Bride's Maid...Again

  Hayo....This is going to be a short one because I've been absolutely slammed at work and haven't kept up with the blog very well these past couple of weeks.  A quick recap of the wonderful March Meet weekend.  We qualified #1 with a scorching 5.66 @ 257 mph.  Without question, we had the baddest hot rod on the property and everyone knew it.  Here are our rounds and results:

Q1   5.72 @ 252
Q2   5.66 @ 257
Q3   5.73 @ 254
R1   5.68 @ 258
R2   5.70 @ 256
SF   5.73 @ 249
F     5.72 @ 255

Amazing runs, huh?  Except we lost in the final.  We win as a team and lose as a team....this time we just came up on the losing end.  This one stung a bit more than runner-up in CHRR last year, but it is what it is and we're already focused and preparing for our next meet in Boise at the end of April.  I'll post some photos from Bakersfield and other observations later.  Got to see some folks I hadn't seen all winter; met some new friends that I'm sure will be around for a long time and witnessed a few things that I'd care to burn out of my memory with sulfuric acid.  Other than losing - it was a wonderful, memorable weekend!

With Karen Miller of John Hale racing.  Photo credit:  Bad Brad's Speed Shots - Brad Klaassen

Testing Recap MM 2014

   Holla!  So open testing for the March Meet finally took place on Sunday.  In our pits, we were all running around and getting a feel for the routine once again. Having not hit my marks since last October; I made a couple of mistakes that were humorous - no threat to safety.  In packing the chutes for our second pass, I threaded the chute line beginning in the top right corner instead of the bottom right corner.  I didn't catch it, but rather Carl, who asked, "Hey, Toni; see anything unusual about these chutes?"  Took me a second, but I finally noticed.  Good heavens!

Like everyone else I imagine, we had some bugs to work out - primarily with the data recorder and a new oil loop that didn't seem to want to cooperate.  It felt good to be working on the car again, but I'm walking like Frankenstein today because of my legs.  It's hell getting old and there were a couple of us that were huffing and puffing the first day.  A handful of Advil seemed  to help; hopefully it'll get better quick.

Rain eliminated Friday and Saturday, leaving only Sunday for everyone there to run.  There were at least 6 nitro funny teams; including us and the pace was pretty frantic all day.

  We managed 2 laps and ran:

#1 - 5.86 ET @ 251 MPH
#2 - 5.80 ET @ 246 MPH

 

Two more full days of work (which is challenging this week) until it's back down to B'field on Wednesday night.  Right now, I've got to get to bed and get some rest or I'll be a wreck!  Non pun intended~

The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly On......the track at Famoso

   Well, it's February 28, and instead of testing, I'm blogging....because it's raining, no it's dumping buckets of wet stuff out of the sky in Bakersfield.   I should have studied for a career in clairvoyant weathercasting; something told me we'd be in for some type of rain over these dates! Question:  How do you end a historic California drought?  Answer:  Schedule the March Meet and /or MM testing.  Part of my last blog entry on January 29:

                          Testing begins in 58 days at Famoso.  Open MM testing falls over the weekend of February 28, March 1 and 2, this year.  So far, rain has been practically non-existent, but once again we're talking about the March Meet in Bakersfield.  I'll start monitoring the long range trends later this month, but for now, it's too early to freak out over anything.


  The bad news? We aren't testing today and are keeping a watchful eye on the weather for tomorrow.  The good news? We will be running the car for certain on Sunday, (queue heralding trumpets) and next weekend will be dry and beautiful for the ENTIRE March Meet!  As for today though, it appears I took an entire day off work so I could post inane comments on Facebook and text my buddy, Bad Brad, throughout his four state travel odyssey.  Excellent return on the investment if I do say so myself.

  Small stream and urban flooding in Kern County right now; so I'm sitting tight, waiting to hear what we're going to do tomorrow.  So while there's nothing to do - how about a word from our newest sponsor?

