 ANOTHER
'BUSTER' STORY
I remember my first experience with Buster couch. It was
the first race ever at the Palm Beach International Raceway, (now called
Moroso Motorsports Park), and it was something.
It was the first race, and NHRA had given them a division
race to start with. It rained like Noah was coming, and we sat in the
tower waiting for the call of "rainout". Buster regaled us with stories,
but the one that stuck with me was the time he tried to drive an old
front engine top fuel car. I don't remember who's car it was, or who
was involved, but they said Buster had to drive one to know the problems
racers have, so he said OK. You probably know Buster was a large man,
and they squeezed him into the largest suit they could find, then jammed
him into the car. He said they went through the procedures of the push
start, the burn out and back up, and the run. He was told that he would
be smoked in possibly, and possibly oiled up so he couldn't see through
the goggles. If this happened, stick your elbows out into the chassis
to lock the steering straight, and count to seven, then pull the chute,
and turn off the fuel, and stop.
Buster said he understood all of it, so they pushed hum
down the fire up road, and he let out the clutch and fired the beast,
he said when it lit he was not so sure of himself, in fact he was a
little nervous. He did the burn out, and they pushed him back. The tree
went down, and he dumped the clutch and counted to seven "caus it was
shakin & smokin so bad he couldn't see nuthin', he pulled the chutes,
shut off the fuel, and stopped. The crew ran up beside the car and asked
what was wrong, and he realized he had moved about 100 feet off the
line. He decided his count was as fast as his heart beat, and he decided
he "didn't need to drive them thaings no more." He had all of us rolling
on the floor. What a character he was, and I hope he has a good starting
line up in Heaven.
Richard Burbick
5-SECOND PRO MOD PASS IS COMING, ONE
WAY OR ANOTHER
Ian Tocher's News/Analysis piece titled "Speed at Any
Price?" decries Mike Janis' attempt to run a five-second pass at the
upcoming Virginia Motorsports Park test session. Among Ian's points,
he notes that if Janis records a five using "a loose interpretation
of the IHRA rules," the record will have an asterisk next to it. He
also goes on to ask that if Janis wants to interpret the rules loosely,
why not tip a little nitro in his tank, too? The answer is that others
in the world are doing exactly these two things in an attempt to become
the first doorslammer in the five-second zone.
Tocher's entire article reflects a limited, IHRA-centric
point of view. There are other doorslammer racers in the world besides
IHRA Pro Modified. The Australians are incredibly eager to record the
world's first doorslammer five, and they have several racers who are
just one good air day away from getting it. Australian Peter Kapiris
rocked the world earlier this year with a 6.07, and when Victor Bray
gets his 237 mph horsepower into a newer, lighter, more aerodynamic
Castrol '57 Chevy this season, all bets may be off. The Australian Top
Doorslammers run under rules that could be construed as VERY loose interpretations
of IHRA rules, if indeed they cared at all about IHRA rules. They run
screw blowers and TFX aluminum hemis and if one of them runs the first
doorslammer five, you can bet they aren't going to be discussing asterisks.
As for nitro, the entire Super Chevy Circuit runs the
stuff and Bill Kuhlmann actually has run only .002 away from the magic
number with a 6.001 at Columbus in 2000. Bill himself is eager to get
his new NHRA/IHRA Legal Pro Mod machine into "outlaw" trim at a test
track in order to make a clean sweep of the "first in the fives/first
over 200" titles.
Mike Janis is one of only a handful of drivers ready to
eclipse the magic 6.00 barrier in a doorslammer -- a feat that will
happen this year, IHRA or no IHRA. A half dozen doorslammer teams around
the world are waiting for two things to happen at the same time: the
right weather at the right track. Janis is making the right call, taking
his shot at the earliest opportunity. In the worldwide race to the doorslammer
fives, the only real rule is: GET THERE FIRST.
