DeTomaso Mailing List: November 99, Message #405

We'll hell, what kind of wimpy ass motors are you guys building these days?  
A bunch of stock Cameros could have wiped this bunch.  It was nice and cold 
out, probably high 60's, and there wasn't one person there building anything 
resembling horsepower the entire day.  One single run in the 12's with NOS, 
everything else in the 13's, 14's and 15's.  I still can't believe it.  The 
only car out there up to any challenge was Alan Foster's solid lifter car.  
His first run, a 13.08 was fast time of the day until a nitrous assisted run 
by San Diego member Bob Harrington dropped the low et to the 12.6's.  Foster 
couldn't handle the pressure though and subsequent runs, although showing 
significantly improved 1/8 mile times, resulted in mid track WOT shutdown 
sidelining the car.  A Lance Nist prepared blown Pantera was also present. 
This car make pretty noises but ran in the 14's the entire day.  There was, 
however, some spectacular flaming burn-outs by almost everybody not using 
some type of sticky tire.   Also, there was a terrific turnout of drag racing 
Panteras, I believe somebody counted 14 Panteras at one time, with several 
more in the parking area.  Lot's of people turned out to watch as well.  I 
believe there was only one partial, first run clutch casualty the whole day.  
Bill Hohnhorst is assembling a list of times and names of participants and 
I'll write-up something more once I have the names.  It was very 
difficult/impossible to keep tract of all the times as many were not even 
reported over the PA system, while others were being reported as the next 
group of cars were warming their tires doing burnout's.  Also, there were 
many more cars at the track than I've ever seen at Carlsbad Raceway.  Like 3 
times as many!  The Panteras were all over the place in line waiting to run 
and not running back to back as first planned.  Anyhow, I think Curt's 
initial thoughts of the racing were correct.  The participants, win or loose, 
really had such a great time that it didn't matter they left all their 
horsepower on the BENCH! Curt summed up one thing I'm still "beaming" over, 
Brock Tella's "Super Stock" Pantera with DOT drag slicks and straight pipes 
couldn't even break into the 12's!  Also, it should be noted that Dave 
Nuding, the person who initially called everybody out, didn't even show up!  
Oh, I can't wait to write this article!

Tim Tullio 
San Diego Panteras
Competition Director (If their was any competition)
Title to be changed next year to "Bench Racing Coordinator"