1960 Chevy Belair Outlaw
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Rapid Randy Baker
- Posts: 8075
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:05 am
- Location: Des Moines, Iowa
- Contact:
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jim sanders
- Posts: 8740
- Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:54 am
- Location: St.Louis Mo.
- Contact:
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Mike-Casella
- Posts: 2204
- Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:53 am
- Location: Middleboro, MA
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Mike-Casella
- Posts: 2204
- Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:53 am
- Location: Middleboro, MA
New England Dragway - Nostalgia Day - June 1, 2008
With a full crew, including the legendary ProMod driver Wally Bell, who made the drive from Fredricksburg, VA, we were all set for a fun day at the track. The main goal for the day was to upgrade my license to the Top Sportsman class. I needed two passes in the 7 second zone to accomplish this. With Wally's tuning, I didn't have a doubt that a couple of sub 8 second passes were possible.
By 11:00 we were all set and ready to take on the world. If anyone could have seen my face under the helmet, they would have witnessed the biggest smile I have ever had. Being backed up after a picture perfect burnout by none other than Mr. Bell himself, was enough to make any drag racer proud.
Up until that very moment, our best ET and MPH were 8.13 and 171. One of those records was about to fall as I managed to stop the clocks at 8.05 at 170 on the first pass of the day. It sure felt like I was doing 300mph. (grin).
Back to the pits for a couple of adjustments, and by 2:00 we were ready for the next attempt. This pass was to be a little different though, as both records were about to be broken. Another great burnout to warm and clean the tires, then purge the nitrous bottle down from 1100psi to a more comfortable 950 psi and I was set to go.
This pass felt like the last one, only a bit slower, but I was to find out differently as the time slip read, 8.00 at 172.98!! WOW, a new personal best! We are so close, and we still have time for one more pass. Back to the pits for the usual between rounds maintenance and to get ready for what should be the pass that I've been waiting for, for three years!
While backing up after the burnout, I activate the nitrous system and fuel pump. That operation went as usual, then one of my crew members turns on the nitrous bottle, I purge, and move into the beams. The second I lit the top bulb, my attention was moved to the engine compartment where I notice flames! I instantly shut the engine off, and knowing that no one but me and my on-board fire bottle will be able to put this out, I pulled the release cable and let the extinguisher do it's job.
These 10lb Halon systems do an awesome job, and this time was no exception as the fire was instantly gone. Keep in mind that as per the rule-book, besides the two nozzles in the engine compartment, there must be a nozzle inside the drivers area facing your legs in the event that any flames were to enter that area to protect the driver. With that being said, the inside nozzle did it's thing and sprayed at my legs like it was designed to do. Let me just mention here that a 10lb tank of Halon, takes a long time to empty. When it finally stopped spraying, my crew along with the help of a couple of track personal started to push me back from the starting line.
As I was being pushed back, the fact that the inside of the car, along with the inside of my helmet, was full of Halon and I was about to pass out. This stuff is designed to remove all the oxygen from the area and trust me it was working. I started to get light-headed and started to lose consciousness. At all costs, I had to get out of that car before I passed out and started waving my arms for someone to get me the hell out of there. Trust me, when something like this is happening, and unless you've been there before, you just can not think and are so disoriented you forget everything. Nothing was more important at that instant than getting my ass out of that car so I could take in a breath of air. I did know enough to remove the steering wheel, but forgot for an instant that I was still wearing my harness. I finally got it released and my poor son was scrambling trying his best to pull me out. After turning around and backing out, I was finally out in the fresh air, but I still had my helmet on and needed more air.
I made my way to the rear of the car before I hit the ground, and someone got my helmet off allowing me to get my first breath of fresh air. The EMT's were there in an instant applying some much needed oxygen, and I was on my way back to Earth. After a short stay in the ambulance for a check-up, I was released and returned to the car to check out what had happened.
The fuel line that led to the nitrous regulator had loosened itself and sprayed fuel on the distributor resulting in the unwanted flames. The only damage was a melted fiber optic wire. Could have been much worse, so I'm ok with that.
In hind-sight, I learned something that I'd like to pass on. If you ever have to set off one of those Halon systems, get out of the car as soon as you can and let your crew take over. I will not be using a Halon system in the future.
A gigantic THANK YOU to all that helped.
Mike (my son/crew chief)
Mike Rowell (crew member)
Wally Bell (crew member)
Edie (my sister and video recorder)
The New England Dragway safety crew.
And the biggest THANK YOU to my wife for being right by my side during all this.
