Hahaha Hot Rod Blog - Drag Week

[Brian Lohnes]

I am just glad I was first in line for the announcer sign ups.

[TheSilverBuick]

I am just glad I was first in line for the announcer sign ups.

They closed that registration up the moment they realized their mistake after you applied

or................

They did that after giving you a heads up with insider information to make sure you were "in" before Ford had a chance to send their own announcer. Typical Hotrod.

[SuperBuickGuy]

They closed that registration up the moment they realized their mistake after you applied

or................

They did that after giving you a heads up with insider information to make sure you were "in" before Ford had a chance to send their own announcer. Typical Hotrod.

A Ford announcer? but Former (now dead) President Gerald Ford was a BORING announcer.

[nesabo]

A Bostonian announcing in the South, I may need a translator.

[ksj2]

Drank beer with Brian last fall. Not hard to understand. LOL.

[Brian Lohnes]

I sound a lot better when everyone has been drinking.

[BluLightning]

I sound a lot better when everyone has been drinking.

This is true. Been there, done that.

[Caveman Tony]

I'm scamming trying to figure out how to get laid off before Drag week....

Keith, FOD usually does a good job of giving someone time off. ;)

[ksj2]

I sound a lot better when everyone has been drinking.

No one should have a problem then on DW . LOL.

[CDMBill]

I dicked around and didn't register asap .... I sent in to be an alternate, but I'm not towing clear to DW in hopes of getting in. I hope they give enough advance warning before the start ....

It does make me wonder though, what if the Larson's and Terzich's didn't get in, would they suddenly open it up to more entrants? Not complaining .... just wondering .... and I understand that those cars are the ones that sell mags.

By my estimation based reported registration numbers they actually accepted 213 before cutting it off. It'll be interesting to see what cars have what numbers on them.

[38P]

Dude, how are we pathetic "outsiders" supposed to know that?

From what I gathered about last year's registration is that it was later in the year because they were waiting for all the tracks to commit to it, and as soon as they did, registration opened. This year the tracks committed quickly and registration opened up afterwards. Considering the trends of pre-registrations and total car counts, I'm not sure how they would of guessed it would sell out in two weeks.

It wasn't even two full weeks, was it? The problem is that those of us who don't frequent the terminally-bad HRM website, don't waste time "Facebooking," and didn't get an "insider" e-mail pretty much got hosed.

And what about the mopes who rely on the print-edition of HRM? Did they ever have a shot?

The SIM cubical farm goofs in charge (sorry if that includes the sainted DF) apparently just threw open registration with an electronic announcement and no real warning. Given the FREAKIN half-year between registration and the event (not to mention the change from last year's close coupling of the registration and the event), it would have been more reasonable to advertise the specific start date for registration in the PRINT MAGAZINE and on-line well before registration began.

And if all they're going to take is ~ 200 cars, maybe that point ought to be emphasized.

But, hey, It's HRMs party and if they don't want my business . . . .

[Brian Lohnes]

There was this insider blog too....http://bangshift.com/blog/registrati...week-2012.html

(as an FYI...that item was published 7 days before registration was closed on 3.23)

[38P]

I believe DW is still about grass roots hot rodding which means you don't go down to the dealership and purchase a 55k new car to participate. You wouldn't even have to check the oil much less get your hands dirty repairing or tuning on something new.
Any factory flexing its muscles to enter factory backed cars in an event with 200 cars that happens once a year would and should be laughed off the premises.

That's ridiculous.

1. Hot rodding and drag racing have had strong factory components since the late 1950s. Anybody remember Jim Wangers knocking 'em dead in a factory-supported Stock Eliminator Pontiac back in 1960? I guess he should have been laughed off the premises.

2. Is there any practical difference between a racer who "farms out" the build on a DW* car and a racer who flys the flag for new factory muscle? Should DW* be limited to driver-built cars?

3. Given the free advertising value of such events, doesn't it make sense to demonstrate the product before opinion leaders and hamfisted magazine scribes? Or should GMPP have been "laughed off" of the salt at Bonneville?

4. Isn't it good for the sport to have the factories engaged in "grassroots" forms of drag racing?

5. Why is it "cool" for somebody to occupy a DW* slot with an 18-second, bone-stock boat from the '60s, but laughable to participate with a 2012-2013 12-, 11-, or even 10-second car?

[Bamfster]

Aaarrrrgggghhhh .... He"s back !!!

[Brian Lohnes]

5. Why is it "cool" for somebody to occupy a DW* slot with an 18-second, bone-stock boat from the '60s, but laughable to participate with a 2012-2013 12-, 11-, or even 10-second car?

For the same reason that Steve Atwell running his real deal 1968 Hurst Hemi Dart on DW in 2005 is eternally cooler than someone showing up to run the event in a new CJ/Drag Pack/COPO. Atwell pulled the cross rammed Hemi apart in the parking lot of an Ohio gas station, was able to trundle along at 55mph with 4.88 gears and took on and off ramps at about 16 mph. All things that a new car would do better/faster/etc but what's the fun in that?