What a crazy few weeks we have had here at Jim Yates Racing. Between driving, flying, working, and racing there haven’t been many free hours left in the day. After a great race in Vegas, a few days at the SEMA show, and an exciting time in Pomona, our 2009 racing season has finally come to an end. Jim, once again is in the rig making the long drive back across the country. On his way, he has to make a stop in Sioux City, Iowa, to get the truck worked on and then stop in Detroit to drop off the race engines to Dart Machinery. He is hoping that if all goes well he will be able to make it home by the weekend.

In the meantime, Jon and I are sitting in our first class seats on our Southwest flight (hey we were in the A group!) just passing over Phoenix and are scheduled to arrive in Baltimore in about five hours. OK, I’ll admit, I do feel just a little bit guilty so I figured that I would help Jim out and catch up on our blog writing. Not that driving 3,000 miles is equal to writing a blog, but it is the best I can do at the present time!

I’m sure that most of you have been following the last couple of races, so I won’t spend a lot of time giving you a race-by-race commentary. I will say, however, that we had a great time, and Ryan got to experience a lot of firsts on his trip west. He made his first ever trip to Vegas and got to enjoy the sights, sounds, and excitement that go with the city that never sleeps. He was able to participate in his first NHRA Fanfest on Fremont Street and have the opportunity to meet and greet hundreds of racing fans as well as enjoy the awesome light show that NHRA put on. He raced and qualified at his first trip to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which is one of the finest racing facilities in the country, and he even had time to take his first trip to see the amazing Hoover Dam. We were hoping that he would get to experience his first race win, but unfortunately, that had to wait for another trip.

After the race, Jim and I spent a couple of days at the SEMA show, flew home for the weekend, and then back out to Vegas to pick up the rig and drive to Pomona. It turned out to be a fantastic weekend in Pomona with perfect weather, fast e.t.s and lots of excitement for everyone. If you have been following you know that the final champions in Pro Stock Motorcycle and Top Fuel were not crowned until after the semifinal round of eliminations. How exciting was that?! I do want to take a minute and congratulate Mike Edwards and his entire team for winning their first Pro Stock championship. What a feeling it is to finally win that first championship, and I can't think of a team that is more deserving. Great job guys!

Though Ryan had been to the LA area before, this was the first time that he had ever been to or raced at the Fairplex. The guys at Dart had been working on a new engine and had it ready for us to run this past weekend. Jon had the car set up perfectly, Ryan did a great job driving, and we were very pleased with our results. The Sunglass Machine ran faster every run and we were qualifying in the ninth position all weekend. Well, that was before the last qualifying session.

The session had already proven to be faster, and we couldn’t wait to get our pass down the track. The last thing that Jon does before I give Ryan the signal to stage is check the wheelie bar height. For those of you that don’t know it, this step is very critical because the wheelie bars determine whether or not the car goes straight off of the line. Well, Jon reached down to check the wheelie bar, looked up at me with a look of disbelief and gave me the signal to shut Ryan off. Are you kidding me?! Jon shook his head again, motioned again to shut off, and stood up holding the right wheelie bar in his hand… oh boy, this was not where the wheelie bar needed to be to make the car go straight.

So, we pushed Ryan off of the starting line without making our run. Luckily, we only dropped to 12th in our qualifying position but were still disappointed that we didn’t get to make our final run and perhaps bump up into the top half of the field. Unfortunately, no top half of the field, no lane choice first round, and once again Ryan found himself just 13-thousandths of a second shy of a round-win. It was still a great weekend, and we were very excited about the performance of our new engine. I think that Richard wants to work on it a little more and then perhaps go for an early December test session in Florida. That sounds good to me!

Well, as Jon and I are passing over New Mexico, Jim is probably on I-15 almost to Vegas on route east. I heard him mention something about making it to Salt Lake City tonight, but I’m not sure if he will actually make it that far. I told him to just take his time, but you know how those guys are once they start counting mile markers.

This is the first time in several years that Jim doesn’t have to be home in time for his annual trip to Kuwait and Germany, and I know that he is very disappointed that he and all of his GM teammates will not be going to visit the troops this year. That trip has always been the highlight of Jim’s year as it gave him the opportunity to show his gratitude and support to the thousands of men and women who are risking their lives, every day, for the good of our country.

My battery meter just blinked at me to let me know that I can’t play with my computer much longer, so I will wrap up this blog and try to get it sent as soon as I land this evening. I have to admit that I am looking forward to getting home so that I can get things ready for our Thanksgiving family dinner. The holidays are my favorite time of the year, and I can’t wait to get them started! I’ll make sure that Jim checks in when he gets back into town!

I really thought that I was doing a good job in keeping current on my blog writing until I realized that it has been a few weeks since my last post. I guess time flies when you are having fun.

As I explained in my previous blog, prior to the Richmond event, we spent a few days testing at Budds Creek, Md., racing in the MIR Pro Stock Open and then it was on to Richmond where the weather was cool and the ETs and speeds were record-setting. Ryan did a great job qualifying in the 13th position and recorded his quickest ET at a 6.605. Since the track is only about two hours from our shop we were treated to the company of lots of family and friends and everyone had a great time.

We weren't sure what our racing schedule was going to be for the remainder of the year but we are happy to report that Ryan will be driving the Sunglass Machine at both the Vegas and the Pomona races and we are all very excited about that. Ryan has never been to Vegas or Pomona so he is in for a real treat. There is no better way to wind down your first year in Pro Stock than Halloween weekend in Vegas and the World Finals in beautiful, sunny Pomona, Calif. Notice that I used the word "sunny"! We are very much counting on that part.

As you can imagine, with only a week before I have to leave with the rig, we have all been very busy making the final preparations for our last two races. Jon has been working, nonstop, on our GXP, Toni has been finalizing all of the travel plans for the team, I have been getting the rig ready to make the trip west and Ryan will be honing his driving skills racing his Sportsman cars at Maple Grove this weekend. Go get them, Ryan!

By the time we get to the end of our racing season, most drivers dread the long trip west, but I must admit, I really enjoy the drive this time of year. The weather is usually cool, the leaves are changing and the landscape is beautiful. I plan on leaving on Sunday, right after Ryan's first birthday party, go by Richard's shop to pick up the engines and then head to Vegas. My plan is to drive 2,600 trouble-free miles and arrive in Vegas on Wednesday morning. We will get set up and then Ryan and I will attend the NHRA Fanfest which will be held on Thursday evening right in the middle of Freemont Street. If you are in town for the race, you have to come and see the amazing event that NHRA puts on for the fans. It is absolutely incredible and a lot of fun too!

Did you notice that I mentioned that Ryan was having his first birthday party? I can't believe that it has already been a year. For those of you that told me that a grandbaby would change your life forever, I am here to say that you were 100 percent correct! That little guy is such a blessing and it is so much fun to watch him grow and change day to day. All you grandparents out there know exactly what I am talking about! Anyway, Jamie and Cynthy will be having a small family get together this weekend to celebrate his first year. I can't wait!

{GALLERY_jason}Speaking of birthdays, prior to the Richmond race, my baby brother Jason turned 50 and his wife Loren and their son Jason Jr. surprised him with a grand birthday celebration at the W Hotel in Washington D.C. It was awesome. There was a cocktail party on the top floor terrace which just happened to overlook the White House, then, there was dinner, dancing and socializing until the wee hours of the morning. Of course my entire family was there as well as many old and new friends. Everyone had a great time and I am sure that my brother Jason will always cherish the memories of a perfect 50th birthday celebration. Hey, I can't wait until he turns 60! That's a memorable birthday too, right? I'll have to talk to my sister-in-law about that. LOL

As you can see, we have had a lot of fun things going on in the Yates family lately. It has been really nice having an extra weekend off between races. Besides attending birthday parties, I have had time to work on and wash my boat, work on my yard and even monitor my new bird feeder. I am happy to report that we FINALLY have birds and a squirrel that visit every day! How cool is that? Since the bird feeder is "squirrel proof" I don't have to worry about them getting into the feeder, but I'm still having a blast watching all the birds. See what happens when a pro stock racer stays out of the race car too long?

Well, speaking of Pro Stock racing, I am going to wrap up this blog and get back to my unanswered phone calls that have been stacking up on my desk since I have been writing. Jon says that we are right on schedule as far as getting everything ready and loaded up by Friday so I better do my part and find him some parts that he needs! We are so excited to be racing with Ryan in Vegas – you never know, this just may be where his luck changes and he wins his first race. Viva Las Vegas Baby!
 

Hi everyone! I just got back to the shop yesterday, unloaded, unpacked, cleaned and am ready to start getting everything ready for our next race. Unfortunately, we will not be attending the race in Dallas or Memphis but we are very excited about Ryan racing the Sunglass Machine at Richmond. Since Richmond is only about two hours from our shop, we expect to have lots of friends, fans and family in attendance.

For those of you that watched the coverage on ESPN2 you know that the race in Concord was amazing. How about the four side-by-side Top Fuel and Funny Car passes? That was really something to see. We couldn’t get a very good picture of those passes so you will have to go to the NHRA website and check out the great pictures that are posted. I know I'm probably dating myself, but I remember back in the day when we used to watch the cars run four wide at Budd's Creek. We were hoping that NHRA would run four Pro Stock cars but for some reason they decided not to. Maybe next time! 

