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FFW Richmond would mark my 2nd event in Pro 5.0 this season. We arrived in Richmond in the wee hours of Saturday morning after driving through pouring rain across 3 states. The forecast didn’t look good, with rain predicted at 50-60% chance for the rest of the weekend. Still, we showed up to the track when the gates opened to unload and get ready to rumble.

Because I wasn’t arriving until Saturday morning, I had only two qualifying shots remaining. My first qualifying pass resulted in a 7.56 @ 183 mph. The car made a slight move at the 1/8th mile, but I was able to salvage the run and drive it through the finish. Many of the other PRO cars were having difficulties with that piece of the track.

2nd round, the car experienced problems cranking in the burnout box. The negative g’s of the parachute deploying from the round before had sloshed the fuel to the front of the cell, and caused the mechanical fuel pump to loose prime. Since we towed the car to the lanes, we were not aware of this until I tried starting the car in the burnout box. Dan & Josh Kuhn raced to get the hood off and manually added fuel to the throttle body to force the pump to regain prime. They buttoned me back up, but since I was now running out of order, the run would not count towards qualifying. Still, I staged and ran a 7.33 @ 185 mph.

That paired me going into eliminations with David Schorr. David is a regular of FFW Pro 5.0, and although he wasn’t able to make a clean hit in qualifying, we knew the car was capable of mid 6’s on race day. That point was further evident with the Schorr’s Sunday test pass, where he ran deep into the 6’s prior to the start of 1st round.I knew that I didn’t have enough muscle (horsepower… my engine has a stock 460 4 bolt block and cast steel crank), so my shot was to stay consistent and cut a good light to stay ahead. That would backfire, as I ended up pushing through the beams Sunday to a redlight 7.30 @ 186 performance.

Now that we are home, we’re hard at work preparing for the FFW Norwalk event July 7th-9th. The converter needed desperately to be sent back to Neal Chance Racing Converters to be tightened up, as it was only dropping 300 RPM on the gear shifts. Marty Chance predicts that the car will be squarely in the 6’s with just the changes made to the converter. Wish me luck as I shoot to be the first female in the 6’s in FFW Pro 5.0!

I know, do I even race anymore?

So, now that we are somewhat settled into the new abode in Alabama, we all headed to the racetrack yesterday for some testing. Dan & Josh made some repairs to my car Saturday from the Atlanta outing, discovering why the darn thing wouldn’t go down the track– the wheelie bars were bending. Dan reenforced the bars adding thicker metal over the exsisting bars to strengthen them and eliminate the flexing problem. First pass, Dan asked me to take it to the 330′ so he can watch it. The launch was smooth, Dan made some minor adjustments to the wheelie bars, but noticed that the tranny was still leaking significantly. So, we remove the trans tunnel sheet metal, and find that the wraps placed around the tranny in Atlanta to stop the leaking were soaked and oil was still coming out. Apparently, the old-school Lencos are notorious about leaking from the seals since day 1. So, we clean and place fresh rags to catch the oil, and head back out. Dan added power, and the launch was clean and straight– the 60′ improving from 1.20’s to a 1.13. A few more adjustments, and we decide to run it through the 1/8th mile. Even with a slight opps on my part (he said to run it through, dummy!), the car ran a 4.8 in the 1/8th. Definitely glad to have solved the handling problem from Atlanta.

A very long weekend for me. I didn’t expect to have this many new car bugs holding me back this far into the learning progress, but I knew going into this that I was making do with the ultimate “budget-built” project, and that setbacks were to be expected. When Dan arrived on Thursday night, we found that the tranny was the problem. It was low on fluid, and wouldn’t lock up properly. Filled it back up, and found that the drain plug had been loose. I got down and tightened it, and cleaned the undercarriage thinking the problem was fixed.

So, Friday arrives. First pass, I was lined up a bit crooked I think, and it went hard left. Came back, got ready for 1st round of qualifying. Didn’t do so bad, but the car is still very, very lazy. Run a 7.85 @ 189. That would be my only pass of the whole weekend. Each time I’d go up to the starting line, the car was leaking trans fluid. We’d bring it back, jack it up, and check again, but it seemed each time it would drop fluid. And of course, each time it would hit the tires and cause the car to lose traction. Aborted pass after aborted pass.

The lone 7.85 put me at #15 qualifier, matched against Chuck Samuels first round. We blanketed the transmission to avoid any leakage and headed for the starting line. Added some power to try and wake it up, but of course as soon as the power came on, it affected the pre-load and drove the car out of the groove.

