Longtime Chris Hand crewman Dick Boxell sent along the following blog, detailing the team’s weekend at the ManCup Fast by Gast Nationals from Dragway 42 in West Salem, Ohio. Dick writes –
The crew for this race consisted of Crew chief Sharon Hand, Steve Legendre, Dick Boxell and Drafted Jeff Scott. John, Barb and Dave Alwine are here to “spectate”, with staging lane help from Ron Raymond
Chris has spent the winter months refurbishing a motorhome for a new tow vehicle, dubbed “The Enterprise”. They had it ready for Rockingham, but trailer tire issues prevented the arrival in time to participate at Rockingham. It is most deluxe and been a long time since the ability to stay at the track and not have to load the trailer and run off to a motel room.
Chris has all engines ready to run for the FBG Nationals.
Friday test Session
With Galahad in the frame rails we ready for the test session on Friday, fire the bike and sounds healthy.
Tow up to the staging lanes and perform final preparations for the run and line the bike up to the left lane.
We fire the bike burnout is good, back up looks straight and level.
Chris launches and the bike is hauling ass to just past the 330 mark and makes a violent move to the right, Chris shuts it down and since this is a single pass he tries to gather it up but with the violence of the move lets it cross rather than removing foam blocks. The times we did get were promising.
Get the bike back and leak down looks good, (this is when the old school tuning comes in), Chris downloads the run and nothing but gibberish on the screen?, after consulting with Don Plesser who then relays back that the decision is the internal battery in the Racepac is going dead and corrupting the downloads.
This leads Chris to tuning by reading plugs and visual feedback on the runs.
Saturday Q2
With Galahad still in the frame rails we ready for the test session on Friday, Fire the bike and sounds healthy.
Tow up to the staging lanes perform final preparations for the run and line the bike up to the right lane.
It goes straight this pass and runs out to a 6.42 at 206 MPH Chris runs past the last turnoff almost locking up the front brakes and has be pushed back to the turnoff lane.
We get the bike back and leak down shows some damage on that pass, so we set to changing engines with Robert E Lee getting the call.
We finish changing engines and setting clutch just as we hear the Top Fuel bikes making the 3rd Qualifying passes, we continue on and get ready for race day Sunday.
Sunday E1
With Robert E Lee fresh and ready in the frame rails we ready for first Round, Fire the bike and sounds healthy.
We are 4th qualifier, Mitch Brown on Dennis Bradleys’ Top Fuel bike out qualified us in the last session so he is to be our opponent for first round, and we are first pair out
Tow up to the staging lanes perform final preparations for the run and line the bike up to the right lane.
It goes straight on this pass close race! Chris gains by ½ track and reels him in and we win with a 6.36 @ 212 to Mitches 6.70 @180.
We get the bike back perform Leak down and it is good, after the cool down and adjustments ,we ready the bike for the second round battle with Larry McBride.
Sunday E2
With Robert E Lee cooled, and ready we ready for Round 2, we decide to not fire the bike and go up cold.
Larry has lane choice and places us in the Left lane.
After firing the bike up and in the burnout box, when wiping the tire notice the tow strap still attached, it take a few seconds removing it, and Chris told me later he wondered what I was doing, no harm Chris snaps the bike to another good burnout.
Larry gets out on Chris a little and runs a 6.12 to our 6.41, our day is done.
We were happy to meet Tom Kundrik from M/T Tires
Also would like to complement the Dragway 42 track and track crew.
Extended thanks to the top end crew at the track for backing the Redneck Express out of the run off area 3 times!
We would like to recognize and thank our sponsors.
PECO Foods, The first on any menu, Denny Hickman and Family
CP Pistons
Halbrooks Huneycutt Engineering
WebCam Camshafts
Vanson Leathers
Advanced Sleeve
Rob Bush Motorsports
ARP, (Automotive Racing Products)
Boninfante
Rod Rance
Generac
Belt Drives Limited
Performance Machine
Sam Wills (Racing Innovations)
PR Factory Store
Ferrea Valves
Worldwide Bearings
MSD Ignitions
BME Connecting Rods
Hands Performance
Simpson
