Y2K A year of Adversity.
2000 SIR 2000 was dedicated to my father who passed away suddenly on November 29 1999.
This was also the first time that I have ever put the emphasis on going rounds and being consistent instead of trying to make it faster.
Right from the start of the year I was doing better then I had ever done, I was winning rounds and running consistently.
June 17 2000
This was my first Fathers Day without my Dad, and it proved to be a very overwhelming one.
I had been having problems with my car, and on Thursday night when I got back into town, I tore it apart to find that I had a blown head Gasket, I had the heads planed on Friday and after work on Friday I started getting at it, working in a dimly lit garage, I spent a lot of time checking and double checking everything in order to ensure that it would all be good .
I was up and running right around noon so off to the track I went for the test and tune, where the car ran flawlessly, and the best # that it has run to date!
Sunday, the Fathers Day Race.
The car was running great, I was taking care of business at the tree and at top end, going round after round, this was turning out to be one heck of a day.
I was having a problem keeping my emotions in check, after 8 years I could have finally been able to call my Dad and tell him that I finally made it to the finals with my car, But of course I could not, it was too late he was no longer there.
My emotions got the better of me in the Final round, A big red bulb told me that my race was over even before it started.
That day was full of extreme high's and deep low's.
I feel that was the day that his death really sunk in for me, He was really gone and would never be back again.
The rest of the season was filled with breakage, and other problems with the car, yet I still ended up with my best finish ever, at sixth overall for the year.
My combination for 2000
I found an 88 HO motor that was supposed to be a recent rebuild ( .030 Oversize ), which I paid $400.00 for.
Ford Motorsports X 303 Cam
Mildly ported stock heads
Weiand Stealth Intake
Holley 600 Double pumper
Holley Blue pump, and Regulator
Auto Specialties Street pulleys
Ford Motorsports 1 5/8 Stainless Steel headers
MSD 6AL, with a 2 Step rev limiter
14 X 4 Inch K & N filter
1992 World Class T5 ( 3.35 first gear ratio )
Pro 5.0 Shifter
1992 8.8, 4.10 Gears
Western Motorsports X Trac Posi unit
Lakewood Traction Bars
Ram Kevlar clutch
Autometer Shift lite, and Temp Gauge
5 Point Roll bar
RCI 5 Point Harness
And the most Important piece of equipment in bringing me some consistency,
Mickey Thompson 26 X 11.5 X 16 ET Streets
This was also the first time that I have ever put the emphasis on going rounds and being consistent instead of trying to make it faster.
Right from the start of the year I was doing better then I had ever done, I was winning rounds and running consistently.
June 17 2000
This was my first Fathers Day without my Dad, and it proved to be a very overwhelming one.
I had been having problems with my car, and on Thursday night when I got back into town, I tore it apart to find that I had a blown head Gasket, I had the heads planed on Friday and after work on Friday I started getting at it, working in a dimly lit garage, I spent a lot of time checking and double checking everything in order to ensure that it would all be good .
I was up and running right around noon so off to the track I went for the test and tune, where the car ran flawlessly, and the best # that it has run to date!
Sunday, the Fathers Day Race.
The car was running great, I was taking care of business at the tree and at top end, going round after round, this was turning out to be one heck of a day.
I was having a problem keeping my emotions in check, after 8 years I could have finally been able to call my Dad and tell him that I finally made it to the finals with my car, But of course I could not, it was too late he was no longer there.
My emotions got the better of me in the Final round, A big red bulb told me that my race was over even before it started.
That day was full of extreme high's and deep low's.
I feel that was the day that his death really sunk in for me, He was really gone and would never be back again.
The rest of the season was filled with breakage, and other problems with the car, yet I still ended up with my best finish ever, at sixth overall for the year.
My combination for 2000
I found an 88 HO motor that was supposed to be a recent rebuild ( .030 Oversize ), which I paid $400.00 for.
Ford Motorsports X 303 Cam
Mildly ported stock heads
Weiand Stealth Intake
Holley 600 Double pumper
Holley Blue pump, and Regulator
Auto Specialties Street pulleys
Ford Motorsports 1 5/8 Stainless Steel headers
MSD 6AL, with a 2 Step rev limiter
14 X 4 Inch K & N filter
1992 World Class T5 ( 3.35 first gear ratio )
Pro 5.0 Shifter
1992 8.8, 4.10 Gears
Western Motorsports X Trac Posi unit
Lakewood Traction Bars
Ram Kevlar clutch
Autometer Shift lite, and Temp Gauge
5 Point Roll bar
RCI 5 Point Harness
And the most Important piece of equipment in bringing me some consistency,
Mickey Thompson 26 X 11.5 X 16 ET Streets
This car has a full stereo system, with Premier Deck,CD Changer, Autotec Amp, 2 12 inch Rockford Fosgate subs, and speakers.
The car is 3600 pounds and was driven with an average of 20 to 30 thousand kms, with the exception of a couple of hundred kms all were TOPLESS!!!
The top only goes up when absolutely necessary ( Gale force winds/Torrential rain) It averages about 3-4 times a year, I am not kidding, I really don't like to have the top up at all.
The car does hibernate during winter.
I reached my quickest and fastest time this year @ 13.41 and 101.89mph, with a best 60 ft time of 1.81.
The year was plagued with problems, and I only had one race weekend without having major problems.
Some of the problems that I encountered during the year:
Numerous Blown Headgaskets
Broken Shifter handle bolt ( still ran well shifting without a shifter )
2 Broken Axle's
1 Broken Posi unit
Lots of different carb changes trying to find problems that in the end was a bad motor.
The car is 3600 pounds and was driven with an average of 20 to 30 thousand kms, with the exception of a couple of hundred kms all were TOPLESS!!!
The top only goes up when absolutely necessary ( Gale force winds/Torrential rain) It averages about 3-4 times a year, I am not kidding, I really don't like to have the top up at all.
The car does hibernate during winter.
I reached my quickest and fastest time this year @ 13.41 and 101.89mph, with a best 60 ft time of 1.81.
The year was plagued with problems, and I only had one race weekend without having major problems.
Some of the problems that I encountered during the year:
Numerous Blown Headgaskets
Broken Shifter handle bolt ( still ran well shifting without a shifter )
2 Broken Axle's
1 Broken Posi unit
Lots of different carb changes trying to find problems that in the end was a bad motor.
