Most Embarrassing Drag Strip Moment?

Grandadeo · November 26, 2008, 12:16:41 PM

Reading Crosley's Falcon post took me back to when my older brother and I ran a G/Stock '58 Chevy Delray 2 door sedan, 250 HP 348, 4 speed. It was 1966 and I was just out of high school and thought I was pretty cool to be the "Official Driver" of our low buck junior stocker. So what was my most embarrassing moment? There were many but the one that stands out the most went kinda like this:

We were at Lancaster Speedway outside of Buffalo. Thursday night 1/8 mile track. I had gone through classification and I pulled up to where the bleached blond drag strip babe, complete with tight sweater, put the class and number on the car window with white shoe polish. When she finished, again feeling really cool, I fired it up and went to pull away, and stalled it. She leaned in the passenger side window and said, "Drive Much." I melted into a puddle on the front seat, fired it up again, and pulled away in total disgrace. My cool factor was now below zero. We did win our class that night but I will never forget those two words, "Drive Much."

So let's hear your most embarrassing drag strip moment, or am I the only one who was ever subjected to such life altering ridicule.

Lee

kb426 · November 26, 2008, 12:41:57 PM

Redlighted in a semi final when I had the other guy covered by several tenths.

tomslik · November 26, 2008, 08:03:21 PM

standing in front of the car in staging lanes and a radiator hose blew off.

did the logical thang and dropped my pants.

2nd and 3rd degree burns.
i JUST about found out what a boiled hot dog feels like.

Crosley.In.AZ · November 26, 2008, 08:55:18 PM

Not embare-assing to me :

1971 at BeeLine Dragway here in Aridzona. I was out there on my motorcycle. A small group of us rode bikes out to watch the races.

It was late in the evening and a school buddy Keith was asking folks for a match. I thought nothing of it as Keith smoked cigs.

All of a sudden Keith is screaming..... we turn and look. Keith had used the match to see inside his cycle gas tank for how much gasoline he had for the trip home....... the vapors had caught fire and the flame was about 1 foot high above the tank.

Harry · November 26, 2008, 11:32:07 PM

'long time ago at Niagara Dragway. I saw a '57 Ford do a little burnout, backed up and when the lights went green, he was still in reverse. He only went backwards a few feet, but I can imagine how he felt....

chimp koose · November 27, 2008, 01:01:51 AM

I used to run my front engine dragster with my high school students as crew, One time I remember telling the newest kid to make sure he didnt walk in the traction compound on the track. I do my burnout and come to a stop quite a way down the track. I then waited what seemed like an unusually long time for my new crew man to direct me back to the start line . I finally saw him and had to laugh,he was standing in the weeds on the other side of the guardrail trying to get my attention to direct me. I backed up with directions from over the guardrail! On another day I had a crewman run out as I started to back up and before I could react he ran in front of me but not in front of the front axle,it hit him and knocked him down,I felt bad ,he was quite embarrassed.I have twice run unusually slow et's due to running out of fuel.

DRD57 · December 03, 2008, 05:04:33 AM

The starter solenoid had been acting up in my 440 Duster for a few weeks but, if you just hit the key 3 or 4 times it would eventually catch and fire the engine. I was in the semi final round at LACR at the front of the staging lanes when it finally crapped out for good. click, click, click, click, click...forfeit.

The worst part was I had a fresh starter in the track box.

Grandadeo · December 03, 2008, 08:43:10 AM

Quote from: "Harry"'long time ago at Niagara Dragway. I saw a '57 Ford do a little burnout, backed up and when the lights went green, he was still in reverse. He only went backwards a few feet, but I can imagine how he felt....

Also at Niagara, my father came to the strip only one time when we ran the '58 Chevy. That day I was up against the only guy that would likely beat us in our class. He had a 2 fours equipped 265 '56 Chevy wagon. (Loved the combinations you'd see in Junior Stock) Anyway, it was hot and I was nervous with Dad in the stands. I got a really good hole shot on the '56, went to pull 2nd gear (4 spd) and my sweaty hand somehow slipped off the gear shift ball before it was in 2nd. Lost the race, and Dad was never there again to see the car run. We did have a T-handle shift knob the next week.

purplepickup · December 03, 2008, 01:04:38 PM

I didn't do the reverse thing on the starting line but I did it in the waterbox. Of course there was a lot of people leaning on the fence right next to me laughing. The water box guy just shook his head. :oops:

enjenjo · December 03, 2008, 02:25:45 PM

Back when I had my altered, I was having trouble with it one day. After working on it for several hours, I figured it was fixed, but I wanted a time for the bracket race. I pulled into staging, just as they were closing time trials. There was only one car in front of me. He pulled out, I pulled out, staged, the lights came down, and off we went. it was fixed.