We had a great time in Concord this past weekend. Besides being in a fantastic facility we were treated to lots of family, friends and sponsors. Myles Freeman from Wiley X and a couple of his friends traveled all the way from California to spend the weekend with us and I know that they had a great time. What better way is there to spend your weekend than watching Ryan qualify the Sunglass Machine? OK, I guess watching Ryan put the Sunglass Machine in the winner's circle would be a little better; we are confident that with his driving skills it won't take him too long to accomplish that!

Besides some great racing, the event in Concord gave us an opportunity to catch up with family as well. Toni's dad, Don, was in the area visiting his brother so they decided to come to the race on Sunday. I know that Don hasn't been to the track in years and Toni's Uncle Ed had never been to an NHRA event. They certainly weren't disappointed with what this facility had to offer and everyone had a great time.

Speaking of having a great time, Toni and I decided to take an extra day and, while on the way home, stopped by the race shop of Richard Childress. Melissa's friend, Chris, works on the #07 car driven by Casey Mears, and he gave us a private tour of the entire facility. All I can say is, "Wow!" It was absolutely amazing! Everyone there was so nice; many of them had attended the race, and most of them follow NHRA Pro Stock. I could have spent a week there just talking to all of the employees and admiring all of the technology that goes into an operation of that size. Hey, I offered to unload the Sunglass Machine (which was parked in the parking lot) so they could look it over and offer up some speed secrets! OK, so they were a little busy with their cars – I get it.

We didn't leave the facility until they were turning out the lights and locking the doors. I really appreciate Chris taking time out of his busy day to give us a tour and answer a million of my questions. I know that after a Sunday race, all of those guys have a lot to do to get ready for the next weekend and every one of them took the time to talk to us and answer all of our questions. I have to say, that after spending a day in such a premier racing facility, it was a little depressing to come back to my little shop. 

Since we won't be traveling for the next couple of weeks Jon and I are looking forward to having the time to fine tune our GXP to get it ready for Richmond and Richard Maskin, Craig, and the other guys at Dart are working really hard to find us some more horsepower. Prior to the Richmond event, we will spend two days testing and then race in the U.S. Pro Stock Open at Budd's Creek, Md. The Pro Stock Open will be held on Wednesday, Oct.7 and the Pro qualifying starts at 7:30 p.m.

Believe it or not this is the event where I debuted my first Pro Stock car back in 1988! I can still remember the butterflies I had when I rolled my Ford Thunderbird into the water at my home town track in front of all of my bracket racing competitors. It all looked so easy when the car was sitting in the garage – it was sure a different story when I pulled to the starting line and let the clutch out for the first time. Of course, I don't think that the car went 60 feet for the first few hits and I was so frustrated. I remember coming back to the trailer, sitting in the lounge and I said to Toni, "I'm not sure if I can do this." She looked me straight in the eye and I will never forget what she said.

She said, "Jim now is a great time for you to decide that you can't drive this Pro Stock car. We didn't spend all this time and all this money for you to doubt yourself now! Now you need to get back out there, get your butt back in that race car and drive it to the finish line just like you know how to do!"

What could I say to that? She was right. (Well, she might have been right just that one time! LOL)  Was I going to prove to everyone at my home track that I couldn't handle this car? Well, I went back out there, strapped myself in my new Pro Stock car, did a pretty nice burnout, drove it to the finish line and qualified in the top half of the field. I made six runs that night between 7.47 and 7.51 and then ran 7.50 in the final against the reigning world champion, "Tricky Rickie" Smith. That's right, my very first race in Pro Stock and I went to the final.

As they say, the rest was history. I was on the top of the world that night and I was hooked for good. My good friend Carlton Phillips (who also raced Pro Stock at the time) came over to congratulate me on my runner-up finish. I was so excited to have gone to the final and on top of that had won $1,000. Carlton just laughed at me and said, "You might have won $1,000 but you just cost yourself about $500,000!" Now what in the world did he mean by that? I didn't quite catch the meaning then, but I sure have come to realize what he was saying now. Looking back, I think he misplaced his decimal point!

Well, enough of my reminiscing. If you are on your way to the Richmond event and have some free time on Wednesday evening, stop by Budds Creek and watch some great drag racing. Things have come a long way for me since that first Pro Stock Open in 1988, but I always look forward to putting on a show for my home town fans at my home town track; and yes, even now, I occasionally feel those butterflies when I pull into that same water box.
 

Remember in my last blog that I talked about all of the "extra" things that we always wished for while racing Pro Stock? Well, I didn't realize how true those words would come to be. If you followed our progress while in Indy last week you would know that if we had just had an extra thousandth of a second Ryan would have advanced to his first semifinal round! Don't get me wrong, we were very excited to have qualified in the top half of the field and then to make it even better, Ryan scored his first round win - it was an awesome weekend. 

I have always compared Indy to a marathon. By the time we have gotten to the track early for setup, completed five qualifying runs and then added an extra day for racing most of us have been at the track for a week or more. Throw in some rain and delayed qualifying sessions and that makes the week seem even longer. But even with long days, we still found time to have some fun and fellowship with our good friend Cliff Moberg from Moldstar. 

After Sunday's qualifying sessions we serviced our Sunglass Machine and got it race ready for Monday. We then headed over to the Raceview campground where Cliff and his son Scott had grilled steak and Australian lobster tails waiting for us.  All I can say is Wow! Dinner was absolutely amazing!

While we were relaxing and enjoying each other's company, someone in the campground started playing live music so we all walked over to check out the entertainment. As it ended up we had a great time mingling with the fans while we stood and listened to some great music. What a fun evening it was for all!

We left Indy on Monday evening very happy with our weekend. Ryan did another great job driving the Sunglass Machine, the guys from Dart had picked up the performance in the engines, and Jon made some awesome calls with the gear ratios and clutch. Me, I just stood around and relaxed! Right! Believe that one and I'll tell you some more!  LOL

Though racing is my main focus during the racing season, I've really learned to appreciate my weekends at home. Of course the first thing on my list of things to do is visit little Ryan. He is growing up so fast and is almost ready to walk. Don't get me wrong, he can crawl faster than most of us can walk so he doesn’t have any trouble racing around the house with me. He is such a little blessing and I love every minute that I get to spend with him.

We did spend some time working on the boat this weekend but didn't really have the opportunity to take it anywhere. With the boat docked behind the house, we have to be more mindful of high and low tides. I don't want to take a chance of "dinging" the props so I usually like to go in and out on high tide. Sometimes the time of high tide just doesn’t fit into my schedule; like 5:00 a.m, so we elected to keep it tied at the dock and work around the house instead.

I did finally get a chance to hang up my new bird feeder that my father-in-law, Don gave me for my birthday. This is something new for us, we have never been home long enough to see the birds let alone feed them! Anyway, Toni went out and bought a big bag of sunflower seeds (as recommended by Don); I hung the feeder and waited to see the birds flock to it. Well, I am still waiting; so far, there have been no birds visiting our feeder. I told Toni that I was going to put it in the middle of the yard and each day move it closer to the deck. By the time we leave for Charlotte, I will have the birds right where I want them. She only looked at me and rolled her eyes. Hey, I thought it sounded like a great idea!

Anyway, Don assures me that if I am patient enough, the birds will soon find their new food source and be visiting it regularly. Unfortunately, as many of you know, patience isn't really one of my biggest attributes! I will admit that I have scattered seeds all over the deck in an attempt to lead them to the new feeder. I'll let you know if it worked!

We are leaving early tomorrow for Charlotte and right now Jamie and Jon are busy getting everything loaded up. Jamie came down to the shop today in between his morning and afternoon classes at Maryland and it is such a big help to all of us when Jamie is around. Well, it sounds like they are getting close to loading our Sunglass Machine so I will wrap up this blog and head back downstairs. I'll keep you posted on my bird sightings as it happens! If you have any suggestions, just let me know!  
 

Since my last blog things around Jim Yates Racing have been really busy. I thought that not racing Brainerd would afford us lots of extra time to get everything ready for Reading, but I have found that there never seems to be a lot of extra anything in racing! You know, like extra days in the week, extra money, MPH, thousandths of seconds, round-wins — my list could go on forever! LOL

We had a test session planned the week of Reading in Budds Creek, Maryland, to run some new engines, break in some tires, and break in some new clutch parts. Ryan was more than ready to get back behind the wheel of the Sunglass Machine and as usual did a fantastic driving job. Of course, the two days that we chose to test just happened to be the hottest days of the year, go figure. Despite the heat we had a really good test session. Richard Maskin and the guys at Dart have been working really hard on some new engines, and we spent a lot of time making runs to find that perfect tune-up.

After two days of testing, it was on the road again to head to Maple Grove Raceway. This has always been one of my favorite tracks as I used to race our Division 1 Bracket Finals at this track every year. It is a beautiful facility nestled in the hills of Pennsylvania surrounded by acres of farmland and corn fields — very different from most of the tracks we attend. Anyway, we were all looking forward to some beautiful weather and some fast NHRA Drag Racing.

