Keith,
Back to your discussion about alternate power and
the record for the blown class. You've got to do
what you want to do. It's your car, your race,
and your wallet. Just like me and my damned
zoomie pipes - hey, I just gotta have 'em. One
guy tells you to go the small, easy route and get
the record, another says if you're going to do
it, go full house. You gotta do it your way.
Back when I was into drag bikes, my best buddy
built a pro-stocker to end all pro-stockers.
Actually had more money in it than I had in my
house. I built a beer-budget bike that ran the
same class, but was about 6/10ths slower. I knew
I'd never break a world record on it, (although I
did exceed the record by 3/1000ths once at
Montgomery Dragway) but I built it for the fun or
building and racing. In the three years that we
raced together, my buddy did make it to the
nationals, but I can only remember three times in
the three years that he left the track with a
running race bike. On the other hand, I changed
oil twice a year, checked the plugs about as
often, finished every race I ever entered, won a
lot of them, and had a whole lot of fun. Never
broke a single piece on the bike. Every season I
ended up with a whole lot more points thatn he
did - most just for finishing. I did it for the
fun of it, and in that respect, I considered
myself a very successful bike racer.
If you want to be the fastest that ever was, then
buy the biggest, best, and most expensive stuff
you can. If you want to race, have fun, and have
a shot at that record, then a blower kit from
Summit for a couple of grand could get you there.
I never really wanted to race that rice-burning
sewing machine that I ran last spring, but I can
tell you this, I had more fun per dollar than any
man has a right to have, I've got a pocket full
of memories, and I've got bragging rights for a
record. Granted, the record should be about
fifty miles per hour faster, but I still had the
thrill of getting there first. I'll go for a
bigger record next year. Go for whatever turns
your crank!!!
Dick J
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