CarbonBLU was conceived and created by a team of engineering, environmental, and public health executives with over 30 years experience working directly with the U.S. EPA, California Air Resources Board, and the California Department of Public Health. At CarbonBLU, emissions control is our business. CarbonBLU helps companies save money by evaluating all the options available when considering reducing their emissions.

 

  CarbonBlu is fuel and technology agnostic. Can't thank Josh Pietak and the folks at carbonBLU enough for supporting us this race season!

And..........the Clock Begins the Countdown

   Heyo - No where does a clock move more slowly than during the off-season; unless of course you're not ready to go racing - then it's one fast SOB!  Today marks 30 days until testing; February 28.  Somehow between now and that magic day, I need to convince my boss that it's a good idea to let me have two consecutive Fridays and a Thursday off with the possibility of a late Monday morning the day after the March Meet.  No mean feat considering what's going on at work, but that's another story and quite boring to boot.  My current job is to make things happen there and to button up this first quarter so I can go racing without anyone riding my butt about work.  I'm close to accomplishing this - thank you, God.

  So the last time I spewed forth a post, I discussed the necessary ingredients for a winning race crew.  Long winded for sure - as is all of this, but hey, that's what passion is all about....obsessive overkill.  Anywhoooo; we are down a cylinder head guy.  We nearly had a new replacement that we were all giddy over, but for whatever reason, he wasn't making the call.  After three attempts to demonstrate his commitment and ability to do what he said he was going to do; it didn't work.  Kind of a bummer, because he's a cool guy and most likely knows his shit - no judgement, I get it; I'm just bummed because it would have been a lot of fun with him on the team.  So Ronnie and Huggy are talking to other potential guys and hopefully they'll land someone who has the same passion as the rest of us to do this deal.

  Since the last time I checked in, the car has received; two, brand new, back wheels - they are frickin' gorgeous, too!  Blue insets that'll match the paint and black wells - serious beauty.  Additionally, new gunmetal valve covers have been added with a new set of heads arriving any day.  The valve train has been upgraded, racks are being built, and pit needs like flooring and a solvent sink are being addressed.  My job is to meet up with the guy here locally that wants to sponsor us in a minor capacity and seal the deal.  We hope to gain a few thousand dollars over the course of the season to help finance this venture.  We'll be selling t-shirts in the pits this year and I need to get this ball rolling now so we're ready by testing to sell.  A portion of the profits will go into the Horan Racing Crew Refreshment Fund. (HRCRF)  Donations graciously accepted.

  I've been told to be ready for an entirely different year come the end of February. I'm ready for some hard work, long hours, greasy clothes, bad food, even worse language, frustrating times and many, many good memories.  I'm one of the luckiest people on the face of the planet and I'm going for all it's worth...see ya in the staging lanes.

