I am trying to learn how to top bulb race...it turns out to be fairly difficult for a guy who bottom bulbed for 20 years...anyway, I raced the BLP point event at Orlando today in my quest...my day began early with an 8AM gates open time...I got unloaded and ready for our one and only time shot...the weather was wonderful with a high of 70* and a light cross breeze...I finally got called up to run around noon...there was a ton of Super Pro cars, 8 full lanes so about 250 or so...my run went Ok except for my light, once again...I am fighting the tree and it is winning...I went 6.53 with an 85 light...sigh...this was my 8th pass off the top so I hope seat time will solve this issue at some point...the DA was a sparkling +440 which is mine shaft air for these parts...

So it is finally time for round one...I go up and catch a pipe rack dialed 4.73...the air is not as good as earlier so I put 6.55 on my window...I leave green and so does he...I can see he will not reach so I give mine a couple of good whomps and lead him through for the win...turns out I was going under since I went dead 3 whomping...whew!...looked like a low 54 for me...oh well...btw, my tree was a bit better at .046...still no bueno, however...

Now they call us up for round two and I line up with another dragster, this time dialed 4.62...I drop my dial down to 6.54 and off we go...I leave green and he is coming at me like a freight train...I whomp again and win this round...I have to stop driving the stripe because these folks are coming at me trapping between 142 and 148mph...meanwhile I am going 103+ mph...sheesh...my tree got slightly better again with a 43 light...still no good though...not for this crowd, anyway...lol...

I get called up for round three and, yup, get another dragster...this time dialed 4.52...I put 6.55 on mine thinking I may run a low 55...I launch and he is green as well...I cannot find him anywhere on track so I whomp real good for the win...turns out he was .002 on the tree but rattled the tires and went up in smoke...I finally hit the tree with an .006 light...on to round next...

Now round four is called up and the sun has gone down...the temp has dropped like crazy to 56*...this is a nightmare for a pump gas car like mine...here I go again getting yet another dragster...he dials 4.68 and I put 6.54 on mine...I am freezing in the car...go ahead and laugh but we are not used to racing in 50 degree temps down this way...remember I said I needed to get away from driving the stripe?...well, here is why...

We both launch green, me with a 37 light and him with a 17...I cannot find him at the stripe so I give her a couple of whomps...he went by me like I was tied to a stump, trapping over 140mph to my 98mph whomping...looking at my slip if I had stayed in it I go dead on...I went two over with my shenannigans...fooey!...I don't know if I would have won that round but it would have been damn close had I ran it out the back door...this is one more lesson I need to learn to top bulb race effectively in my car...

As fast as these folks are coming at me I must dial hard and have enough faith to run it out...trying to judge the stripe when your opponent is 40-50 mph faster than you is near impossible...this rarely happened to me off the bottom...oh well, I'll learn...this part is extra hard for me since my pump gas car is not all that consistent to begin with...

As always, I had a ball and want to thank ZR1John for helping me out so much...I can do everything myself but it sure is a lot easier to focus on driving when you have a friend like John helping with the tires, fuel, etc....next up is Palm Beach next weekend for a double header...96collector and I will be there trying to kick some booty...I'll be continuing my top bulb quest...