Hey Everybody!
I hope you've enjoyed hearing from Meaghan & Todd. Its been a very busy time and we're still on the road. Right now, I'm sitting in a truck wash outside Albany, NY heading to Lebanon Valley Dragway, where we'll test on Thursday in preperation for this weekends race. Eddie, Charlie, & I had a great visit at the Solon, OH Permatex plant, where I spoke to two groups & we displayed the racecar for the day. Some Permatex employees also came out to enjoy the race in Norwalk-it was great to have them there. Also had a visit from team supporter Jim Reed from TA Travel Centers of America. He had his sons & some other guests with him. This was quite an experience for all as it was their first time at a drag race. We finished loading the trailer Sunday night just as the rain came in. Charlie, Eddie, & I headed off to Lodi, OH TA Truck Plaza, where Monday morning I had the chance to speak to a group of technicians & display the racecar. It was a great visit-if you're ever in the area & need service or just a fuel stop, drop by the TA in Lodi, they're a great group of folks. Then off to Harborcreek, PA for another Travel Center visit where I again spoke & displayed the car. We had a special treat that evening-we went out to Quaker Steak & Lube restaurant for dinner, a sports bar with a racing theme, with cars hanging from the ceiling & gas pumps for the door handles. We had lots of fun & were right in our element! Tuesday we made two more visits on behalf of TA Travel Centers, one in Pembroke, NY & the other in Waterloo, NY. Today was housekeeping day-we did laundry & filled water tanks. Now we're off to the races-shortly we'll be pulling into Lebanon Valley & getting ready for tomorrow. We're looking forward to a great weekend. Ann, Carly, & Brandon are coming to the races-their first of the season. My brother Jim & his son Jamie will be at the track racing as well. We'll be celebrating 2 team birthdays this weekend, clutch machinist Alan Hadfield & Scott Osborns daughter Carrie's. YEAH- Cake!! It should be lots of fun.
Check back Tuesday & I'll catch you all up on the events of the weekend.
Happy & Safe Holiday!
Jay
June 30, 2010
June 28, 2010
BACK IN THE SEMI'S
Hi everyone. This is Todd. Norwalk turned out to be another great outing for the team – our second semifinal finish in a row at a national event and the second time in a row that a race was even more special for me personally.
My wife, Jacque, and I got married during the Englishtown event, about 50 miles from the track in New York City. Norwalk held extra meaning because my parents threw a wedding reception for Jacque and me about 50 miles from the track, in Wadsworth, Ohio, where I grew up.
It was at their house, and the whole team came. Everybody flew in Thursday except Jay, Eddie, and Charlie, who had driven the rig to Norwalk after first stopping at a Permatex plant in Solon, Ohio. It was great having everybody there with my family and all of my relatives. (In September, on the Saturday of the U.S. Nationals, Jacque and I are having our own reception at our new house, which is just a few miles from Indianapolis Raceway Park.)
Thursday morning, I picked up Jay, Charlie, and Eddie at the track and took them to Wadsworth, where Jay delivered a motivational speech to the Lions Club. It was the first time I've ever gotten to hear him speak, and it was awesome. Jacque and my dad were there, and everybody loved it. Event organizers said it was one of the best presentations they've ever had. The coolest part, other than Jay's speech itself, was that my eighth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Casey, is a member of the Lions Club and was there for the speech. She got a kick out of the fact that I grew up to be a writer and remembers that I always wanted to be a drag racer.
From there, we all went to my dad's shop, which is just a few miles away, and my dad gave Charlie, Eddie, and Jay a tour of the place, showing them the CNC machines, his four-engine tractor puller, and the supercharged 270-cubic-inch Hemi engine he built for his street rod. I don't know who enjoyed it more – my dad or the guys. After the reception that night, it was back to Norwalk for what always is one of the biggest races of the season.
We came off the trailer with a 5.72 Friday morning and picked up to a 5.67 that afternoon that was extra cool because the car barely made it. It hazed the tires on the launch and it felt like it was going to kick 'em loose at the top of low gear, but when I shifted into 2nd, the shake was gone and it charged to the finish line. After a consistent 5.70 Saturday morning, we entered eliminations in the number 5 spot.