Team Chemistry

   Without question, January is the most difficult month in racing.  Primarily because we aren't racing and everyone is itching to do so.  This is the month where lots of little, off-season preparations are being handled.  Parts and supply inventories are being tallied; new equipment is being brought on (if budgets allow); and team commitments are finalized.
   Since what we do is nearly all-volunteer; considerations have to be made for real-world jobs and obligations.  Unfortunately, many of these get in the way of racing and when they do changes to personnel on a team take place.  Team chemistry isn't something that you can go and buy OTS; it takes awhile for everyone to get to know each other and gel with the pace and work styles.  It's a delicate balance that is either there, or it's not - similar to dating, but way more important. 
  The single most important component in any team is commitment level.  Everyone needs to be focused on the same outcome at the same level - ALL IN!!  If you have half-assed commitment; then you're going to have a half-assed team and no one wins.  Passion other than drag racing falls into this category; drinking, fighting, other forms of "f'ing"; we could add to this list based on the individual, but you get what I'm saying.  Bad ju-ju if you come to win races....
   Then there are the challenges that come in the form of unavoidable, external circumstances that are just a part of life, but interfere with the task at hand.  Bosses, relationships, bills, alimony, child support, mortgages....need I continue? This is where you have an opportunity to support your boy by letting him blow off steam, complain about the ol' lady, whatever.
   It all comes down to the individual team.  It helps (a lot) if everyone likes and enjoys spending time with the other people they're working with day to day.  A weekend of racing can be six consecutive days of 12 to 16 (and sometimes more) hours every day.   You have to have skin thicker than an elephant, an ability to laugh at yourself, but mostly at others; forgive a slight but never a prank and don't ever, ever, ever let your team down.  If you tell them that you'll be there - by God, you better be there - doing what you said you would - exactly when you said you would. If another team badmouths one of your boys; you better be prepared to kill that MF'r.  It doesn't matter if your boy just kicked his grandmother - not saying it's right, just saying you have to have his back and be willing to take an ass-kicking for him.  Fortunately that doesn't happen too often, but you'll know when you have to do it.
  The biggest single factor is trust.  I trust that you will do your job and you trust that I will do mine.  We'll do it correctly and we'll check each other's work because we want our driver to be safe and our race car to be fast and get the job done.
  I didn't even get to tell you about the changes that are taking place in our camp!  Well I guess I'll just have to save that for another time.....

2014 Championship Starts TODAY!

  I didn't post at all in December; did a little touch up work on some earlier posts, but mostly just edits.  I've been staying in touch with everyone and it seems like we all made it through the holidays.  Family obligations are complete - NOW is the time to re-focus and gear back up for the upcoming season.

  I started getting jacked yesterday I think, after I had a chance to speak with Huggy about the work being performed on the car.  Shawn and Carl were doing some work in the hauler and Ronnie was doing something in relation to the headers.  I could tell immediately that this year is going to be stepped up and it is on.

  Unfortunately, we found out that Rupert and Hale are both running the full IHRA circuit this season.  It didn't come as a surprise because that's where the big money is right now. I was just bummed to know that we won't be facing them at every meet.  Both teams will be at Bakersfield; like everyone else in the nitro nostalgia racing universe, but Rupert may run two cars.

  Testing begins in 58 days at Famoso.  Open MM testing falls over the weekend of February 28, March 1 and 2, this year.  So far, rain has been practically non-existent, but once again we're talking about the March Meet in Bakersfield.  I'll start monitoring the long range trends later this month, but for now, it's too early to freak out over anything.

  So for the next 50-something days, we'll all be working towards completing our lists of parts to get and things to be repaired, watching the message boards a little bit closer and making final preparations to unleash the beast that none of us can tame, much less keep at bay.  The 2014 NHRA Heritage Series Championship in nitro funny car should be highly competitive.  Lots of new comers to the ranks as well as many of the familiar faces that we faced last year; no matter what - we'll hit it with everything we got and hope when the clutch dust settles - we're hoisting that dust collector instead of the guys in the other lane.  Let's Boogie........

After Season Blahs.....

   It happens every year so I don't know why I'm always surprised when it comes on.  The "it" I'm referring to is the post-racing season blahs.  I stop short of saying depression because that would be a little dramatic and I'm not one for a lot of emotional drama.  Just sayin'

   Mid-November.  The weather has changed (even in California), and it's cold.  We've just turned the clocks forward so it gets dark before 6:00 pm...ugh; and no more nitro until the Spring.  This year was especially cruel because up until Thursday night, we thought we were racing in January.  I was already in count down mode (56 days) and then found out that the track in Arizona postponed the race until.....next November.  Reason?  The concrete they poured won't be cured in time.  Really?  Who was the project manager assigned to this enterprise?  Might want to include concrete curing time in the next SOW.  Just sayin'

  So instead of 56 days, we have......It's too early to do the math.  Oh, well!  There's still plenty of winter maintenance to perform before March in Bakersfield....