Topic: Attending Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School

[johngenx]

AWESOME!

I've been involved in all kinds of motorsport and when I took up bracket racing I didn't really expect to enjoy it as much as I did.  I'd watched top fuel and funny car races most of my life and found it incredibly exciting but figured running anything slower myself would be boring.  NO!  It was a lot of fun.

Now you're an addict, right?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Congratulations Wink! 

[Bubba]

Your post made for such a delightful read, a dream accomplished! But now you will have the "bug" even more! Nice consistency in those times by the way.

You will probably need this link to find storage space for your upcoming race car, so you can bring it out on your frequent southern trips!!

https://www.sparefoot.com/Tucson-AZ-self-storage/car-storage.html

Thanks for the compliment on my post. 

I should have looked for storage while I was there!

[Bubba]

Great read buddy!! So now that you've dipped your toe in, when can expect to see the build of your own drag car??

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

Money is an issue, unfortunately.

[Bubba]

AWESOME!

I've been involved in all kinds of motorsport and when I took up bracket racing I didn't really expect to enjoy it as much as I did.  I'd watched top fuel and funny car races most of my life and found it incredibly exciting but figured running anything slower myself would be boring.  NO!  It was a lot of fun.

Now you're an addict, right?

You're right, drag racing is a lot of fun.

I've been an addict for 45 years.

[Bubba]

Congratulations Wink! 

Thanks!

[Cord]

Sounds like it was a lot of fun. I've never been really drawn to drag racing but whenever I get around it, I find it really fascinating. Cool stuff! 

[johngenx]

Sounds like it was a lot of fun. I've never been really drawn to drag racing but whenever I get around it, I find it really fascinating. Cool stuff! 

My cousin campaigned an alcohol funny car for some time and while I'm sure the driving was cool and interesting, so much of the winning and losing took place in the pits.  It's an extremely complex sport from a mechanical standpoint.  I never tired of watching them build and set up the car.

[Cord]

Sounds like it was a lot of fun. I've never been really drawn to drag racing but whenever I get around it, I find it really fascinating. Cool stuff! 

My cousin campaigned an alcohol funny car for some time and while I'm sure the driving was cool and interesting, so much of the winning and losing took place in the pits.  It's an extremely complex sport from a mechanical standpoint.  I never tired of watching them build and set up the car.

Yeah, for most gearheads an engine rebuild is a big deal and doesn't happen very often. These top fuel guys are melting spark plugs and welding clutch plates on every run!

[Fobroader]

Sounds like it was a lot of fun. I've never been really drawn to drag racing but whenever I get around it, I find it really fascinating. Cool stuff! 

My cousin campaigned an alcohol funny car for some time and while I'm sure the driving was cool and interesting, so much of the winning and losing took place in the pits.  It's an extremely complex sport from a mechanical standpoint.  I never tired of watching them build and set up the car.

Yeah, for most gearheads an engine rebuild is a big deal and doesn't happen very often. These top fuel guys are melting spark plugs and welding clutch plates on every run!

Thats the part I find crazy, a top end rebuild takes less time than an oil change....

[Firm]

Very cool, congrats on diving into something you've always wanted to do!

I know it may not be as thrilling as driving one of those dragsters, but why not get yourself a low-budget muscle car and hit up your local track more often? I bet for under $3-4K I could get/build something that would at the very least be fun, safe and not totally embarrassing going down the track. It doesn't need to be all that fast to be fun.
Back in the day my buddy had an 84 Z28 with all the typical bolt-ons, it was a rough car and looked like a POS but he used to take it to our local drag strip every other weekend and run the crap out of it. Loads of fun without breaking the bank.

[Fobroader]

Very cool, congrats on diving into something you've always wanted to do!

I know it may not be as thrilling as driving one of those dragsters, but why not get yourself a low-budget muscle car and hit up your local track more often? I bet for under $3-4K I could get/build something that would at the very least be fun, safe and not totally embarrassing going down the track. It doesn't need to be all that fast to be fun.
Back in the day my buddy had an 84 Z28 with all the typical bolt-ons, it was a rough car and looked like a POS but he used to take it to our local drag strip every other weekend and run the crap out of it. Loads of fun without breaking the bank.

Was thinking the same thing about a foxbody Mustang or T-bird, V8, RWD, 5L V8....fun cheap way to get down the track.

[johngenx]

foxbody Mustang

Great platform if you can get a decent chassis now - they're still out there thankfully.  The notchback cars are a bit lighter.

[Arthur Dent]

Very cool. Always neat to see a dream come true. 

[Firm]

foxbody Mustang

Great platform if you can get a decent chassis now - they're still out there thankfully.  The notchback cars are a bit lighter.

Wink is a Mopar guy though. That LTD from the other thread is probably more his style

[Bubba]

foxbody Mustang

Great platform if you can get a decent chassis now - they're still out there thankfully.  The notchback cars are a bit lighter.

Wink is a Mopar guy though. That LTD from the other thread is probably more his style

Someone's been paying attention.  I'll have to keep my eyes open for one of these.

[Bubba]

I'm quite proud of my motorsports photography.  Can you tell?   

Brainerd International Raceway, 1984. The first NHRA national event I attended with press credentials. In the near lane, the guy who would teach me how to drive a dragster thirty-one years later, Frank Hawley.

[Bubba]

One year ago, today, was the best day of my life. That's when I attended the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School to drive a dragster. 10.55 sec @ 126 mph.

[Bubba]

One year ago, today, was the best day of my life. That's when I attended the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School to drive a dragster. 10.55 sec @ 126 mph.

Good for you for  achieving that dream. When you go back down there, do you plan to drive, or should I say drag again?

Any thoughts of getting a go pro helmet cam? I suggested in an earlier post in this thread and would love to see a drag race from the drivers perspective.

Yes, next time I attend the school, I'll be trying to get a competition license, which will mean runs in the 8.5 second range at 155 mph.

The roll cage on the school's dragsters have an attachment that permits go pro use.