My story is not as cool as Rapid Randy's are, but here goes anyway.

I am actually working in Vegas this week as my company was hired to setup a secured wireless network between 3 buildings at Las Vegas Motorspeedway for Shelby American. Yes, that Shelby. I spent all day watching them convert Mustangs in to Shelby Mustangs, even saw them working on a convertible 500 GT-H. So about 930 yesterday morning I climb up to the roof of building C at LVMS and begin assembling the antenna and stand when I hear a familiar sound ... a fuel motor ... I walk to the edge of the building and look towards the dragstrip and there is lots of tiresmoke where someone has just done a burnout. I stand there and listen for the hit ... sounded like about a 330 ft pass. During my lunch break I walk over to the dragstrip and there's Tommy Johnson Troxel Jr, Del Worsham and Melanie Troxel Johnson Jr. I got to see TJ warmup and then Del make a shut-off pass (7.72 @ 104) then it was back to work where I got listen to them warmup and make hits all day. On the one hand, I have the complete run of Shelby American, which is very cool, but on the other, I wanted to be over at the strip watching those guys test, it was almost torture to be that close to fuels cars and not get to watch.

This was my first time hearing a fuel car this year, so my un-trained ears may need the rust knocked off of them, but it sounded (and felt) like there was more pop in the tank when I was over there on my lunch break, so I am guessing they are trying to sort their 90% tune-up.

I am going back out there this afternoon for finishing work, so hopefully I will get to see/hear some more hits.

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I am suspicious of everyone's agenda, especially my own.

Did you happen to notice what body Del was running??? I thought DRO had a blurb about him switching over to a Charger body, but I couldn't find the story this morning.

He was running his standard Impala.

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I am suspicious of everyone's agenda, especially my own.

Hey Chris,

Good story, I liked it!

That would be fun to see the inner workings of the Shelby joint.

On ESPN 2 either during qualifying or racing, don't remember which, the camera was by the car in the rt lane, then went over to Scott K's funnycar in the left lane. I know it is just sound through a TV, but I for sure heard Scott's car have more crackle than the car in the rt lane, using the same camera so I assume the same mic. JMO

Rapid

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Driver of the Nanook AA/FA

http://WWW.RAPIDRANDY.COM

That is cool. I don't think I would have been able to work.
Have fun today

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4 Ever Kalitta's

I would love to, but security won't let me past the fence ... I had to watch from across the street through the staging lanes looking straight down the strip ... which is why I had to walk down there instead of drive as security would not let me drive my car past the LVMS offices.

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I am suspicious of everyone's agenda, especially my own.

We were given 2 directives. Don't go anywhere near the cars and no pictures. We were going in and out the back doors of the buildings and walking all over the place in the actual assembly and finishing areas to get to the roof access ladders and everytime we would walk in 15 guys would look at us like "who the eff are those guys and what are they doing here?"

While up on the roof we watched the guys driving the finished cars around to LVMS parking lot E where they were loaded on to waiting covered transport vehicles. Every once in a while, one of the guys would give it some stick coming round Speedway Boulevard and we would chuckle to ourselves yet we were also envious.

Lots of F-22 Raptors going in and out of Nellis yesterday ... the Thunderbirds were practicing ... it was about 72 degrees and sunny ... throw the fuel coupes on top of the rest and it was a great day to be outside working.

AND I GET TO DO IT AGAIN TODAY AT 1PM!!!!!

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I am suspicious of everyone's agenda, especially my own.

Lucky you! (Need an assistant??)

Sweet story Chris...I've had the pleasure to see a few nitro test runs on my lunch break...I work across the street from RT66. Thankfully I know the track operator, so no security hassles for me.

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www.zizzoracing.com

Dude...CHRIS....JUST TELL THEM THAT YOU KNOW ALAN REINHART..(make sure you have a BUDWEISER with you)....that you have MATER CRED....and if that Security guard argues with you about that....Well..Then just do it the old fashioned way....(HOP THE FENCE!) If that doesn't get you (IN) then I'll Fed Ex you one of my courier Uniforms...SECURITY NEVER STOPS THE FED EX GUY!!!!

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Timmah! 5636 S/C
"What do Termites eat for Breakfast? OAK-MEAL!"
http://www.myspace.com/timcharlet

I'm assuming they were running nitro test runs in snowmobiles as cold and snowy as it is here in SE Wisconsin (I've got 26" of global warming in my yard and more is coming tomorrow) it can't be much warmer in NE Ill? ..... Perhaps your talking about a ....warm weather lunch break

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GERLACH FAMILY MOTORSPORTS

John 3:3

Raptor's,Shelby's,& Funny's...sounds like a plethora of pleasure

Oh, and he and Alan hooked up....um, that sounds wrong, but y'all know what I mean.

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NAPA Nitro Fan! Beware of the Capps Blitzkrieg Tour 2008!

NICE! Not a bad day at work at all. I would be walking thinking "I get paid for doing this!"