After a long delay due to weather cancelling Chaos in the Corn Field at Eddyville Raceway Iowa, the team has finally made it Cordova Dragway in Illinois. Going into the weekend the team knew this was going to be a tough race and was going to need a bit of luck, due to the combination of a good track and a strong showing of nitro cars that enter this event each year. Every race team needs a bit of luck every now and then, and Williams is no exception, as he was on the receiving end of it this weekend. However lucky Williams was, it was the teams skill and experience that setup the weekend for success.
It all started with a plan, the goal was to qualify as high as possible and not be on the same side of the ladder as the nitro car, easy right. Well at the start of Q1 the Drastic Plastic team was first pair and set the bar high right away, running a 3.454 at 227 MPH, and the alcohol guys were now gunning for the number 2 spot.
Off the trailer Williams ran a 3.678 at 207MPH this would be good enough to clinch the #2 qualifying position. This time would be enough to keep Williams in that number #2 position at the end of Friday night Qualifying. The plan was looking good…
Saturday was the third and final qualifying attempt. The Q3 run did not go as planned, the car left the line and quickly died. It sounded as if it was an ignition issue. The team returned to the pits to find that the crank hub had sheared the key stock allowing the engine to retard its timing and die. Williams would hold onto that number 2 spot and face Ray Drew in the first round. That Plan is still looking pretty good.
A Field Final Qualifying order.
- Dave Hirata (3.454 , 227.38mph)
- Kirk Williams (3.678, 207.62mph)
- Shayne Lawson (3.736, 202.85mpn)
- Robbie Massey (3.752, 202.79mph)
- Bill Bernard (3.760, 203.28mph)
- Ray Drew (3.794, 190.22mph)
- Jim Chase (3.815, 192.33mph)
- Lance Van Hauen (3.831, 191.65mph)
After a poor the third round of qualifying due to a pair of broken key stocks, the team would roll into the first round against Ray Drew where the team would receive a bit of luck. As the track had changed for the worse and the car struck the tires on the hit, it would appear that the race was over. However Ray went 0.024 red and was disqualified. The plan was still alive!
In the second round of eliminations the team be up against Robbie Massy. Robbie would be forced to sit the round due to a burned up rear main. This would give Williams a bye into the finals. This was a bit lucky as the car shook hard and would end up breaking the rear motor mounts. This would setup a final round against the Drastic Plastic team. To beat a good fuel team like Plastic Williams needs to go A to B.
Before heading into the final round against Drastic Plastic the crew had some works to do. They needed to repair the broken motor mounts. Along with doing their normal maintenance and changing the tune up to ensure the car makes it down the track. The way the design of the rear motor mounts are, provide 2 benefits. First it and most importantly the design protects the bottom frame rail and second it makes for easy repair. The team has welded a “sacrificial” pc to the main frame rail where to which the motor mount is welded to. In the event of hard shake and the motor mount breaks away from the car it will tear a chunk out of the “sacrificial” piece leaving the main frame rail un damaged. This ensures that the bottom frame rail will maintain it’s integrity much longer.
With the frame rail fixed and the car going back together in the clutch area and the regular engine maintenance complete. It was now time to implement Chris the Crew Chief’s master plan that he is confident would make the car go, and give the best chance for victory.
The final round against Drastic Plastic would be an exciting drag race! Both cars line up and take the pre-stage after a short pause Hirata makes the first move and lights the stage bulb. Williams quickly follows bringing the revs up and goes into stage. The tree activates and Williams is off with the advantage, cutting a 0.012 light to Hirata’s 0.122 light. Williams was on a good run and looked to be ahead, however this advantage would fade down track with Hirata also on a good run tracking Williams down quickly. Hirata drives around Williams for the win using all of the track. Grazing the wall just past the finish line.
Williams would run a 3.701 at 203.25 mph to Hirata’s 3.465 at 229.43 mph.
In then end the plan work up until the final round. It was a good weekend nothing major was damaged, we made the final round, and went A to B giving us the best chance to win the round. The team worked hard, and was proud of what they accomplished together. We also need to thank the people who help us on and off the track.
Redline Oil, Goodlife RV, CP Carrillo, Good Year, Ward Luke Construction, and Star Racer
