Not too many people showed up, apparently the smart ones stayed home. We had a 14 bike field which is not bad considering we've had 16 bikes on previous races. We didn't get to make our first pass until almost 2pm, which is just ridiculous. The track should have called it a "rain day" and rescheduled. They spent from 8am to 1pm drying the track and then at 2pm the said water was coming up through the cracks at the 1,000 foot mark so they took us down to an 1/8 mile... Now for those of you who do not know much about drag racing, unless you run an 1/8 mile track frequently - it SUCKS to go from 1/4 mile to 1/8th. This was my first and last experience with that. With an 1/8 mile you feel like it's over before it starts. It's just stupid and then as if that wasn't bad enough the tower could not give mph because the sensor in the right lane was not working and to be fair they eliminated mph from both lanes. CRAP!!! Now I recognize as a ET/Bracket racer it is not important to know what your mph is (per-say), however I wanted to know. So sorry charlie...
So we only got one (1) qualifying pass, so it was hit or miss with your dial time. At least it was for me, I'm still getting back down to my consistent numbers (pre-accident). I ran a 7.54 @ ???mph (remember we are running 1/8 mile times) with a crappy reaction time of .324 and an even worse 60' time of 2.169. Alrightly then, I've managed to flubb my first run of the day and now I've got to figure out what to dial... this should be fun! So after much heming and haaing, I decided to dial a 7.45, what they heck I figure - sounds good. So I draw SP, who incidentally beat me last race... but as usual my morale is high and I remind myself that anything can happen in racing. So I put my game face on and we line up... I'm out of the hole and on my way. I get to leave before him because he's incredibly faster then me. So I'm in it and I'll be damned if I'm letting off this time. So I go through the 1/8 mile light, which feels like I just got into the groove and to my surprise... WHAT?? That can't be right... I got the win light.. I am so stoked! I beat him, I beat him, I scream to myself in my helmet! WooHoo! I can see my husband coming back on the return road and he won his too, so now we are both going on to the second round. What a marvelous day! Funny how quickly the day turned from crap to gold! :) HA HA
Me and my hubby are so excited! We can't wait to see who we are paired with in the second round. We find our way to the ladder and to our surprise... we are paired! Can this day get any better, I ask you??? We always love the times we get to run against each other, last time I beat him so in his mind it was his turn to beat me. We'll see, I said. So we get out there, line up and as with SP I get to leave first because my hubby is way faster then me (even in the 1/8). So I'm out of the hole and on my way and I hear him coming up quick... my adrenaline is pumping and I start overthinking my movements. I missed a shift and when I got back in it I spun the tire. Well, HELLO - that's a new feeling. I've felt the off the line spin, but never the middle of the track spin. Definitely a new feeling! Anyways, he beat me and he was so excited, not only because of the obvious but because he was going on to the semi-finals. I'm so proud of him and so excited at least one of us gets to move on to the next round.
Don't think for a single moment he doesn't remind me who won... "yes, honey you beat me... you kicked my butt". But I guess I did the same to him, so what goes around comes around, right?
So now I'm just happy to get out of my leathers and into some comfy jeans. I get settled and it's his turn to go back up for semi's. He drew MO who is a good bracket racer. He knows to beat MO he has to be spot on everything. They line up and my husband cuts the worst reaction time of the day... not exactly good timing honey. MO took him out and we packed up and went home to the warm house. What started out as a awful day ended up very fun!
