Mysterious performance takes Dalcorp out first round. Numbers leave team (and organizer) scratching their heads.

In life, they say, timing is everything. That certainly was the case at the Gene Berg VW event at The Auto Club Dragstrip in Fontana last Sunday. The Dalcorp race team was ready to do battle in some very warm conditions with their always cool driver, Wyatt Radke. The three rounds of qualifying went well with the GNP/BG Oil Manx running very consistent times given the conditions. We knew the car would be off by a couple of tenths given the air quality and temperature and it was. The morning session produced a 12.31 e.t. at 105mph followed by a 12.37 and a 12.38 at the same mph. First round would be at about 12:30pm so the team dialed Wyatt in at a conservative 12.37 and felt confident that with Radke doing his job on the starting line there wouldn't be any danger of breaking out, or running too quickly. Spotting our first round opponent a little over a tenth of a second Wyatt left first by .05, caught and passed him by half track. He was well out in front by the 1,000 foot mark so at about 1,200 feet he rolled out of the gas and scrubbed off some speed with the brake (about 5 mph) before the finish line to insure there wasn't any chance of breaking out. Up came the numbers...12.22 @ 100mph!!! The saying also goes, "the numbers don't lie." Well, in this case they did. After looking at all three qualifying runs and the numbers from the first round time slip everything added up to the 1,000 foot mark. The 60, 330, 660 and 1,000 foot numbers were almost identical. After that, some how from 1,000 feet to the finish line with Wyatt off the gas and on the brakes (confirmed by the in car camera) we picked up .15's! After a meeting with the event organizer, Clyde Berg, it was determined that something was definitely wrong. There had also been 2 or 3 other cars in the left lane that also broke out by the same amount. Berg said he would rerun the race if that's what we wanted but we decided to let our opponent make the decision. After a brief discussion with the other driver, Clyde came back and said he didn't want to run the race again; he thought he'd won fair and square. It was a team decision to let the matter go rather than create any turmoil for Clyde and the other organizers of the event. Overall the event was well run and it had been a good day given the conditions. And, as yet another saying goes, "there's a million ways to lose and one way to win." And this loss was one in a million...


Our "Thanks to" shot....

First round qualifying pass; only about 95 degrees.

Shade is good.

"General Pato" directing the action.

Jeff putting Wyatt in the beams.

Hey Radke, this ain't Formula One! What's with

the umbrella girl?

Pat showing Cameron the results of a lot of

hard work at the table.

Belting in for first round...106 degrees.

Wyatt was on the tree and out in front by half

track...but where's the win light?

Win or lose, "Who has more fun than we do?"

Seven down, One to go! Certification jump in August will be a party!

It seems like just yesterday that Kimberly Nocita started her AFF certification process. With 7 levels down and just one to go, Kimberly is starting to count down the days to August 15, the date of her final certification jump. "Except for the drain on my bank account it seems like yesterday that I started the program." Several of Kim's friends and family have decided to come out to support her on the 15th, but they're also going to have a little fun! About 12 to 15 wanna-be jumpers have decided to take the opportunity to make tandem jumps to celebrate the day. It also will be a time to party for her brother AJ who is turning 21 the following week. It should be quite a day for photo opportunities as even Kim's mom Debbie and grandmother Mahgy will be jumping. Talk about "Girl Power!" Be careful you crazy kids!

Joe had Kim in the harness again...makin' sure

she's getting it right.

....everyone gets into the act at the school.

Continued focus on equipment at the higher

levels is crucial. You want to be comfortable

with your rig when you're on your own.

10 minute call...

Time to rock and roll!

Look at the guy in the shorts. Is he jumping

or going to the beach?

Right on the mark!

Another safe landing...

Joe and Kim going over the jump. It was all good.

Some final tune up issues regarding level 7.

The proud instructor...another one down safely!

Annual Carnight event set for August 27th. Don't miss this one!

Once a year the corner of Chestnut and Alta Vista in Monrovia turns into a most unique gathering site for car guys and gals. The Finish Line, WR Trans and Dalcorp/AREA 51 open their doors and close the street to accommodate the many automobile enthusiasts who come to see a unique array of hot rods, muscle cars, customs, bikes, race cars...you name it, you'll probably see it at Carnight. Below are a few pics from last year's happening. Check out Bob Hansen's nostalgia T/F car, The Wynn's Spoiler, as he fired it up and gave everyone a dose of nitro and flames. Come join the fun, August 27th, from 5:00pm til ? and bring your ride. Thanks to Good Neighbor Pharmacy, BG Oil Products, Chicago Title Insurance and Chris Shevlin, AVComm, Crow Safety Gear, and Imagine It Graphics for helping to make things happen. It's a night you won't want to miss!


Good Neighbor Pharmacy plays host to many
of the events at Dalcorp/AREA 51.

Kenn Funk's vintage NASCAR at The Finish Line.

Check out some of the "old iron" in front of

The Finish Line.

It's "Hot August Nights" in Monrovia!

...how cool is this? We never had one of these

when we were kids.

Bob Hansen put smiles on a lot of faces by lighting

the candles of The Wynn's Spoiler top fuel dragster.

Kristy Roblee had the best seat in the house

for the nitro show as Bob "makes her bark!"