Despite some crappy luck we had a good time! It was great to finally make it to one of the televised events, it adds a whole new level to see all the camera guys running around, and we had fun making faces while Randy and Mikaela kept a straight face while interviewing people! I managed to blow a tire between Calgary & Red Deer on the trip up, and just missed getting to the test & tune in time for tech. At the race I had a weird situation where the track guy held me in the burnout box while the other truck proceeded forward and was fully staged and spooled up. I later learned they were holding me to write down my info because they mistakenly thought I still had one of their loaner helmets. As someone who deep stages (and who hasn't raced my truck much this year), I was pretty well screwed since I knew the Autostart system would start my lights coming down 0.8 to 1.2 seconds after I turned on the stage light. Normally that is nowhere near enough time to roll in deep. When I am in practice I can stage consistently within that time, but not this weekend! I honestly considered just waiting to see if either the starter backed out the other guy, or he puked trans fluid out and got shut down (which will eventually happen if you stay there boosted up on the starting line), but I don't like to have to win like that, and Randy's words were ringing in my mind about how we needed to run through eliminations quickly due to the forecast rain coming into the area. I did my best to do a "rolling stage" and be ready when the lights came down, but red lit by 0.011 (I had rolled in too deep).
We had a great time checking out the 1st ever diesel junior dragster to hit the track (apparently one was built before but never raced). The Doble family from Supreme Diesel built it, and their son Ethan (who happens to be good friends with my daughter) made exhibition passes in it all day.
I had a great time catching up with people, and it was great to see yet another new Pro Stock truck added to the mix, as Kevin Douglas from Diesel Performance Specialists got his together just in time for the event (as mentioned above). We should have a heck of a class next year, with the addition of Malcomb Cross's Impala and my new truck!