Remember what I said earlier about not having anything extra in racing… well this past weekend we certainly didn't have any extra luck when it came to Mother Nature and the racetrack. The NHRA Safety Safari and track officials spent many, many hours trying to gain control of the water seeping up through the racetrack, and as a result we were limited to just two qualifying runs for the weekend. Do you know how frustrating it is to sit at the track with the sun shining and not be able to make a qualifying pass? Despite the delays, though, NHRA did a great job assuring that we had a safe racetrack to run on and for that I am grateful for all of their hard work.

Well, Ryan did a flawless job driving our Wiley X Sunglass Machine to a #12 qualifying position and did another great job on Sunday. All he needed was a few extra thousandths of a second to claim his first round-win, but like I said, there never seems to be anything extra in Pro Stock! Our next race is Indy, and we can't wait.

Though racing is our main focus right now, we still found the time to visit some great friends of ours during our off weekend. Many years ago, while doing a Pontiac promo in Topeka, Kansas, we met Don and Jana Knapp and their two daughters, Jamie and Kristin. Since their daughters are the same ages as our kids, we instantly had a great deal to talk about. Over the years, our friendship has grown, and though we are long distance, we usually try to see each other at least once or twice a year. Well, a couple of weeks ago, Jamie Knapp got married to Bryan Bradley, and Toni and I were so happy that we were able to attend her special day. What a great time we had catching up with Don, Jana, and the girls and sharing in Jamie's happiness. Unfortunately, our stay was short, but we departed with promises of getting together again in the near future.

As Indy approaches, we are looking forward to a great weekend of racing. Jon and I have been working all week on the Sunglass Machine, and Richard and Dart have been working on the engines. I am confident that everything will come together for Ryan next weekend as he attends his first Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. I do have to say that we will be one crew guy short for the next couple of races. Al Waters, who has been with us for many years, will have to take some time off to help care for his sick mom. We are keeping Al, his mom, and his family in our prayers and are praying for a speedy recovery.

Well, before I close, I want to wish everyone a very happy Labor Day weekend. Have you ever thought about why we celebrate Labor Day? No, it is not to celebrate a win at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, though that would be nice! I actually looked up the definition of Labor Day and decided to share this with you:

Definition: Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Oregon was the first U.S. state to recognize Labor Day in 1887. It became a U.S. National holiday in 1894.

So in observance of Labor Day, we will be taking a little extra time and working a little extra hard to insure that Ryan and this entire Wiley X Sunglass team has a great showing at Indy next week.

Thanks for checking in!!

Hey everyone! Today is Thursday, and I finally made my way upstairs to my office where I am going to catch everyone up on what has been happening in the world of Jim Yates Racing. As last reported Toni and I flew to Sonoma to attend the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals and then took a couple of extra days to do some sightseeing. We arrived at BWI airport in plenty of time to catch our outbound flight to Oakland, but as soon as we checked in, we were informed that our flight was going to be delayed; of course that meant that we would miss our connecting flight and we would have to be rebooked on other flights and we may not have our luggage and so on and so on.

Well, our journey took us from Baltimore to Phoenix to Burbank and then finally to our final destination of Oakland, and believe it or not, we landed only an hour later than originally scheduled. In addition, all of our luggage arrived as well. Don't you just love air travel? Anyway, because we had been confined to our aircraft for 12 hours with a food supply of peanuts, crackers, and water, we decided to make Scoma's Restaurant at Fisherman's Wharf the first stop on our trip.

The restaurant was packed with lots of NHRA race teams and fans, but our good friend Joe Scoma took care of us and got us seated in his section, where he served us some of the finest seafood in town. If you ever visit the Wharf area, you have to visit Scoma's and ask for Joe. Tell him Jim sent you! You won't be disappointed, I promise.

On Friday morning, Toni and I headed to Infineon Raceway to begin a great weekend of NHRA Drag Racing. This was the first time that Toni and I have been spectators at the racetrack in quite a long time. We get spoiled having our own rig parked in the pits complete with golf cart, awning, air conditioning, kitchen, food, and bathroom! This time, however, was a little different. Luckily, Infineon Raceway is a first-class facility where the fans are treated to great seats, good food, clean facilities, and some fast drag racing, and we had a great time.

Upon arriving at the track, we immediately met up with Myles Freeman from Wiley X, and we spent most of the morning catching up and visiting some of the other teams who wear Wiley X eyewear. Before I knew it, it was time for the first qualifying session, so I went to the tower to help out my good friend Bob Frey with the announcing duties. I really enjoy working with Bob and talking about the one thing that I know a lot about — Pro Stock drag racing! I had a blast, and I even had Myles listening in the booth during the second qualifying session.

Well, if you listened to any of the Pro Stock audiocast then you heard me and Bob sharing our stories about Pro Stock throughout the weekend. I have to admit, there sure is a lot less stress involved when all I had to do is sit in the announcer's booth and report on racing. Wow! While all my Pro Stock buddies were working on their cars getting ready for the next day, I was heading back to the hotel. In fact, we even got back before all of the restaurants closed for the evening. Though that was a treat, I sure do not want to make a habit of being a spectator at the racetrack, and I am looking forward to our next event in Reading, Pa.

Our weekend at the Fram Autolite Nationals was a lot of fun. Not only was the weather and racing fantastic, but we also got to spend some time with Myles from Wiley X along with his family and friends as well as visit with a lot of our fellow racers and crew.

{GALLERY_norcal}After the race, the next couple of items on our to-do list were to spend a couple of days enjoying San Francisco and then head to the Ledson Winery, where our good friend Jerry Padilla treated us to a private wine tasting of some great new Ledson wines. If you are a wine enthusiast be sure to check out the Ledson website for a tour of all of their wines. They are fantastic! After sampling some awesome wines and having lunch on the private terrace, we headed to our next stop, the Ledson Hotel.

The Ledson Hotel is a unique bed and breakfast located in the Plaza in the quaint city of Sonoma. It is absolutely beautiful, and as it turned out, the day we checked in, the town was hosting a farmer's market and music festival. Well, after dropping our luggage in the room, Toni and I spent the next couple of hours enjoying the sights and sounds of the farmer's market as well as sampling lots of fresh organic fruits and cheeses that the local farmers had for sale.

On the agenda for our last two days of our mini vacation was a day drive to the coast to enjoy the breathtaking sights along the coastal highway and then take another day to drive to and explore the great Redwood Forest. It has been many years since we have visited the coast or the Redwoods so we were really looking forward to our trip. The contrast between the Atlantic coastline and the Pacific coastline is incredible, and though I have seen them before, I still find the sights absolutely amazing. I won't bore you with all of the details of our sightseeing trip because if I do, I will never finish this blog! I will, however, share some of Toni's pictures with you and they speak for themselves.

After enjoying two days of beautiful northern California, it was time to head home. Of course the trip would not have been complete without another delayed flight, 12 more hours on an airplane, and an arrival home to BWI at 2 a.m. Oh well, it sure beats driving!

Since being home, Jon and I have been busy working on our GXP to get it ready for our next race in Reading, Pa. Ryan (Ondrejko) will be coming down here in a week or so for a couple of days of testing before we head to the race. We have a lot of exciting things happening around the shop, but I'll save those stories for the next blog.

Before I close I want to say Happy Birthday to Melissa! Her birthday was yesterday, and for once, we were all home to help her celebrate her special day. See, not being on the road all the time does have its advantages. Well, I'm going wrap up this blog and call it a night. Thanks for checking in with us!

Hi everyone! Just a very quick blog before I leave for Sonoma tomorrow. Yep, I am going to Sonoma, unfortunately our Sunglass Machine didn't get to make the trip. We had been working on a couple of things that would have allowed us to race Seattle and Sonoma, but at the last minute things just didn't work out as we had planned. I am excited, however, that Toni and I will be flying out and spending the weekend at the track.

This will be another new milestone for me -- being at a NHRA national event without my Pontiac GXP racecar or my tractor trailer. Wow! This should be interesting. Toni says that if I start to drive her crazy she is going to stick me in the announcer's booth with Bob Frey for the weekend.  Ha! I bet Bob will be excited to hear about that.

I have always loved racing at Infineon Raceway so I am sure that I will love spectating there just as much. Just think, I won't have any of the stress of qualifying or racing and still have all the fun of being at the racetrack! I know, who am I trying to convince here? LOL Anyway, I have an RFC board meeting to attend and also plan on meeting up with my good friends at Wiley X while we are out there. After all, Infineon Raceway is only about an hour from the Wiley X corporate offices and it is always fun to visit the Freeman family and catch up on everything new that they have going on. Hey, you never know, I may even get to sample some of their newly designed eyewear that is coming out in the near future. How cool is that?

Ever since I found out that I wasn't going to drive across country, Jon and I decided to reorganize the entire race shop. We have spent a week with a fork lift and pallet jack moving and sorting through pallets and pallets of race car parts. I can't believe all of the stuff that we have accumulated over the years and it feels good to sort through and organize everything, throw away all of the junk, re-palletize, shrink wrap and place a full pallet back on the pallet racking. It is amazing many hood scoops, parachutes, tires, and engine parts, etc. that we have gathered over the past twenty years! You wouldn't believe it!

Well, time to wrap this blog up. I have lots to finish before going out of town tomorrow. I am looking forward to my long weekend away. Besides going to the track, Toni and I are hoping to have some time to do some of the sightseeing that we usually don't have time to do when we are in Sonoma. You know how demanding that racing can be! We are planning to visit Wiley X and then take in some of the sights of San Francisco. Also on the agenda is a visit to the beautiful wine country and our favorite winery - Ledson Winery.