We beat veteran Larry Dobbs, who's been racing Alcohol Funny Cars since 1982, in the first round, and John Anderika, the same guy we raced in the second round a couple weeks ago at Englishtown, in round two. In the semi's, there he was again: Frank Manzo. We've been to the semifinals at three national events this year, including our season debut in Gainesville, and we've had to run him every time.
This time, we didn't get the chance. As I was bringing the engine up, probably less than a second from staging, the engine quit. I couldn't imagine what happened – everything was fine. Tuner Tommy Howell quickly figured out that the new safety device we installed on the car this weekend – something designed to shut off the fuel, kill the ignition, and throw out the parachutes after the finish line if the driver hasn't already done it – somehow kicked in and silenced the engine on the starting line.
It was a lousy end to the race – we would have loved to see how the changes Tommy made for that run worked out – but it didn't keep the weekend from being a success on all fronts. The best part: we're up to eighth in the national standings. Our next Division 1 Lucas Oil Series race, in Lebanon Valley, N.Y., is just a few days away. Talk to you soon!
My wife, Jacque, and I got married during the Englishtown event, about 50 miles from the track in New York City. Norwalk held extra meaning because my parents threw a wedding reception for Jacque and me about 50 miles from the track, in Wadsworth, Ohio, where I grew up.
It was at their house, and the whole team came. Everybody flew in Thursday except Jay, Eddie, and Charlie, who had driven the rig to Norwalk after first stopping at a Permatex plant in Solon, Ohio. It was great having everybody there with my family and all of my relatives. (In September, on the Saturday of the U.S. Nationals, Jacque and I are having our own reception at our new house, which is just a few miles from Indianapolis Raceway Park.)
Thursday morning, I picked up Jay, Charlie, and Eddie at the track and took them to Wadsworth, where Jay delivered a motivational speech to the Lions Club. It was the first time I've ever gotten to hear him speak, and it was awesome. Jacque and my dad were there, and everybody loved it. Event organizers said it was one of the best presentations they've ever had. The coolest part, other than Jay's speech itself, was that my eighth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Casey, is a member of the Lions Club and was there for the speech. She got a kick out of the fact that I grew up to be a writer and remembers that I always wanted to be a drag racer.
From there, we all went to my dad's shop, which is just a few miles away, and my dad gave Charlie, Eddie, and Jay a tour of the place, showing them the CNC machines, his four-engine tractor puller, and the supercharged 270-cubic-inch Hemi engine he built for his street rod. I don't know who enjoyed it more – my dad or the guys. After the reception that night, it was back to Norwalk for what always is one of the biggest races of the season.
We came off the trailer with a 5.72 Friday morning and picked up to a 5.67 that afternoon that was extra cool because the car barely made it. It hazed the tires on the launch and it felt like it was going to kick 'em loose at the top of low gear, but when I shifted into 2nd, the shake was gone and it charged to the finish line. After a consistent 5.70 Saturday morning, we entered eliminations in the number 5 spot.
We beat veteran Larry Dobbs, who's been racing Alcohol Funny Cars since 1982, in the first round, and John Anderika, the same guy we raced in the second round a couple weeks ago at Englishtown, in round two. In the semi's, there he was again: Frank Manzo. We've been to the semifinals at three national events this year, including our season debut in Gainesville, and we've had to run him every time.
This time, we didn't get the chance. As I was bringing the engine up, probably less than a second from staging, the engine quit. I couldn't imagine what happened – everything was fine. Tuner Tommy Howell quickly figured out that the new safety device we installed on the car this weekend – something designed to shut off the fuel, kill the ignition, and throw out the parachutes after the finish line if the driver hasn't already done it – somehow kicked in and silenced the engine on the starting line.
It was a lousy end to the race – we would have loved to see how the changes Tommy made for that run worked out – but it didn't keep the weekend from being a success on all fronts. The best part: we're up to eighth in the national standings. Our next Division 1 Lucas Oil Series race, in Lebanon Valley, N.Y., is just a few days away. Talk to you soon!
