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My Beetle at the Winternationals
HS618 - June 10th, 2012 at 03:06 PM

First of all, to LOSE in the first Round of Racing at the Winters' by Red Lighting BIG (-074) especially when I was handed it on a platter with the opponents .090 light, then by breaking out (ran 12.018 on a 12.05 dial in - drove it out the back door in disgust!!) really hurts me inside
As I've already stated to some of my friends, I feel that I have let them (and the greater VW community) down in front of the big Winters' audience.

Some of the things that I wish to share are:

The Good

* Russell, for loaning me a comfortable tow vehicle to get there in the first place. Now, If they could only make the ute section bigger so I can carry more stuff
* My Crew and Crewchief (not so crazy) Col. It's good to have someone that knows Drag Racing, knows what I need without me asking, can put up with my fastidious / strange / I can do it myself nature AND can cook!!!
* The Racers - some of which I know already, others I didn't know 'till they came over and introduced themselves. One racer in particular from Townsville, showed me how to assemble my dome tent living quarters. It must have looked hilarious me trying to assemble it (without instructions)
* I don't know if it's good, but being the only VW in a field of over 460 entrants. It's showing them that there is more to competitive Drag Racing than Fords, Chevs and Mopars
* Running with an LED Xmas tree at last (it takes some getting used to)
* The Winters' atmosphere. I am not articulate enough to put into words the feeling you get at the Winters', the friendship and comradery, the sounds and the smells, the ever friendly people, quick times and great organisation (like being mobile phone messaged when to head to the staging lanes)

The NOT So Good

* Camping at Willowbank in winter. As a first time camper at sixty something years of age, getting used to the noisy trucks at all hours on the Cunningham Highway (even they are 200 yards away, they are so loud, it seems they are clipping my tent), hammering tent pegs into what seems like either butter or granite!!, tripping over guy ropes, finding creatures in your swag that haven't even been named yet
* (Seems like) mufflerless portable generators used by some racers 'till all hours
* Waiting in line at 4.00am to have a (hopefully warm) shower in the minaturised shower cubicle with 1 small clothes hook just above what seems like a small swimming pool at your feet
* Sharing your small pit space with multiple gum trees strategically placed to minimise the usable area
* Being first up in qualifying and racing (8.00am on both days)
* Playing with a new clutch system (RLR REV6) at a Championship meeting
All in all, the positives by far outweigh the minor drawbacks I had so..................
in the words of Arnie "I'll be back!!"

HappyDaze - June 10th, 2012 at 03:28 PM

It's all about HAVING a good time, Henry......not so much about DOING a good time.:tu:

vw54 - June 10th, 2012 at 04:31 PM

Hen

sounds like you had a great time worth the effort

essex - June 10th, 2012 at 05:07 PM

Good stuff Henry, its an adventure!

modnrod - June 10th, 2012 at 05:15 PM

Good onya Henry! I always hope to see your ride in the pics after events.

That red light will hurt for a couple of weeks yet unfortunately. I've done the same after planning and getting ready for weeks and months, driving for hours on end, barely sleeping in the back of a ute, etc, etc, only to throw it away 1st round. I feel your pain!

If it makes you feel any better, Hank Robertson over here in West Oz finally won a Xmas tree in Super Sedan in his '32 hotrod he built himself just before he turned 70, after trying for god-knows how long.
Look forward to seing you in your favourite VW shirt on the dias one day to get the big one.

Stanley - June 10th, 2012 at 05:18 PM

Top effort just for being there Henry.
Was going to come and say g'day but you were having a deep and meaningful discussion so decided to push on.
Pity I didn't get to see you run.

Cheers

matberry - June 10th, 2012 at 05:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by modnrod
Good onya Henry! I always hope to see your ride in the pics after events.

That red light will hurt for a couple of weeks yet unfortunately. I've done the same after planning and getting ready for weeks and months, driving for hours on end, barely sleeping in the back of a ute, etc, etc, only to throw it away 1st round. I feel your pain!

If it makes you feel any better, Hank Robertson over here in West Oz finally won a Xmas tree in Super Sedan in his '32 hotrod he built himself just before he turned 70, after trying for god-knows how long.
Look forward to seing you in your favourite VW shirt on the dias one day to get the big one.


