Indianapolis Nationals

It was a crazy week and week end for the New Hemi Racing Team.

We had just put  a new engine in the car before Bowling Green, and it just didnt seem right. We were number two qualifier, but each run was slower than the last.

We got ready for Indianpolis, did a few things, changed to racing oil put in new spark plugs, different air pressure in tires, etc. Drove to the track, and there we were, early and ready for the Big Show.

We ran a 9.86 to initially give us the number three qualifying spot, and were later dropped to number four.  The car ran very well that first run. We ran two more qualifying runs, and again the car got slower and slower. Some loss in performance could be attributed to the rotten weather of temps in the mid to high 90's, and high humidity. But it just didnt seem like it should be that bad.

Our first run of class was on Thursday. We got a win over Dennis Breeden's Challenger. But at the end of the run,  Keith heard a noise in the engine he didnt like, and shut it down. We got it pushed back to the pits, and confirmed we probably had spun a bearing. We couldnt run anymore in Class, so our dreams of a class win at this race were gone. Our next action at the track wouldnt be until Saturday, and Keith's shop in Ohio was only a couple of hours away. Maybe we could it repaired, and be back in time for the Stock Eliminations. So we packed up and hit the road back to the shop.

We got to Keith's shop at about 3:00 in afternoon and tore right in the car.  A couple of hours later we confirmed the spun bearing, on pistons 5 and 6 and a crank that was toasted. So, we needed two rods, and a new crank. We tried a couple of sources for the crank, and finally located one at Gary Stanton's in Kentucky. We also determined that the spare rods were in the main New Hemi Shop in Akron, and I was the only one with the key to the shop. So I took off for the 4 hour drive to Akron, and Keith was going to get up at 4:00 AM and head off to pick up the crank in KY, four hours in the other direction. I would back in Keith's shop the next day around 11:00 AM with the rods, Keith should be back at around noon. Sounds like a good plan, doesnt it? We should be putting it all back together at noon Friday.

I got to the shop at 11:00 as planned, and Keith had already taken our rods to Ohio Crank Shaft to be checked for round on the big end. They were way, way out of round, and we sent the spare new rods to also be checked. In the meantime, a good friend, Paul Dilcher, was passing through the area and conveniently could pick up the crank for us. He should be back at Keith's shop around 1 PM. We had also ordered bearings, and a single head bolt that had been lost somehow. We had two sets, but couldn't complete two engines, being one bolt short. Thank you, Gary Stanton!

I picked up the rods at Ohio Crankshaft, they checked and rounded all ten of  them for us. (We only needed 8 done, but we had ten, so we may as well get them all checked and have a couple of good spares.)  Thnak you, Ohio Crankshaft!

There were some problems on the road back from Stanton's in KY, but the crank finally arrived around 3:00 in the afternoon, and we snapped right into action. Crank, cam, rods and pistons go in first. Degree Cam, and get timing right. Then heads, rocker arms, and valve covers back on. Another friend, Ed showed up at the shop, as he had done the night before, and we had another set of hands. Next, the engine went in. The clock had been ticking and it was about 8:00 PM when the engine started to go back into car. At 10:30 PM, the engine was in, and we were ready to start it.

It started!!! We drove it straight back into the trailer, all jumped into the truck, we were on our way  back to the Race Track in Indy. We got in late, about midnight. And our previous pit space, was jammed with RV of a guy who wsant even racing. The fellow next to us had moved his car over to hold it for us, but that was ignored. Oh well!!!  We found an open space, and pulled the car out. We saw the McCormack's on their cart, and some other folks, including Jimmi Bowling came by. Around 3:00 AM the Lynch's  slept in the truck, and I slept on the floor of the trailer. Morning sure came early.

We also had a problem with our alternator, and I had stopped on the way over to get one at Jegs, but they didnt have one.. So we ran with our bad alternator not charging anything.

We had no idea what to dial. So we just put 10.0 on the window. We ran against a car who dialed 10.48. So he got a head start, and we caught him at around 1000 feet, and our car shut down for a moment, and the other car passed us. After the car engine shut down, it came back alive, but too late. Keith drove to the return road, and the car died completely. Once again we were pushed back to our pit space.

We dont know what caused the engine to cut off on the track, or the subsequent failure to start. We suspect the battery didnt have enough juice to keep the engine running, but it could have beeen any one of hundred other things too.

We packed up, took the car back to Keith's shop. And I drove back to Akron. In the mail that wsa piling up in my mailbox, I got a notice from the city that I need to cut my grass, or they will do it, charge for cuttingit, and still fine me. Four feet high, it was kind of pretty. The thing that probably got me busted was that I have a 3 1/2 foot fence, and the grass was higher than that. Oh well, I cant afford to have someone else cut it, and I didnt feel like it. I did finnally cut it this morning...Tomorrow I need to get over to the house Chris was refurbing, and cut eh grass there too, before that city gets upset with me too.

I did order a new alternator, and the overall costs, new crank and parts,rooms food, fuel,entry fees, alternator, etc, this weekend was about $3500. Man, we really do need to find a sponsor!

We did manage to pick up some extra copies of the National Dragster magaine with the feature article on New Hemi Racing and our trials, and challenges.  It was a very nice tribute to Christopher, Drooze, Wertman. It was one year ago, on July 31, that we lost him. But he will never be forgotten, and I never stop missing him.

God Bless, and race safely!

David