A Long
Fun Weekend at Pomona
The 40th
NHRA World Finals, held at Pomona Raceway on November 11-14,
2004 served as a specular format for Big Yohns Racing, their
Shubert & Herbert recreation and other legends from drag
racing history. This was the last of 24 races in the 2004 season
of the NHRA Drag Racing Series. As always, the World Finals puts
a period on a season and draws huge crowds getting their last
nitro fix until the Winternationals. This year was no exception
but there was even more "butts in the seats" because
of the "bonus show" sponsored and organized by the
folks from the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum. A huge display
of over 30 vintage race cars and exhibition runs by some of the
best Nostalgia Top Fuel dragsters and Fuel Altereds in the world
brought out folks who would have passed on the "Big Show"
by itself.
Wednesday
was the High School mechanics Show and Tell at at Pomona and
I left home at 6:00 A. M. to get there in time. Shubert/Herbert
is pretty much done, the tow car is pretty much done and now
the trailer is pretty much done. This was the first time the
El Camino was hooked up to the completed trailer, and with Shubert/Herbert
atop.
The "Big
Show" cars were just starting to set up their zip code size
pit areas while a hand full of volunteer Cacklecars were putting
on a show for thousands of school kids who were guests of NHRA
and the US Army. Why is this a good thing? There wasn't a person
in the stands that was born - even thought about - when these
cars were racing. These appreciative young adults got a birds
eye view of drag racing history. "What do you mean, dragsters
used to have the engine in FRONT on the driver!".
Here's
a "straight" to draw to! Wild Bill Alexander in the
Ernie's Camera Shop car, the Ewald Brothers "BankAmericar",
the Weekly, Rivero, Fox and Holding "Frantic Four",
us (pinch myself), the Kuhl and Olson car and finally the Howard
Cam Rattler. Never in a million years did I ever expect to be
part of a deal like this
El Camino and Shubert & Herbert in
wait.
For this affair, Big Yohns Racing crew chief, Marc
McCormick got the seat. My suit fits Zane pretty good, but no
way would Marc be able to wear it. They wanted vintage stuff,
so Marc borrowed Dennis Plater's fire suit jacket. That along
with my helmet, goggles, gloves etc. finished Marc off. All he
was missing was spats! You youngsters have no idea what spats
were, do you? I'm not going to tell you, look it up with Google!
Ron and son Kol behind
car.
We were a little late getting there (bad traffic
from San Diego) and we didn't intend to pre-fire so we simply
expected the car to light up on track, as needed. You all know
how this kind of expectation can lead to disappointment! But,
Shoobie (short for Shubert/Herbert) was as nice as pie and fired
right up, idled perfectly and was a real gentleman for Marc's
first cackle. Perfection.
Marc gives the "thumbs up"
after his first push start - first cackle. Yea, he dug it!
As you can see, we haven't changed the fuel tank
yet, it's still only about two gallons. But with the 15% Nitro
load we are running currently, and the barrel valve leaned out
some, it ran quite a while. In fact we ran until only Kuhl and
Ewald were left running, trying to burn each other down.
Sunday was another deal
entirely. There were going to be about 25 cars lined up, backed
against the safety wall at track edge, facing the grandstands
and we would all fire up together. We lined up behind the grandstands
at the tunnel where the cars return to the pit. Then we waited!
On the way up there, I dashed over to Doug Herbert's
pit area and boldly interrupted him while he was talking to his
crew. I quickly explained that we were only a couple of hundred
feet away, with the car his dad ran in 1965 and we would be delighted
if he would come over and take a look. He very graciously accepted
my offer and said he'd be over there as soon as he could.
Within about five minutes he was there. I had gone up to the
head of the line and wasn't there when he got there. I returned
just in time to grab my camera and snap this shot of Doug in
the car. He's a good sized fellow, about my height, but much
trimmer than I. He dropped right into the car and got a pretty
big smile on his face. We'll be seeing him again, you can count
on it.
While we waited for our time, as we got
close we were told to get everything ready, so Zane hopped into
the car and got situated and we hooked up battery cables and
got everything ready to fire. This time, we had pre-fired back
in the pits and made sure our combination was going to be okay.
We tried for the first time, to start the car with the biggest
Odyssey 12 volt battery. We had been using our race car battery
box, which is a 6 and a 12 volt Ultima making 18 volts. It does
great, but it's so heavy that with my Doctor imposed lifting
limit, I can't move it. The Odyssey weighs only about 25 pounds
and is a piece of cake for me. It worked fine, although the long
cables sapped some oomph and it was kind of lazy turning over.
We have since shortened the cables from 12 feet to 3 feet.
Zane Shubert ran the "Shubert & Herbert"
car dry. It was really fun to see Zane with such a sparkle in
his eye, and now that the medical reports have come in, that
he is, indeed, Cancer Free, he is enjoying himself a great deal.
He had his stepson, Kevin Corbett, with him. It was the first
time I had met Kevin and I think it was probably the first time
he had seen Zane in a race car. I think it was an enjoyable experience
for both of them, so that it was more special yet for all of
us!
Well, this is probably the last function for 2004. I still haven't
really figured out how much the car and trailer cost. I don't
think I will work on that any more, I already know more than
I need to about it. But, was it worth it? Yes, yes, You Bet!
The existence of the car has had a profound effect on some people
besides me. It is much more satisfying than the Street Rod than
I had prior to the race car. I was concerned that the ownership
experience of Shubert/Herbert would be like that was. The car
was a nice 32 Ford Victoria, previously owned by Andy "Rodfather"
Brizio and his wife Sue. I always felt "flat" when
I took it to a cruise or car show or whatever. It was nice but
few if anyone but me cared.
With Shubert/Herbert, each outing is an adventure and the response
of the people who look at it and touch it is so different than
the Street Rod crowd. Taking nothing away from them as people,
but for the most part they're just not racers and race fans.
I didn't fit there, I do here.
Kol has been in it with the motor running, Marc has, Zane has,
Ronnie Goodsell has. My turn next! I have never been in the seat
of a Nitro burner with the motor running. It's about time, don't
you think? |