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Post by rickvoegelin on Nov 8, 2014 17:13:25 GMT -7
Round 1, Nostalgia Pro Stock EliminationsIt's a fine day for a drag race on the Central California coast, and the fans have turned out by the thousands for the first day of eliminations at the 2014 NTRA Finals. Today's schedule features Nostalgia Pro Stock, and it promises to be a day of door-slamming, gear-banging, wheelstanding excitement.  We begin with a parade of the 22 NPS entries that will do battle. This shot from the Goodyear blimp shows the astonishing variety of cars that have assembled at Lions Drag Strip.  Here is the eliminator ladder based on qualifying times. With 22 cars in the field, we've got five hard rounds of racing ahead. The top 10 qualifiers will sit out the first round, which will pare the field to 16 cars. Then we have four rounds to determine the NPS Top Eliminator. But before the racing begins, we've got an update from pit reporter Aurora Divine.  "Aurora Divine here with a special report. The busiest crew on the grounds today has been the tire busters. Yesterday chief tech inspector Buster Chops bounced three NPS entries for rear tires that exceeded the .450-inch maximum specified by the NTRA rules for Nostalgia Pro Stock. The guys at Goodyear have been scrambling to come up with replacement tires. They've mounted new rubber on the three cars that failed tech, and the Racemaster has approved them for competition. So we've got a full field of 22 for final eliminations."  Thanks for that report, Aurora. All right, race fans, get ready for Lions to roar! We kick off Nostalgia Pro Stock eliminations with a match between Mike11422's Vega and TGM2054's Camaro. They qualified 16th and 17th respectively, so this race is a toss-up. And the first win light of the day goes to the Vega, 2.302/4.72 to the Camaro's close-but-no-cigar 2.361/4.67.  Next up is Doug412's passionate purple AMX against KS1933's Firebird. And the win goes to Doug on a holeshot! The Rambler advances with a 1.479/8.89 to a quicker-but-later 1.369/8.76 for the Firebird.  KS1933 gets another shot at the second round as his blue Mustang lines up alongside PCEng's Chevelle. This time KS won't be denied as the Mustang leads from starting line to finish line, 1.377/8.46 to the Chevy's 1.548/7.13.  Now it's PCEng's turn for a second chance at the second round. His GTO is up against Ninjatek's Chevelle. It's the Goat's day as PC advances with a 1.589/6.78 to Ninja's 2.155/5.50.  Ninja doesn't have time to dwell on his disappointment because he's back at the starting line in his Olds 4-4-2 to take on TGM2054's Vega. The Vega is ailing, and sounds like it has a gearbox full of neutrals, but it hangs on for the win at 1.527/7.65 to the Oldsmobile's 2.827/3.98.  We wrap up the first round of NPS with a Eagle Racing's Charger and Dave632's Chevelle. The Chevelle is quick off the line – but too quick, it's a red light! Dave keeps his foot down and runs 1.287/9.92 to the Charger's 1.563/7.12 – but it's the Dodge that's going to the second round and the Chevy is going on the trailer. Fans, we're going to take a break while the cars return to the staging lanes for the second round of NPS at Lions Drag Strip. Be sure to get your tofu burgers and seaweed shakes at the concession stand, and tell them Aurora Divine sent you.
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Post by rickvoegelin on Nov 8, 2014 17:46:33 GMT -7
Round 2, Nostalgia Pro Stock EliminationsWe're down to 16 cars, and the racing is getting serious. Let's get this party started!  First out of the staging lanes is JJWallace's Chevy II, the No. 1 qualifier in NPS. He'll face Mike11422's Vega, which already has a run under its belt. Angry Jeff is smiling under his helmet, though, because he has is one very fast Nova. The blue car streaks to a 1.291/9.59 to the Vega's 2.397/4.53.  Do we have any Chevy fans in the stands? Then let's hear it for Chevrolet Pro Stock legend Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins and his giant-killer Vega! SJRacer brought this gorgeous tribute car all the way from New Jersey. His opponent is Eagle Racing's bad-in-black Chevelle. And it's the Chevelle that takes the win, 1.281/8.78 to 1.600/7.55 for the Vega. The Grump was dumped by the Eagle.  Doug412's AMX squares off with No. 4 qualifier Dave632's red Mustang. Doug advanced to the second round on a holeshot, can he do it again? His luck holds, as Dave redlights by 11 thousands of a second! The Mustang is quicker at 1.240/7.58 to the Rambler's 1.496/8.21, but the race was over at the starting line. Doug goes to round 3 and the Mustang goes home.  The spirit of Bill Jenkins also lives on in PhantomBSE's Grumpy's Toy '69 Camaro, the No. 5 qualifier. He's up against KS1933's Mustang. Jenkins' Chevy takes the win, but he has to come from behind to do it! The Camaro runs 1.181/9.57 to 1.395/8.53 for the Ford.  79Malibu's Vega took the No. 2 spot in qualifying, let's see what it's got on race day for PCEng's GTO. And the Vega thunders to Low ET and Top Speed in eliminations with a 1.094/11.29 time slip to the Pontiac's 1.604/6.81.  We've got another terrific tribute car from New Jersey, SJRacer's Bruce Larson USA-1 Vega. The Vega qualified 10th, and he'll face 79Malibu's silver Camaro, the No. 7 qualifier. That F-body is fast, and the Camaro wins with a 1.287/7.88 to the Vega's 1.561/7.98.  The next race pits Alpink's screamin' yellow Camaro against TGM2054's Vega. The Camaro is the No. 3 qualifier, let's see if those Moon discs are his speed secret. Must be, Al runs 1.135/9.87, while the Vega breaks on the starting line. What's up with that, Aurora? "It looks like the Vega lost drive when the crown gear disengaged from the pinion, Thunderlungs. The motor's running but the wheels aren't turning." Thanks, sweetheart. That's a tough break for TGM.  Who doesn't love a Road Runner with lace paint? PhantomBSE's Bird is a replica of Super Stock Magazine's famous Project Six-Pack. And while the original raced in Super Stock, the replica is a fine addition to NPS eliminator. The Plymouth is up against Eagle Racing's metallic green Charger. The Phantom's Plymouth is a runner, and takes the win at 1.144/10.01 to Eagle Racing's 1.607/7.07. That's a wrap on Round 2 of Nostalgia Pro Stock. We'll be back with Round 3 action shortly. Be sure to stop by the concession stand for your Nitro Nachos.