June 17, 2010
WE HAVE A GUEST BLOGGER
Hi Friends,
Wanted to fill you all in on last weekends SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ. No better way that I can think of than to get a fresh perspective. Please take a look at what team member Joe Mitchell's girlfriend, Meaghan Foulds had to say about her weekend. Enjoy & will be back at you all soon.
Jay
Hey Everyone,
This past weekend at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ for the Super Nationals was bittersweet. I could not write about this weekend without first taking a moment to think about Neal Parker, who was in a fatal accident on Friday during the qualifying session. Neal Parker, who drove “The Excavator,” was also a Top Alcohol Funny Car driver, and that certainly affected the rest of the weekend for this class. In his honor, the other drivers in this class put a black line through the numbers on their cars. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and crew.
However, this weekend the Follow a Dream team also had a lot to celebrate. For one thing, they made it to the semi-finals. Also, their driver Todd Veney was married to his beautiful bride Jacque. There certainly was a lot of happiness for them.
The weekend started on Thursday. Joe and I left a little later than we planned and after braving both traffic and weather, we arrived at the track around 7pm. We were not allowed to drive in, so Charlie and Spencer picked us up in the golf cart and took us to the pit area, which was all set up. The best part was that we were next to a walking path, so spectators were able to walk adjacent to our pit area and see everything. We only stayed at the track for a couple hours, and then Joe, Spencer, Pam, Ozzie, Mike and I headed to our hotel to check in and make it an early night.
Early Friday morning, Joe, Spencer and I headed to the track. I took my usual spot at the table with my book, although I did help Pam make some toast. If you needed to find Pam at any point this weekend, it would have been by the grill cooking up some delicious food for us. She certainly kept us well fed.
Shortly after eleven, we headed to the staging lanes for the first qualifying session. Right as we got into the crowd by the starting line, the Top Alcohol Funny Cars began racing. Shortly after, we heard about Parker’s accident, but it was not until we were back in the pit that we learned the full extent. Everything was put on hold until about 4pm. At that time, Linda invited me and Pam to her suite for a tour, which was awesome. We sat in there and watched some of the Pro Stock Motorcycles. It was nice to be out of the heat, and I really enjoyed it. Then we stood on the balcony and watched some of the Pro Stock Cars. After walking around the pits, collecting hero cards, we went back to our pit to prepare for our race. It wasn’t until close to 7pm that we ran our first qualifying session. Todd ran a 5.64, and we were currently qualified third. It was a great start.
Shortly after, Todd and Jacque went to Central Park to be married. They had met on June 11, 11 years ago, and they wanted to be married on this date. They were- at 11:30 that night. We were all very excited for them. The rest of us had a BBQ, and the boys were hard at work getting the car ready for the next day. Once they were done, Joe, Alan and I went and sat in the stands to watch the Top Fuel Funny Cars. I love watching them under the lights. Right after, Joe, Charlie and I watched the Top Fuel Dragsters, and we saw Corey Mac make history by running a 3.752, the fastest time in 1000 foot history. It was pretty exciting. That ended up being a late night. The boys put the car away, and we all sat around talking. We weren’t back at the hotel until midnight, and we went straight to bed.
We got to the track early the next morning, and Joe, Spencer and I took the golf cart to where the fuel is tested after the races. The NHRA official took me on a tour of the trailer and showed me how the fuel is tested. He explained that it takes too long to run the full test for every car, so they are randomly selected. I found it interesting.
Shortly after this, Mr. and Mrs. Veney were dropped off at our pit in a limousine, which provided some excitement for us. During our down time that day, Donna and I went to the Geico trailer for free backpacks, and Pam and I went to the Copart trailer for free t-shirts. Who doesn’t love free stuff? Also, Alan was having the whole team sign a hero card for his neighbor, who just happens to be Siobhan Magnus from American Idol. How exciting is that?
At 1:30, we went up to the staging lanes and we certainly caused a scene by writing JUST MARRIED on the hatch of the car and by tying a string of cans that Jay had made to the wheelie bar, which proceeded to fall off along the way. It was hilarious. Unfortunately, during this run, Todd crossed the center line, hit the block and was disqualified. We did, however, end up qualifying 4th.
