Group,
My youngest son Brian (28) started driving my GoldDigger XXF/GL when he
was about 17. He did his 175 license at the 89 World Finals.
In 92 I finished my replica Dragmaster Dart and he finally found his
stride. My reaction times were horrible, but he was soon nicknamed "The
Ringer" because he usually left so quickly.
He really appreciated the opportunity of racing people like Ed Cortopassi
in the Glass Slipper. I remember one time at the CHRR in Bakersfield when he
approached Cortopassi, telling him "Mr. Cortopassi, I'd really feel
priveleged if you would run against us in an exhibition race", and Ed
graciously accomodated him.
At the time, the Slipper was running the mid to high 9's and we were on
alky running about 10 flat. Bri "gated" Cortopassi by a bunch, but the
Slipper caught him in the lights.
Between 1995 and 1997 Brian was rarely beaten at the nostalgia races,
winning the Palmdale Antique Nationals three years in a row. In 97 we did a 2
out of 3 match race at Redding Ca. as part of a nostalgia event. By then we
were running the Ardun on steroids, dropping to a best of 8.37 / 161.
Needless to say the races weren't close, but the Cortopassi team was their
usual gracious selves, posing for pictures after the event.
The inclusion of my son in our racing program has been one of the
high-points of my hobby. I look forward to including him in my LSR quest as
soon as he returns from Guatemala, where he teaches at the International High
School.
Ardun Doug in CA
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