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Post by rickvoegelin on Nov 8, 2014 18:22:59 GMT -7
Round 3 Nostalgia Pro StockThere are eight cars remaining in competition for the Nostalgia Pro Stock crown at the 2014 NTRA Finals. Let's get back to the action.  We've got two tough Texans to kick off Round 3. JJWallace's Nova qualified No. 1, but he slipped to a 1.291 in the second round, more than two-tenths of a second off his qualifying time. Has the Chevy II lost its edge? Angry Jeff faces No. 9 qualifier Eagle Racing – the black Chevelle ran 1.281 in the last stanza, so there is a real possibility of an upset here. Eagle leaves first, he's got .020 in the bank with that holeshot! But here comes the Nova – and he passes the Chevelle with a big top-end charge. The Chevy II advances with a 1.185/10.74 to Eagle's game 1.340/7.90.  Lady Luck has been smiling on Doug412's AMX, and he'll need some help to get around PhantomBSE's Jenkins Camaro in this round. The Camaro has too much horsepower for the Rambler, and takes the victory with a 1.191/10.19 to the AMX's 1.572/7.81. Grumpy goes to the semi-final round.  I guarantee that 79Malibu is going to win this race – and I guarantee that he loses it, too. It's an intramural rivalry between 79Malibu's Vega and Camaro, the No. 2 and No. 7 qualifiers respectively. This race is all Vega, and it's all over for the silver Camaro. The Vega drills the Christmas Tree with a .024 reaction time and runs 1.115/11.12 to advance to the Final Four, while the Camaro is on the trailer with a 1.369/9.08.  The Phantom is looking to put a second car in the semi-final round, but he'll have to get past Alpink to do it. Their e.t.s were nearly identical in the previous round, it's too close to pick a favorite. The Tree goes green, both cars move as one – and the Camaro suddenly stumbles as the Road Runner streaks to the finish line. The Plymouth gets the win light with a 1.141/10.09, while the Camaro slips to a 1.307/8.38. Folks, we're now down to four cars. You've got time to visit the Lions Porta-Johns before the semi-final round.
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Post by rickvoegelin on Nov 8, 2014 18:41:54 GMT -7
Round 4 Nostalgia Pro StockWe've reached the Final Four in Nostalgia Pro Stock. It's JJWallace's Nova against PhantomBSE's Camaro on one side of the ladder, and 79Malibu's Vega versus PhantomBSE's Road Runner on the other side. Who will be in the final round? With competition this close, your guess is as good as mine. Let's race!  It's a pair of very quick Chevrolets in the first race of the semi-final round. JJWallace's Chevy II set the pace in qualifying at 1.069, but the car hasn't been turning the same e.t.s in eliminations; he ran 1.291 and 1.184 e.t.s in the two previous rounds. PhantomBSE's Jenkins Camaro came out of the No. 5 qualifying spot, and ran 1.181 and 1.191 to advance to the semis. On paper, it's almost a dead heat. These guys are pros, and there aren't any games at the starting line. The lights flash green, and the Nova grabs a slight advantage. They're door-to-door down the track . . . the win light comes on in JJWallace's lane! Folks, you couldn't ask for a closer drag race. JJWallace's times were 1.180/10.31 to Phantom's 1.183/10.00. Angry Jeff is the final round of Nostalgia Pro Stock at the NTRA Finals!  This semi-final pairing matches 79Malibu's Vega with PhantomBSE's gorgeous Road Runner. The Vega qualified No. 2, and has set the pace on race day with 1.094 and 1.115 runs in the previous rounds. The Phantom's Plymouth came out of the No. 6 qualifying spot and ran 1.144 and 1.141 to reach the semis. The Barry Setzer-style Vega is on a tear today, and 79Malibu takes another win at 1.101/11.38 to advance to the final round. Phantom's Six Pack came up short with a 1.231/10.28. Still a great showing by Phantom to put two cars in the semi-final round! Next up: The Final Round!