After this, I had more down time, and the boys worked hard to turn the car around. I took a nap, and we had lunch around 5pm. Joe, Spencer, Jay and I went for a walk to speak to a vendor. Then Joe and I went on our “date” we have at every race, which is to take the golf cart to buy a fresh squeezed lemonade for the outrageous price of $6. Delicious!
First round was that evening, just as the sun was setting. It was a beautiful night. We were racing Wayne Morris and beat him by running a 5.59.
The boys had a lot of work to do, and it was pretty late by the time we got everyone together for a reception for Todd and Jacque, complete with hors d’oeurves, chicken cacciatore, a champagne toast and cake. It was such an amazing night, and I loved it. It was also an extremely late night, and we went to the hotel for a few hours of sleep.
Sunday was the big show, but rain was in the forecast. I walked up to the stands just in time for a moment of silence and the National Anthem. Jacque came and found me and we watched first round for the Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars. Just as we got back to the pit, the team was getting ready to head up to the staging lanes. It was unbearably hot. We were up against John Anderika, and we knew it was going to be a close race. We beat him by running a 5.63, and we were headed to the semi finals against Manzo. The guys had their work cut out for them, but the rest of us were trying to stay out of the heat. Jimmy, from NHRA, came over to say that we were scheduled to run at 2:30, but that the rain was also expected at 2:30.
In the end, the temperature did drop a lot, but the rain held off just long enough for our semi final round. We smoked the tires, and we were not able to get the win light, but it was still a great weekend.
The skies opened up just as pit takedown began. I have never seen them take the pit area down so quickly. Goodbyes were quickly said as everyone rushed to get out of the rain and on the road. And my and Joe’s weekend ended the exact same way it began, sitting in rain and traffic.
All in all, it was certainly an emotional weekend, in more ways than one. I am certainly looking forward to my next drag race.
Best,
Meaghan
Wanted to fill you all in on last weekends SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ. No better way that I can think of than to get a fresh perspective. Please take a look at what team member Joe Mitchell's girlfriend, Meaghan Foulds had to say about her weekend. Enjoy & will be back at you all soon.
Jay
Hey Everyone,
This past weekend at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ for the Super Nationals was bittersweet. I could not write about this weekend without first taking a moment to think about Neal Parker, who was in a fatal accident on Friday during the qualifying session. Neal Parker, who drove “The Excavator,” was also a Top Alcohol Funny Car driver, and that certainly affected the rest of the weekend for this class. In his honor, the other drivers in this class put a black line through the numbers on their cars. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and crew.
However, this weekend the Follow a Dream team also had a lot to celebrate. For one thing, they made it to the semi-finals. Also, their driver Todd Veney was married to his beautiful bride Jacque. There certainly was a lot of happiness for them.
The weekend started on Thursday. Joe and I left a little later than we planned and after braving both traffic and weather, we arrived at the track around 7pm. We were not allowed to drive in, so Charlie and Spencer picked us up in the golf cart and took us to the pit area, which was all set up. The best part was that we were next to a walking path, so spectators were able to walk adjacent to our pit area and see everything. We only stayed at the track for a couple hours, and then Joe, Spencer, Pam, Ozzie, Mike and I headed to our hotel to check in and make it an early night.
Early Friday morning, Joe, Spencer and I headed to the track. I took my usual spot at the table with my book, although I did help Pam make some toast. If you needed to find Pam at any point this weekend, it would have been by the grill cooking up some delicious food for us. She certainly kept us well fed.
Shortly after eleven, we headed to the staging lanes for the first qualifying session. Right as we got into the crowd by the starting line, the Top Alcohol Funny Cars began racing. Shortly after, we heard about Parker’s accident, but it was not until we were back in the pit that we learned the full extent. Everything was put on hold until about 4pm. At that time, Linda invited me and Pam to her suite for a tour, which was awesome. We sat in there and watched some of the Pro Stock Motorcycles. It was nice to be out of the heat, and I really enjoyed it. Then we stood on the balcony and watched some of the Pro Stock Cars. After walking around the pits, collecting hero cards, we went back to our pit to prepare for our race. It wasn’t until close to 7pm that we ran our first qualifying session. Todd ran a 5.64, and we were currently qualified third. It was a great start.
