While the Big Red Ram has been performing very well for Dallas, the Texas Whale sustained engine damage at our last race in Atlanta. We’ll never know the exact sequence of failures but the engine sustained a broken push rod, three bent push rods, a broken roller lifter, a pair of damaged roller rockers, and the three bolts on the geardrive to the camshaft loose.

Despite the engine having but 11 passes on it since a cam and head change — the decision was to completely tear down for further cleaning, inspection, and bearing replacement. Dallas tore the engine down and cleaned the parts; I order a set of beefier push rods from Smith Brothers, rockers from T&D, lifters from Bullet, and timing set/gaskets/timing cover,engine bearings/cam button; and Damon has assembled the short block. However, we’re still waiting for the rockers and Cometic Head Gaskets — so the Texas Whale was not ready for this race.

So the Vitamin C was pressed into action. I bought this slower (mid 10-second) car 4 years ago, and ran it for a couple of years while the Whale was getting finished — and Dallas was getting use to maintaining a mid 9-second car. A pin hole found it’s way through a cylinder wall two years ago — and the 426 block was just too worn to spend any more time as a race engine. A 440 block was machined and new dome-top pistons were attached to the old rods, crank, cam, heads, … for the new engine – and the car is scheduled to be completely rebuilt next year when my youngest daughter will start racing it in 2014.

Since we hadn’t driven the car in two years or tested the new engine, we took it to San Antonio and I entered it in the bracket race – something I’ve never done. While I went a few rounds and made 5 passes, the car was running a very slow (but consistent) 11.3s. The day we left for the Mopars at the Motorplex — we made the call to change the distributor with one having advance. That appears to be a good call.

We left the shop at 7PM on Friday night and arrived at the track at midnight. At 7 AM we started setting up the pits. I only had one chance to Time trial the Vitamin C, and it ran a 10.9 in horrible weather that had other cars 2 to 3 tenths off. I felt like I could get it to 10.7s or 8s with more timing — but since there was only 1 time trial — I had to leave it where it was. Dallas was able to get the Big Red Ram to run a 9.45 — which is about 2/10 slow, but still good enough to declare the B/FX index.

Even with 30 pounds of weight I (7601) was too fast with a 10.98 for the first round of qualifying. Dallas (7602) spun and was a little too slow with a 9.58.

For the second round I bolted in 50 pounds and ran a 11.03. Dallas was a little too fast. That had me as the #5 qualifier and Dallas #6 of the 13 racers.

In my first round of eliminations, I ran Tony Smith, who is a tough draw. He’d beat me the first time we’ve run each other, but I have come out on the better end in the Semis last year at both the Mopars at the Plex and the NMCA race — both events I had won. I cut it way too close with a perfect light (.000) and a perfect ET (11.000) when I lifted at the MPH cone and let Tony take the stripe to breakout.

Dallas had also won his first round. In the second Round I turned the stupid light on with a .009 red against Mark Buchanan, and he had a bad light and a poor run to add insult to injury. Dallas won his second round with a hole-shot win. I’m guessing I must have staged a little too deep.

In the Semis Dallas again won with a hole shot against Frankenwagon — giving him a chance to avenge my loss against Mark Buchanan for the Finals. Dallas ran a near perfect 9.501 on his 9.50 Index — but was caught snoozing at the lights — handing the win to Mark Buchanan. We were shooting for Back(2012)-to-Back(2013) Schultz wins at the Mopars at the Plex — but Dallas still scored a $500 check for first worse. We were loaded up and passed through the track’s gate at 6:30PM, arriving home at 10:30 after driving through a bad storm.

We’d like to thank our sponsors Royal Purple, Fuelab, TTI, Texas Motorcycle Excursions, Crew Chief Software, and Mancinni Racing for their help with our racing. Their sponsorships are very much appreciated – as are their products important for our success.

March 2013 Sponsor Report

NMCA’s First Points Series Race – Bradenton, Fl

or how some events you’re the pigeon, and some events you’re the statue

Dave Schultz in the Texas Whale – Dallas Schultz in the Big Red Ram

March 26, 2013 – Dave Schultz

Bradenton, Florida is the first NMCA six Point’s Races for 2013. Not only is it a long haul for us Texans — but for some reason weird stuff always happens when we go to this race. Last year it was the Generator of the coach going out as soon as we pulled in. In other year’s past we’ve had the rig stuck in the sandy pits; a blown engine, events held over to Monday, and one year a farmer was plowing at the top of the track in a 45mph headwind — creating dunes on the track. The Tampa area being the Tampa area — means daily rain.

First a quick recap of 2012. Dallas was in the Top 10, and I was in the lead for the Championship going into the final Points (Double Points) race at Indy in October. I lost the Championship by one round, when I didn’t cut a good enough light against 00-Joe at 2AM. I did manage to win a NHRA Wally in Houston in November, and was chosen by fellow NMCA racers as “Ambassador of the Year” at the PRI convention in December.

