It’s always great to see a racer do well on Phoenix Race Tires, but one team that sticks out in the drag racing world is the DeFrank family and their Super Stock supremacy. Jim DeFrank has been in the game for a long time, and the drag racing bug is obviously hereditary as his sons followed closely in his foot steps. Jim and his sons Jimmy and Tony are dedicated to the sport and prove the undeniable performance of Phoenix tires every time they hit the track. World championships, national events wins and all around great performances speak volumes of DeFrank’s world class operation and the consistency of Phoenix tires.

Jimmy DeFrank qualifies his California Car Cover Cobalt at the 50th Annual Winternationals. Thanks to Bobby Bennett at Competitionplus.com for the photos.

The DeFranks are a racing family, but Jim does a great job of balancing his racing habits with his business, the California Car Cover Company. You’ve probably heard of the company, as it produces way more than just car covers–everything from memorabilia, apparel and car care products are available from California Car Cover, so check out the website if you haven’t already. The DeFranks obviously did their homework during the winter months and started off the 2010 season with a runner up finish at the 50th Annual NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California.

A scene from the finals at the Winternationals. Jimmy is in the far lane. Thanks to Bobby Bennett at Compeitionplus.com for the photos.

When you hear about a racer fighting through the brackets, you might sometimes think of a 16 car field like you see in the Pro ranks, but the Sportsman series are generally packed with many more racers. This past weekend in Pomona, the Super Stock field consisted of 79 entries. That makes for a long weekend at the track, especially if you make it all the way to the finals. The weekend started and ended great, as Jimmy qualified his California Car Cover Cobalt in the 12th position with a time of 8.67. After battling through 7 rounds of racing, and taking out some of Super Stock’s biggest contenders, Jimmy DeFrank lined up in the finals against Jeff Lane. And though Jimmy didn’t take home a Wally, he certainly represented Phoenix Race Tires in a positive way.

A couple weeks back I had the opportunity to road trip it back down the hillbilly highway (I-75 S) for a little bit of nitro racing with the Texas Jungle Team in South Florida. You really get to know your teammates after a 13 hour one-way car ride. Take for example, Nitro Nick from Cleveland, OH. Nick drives a truck during the day, plays lead guitar in a band at night, and works as a crew chief on a nitro funny car as time permits…talk about a diverse and interesting dude! We hit if off straight away, and were immediately swapping jokes & stories like a couple of reunited high school homies. When he told us the story about a dingy Cleveland pet store operated by a drunken Cajun transplant that specialized in biting Ferets…I was laughing so hard that I thought my sides were going to split open, and it was all I could do to hold the car on the road. Army Armstrong…what can I say? He’s a rock solid dood, man of his word, and fearless. With tens of thousands of fans present for the most attended IHRA race in history, and every eye in the house on the Jungle Jim car, Army was the epitome of quite strength. Racing really is (for me anyways) all about friends, fans and the journey…

Nick, Army, EG, Gator Alley, and Nitro

Friday – It became apparent, that every funny car team on the premises had it loaded for bear…high budget, low budget, it didn’t matter, just throw the nitro at it, crank up the timing, pack the chute, and hope for the best. It was wild. Cars were sideways at 230 mph, blowing up, burning down, you name it. Nick said it best, “what we’re asking these engines to do on nitro methane is sort of like skinning a cat…there’s a thousand ways to do it, and the cat doesn’t like any of them.” The Jungle Jim car had handling issues on both passes, but Army being the seasoned veteran that he is, kept ‘er out of trouble and we lived to fight another day. Crew chief Rudy and team member Martin patiently showed me the ropes and a system for between round maintenance was established. We worked late into the night, long after the satisfied fans had gone home, making sure that JJ2 would have the goods come Sat.

Big Crowd at PBIR for the IHRA Nitro Jam

Saturday morning – Nick and I went on a mission to find a fresh air refill for the JJ2 on-board breathing apparatus. After airing up at a local scuba shop, we got back to the track, and established a plan of attack. Between rounds, Rudy and I would service the clutch, Martin would run the valves, and I’d do the tires, oil and fuel…it doesn’t sound like much, but cram all that into 45 minutes or so, and it gets stressful…even if everything goes according to plan…which it never does. At 6 p.m, the “IHRA Fanfest” started, and we got mobbed by all shapes, sizes and ages, clamoring for posters, stickers, etc. It was a very different scene than I’m used to. There must be something in nitro that alters peoples’ brains…there was a guy running a Tennessee waterfall haircut, wide open (I’m not exaggerating), wearing a muscle shirt, and tight-tuck rolled Levi’s that literally ran towards the header pipes, as if the antidote were in it, every time we started the car. While most casual fans were about 30-60 ft. back, covering their ears, eyes, nose, and hoping that it would stop soon, this lunatic was inhaling every bit of spent fuel that the BAE 526 had to offer. I apologize for not capturing this moment on film, but it was similar to watching a car crash plus I had my hands full.