I'll be sure to check back soon, hopefully with lots of pictures of our trip. Thanks for checking in!

It is Friday afternoon at the Mile High Nationals at beautiful Bandimere Speedway and right now, we should be warming up our Sunglass Machine and getting ready to head to the scales. But wait, there is just one problem with that plan …instead of getting ready for the first qualifying session, I'm sitting at my desk, 1,700 miles away, listening to the audiocast just wishing that I was there. What a bummer, huh?

If you have been reading my blogs for a while, you already know that the Western Swing is my favorite time of the season and this is the first time that I have missed the Swing since 1990. Oh well, we have still been having a great time the past few races racing with Ryan Ondrejko and we are all looking forward to picking back up after the Swing. I can't wait!

Since my last blog, I have been really busy, not only with racing but with lots of family events. For the first time this year, Toni and I finally had time to take the boat out for Father's Day weekend. We decided to cruise to National Harbor, which is a new Gaylord Resort/Marina on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. It isn't very far from our house (therefore not much fuel consumption!) but it is such an awesome place we feel like we are on vacation when we are there and since it is across the river from Old Town Alexandria, it is close to the kids.

We have enjoyed boating for many years and have cruised up and down the Intercoastal Waterway from Miami to Virginia, boated the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys, the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, however, we really haven't spent much time enjoying the Potomac River and Washington D.C. So, for a change, we decided to play tourists in our hometown and we had a blast.

We cruised up the Potomac and took a detour up the Anacostia River which hosts the new Nationals Baseball Stadium (the team may not be so hot, but the stadium looks awesome) and took in the sights of the many military bases that surround that area of the river. We then traveled up the Washington Channel (which actually dead ends just this side of the Tidal Basin) and then decided to dock at the Gangplank Marina to grab a quick lunch of fresh steamed and barbequed shrimp. After a great lunch it was back to the boat and then back down the Potomac to our slip at National Harbor.

Our weekend "vacation" continued with Jamie, Cynthy and Ryan coming to the boat to take me to lunch and then Jon and Alli joining us later and taking me to a great Mexican restaurant for dinner. No, Melissa didn't treat me to breakfast; Toni made me walk five miles for that! Unfortunately, Melissa was working at the NASCAR race that weekend so she couldn't be with us, but she was with us in spirit.

After a weekend filled with family and fun it was time to get back to work and set our sights on the Summit Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. It was another successful weekend and Ryan did another fantastic job behind the wheel of our Wiley X GXP. Though we had to bump back into the show on the final session, Ryan did what he had to do to tweak out those precious four thousandths of a second that kept us in the field. Whew, I have to admit, it sure is harder standing on the starting line worrying about qualifying than it is sitting behind the wheel of that Sunglass Machine. LOL Anyway, we got to race on Sunday and that is what it is all about. Unfortunately, Ryan had Greg Anderson first round and though Ryan left on him at the starting line, he just didn't have enough steam to keep up with that Summit car. I was still very proud of him – he once again made our Wiley X team look great! I know he is going to be anxious to get back into the car after the swing.

Well, by the time we got back to the shop, unload the car, shipped out engines and cleaned out the rig it was time for our annual July 4th family boating trip to watch the fireworks at the Washington Monument. Once again, everyone met at National Harbor, boarded the Finishline and headed back up the Potomac River. We took some time to cruise the river before the crowd of boaters set in, stopped at Main Avenue where you can jump off of the boat and buy fresh seafood, enjoyed a quick dinner and then found a place to drop anchor to watch the fireworks.

The weather was cool and the fireworks were amazing this year. Everyone had a great time. Unfortunately, the only person we were missing again was Melissa. She was working at the NASCAR race in Daytona but Jamie and Jon were keeping her updated with constant text messages so at least she could feel like she was somewhat a part of the festivities. Gee, what did we ever do before text messaging?!

After a wonderful July 4th weekend, it was back to the race shop where Jon and I have been busy cleaning and organizing, as well as engineering some new ideas for our Wiley X GXP. Jon has been working so hard on our racing program and has a lot of really good ideas which we have been working on which should really help our performance at the next race. It is so nice to have him and Alli back at home.

By the way, I have to take a moment to say how proud I am of Jamie. He has just finished his first summer session at the University of Maryland and once again has pulled straight A's! He has this weekend off and then starts the second summer session on Monday. So far with straight A's and only two more semesters ahead of him, I know that he will soon see the light at the end of that long tunnel. Way to go Jamie!!

As you can see, I have been having a great time with my balance of racing and family. I even got treated to a fantastic birthday dinner last night that Melissa prepared for all of us. It was complete with balloons, presents and tiramisu for desert. Wow, was it awesome. Luckily, Toni didn't have time this morning to make me walk five miles. Thanks goodness for that! LOL

Well, I have been listening to the audiocast while I have been typing this and waiting for Bob Frey to start announcing. When Bob starts talking, that means that the Pros start running and that means I have to finish this blog and listen. This isn't exactly how I had planned to spend the Mile-High Nationals weekend, but if I can't be there in person, at least I can be there in spirit, right? I'll be checking in with you soon!
 

Today is Wednesday, and I know that Jim had promised everyone that he would be reporting back with the results of our test sessions with Ryan Ondrejko and our race at Chicago. Well, as it turned out between the rainy test sessions, the traveling from one place to the next, and some engine woes, he had to put his blog writing on the back burner. So, I decided to take up the slack and fill everyone in on what has been going on for the past couple of weeks.

As Jim explained before, we had two test sessions planned with our new driver, Ryan Ondrejko. Our first session was at MIR where Ryan made about 10 hits in the Sunglass Machine, looking and acting as if he had been driving this GXP his entire life! Wow, he is an awesome driver! After two days at MIR, we all headed to St. Louis to test for a couple of more days before traveling to Chicago. As it turned out, it rained the entire time we were in St. Louis, so Ryan had to be content with two half-track passes and one full pass down the quarter-mile before making his debut at Chicago. No pressure!

Well, Ryan did an amazing job, qualifying our Wiley X GXP in the 14th spot on just his third full pass down the quarter-mile. Unfortunately, we had some engine issues during the weekend and had to put our back-up engine in for race day. Ryan’s first-round match up just happened to be the eventual event winner, Jeg Coughlin. Though he left on Jeggie by a substantial margin, it wasn’t enough to get the win and as they say, the rest is history. We still had a great weekend. Ryan qualified at his very first Pro Stock event and did a great job driving against a veteran driver; we could not be any prouder of him.

After the Chicago race, Jim decided to take the engines back to the engine shop to get them checked out and then headed to Englishtown. As it ended up, he didn’t get to the track until early Thursday morning, but we all had plenty of time to get ready for what promised to be another great race. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans? It seemed as if anything that could go wrong during the weekend went wrong! Between electrical gremlins, engine woes, and just plain bad luck, Ryan ended up falling short of the 16-car field. Welcome to the highs and lows of NHRA Pro Stock racing!

We did have a good time in Englishtown, however, despite the eventual outcome. Jamie was there to help us for the weekend, and Cynthy brought baby Ryan to the track for Saturday and Sunday. This was baby Ryan’s (too many Ryans!) first time at the racetrack, and he did great. He laughed and played and seemed to love all of the excitement. Jim and Jamie even had him sitting in the race car, and he looked like a natural. LOL

Having Jamie at the track this weekend was definitely nice. Jamie and Jon work together so well, and they bring so much experience to our team; they also love working with Ryan. They say that Ryan’s driving skills make all of us look good. I couldn’t agree more.

After Englishtown, Jim drove the rig back to the shop, unloaded the rig and once again returned to the engine shop to help out with some new engine ideas. Apparently, during the course of some extensive R & D they have found some exciting new things to try, and Jim wanted to be able to help out. The last time I talked to him, he was very excited about their progress and said he can’t wait for Ryan to race these new engines next weekend in Norwalk. Sounds good to me!

Well, Jim just called and all is going well. He hopes to be home by Friday — just in time to celebrate Father’s Day with the kids! Before I close, I want to say Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there — especially mine! (I love you Dad!!) I hope every one of you have a great weekend. Hopefully, you are able to spend lots of quality time with the people that are the most important to you! Here is a small tribute to all of you dads:
 

Dad is a person

Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.

He’s someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!

He’s proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong

In all that you do,
a dad’s love plays a part.
There’s always a place for him
deep in your heart.

And each year that passes,
you’re even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!

Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!

Happy Father’s Day!

Hey there! Wow how time flies when you are having fun. Since my last blog our Yates family has been very busy. Let’s see, where do I start? I have some exciting news but I am going to get to that at the end of the blog. First, a couple of weeks ago, Toni and I borrowed a trailer from Prince William, Marina and headed to Clemson to pack up my son Jon and his girlfriend Alli. We loaded up all of their worldly possessions into the trailer along with their three cats and headed back home to Occoquan.

Yep, Jon and Alli have officially moved into the downstairs of our house and we are so excited to have them home. Jon will be working as my crew chief for the next several months (more news on that later in the blog) and Alli was fortunate to be able to transfer jobs to a sister office right down the road from the race shop. How lucky was that?