During the winter of 2011, we’d spent $50,000 making Big Red Ram ready for Dallas – so it was good to go for 2013 with very little work required. The winter of 2012 was time to make the Texas Whale right. It’s engine was pulled for the team’s spare and the Coronet’s previous engine was freshened and modified for the Whale. The car also received shocks all of the way around, a new converter, new custom headers, a gear change from 4.68 to 4.34. There were also some 4-link and other upgrades made.

A lot of work was performed on the Whale over the winter

We never got a chance to T&T the car before the race — just make two light passes at a local track to ensure all of the changes held together. Wound up getting a front flat that couldn’t be repaired. New tires were ordered and mounted just before loading up for Bradenton.

On Tuesday March 19th we loaded the rig with the cars, parts, and supplies to last a week away from home. Just as we were to knock off for the day a leak was discovered in the air tank that supplies the stacker’s air bags. Dallas got it slowed down to 1 pound a minute without air from the truck — but maintaining the proper air when the truck was running. There was no way to get a replacement tank quickly.

We left at 6AM and were to meet our Pit Buddy Doug Duell at a Walmart in Lake City, Fl for the night; then we’d leave at 8AM to convoy the last 225 miles to Bradenton. However, while running at about 70 on I-10 in the Panhandle, I saw a cloud of black smoke explode in my right mirror and the trailer starting to jacknife to the right. I got her straighten and stopped on the the narrow right shoulder.

Blew two relatively new G-Rated tires. 3 hours and $250 lighter we got back on the road

I put new 6 new trailer tires on every other year at the cost of over $2500, and we always have 110 pounds in the tires before we leave home. So after consulting Google and making some phone calls, I found a tire service willing to come out and put my two spares on the trailer. Three hours and $250 lighter to Mountain Man’s twin brother, the spares were on the trailer, and a cheap (wrong size and wrong rating — but only available) spare was mounted on my 7th rim. We got to the Walmart at 1AM — and caught 5 hours sleep.

In the morning all showered up and ready to go — we see that one of the tires on the other side had lost its entire tread. Fortunately there was a truck tire place fairly close by that had 6 new G-Rated 235/80-16 14-ply trailer tires of a different brand than Goodyear — who I’ve lost all patience with. Doug left for the track to get a decent pit for both rigs and we headed to the tire dealer.

another couple of hours and couple thousand dollars and we again were on the road

As we got back on the road — Doug called to say that I-75 was at a standstill because of a truck fire. So we plot a scenic route, which is always interesting for a 82′ rig, and head to the track the long way. We get to the track at 2; had the pit set up, established credentials and teched the cars by 4; and headed to the lanes before they closed them at 5.

quick pit set up then head to the lanes for a TT before they Closed. First pass had a perfect light.

First pass off the trailer I cut a .000 light and ran the fastest pass that car had ever made. I made three TT passes with a .000 light, -.002 light, and .011 light. I wanted to run the 9.50 Index, but the wind was picking up to where we had to take down all the banners and awnings, and the air was getting bad. Friday was bad, but it got worse Saturday, and even worst Sunday — where the head/cross wind was 40mph. To make a long story short — I declared for the 9.75 index and qualified 6th of the 12 racers entered in the NSS Class. Dallas did better with a #3 Qualifying. I was chopping down the tree in Qualifying with a .014, -.011, and .020 lights.

Dallas and I both won our first rounds, as did Duell, Camp, Sanders, and Stansbury. The bad news was Dallas and I were on the bad side of the ladder and had to meet each other in the next round. I had both cars tuned (with weight using the Chew Chief 7 Predictor) to dead on, so that we would leave it to our lights. Dallas had also been having good lights. However, I screwed up and went -.008 red at the same time Dallas was napping a little.

Father and son show down. Father goes .008 Red!

The other winners were Duell, who would get the bye in the next round; and Camp — who’d go up against Dallas. Dallas had a better light than Barry — but took too much of the stripe in a Double-breakout — putting Barry in the finals against Doug. Doug won the event in a close race.

I’d like to take a minute to thank Randy at Royal Purple, Sam at TTI Exhaust, and Don at Crew Chief for sponsoring us with their best of class products — and promise them we’ll do better in Atlanta.

I’d also like to thank new sponsor Brian at Fuelabs; for sponsoring us with the the fuels pumps, filters and regulators that champions like Doug Duell and Andy Warren have on their cars.

Little History on The Wally

Dave and Dallas Schultz traveled to the PRI Show at the Orlando Convention center earlier in this week. At the show they looked at parts and equipment to enhance their racing, speak with some current and potential product sponsors (hopefully some news to announce in the next couple of weeks with regards to a couple of new product sponsors) and attend the NMCA Awards Ceremony — where Dave received his fifth in a row Top 10 Jacket (he missed the Championship by 1 round this year) and Dallas his 4th in five years (he took a year off a few years back).

A very big and pleasant surprise to Dave was that NMCA Drag Racers voted him as the 2012 Ambassador of the Year, and he received the above pictured award. Last year Dallas had received the Crew Member of the Year — as voted by the NMCA racers. Both awards are very much coveted, and as important to the drivers as a Wally — as they only receive them through the votes of the others who race in NMCA.