After the last minute Labor Day fill in at Albuquerque Dragway, it was definitely time for some family time. So Boy Scout family camp up in the cool country of Flagstaff was planned.
Ring ring... Where? Both cars? Um hey sweetie? You know camping really isn't in my bag...
Next thing you know, 6 pm Friday night, Superman Steve, Phill, Daniel, Craig and Curt hit the highway west to Famoso for their last Saturday Night Nitro event.
Pulled into the Bakersfield area around 4 am, to the classiest resort in the area, the five star Flying J truck stop. With people laying all over, Craig had no place to sleep other than in the cockpit of the Avenger. Guess he felt he needed ore seat time!
After a quick bite to eat after very little sleep, we hit the track. The racers had finished the Friday night test and tune around 2:30am, so when we pulled into the track at noon it was still ghost town.
Once the cars were unloaded and charging, the guys headed out for supplies. Seems they each wanted their own pillows for the return ride.
Thinking of California, imagined the cool weather compared to Arizona, but someone forgot to tell California! 104 degrees and next to no breeze made for a peachy afternoon.
Once the sun started to set the weather started to cool and the crowds started to arrive.
About the time for first round at 8pm, the stands were full. As the nitro cars made their passes, the weather just kept getting nicer.
First round for the Invader and Avenger was right around 9 pm. Avenger in the left lane and Invader in the right, we proceeded to blast the crowd. Craig cut a great light making the Invader chase him down, just about 1000 ft Craig had to shut down from the dirt blasting in the Invaders jet wash.
The cars were turned and readied for the last pass of the night, and were called to the lanes at 10:20 pm. But an early night was not in the cards.
Being the final event in the series, every car was going for broke. So after just about every final pass, the lanes were cleaned and or reprepped.
The final pass of the night was the jets at midnight. Just about a repeat of round one except Craig cut an even better light to almost hold off the Invader at the traps.
Will the long overnight drive, all day in the heat and the late night runs, the team finally found a room with ample parking and the hardest beds this side of bedrock. But air conditioning and a hot shower and all was good for a few hours of sleep.
Driving across the desert Sunday just seemed to take twice as long but eventually we reached our destination, and just maybe a weekend off.
Ring... Ring... Forget it let voice mail get it!