Rockingham, other updates

   Paul and the Cuda Beast team had a fairly frustrating time at Rockingham last weekend. Paul had originally planned to leave on Wednesday, test Thursday, and go racing Friday and on the weekend. Instead, he didn't get away until Friday, and a flat tire and wrong turn made for a long, late travel day. Two qualifying attempts didn't get out of the fives, as launches remained a problem. Here's a photo, taken immediately after the one above, in Paul's last qualifying bid.

   The left rear slick appears to be off the surface; it is not wrinkled, as it is in the top photo. Paul said that particular qualifying session was troublesome for the vast majority of cars as the track really heated up when the sun came out. In his first qualifier, Paul said he had too much power in the car. The right balance of tuneup and the timing management of that power remains elusive.
   Paul also had information about crew member Keith Dockery, his brother-in-law and engine computer guy, who is facing a serious health issue. The bad news is that a malignancy was found, as doctors likely suspected, but further tests did not find that the cancer had spread. That bit of good news means that his chemotherapy will be directed right at the site, avoiding an overall chemo regimen and the side effects that causes. Any return to races this season is uncertain, and unlikely; Paul said Keith asked his doctors about that possibility, and they told him to forget it.
   Also, team member Gregg Cash is also having some health issues, and his status could be up in the air as well.
   So, Paul said he is seeking volunteers to help the team at races this season. There is no pay; Paul said all he can guarantee is that people will be fed at the track, and that there will be plenty of hard work to be done (I'll vouch for that; I was around the team a few hours at a race last year, and I got tired just photographing them). It will also be an opportunity for people who are interested in pro mod racing to learn firsthand what is involved.
   Paul said he had good help at Rockingham from father and son Blaine and Charles Silver, and has put out a request for other volunteers on Facebook. He has received some responses; running at the next PDRA event, in Shreveport, La., in about three weeks, is contingent on having sufficient help. If you are interested in assisting Paul and the Beast team, call Paul at 706-258-8241.
   We'll be back with a Shreveport update. Keep the Beast team in your thoughts as they work through these difficult times.

Let's Rock

     This weekend, Paul and the Cuda Beast team will be in Rockingham, N.C., in the Pro Boost class of the PDRA's Spring Nationals. If Mother Nature cooperates, it will be the start of the team's 2015 race season that will consist almost entirely of PDRA events.
     Paul said last week the team will travel Wednesday to be able to test on Thursday. A race last month at Montgomery had been eyed as primarily a test session, but it was rained out. A car show commitment in Blue Ridge, Ga., last weekend (Paul had the Beast and his pro street Dart there) ruled out Huntsville as another possible test opportunity, so Paul decided the best thing was to go to The Rock early, pay the testing fee, and get information that could be applied directly to the weekend's racing.
    The team likely will be without the services of its computer guru, Keith Dockery, who is facing a serious health issue. Paul said the team is asking for your prayers for Keith during this uncertain period.
    The Beast will roll into the staging lanes with a new timing box to manage the Hemi's power, which has received a big shot from a refurbished blower.  Paul said he's backing down the boost and tweaking the timing to get the car launched. "After two seconds, we'll have all the power it needs all back in to the finish line," Paul said.
    The PDRA events on the team's schedule are Shreveport, La., at the end of this month; St. Louis at the end of May; Memphis in August (I should be able to make that race); Benson, N.C., in September; and Bradenton, Fla., and Richmond, Va., in October. The PDRA website has all the specific dates.
   Looking at the PDRA site, I was struck by this promo shot for the Rockingham race, and how close spectators are to the racing surface. It's not George Ray's, but it seems amazing to me despite the concrete wall and catch fencing.

 
    We'll pass along any news we learn, and you can always check the message board at promodifieds.us for any updates. Race reporter extraordinaire Brian C. will be reporting from the Southern Shootout series race in Memphis, so that will also be of interest to pro mod fans. Keep Keith and the team in your prayers.
     

2015 season: Montgomery called off

    Dang.
    The weather hex that bedeviled the season at Montgomery Motorsports Park last year is still around, as this weekend's 2015 opener has been called off because of an iffy forecast. It was going to be the first race for Paul and the Cuda Beast this year -- basically a test opportunity to check out tweaks to the tuneup that hopefully will get the car launching better off the line as the team looks to its first real race -- the PDRA event at Rockingham, N.C., April 9-12.
   Not sure what the team's plans are now leading up to Rockingham; a race the weekend before at Huntsville could serve as a test session, but back-to-back weekends are tough for them. We'll let you know.

