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Event Coverage Drag Week 2021

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by squirrel, Mar 30, 2021.

  1. egads
    Joined: Aug 23, 2011
    Posts: 1,419

    egads
    Member

    Perfectly flat but uphill at the shutdown. Ran there for quite a few years.
     
  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    I know.

    My second pass

    PXL_20210916_150215712.jpg

    I'm getting ready to go soon. Been taking with a lot of people and catching up with friends.
     
  3. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    Just Gary and loudbang like this.
  4. SilverJimmy
    Joined: Dec 2, 2008
    Posts: 524

    SilverJimmy
    Member

    But from everything I’ve seen Squirrel build, he probably built his own GPS from old cast off military surplus electronics!
     
    swade41, pitman, loudbang and 3 others like this.
  5. Good chatting for a short bit with ya, you still had to change the car over to street trim and didn't want to bother you then. I did notice you stayed quite a while after that though. I went down to the 1000 foot mark and watched passes from there and cars at speed, it's a whole different perspective from there. Looks like most of the heavy hitters were having a tough time hooking to the track also. Left early to beat the traffic home. Good luck tomorrow and enjoy the trip back home.
     
    loudbang, squirrel, Just Gary and 2 others like this.
  6. Los_Control
    Joined: Oct 7, 2016
    Posts: 1,125

    Los_Control
    Member
    from TX

    I have a few issues with that statement :p
    I also have a few issues with this :p
    IMHO, not everybody can do what Jim does. There are many that can. Jim sets the bar high for all to follow. He proves it can be done year after year. LMAO last year when trans went out on tow rig in New Mexico, park the truck and drive the chevyII the rest of the way ... He did same thing last year. Just from NM instead of AZ 50 miles further.

    Lets play a game ... pretend we broke down Jims chevy and duplicated every nut bolt part that creates that car. rods, pistons, carbs, shocks brakes ... A big kids model kit.
    Then give the same parts to another racer to build their car. Then race = cars during drag week.

    Keep it fun, lets say it was Tom Baily against Jim Forbes building the same car. I love Tom Baily.
    Tom is no slouch, holds the fastest drag week time he does a lot of his own work, still he has a full time mechanic and a crew that follows him.
    Put Jim & Tom side by side with the exact same parts ... who gets a better race car?

    Just saying, lets give Jim credit where deserved. Not all mechanics are created equal.
    Jim is the architecture, the engineer, the fabricator, the mechanic, paint & body, the driver. No he is not Jesus!
    Just because he can do it, does not mean I can do it with the same success.
     
  7. Im a firm believer in alot of guys can assemble a car. The true skill is making it safe; reliable and fast. It takes a special set of skills to make a truly fast street car that can be driven a thousand plus miles at a crack.
    Drag Week is no bs possers standing around talking about how fast their car is. Its the real deal. Put up or shut up. Thats why i like it so much. I miss doing this year with my friends.
     
  8. flux capacitor
    Joined: Sep 18, 2014
    Posts: 696

    flux capacitor
    Member

    Glanced at tv at work today n thought….. “this guy looks familiar “……. 455B466E-8AD5-43F9-8BA0-AC70ED3E57EB.jpeg
     
  9. Jim proves it is doable. All who say it can't be done, are wrong. He proves it over and over.
    But, if ANYONE could do it, why are there so few that do? Because it's difficult.
    That's why he deserves all our admiration for attempting it and making it happen.
     
  10. I agree it’s not easy but yes anyone can do it if you are willing to learn how to do it…I have the utmost confidence in the stuff I build, never afraid to drive them anywhere. Do I have breakdowns once in a while? Of course, but I can say they are rare now compared to when I was young. My point is I guess if you want to do something you need to put your mind to it. Nothing is easy at first.

    I give Jim immense credit but is there anything he has done that is so magical that if anyone worked hard enough they too couldn’t?

    I’m pretty sure he’s human…
     
  11. David Gersic
    Joined: Feb 15, 2015
    Posts: 2,730

    David Gersic
    Member
    from DeKalb, IL

    Local Rockford TV covered Drag Week at Byron last night and again tonight. Saw Squirrel’s car on the coverage tonight, but they didn’t interview him.
     
  12. Harv
    Joined: Jan 16, 2008
    Posts: 974

    Harv
    Member
    from Sydney

    Living vicariously for Drag Week from locked-down Sydney. The avatar is in the driveway with a busted axle (Number 1 Son was a little over-enthusiastic at the drags), and can't leave home to replace it.

    Unfortunately nothing like Drag Week Down Under. Looks awesome, and love the intent.

    Go Jim, Go!

    Cheers,
    Harv
     
  13. bigdog
    Joined: Oct 30, 2002
    Posts: 761

    bigdog
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Just got home from Byron, good times. If you haven't ever gone you should. Found Jim's car in the pits but he wasn't around, but he was three cars behind me when I left the track. Now I think I need to build a car and try this.
     
  14. Los_Control
    Joined: Oct 7, 2016
    Posts: 1,125

    Los_Control
    Member
    from TX

    @racer-x I first thought of using you as a example Instead of Tom Bailey.
    I honestly think you and Jim are so close that it would be too much fun.
    Different classes ... but same fun.
    Please do not think bad of me because not used you for example.
    I hope next year you are ready to run and race again.
     
