer coat, we took Danny along to teach him how to shoot paint - he did pretty good. I showed him the motion, and then let him run with it...

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps8y8nviip.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...pss0y56imd.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psbmeyja95.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psh1yjje0k.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psbfwqlxqq.jpg

It's never 'all work and no play' when we go to the shop, what 8 year old doesn't like jumping in a pile of leaves!!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psb8psxwi4.jpg

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

I wanted to paint this body in a basic, single stage white just like the first body, but a last minute decision at the paint shop counter had me shooting it in a tri coat white pearl. It's the same mix as the Ford Platinum trucks. I had never done a tri coat before, and was unsure of the order of the 3 stages. Also, being that the primer / sealer / base &amp; pearl coats were all white it was very hard to see coverage and overlap - which is especially important with the pearl stage. So, I laid it down this past Saturday - all 16 coats of it! I only did 3 coats of clear, I really (!) wanted to shoot the 4th coat but the temps were dropping in the shop and I've seen where the 4th coat just sags the entire side...I didn't want to deal with that. The advantage of the temps dropping is that my last coat (heavy) of clear had a lot of time to flow out - so almost zero orange peel! Brought it home last night, Danny approves! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps2jgm5rtr.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps5mpzsvzu.jpg

Nice pearl effect with a good amount of sparkle!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psvxlm8dw7.jpg

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

These are moments the kids will NEVER forget!

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Looks great, M!

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

In the midst of our crazy sports &amp; activities schedule, I'm still prepping 2 Jr Dragsters for race season and working on Ben's Nova - but I also needed to finish Danny's Jr body design. Our local vinyl graphic guy did his magic for us!! Danny had a big smile, he was pleased.

We gave the graphics guy a verbal description, and awaited his result - a total surprise, so he set it up as a 'reveal'

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psduy2zcxp.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...pszuuc4il4.jpg

Fred has done all 3 of our Jr graphics,Ben Bear, Girl Power, and now Danger Dan!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps7wknzzgz.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psonxh4kdy.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psan7hcbqq.jpg

Now, it's on to the next thing.... Ben's Jr engine has been out for rebuild for the past 6 weeks, and we pick it up this Saturday. Then it's thrash time to be ready by April 16th &amp; 17th! :gears:

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Now that looks like a sanitary digger -- enjoy! TAZ

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Awesome Marlin! It just keeps getting better [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

After months (and months!) of work and planning, this kid went down the track this past Saturday 4x for test-n-Tune, and then for 'real' on Sunday with his first competition run! We dialed a 12.15, and he went 12.17 - he was literally in tears with the loss because his foot slipped off the pedal. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img] It's impossible to explain to an 8 year old the myriad of ways he's yet to lose....so I gave him an ice cold bottle of root beer and we talked it through. Ten minutes later he was off, hanging in his friends new motor home watching The Minions movie! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

I didn't sleep much last week trying to get everything ready, but I wouldn't trade these times for anything. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psyz7mmhh8.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psxnrixyd1.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psyptmljqg.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...pspoq7k4ms.jpg

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Awesome stuff Marlin...thanks again for sharing [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Ben is struggling to find the tree with his new car, and both boys went out first round on Saturday - Ben went red by .009 and Danny had a slow light and lost by .004. But, on Sunday Danny went several rounds in a $$ race and got to the semi's where he collected $50! At age 8 I think he would rather have a Trophy, but he was happy to wave the $50 bill around. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...pstqxzevnt.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psl3klayeq.jpg

A little ice cream celebration at our favorite stop coming home from the track...

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psekh4szdx.jpg

But....he couldn't make it the final 20 minutes to home, passed out cold!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psfxqkc6xa.jpg

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Congrats to Danny for the $50 win!!

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Boy, the memories they'll take with them are priceless. Nice job Dad!

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Danny has been on a roll, making it down to 4 cars in a 44 car all-run field at Numidia a few weeks ago. He was terribly upset, but Bob Dimino handing him a $100 helped a little...

Then, he won his first round of points competition at Maple Grove, what kid doesn't love his first racing tropy!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psmwzxzvcf.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psfo0m1zfg.jpg


This past weekend we went to Numidia on Saturday, but it was dismal - both boys went out first round and then Danny lost the buy back round with a bad light. Ben's car was sputtering all the way down the track, this after just getting the engine back from the engine builder due to a faulty oil ring after just 26 passes on the rebuild! So, Ben won his buy back round on a red light, but went out next round.

We regrouped and pulled to Mason Dixon Dragway in Maryland for their Sunday Jr Challenge event. Ben's car sputtered again in a time shot, but otherwise was running good - he went 4 rounds to the Finals, only to have the problem reoccur and he had to settle for a runner up trophy and $100.

Danny however was on his game, and so was his car! Danny had good lights, earning him a bye run and then his car was printing tickets with a 12.36, 12.375 and another 12.375 for the win; $200 and a Wally! Happy kid, and a great way to experience his 1st Race Win!

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...ps4laiqv6z.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psxqb2xqvz.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psllz32tnn.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psblyeekpa.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...psydlb399t.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h6...pslytm8t8k.jpg

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

That's so cool, Marlin. Congrats to the family on the wins [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

Re: My Last Drag Racer Suits Up!
 

Marlin, what a fantastic accomplishment for your boys and a very proud moment as a parent... Schweet!!!!