Shortly after, Todd and Jacque went to Central Park to be married. They had met on June 11, 11 years ago, and they wanted to be married on this date. They were- at 11:30 that night. We were all very excited for them. The rest of us had a BBQ, and the boys were hard at work getting the car ready for the next day. Once they were done, Joe, Alan and I went and sat in the stands to watch the Top Fuel Funny Cars. I love watching them under the lights. Right after, Joe, Charlie and I watched the Top Fuel Dragsters, and we saw Corey Mac make history by running a 3.752, the fastest time in 1000 foot history. It was pretty exciting. That ended up being a late night. The boys put the car away, and we all sat around talking. We weren’t back at the hotel until midnight, and we went straight to bed.
We got to the track early the next morning, and Joe, Spencer and I took the golf cart to where the fuel is tested after the races. The NHRA official took me on a tour of the trailer and showed me how the fuel is tested. He explained that it takes too long to run the full test for every car, so they are randomly selected. I found it interesting.
Shortly after this, Mr. and Mrs. Veney were dropped off at our pit in a limousine, which provided some excitement for us. During our down time that day, Donna and I went to the Geico trailer for free backpacks, and Pam and I went to the Copart trailer for free t-shirts. Who doesn’t love free stuff? Also, Alan was having the whole team sign a hero card for his neighbor, who just happens to be Siobhan Magnus from American Idol. How exciting is that?
At 1:30, we went up to the staging lanes and we certainly caused a scene by writing JUST MARRIED on the hatch of the car and by tying a string of cans that Jay had made to the wheelie bar, which proceeded to fall off along the way. It was hilarious. Unfortunately, during this run, Todd crossed the center line, hit the block and was disqualified. We did, however, end up qualifying 4th.
After this, I had more down time, and the boys worked hard to turn the car around. I took a nap, and we had lunch around 5pm. Joe, Spencer, Jay and I went for a walk to speak to a vendor. Then Joe and I went on our “date” we have at every race, which is to take the golf cart to buy a fresh squeezed lemonade for the outrageous price of $6. Delicious!
First round was that evening, just as the sun was setting. It was a beautiful night. We were racing Wayne Morris and beat him by running a 5.59.
The boys had a lot of work to do, and it was pretty late by the time we got everyone together for a reception for Todd and Jacque, complete with hors d’oeurves, chicken cacciatore, a champagne toast and cake. It was such an amazing night, and I loved it. It was also an extremely late night, and we went to the hotel for a few hours of sleep.
Sunday was the big show, but rain was in the forecast. I walked up to the stands just in time for a moment of silence and the National Anthem. Jacque came and found me and we watched first round for the Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars. Just as we got back to the pit, the team was getting ready to head up to the staging lanes. It was unbearably hot. We were up against John Anderika, and we knew it was going to be a close race. We beat him by running a 5.63, and we were headed to the semi finals against Manzo. The guys had their work cut out for them, but the rest of us were trying to stay out of the heat. Jimmy, from NHRA, came over to say that we were scheduled to run at 2:30, but that the rain was also expected at 2:30.
In the end, the temperature did drop a lot, but the rain held off just long enough for our semi final round. We smoked the tires, and we were not able to get the win light, but it was still a great weekend.
The skies opened up just as pit takedown began. I have never seen them take the pit area down so quickly. Goodbyes were quickly said as everyone rushed to get out of the rain and on the road. And my and Joe’s weekend ended the exact same way it began, sitting in rain and traffic.
All in all, it was certainly an emotional weekend, in more ways than one. I am certainly looking forward to my next drag race.
Best,
Meaghan
June 10, 2010
WE'RE IN ENGLISHTOWN
Hey Everybody!
We're in Etown all set up to start racing tomorrow & most of the crew has arrived. Although it is currently raining, the weather is supposed to be good for most of the weekend.
Charlie & I had a great trip down to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. It was Charlie's first time at Walter Reed and he was very humbled by the whole experience. We spent most of the day there, had the troops sign the back deck of the racecar, & we also passed out "Free To Dream" t-shirts. It's the most amazing experience & so awesome to be able to have the opportunity to give back just a little bit. We're looking forward to the possibly of doing something later in the year with Walter Reed-stay tuned.
