Keith & all,
Bryant Racing had another successful meet. We reached our goal of
putting my nephew, Ken Smith, into the Club with a 244.260 MPH Record.
On Thursday, he had qualified at 245.565 MPH on our 243.502 MPH Record.
After getting all the festivities out of the way, we removed the High
Speed By-Pass that we had been running and Jeff took a ride at 241+, a
super rich run. We came back to the pits, adjusted the select a jet a
notch leaner, refueled and got the car ready to put back in line. We
waited about an hour in the pits to see Tom Burkland make his first run,
a parachute test, then pushed down to the starting line.
You might say that our week ended with a BANG! When it came our turn to
run, we fired the car and got into the truck to push off. Jeff revved
the engine and that ended our week. Evidently, the previous run had put
a lot of alky into the crankcase and the sitting and waiting all closed
up, the vapors collected under the hood. Revving the engine gave
ignition to the vapors and you would not believe the damage a sneeze can
do to the car.
The driver is OK, just had trouble breathing for a bit, but the car is a
mess. Almost every dzus fastener on the exterior of the car is damaged,
(I have not checked under the car yet), the belly pan does sag a bit,
the top of the car is separated from the windshield post on the right
side and cracked on the other side, the right side door is damaged, the
skirting is bulged out on both sides, even the dzus fasteners in the
turtle deck are ruined. About the only thing that escaped damage is the
nose of the car.
I learned two things from this experience...It is good to give the
underhood ventilation before making a run, (the same situation you have
fueling inboard engined boats) and I will now have an easy underhood
access for fire extinguishers. We have discussed this in the past on the
network. I would recommend that everyone install an access door on both
sides of the car for extinguishers. I know I will. It cost me a
discharged fire bottle and some fire damage that would not have been
necessary if the car had been so equipped.
Sorry I didn't get to see Tom make his record, but we got out of town
Saturday at 8 AM. I did see Freddy D's 361 run, with a 322 MPH 1/4. Not
too shabby. The world's fastest open wheeled car.
Well, I now have to get busy if I am going to make the November Lakes Meet.
Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/FCC
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