    The 39 guy and loudbang like this.
  15. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    It look like Jim made the HRM road trip coverage along with the 6 second cars towing trailers. 009-hot-rod-drag-week-2021-road-trip-day-3-illinois.jpg
     
  16. The second reply to this thread, kinda sad that he didn't get to watch squirrel, Tony, and Joel compete this year :( and how is this not a featured thread? o_O
     
    Tman, Stooge, squirrel and 10 others like this.
  17. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    We had a fun drive yesterday getting around Chicago. The route had us on the tollway south of the city. I hit it at the beginning of rush hour. It was slow going, stopped a few times, but not for long. Car got up to 225 degrees at one point, I bail around 235 or so, so that was OK. There were just a couple cars pulled off when I went through.

    I did find Tony in the parking lot at my hotel, haven't seen Joel here, I guess he's at a different hotel in Kalamazoo.

    Racing starts at 10 today. We have a nice relaxing morning, no need to rush.

    One more pass to complete, then I get to figure out which direction I want to drive home

    Here are a few pics from yesterday. Sorry I haven't had a chance to do much reporting....the little free time I have seems to all go to talking with people.

    alex.jpg

    Alex Taylor has a new car, it's almost hamb friendly, right? not. But she's such a nice young lady, I met her on her first drag week in 2013 We got to chat a few times this year. I guess Discovery is filming her adventure this year. Neat to see her doing so well.

    river.jpg
    The drive from Rockford to Byron is always beautiful.

    white.jpg
    Wayne's Nova (it's really a Nova, mine is just a Chevy II). It has a 540 with an 8-71, modern transmission/converter, EFI on the bug catcher. Running a second quicker than me. Pulls the wheels really well every run.

    pu.jpg
    the fast car in Hot Rod, which is Joel's class

    trailer.jpg
    leaving Byron I was behind this ford pickup and the trailer went to the side, and sparks flying out. They forgot to tighten the nut on the hitch. That's why all the trailers that people own have a pin, so you can see it's not latched.

    driving.jpg Lots of my time looks like this.

    lasts.jpg

    shenanigans at the last check point. It's traditional to do a trailer burn out when you leave. I don't have a trailer, I didn't do a burn out.
     
    HEMI32, bchctybob, alfin32 and 21 others like this.
  18. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Last edited: Sep 17, 2021
    loudbang, squirrel and Budget36 like this.
  19. ...nice time talkin with Jim yesterday before he headed out,...his Chevy II is so consistant,
    lots of great racing yesterday, all those cars are so fast....a good selection of racers this year,I saw race cars from all over the U.S., Oregon state, Texas, New Jersey, Connecticut, Arizona, and even Canada. DSCN6565.JPG DSCN6485.JPG DSCN6498.JPG DSCN6524.JPG DSCN6489 (1).JPG DSCN6538.JPG DSCN6543 (1).JPG DSCN6554.JPG DSCN6555.JPG DSCN6556.JPG DSCN6558 (1).JPG DSCN6561.JPG DSCN6562 (1).JPG DSCN6563.JPG DSCN6563 (1).JPG DSCN6564.JPG DSCN6567 (1).JPG DSCN6478.JPG DSCN6482.JPG DSCN6479.JPG DSCN6536 (1).JPG DSCN6548.JPG DSCN6541.JPG here's a few HAMB friendly ones,,,
     
  20. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Jim just made a pass and got a bit loose and only ran 11.65 I think
     
    loudbang likes this.
  21. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    upload_2021-9-17_9-27-58.png
    Caught the truck making a pass.
     
  22. MeanGene427
    Joined: Dec 15, 2010
    Posts: 2,307

    MeanGene427
    Member
    from Napa

    I have heard that the racers have had to suffer the consequences of multiple oil-downs, mainly from folks using power-adders on cheapo LS engines that went boom- but the bad part being that they did not pull over, but drooled oil way down the track- lots of lost time to cleanups
     
  23. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    I did a lame burn out, and spun bad. I'm in impound so I get to run as often as I Want.

    PXL_20210917_161737196.jpg
    PXL_20210917_163027539.jpg
     
  24. Hollywood-East
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,993

    Hollywood-East
    Member

  25. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Jim just ran a 10.28 on a pass.
     
  26. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    10.28 goes Squirrel, good job!
     
    The 39 guy, pprather and loudbang like this.
  27. egads
    Joined: Aug 23, 2011
    Posts: 1,419

    egads
    Member

    @Los_Control --- If anyone is caught with "a crew and mechanic following them" they will be immediately disqualified. You have a lot of people watching you throughout the week to make sure no one tries that.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  28. MeanGene427
    Joined: Dec 15, 2010
    Posts: 2,307

    MeanGene427
    Member
    from Napa

    Some interesting equipment showed up
    Boss Cougar.jpg
    Alex Taylor.jpg
    Alex 2.jpg
    The Falcon Delivery had a little problem- underscores why you don't drag race with an 8" rearend
    Falcon Delivery.jpg
     
    bchctybob, alfin32, 53 effie and 11 others like this.
  29. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,933

    squirrel
    Member

    I did a real burnout on my second pass. Fun. Now to pack up and watch the racing

    PXL_20210917_170353550.jpg
     

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