Dunn & Gone Say Thanks

At the end of the evening, we had 4 full passes down the racetrack, and didn’t blow anything up too badly (with the exception of a few push rods). Most of the other teams weren’t nearly as fortunate, therefore I’d call it a success. After words, Team Owner Henry Gutierrez very generously offered to make me a crew member for the invitation only NHRA 50th Anniversary Winter Nationals to be held in Pomona, CA this weekend and to stay on with the team for the following weekend’s national event in Phoenix, AZ. Although honored, after much consideration/deliberation, we decided that it’d be best to stay on the farm and push forward with Project 5.30. I’ve got 5 weeks left, and the clock is ticking….loudly.

The Jungle Jim Funny Car with Army Armstrong behind the wheel.

After staring at the windshield for another 13 hours, Army and Nick dropped me off in sweet home Chatta-vegas, mid-night Sunday, where the locals had weathered about 6-8 inches of snow during a freak storm over the weekend. Before I knew it, I was at work 8 a.m. on Monday, and I felt about as woozy as a deep-sea diver that hadn’t properly decompressed before coming to the surface. Oh well, it was definitely worth it…and I can’t wait to do it again. Maybe next time I’ll get myself a muscle shirt, Levi’s and a 10/90 haircut/wig just for the occasion.

That’s it for now, look for plenty more on project 5.30 in the next week or two.

EG

the goose is getting fat…
OK, sit down, strap in and hold on for a top-fuel-type review of what’s been going on for the past couple of months.  The season finally came to a close on November 22nd in Steele, AL at ORSCA the same way that it started back in March, with a rainout.  Oh well, it was still a great rookie season for many reasons. By the grace of the Almighty, I was able to advance to the semi-finals or better in over 60% of the races I attended…which ain’t too bad considering I really didn’t know what I was doing for most of the time.  As I alluded to in a previous post, we’re planning on coming strong with it for 2010.  ORSCA is adding a 5.30 ET class, with no restrictions on weight, tire size, engine displacement, power adders, noise/mufflers (I hated that rule in 6.0)…so it looks like I’ve found a new home.  Look for picts and posts of project 5.30 as we progress through the winter.

As much as I enjoyed getting acquainted with the ORSCA outlaws, I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t acknowledge the tremendous success of some other competitors who’ve won in various race classes on Phoenix for 2009.  Jimmy DeFrank clinched the NHRA Super Stock title at Pomona last month.  This would mark the 3rd time that the DeFrank’s have won a national title on Phoenix drag tires!  Check out what Jimmy and his Dad, Jim, had to say about it in this upcoming add for NHRA’s National Dragster magazine.

Also storming through NHRA Super Stock was Coker Tire Performance Division, VP, Mike Crutchfield, who finished the year just outside the top ten in points.  Mike won 4 Lucas Oil series events along the way, and remains a threat in Super Stock anywhere he goes.  With regard to bracket racing, a couple of fellow Tennessean’s had late season stand-out performances also worth mentioning.  Former “Million Dollar Bracket Race Winner” and long time Phoenix race tire customer Johnny Labbous of Nashville cleaned house in the Florida Winter Series, taking home several wins in Super Pro, and Davey Boyd of Spencer capped a successful weekend of IHRA competition in Rockingham, NC by winning a world title in the “No Box,” bracket category on Phoenix tires.  Hat’s off gentlemen for these awesome accomplishments!!

So last week I loaded up the van with our race tire display and headed down the “inner state” going southbound for the annual PRI (Performance Racing Industry) trade show held in Orlando, FL.  PRI is a manufacturer’s who’s who (kinda like Cindy Lou Who, who was only two…when the Grinch made her go boo, hoo, hoo) and is a great way to showcase new products to prospective buyers from around the country/world.  It’s also a time to catch up with old friends (in my case 2 year old friends), and share some good old bench racing stories.  However, before I cruised into Orlando and PRI, I decided to make a stop along the way at Don “Big Daddy” Garlit’s museum of drag racing in Ocala, FL.

