I just finished my process to put together the Coming Events listings for this October issue. I certainly hope that your event is listed! If not, please email us event info to roddinracinaz@gmail.com by the 20th. Holly Shirt, there are a lot of automotive and drag racing events coming up in the next 60 days. What a dramatic difference from one year ago.
A year and some into this unprecedented global disruption, media information is still confusing, masks and shots are hotly debated, and friends and family all have different thoughts. It’s complicated. But there’s a renewed and welcome excitement in the event world that’s just so good to see. I’ve been excited for months about racing at the NHRA Summit Racing Series Bracket Finals in Sacramento on October 1-2. But, after last weekend’s Summit Race at Wild Horse Pass, I’ve made the smart decision to NOT go. My third different race car in 2021 is still not 100% race-ready. It’s a 2013 Chevrolet Caprice retired police car. I really like it and sold my Toyota Avalon daily driver in favor of this one. In the last few months, Rip’s Performance (480-288- 1924) in Apache Junction changed the rear end gear to 3.92, which has really improved the car’s performance. It also got a new performance cam, basically to get rid of the 6.0 LS engine’s displacement on demand (dod) that shuts down 4 cylinders while in high gear cruising, until you increase the RPM. My research showed that the dod is very hard on the lifters, which will often fail after 80,000 to 100,000+ miles. My car has 80,000 miles–so out with the old, in with the new. The new mild roller cam also comes with 40 to 50 more horsepower. The Sacramento trip would have cost at least $800 to $1000, and l hate missing it, but the new badly needed BFG Sport Comp ll rear tires and new BFG’s upfront cost that much–couldn’t afford to do both. There are several local and Tucson races coming up that l will race at, so all is good. With the weather about to morph back into that awesome Arizona weather that we all look forward to, l can’t wait to get rolling again in Arizona’s amazing car-scene. Hope to see you out there!!!