On the positive side, I feel more comfortable in the car, and I’m ready to start turning it up to avoid the constant load changes on the chassis. The car wants to leave under power, and doesn’t like it being thrown down track after such a soft launch. So, more testing to come… Thanks so much to everyone who lent a helping hand this weekend, as I showed up with zero crew for the weekend: (Dan was driving, Josh & Biscuit were in Bradenton crewing for the 10.5 car) Brad, Debbie, Alan, Al, Brian, PJ, Dennis and everyone else who helped out–THANKS!

It was also great seeing Heather & Mike back out at the races, and Sarah & her dad who came out to offer some support. I had a great time! We have such a great group of people who race with us, its always such a blast with everyone! CONGRATS to John & the whole Gullett empire on such a kickass weekend! At least we kept it in the pit!

Next up: going to the paint shop, the powder coater, and all the other little details.

A few days ago, I received an email from Jenny H. asking for my participation in an interview to include in her school project on “Drag Racing– An American Touchstone”. I thought it was a neat project to be able to help Jenny out with, and thought I’d share with you some of the questions she put together for me with the rest of you.

Jenny– Why did you choose to drag race? Did you have any idols/inspirations?
Erica— I discovered drag racing right after my high school graduation. I didn’t have a family involved in motorsports, my parents could hardly change a tire! Still, I was always racing around from place to place in high school, oblivious to the fact I was driving a painfully slow pick up truck at the time. Right after graduation, I bought my first car; a 1990 Mustang GT. I would take it out to the Test & Tune nights at my local track, perfecting my lights and driving skills. It wasn’t quite fast enough, so I started hanging out at a local performance shop, and attending some drag races. I was hooked! My spare time away from the track was spent with my eyes glued to the pages of the racing magazines, trying to absorb every bit of knowledge I could about the sport. As I learned more, I grew to admire many great pioneers in drag racing. But, the most inspirational and encouraging people have been the ladies who have paved the way in drag racing: great champions like Shirley Muldowney, Melanie Troxel, Angelle Sampey, and the rest of the ladies in the sport.

Jenny– How many years have you been racing?
Erica– Since 1998. I have had the wonderful opportunity to live & breathe my dream everyday for the past 8 years.

Jenny– Why did you choose to run Pro 5.0?
Erica– I started at the very bottom of the sportsman ranks in the Bracket 3 class of several all-Ford racing series. As I progressed as a driver, I moved up the ranks from True Street to Drag Radial, and my latest adventure… Pro 5.0, the fastest class in our series. My ultimate goal is to find a ride in NHRA Pro Modified or Pro Stock, and maybe even Top Fuel.

Jenny– How do you think drag racing as a whole has changed over the years (technologically, etc.)?
Erica– Everyday, racers seem to do the unthinkable and break down barriers unimaginable just a short time ago. Teams defy all obstacles set before them to keep them back, and no matter how many rules or restrictions are placed on us to slow us down, we all find a way to go just a little faster on race day. Along with such great advancement in power and speed, I think its critically important to also strive for the advancement of safety in the sport. The high speeds are a dangerous gamble for every driver on the track, but with continued focus on maintaining the highest standards of safety specifications, we minimize the likelihood of tragedy when incidents occur.

Jenny– How do you think drag racing has become an American phenomenon to the public?
Erica– Drag Racing has typically been overshadowed by NASCAR & Formula racing formats in the general American public. However, with the renewal of the factory “hot rod” wars, and the manner in which drag racing has remained grass roots and accessible to its fans and supporters, I believe that drag racing has emerged from the shadows to claim its place in the spot light. The younger generations are learning to embrace drag racing from exposure to Hollywood’s glitzy portrayal of American’s undying love of the automobile in movies such as Gone in 60 Seconds, and even the Fast & the Furious. Drag racing gives families a safe venue of pure adrenaline that people of all ages– from Jr. Dragsters on up, a chance to play along in a safe environment.

Jenny–Do you think that drag racing will still increase in popularity in future years? How so?
Erica– I definitely see drag racing’s rise in popularity growing drastically in coming years. The accessibility to fans and would-be participants makes it a very welcoming sport. Interaction with drivers, programs for families and youths, and the plethora of available classes and sanctions for every taste and budget; are some of the great benefits unique to drag racing that are not available in other racing venues. The grassroots mentality and support will propel the sport forward with ever-increasing momentum.

Jenny– What do you think is the worst accident you have had? Were there any injuries?
Erica– Thankfully, I have only been involved in one minor accident on the track (::Knock on wood::). Early in 2003, a mechanical failure caused fluid to spill out all over the track surface and under my tires, resulting in a scary hydroplane situation just before the 1/8th mile. I was able to steer out of a worse impact, but a rear flat tire (the result of the slide) caused the car to steer into the guardrail. It broke the headlamp, and all damage was minor cosmetic. Thanks to the required & properly used safety equipment, I was unharmed.