As I am coming up to the timing shack, it dawned on me that the wind was blowing in my hair. I looked down, and the helmet was on the floor next to me.

Then I realised I was setting on the seat belts too.

No one else noticed, If they had caught it I would have been sent home. The starter was normally all over helmets and belts, but he did not see it. And this was in an open body car.

papastoyss · December 03, 2008, 05:55:28 PM

1977 or 1978 U S Nationals at Indy 1st round Modified Eliminator we broke a transaxle housing in half on the starting line . (L/G VW powered Fiat). 4 lbs. of gear lube on the track. Talk about going home with your tail between your legs!

msuguydon · December 04, 2008, 09:07:39 AM

Quote from: "Grandadeo"my older brother and I ran a G/Stock '58 Chevy Delray 2 door sedan, 250 HP 348, 4 speed.

I have never meet you, but I knew there was a reason why I like you!

Grandadeo · December 04, 2008, 09:52:22 AM

Quote from: "msuguydon"
Quote from: "Grandadeo"my older brother and I ran a G/Stock '58 Chevy Delray 2 door sedan, 250 HP 348, 4 speed.

I have never meet you, but I knew there was a reason why I like you!

Yup, every time I see your Avatar I think about that '58. Put a lot of work into it getting it ready to go racing and had a ball at our two local strips. Just the other day I went through a 52 page Junior Stocker thread over on HAMB and boy did that bring back memories. When we had it I was trying to find a '58 sedan delivery or tudor wagon for a tow car and my daily driver. Never did find one. That HAMB thread got me thinking about recreating our '58 but there are two many other projects waiting to be put together. But if a '58 Delray tudor sedan was to come up for sale of trade for my '53 Plymouth Belvedere........

Lee

msuguydon · December 04, 2008, 10:48:27 AM

Quote from: "Grandadeo"
Quote from: "msuguydon"
Quote from: "Grandadeo"my older brother and I ran a G/Stock '58 Chevy Delray 2 door sedan, 250 HP 348, 4 speed.

I have never meet you, but I knew there was a reason why I like you!

Yup, every time I see your Avatar I think about that '58. Put a lot of work into it getting it ready to go racing and had a ball at our two local strips. Just the other day I went through a 52 page Junior Stocker thread over on HAMB and boy did that bring back memories. When we had it I was trying to find a '58 sedan delivery or tudor wagon for a tow car and my daily driver. Never did find one. That HAMB thread got me thinking about recreating our '58 but there are two many other projects waiting to be put together. But if a '58 Delray tudor sedan was to come up for sale of trade for my '53 Plymouth Belvedere........

Lee

Lee:

Check this out.. just found it on u-tube the other day...

It's a guy with a 58 Delray Tudor Sedan, with a 409 the dragged in the 60's

Grandadeo · December 04, 2008, 01:28:51 PM

Quote from: "msuguydon"
Quote from: "Grandadeo"
Quote from: "msuguydon"
Quote from: "Grandadeo"my older brother and I ran a G/Stock '58 Chevy Delray 2 door sedan, 250 HP 348, 4 speed.

I have never meet you, but I knew there was a reason why I like you!

Yup, every time I see your Avatar I think about that '58. Put a lot of work into it getting it ready to go racing and had a ball at our two local strips. Just the other day I went through a 52 page Junior Stocker thread over on HAMB and boy did that bring back memories. When we had it I was trying to find a '58 sedan delivery or tudor wagon for a tow car and my daily driver. Never did find one. That HAMB thread got me thinking about recreating our '58 but there are two many other projects waiting to be put together. But if a '58 Delray tudor sedan was to come up for sale of trade for my '53 Plymouth Belvedere........

Lee

Lee:

Check this out.. just found it on u-tube the other day...

It's a guy with a 58 Delray Tudor Sedan, with a 409 the dragged in the 60's

Yer Killin Me Man. Our '58 was the light blue metalic.