Back to racing-in 2003, this race was the very first race that we campaigned the Funny Car & Todd was the driver. Last year this race did not treat us well, but we're very excited to get under way & we're all optimistic that we'll have a great weekend of racing.
Todd & his long time girlfriend Jacque are planning a trip into NYC tomorrow evening to get married in Central Park. We all wish them the best.
I hope all of you have a great weekend. You can tune into www.nhra.com to listen live or www.dragracecentral.com to stay updated throughout the weekend. I'll get back in touch on Monday to fill you all in.
Jay
We're in Etown all set up to start racing tomorrow & most of the crew has arrived. Although it is currently raining, the weather is supposed to be good for most of the weekend.
Charlie & I had a great trip down to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. It was Charlie's first time at Walter Reed and he was very humbled by the whole experience. We spent most of the day there, had the troops sign the back deck of the racecar, & we also passed out "Free To Dream" t-shirts. It's the most amazing experience & so awesome to be able to have the opportunity to give back just a little bit. We're looking forward to the possibly of doing something later in the year with Walter Reed-stay tuned.
Back to racing-in 2003, this race was the very first race that we campaigned the Funny Car & Todd was the driver. Last year this race did not treat us well, but we're very excited to get under way & we're all optimistic that we'll have a great weekend of racing.
Todd & his long time girlfriend Jacque are planning a trip into NYC tomorrow evening to get married in Central Park. We all wish them the best.
I hope all of you have a great weekend. You can tune into www.nhra.com to listen live or www.dragracecentral.com to stay updated throughout the weekend. I'll get back in touch on Monday to fill you all in.
Jay
June 7, 2010
HEADED TO WALTER REED
Hi Everybody,
Its Monday afternoon & Charlie & I are in the truck headed to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in DC. This past week we had the car in the shop. Ozzie checked the lower end & everything seems happy. Charlie & Joe put a new clutch in the car & the car looks all ready for the first qualifier in Englishtown this coming Friday. All thats left is for Tommy to put his finishing touches on the tune up. We'll have the hero cards out in Etown in a beautiful new hero card stand, built by Ozzie-using up the bent front wheels we had laying around the shop-it is amazing! Charlie & I are scheduled to arrive at Walter Reed tomorrow morning & we're looking forward to a great visit there. Then we'll head to Bordentown, NJ where we'll display the racecar at a Petro Truck Stop. Then off to the track to set up & get ready for a busy weekend.
June is a busy month of racing, three races in four weeks. Thanks to the entire crew for all their hard work & dedication. I'll check back later in the week. Have a great day!
Jay
Its Monday afternoon & Charlie & I are in the truck headed to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in DC. This past week we had the car in the shop. Ozzie checked the lower end & everything seems happy. Charlie & Joe put a new clutch in the car & the car looks all ready for the first qualifier in Englishtown this coming Friday. All thats left is for Tommy to put his finishing touches on the tune up. We'll have the hero cards out in Etown in a beautiful new hero card stand, built by Ozzie-using up the bent front wheels we had laying around the shop-it is amazing! Charlie & I are scheduled to arrive at Walter Reed tomorrow morning & we're looking forward to a great visit there. Then we'll head to Bordentown, NJ where we'll display the racecar at a Petro Truck Stop. Then off to the track to set up & get ready for a busy weekend.
June is a busy month of racing, three races in four weeks. Thanks to the entire crew for all their hard work & dedication. I'll check back later in the week. Have a great day!
Jay
June 1, 2010
HELLO ALL!
I hope everybody had a great Memorial Day & remembered to be thankful for the freedoms that we have. Remember-freedom is not free!
The race in Indy went well. We qualified third, and lost in the semi final round. After returning from Indy, Scott, Mitch, & I did a brake job on the trailer, while Charlie cut floaters & discs. Then Charlie, Scott & I loaded the trailer and hit the road. We picked Eddie up on our way out of town and headed for Maple Grove. It was a very busy couple of days.
