Finally getting a moment to post about my Sick Smokies experience... First off, if you've not done a DnD of some sort take the opportunity and make it happen! It was such a fun time and everyone really is just new friends. I went into this event with 2 goals... finish and do it with a 7 second average for the week (7's every track). I accomplished both goals with only a little struggle at the end of the week.
Day 0, Rocket City Dragway, Tech/test day... Tech went very easy and smooth, way easier than I expected, but I'm a slower entry so maybe that's why. I didn't have intentions of testing considering I'd done that 2 days earlier with a new PB of 7.68 @ 91.04, but I wanted to try a new wastegate control strategy which didn't go the way I'd hoped... I figured out the issue later and will revisit that again but kept the tried-and-true simple method for the week. Fun part of testing was getting lined up against Tom Bailey in his twin turbo Coyote-powered Ford Talladega. This car a freaking sweet and wish I had more pics of it! He'd never taken it down a dragstrip before and completely goofed it off the line stalling. I instantly hit boost cut and basically rolled the rest of the track, but I can say I beat Tom Bailey and later gave him a hard time in the pits!!!
Also got to talk with Mike Finnegan in tech and had brought my old manual boost controller for him after watching his video about the Rotsun needing more boost the week prior... he was stoked and then said Jimmy Dale was bringing it to Sick Smokies and would soon be there. Yes, I'm kinda the reason they smoked head gaskets... twice
, but I just gave them the means... they were tuning and apparently didn't understand cranking it completely open was NOT the way to go.
Tom Bailey matchup
Day 1, Rocket City Dragway, Huntsville, AL... Day 1 went fairly smoothly for me. My class "D" won the coin toss and got to run first which was nice. I managed a 7.83 @88.11 which was a 1 and done as far as I was concerned. Spent the rest of the day watching other classes and eventually left to make the drive up to Nashville and Music City Raceway. The drive was nice, and we got onto the Natchez Trace Parkway for a stop a Gordon House as the 1st checkpoint, then onto The Parthenon, and Scoreboard Bar & Grill while also driving straight through downtown Nashville on Broadway street, which honestly was equal parts fun and a PITA!
On the Natchez Trace Parkway
Gordon House on Natchez Trace Parkway
The Parthenon
Broadway Street in Downtown Nashville, TN
Scoreboard Bar & Grill
Day 2, Music City Raceway, Nashville, TN... This day the run order flipped and I was to run last before they went to all run, so it was mainly a bunch of waiting around. I took the opportunity to walk around and snap pics of most all the other entries while talking to a few of them. All really great people! Unfortunately the track had a VERY short shutdown and no area for cars with chutes to pack them safely before returning to the pits, so it was a long delay between pairs waiting on guys to gather their chutes before clearing the track. Also, the track had issues with the tree that delayed things, but the ultimate nail in the coffin was a gasser entry hitting the tree and damaging the cables while doing a dry hop for the crowd. That caused the rest of the day to be a wash and I never made a pass after sitting in staging for over 1 hour. They did keep it fun for the crowd and did some arm drop racing for those that were interested, but I packed my things and started the drive which was kind of a nightmare because schools had just let out and the traffic was horrendous! Made it to the 2 checkpoints, Keller's Bar & Grill and Long Road Cafe, then onward to my Airbnb in the woods for the night.
This should be a really great drive and being 1/8 mile tracks will hopefully keep things moving quicker and less breakdowns. The route is supposed to be released in the next couple of days… I have a feeling that Friday between Knoxville and Brainerd will be a long one. 
This should be a really great drive and being 1/8 mile tracks will hopefully keep things moving quicker and less breakdowns. The route is supposed to be released in the next couple of days… I have a feeling that Friday between Knoxville and Brainerd will be a long one. 
I later caught up with him at Brainerd and gave him a hard time saying we can call that one a draw. His passenger busted out laughing and we all had a good conversation about it. He's a great sport! 
He was really cool and immediately asked if Colton wanted to sit inside.
Try to do a single image by using the "Insert Link" function.
