Ok Boys and Girls it's Storytime

[regan wilson]

I found this a little over a week before I needed to be loaded for the National Event and Allstar Race. I called my friend Chad Dickerson and he got all my stuff put in a new case for me. All I did for a week and a half was work on the truck and get ready for the race.

[regan wilson]

We went to the race on Wednesday and got set up. Thursday morning we had the Jegs Allstars breakfast and opening ceremonies. Then Super Street went directly into our first of two time trials. I was .016 on the tree and 19.911 at 152.83. When lifted my foot the throttle was hung wide open. I thought I was going to have to hit the chute and the kill switch but the toe hook saved me. That damn thing must have been running 160 when it came back up. I went back to the trailer and didn't find anything wrong. The second run I was .011 on the tree but a second after the throttle stop opened the carbs I lost the throttle linkage .All I could do is idle back to the trailer. That took a minute at 1600 rpm! Lol. When I got back I found my enderle bell crank was broken out at the top where the rod attaches from the pedal. I didn't have a replacement but Ken found one that a Comp Eliminator guy had. It was the wrong size thread for the ball that goes on it. I walked across to some Top Alcohol Funny Car guys and asked if they had a tap and die set since they tear up so much Sh*t. Of course they did and loaned it to me. Then I had to borrow a drill bit too from them. An hour later we were fixed whick was fine as we were done for the day anyhow.

[regan wilson]

They gave us all our Jegs swag as they called it Thursday at the Breakfast. One thing of course is the Allstar vehicle and trailer stickers. When you are one of eight racers in the country out of probably 1000 in your class you display them proudly. If you've done it twice you stack them.

[litebulblsc]

That was a nasty crack in the trans housing. Are you worried about what may have caused it?

[regan wilson]

Originally Posted by litebulblsc

That was a nasty crack in the trans housing. Are you worried about what may have caused it?

Sorry I haven't responded. It's hard to tell what caused it. That case had been welded on before on the passenger side. I always tow with it in park so that could have been a factor since it cracked through the selector shaft area. I'll still tow in park though because I'm just not risking the truck getting loose in the trailer. In the end that case had a lot of passes on it. It's only the second one I've used up in 23 years.

[regan wilson]

This is the list that is published in National Dragster every month for the Jegs Allstar points. We all watch it throughout the season to see who is running who at the end.

[regan wilson]

As ya'll can probably tell I didn't do very well at the races. I ran the Division 7 Allstar Art Hoover first round of the National and beat him. We were both .006 on the tree and he turned me loose on the top end and gave me the win. I ran one our Division 4 guys Mike Feeler in the second round. We were pretty even on the line and I screwed it up at the finish line trying to take as little as I could. I gave him the finish line by around .010. In the Allstar race I was actually the #1 Qualifier with my one and only full time trial. Who did I get to run? Art Hoover of course. He had a little mph on me but I'm faster in the 1/8th mile. So I'm thinking I caught him off guard the first time when I came around him the first time. In my head I'm thinking he will race me different this time. We had a drastic change in weather and wind so everybody was fast. I slowed mine down quite a bit but it was still set up too hot. I was .006 on the tree again to Arts .005 the race was at the end of the track. I go past him like last time and wait for him top match my speed and I start driving on him. I was just easing back into him holding a wheel on him. He turned that wheel into three or four in the end. He parked that 156+mph car at 140mph and dropped me on my head. He's a good driver and his car has damn good brakes! Art ended up winning the Allstars along with Division 7. Our Division finished second by one round in the end.

[regan wilson]

Photobucket is not cooperating again. I can't get the pics any bigger than that. Uggh

[regan wilson]

We came home and Ken helped me get the hood off. I pulled the motor and took the heads and intake back to Slick Rick for some updating we had discussed this summer. Meanwhile it was time to really look at things. I was finding a lot of what looked like bearing material in the oil filter. It wasn't like a normal bearing fleck so I was very concerned. Rick took the heads apart and ruled out anything there. I pulled the oil pan and the first thing I looked at was the rear main. The thrust on the crank was ok but the bearing had a lot of wear on it. That transmission problem was the culprit. When the transmission is only holding on by two bolts and the torque converter it is putting too much load on the back of the crank. There should only be .003 to .005 of endplay n the crank. Mine was way out there at .012. Luckily it was just bearing wear and the crank wasn't hurt.

[regan wilson]

That walk in the crankshaft also takes it's toll on other things. It was causing wear on the outer edge of the rod bearings.

[regan wilson]

I rolled a fresh set of mains in it and a new set of rod bearings. I got the crank endplay back down to.0055 which is acceptable. I'm waiting on Rick to get my heads and manifold done and I'm looking at doing a cam change. It will be February before you know it and time for Belle Rose, La to start the 2024 season.

[mongocanfly]

Oh a day in the life of a drag racer..!!!...I'm starting to remember now why I had to quit..haha!

[Shifty One]

I just read this story (post) beginning to end, and the awesomeness of it is just, well, awesome. I'll probably never need viagra....

[D.B]

Hey Regan, looking forward to coming out to see you race in 2024. Let me know what your Tx Motorplex schedule is and I will make time to be there.

[regan wilson]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Oh a day in the life of a drag racer..!!!...I'm starting to remember now why I had to quit..haha!

Gee thanks. You need to go work on that little red truck.

[regan wilson]

Originally Posted by Shifty One

I just read this story (post) beginning to end, and the awesomeness of it is just, well, awesome. I'll probably never need viagra....

Glad you enjoyed it and the truck could be of help.LOL

[regan wilson]

Originally Posted by D.B

Hey Regan, looking forward to coming out to see you race in 2024. Let me know what your Tx Motorplex schedule is and I will make time to be there.

We will be there in May again DB.
Here's the full schedule for all Divisions in the link.

https://www.nhra.com/2024-lucas-oil-...eries-schedule

[mongocanfly]

I know...haha

[D.B]

Originally Posted by regan wilson

We will be there in May again DB.
Here's the full schedule for all Divisions in the link.

https://www.nhra.com/2024-lucas-oil-...eries-schedule

Ok Regan, I just penciled you in on my calendar. Thanks for sending me the schedule..

[regan wilson]

Well I'm trying to slap this mess together. I got all my parts back this past Thursday. The valvetrain is in and adjusted and also double checked. The intake manifold is glued on and snugged down. As usual I'll be busting my butt to get ready for the first race. Not anybody's fault but mine in the end. Because I can't leave things alone and just race. I've got to get it making noise and loaded by this time next Sunday.

[mongocanfly]

good luck..!!!!!!

[D.B]

Good luck Regan!!

[regan wilson]

Thanks Guys. I'm loaded and ready to head to Belle Rose, La this week.

[regan wilson]

Well Belle Rose went pretty good. The truck ran pretty good so I think the changes I made were a step in the right direction. It would usually run 154 down there even though the swamp is known for really good air I don't pick up a lot down there. It ran !55 multiple times and as fast as 155.53 on Saturday when the air got good. I made some good runs in time trials with good reaction times. For some reason on race day Sunday I was off. I survived a .050 light for a win in second round. Then turned around and had another .050 in third round and lost to my friend Chris Presley was ready for me with his .003 light. All in all not a bad first outing for the year. The points will be a keeper at the end of the year. My daughter Jamie came over from Houston on Friday to hang out with the old man so it was a good time. We are supposed to go back down there in two weeks for the Sports Nationals.

[D.B]

Keep it up and you will have some new stickers to add to your truck. Good luck, see you at the Motorplex.