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Racer's Journal |
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After driving for John Rocca for the last two years in the Allan Pittman built "Ironhorse" Mercury, I was happy with what I had achieved, finishing ninth the first year and fourth the second year in IHRA Pro Mod competition. I had decided toward the end of last season to move on. I had some engine ideas and development plans for the blown alcohol engines being used in Pro Mod. With a truck full of shit but no promise of a ride, I moved to the warmth of sunny Michigan to work for Darren Mayer and Brian Robbins at Redline Design. The boys adopted the name of my engine shop in Australia: Thundercraft race engines. This is where I was the weekend of the Ground Hog Warm-Up in Darlington. As the phone calls came to tell us what was going on down there, I was suffering from the worst case of denial you could imagine. I tried to forget the fact that the guys were mixing it up on the strip for the first time this year and I had no real part of it. Oh well, it sucks to be me. Working away steadily on Allan Pittman's new bullet, the weekend and the race were eventually over. Going to bed on the Sunday night I thought it's gunna take a miracle for me to race this year. Monday morning Roy Singleton called and asked if I was interested in driving his hot rod. What? After a couple of seconds to think about the offer and a few more days of phone conversations, the deal was done. After delivering Pittman's new engine, I went to Darlington to meet Roy and his crew chief, Chuck Ford. We took the hot rod for a couple of launches and some half-track hits.
The next day we all went to the Virginia warm up. This is where we did some full track laps to get use to the feel of the 4-link car, since I had done most of my driving in swing arm cars. The TM race car feels a little different. Running a couple of 6.49's and a .48, the Willys handled pretty good. Having an invitation to the Gatornationals, this was going to be our next stop. Or maybe Roy (African-American) Chuck (from Alabama) and myself (Australian) should stop at a Radio Shack on the way to pick up a "Speak and Spell." It is interesting listening to a conversation between the three of us… |
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Australian Troy Critchley has been on the Pro Mod scene for several
years both in Australia and in the states. He drove Johnny Rocca's supercharged
'49 Merc in IHRA Pro Mod competition last year and ended up with a top
ten points finish. The talented young man is not only a driver but is
also an engine builder who had his own engine shop in Australia. This
year he has teamed up with Darren Mayer and Brian Robbins and opened
an engine shop in Michigan. Then he got a phone call that changed his
plans. Critchley is going to keep a journal for DRO this year of his
experiences in the NHRA Pro Mod exhibition series. 
