Qualified in Indy

Well, we have good news, and not so good news....

We made two runs today. On the first run, we were only about .650 under, which wasn't enough to qualify, and we toasted two coil packs, and blew up the computer, due to an undetermined "probably" electrical problem...

But being as how we are too dumb to quit, we got a loaner computer, bought all new coil packs at $30 each X 8, and did a few other things to isolate the possibility of something causing the coil packs to fry, like maybe our alternator was putting out too much juice.... and consequently blow up the computer... So, then we ran a second run (and we managed to turn "logging on" in the computer, so we could see what was happening, after we ran.)

We even minimized the amount of time we ran the car in the staging lanes, and we did a lot of pushing of the car. But we didn't want to take a chance on burning something out before the run. And we expected that if we started the car fewer times, we reduced the the electrical load on the coil packs.

Our time in the second run was a lot better than the first run, and we qualified 15th at over one second under the index.

But on the return road, the car started acting up, and we toasted the same two coil packs (new ones in the same position as ones that cooked before.) So we put all of our spare coil packs on the engine, and were checking things without even starting the car, and suddenly one coil pack started cooking and smoking...

So now we are waiting for someone to check the coil pack wiring and then we have to find another computer, and ..... who knows what... But because we are already qualified, we really don't have to do anything until Saturday... And who knows, (didn't I just say that...), we may get things moving back in a good direction....

In the meantime, I managed to get more sun today, without any sun screen, than I really should have, so I am pretty well toasted myself... But on the good side, a company here, Goodridge Fittings, had a great barbecue with chicken, ribs, and baked beans and it was free... Way to go Goodridge....Thanks!

And I probably should also make note that these days when I speak of "WE", I am making reference to Keith, and Tonya Lynch me, and my lady friend Linda McIntosh as the New Hemi Racing Team.

Others have contributed in the past, certainly above all, it was my son Chris, who did the most to make our car successful, and it is in his memory and a hope and desire that I can see the car achieve the kind of success that Chris and I dreamed and schemed of having that I continue. But also my deepest thanks to Jay and Mandie, for their past help with the Drag pak #24 project. Without them, the road would have been even harder and loaner.