"Don't feel too bad, at least it wasn't your engine" Jerry Gwynn to my cousin (driving for another owner) after he blew a Tim Richards engine at Indy 1980.

"That looked like a good 10 bagger (10 bags of oil dry)" Warren Burnett RE the same incident.

I think he said that a few years ago in Memphis.

John Force...top-end interview after beating the McDonald's funny car driven by Cruz Pedregon, and ventilating yet another block:

"Yeah, she's hurt, but we got plenty a' parts and plenty a' money to patch 'er up...we turned up the burners and FRIED that Quarter-Pounder!!!"

Dad spit soda all over himself. Indy, 1997 or so...can't remember.

"I Don't Tune It, I Just Drive It!!!"

"You got to fix it before you tune it-they run better on fuel than on aluminum." Elmer Trett--r.i.p.

John Force buzzing in Austin Coils' ear- Coil blows him off--"hold on-I'm about to do something brilliant"

from one well known texas dad to another well known texas dad..(names withheld to protect the innocent)

"The day I find out I got 6 months to live....you got 5"

Robert Rheel, Fallnationals, Phoenix, 1990.

I forget when it was said this year...I think when he went to Daytona for the roundy race

John Force

" We drag racers know where the finish line is....We don't drive around for 2 hours looking for it"

__________________
If you have always done it that way it is probably wrong
Brian (Forcefan1)

When asked about the Countdown to the Championship, Shirley fired back with this gem:

"What in hell are they thinking?" Muldowney asked. "This is definitely where the car owners need to stand their ground...if they have any balls now is the time to show it.

"You frigging race your ass off for eight races and then some leaker gets lucky the last three races in the season and walks off with the money? What the <ooops> are they thinking?

"Oh, right, "let's copy Nascar" that'll make us look like we're bigtime. This makes no sense at all."

Love her or hate her, that's good readin'!

One of my faves is from Capps (imagine that ).

23rd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals: Event notebook
National Dragster, May 16, 2003

Capps' alarming ordeal: Normally cool Ron Capps wasn't afraid to admit that he was terrified after the throttle stuck on his Skoal Camaro during Saturday's final qualifying session. Traveling an estimated 330 mph well past the finish line, Capps managed to get the parachute out, then hit the fuel shutoff valve, causing the engine to go lean and explode. After a brief fire, he was able to get the second chute out and bring the car to a stop short of the sand trap. "I've never been so happy to see an engine blow up in my life," said Capps, who was visibly shaken. "I thought I was going to die; I really did. I've had crashes and fires, but this is easily the scariest thing I've ever been through. I imagine it's just like a plane crash, when you know you're going to die and you're going to be wide awake for the whole thing. [Team owner Don Prudhomme] told me that he wouldn't blame me if I didn't want to get back in the car, but I'm okay with it. I just told him I'm going to start driving with an apple in my mouth."

After his next clean pass, in his interview he stated, "Man! I thought I was going to have to start driving with an apple in my mouth!"

The whole 'roasted pig in a Funny Car' picture makes me chuckle!

__________________
NAPA Nitro Fan!

If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them!

Tony Christian on beating Bob Glidden at Brainerd 1988--

"When's the last time you thumped a Ford? have you thumped a Ford lately"
(Back when Fords big slogan was "Have you driven a Ford Lately?")



Right after John Force had his massive crash in Memphis, and the car came to rest in the sand turned over, everybody ran over to help him... Right went John finally stood up, Steve Evans was there and stuck his microphone in to reach John. Johns first words--

"*****in huh!!.....Is this live???"

After Big Daddys first blow over, Steve Evans asked Don if he thought there was any chance the car could be fixed to complete the race. Don-

"Naw... this car can't race at this event...........I'm not THAT crazy!!!"

Don Prudhomme slapped the wall at Indy in 80 or 81.. Steve went to interview him down in the pits...

Steve- "Your wife Lynn seemed pretty upset, and thinks maybe you should maybe go get checked out.. are you ok??"

Don- "I'm just fine...... she's hit me harder then this...."

__________________
Go Hight!!! Prock Rocket 2008 Style
Quickest to 1000' 4.00
Quickest to 1320' 4.63

Austin Coil several years ago was interviewed after John's run, and Dave asked him what he thought of the run... Austin said, with the tooth pick in his mount, "...That car was shaking like a dog passing a peach seed..."

That is a priceless quote...

I can't remember the book but this is from the author's account of witnessing his very first pair of fuel cars.

"I held my ears...but the sound came through my skull"

Best description I ever read.

At a Super Chevy event in Seattle many years ago, we were attempting to qualify in the Pro Mod field. At that time it was known as one of the premier tours for PM. On our last attempt to qualify, I stayed with an out of shape run a bit more than I probably should have , and still didn't make the field.
On our return to the pits, Tom Jacobson (Soft Seal Camaro PM) casually strolled over and asked me why I had stayed with the run so long? I replied "Tom, it was our last hope to get in the show", to which Tom replied "Is this the LAST DRAG RACE"?

I’m sorry I don’t remember where or when but WJ’s car did not behave well in the shut down. He did an excellent job keeping it of the wall. When they got to him after the run (might have been Steve Evans) Warren simply stated “that’s why we put steering wheels in them”.