Most embarrassing track moment?

[Cojohnso1]

First time out just got the SRT charger so I pulled up to the lanes and went around the water box, reversed into the water, burned out let off the brake and started going backwards. Never took it out of reverse, embarrassing.

Lol. There's alot to think about your first time?

 

[Cojohnso1]

The first time I went down the track ever in my 68 Chevelle .
I left the line with a 1 second reaction time ran a 13:40 when I got to the time booth at the end the old guy gave me my slip and said were you sleeping when it turned green .

That's not super uncommon. But still doesn't feel good.

 

[khryslerkid]

Watching NHRA funny cars, a new guy dropped his parachute after doing his burn out. That had to be embarrassing.

Here's Ashley dropping one...

 

[Cojohnso1]

Watching NHRA funny cars, a new guy dropped his parachute after doing his burn out. That had to be embarrassing.

Here's Ashley dropping one...

That can happen automatically with fuel cars. If there was a backfire.

 

[MOPOWER871]

I had a nitrous system on my Road Runner and while sitting in the staging lanes For what seemed like forever in the 90 degree + heat. They finally called my lane for round two of heavy eliminatior , started the car and as we creeped our way to the starting line I figured I'd purge the nitrous system well the purge solenoid stuck open and bleed of the whole bottle off three cars before he starting line well they waved me off to the return road in front of a packed crowd at the Mopar Atlantic Nationals at Englishtown N.J. That sucked !!

 

[theman440]

Another time, after going thru tech I left my helmet on the roof of the car. When I made my first turn it rolled, bounced off the trunk then rolled 50ft right in front of a bunch of racers . . .

 

[MOPOWER871]

Another memorable one. I'm ready, car running great, packed crowd, do my burnout, pull up to the line, the tree comes down last amber I nail it and blaaaaaaaa, car just dies throw in neutral go to start it click,click ,click dead battery WHAT THE F#`K !! .
I could hear the crowd going Awwwwww when I threw the door open well they pushed the car up along the wall on the grass and a friend of mine rolled up behind me to charge my batter in my trunk.
Well as they finished with the 10.00 cars look who's rolling up back behind the water box TOP FUEL DRAGESTERS, it was Shirley Muldowney preparing to make a pass.This was at the Mopar Atlantic at Englishtown N.J. IIRC back in 2002?
So while the car was charging the starting line offical let me and my friend hunker down right on the wall where the photographers stand, like 10 feet from her car.NITRO !!!! that close it was AMAZING !!! O'well I even got to hangout with her at the end of the day, the crew and her where staying at the same hotel as I. The Ramada Inn. On route 9 we talked for about 5 minutes. And that's all folks.

 

[khryslerkid]

Back in the day, running my '64 Dodge at 75-80, I was doing my time runs and there was a Corvette in the other lane, just red lining it. It was so loud I couldn't here my open header car at all. So we both staged, I was up on the converter just a tad but I couldn't be sure with all of the racket going on next to me. The lights come down and his car goes BAM! My car goes BAM! There both of our cars sit. The whole place stands up and cheers.

Two guys run over to the Vett and push him back to the pit return. Then they come over to my car, grab the front and couldn't even budge it. "Take it out of gear" they holler. I said I don't have a drive shaft. I'm out of the car helping to push. They had to get a couple more guys to get it pushed back. Lol what a tank!

 

[Cojohnso1]

I had a nitrous system on my Road Runner and while sitting in the staging lanes For what seemed like forever in the 90 degree + heat. They finally called my lane for round two of heavy eliminatior , started the car and as we creeped our way to the starting line I figured I'd purge the nitrous system well the purge solenoid stuck open and bleed of the whole bottle off three cars before he starting line well they waved me off to the return road in front of a packed crowd at the Mopar Atlantic Nationals at Englishtown N.J. That sucked !!
View attachment 729578

Sounds like a "Look at me" cloud making moment.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Another time, after going thru tech I left my helmet on the roof of the car. When I made my first turn it rolled, bounced off the trunk then rolled 50ft right in front of a bunch of racers . . .

Oops. I've had some "Get me out of this tech pit now" moments.