Well, we only had time to drop the trailer in the driveway, settle the cats in their new home and then turn around and head back down to the University of Virginia for my nephew, Jason Jr.’s graduation. We are so very proud of him. On May 17 Jason graduated with his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (notice a pattern developing with these Yates guys?!) and almost the entire Yates family was there to help him celebrate his big day. I’ll just say that any celebration with my crazy family is always a fun event and this was no exception – we all had a great time.

After the Sunday morning diploma ceremony at UVA and a quick lunch at Jason Jr.’s apartment it was back to Occoquan with Jon and Alli to try to at least get some of their possessions moved into their new basement apartment. Monday was Jon’s first official day as the crew chief for Jim Yates Racing and we were also fortunate that Jamie was on break between his spring and summer sessions at the University of Maryland so we had all hands on deck for a week of preparing our Wiley X GXP for the racetrack.

I know, I know, I will get to that story in a minute! But before I do, I have to first stop and say how very proud we are of Jamie's accomplishments after his first semester back to college after a 10-year absence. Not only did he adapt to a very difficult senior mechanical engineering schedule but more importantly he ended up with straight A’s in all of his classes! Now that is something to be so very proud of! Way to go, Jamie!!

We know that it was a big decision that Jamie made to go back to school and complete his education – especially after being away for so long. I know how much he misses being involved in the day-to-day racing operation and how much he misses being at the track with us (and we miss him, too!) but he has worked so hard and we are so happy that all of his hard work has paid off for him. Unfortunately, Jamie only has a couple of weeks off before he starts his summer sessions and we are gong to make the most of his expertise during that time in order to get ready for testing and racing in Chicago. Now did I say racing in Chicago?

Yep, it is official! Our Wiley X GXP will be racing six races starting with the Chicago race and including Englishtown, Norwalk, Reading, Indy and Charlotte. Almost everything will remain the same; the same car, engine program, paint scheme, crew and racing operation. There is only one small change – Ryan Ondrejko will be driving the Wiley X GXP instead of me. For the first time in my career, I will be enjoying my Pontiac from an entirely new perspective – standing on the starting line watching it race down the track instead of actually sitting in the driver's seat pulling those levers myself. How cool will that be? Toni hasn’t decided if I can have a radio on or not – she says that drivers have no business standing on the starting line! She even suggested that I spend some time in the announcer's booth with Bob Frey or hang around Alan at the finish line. Now I wonder what in the world is up with that?! LOL

Anyway, I have to say, I am really excited about this great opportunity to work with another young exceptional driver. Ryan comes to us with a great profile as a driver in NHRA Super Gas and Top Sportsman. He has won two Super Gas divisional titles and is currently the points leader in the Division 1 Top Sportsman class. He has won several races already this season and is looking forward to competing in his first professional Pro Stock race.

Before going to Chicago, however, Ryan will be testing the WileyX GXP  for a couple of days and then on to Gateway International Raceway in St. Louis for two more days of testing. It will be a busy week for all of us but by the time Ryan pulls into the staging beams on Friday afternoon in Chicago, I am confident that he will be very comfortable in his new ride. 

I know that this program is a little different for us but I am very happy to be able to get our Sunglass Machine back on the racetrack. I am also looking forward to being a teacher/mentor to an accomplished young driver like Ryan who may well be one of the new up and coming drivers in our sport.

So, there you have it my friends – the news that I have been waiting to share with everyone.  I am really looking forward to being back at the track and seeing all of my fans and friends again. If you are at the event, make sure that you stop by our pits to say hi. I shouldn't be hard to recognize…I will be the guy in the Wiley X uniform not wearing the fire pants! Thanks for checking in and stay tuned for an update on how our testing goes this week!
 

When you spend 20 years of your life living on a racing schedule you always wonder what it would be like to not be on the road 24/7. I have always worried that I would really have a hard time adjusting to a more “laid back” schedule. Well, let me tell you, I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of my tractor-trailer and my Pontiac GXP! I think that I have worked harder in the last eight weeks than I have in the last 20 years.

Now that I am on a sabbatical from racing, I have been tackling Toni’s “honey-do” list that has taken her 20 years to compile. And when I say tackling, I mean tackling! My approach has been to work on it with a vengeance because I never know when I just might get the call to get back to the racetrack. I guarantee you one thing, every time the phone rings, I’m on it! LOL

Since I assumed that I would have lots of free time on my hands to leisurely get items checked off of Toni’s list, I decided to tackle all of them myself. Well I am glad to report that besides being able to pilot a Pro Stock car at 209 mph in 6.5 seconds, I have also become an accomplished Grandpop/babysitter, baby swing installer (it’s even a racecar swing), boat detailer, dock builder, plumber, electrician, carpenter, painter, landscaper, mechanic, arborist, mover, and other various trades I have yet to have the opportunity to explore. Gosh, I hope that phone rings soon!

Needless to say, we have been keeping busy and once again I find myself wondering where I can come up with a few more hours in a day. This past weekend, Jamie, Cynthy, and Ryan came over for a Mother’s Day cookout and I introduced Ryan to his new racecar swing. I haven’t had a chance to trick it out with a cool Wiley X paint scheme just yet but that has been added to the aforementioned to-do list. Ryan didn’t seem to mind, however, because the smile on his face told me that this little guy must have racing in his blood already. With every swing he just giggled louder and louder. I don’t know who was having more fun, Grandpop or Ryan! I have to tell you, this sabbatical thing may be hard work but the perks make it all worthwhile and spending time with Ryan is a pretty good perk.

On the racing front, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but I just had an interesting phone call. There is a chance that the Wiley X GXP will be back on the track on a limited schedule starting in Chicago. I can’t say much more about it right now, because all of the details still need to be finalized but we are excited about our new opportunities. Hopefully, I will be able to explain all the details in our next blog so be sure to keep checking back.

Well, Toni just walked in and wanted to know if we were running up to Home Depot to pick up some more supplies so I guess I best close this blog. You know you are spending way too much time at Home Depot when the cashiers know you by name. Guess I better check my list to see what is on the agenda for today – let’s see do I want to tackle hauling the last 20 bags of mulch out to the yard or do I want to clean out the engine room on my boat. Boy, I’m really looking forward to that phone ringing again! Talk to you all soon!
 

Today is Monday and I have just spent another stressful weekend in beautiful Occoquan, Virginia – not! Though I really thought that we would have something put together to be able to race this past weekend in Atlanta, it just hasn’t been as easy as I had thought. I’ve got a lot of irons in the fire but no additional funding to date. So, if I can’t be racing then I might as well enjoy my weekend at home and that is exactly what we did.

Well, I did make time to listen to Bob Frey and stay up to date on the crazy weather that reeked havoc at the track during the weekend. I will admit that I don’t miss rain delays at the racetrack. But I was happy to hear that my friend Mike Edwards finally got to complete the Pro Stock final this morning and won the race! Congratulations to Mike, Lisa, Roger, Big Al and the rest of the crew for a job well done! That team has one fast hot rod and I am glad to see that all of their hard work is finally paying off. 

I have been spending my days at the shop just trying to organize my life that has taken 20 years to clutter up. Believe it or not, that has been a full time job! I have to admit that I miss having my crew around me because with just Toni and I it seems to take twice as long to accomplish anything. Jamie tries to get to the shop when he can, but he has been busy studying for exams and right now that is where his priorities must be. So, I am just enjoying working at the shop and tackling projects around the house. 

My first project was to landscape my yard. This project has been on going as we have had so much rain that we have had to complete this in steps. One thing that the rain has done other than make my yard green is to stimulate the growth of all of the weeds that Toni and I spent a day pulling. I plan on ordering a truckload of mulch and then plant our flowers and hopefully we will be set for a few weeks.

That brings me to my most current project that I’ve decided to tackle – buffing and waxing my 56-foot Sea Ray boat. Wow, I obviously felt really energetic when I thought up this one. I took my buffer from the shop along with every kind of attachment, rubbing compound, wax, cleaner, etc., and off to the dock I went. First, we had to give it a thorough washing before we could get down to the buffing. It took me a while to figure out which compound worked and also get the hang of balancing myself on a floating dock while trying to buff the sides of the boat. The good news is I stayed dry!

When I first started buffing, I thought to myself that this project probably wouldn’t be that bad, but 9 hours later I was wondering whose bright idea this had been. My arms and shoulders were killing me! Obviously I don’t use those muscles enough when driving a Pro Stock car. Anyway, I am figuring that it will take us about 3-4 more days to finish this project. We are going to finish the areas that are easy to reach and then move the boat to another dock in order to reach below the belt line.

Before we started this job, Toni had jokingly said that if the racing thing didn’t work out we could always start our own boat detailing business – it would be great exercise, lots of fresh air and an awesome sense of accomplishment when we are done. I’m thinking…maybe not so much! I think I’ll revisit that idea at a later date. LOL

So, between organizing my race shop, landscaping my yard, detailing my boat, and keeping up with Bob Frey on NHRA.com, I have been keeping myself pretty busy. Fortunately, I haven’t been too busy to spend time with my favorite buddy Ryan. Toni and Melissa went over and babysat Ryan on Friday night and I stopped by on my way home. We haven’t seen him in a couple of weeks and he is getting so big. He even got his first two new teeth over the weekend.  I can’t believe that he will be 6 months old next week and I will be here to celebrate his ½ birthday!