Bill Pratt
EDITOR'S RESPONSE
I'll pass (your letter) along to Ian. I will also through
my two-bits in. I also believe that just going a five no matter how
you do it won't have the impact that accomplishing the same feat under
an established sanctioning body's rules will. When Bill went his 6.001
the sad fact is that the mainstream fans of drag racing knew little
of it and the sad fact it that it didn't get Bill the recognition it
deserved. Remember when Tony D put that Top Fuel motor in the '63 'Vette
body some years back. If he had got that deal to run a five would that
have been the first real doorslammer in the fives and would it have
gotten him or the "real" doorslammers recognition. I think not, but
I could be wrong. I have been before, many times.
I don't know if you are a baseball fan or not, but years
before Mark McGwire hit his 70 home runs a guy named Baker, I believe,
hit 66 home runs for the Triple-A farm team in Albuquerque which while
it was the organized baseball record meant nothing to most fans since
it was accomplished in the minor leagues. To this day there are plenty
of people (I'm not one of them) who don't recognize that Karamesines
broke the 200-mph barrier because he did it at Alton, Ill. Whether it's
with IHRA or NHRA I think that the guy that will get the recognition
for the first five will have to do it under sanctioned conditions. My
point is that if Mike Janis is able run a five in Virginia people probably
won't believe it until he backs it up in IHRA or NHRA legal trim.
Anyway I'm with Ian on this one.
Jeff Burk
JANIS ENGINE CLARIFICATION
Mr. Burk, I read your article on Mike trying to run in
the fives at Dinwiddie. Great article but just wanted you to know Mike
or myself never said we were trying to do that because we are not. We
have new technology we are going to be testing in John's funny car as
well as in Mikes Pro Mod and if we would happen to run a five we would
not only be in legal trim but also very surprised. I just wanted to
set the record straight.
Thank you.
Tom Anderson
EDITOR'S RESPONSE
Tom,
I was just going by the quotes attributed to Mike Janis
in a press release from Bobby Bennett concerning the upcoming Virginia
test session. We'll make note of your clarification of what your team
will be attempting to do at that event.
Thanks for the information.
Jeff Burk
P.S. The credit for the article has to go to Ian Tocher,
our ace IHRA beat writer. I didn't write this one. I'll pass the info
on to him.
LOOKIN' FOR LIONS RACER INFO
This is my first time on Drag Racing Online. The web sight
looks pretty good. I got here because I was trying to hunt down some
old pictures or articles. Specifically, old photographs or articles
about Lion's Dragstrip in the late 1960's. My father used to race a
38 Chevy Coupe gasser and used to hold a few titles and championships
in those days at Lion's. I'm looking for any old racing program, article,
or photo that might have had his name or picture in it. Kinda of a birthday
present.
Any suggestions or links that you think might help out
would be greatly appreciated.
Manuel Berg
jesusberg@hotmail.com
SECOND GENERATION NEEDS TO 'EARN IT'
Oh, come on, does anyone other than her famous father
really care what Ashley Force has to say? Why is someone who has never
won a round and never even raced anyone getting coverage? There are
HUNDREDS of racers at any given event who have worked harder, sacrificed
more, and generally deserve more recognition than Ashley does. Let me
be clear, I am not slamming Ms. Force, she is simply taking an opportunity
that is served to her on a silver platter, and I don't blame her one
bit for that. What I can't stand is the glamorizing of someone who has
done NOTHING at this point. NHRA panders so much to the established
stars that the uphill climb is nearly impossible for those not fortunate
enough to be born into a racing family. I'm willing to bet that the
2003 Rookie of the Year award is already engraved with Brandon Bernstein's
name, dare NHRA irritate King Kenny. Can we pleeeeese make these people
earn their coverage and their honors before giving it to them?
Tim McCain
'THIS (FILL IN THE BLANK)'S FOR YOU!'
My son & I just got back from the Winternationals. Great
racing, great weather, pretty women (we're from Truckee)..I think Powerade
& NHRA did a great job. Best of all, no one kept bugging me to trade
in my Bud draft for a case of Powerade.
Ed Mathot
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