August 20, 1999 A Bunny Tale Update!

Sorry I have not chatted with you for a while, but I really did not have much news until this past weekend. We went Jr. Dragster racing on July 31 and August 1, with Damian Moore. He and Lil Bear raced their Moore sponsored Jr. Funny Cars. On August 4 and 12, we displayed for the Virginia Corn Growers at the Virginia Food Festival and the VA. AG. Expo with both the Jr. Dragster and my big Funny Car, promoting Ethanol - the Homegrown Solution to Unneeded Oil Imports.

On that same Thursday night, we headed out for a 12 hour all nighter to Alken, SC... Plus short handed to boot, my regular crew (Chop and Clutch Man Nipple) both had to work. I called on my old friend Charlie Fields, and ex-crew member and "Bunny Burnout" from 5 years ago for a helping hand. It sure did not take long to refresh his memory. Although he may never return my phone call again! =)

After an all nighter, we raced on Friday night at Carolina Dragway in Jackson, SC (click here to visit their website). In spite of the extreme heat, me still managed Low E.T. of 4.09 @ 177 mph. We got to bed around 2 am and were on the job at 9 am, arriving for our display at Wal-Mart. After spending 5 hours in 105 degree weather, chatting with 100's of possible spectators, we headed back to Carolina Dragway for a 4 car match race on Saturday night. Although the heat was almost unbearable, Mo, Bear and Charlie had to replace an alternator on our tow truck, change a trailer tire, and get the race car ready to battle for 3 straight rounds of competition. 

We had the best of everything that night! Not only did it rain a very nice shower to cool down the temperature, but the fans started rolling in to see us (in spite of the rain) - we had a great turnout! AND...they were not disappointed... Billy Naves, Mike Preslar, Jason Williams and "Bunny and the Boys Mopar Performance/Ethanol Powered Dodge Avenger Funny Car" absolutely put on one of the best shows that I have been a part of for a long time.

Just imagine... 3 complete rounds, 3 runs each and not a single bad run. Every car had spectacular burnouts and runs that never varied over a few hundredths of each other!  When the smoke cleared, "Mopar's Hemi Honey Bunny" barely reached the Winner's Circle with E.T.'s of 4.15, 4.10 and 4.08 at 178 mph. In the final, Mike Preslar tossed a blower belt which allowed me to take the win light by only 4 hundredths (.04) of a second!

The team "wound down" by signing autographs with our faithful fans, changed another trailer tire, and headed to the motel at about 3 am.   We hit the road for home at 10 am Sunday and the heat took its' toll - with a "blow out" on the trailer at South of the Border.

We made it home safe and we were all..."bunny burnouts!" Monday night found us in the garage thrashing again, the engine checked out ok, but we found a cracked rear end and the blower is headed north to be stripped for Norwalk. 

Wednesday, we went to Worldwide Racing Fuels in New Canton, VA, about 3 hours drive for us to get fuel for the race car. Although there are other brands of fuel available closer to home, we demand "only the best," which comes from Worldwide Racing Fuels (804-581-3211). Their fuel has passed NHRA fuel check after sitting in jugs in out trailer all winter!! None of the others can top that.

August 19th finds me on the way to Manchester, MD, to pick up a repaired block that I broke the rod in on July 7 at Englishtown, NJ. Another 3 hour trip, on which I had plenty of time to think about the fact that Mo and I have been married for 38 years today! He is a good man to put up with me! =)

August 20 and 21 will be spent at the Montgomery County Fair, working for the Maryland Grain Producers, promoting the different uses of grain (mostly corn). We will be using the car as an attention getter and they will leave my table with literature in their bags which are made from corn!

Next week we head to Norwalk, OH, for the IHRA Mopar Parts World Nationals presented by Ethanol Performs. How perfect can a race be for someone like me, both Mopar and Ethanol Performs!  Although I am not as competitive as I would like to be and have "little to no" chance at qualifying with my current equipment, I still want to show my support for Mopar. I am very happy that they have joined the IHRA family. Both know how to treat the "little" racers. All of us cannot be number one and it takes all of us for there to be a "Number One!" IHRA never forgot that it takes all the racers to make a National Event.

Our team has fond memories, both past and present, with Mopar and IHRA - by winning the FIRST IHRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in a DODGE DAYTONA FUNNY CAR, in 1986.  A bit of news for the future... We are in the process of building a BAE FAT HEAD ENGINE. I have the block and crank on order, and we are saving every penny that we can towards the $16,000.00 heads from Brad.

Where there is a will...      There is a way...   And I am a blessed lady...

Till Next Time... "Run A Bunny"

...and the Boys, too!