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Post by rickvoegelin on Nov 8, 2014 18:59:23 GMT -7
Final Round Nostalgia Pro StockIt's been a long day at Lions Drag Strip. The sun is setting, the temperature is dropping, and the crowd is standing on its feet for the final round of Nostalgia Pro Stock at the NTRA Finals. It's hammer time.  You couldn't write a better script for a championship drag race. We have the No. 1 and No. 2 qualifiers racing for the title of NPS Top Eliminator. 79 Malibu's Vega has been quicker in eliminations, but Angry Jeff is a veteran at Lions, and experience counts on the quarter-mile. They stage. The lights count down. JJWallace moves first by two hundredths of a second, but the Vega is right there. The Chevy II suddenly slows, then picks up speed. But it's too little, too late – the win goes to 79Malibu! The time slips tell that tale. The Vega runs a 1.095-second e.t. at a booming 11.42 mph – Top Speed of eliminations. The Chevy II slipped to 1.422 at 9.80 mph. I'll bet Angry Jeff is angry . . . Aurora, tell us what happened!  "Thunderlungs, it looks like a mechanical problem for the Chevy II. The crew is looking at the crown gear, and it's spun on the axle splines. The legendary bite at Lions takes its toll. The gear has probably been slipping since the start of eliminations, but it held on until the final round."  That's tough luck for JJWallace, Aurora, but that doesn't take anything away from 79Malibu. His Vega ran the Low ET and Top Speed in every round of eliminations. That's a dominating performance, and the crew at Lions congratulates 79Malibu on winning Nostalgia Pro Stock at the NTRA Finals. Of course, it ain't over until tech inspector Buster Chops says it's official. 79Malibu has a date with Buster in the teardown barn on Sunday night. We'll be back tomorrow with Nostalgia Funny Car Eliminator. From all of us at Lions Drag Strip, good night and God bless.
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Post by AJR on Nov 8, 2014 19:05:38 GMT -7
Fantastic racing action. What great competition through the whole ladder! Congrats Mac on your win....that's one mean Vega!! Phantom great job on those 2 builds and getting both in the semis. My driver got me past you....it could have gone either way for sure. Awesome coverage and commentary! Gotta love it. 
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Post by pceng on Nov 8, 2014 21:20:25 GMT -7
Congrats on the win, Mac ! Nice work.
Great coverage from Aurora & Ted......... hope we get a shot of Aurora before its all over.
Rick , if you catch this & have time. Would you give rail height ? Noticed in pics looks way higher than what my cars were set-up for....... might be my disfunction in Ca.
........ Peter
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Post by ninjatek on Nov 8, 2014 22:19:57 GMT -7
Congratulations on win, Mac! Good racing!
"79malibu, coming up!"
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Post by Doug412 on Nov 9, 2014 2:51:51 GMT -7
Congrats go to Mac! Nice racing actions and coverage! I'm enjoying the show That little purple AMX does steel the show when it hits the pavement... lol Luck travels with that car hope it spreads to my other ones. Race On Doug412 |
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Post by 79malibu on Nov 9, 2014 8:36:41 GMT -7
thanks guys for all the kind words but I owe
all my success to my friend and teammate
tom- aka phantombse for building my cars
since my hands do not work anymore and is
difficult to work on cars. thanks tom.
mac
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Post by rickvoegelin on Nov 9, 2014 11:16:52 GMT -7
Congrats on the win, Mac ! Nice work. Great coverage from Aurora & Ted......... hope we get a shot of Aurora before its all over. Rick , if you catch this & have time. Would you give rail height ? Noticed in pics looks way higher than what my cars were set-up for....... might be my disfunction in Ca. ........ Peter PC, rail height at Lions is .012-.015". Racemaster Rick |
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Post by Phantom B.S.E. on Nov 9, 2014 11:46:01 GMT -7
Way to go JJ & Mac, number 1 & 2 qualifiers battle it out in the finals.
Thanks to our host for putting on a picture perfect race.
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Post by Phantom B.S.E. on Nov 9, 2014 11:49:01 GMT -7
JJ I got to ask who makes those tires and rims? I want to get some for myself.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2014 11:56:19 GMT -7
congrats to MAC for that BIG win!
kudos out to Racemaster and crew, fine documentation and presentation. makes me feel like i am there.
I also want to thank Tom(phantom) for building and sending my car.
3rd in qualifying is more than I could have ever asked for.
all around congratulations to all competitors for having such fine looking cars and tuning them so well as to have good competition.
thanks guys!
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Post by pceng on Nov 9, 2014 12:00:57 GMT -7
Congrats on the win, Mac ! Nice work. Great coverage from Aurora & Ted......... hope we get a shot of Aurora before its all over. Rick , if you catch this & have time. Would you give rail height ? Noticed in pics looks way higher than what my cars were set-up for....... might be my disfunction in Ca. ........ Peter PC, rail height at Lions is .012-.015". Racemaster Rick Thanks , Rick ! |
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