2012 Dave Duell Classic
MoparStyle Racing Sponsor Report
Dave Schultz – August 6, 2012
The Dave Duell Classic
The Best Nostalgia Super Stock Racing Event
Dallas, Chloe, and I left for Bowling Green on Tuesday night at 9PM, and got as far as the Wal-Mart in Marshall at 1AM. I picked up driving at 5AM, we arrived at the track Wednesday at 5PM, and began to set up our pits.
Thursday morning we swapped out the non-adjustable Competition front set of shocks on Big Red Ram for a new set of AFCOs, established credentials, and teched the cars in.
Thursday night with the cars put away safely for the night, Dallas went out and bought two cases of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Beer (my favorite of the "Nectar of the Gods") for Father's Day and my Birthday. I pace myself with a one bottle a night policy.
Friday morning we had two time trial runs. It was so hot and muggy that no one could run their normal index. After the best of the two time trials had me at 9.81 — I went to the tower and changed my index to A/NSS — taking me out of the running for the Saturday FX race with a $1000 prize. Dallas had to change his from 9.50 (B/FX) to C/FX.
At 3PM, we had the first round of Qualifying. My weather station and Crew Chief software predicted that I'd run a 9.83 without weigh added, and a 9.94 with all of the weight I could legally add. So the plan was to go all out and then lift at the MPH cone. The plan worked as I hit a perfect 10.000.
As I was first (and ultimately the only) perfect ET on Qualifying — I was guaranteed the number one spot — and didn't need to run the other three qualifying passes. However, I was having trouble on the tree, so I used those passes to concentrate on that. Below is the final qualifying sheet of the 41 NSS racers. I was #1 and Dallas was also on the top half of the ladder with #18 of 41.
Saturday was class eliminations. I went to the finals and treed my opponent Jeff Frees pretty well, but gave him too much stripe, so I was runner up for A/NSS. I'd won my class in three of the last four tries at the Dave Duell Classic (in three different Indexes – C/FX, C/NSS, and A/NSS – with three different cars) so I was pretty dejected. However, all was well again when Dallas won the FX Class and the $1000.
On the "Big Show" (all 41 cars in an index race) Dallas was eliminated in the first round in a close race. I earned the Bye, since there was an odd number of cars and I was the Top Qualifier. Below is the ladder after the first round.
Yes, it is true that I drew Jeff Frees again for the second round of the big show Sunday. Because of an impending storm, they called us to the line at 8:25AM Sunday – as soon as the Meat Wagon arrived. My computer predicted that I was going to run a 9.91 — 1/10 too fast. We staged and I had a perfect .000 light against Jeff's .060 light. I was way ahead of him and felt sure of a double-break out, so I slowed just a little and let Jeff take the stripe. Big mistake. I couldn't believe the time slip! When I got back to the trailer and entered the slip — and saw the weather had changed hard and fast when we were in the staging lanes — and the computer felt I was going to run a 10.02 at the exact moment we had out run. I'd have won if I would have run the car out. I was sick!
I was fifth in points and Dallas was 3rd prior to this race, and none of the other Top 5 progressed — and by my "Unofficial" calculations I'll move up to third and Dallas will drop to 4th in the standings with two races left — one being a double points.
It was a good day for the women winning Wallys. In addition to Erica Enders winning one in NHRA Pro Stock, and Courtney Force winning one in NHRA Funny Car — the winner of the NHRA/NMCA Dave Duell Classic was Rosie Kossuth. One of the nicest ladies you'll ever meet. Congratulations to Rosie in Lady Max.
Also Dave's favorite charity was Santa Clothes. Between the donations at the driver's dinner, and the NSS race the week before — NSS racers ponied up over $7000 for this great cause.
