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Welcome to the August 5th, 2002 edition of "On The Road with Kenny Racing,"
the bi-weekly newsletter featuring the Landa Pressure Washers Super Comp
Dragsters of Alan, Jason and now Samantha Kenny.
A busy two-week stretch began with a trip to Numidia, Pennsylvania for the
5th of 7 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division One events. We arrived
Thursday night, and promptly set up shop, which included the mowing of our
pit area grass. We bring the lawn mower to any race where we think there is
a chance we'll pit on grass.
Friday featured some wet weather, which delayed the start of racing action
until the early afternoon. The scheduled "Top 16" race was still a go, and
Dad managed to qualify solidly in the field. I barely missed the 8.925
bump, running a best of 8.929. Dad lost in the opening round to Bob
Kodadek, who went on to win the event. As of Friday night, Bob was 11-0 in
his last two Division One Super Comp races.
Saturday featured first round, and a change in our regular eliminations
routine. Normally, I'll go up first, and then be able to tell Dad if there
is a major change in track conditions. However, to change our luck, Dad
went up first, while I waited until the end. My sister, Samantha, told me
over the hand-held radio that Dad was racing "the Family Software car from
last night." (Bob Kodadek) Dad ran an 8.879 and won the double breakout
race. Seeing that, I slowed my timer down, and took an opening round
victory over my opponent . as his altered slowed to a 9.12.
Round two came Sunday, and again featured warm and ever more humid
atmospheric conditions. I ran an 8.948 and lost to Don Butkiewicz. Had I
run the car out the back door, I would've run about an 8.945. Couple that
with the fact that Don tree'd me .403 to .436, and I was a dead duck. Dad
took out John Derfuss and James Antonette in rounds two and three, before a
round four match-up with Doug Doll. Doug strapped a .404 light on Dad, and
sent us home. A fourth round finish jumped Dad from 36th to 18th in
Division One points. I am currently 36th, with lots of room for
improvement.
Super Comp 101 -- For Division One points, they count your best 5 out of
your first 8 races. With 3 first round losses already, I have lots of room
for improvement going into races #7 and 8. Dad has to improve on a second
round finish along with a first round exit. We have both set a goal of
finishing in the Top 10. Dad has a chance . I, however, believe that I need
to "average" a semi-final finish in each of the last two races. Very tough
to do in Super Comp.
Numidia was the first race this year where the whole family (Mom, Dad,
Samantha and I) all traveled to the race in the rig together. The nice
advantage of this, is the trip home Sunday. While Mom and Sam try to keep
Dad awake, I can take a long nap on the couch. It seems I never get enough
sleep while at the track. (special thanks to the Dorr family)
Friday, August 2, we headed for Grand Bend for our first bracket race of the
season and Samantha's debut behind the wheel of the yellow Landa Pressure
Washers dragster. Sam was entered in the Super Pro races, one Saturday and
one Sunday, while Dad drove the dragster in the Top Dragster class. I was
entered in both categories with the black car.
Switching drivers taught us one thing about weight in our cars . one pound
equals about one thousandth of a second in elapsed time. Therefore, being
that Sam is lighter than Dad, she went a tad-bit quicker.
She had a great debut, going three rounds in Saturday's Super Pro race (no
buybacks either). I was fairly consistent on the tree, and went six rounds,
losing in the semi-finals on a suspicious red light. For the previous 10
runs that day, my pure reaction in the .425 to .449 range. In the semi's,
my pure reaction was .393, and I actually thought I had a bad (slow) light.
Sunday saw a whole new Super Pro race, and also the Top Dragster
eliminations. Samantha again advanced past round one, coupling a .524 light
with a 7.837 on her 7.82 dial, before exiting in round two. An incredible
debut, which has her even more excited for our return to Grand Bend in two
weeks. I also lost in round two in Super Pro.
In Top Dragster, I figured to be on a 7.90-7.91, so I dialed a 7.92 and
attempted to "wheel" my slower opponent. I ended up giving the finish line
back to him by .0003 seconds, which equals less than one inch at the finish
line. What really hurts is that I ran a 7.96, and was plenty safe to begin
with.
Dad took out Grand Bend Top Dragster hitter Ron Shilling in round one, using
a .517 light to put the #2 qualifier on the trailer. Ron has won the Grand
Bend Top Dragster points championship the past two seasons (at least). Ron
had a tough weekend, as he also got tree'd by Melanie Simmons in the fourth
qualifying session. (Ron is on our email list . just had to remind him
about the lesson she gave him)
Dad then lost in round two after his car picked up quite a bit. Every
measurable unit of weather said the air was worse than round one, but Dad
still ran much quicker than anticipated. In the end though, a very busy and
successful weekend . 14 runs on the black dragster, and 14 runs on the
yellow dragster.
For our next Grand Bend visit, Friday, August 16th is a Test & Tune night,
and we'll use that to give Samantha a little more seat time. In between,
Dad and I will head to Englishtown, New Jersey, for race #7 in the Lucas Oil
Drag Racing Series.
Tentative 2002 Schedule
August 9-11 = NHRA Divisional Event @ Englishtown, New Jersey.
August 17-18 = Bracket Race @ Grand Bend, Ontario.
August 22-25 = NHRA Divisional Event @ Rising Sun, Maryland.
August 31-September 1 = Bracket Race @ Grand Bend, Ontario.
September 6-8 = IHRA National Event @ Epping, New Hampshire.
September 12-15 = NHRA National Event @ Reading, Pennsylvania.
September 26-29 = NHRA National Event @ Chicago, Illinois.
October 10-13 = NHRA National Open @ Reading, Pennsylvania.
October 24-27 = NHRA National Event @ Las Vegas, Nevada.
October 31-November 3 = NHRA Divisional Event @ Las Vegas, Nevada.
November 7-10 = NHRA National Event @ Pomona, California.
November 13-17 = Bracket Race @ Bradenton, Florida.
November 20-24 = Bracket Race @ West Palm Beach, Florida.
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