 

[dvw]

A friend of mine bought a 68 GTX as a roller. It was a painted top to bottom. For few weeks we added motor, trans, wiring, etc. Took it to Monster Mopar at Norwalk. All set 10" slicks, good converter. He hits the throttle and dumps about 100lbs of sand blast sand out of every orifice in the bottom of the car. We never saw any while working on it. Closed the track 90 minutes.
Doug

 

[PeteBell68]

I've got another same night about the third run . Hit the tree with a good reaction car shoots sideways immediately right towards the wall I get off the gas straighten and run 15 something but still best the Honda in the other lane . Honestly **** my pants thinking I was going to hit the wall .
It's takes practice to be good .

 

[Wookie316]

Hood came up on me this year. Forgot to put pins in. Lucky it was only driving up the return road first thing in the AM when everyone gets some heat in their car. Track manager was dragging the track and seen it. He was busting my chops after.

 

[hangn0ut]

Just got licensed. Had my altered bantam out. First pass and the car seems a bit slow and the back end feels like its floating. Got out of it early to a 10.80 at 95 mph. Yeah, the chute had fallen out right off the line... First time in Las Vegas and I see that they have a long uphill shut off. So I make a pass and I stay off the brakes. Kill the motor and still rolling right along. Seems like forever and suddenly there it is. And I still got some speed going. See some track personal high stepping it out from in front of a large sandbox. See a truck and more personal to the left of the box. The turnout is to the left. Not wanting to chase anybody any farther I go straight in ,locking up the back (only) brakes. Stopped with the front tires just in the sand. Started explaining myself right away but they just laughed me off saying thats what they were there for as they pushed me back and off the track. Good people.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Just got licensed. Had my altered bantam out. First pass and the car seems a bit slow and the back end feels like its floating. Got out of it early to a 10.80 at 95 mph. Yeah, the chute had fallen out right off the line... First time in Las Vegas and I see that they have a long uphill shut off. So I make a pass and I stay off the brakes. Kill the motor and still rolling right along. Seems like forever and suddenly there it is. And I still got some speed going. See some track personal high stepping it out from in front of a large sandbox. See a truck and more personal to the left of the box. The turnout is to the left. Not wanting to chase anybody any farther I go straight in ,locking up the back (only) brakes. Stopped with the front tires just in the sand. Started explaining myself right away but they just laughed me off saying thats what they were there for as they pushed me back and off the track. Good people.

Again, not unheard of. Once something unusual occurs? We all act unusual afterwards. Especially in motorsports. Success is about consistency and repetition. Upset that? And we also act "Upset" I saw a driver next to me throw his helmet out the window of his car while still running down return road. I asked "Why?" He said he honestly doesn't know why he did that. His mind was focused on his vehicle.

 

[Cojohnso1]

A friend of mine bought a 68 GTX as a roller. It was a painted top to bottom. For few weeks we added motor, trans, wiring, etc. Took it to Monster Mopar at Norwalk. All set 10" slicks, good converter. He hits the throttle and dumps about 100lbs of sand blast sand out of every orifice in the bottom of the car. We never saw any while working on it. Closed the track 90 minutes.
Doug

Lol. I've actually seen that happen. Not as bad as you described. Oops.

 

[theman440]

A friend of mine bought a 68 GTX as a roller. It was a painted top to bottom. For few weeks we added motor, trans, wiring, etc. Took it to Monster Mopar at Norwalk. All set 10" slicks, good converter. He hits the throttle and dumps about 100lbs of sand blast sand out of every orifice in the bottom of the car. We never saw any while working on it. Closed the track 90 minutes.
Doug

Same thing happened to Freiburger with his '70 Superbee

 

[Cojohnso1]

The worst I saw was someone ran over a large object at the big end. Tore up his under. He was screaming at officials about the damage using words like suing the track. (Good luck with that.) While loading his car up they noticed his starter was missing. It some how rattled out and he ran over his own starter and kicked it into the weeds at end of track. (Very local track) He was too embarrassed to apologize to the track. Not sure if he ever returned. But I at least saw the ribbing he took from his small crew who very much wanted to apologize. I just looked at my crew and said. "Better them than us?"

 

[beanhead]

Taking turns running my buddys camaro on a grudge night at famoso years ago..I was a little nervous and had a pitiful reaction time, then in the split second "aw crap!" moment that followed I proceeded to spin the tires and pitch the car for a bit. Did a 14 second pass in an 11 second car...still haven't lived that one down! (I maintain the poor chebby design is mostly to blame)

 

[bobtile]

I forgot to bring my car once.