Jenny– How do you connect with your fans? Is it on a friendly ‘sure-here’s-an-autograph degree’ or sometimes a more personal degree?
Erica– I am a huge people person, and enjoy meeting new people. I am no different than any one else, and I try to make myself available for my fans to talk to me at any time. I am active on internet message boards, and I encourage people to visit my website and comment back. At the track, I balance working on the car and other raceday duties, but always will try and take a moment to stop and talk to people interested in the team & myself. I love to make new friends, and I don’t mind sharing my experiences with others who have the same ambitions as I have had for the past 8 years. Anything I can do to help!

Jenny– What was drag racing like during the beginning of your career? What about today?
Erica– I started driving my 15.00 second street car at the local test & tune. Back then, I would go round after round trying to perfect my reaction times and ET’s. I started entering Bracket competitions, and started modifying the car to go faster. I took time to learn from whatever reliable sources would offer the time to teach. Today, I still am hungry for more knowledge on improving as a driver and tuning the cars. I feel blessed to have progressed up the ranks in such a short time, and am grateful for every opportunity that has come my way. I am determined and unrelenting in my pursuit, and its my hope that this passion will lead me to realize my dream in coming years. Never give up!!!

Jenny– Have you broken any track records? What about speed barriers?
Erica– I haven’t secured any track records, but a few of my proudest accomplishments have been being the runner-up for the FFW Drag Radial Championship in 2003, being the first female in the 8’s on a radial tire, winning the Gainesville True Street event in 2002, and my runner-up finish at my first race ever, World Ford Challenge Bracket 3 competition in 2001.

Thanks, Jenny! Hope this helps!

xoxo,
Erica

Note: It was brought to my attention by some of my close friends that I need to translate my blog postings for the not-so-race-savvy supporters out there. I’ll try my best to translate as I go…

Well, the little “funk” I’ve been going through trying to get acclimated to the new car has passed, I hope. I think it was directly associated to my annual birthday funk I go through, but nevertheless, it was frustrating and mentally draining. The funk disappeared, and I got my driving “Mo-jo” back. We have the car detuned so I could attempt a first 1/4 mile pass since I have been pretty consistent getting it down the 1/8 mile. (non-racer translation: the car is slowed down a bunch to keep it mild mannered and easy to drive)

So, out to the NMRA Reynolds, GA race on Saturday to make some exhibition passes (since bbf/twins are not legal by NMRA rule to run Pro 5.0). Straight out of the box, it ran a 7.51 @ 187 mph smooth and easy. Let me tell you, I thought the launch in these cars was surprising, it was NOTHING compared to feeling those dual chutes deploy! Those are the HARDEST hitting parachutes I’ve ever felt! (Non-racer translation: That was waaay cool, and its not even near its potential!)

We attempted 2 more qtr mile passes after that, but the car developed an electrical hiccup, and didn’t make any worthwhile hits.

The run can be viewed on NMRA TV. As long as they don’t switch the link location on me again, I should be the very last car down the track on that segment of the broadcast.

A few photos I found online have been placed in my photo gallery. If any of you see any other images out there I missed, send ’em my way. (All my photog friends couldn’t make it, so I had no photo/video for the site.)

On Sunday, after packing up at Reynolds the night before, traveling back to the shop (1 hour away), and then back PAST Reynolds again to Macon Nat’l Dragway in Macon, GA… we unloaded for the Dixie Pro Mod race and got to work trying to find the hiccup. Josh and I went over the whole car looking for loose connections, broken wires, or any sign of what may have caused the car to shut off on the starting line twice the night before, but didn’t find anything significant enough to have been the culprit.

So, we warmed it up and took it to the starting line. The problem seemed to be gone, and we were able to make it just past the shift transition before it got loose due to track conditions, still coasting to a 5.03 1/8th mile. (Non-racer translation: Whew! It was a little slippery out there!) That qualifying attempt made me the first turbo car ever to run with the Dixie Pro Mod Association after their new rule revision allowed deviation from the long standing nitrous only tradition. Further qualifying attempts proved more of the same challenges with traction, and I fell just short of qualifying for the 8 car field.

Overall, not a bad weekend. It was definitely good preparation for the upcoming Fun Ford Weekend event in Commerce (ATL), GA this weekend. I will be testing Thursday and racing Fri-Sun in Pro 5.0 for the first time. Payday for this event is $30,000 in Pro, which I don’t think I have a prayer for yet, but I’ll be turning up the wick to get a little closer. I’m hoping for a 6 second timeslip or a 200 mph pass… we’ll see if my ambitious goal will be obtainable so early!

Wish me luck!!!