The team met up in Reading, we tested on Thursday, which went well. We qualified #2 on Friday. Saturday we freshened the motor as scheduled & then Saturday evening had first round of eliminations. Eliminations didn't go as well & we lost first round. We ran a 5.70 to a 5.69 against Fred Tigges. The crew dragged themselves back to the pit area, frustrated with the outcome. The only thing left to do was load up & head home. It was great to be back at our first division 1 race, got to see some folks we haven't seen since last year. Saturday afternoon we had a special visit from Nick, a boy I met seven years ago in Maple Grove. Nick is fighting Juvenile Batten Disease, which is a terminal illness. One of the effects of the disease is loss of sight. Check out his website, www.nicksbattle.com if you want to know more about Nick & his fight. So, it was great to see Nick & his family as always. We also met a young boy name Kevin, who has recently been paired with a great foster family. Kevin's foster dad brought him to the races for the first time. We had a great talk & he promised me he'd be back in October for the national event. Can't wait to see both Nick & Kevin again.
Driving home Saturday night, somewhere around 1am-my phone rings & I hear a voice say, "is that you in the Follow A Dream truck?" A friend of mine from high school was driving right in front of us. We stopped at the TA for fuel & spent an hour catching up with my old buddy Ed. I also met Amanda, who has been a fan of Follow A Dream & couldn't wait to meet us. She drives a junior dragster & her & her dad were on their way to race in Englishtown. Great to meet you Amanda & good luck on your graduation!
I'm home now for a week. I went to a Memorial Day Parade on Monday. Had my father in law Ray, my mom, & my daughter Marybeth over for a delicious dinner to celebrate Ray's birthday. Its great to be home for a couple of days to enjoy some family time.
This week will be all about getting ready for Englishtown & our visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in DC prior to the race.
I'll get back to you all soon-have a wonderful week.
GOD BLESS AMERICA! Thanks to our troops for their dedication-it's because of their many sacrifices that we can DARE TO DREAM.
Jay
The race in Indy went well. We qualified third, and lost in the semi final round. After returning from Indy, Scott, Mitch, & I did a brake job on the trailer, while Charlie cut floaters & discs. Then Charlie, Scott & I loaded the trailer and hit the road. We picked Eddie up on our way out of town and headed for Maple Grove. It was a very busy couple of days.
The team met up in Reading, we tested on Thursday, which went well. We qualified #2 on Friday. Saturday we freshened the motor as scheduled & then Saturday evening had first round of eliminations. Eliminations didn't go as well & we lost first round. We ran a 5.70 to a 5.69 against Fred Tigges. The crew dragged themselves back to the pit area, frustrated with the outcome. The only thing left to do was load up & head home. It was great to be back at our first division 1 race, got to see some folks we haven't seen since last year. Saturday afternoon we had a special visit from Nick, a boy I met seven years ago in Maple Grove. Nick is fighting Juvenile Batten Disease, which is a terminal illness. One of the effects of the disease is loss of sight. Check out his website, www.nicksbattle.com if you want to know more about Nick & his fight. So, it was great to see Nick & his family as always. We also met a young boy name Kevin, who has recently been paired with a great foster family. Kevin's foster dad brought him to the races for the first time. We had a great talk & he promised me he'd be back in October for the national event. Can't wait to see both Nick & Kevin again.
Driving home Saturday night, somewhere around 1am-my phone rings & I hear a voice say, "is that you in the Follow A Dream truck?" A friend of mine from high school was driving right in front of us. We stopped at the TA for fuel & spent an hour catching up with my old buddy Ed. I also met Amanda, who has been a fan of Follow A Dream & couldn't wait to meet us. She drives a junior dragster & her & her dad were on their way to race in Englishtown. Great to meet you Amanda & good luck on your graduation!
I'm home now for a week. I went to a Memorial Day Parade on Monday. Had my father in law Ray, my mom, & my daughter Marybeth over for a delicious dinner to celebrate Ray's birthday. Its great to be home for a couple of days to enjoy some family time.
This week will be all about getting ready for Englishtown & our visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in DC prior to the race.
I'll get back to you all soon-have a wonderful week.
GOD BLESS AMERICA! Thanks to our troops for their dedication-it's because of their many sacrifices that we can DARE TO DREAM.
Jay
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