Well, a lot has happened since the last blog. Let’s catch up! When I left off last time we had all just gotten back from the Dome Valley East vs West and Atoka races. Next on the list was a test and tune at Silverback Offroad Speedway in Mears, Michigan. That went pretty well, running a car best of 3.57 but still have a little more to go to hit the 3.50 mark I was looking for.
Outlaw Sand Drag Series – Cleves, OH
Now we pack up and head to Cleves, Ohio just outside of Cincinnati for the kickoff of the 2026 Outlaw Sand Drag Series. I entered the test and tune, made a couple hits, again running a 3.57. Not bad, but could still use some more tuning. Now I have entered 3.50 class for Friday night and the open bracket also! I made it through round 1 of both classes. It gets better, I have the bye run for round 2. Great! Let’s see what we can do on a fresh track… Well it ended not so great with the head of a valve breaking off and sending parts throughout places they don’t belong lol. Needless to say, I packed up and headed home to see what I could salvage and not salvage. Once I got home Dean Dangremond came over and we pulled the head to find it in really bad shape and a couple rather large holes in the piston. Without a doubt that one hurt, but the show must go on!!
Back To Old Faithful
Fast forward a few days and it’s transplant time. Again, with the help of my great friend Dean, we went back and got my motor from last season and dropped it in to give me time to get the other motor done. I only had 2 weeks to get back to Silverback, so after realizing most of what was left on the broken motor, it’s better off for me to just start over from scratch..uggh. But so far I have a new block, pistons, and rods… just need a crank, head welded and repaired with new, hopefully stronger valves. If you want to sponsor me, and have your name out on the track please reach out lol!
Moving on to Memorial weekend with the old motor and new carb. Well, it seemed to run ok, but unlike its old self running a mid 3.70, it ran low 3.80. A little slower, but not bad. I went out in round one on Friday night, and Saturday was able to go to the semi finals but lost by .005! Not to get off the subject, but those tight races are whopping my ass this season! Luckily after this race I had a couple weeks off to catch up on other things…like raising money for the Dash for the Cash Race July 31st – Aug 1st, and organizing the Shelton’s event along with Dave Applegate Jr.
Finally after a long streak of not winning, I was able to pull off a win at the Silverback race in Mears, on our June 12th point series race! It definitely made me hungry again, but the backup plan had other ideas. Now move two weeks forward and we are at the Outlaw Sand Drag Series race in Mears at Silverback Offroad Speedway this time. Friday night carburetor and fuel pump issues took me out of competition…and just when you have nothing to drive on Saturday, no fear, Jim Bailey is here! He immediately threw me in his red “Prime Time” jeep. I love driving that thing, but thanks to Chad Coker by .003 I believe and Blake Cole by yes, .00054 I exited early; so I got to be an early spectator that night too.
More Carb Issues
After the Outlaw race and my new fuel issues I decided to dump the mechanical pump with various pressures to an electric pump with bypass to make it constant pressure. Now that I spent half my week of vacation up at Silver Lake Sand Dunes working on my car with the help of Chad Coker (I think he felt bad he beat me lol) and Donavan Latimore who found me parts and pieces to get the job done, it was time to head to the Brookville Big Money $10,000 bracket race. Friday I got there and it was hot!!! I backed my car out in the sun to set the tent up, I moved it an hour later and the water temp sitting was 125°! I went to run Friday’s test and tune, to again hit the struggle bus! With fuel pouring out of the carb, I was tired of messing with it in the heat, when along comes Mooch and says, “Where’s the old carb?”. I pointed in the trailer where it was. With Mooch, Ivan, Pat Ueriga, Austin Bullock, his dad, Anthony Ball, and several others we got it all back on to its original form….or so I thought. I got entered, went to make my first pass, and fell on its face mid track. I got back and thought to myself, “WTF” it’s all back to where it was, but I remembered I had to drill those jets out back at Dome Valley to get it to work on the new motor. After searching for three hours through the pits and everywhere else within an hour of the track with no luck finding jets, and with race time quickly approaching, it was time to pack it up and focus on the next event. We’ll be back at Silverback Offroad Speedway on July 18th, ready to give it another shot. On the way home I was able to give the truck and trailer the blue beacon treatment and get it all dressed back up! When Monday came around, I was able to order jets and get the right ones again, so I will leave off here until next time after the Dash for the Cash event July 31st – August 1st! Hope to see everyone there!! Until next time!
