Maryland Mopar Hemipalooza! Lots of 6's!!

Our primary objective was to put on a show for the Hemi faithful, make A to B, 6 second runs, approaching or over 200, without tearing things up…much. Secondarily, to try some things and continue to learn and improve BlackbirdX’s performance in what we thought would be an unplugged configuration but even more importantly, to spend time with friends, customers and like minded G3 Hemi aficionados.

Thanks first to God and then to the hard work, terrific skills, unwavering support and broad/deep knowledge of this great team, beginning with Jena Turk, Keaton Vester, Keith West and our fantastic wheel man, Alex Laughlin….we accomplished the mission.

We made 6 passes, 5 of the 6, A to B in the 6s (one with a very badly slipping clutch at 7.000 ) and one at 199+. On two other attempts, we didn’t go 10’ as the oil pressure sensor misinformed the control, to shut off.

And, we saved the best for last, in still good, but not stellar air… we went even a touch quicker than our previous night air run.

It turns out that due to several recent NHRA rule changes, aside from trying some wider tires strongly recommended by some, we went back to the 10.5Ws and then were actually running BBX in a configuration that was beyond legal (40 lbs heavy with less blower drive pulley than is now allowed) and likely slower by a decent bit than it would be under current Factory X rules.

25 years ago, I raced in my first IHRA National event here, running ‘Beep Beep’, our 1973 Plymouth Road Runner in Stock Eliminator. When I think of my then 5 year old son, and consider him as the currently 30 year old man he is today, or look at what and how we race today vs. the Road Runner back then, it reminds me just what a long, and often wonderful, road led us back here now. What a fantastic facility and crew, I shouldn’t have waited 25 years to come back.

The list of thank you’s beyond them is so long….just so many great folks and teams, have contributed to that run… a run, still a tenth or more away from what’s possible. Obviously BES Racing Engines, RAM Clutches, Liberty's Gears Racing News, and Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels but so many more.

Lastly, thank you to Modern Street HEMI Shootout team for giving us the stage and the awesome series and places to race.