June 20, 2000 A Bunny Tale Update!

Just a quickie update since my last web page update... Which was about six pages long....and I was not a happy camper. Time heals all wounds and I do not stay down very long. Raced at Atco, NJ, and split a win with John Seager, my best was a 6.14 on May 12...... a battle of the sexes - all girls in free!

Rainout at 75-80 Maryland on May 21 (rescheduled for August 12)

Our Quartermasters Racing Team took a bus load of underprivileged kids to Englishtown, NJ, to the NHRA Nationals on May 19 - (now that really was fun!!) HONEST! It was rewarding!

Rainout at Capital, Maryland on May 28 - rescheduled for July 2.

Went to Gordy's and got fitted for a dry sump oiling system. If and when I can afford to get my Newberry Engine back together, I will not have an oiling problem. The block is out being repaired as we speak. Need to order a bunch of new pieces for my "Binkleberry" engine.

June 9, raced at Cecil County and won all three rounds with a best of 6.16. We had a great crowd who stayed around all night for the stunt show at the end.

(The engine I am running now is the oldest Austin engine that I have had since 1989. It never would run fast.  If you remember, I had a broken crank in my "good 6.00 Walt Austin Engine" when we were going to put it back in after my "mess" at Richmond. It only had 57 runs in it. I guess it was just tired.)

June 10, raced at my home track, MIR, Budds Creek, MD, and was the 4th low E.T. in an 8 car show.  Making 2 real clean passes, my best was a 6.24. Also won the burnout contest for a 1,000 foot burnout. Mo just shook his head. But if I can not run real fast right now.....the fans knew I was there and I sold a bunch of souvenirs. I did not hurt it because we have a throttle stop so my "hurt" ankle/foot can not be too aggressive. It only knows "all on or all off!"

Raced June 17 at New England Dragway, Epphing, NH. Again we made 2 clean passes, was 4th low E.T. in an 8 car show, my best was a 6.29 and we have a great fan following up there also. We got a lot of attention, because on the 2nd run, the tree would not come down - after my usual 1/8 mile burnout, both cars staged and had the R's up - but no tree, we backed out and re-staged. The same thing again, by this time, my clutch was cooked and I was about 240 Temp, and the oil pressure was down to 50 lbs. So I shut my car off. Good thing too, because they had to work in the tree for a while. That gave me the opportunity to chat with the fans on the line with a portable mic, go back to the pits and try to cool down. So we got to go back to the line and do it all over. The fans hung around - thinking it was the final. (By the way, I lost - but I have a good reason. It was so damp and the dew got on everything. We had covered the nose of the car, so it was dry, but when I left the line the water on top of the car came through the hatch and sprayed my face shield real good.) I guess it startled me, because I short shifted, darted around and just got down the track with a 6.40. It was good for Billy Naves to win any way, NED is his home. (He moved to NC about 2 years ago).  As usual, he had the best run he has in 10 years, a 6.29. I always bring out the best in all the guys!

Speaking of the "Boys," we spent Friday on Hampton Beach in NH and the "Boys" got sun burned real good in only 2 hours. That did not keep us from having our lobster dinner like we always do when we race NED.  We really got lucky because a friend of my crew member, Joe, bought us dinner that night. Thanks John, it could not have happened at a better time. Our team got off to a terrible start this year. Which we will not recover from for a very long time.

We are booked solid for 6 races and 2 ethanol displays, June 24 through the end of July.

June 24 - Race at Capitol Raceway, Crofton, MD

July 2 - Capitol Raceway, Rainout Makeup

July 8 - MIR, Superchargers Showdown, Budds Creek, MD

July 12 - Englishtown, NJ, Wednesday Night

July 15 - NED in New Hampshire, Running a Jet Car Show

July 25-26 - Delaware Fair Display for 2 days

July 27 - Maryland Grain Display

July 28-30 - NHRA DIV. 1 Numidia, PA (unless I get a paid Match Race)

No need to keep typing dates, I will update my schedule.

I am having special trading cards for the year 2000 made that promotes Holbrook Performance Parts. I think it will be hung up or stuck up somewhere - will be good for future use. If they do not call now, they will when they need something and remember the "Bunny" card.

The other three trading cards are one of my crew. One promoting Ethanol and one all about Bunny and the Boys. This will make 16 total trading cards (these 16 cards cannot be purchased anywhere else, just Ms. Bunny), over the last 10 years that we have had made of our team. This can be ordered by mail, check out every page on my website.

Already I have my new handout made, for the year 2000 (I did not make a 1999, because I did not have an extra $2,000 to spare. I still do not have the money, but I am in the process of making a 1999 Handout with Dave Bishop, Competition Photos, who has been doing my photos for over 30 years.

We will be getting back on Damian Moore's Camaro Funny Car now that school is out and Damian has time to do the powder coating and start the assembly of the car. Gordy is making us a dry sump oiling system for his car also. The engine is ready, the trans and rear end are all ready, although we are still waiting on Centerline Wheels to be shipped.

We have already has Damian measured at the NHRA Nationals in Richmond for his complete Simpson Gear, parachutes were ordered also. (Black and purple, Dennis Moore is always a first class act. We are having an artist come up with a special paint scheme for Damian.

Damian has been practicing in the "Driver's Ed Car" that Dennis and Mo fixed up for Damian. He is a natural behind the wheel. I watched him shift the B&J transmission a dozen times and never had a single problem from forward to reverse, etc. A seasoned Funny Car Driver has a problem every now and then. Damian is getting used to the feeling of being closed in a Funny Car, the light touch of the steering wheel, the art of letting out on the clutch at the same time he hits the throttle. The "Driver's Ed Car" is a legal seven second Funny Car that has met the NHRA Chassis Rules. It has a mild mannered Chevy engine in it now. Mo worked for weeks on the Bell Housing and clutch, so that it worked the same as his new Funny Car. We are starting Damian out with a little less horsepower, but that was his first complaint (while driving around their private property, which is hardtopped and plenty of room). This "Driver's Ed Car" is too sluggish off the line..."Can't I go Faster!" I think I am as excited to see him in the Funny Car as he is! You know that is my future plan to operate a 2 car Funny Car team for Damian Moore and Lil Bear Pritchett. Dennis Moore has already started our "Race Car Head Quarters" at the far end of his body shop, complete with an office for Damian and myself to conduct our racing business out of, of course. All this will not take a full time status until Damian has completed his education and sprouted his "wings." In the mean time, we are all excited about the future!

It has been a "blast," traveling back and forth to Gordy's in Ohio, fitting Damian in his car, He will kill me, but he looked real cute in my firesuit. It was so tight that he could not move, but it served the purpose of making sure that he had proper roll cage clearance.

I took photos of every move that we made from start to the minute that we dropped the Funny Car off at the body shop. Of course, we still have tons of work to do, but with school out, Damian can get a lot done. I would like to see Damian paint his car - he is more than capable. He has worked around the shop for years and he even painted my street car for me. Absolutely perfect!!!!!!!

Hopping Off...for this time....and we will chat again real soon!!

Till Next Time... "Run A Bunny"

...and the Boys, too!