I took me a trophy home yesterday!

**Schen** · 11-23-2008, 09:36 AM

That's right, I won yesterday's insane HHP Frozen Balls and Bearings event in freezing weather.

All week I had be preparing for this event. I took out all the seats and padding in the trunk of my car in anticipation to run the quarter. I was gunning for a 14.4 or lower on a stock motor. I also got a nice set of 17 wheels and tires with a smaller sidewall to use which evidently did not fit. It was VERY cold at 9 AM, a mere 25 degrees when the gates open.

So I paid my $30 to race, went to tech (I got number 300, which I thought was pretty cool, you know the movie and THIS IS SPARTA..yeah anyway) only to find out we might be running the 1/8th mile because of the wind. I couldn't really complain to much we weren't running the full 1/4 mile, at least we were racing since most of the week had be whipped out due to the cold air! Cars were coming and I ran for Chad's toasty warm trailer. I came prepared to race but not quite enough to stay warm since I wore my racing shoes and they weren't thick enough to keep my toes warm.

So I went through Time Trials not knowing how the car would react. 10.0 on the first run was crap, didn't tree right. 9.97x on the second run which I nailed the reaction a little better. So I decided to run a 9.9 as my dial in and Todd, my other V6 competitor, was my 1st round of eliminations. I beat Todd based on reaction time on that race. The computer felt it was to close to call on the far end. We actually had to pull over and look at the slips, cause Todd was MUCH closer to his dial in than I was.

Oh well I got the win, time for pizza.

Ok so pizza was good, talked with Deena on the phone for a little and it was time for round 2. I was racing one of our fast Jeeps on this round. Joe, aka crookster, was a good race! I kept my dial in on the car since the previous run was the same and once again I think I won by either reaction or the dial in. (don't have the slips on me at the moment) but it was a great race, probably one of my bests all day! Meanwhile after that win and heading back to the staging lanes I was listening to the radio when Walter announced Stell ran a .000 light.

Unknowingly, Stell was my next opponent....

Great so here we are, 2 V6's, a few 6.1's and a few 5.7's. Round 3...racing Stell. Here we are getting ready to race and I'm racing Stell who was getting quicker all day. I'm listening to the radio, helmet on, all ready to go when I hear Corvette in the wall. Great....more waiting just what I need and damn, do I have to pee. I wanna get this run over with! So give or take 30-40 minutes later we run and Stell red lights! Phew that was a relief! Turns out had he not red lighted, I would have been eliminated since I actually ran faster than my dial in! I set it to a 9.85 when I ran a 9.83.

Now it's down to four, I relieved my self in the bathroom and waited patiently to see who was racing me next. It was me, RunningBull and his V6, Mario, QBNKID, and his Jeep....and Dan, FLYBYU, and his 10.88 Charger SRT. While me, Dan and Bull were chatting it up and BS'ing, Mario ran up to the both to find out who was racing who. Well turnouts out it was me and Mario in round 4, round 2 in our grudge.

Oh BTW I changed the dial in again to a 9.8. Well low and behold I won and was going to the final! Dan beat bull so it wasn't a V6 final.

Holy crap I'm in the final! I'm in a final at Englishtown, a track I've been going to for a decade. I've practically grown up there! Watching drivers and meeting them. Going to numerous different events like PINKS, Formula D drifting, NHRA stuff, Night of Thrills, Viper events, etc...All of that was going through my head but I had to keep my mind clear. This is my 2nd time racing in Mopar bracket so just like the car I remained calm and said my prayers. Besides I have Mr. 10.88 next to me, who's always consistent I need to pray!

Burnouts, check, staging, check. I kept my 9.8 since Mario and everyone else figured Dan would breakout. Tree lights up and it's go time. Dan's coming fast and then, phooom! Fly's past me just as we got to the 1/8th. The lights go up on my side and I started screaming insanely.

So that's it. That was my day and let me tell you what a day it was! All my friends back at home were like what? No money? Look...money is nice and payouts are great but scoring that win yesterday will stick out as a memory in my mind, something money can't do. I bought this car back in May 08, not knowing what I was going to do with it! I wanted a Mopar for a long time. I joined LXForums the same time my car was being built, May 07'. I did some mods this year, drove it hundreds of miles over the summer, took it to my first car shows, took it on exotic car runs and raced at Englishtown.

You can't beat a better year than that.

--RS

**bklynmag** · 11-23-2008, 09:44 AM

Awesome Ron!! Well deserved bud.

**Paradog** · 11-23-2008, 09:45 AM

Well Done Ron!

**InferAl** · 11-23-2008, 10:00 AM

Your the man, and agaisnt all the heavy hitters too

**WitchyWndy** · 11-23-2008, 10:26 AM

Congrats, Ron!!!! That's awesome!!

Anyone get the run on video?

**slideway** · 11-23-2008, 10:28 AM

Great job Ron, Congrats! your a very good bracket racer!

Also wonderful write up, very detailed for instance "Now it's down to four, I relieved my self in the bathroom and waited patiently to see who was racing me next"

LMAO, see ya in 09!