I still plan on sharing with you some more of my stories and pictures of races past but I wanted to take the time to give everyone an update on our current racing program.  Don’t give up on us, we are determined to come back as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Well, I better get this blog sent and get back down to the shop. Before I close, though, I want to say Happy Birthday to Don (Toni’s Dad). His birthday is tomorrow and hopefully we will be able to get together tomorrow night for a fun birthday dinner!
 

Today is Wednesday (actually I started this blog on Monday but it takes me a while to get it typed!), and according to the records, I have officially missed my first NHRA Pro Stock race in 19 years. You know what? I actually had a really nice weekend, and it wasn't that bad. I listened to Bob Frey on the computer for Q3, and I did end up catching the final on ESPN2 just as they were running Pro Stock. Other than that, Toni and I were busy all weekend enjoying Melissa, Jamie, Cynthy and of course little Ryan. It was pretty awesome! We did spend some time working on the boat and raking more Sycamore balls from my back yard. I swear, this tree in my yard must reproduce those stupid things as fast as they fall off of the tree. I don't think they will ever be gone!

Anyway, time marched on, and I didn't have a meltdown, panic attack, or any other unusual symptom that we drivers think we might experience when going through racing withdrawals, so I guess that's a good thing. I wonder if that means that I am officially cured? I guess time will tell, huh?

As Toni explained in her previous blog, I had some meetings scheduled on my way home from Houston concerning future sponsorships, and I am still working on putting together a program that will allow us to race for the remainder of the year. I was hoping for something to come together for Atlanta, but so far, things are still up in the air, so I'm not sure what will happen. I will be sure to keep everyone updated as things progress.

I am still working on my previous blogs with stories of "racing past," but I wanted to get this blog out while it is still fresh on my computer. Toni has been scanning some pictures to share with you, and I will try to get another blog to you by the end of the week. You know how it is, once you start going through old pictures, it seems like you just can't stop. I get myself totally distracted in the "Oh, remember this!" syndrome.

Anyway, I will keep everyone posted on any new developments — keep your fingers crossed for Atlanta!

Hey everyone! I know that Jim has been doing a series of blogs sharing his past 19 years with you, but since he is on his way back to the shop (I'm really having a hard time believing that we aren't going to be in Vegas!), I thought that I would write and catch you up on our weekend in Houston.

Today is Thursday and usually the day that we would be setting up and getting everything ready to race our Sunglass Machine in Las Vegas. As anticipated, however, Jim is on his way back to the shop and should probably arrive here early this evening. He left Houston early Monday morning and has spent all of this week in meetings and on the phone with potential sponsors; unfortunately, he was unable to put anything together for the Summit Nationals this weekend. He did say that there may be some opportunities beginning with the Atlanta race, so I am sure that he will be working hard to try and make that happen.

In the meantime, I guess we will just have to be content to listen to our good friend Bob Frey keep us updated on the computer. Of course if we can be playing with or holding Ryan while we are listening, that will make it much, much better!

{GALLERY_houston}If you followed the coverage last weekend, you know that we had a great weekend in Houston! We are so excited about the direction our program is going right now, and I guess that is what makes it so hard to call it quits. Jim, Jon, and Craig worked really hard this weekend tuning the engine and the chassis to the constantly changing weather and track conditions, and all of their efforts really paid off. Even though the weather was a little challenging (80 degrees and humid one day, 70 degrees and rainy the next day, and 50 degrees and windy the next), we qualified No. 7, posted a personal best speed, went to the semi’s, and moved up to 8th in the points. Go figure!

Even with all of the excitement of qualifying and racing, we did get a chance to celebrate Jon's 26th birthday. I can't believe that my baby is 26! His birthday was actually March 31, but we had a birthday dinner and cake at the track on Saturday night, and it gave us a chance to relax and spend some time celebrating Jon's special day.

Well, I just heard from Jim, and he is about 3 hours away from the shop, so I will close this short blog and start getting everything arranged in the shop so he can back the rig in close up shop for the night.

Before I close, however, I want to say THANKS to all of you that have taken the time to stop by our pits for a friendly chat, drop an e-mail to our Web site, write us a note, or post a comment on Nitromater. You will never know how much all of your kind words and well wishes have meant to our entire family. We have been so very blessed over the course of Jim's career to have established so many friendships and had the opportunity to meet and talk to so many wonderful people. We truly appreciate all of the support and kindness that you have shown our race team and our family over the past 19 years. Hopefully, things will turn around in the near future and we will be back out there doing what we love; but if not, thank you for helping make the many wonderful memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.

My Probe was probably one of the prettiest racecars that Jerry ever built me, and I couldn't wait to get it on the racetrack. What better place to debut my new Probe than the Citrus Nationals in West Palm Beach, Fla. The plan was to leave right after the kids got home from school that day, go by Sonny Leonard's shop to pick up engines, and then drive to Florida. Unfortunately, by the time we left home the weather had turned ugly, and I found myself driving in a blinding snowstorm — following two tire marks on a one-lane highway. Now I have always credited myself with being a great driver, but driving a tractor trailer in snow and ice was not high up on my driver resume. It was a scary trip, but we made it to Sonny's safely and then into South Carolina before I could find a place to stop for the night. Thankfully, the kids slept the entire night, so they had no idea of the excitement they had missed.

The next day was Thanksgiving, and of course Toni insisted that we had to stop to celebrate our family Thanksgiving dinner even if it was at a roadside Shoney's Restaurant. So, I found a place to park the rig, and we all sat down and had good old fashion turkey dinner complete with all of the fixins and of course pumpkin pie. I will never forget that dinner — everyone had such a good time.

Well, we finally made it to West Palm and tested our new Probe for several days. I didn't win the race, but I did win the award for the Best Appearing Car that year. How cool was that. I was happy with my car, but I wouldn't really know how I stacked up against the upcoming competition until I tested with all of the other Pro Stock competitors.

I didn't have long to wait. During that time, all of the Pro Stockers tested in Houston before going to Pomona, so of course we loaded up engines and headed to Houston Raceway Park. Well, we tested for several days, and my Probe was one of the slickest race cars on the track, however, when it came to putting up competitive e.t.s on the scoreboard…not so much. We tried everything to run fast; we even borrowed a set of carburetors from Bob Glidden but still no luck. I walked over to Bob's pits to return his carburetors, and he gave me some of the best advice I have ever had in my Pro Stock career. He said, "Jim, if you love Pro Stock racing as much as I think you do, why don't you sell that Probe and go find yourself a GM car to race. Buy yourself a Trans Am, get a GM engine and go Pro Stock racing!"

What?! Are you kidding me?! I knew that I could make this Ford program work. Frustrated, I trudged back to my pits and told Toni about my conversation with Bob. It took her about 30 seconds to speak her mind, and she didn't sugar coat it. She told me, "Well, you can race this Ford up and down the racetrack all you want, but I'm not going to Pomona with you with this car. We are so slow that it is embarrassing!" So now what was I suppose to do?

Toni pointed me towards Butch Leal's pits, gave me a shove, and said, "I heard that Butch has a Pontiac for sale. If you are serious about racing Pro Stock, you need to go over there and talk to him about buying his car!" And so, on the advice of Bob Glidden and Toni, I walked over to Butch Leal's pits, and as they say, the rest is history. That very night, we came to terms on the sale of his Willy Rells Trans Am — unfortunately, it wasn't completed yet.

;

We left the very next day, drove to Ohio, picked up the Trans Am, and took it straight to Jerry Bickel's shop in St. Louis. He completed building my Pontiac but, unfortunately, didn't have it ready until the Houston race. In the meantime, I had joined forces with Bob Ingles to supply me engines, and it was in March of 1990 that I attended my first NHRA drag race with my new "Willy-Bickel Trans Am".

There had been no time to test the car before coming to the track, but back then, NHRA allowed the driver (if he had a new race car) to have a "new car/new driver" pass, so I figured we had to be okay with just that. That meant that I had one pass down the track (prior to qualifying) to shake the bugs out of the car. And boy, oh boy, did I shake some bugs out. I got to the finish line, and the Safety Safari guy ran over to me and said, "Wow, what did you hit out there?!"

I couldn't believe what I saw! The front end mounts had collapsed (not Bickel's design), and the front end was folded under the car. Oh boy, this wasn't a good thing, most especially since we had to make our first qualifying run in about an hour… Time to get to work. We pulled our poor Trans Am back to the pits, started fiber glassing and duct taping, and eventually got the front end back together. Thank goodness for red and white Racer's Tape! Unfortunately, we missed the first qualifying run and because of a rain delay had to run Q2 late at night. Needless to say, I was just a little gun-shy since I had never run at night before and I wasn't sure if my taped up front end was going to hold. I dropped the clutch, and when the car made a move about half track, I lifted.

Well, the next day was hotter, and the water had started seeping up through the track surface, so qualifying was going to be a little more difficult. Since I really hadn't made a full pass in my Trans Am until Saturday I was pretty happy that I was16th with only one pair left to run at the end of Q4. The weather was hot and the track was not that good, and the only other car left that could possibly bump me out was – Rickie Smith. Not a chance. LOL Yep, you guessed it…Rickie sailed right down the track, qualified, and that found me sitting No. 17.

