Well, here we go with the start of another great year of Fun Ford Weekend racing. on thing is for sure. Florida weather is not California weather. It gets cold in Florida. When I got off the plane in Tampa it was raining as hard as I had ever seen it rain. The drive from Tampa to Bradenton felt like the captain of the Titanic must have felt. Lots of water and not enough lifeboats. When I first saw the track on Friday morning the water was up to the third yellow light on the Christmas Tree. It looked hopeless, but the Bradenton track crew did an incredible job with their pumps and the track was ready for racing on Saturday morning.

On Friday we teched cars all day long. Because of the flooded conditions, of of the pit area was unusable, causing space problems for the racers. With all of the Mustangs in the pits, it was crowded, but everyone pitched in and made the best of it.

Tech had the usual problems with cars that didn't meet the class rules. I am always amazed at how anyone can spend so much time, energy, and money going hundreds of miles to an event and not know the rules of the class they intend to run. I guess they will never learn. The heads-up classes follow the rules listed in the Fun Ford Weekend Rulebook. And if there are questions about the rules or interpretations of any of the rules, the racers can always call Bill, James, or myself on the phone for clarification.

Now for some rambling thoughts about the Bradenton event in particular and other stuff in general. First, at every event that I ever attended, there is always some racer who complains about the condition of the track, and the Spring Break Shootout was no exception. The complaints are typically with the 10.5" tire Street Outlaw cars and usually go like this: "This track has crappy traction and is unsafe for my car".

Now, I will agree that it isn't too difficult to overpower a stock suspension Mustang and get a handling nightmare. In fact, if all of your effort and money is directed toward building 800 plus HP under the hood, rather than spending time and attention working on the chassis and suspension, you are just looking for problems, particularly with keeping your underwear clean at half track.

Of course, while some racer is up in the tower complaining about how bad the track is, another 10.5" tire Mustang is cutting an 8.79 or better ET. I have seen this many times. How can the track be so bad for on guy and great for another guy in the same class?

Dr. Jamie Meyer and I were discussing the Street Outlaw situation at breakfast on Sunday and came to the following conclusions: It takes a lot more attention to the chassis and aerodynamics to run in the 8's than in the 9's. For instance, a minimum legal cage for a 9.99 car may not offer enough chassis stiffness if you have the power to run 8.80's. In the area of suspension, the stock upper and lower attachment points fro the rear trailing arms may support 9.90 runs a lot better than 8.80 runs. The loads and dynamics created by low 9 and high second runs may require a good ladder bar and coil over set-up to insure stability. And how about aerodynamics? Street Outlaw rules allow up to a 14" rear spoiler, the same as a 200 MPH NHRA Pro Stocker. The big rear spoiler can really help downforce and handling. And yet, we see many Street Outlaw cars with the stock rear spoiler.

Obviously, the Street Outlaw guys that are running in the 8's have paid attention to more than just the engine. Now on to a few other items and some rules clarifications.

The heads-up classes are required to have at least two (2) front seats. If the class rules allow for "lightweight" racing seats, the usual foam "Pro Stock" type seats are permitted. If the class rules require "factory production type" front seats, OEM, Recaro type or the metal framed, fully padded "off road type" seats will suffice. Rear seats are not required in any of the heads-up classes if the car is fitted with a roll bar or roll cage. In lieu of a back seat bottom, the area must be carpeted.

In Trophy Stock class, raised port heads are NOT permitted. This includes TFS Street Heat and the SVO N-351 heads. If you are unsure about which heads are accepted, call James.

For you Pro 5.0 class racers, please check the rule book under P7G: Engine Compartment. Minor clearancing around the OEM radiator bulkhead for intercoolers or other accessories will be accepted. Also, minor modifications for clearance around the side panels, or using flat metal to cover up all of the holes in the OEM side panels is permitted. But other than that, the engine compartment must remain stock. Too many modifications in this area will result in your car running in the Unlimited Pro class.

And finally, if you are concerned that your Street Outlaw Mustang isn't running in the 8's, take heart. Adam Baez qualified 10th, went 3 rounds, picked up 30 points (currently 4th in points), and never went quicker than 10.0. Adam's Saleen is no high buck rig. He tows his racer on an open trailer with an old Dodge van, with his pet car "Cobra" to keep him company on the long trips. He just cuts good lights and is consistent. Racers like Adam keep the "Fun" in Fun Ford Weekend.