2015 season: Ready to race

    The 2015 season for Paul Gibbs and the Cuda Beast team got off to this neat start, courtesy of the PDRA featuring the Beast in its promotion for its opening race of the year in Texas. The pic is early in the 2014 season, maybe from the PDRA event in Memphis (looks like his huge holeshot race against Joe Baker; you can go back a few posts and see pictures from that event), as the car has its double wheelie bar setup.
   The Texas event is a long shot, basically a couple of days on the road each way; Paul said the team is pursuing possible monetary sponsorship from a source that has connections that go back to the racing days of his father, Reece Gibbs. Should that materialize, the Texas race would be in play. Still, it's a kick to see the Beast get national notice. Hard to go wrong with one of the best-looking PM cars out there.
    There is a real first race on the calendar -- the Southern Shootout opener at Montgomery Motorsports Park March 13-14. The series is the South's prime screw-blower hangout; Paul didn't run the Beast in that series last year for that reason, preferring the PDRA's popular Pro Boost class and some EOPM events. He says he's certainly ready to race at Montgomery, but is really viewing the weekend as a test session for the team's first PDRA race, in April at Rockingham (unless the Texas longshot comes through). Hope its a warm weekend for a change. A brine solution could be part of track prep.
    As far as the car goes, Paul says DJ Safety (see this page's masthead) has updated all of his equipment, including a state-of-the-art engine containment "diaper" (which we hope will never see use). Paul is promising a picture, which we'll post when it arrives.
   We'll be back to set up the Montgomery race/test session.

     

PDRA Richmond and season wrap

      Richmond's PDRA race was a long, wet weekend and then some, but when the Beast finally hit the track on Sunday for its final pro boost qualifying run, it ran a  4.14 (start of run above) -- best with the new automatic transmission, and (if memory serves) third best in the car's history, after two 4.07s with a clutch setup.
     As good as it was, Paul and the Beast team know how good it could have been. About 200 feet out, Paul said the Beast started to spin the tires and the rear went left. "It started making big power there all at once. I got it corrected really quick. It would have been a 3.98 or .97 if I hadn't had to lift."  It would have taken a 4-flat to get into the super-tough 16-car field.
    With that, the Beast will be parked until next season. "We ended on a note of really knowing where we are now. The converter is right on now, and hats off to Kenny Ford at PTC," Paul said. A couple more races for the Beast were possible this year, but Paul said the team decided to save its money and concentrate on getting the car better for next year -- particularly a continuation of a weight-loss program the Beast has been on for a few months. He said the car is still 70 pounds overweight, and he has some ideas to pare that away.
The engine has been serviced and will be good for the first 2-3 races next year.
    Of course, the next year's races are uncertain at this point, other than big interest in PDRA events, and probably no-screw-blower races in the Carolinas. Along with work on the car, the team will be looking for sponsors to join those on the masthead above who are helping the team. "We're in dire need of sponsors," Paul said.
   We'll be back as developments warrant, up to the start of the 2015 season. 
      

PDRA weekend/ update Saturday

    Saturday update: Paul called from the track while the crews work to dry and re-prep the surface after a lot of rain. He's still hoping for three rounds of qualifying -- at least one shot today, maybe a couple of hours from now. PDRA is committed to getting the race in, going Sunday for sure, and even into Monday if that's what it takes. The best thing is to tune in Motor Mania TV, MMTV 1, which is live-streaming, and it's excellent.
    Happened to catch round 1 of pro boost qualifying Friday, and saw the Beast fail to leave the line. One account said used the word "broke," which usually connotes bad stuff, but Paul said the Beast tossed a blower belt at the hit. He said that's unusual for a roots blower car, unlike the screw cars that go through them like candy, so he decided to look for a cause. The bottom crank pulley was loose, basically held on with bolts at finger-tight, and ready to come off. Anyway, all is well.
    The pro boost class has the biggest field, 27-28 cars, and right now the cutoff at #16 is about 4.05. That's tough; the Beast could run a career best and not get in. Paul said he's not expecting much movement, maybe to a 3.99, so he's going with a 4.0 tuneup for today. The track is being prepped by the best in the business, so it should hold just about anything.
    Tune in Motor Mania TV; it's a great show.
  
     Friday morning: The racers are gathering in Richmond, and Paul and the Beast should be among them. Early tests indicate the track is super fast, so the competition will be great. The team is looking to build on its PDRA experience in Memphis earlier this year.
    Richmond is hours and hundreds of miles away? Not to worry. On the promodifieds.us message board, click on the PDRA championship thread and you will find a link to Motor Mania TV live-streaming all the action. It's excellent, even with an Internet connection as lousy as mine.
    Also, this site

will have info on qualifying and elimination ladders. Let's hope the weather cooperates, and everybody gets down the track swiftly and safely.

PDRA up next

  
     The Beast remained in its garage last weekend, forgoing the race at 710 Dragway in Rowland, N.C., after the team earlier indicated interest in it. Paul was also interested in the PDRA race in Richmond, having enjoyed the Memphis PDRA race earlier this year. So efforts have been directed toward that race, which could be the last one of the season.
    Though the EOPM race in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago was challenging, Paul said they learned a lot. He thinks the torque converter setup is finally where it needs to be, and is planning a fluid change to loosen it up just a bit. Also, the race tuneups have been based on info before the blower was refurbished. The revitalized huffer is really helping to churn out the power, so the team is paying special attention to it. The car is doing well in the first 60 feet, and then blowing the tires. On the back end, the team is running more air in the Mickey Thompsons, and Paul is pleased with the new wheelie bar.
    If the weather stays warm, Paul said he'll look at the calendar for maybe one more race after Richmond. He said the engine rods are getting near their limit.
    Richmond should be a good race.The PDRA Pro Boost class the Beast will run in has proved very popular with racers, so there should be a ton of them vying for one of the 16 slots.