NOPI Nationals / Monday meet wrapup

Here's the first round. Looks like a tough one for the Beast and most of the others. Hope they can pick it up in the later rounds. No other info, but the refitted Beast looks good.Got the pic and qualifying sheet from the Extreme Outlaw Pro Mod facebook page. It's being updated from the track.

    Saturday night update from Paul: Round 2 of qualifying was still tough for most of the field, and was no better for the Beast, with a 6.51. He said it seemed to be a fluke to get down for the few who managed. The Beast has a new set of tires at this race, and the setup was blowing them right off, so Paul said they plan to back the power way down with timing adjustments and change the air pressure to try to make a clean pass, and then build back up for the eliminations. It's a 16-car race and 14 are on hand now, so a huge qualifying run isn't necessary, just a good/decent one to get a baseline and a feel for the track. Paul said he thinks it may be better Sunday.
   That's it. A round of qualifying Sunday and then into the race. Check the EOPM facebook page, and the message board at promodifieds.us is always worth a look.

Sunday noon update from EOPM page: Dialing back the power proved the right strategy for round 3 of qualifying, as the Beast cruised to a 4.22 at 170, good for 11th in what is now a full 16-car field. Paul's first-round opponent looks to be No. 6 qualifier Marcus Birt of Gray, Ga., in a 63 Vette, who ran a 4.04 at 181. He ran a 4.07 Friday night. Check the EOPM page on facebook, and the promodifieds.us message board for more info.

Monday wrapup: Paul went out in the first round against Birt, who got taken out by meet winner Chris Rini in round two.

 More racing this coming weekend may be on hand at the Big Chief Shootout at 710 Dragway in Rowland, N.C. We'll let you know.

Late starter / Sept. 13 update/mea culpa

Sept. 13 update: Oops! Big red light on this one. The race was postponed until Sept 27 because of an unfavorable weather forecast, and I missed that bit of news. So, no racing this weekend, but maybe next weekend at Atlanta and the following weekend at the Big Chief. Sorry for the confusion. I'll get it all sorted out.

And the Atlanta race:

Weekend update: Rained out

   
It was Scenic City Thunder storms (probably an embellishment) Saturday at Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip, washing out what could be the last event of the series. A big screw-blower race at Woodstock, Ala., was also doused.
    Four cars showed -- the Cuda Beast, Jimmy Sandefur, previous SCT winner Rick Murray, and one car that isn't a pure promod. The dismal forecast no doubt kept a lot of Dixie Pro-Mod nitrous racers, who live 4-6 hours away, at home.  It also kept spectators away -- bad for an event that has no sponsors and depends on the gate to fund the purse. Paul said the track was going to cut the already slim purse, so it was probably for the best that the rain came.
    The future of the series next year is murky at best. If the track is truly committed to a promod program, then it will need sponsors to draw racers -- and spectators. Paul said he's willing to hit trade shows to line up sponsors if the commitment is there.
    Otherwise, the Beast is back in top shape, with a new nose and wheelie bar. Paul said he worked until 4 a.m. Saturday to get the car ready. Good thing the tow was not much over an hour away. The team won't make this weekend's PDRA race, but will return to Commerce, Georgia -- scene of this season's bizarre shutdown area collision that necessitated the new front end -- Sept. 19-21 for an Extreme Outlaw Pro Modifieds race as part of the NOPI Nationals. Paul said he's also looking at another four or five races in the fall -- all no-screw events in the Carolinas.
   Stay tuned.