Vandergriff #11 in Atlanta

raceanoncr

Well-Known Member
The UPS Top Fuel dragster of Bob Vandergriff qualified in the number 11 position Saturday at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta. He ran a 4.552 @ 319.98 MPH to pit him against #6 Tony Schumacher in the first round of eliminations. Taped delay coverage will be on ESPN2 starting at 7:00 PM Eastern.

Interestingly, John Force will face his daughter Ashley for the first time since she stepped into a friend/C this season. Ashley will have lane choice for the first round.

Also interesting is the coverage UPSers.com has of Vandergriff this week. Could it be he's showing more promise in the racing field than the left turn guy?
 

raceanoncr

Well-Known Member
Bob goes two rounds in the UPS dragster, taking out the number 6 qualifier, and current Powerade champion, Tony Schumacher in the first round.

The message from the pits is that the stands (well, probably the $$$$$ suites) were filled with UPS executives. Hmmmm...Atlanta...why would that be? Wonder how many local UPS peons got free tix?

Vandergriff now moves into #7 NHRA Powerade points standings.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
The message from the pits is that the stands (well, probably the $$$$$ suites) were filled with UPS executives. Hmmmm...Atlanta...why would that be? Wonder how many local UPS peons got free tix?

This local peon didn't hear anything about free tix. They tried to give me some once to see Dale, but I turned them down. I would have drove up to Commerce, Ga., to see Vandergrift. I used to go up there and party all weekend as a young man to see the Top Fuel guys. We would camp out with a keg of beer and have a great time.:thumbup1:
 

dragracer66

Well-Known Member
This local peon didn't hear anything about free tix. They tried to give me some once to see Dale, but I turned them down. I would have drove up to Commerce, Ga., to see Vandergrift. I used to go up there and party all weekend as a young man to see the Top Fuel guys. We would camp out with a keg of beer and have a great time.:thumbup1:
Hey Scratch...You don't need to be a "young man" to party with these guy's. As long as your young at heart that's all that matter's!!! It's good to see UPS finally getting into dragracing this year since DJ is stinking up the joint. I also saw that if he doesn't make the speed next weekend he can't race. Look's like we have seen the rest of DJ this year!!! Thank God for that!!!
 

wkmac

Well-Known Member
I know the NHRA is now in Topeka but why start a new thread?

Anyway, weather shortened yesterday's qualifying but after 1 round Vandergriff and the UPS TFer is #5 running a 4.57 with a 6. Joe Hartley, yeah Joe Hartley :thumbup1: is #1 with a 4.51 with an 8. Bob for sometime was running pretty consistent in the mid 4.60's but appears to have shaved a 10th and is now in the 4.50's and with it more appearances in the top half of the field come Sunday. The UPS crew keeps this up and we could see Bobby and the Boys in the hunt come Indy.

I've got to breakdown and attend the Big Go just once in my life but man I'd loved to have gone back in the day when they had 32 car fields. Could you imagine going to a race where there were 50 TFers, 50 FC's and a gazillion PSers on the property! And it was the real fuelers to with no reversers, single mags, single fuel pump, 2 speed lencos and dry hops at the line.

I sure miss the old days!
 

wkmac

Well-Known Member
This local peon didn't hear anything about free tix. They tried to give me some once to see Dale, but I turned them down. I would have drove up to Commerce, Ga., to see Vandergrift. I used to go up there and party all weekend as a young man to see the Top Fuel guys. We would camp out with a keg of beer and have a great time.:thumbup1:

Hey Scratch, I was at Commerce for the very first Southern Nationals when Raymond Beedle in the Blue Max ran against the late Trip Shumake in the Johnny West Special for the last round of qualifying at about 10 pm of Saturday night. I happen to be in the staging lanes just behind the waterbox when the cars lit up and I could just tell that both crews had tipped the can so to speak (100% nitro load). The Max was qualified mid pack but Tripp wasn't even in the field. I remember leaning over and telling my wife that we'd see a historic run or 2 cars gernade somewhere on the topend. The cars staged up and Buster Couch clicked the tree and the flames shot so high over the car roofs from the headers I cringed waiting for the big BOOOM! Instead we witnessed the very first side by side 5 second FC run as Tripp ran a 5.96 to Beedle's 5.98. Tripp went from nothing to #1 and Beedle to #2. Tripp went on to the next day and won the event to the absolute delight of everyone.

At the time not much was up that way so we were staying over in Gainesville at the Holiday end and making the pull every morning back over to the track as were a lot of racers. At the motel bar after the qualifying that night everyone was just so jacked up at what they had seen and I remember someone well saying, "Never forget this night folks as you've seen history that will not be repeated."

At mid 4's and over 300 mph later, what the hell did he know!

:lol:

But back then you adjusted a fuel clutch with wrenches and feeler guages and now you need a laptop and an engineering degree so all that considered maybe he had a point.
 

wkmac

Well-Known Member
Blast from the Past in 07'. March Meet/ US Fuel and Gas Championships at Bakersfield. If you recognize a name and voice, yep it's Ron Capps who also drives a nostalgia FC.

Nitro Nostalgia Funny Cars, March Meet 2007

Del Worsham driving his restored Blue Max FC

Blue Max vs. Pisano
 

jasar13

Active Member
Max is a recently retired PE Mgr from Central PA. Used to own New Media Raceway in PA. Is now racing Pro Stock dragsters.
 

wkmac

Well-Known Member
I'll be :censored2:! He even mentions the ERI and KORE on his website almost as buzzwords for UPSers. He doesn't directly mention the company by name but most UPSers will know right off the bat what those 2 terms are. That's pretty cool!

Go Max!
 

jasar13

Active Member
I'll be :censored2:! He even mentions the ERI and KORE on his website almost as buzzwords for UPSers. He doesn't directly mention the company by name but most UPSers will know right off the bat what those 2 terms are. That's pretty cool!

Go Max!
wow I didn't even notice that the first time. perhaps I didn't dig down far enough into the dirt to find what you found.
 
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