I ran that Trans Am with the taped-up front end until I had time to get it back to Bickel's shop to get it properly fixed and repainted with a cool new Fram/Bendix/Autolite paint scheme. We qualified at 8 of 17 races that 1990 racing season and ended up 15th in the Winston points. Not a bad finish considering our rocky start. I learned a lot that year, but I think the biggest decision I made was to listen to Bob Glidden and Toni when they convinced me to switch to my Pontiac Trans Am. My ’90 Pontiac Trans Am started my NHRA Pro Stock career at Houston Raceway Park, and now, 19 years, several body styles, and 405 starts later, my Pontiac GXP will take me to the finish line at Houston Raceway Park.

To be continued…

We were planning on doing some testing with Richard's engines before Gainesville, and I had been looking forward to going to Bradenton, but as it turned out, we didn't have everything ready in time and we had to forgo our test session. Instead, our team headed straight to Gainesville, where the weather and racing turned out to be absolutely awesome. If you were there or listened to Bob Frey on the radio, you know exactly what I am talking about. Sunny skies, 80 degrees, and great track conditions – who could ask for anything more; well, other than a win!

{GALLERY_gville}Toni and I left in the rig on Tuesday evening and arrived at Gainesville on Wednesday afternoon. Jon and Melissa also arrived on Wednesday afternoon and helped me and Toni set up. Al and Craig arrived on Thursday with the engines, and Jamie arrived on Friday afternoon. This was the first race that Jamie has been to since Ryan was born, and we were all so glad to have him back. He is on spring break this week from the University of Maryland, so he didn't have to worry about missing any classes or getting behind in his studies. Not only did he get to help us qualify, but he also had time to say hi and catch up with some of his friends at the track.

It is so great to have all the kids at the track with us – we always seem to laugh and have a great time. OK, well, I might get a little stressed at times and may not be as much fun; like when I have to abort a run in one of the fast sessions or we have to change our combination at the last minute and get to the staging lanes just as they start running Pro Stock! Other than that, we have a blast. LOL

As I begin to wind down my NHRA Pro Stock career, I have had a lot of time to think about all of the awesome opportunities and experiences that I have had over the last 20 years. A lot of you have talked to me at the track and have written me, asking questions about some of my most memorable moments in drag racing. I thought that I would take the time over the next week or so to talk about some of the things that I remember the most.

Did you know that my first NHRA "Winston" Pro Stock drag race was the 1989 Gatornationals? I had just purchased my first tractor trailer but didn't have a CDL, so I couldn't drive it. Bet me! I headed off to DMV with a borrowed truck and trailer to take my test and get my license. That was an experience I'll never forget, but thankfully, the officer in charge passed me on my first attempt, and I was on my way!

Now that I had the transporter and a license to drive, all I needed was Pro Stock car. I ended up buying one of Rickie Smith's Motorcraft Ford Thunderbirds. I had a 500 cid Ford engine that had been worked on by Sonny Leonard and the minimum amount of equipment and experience needed to race with. My crew consisted of my best friend Dennis, another crew guy Jamie, Toni, and my Jamie; of course Melissa and Jon were there for moral support. I remember that we had taken the kids out of school for the week (they were only 12, 9, and 6), loaded them into the tractor trailer, and headed south. At that time, the kids thought that riding in a tractor trailer was absolutely the coolest thing ever – funny how that changed over the years. Go figure!

Anyway, I will admit now, that I didn't have a clue what I was getting my self into, but I was high on life, living my dream, and having a blast. I didn't qualify for that race, but I can assure you of one thing – I was definitely hooked on Pro Stock racing! I only attended 3 races that year – Gainesville, Memphis and Reading – and never did qualify my Ford. It was after that when I decided to switch to my Pontiac, but that is another story for later on.

I head into Houston with very mixed emotions. With no other sponsorship possibilities on the horizon, the O'Reilly Spring Nationals will be my final and 405th consecutive race in my Pontiac Pro Stock car. (My 3 races in 1989 were in a Ford) I have to admit that a part of me is having a hard time letting go of racing, but at the same time, I am excited about what the next chapter of my life will bring. It is sort of ironic that my first race in my Pontiac Trans Am began in 1990 at Houston Raceway Park, and 19 years later, my final and 405th consecutive race (408th overall) will end at Houston Raceway Park. It sure is funny how things happen, isn't it?

Well, I have to get back down to the shop and do some work on the rig. I had another small problem with my generator in Florida and have to fix it, as well as I have to do some maintenance work on the rig before heading to Houston next week.

Be sure to check back. I am going to have Toni dig out some of her old photos of my first race in Houston and share them with you along with some more funny stories of "the way things were back then!"

A lot has been happening lately and I know that Toni had kept you up dated while we were in Pomona. After the race, Toni and I drove the rig to Phoenix and parked at the track. I had to work on my generator to try to get it fixed (I could not bear the thought of renting another generator to power us through Phoenix) and thankfully, I accomplished that task on Wednesday evening. With the help of the guys at Martin Diesel via phone, I was able to fix the problem, rewire the generator and power it back up before leaving Phoenix to fly back home for a few days.

Did I ever mention that I really like that flying across country thing? I'm really into it, I think. Toni tells me not to get too used to it. Oh well, it is great while it lasts. Like I said, we flew home for a few days and with the rig gone I got to spend time in the office catching up on paperwork and emails. I also got to spend Valentine's Day at home so Toni and I enjoyed a nice dinner with our friends Carlton and Debbie Phillips of Prince William Marina. They have built a new restaurant at the marina complete with a beautiful view, wonderful food, relaxing music and great atmosphere and it was nice to sit and relax with good friends.

Jamie and Cynthy brought Ryan over on Sunday to have dinner and watch the Daytona 500. So, after I finished raking leaves in the back yard (never any rest for the weary) I got to spend some time spoiling my awesome grandson. I cannot believe how big he is getting! Toni says that I act like an idiot with him but he and I seem to communicate just fine. It is hard to believe that he is four months old already and growing by the minute. Every time he smiles at me I just fall in love with him all over again. What a little blessing he is.

Speaking of Jamie, many of you have probably noticed that Jamie hasn't been with us this year – instead Jon has been helping me out with the crew chief duties. Jamie decided to return to the University of Maryland to finish his last year of college and obtain his mechanical engineering degree. It has been about ten years since Jamie last attended school and needless to say, he has been pretty busy trying to adjust to his new schedule. The neat thing is that Jamie has learned so much practical engineering while Pro Stock racing that he is able to relate so well too many of the applications that he is learning in his classes. His goal is to graduate next May and I have no doubt that he will do just that. We are all so proud of him for taking this important step.

Like I said before, Jon has been filling in for Jamie and he has been doing a great job. Jon has always worked with Jamie but he has never actually been responsible for determining gear ratios, trans ratios, clutch, weight, etc. He has been doing it all, as well as lining me up on the starting line and doing all the other crew chief jobs. I have never really had the chance to work one-on-one with Jon in this capacity and I am amazed at how thorough and analytical he is. Not to mention that his funny personality keeps us all laughing even in the most stressful moments.

I'm really looking forward to Gainesville as I will have Jon and Jamie both there. Well, Jamie is flying in on Friday night so I will have him and Jon for Saturday and Sunday. Melissa will be able to attend Gainesville as well. She has been extremely busy with Wiley X on the NASCAR side this year and I know that she is excited about having a free weekend to come to Gainesville. So once again, I will have all of my kids at one of my favorite races of the year.

Right now we are planning on testing a couple of days in Bradenton, Fla., before going to Gainesville. We have some new engine combinations we want to try as well as some new chassis setups. This time of year it is hard to find warm places to get some quality test runs but we have always had great results at Bradenton. It is somewhat of a tradition … test Bradenton … win Gainesville! I like the sound of that!

Besides, the way it is looking, it may be my last time racing at Gainesville. Though I have been looking really hard for additional funding to keep us out here for the remainder of this year, I don't need to tell most of you that money is just tight for everyone out there. I guess only time will tell. In the meantime I am going to enjoy my last couple of races, enjoy having my wife and kids with me and count my many blessings for all that I have been able to do over the last 20 years.

I will always remember something that our ex-Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs once told me. He said, "Jim, for every door that shuts another one opens. You just need to be patient to see what God has in store for you next." Okay, coach, put me in!!! LOL

Till next time!
 

Yesterday, Bob Frey had just made the announcement for Pro Stock to head to the lanes when the first drops of water began to fall from the sky and it hasn't let up since. We keep hoping that for once the weatherman is wrong with his predictions but it hasn't looked like that so far. Oh well, I guess we will just sit here and wait to see what will happen.

Jim is up in the lounge, making calls to try to find parts to fix our broken generator as well as find parts to fix our broken engine cooler. How do these things work when you pull the rig in the shop and then not work when you get them back to the track? To say the least, it has definitely been a very interesting week - let me start from the beginning.

In Jim's last blog he was just getting ready to leave for our Vegas test session. Other than having his first tire blow out (thankfully nothing was hurt) and having to detour 500 miles out of the way to avoid all of the ice and snow that pounded the middle of the country, things went pretty well. I flew out on Thursday evening and Jim and I spent all weekend working on the car. Richard had shipped us two engines so we had lots of time to get the engine in our GXP and get things ready for our Monday test session. Our crew flew in on Sunday, and everyone was excited to finally get our season started.