And that's what I did with my weekend, how 'bout you.
Mike
With a full crew, including the legendary ProMod driver Wally Bell, who made the drive from Fredricksburg, VA, we were all set for a fun day at the track. The main goal for the day was to upgrade my license to the Top Sportsman class. I needed two passes in the 7 second zone to accomplish this. With Wally's tuning, I didn't have a doubt that a couple of sub 8 second passes were possible.
By 11:00 we were all set and ready to take on the world. If anyone could have seen my face under the helmet, they would have witnessed the biggest smile I have ever had. Being backed up after a picture perfect burnout by none other than Mr. Bell himself, was enough to make any drag racer proud.
Up until that very moment, our best ET and MPH were 8.13 and 171. One of those records was about to fall as I managed to stop the clocks at 8.05 at 170 on the first pass of the day. It sure felt like I was doing 300mph. (grin).
Back to the pits for a couple of adjustments, and by 2:00 we were ready for the next attempt. This pass was to be a little different though, as both records were about to be broken. Another great burnout to warm and clean the tires, then purge the nitrous bottle down from 1100psi to a more comfortable 950 psi and I was set to go.
This pass felt like the last one, only a bit slower, but I was to find out differently as the time slip read, 8.00 at 172.98!! WOW, a new personal best! We are so close, and we still have time for one more pass. Back to the pits for the usual between rounds maintenance and to get ready for what should be the pass that I've been waiting for, for three years!
While backing up after the burnout, I activate the nitrous system and fuel pump. That operation went as usual, then one of my crew members turns on the nitrous bottle, I purge, and move into the beams. The second I lit the top bulb, my attention was moved to the engine compartment where I notice flames! I instantly shut the engine off, and knowing that no one but me and my on-board fire bottle will be able to put this out, I pulled the release cable and let the extinguisher do it's job.
These 10lb Halon systems do an awesome job, and this time was no exception as the fire was instantly gone. Keep in mind that as per the rule-book, besides the two nozzles in the engine compartment, there must be a nozzle inside the drivers area facing your legs in the event that any flames were to enter that area to protect the driver. With that being said, the inside nozzle did it's thing and sprayed at my legs like it was designed to do. Let me just mention here that a 10lb tank of Halon, takes a long time to empty. When it finally stopped spraying, my crew along with the help of a couple of track personal started to push me back from the starting line.
As I was being pushed back, the fact that the inside of the car, along with the inside of my helmet, was full of Halon and I was about to pass out. This stuff is designed to remove all the oxygen from the area and trust me it was working. I started to get light-headed and started to lose consciousness. At all costs, I had to get out of that car before I passed out and started waving my arms for someone to get me the hell out of there. Trust me, when something like this is happening, and unless you've been there before, you just can not think and are so disoriented you forget everything. Nothing was more important at that instant than getting my ass out of that car so I could take in a breath of air. I did know enough to remove the steering wheel, but forgot for an instant that I was still wearing my harness. I finally got it released and my poor son was scrambling trying his best to pull me out. After turning around and backing out, I was finally out in the fresh air, but I still had my helmet on and needed more air.
I made my way to the rear of the car before I hit the ground, and someone got my helmet off allowing me to get my first breath of fresh air. The EMT's were there in an instant applying some much needed oxygen, and I was on my way back to Earth. After a short stay in the ambulance for a check-up, I was released and returned to the car to check out what had happened.
The fuel line that led to the nitrous regulator had loosened itself and sprayed fuel on the distributor resulting in the unwanted flames. The only damage was a melted fiber optic wire. Could have been much worse, so I'm ok with that.
In hind-sight, I learned something that I'd like to pass on. If you ever have to set off one of those Halon systems, get out of the car as soon as you can and let your crew take over. I will not be using a Halon system in the future.
A gigantic THANK YOU to all that helped.
Mike (my son/crew chief)
Mike Rowell (crew member)
Wally Bell (crew member)
Edie (my sister and video recorder)
The New England Dragway safety crew.
And the biggest THANK YOU to my wife for being right by my side during all this.
And that's what I did with my weekend, how 'bout you.
Mike
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greenracing
- Posts: 782
- Joined: Thu Mar 02, 2006 12:50 pm
- Location: NE Ohio
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Eric David Bru
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:32 pm
- Location: The Skunk Works
- Contact:
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Mike-Casella
- Posts: 2204
- Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:53 am
- Location: Middleboro, MA
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Rapid Randy Baker
- Posts: 8075
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:05 am
- Location: Des Moines, Iowa
- Contact:
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