Doc

In answer to your question regarding the shifter not working in the Fast Four finals . . . It is possible that I did not "arm" the shifter before the final round. I tested the shifter afterwards and it seems to be working OK. Possibly a "senior" moment on my part.

Regarding the possible 10 second pass . . . On the previous round against the Hillside Six car, I shut-off the NOS at the 1/8 mile (MY BAD!) and it still ran an 11.14 in the quarter and 6.83 in the 1/8. By my calculations, had I stayed in it, it would have ran a 10.74. Maybe someday I'll be able to join the "10-Second Club".

Ron

Yes, I know what you mean about having a "senior moment".
I find that as my car gets faster, it has more stuff to keep track of.

These days my staging routeen is pretty complicated:
Put on the helmet, buckel-up & roll-up the window
Do the burn-out
Crank-open the NOS bottle
Pull-up to Pre-stage
Turn-on the electric fuel pump
Cut the alturnator field (alt. off)
Arm the NOS system
Put the shifter into second gear (the tranny knows when to do the 1st-2nd shift)
Now stage it in to the right spot and set your launch RPM
Cut a good light.

Once I'm moving I just have to watch the shift light for the 2-3rd shift and watch the other car for the finish line decision. (stay in it or throw-out the anchor)

I sometimes miss racing the stockers, pull right up into the lights and wait for the other car. Cut a light, kill some time (about 20 seconds) then decide what to do at the finish line.
Life was easer back then.
DD

When I race the Duster I always think of Disney book I read to my kids. Goofy and Donald are in a car race across town. Goofy repeats the whole time "Slow & Steady,...Steady & Slow,... That's the way I always go." You can figure out who won the race. I haven't got the winning part figured out yet. It's been awhile since I used to take home the Friday Night trophy at Firebird in Phoenix with my brutally consistent 19 second Dart.
The youth group kids are coming over tonight to put the four barrel and headers on the Duster. We're gonna have this thing in the teens if this tired motor holds up.
Hope to see y'all in Wilkesboro, NC August 22-23.