The weather in Vegas was sunny and mild and absolutely perfect for testing. Our plan was to get 6 or 7 runs in on Monday and then change engines and make a few more hits on Tuesday. Well, you know the saying about "best laid plans". Nothing seemed to go right and by the end of the first day we had only made four runs and only two were to the finish line and not with the results that we were looking for. Ok, time to regroup. We stayed late into the evening, changed engines and got the car ready so that we would be able to be on the track by 9:00 am the next morning.

 This is where things got interesting. It was 7:30 in the morning and Jon and I had just unloaded the trailer and put the back door up. All of a sudden our generator on the trailer started making some really awful noises, it started smoking and Jon came running to shut it off. Not a good thing. Long story short, it was a dead player. But luckily for us, Jimbo is resourceful and by 10:00 he had rented a generator, had it delivered, rewired the cable, hooked it up and we were in business. Now it was time to warm up the engine and get down to making some runs, then get loaded up and drive to Pomona. Sounded like a good idea to me.

Well, once again, things didn't go exactly as planned; we hurt another engine, didn't get any runs and had to leave Vegas to get to Pomona. Jim really wasn't too worried about the racecar, but the engine situation could be a problem. I'm telling you when it rains it pours!

Speaking of pouring, it has been raining sideways outside for the past hour and NHRA has finally called it a day. We will all have to come back tomorrow and pray for a break in the weather and some sunny skies. So on that note, I think I will close this blog.

Oh, but before I close, I have a funny story to tell you about my airplane trip out here. You know how it is when you get on the plane, find your aisle seat and watch the people boarding wondering who would be sitting next to you. Well, I was reading my book when a Mom, her daughter and 1-year-old grandson sat beside me. Usually, I just continue reading my book and don't pay much attention to who sits beside me, but this time was different. In no time we were discussing everything from children to grandchildren and having a great time. I soon learned that my new friend Liz Edmunds had just had her new cookbook The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner published and she had a copy for me to look at.

Now, believe it or not Jim and I love to cook, as do all of my kids and I absolutely loved her new book. Every recipe in the book was very simple to follow and each one had a story behind it. I really enjoyed listening to Liz and her daughter tell the stories of the making of her book and how they actually had a food theme for every day of the week. In addition I learned that all of the pictures in the book were of her children, grandchildren and close friends. They were wonderful people with a great story to tell and I couldn't wait to go on line (www.thefoodnanny.com) and order my new copy. I'm hoping it will be at home when I get there.

So, the next time you are sitting on an airplane anticipating a boring 5 hour flight, just remember that you never know who you might be sitting next to and what interesting things they may have to share with you. If you love to cook and get a chance, check out Liz's book - I know you will love it!

Well, time to wring out the water and load up. We will check in with you next week!

Speaking of time, this year could mark an important chapter in my life of drag racing, as it could very possibly be my last year. In fact, at this moment, we only have enough funding to race the first four races with our Wiley X Sunglass Machine. I definitely don't need to elaborate on the financial situation of our nation so it goes without saying that times are tough for everyone, including sponsors. Wiley X is an awesome sponsor, but they have had to make financial decisions just like many other companies and I appreciate their help in funding me for even a few races. You never know, maybe things will turn around in our economy and someone will want to become involved for the remainder of the year. Hey, it doesn't hurt to look on the bright side of things does it?

If things don't turn around, then I will look back on my racing career and count my blessings for the opportunities I have been afforded over the last 19 years. I have had an awesome ride, accomplished a lot of things, met a lot of wonderful people, and had countless opportunities to perhaps make a difference in someone's life. My family has been there every step of the way and will continue to do so until my last run down the racetrack and because of that, I consider myself a very lucky man.

Anyway, enough said of all of that. Believe it or not, I can't wait to get on the road. I am leaving a little early because of the threat of weather along the way, but should get to Vegas by Thursday with no problems. We have a lot of new things to test and Richard Maskin has promised me some extra horsepower for the year – I like the way that sounds!

Like I said before, Pomona has always been one of my favorite and most anticipated races. Isn't it funny that for 19 years I have been going from track to track and still have my favorites. Maybe it is the excitement of starting the new season after working all winter on our racecars and combinations. Maybe it is the wonderful California sunshine, mild temperatures and warm Santa Ana breezes. I don't know, maybe it is the masses of energetic race fans that pack the stands (even on Thursday!) and wave at us as we ride up and down the return road. Maybe it is the backdrop of snow covered mountains and palm trees swaying in the distance – a real change from the cold and freezing weather I am leaving behind me.

For whatever reason, it will always be a greatly anticipated race for me. It is where I have debuted all of my new sponsors and Pontiac racecars, it is where I won my first race of the year on the way to both of my championships, it is even where I made it to my very first final in 1992.

You never forget your first final, especially if it is at Pomona. Our Pontiac Trans Am had a new sponsor that year – Dynomax Exhaust. We were using Bob Ingles horsepower and a Jerry Bickel chassis. Toni was working on the clutch and Lenco transmission at that time and 15-year-old Jamie was helping out and learning everything he could. Eliminations had run late that day and the bright orange sun was just setting in the background as I pulled to the starting line to take on No. 1 qualifier Jerry Eckman in his Pennzoil Pontiac. I gave it my best, leaving on him by a couple of hundredths, but he outran me to take the win. I can still remember that final like it was yesterday. There wasn't any doubt in my mind; I was definitely hooked on NHRA drag racing!

Okay, enough of my reminiscing. Now I've given myself something fun to think about for the next 4 days and 2,500 miles; I'll probably figure out who I raced in the previous rounds to get to the final by the time I get to Vegas. LOL

Well, I am going to close this and get going so I can try to beat the weather that is threatening to follow me across I-40. I will try to write a blog after testing and let you know how things went in Vegas and report to you how awesome the weather and racing will be in Pomona. With the great ticket prices being advertised you can’t afford not to come and see all of us! Stop by and say hey!

PS - Sorry I don't have any pictures, Toni already packed her camera in rig before I had a chance to downloaded them. I'll share more next time.

It will be an emotional week, certainly filled with celebration; but also filled with anticipation, hope and concern as this new administration takes over in some very challenging times in our nation. Having lived within 20 minutes of this great city I have had the opportunity to experience many memorable events over the course of time.

Everyday, as I travel to the shop, across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge from Virginia into Maryland, I can look down the Potomac River and see the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building in the distance. I ride my bike along the George Washington Parkway from Mt. Vernon to the steps of all of our famous monuments. I enjoy the fireworks on the Washington Mall whenever I am in town on July 4^th. I enjoy the cherry blossoms in the spring, visiting the Smithsonian and other museums whenever I want, wandering around the National Zoo, enjoy performances at the Kennedy Center and dinner in Georgetown.

But I have also witnessed some horrible things that this city has endured. I will never forget the smoke and flames rising from the Pentagon as it lay broken from the devastating attacks on 9/11. It seemed as if the sun would never shine through the gray, dark smoke that hung like a shroud over the entire city. I remember when President Kennedy was sworn into office and the excitement that my Mom felt when she actually attended the inauguration. I also remember the despair that we all felt when he was laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery. This is a wonderful city but it is constantly filling the history books with new chapters.

So, am I going to attend this year's inauguration? Not a chance! It isn't that I wouldn't want to witness history being made, but if you had any idea of what the conditions are surrounding this event you would stay home too. I think the only person who will get through this inauguration without any hassle will be the President elect and his family!

They have estimated that between 1.5 and 10 million people (hey, I don’t do the polls) will try to attend the inauguration and they are planning on having 5,000 port-o-potties. I think that works out to about 1 potty for every 300 – 2,000 people depending on which count you believe. Either way you look at it, I only have to share my bathroom with one other person at home!

But it gets even better! For security reasons they are closing all of the bridges going in and out of Washington DC to personal vehicles. It will be virtually impossible for anybody in Northern Virginia to get into Washington D.C. According to the Washington Post today the federal and local authorities will be putting a "virtual wall" around the city on Inauguration Day and basically they are advising those of us that live here to stay at home and not venture onto Interstate 95 or 495 unless absolutely necessary.

I know you are getting excited about this every minute, but there is more! Because you can't drive into the city, authorities are encouraging everyone to take our subway system (Metro). They have advised that if you plan to take Metro, you better get to the trains early (even the night before) for obvious reasons. To make matters even more exciting, they are anticipating "crush level" subway conditions, "massive crowds" and the possibility of standing in bitter cold temperatures for up to 6 hours to get on and off the Metro followed by long delays in getting people home. Now, all of this fun just to get into the city and you haven't even attended the first event.

Oh, if you thought about getting there by boat…think again. The coast guard has closed the Potomac River going from Alexandria, VA to DC to all watercraft except commercial shuttles and Coast Guard boats. All personal watercraft have to be docked by sundown tomorrow and are not allowed to move, if you are in the restricted zone, until late next week.

Doesn't this sound like a good time? So for all of you out there that wished that you could be here to experience this historic occasion instead of watching it on TV, now you know exactly what you will be missing.

I don't know about you, but the way I figure it, I think I'll just kick back, build a fire, hold my remote and drink a cup of coffee while I watch history being made. Then I will finish my plans to head to Vegas to Test and then on to Pomona for the Winternationals…but that is my story for next week! Stay tuned!