I got to the track early. I loaded up all my equipment the night before including my car, so in the morning I just had to swap vehicles at work and go. I arrived at WALL about 10 am. The only other cars I remember seeing were SNOOKER and LIL Stinker. My pit man arrived about 10:30 and we loaded everything into the car and got into the inspection line. I had to do 2 things to pass inspection:
1) remove the turn signal lever
2) remove the hood springs.
I took a spot in the pits next to BAD NEWS whom I`d met in person about 15 minutes prior and DREW pitted next to me. We unloaded the car and hooked up the generator and radio. I swapped tires with the ones I had run screws through and cut out the passenger seat cushion to place against my driver side door. (Thanks BAD NEWS, and VICIOUS VICKI for the tip). I filled the radiator. Bolted the chains down and was ready. I was running in the 2nd heat and had time to watch 2 street stock races. I watched the first demo race, both BAD NEWS and Drew ran in the first. Something happened to Drews car and he was out early. Bad news however was taking a pounding in his Lebaron Turbo. I watched as it came down to Bad news and somebody else.

At this point I donned my nomex hood and suit, threw on my helmet and entered my car. (At this point I was feeling very nervous) I got in line and in about 5 minutes was through the gate and on my way down to track 2. The screams from the crowd were very loud as a lot of my family and friends had shown up for the event. I was placed in line facing the crowd. I looked behind me and there was no one behind me. I glanced back at the crowd. When I turned around again I notice a big yellow cadillac had been placed right behind me. They started the countdown and my first reaction was to avoid the big car. At the last second I decided to go for it. I stepped on the gas and we met in the middle of the track. I was rocked violently. I thought I was going to land in the back seat. My car stalled and it took me a couple of seconds to regain my composure and get the car started again. I was to find out later that I won that battle. The rear of that cadillac was severely bent down from the impact. The rest of the race was really a blur. The car was running good and I made it down to about the last 4 or 5 cars. I slammed into NASTY HABIT and got caught on his bumper. My car was still running fine but both of my tires were off of the ground and I was stuck. The race ended. I couldn’t tell you who won. As I got out of the car I took a quick peek around to see the damage. The rear of the car was in great shape, however the front was badly damaged and I was leaking some sort of brown fluid along with water from the radiator.

They started counting off for fans favorite. My fans were the loudest but somehow Lil Stinker got picked as fans choice. He even came over to me and told me that he thought I should have won fans choice. I thought my day was over but I ended up splitting the judges choice with NASTY HABIT. We had to split the prize, only one of us could have the trophy. I let him call it in the air. He called heads, it landed tails and I got the trophy. We talked a little and shook hands ( He was very nice). The big forklift came over. I told him that if he just pushed my car I could probably drive it back to the pits. He pushed me free. I started the car and headed for the pits.

As I made my way to the pits I noticed that the steering felt hard. I got into the pits and it was wild. LiL stinker had been dropped in my spot and I pulled into BAD NEWS` spot. We cut the chains to the hood and opened it. Transmission fluid was everywhere. It had covered just about every inch of engine. The front bumper was ripped of on the right side and the left quarter was bent against the wheel. The radiator had been smashed right to the block and the steering pump pulley was bent. The transmission line was severed where it connected to the radiator and Drew lent me a piece of fuel line to repair it. I started torching the twisted metal from the front quarter while my Pit man Tom was working on the engine and trans line. Before you know it we heard them say 5 minutes to the final. We were putting the last fixes on when Tom told me to get in the damn car and get ready. He finished chaining down the hood and I was off.

While in the pits I saw BAD NEWS working on a car that was given to him. They were trying to bend the ass end back up on it. (HIS turbo was DONE). I pulled down onto the track for the final and was feeling relaxed. The final started and things were going smooth. At some point I noticed there weren’t many cars left so I started using my front end. (BIG MISTAKE) !!!! I ran my front end smack into another car and right after this a car hit me in the passenger door and died. My car was still running but I had lost the steering. I kept rocking the car back and forth trying to get out. I was just about to break free and an official came over and told me I had been stuck too long and to shut it down. 662
had won the final. I waited patiently as all other cars were removed from the track. I was the last car removed. When I finally got back to the pits. BAD NEWS had already left and my pitman TOM had most of the gear loaded on the truck already. A couple of kids came by and I gave my Sylvester to one of them. A couple of kids came and asked for an autograph. This was by far the high point of the day.

STAY TUNED FOR SOME PIT PICTURES.
I SHOULD HAVE THE POSTED AROUND MAY
9th