Great post Modrod, you and me and how many others I don't know. As you know Henry, it's all part of the journey. Fantastic that you competed with your Volksie among the big boy's, I can only hope next year there will be more to fly the dak dak flag.

Congratulations mate, job well done.

Matt

1303Steve - June 10th, 2012 at 07:12 PM

Hi

Well done Henry just getting there and flying the VW flag. Henry has a few years to go until he's 70.

I don't know if you knew Col before the days of AVD but if you didn't this is a perfect example of the good things about AVD and the internet in general.

Steve

dragvw2180 - June 11th, 2012 at 01:24 AM

I did the same thing years ago, drove all the way to Gainsville for my first race at a big track. I red lit first pass , was out so I ran it out the back and broke out of class along with dialin . How did you like the RLR REV6 ? Mike McCarthy

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE - June 11th, 2012 at 08:11 AM

Shame Henry cause the track was sooo good on saturday after the showers blew over. Track temp was 65-75 with humidity around 60% and temp of around 11-14 degrees. N/a cars were running good numbers cause of the track but humidity wasn't helping them make great hp. The supercharged/ turbo guys on the other hand were loving it!! Troy and I got tickets through monster energy and spent the day in the pits with the Tucker's and their 2 cars. All food and drink supplied and plenty of hospitality made for an enjoyable day. Being pitted right on the finish line was great as we had a giant tv opposite us and could see the time boards as well. Once top fuel came out last night we were right where the action I mean blow up happened!! Great day and met some great people and Troy met some "helpful" people which has certainly spurred him on to get his car finished and compete at meets like this!!

coletrickle - June 11th, 2012 at 10:30 AM

Thanks for letting me hang out Henry,It was my pleasure to help!If any body was watching what they wouldn't have seen was Henry or myself fiddling/tweeking on ole 599!we did a1 jet change and checked the tire psi 3 times that's how you go racing with an all motor vw.Henry your car building and prep are a real credit to you can't belive I didn't get my hands dirty!!!!Sounds like the drive home mellowed you out a bit you were a bit to hard on yourself and sounded like you were giving up.It takes balls to spend what you did for entry drive 1500ks let alone in a bloody vw!Again thanks Henry.I notice you didn't mention it but I will don't the chicks love the bugs! I'll get Adam to post up some pics.

HS618 - June 11th, 2012 at 10:40 AM

Thanks everyone for your kind comments but as modnrod said, the pain is still there

Quote:
How did you like the RLR REV6 ? Mike McCarthy

Hi Mike, - thanks for asking, I now believe the clutch should not have been installed just prior to a big meeting. My thought was that I would install it and all would be OK. The 60' ft. were all over the place (1.620 to 1.714 in 4 passes and the numbers were not progressive) whereas it usually runs in the 1.58 to 1.62 range- The initial passes FELT like the'60's were going to be in the mid 50's range but were actually 70's. I noticed that towards the end of the meeting, driving around the pits, the clutch began to shudder. I am using the single disc version
Among other things, my startline procedure will have to change as I normally drag the car to prestage / stage on the linelock to load the trans and I believe that this heated the clutch disc inconsistantly. Plus the fact of having to drive the car around the pits to and from the start/finish line etc. is also making a difference. I will pull the engine and check the break torque and plate condition in the next couple of days when I get over the 1st round loss
The clutch takeup near the floor contributed to (but was not the reason) for my (2) red lights as the 1st round light was a shocker Regards - H

dragvw2180 - June 12th, 2012 at 06:34 AM

Did you have time to break the clutch before the race ? I had a clutch shudder on mine also when I got it hot without cool down time after my second pass , after cooling down did not shudder anymore. Mike

HS618 - June 12th, 2012 at 11:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dragvw2180
Did you have time to break the clutch before the race ?

Mike, I did about 25 low speed take-offs in the pits trying not to get the clutch hot (left it overnight after that) and about 7 more driving the car to the staging lanes for the first run.There was about 20 minutes wait before the first run The shudder occured on the drive back from the finish line on the second time trial (two hours later) driving through the pits and each run after that. I would expect that a lot of heat is generated bringing the car to stage from about 10 feet back on the line-lock which gives the launch inconsistency (this procedure will be altered when I go out again)
I will pull the engine soon, check (and adjust) the break torque and go out to a local track meeting mid July - will keep you posted - H