This is what the trophy case of the NHRA’s #1 racer of all time looks like.

Big Daddy’s Hardware!

Don Garlits started racing in 1950, and he’s got two warehouses full of memorabilia to prove it.  Big Daddy has the reputation of being an innovator, and it truly was a privilege to look at the progression of the sport through the eyes of the NHRA’s all time best.  If you’re ever passing through Ocala, do yourself a favor and check out.

The rat that started a revolution, “Swamp Rat I”

The front of “Swamp Rat 24”

Upon arriving in Orlando, I set up shop, and we were open for business Thursday through Saturday.  Aside from the ordinary task of meeting/greeting customers and talking race tires a few PRI highlights immediately come to mind.  1) The last lap crash of the celebrity go-cart race held in the trade show parking lot.  2) Mike “Heavy C” Clayton’s rental car burnout in the parking lot of the Red Roof Inn. 3) Seeing the look on Mike Crutchfield’s face after he discovered the free passes to the “Doll House” that I’d planted inside his note book.  4) Being reunited with my old buddy and IHRA Pro Stock legend Roy “the drill sergeant” Hill…who’s school I attended way, way back in the year of 2008. (see May 2008 Blog Post)

“Roy Hill and EG having a couple of har-har’s at PRI”

Have a safe and happy holiday season…and remember if you see someone that you think could pass for Santa Claus coming at you wide open & sideways in a rental car, do yourself a favor and get off the sidewalk!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
EG

It’s not every day that you happen to come across two nitro funny cars while on your way to pick up toilet paper and potato chips…but that’s exactly what a few lucky gear heads ran into last Friday morning in the Wal-mart parking lot in Lookout Valley, TN. My buddies Army Armstrong and Heath Fike were trucking it through town in a 53 ft. rig hauling JJ2 to Oklahoma where they were to rendezvous with the rest of the Texas Jungle crew. Since Chatt-a-Vegas is on the way, they decided to swing through for an impromptu visit and to pick up JJ2’s older brother, JJ1, for a family reunion of sorts to be held in Bakersfield, CA (read:NHRA Hot Rod Reunion). (more…)

– Bowling Green, KY

A couple of weekends ago, I had the privilege of attending the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, KY.  It’s difficult to put into words what an awesome experience I had, and the positive impression that Texas Jungle Racing, the fans, and fellow competitors left upon me.  Take it from a fan of the sport, no story or images can really do it justice…it’s just something that you need to see for yourself.
Thursday morning my buddy Steven and I loaded up the restored, original bodied, Jungle Jim Nitro Funny (from here on out it will be referred to as JJ1) Car that rests peacefully at Honest Charley Speed Shop and Coker Tire HQ in Chattanooga, TN.  The plan was to transport JJ1 to Bowling Green and rendezvous with the Texas Jungle Racing Team which was hauling up the brand new Jungle Jim Car (from here on out it will be referred to as JJ2) from San Antonio.  JJ2 was purpose built under the current rules/specs/guidelines for nostalgia funny car racing, and was completed about a month ago.  Although the car had been fired up and shook down a time or two, this would be its first attempt at the full quarter mile under power.  JJ1 is for show…JJ2 is for go!

(more…)

…well, I have a race result, and unfortunately it’s not a very good one.  On Friday, May 22nd my crew chief Steven Farrow, his trusty assistant Lee “Golden Gallon” Hitchcock and I made the journey to Baileyton, Alabama (home of the Tater Hauler) for an outlaw style 6.0 – Modified Class, “Heads Up” race.  The drive took as about 2 ½ hours across some of the most beautiful terrain that the Southeast has to offer. (more…)

Greetings from the foothills of the Tennessee Smokey Mountains.  It’s gone from brisk here to flat-out cold.  Somebody told me the other day that this weird form of condensation on my truck in the early mornings is actually frost…or frozen water.  Well, when I let my oh-so spoiled dogs out for bathroom & breakfast, they walk gingerly across it, then usually stop, turn around and glare at me like they’re being punished.  Oh well, I can’t do anything about the weather, cold paws, (or the air conditioner that’s still running in my office) and in spite of it all, we’ve managed to get things pretty heated up here in the Performance division of Coker Tire. (more…)