1994 Steele, Alabama Pro Stock Photos (1 Viewer)
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Treeshaker
Nitro Member
Nice photos. You wouldn't have any of the top fuel cars at the race? This was Rhonda's first national event win.
No pics, but I took video of the first round. I uploaded a clip of her first run to Youtube.
Wayne. YouTube - RHONDA HARTMAN STEELE, ALABAMA 1994
Treeshaker
Nitro Member
Thanks Wayne
Treeshaker
Nitro Member
Harry - the jr dragster was given to Megan by her other grandfather, Paul Smith. I will leave it up to him to put her in a top fuel car.
A little info about that race and the car. The car was originally Prudhomne's, and we got it from TJ jr. We had just moved to South Carolina and had no money. The car was painted in a dirt floored barn by some neighbors, our spare parts consisted of 4 pistons (of the wrong compression height), a few rings and bearings, some clutch discs and a couple used blower belts. The crew was all volunteers and only Rhonda, John and myself had been to more than 1 race previously.
We were unqualified going into the Saturday night run and were scheduled to be the 4th pair. The dew rolled in and everyone pulled out of line so we became the first pair. We had to run, so I turned off the clutch management (this car ran a lot of primary weight because the motor was way back in the chassis) and off she went and ran low et of the event and qualified #1. We nursed a couple of hurt pistons for the first two rounds (you see the smoke in the pipes during the burnout) but had to replace 2 for the final. We ran our usual et (a 5.26 I believe), and Brissette tuned Herbert up and they smoked the tires and Rhonda won her first national event at the age of 19.
The last time we ran that car was at the fall Bristol race that year with Richard driving. He qualified 8th and Rhonda 1st, and they met in the first round of eliminations. Rhonda won that round and we ran Herbert in the semis for the IHRA championship for 1994. One of our mags died on the run and Herbert won the round and the championship.
A little info about that race and the car. The car was originally Prudhomne's, and we got it from TJ jr. We had just moved to South Carolina and had no money. The car was painted in a dirt floored barn by some neighbors, our spare parts consisted of 4 pistons (of the wrong compression height), a few rings and bearings, some clutch discs and a couple used blower belts. The crew was all volunteers and only Rhonda, John and myself had been to more than 1 race previously.
We were unqualified going into the Saturday night run and were scheduled to be the 4th pair. The dew rolled in and everyone pulled out of line so we became the first pair. We had to run, so I turned off the clutch management (this car ran a lot of primary weight because the motor was way back in the chassis) and off she went and ran low et of the event and qualified #1. We nursed a couple of hurt pistons for the first two rounds (you see the smoke in the pipes during the burnout) but had to replace 2 for the final. We ran our usual et (a 5.26 I believe), and Brissette tuned Herbert up and they smoked the tires and Rhonda won her first national event at the age of 19.
The last time we ran that car was at the fall Bristol race that year with Richard driving. He qualified 8th and Rhonda 1st, and they met in the first round of eliminations. Rhonda won that round and we ran Herbert in the semis for the IHRA championship for 1994. One of our mags died on the run and Herbert won the round and the championship.
Thanks for the info on Rhonda and that race. I'd have never dreamed you were running on that low of a budget.
Here's a pic I took of Richard Hartman at Southeastern Dragway in Dallas, Georgia in 2005. This was the track's 50th anniversary race and also the last race run at that track.
Wayne.
Here's a pic I took of Richard Hartman at Southeastern Dragway in Dallas, Georgia in 2005. This was the track's 50th anniversary race and also the last race run at that track.
Wayne.
Treeshaker
Nitro Member
Wayne - Thank you very much for the memories. This picture is evidence of the way I have been allowed to race most of my life.
The car was built by many volunteers after hours in my back shop. The chassis was started as an altered that I bought unfinished up north. We finished it, mounted the body, painted in Joey Burton's back yard. Lettered and air brush work by Chris. The motor in that picture was mostly Richard's. Just a bunch of extra miscellaneous parts that a lot of people put into the project. The truck and trailer in the picture that we were using there was borrowed.
The car on the right was the first appearance of Sasquatch. The chassis was/is owned by Steve Allred who is standing in the middle of the picture right behind John Smith. It had a motor made up of my pieces, a direct drive unit of Steve's, and again a bunch of extra miscellaneous parts from several people.
After Runnin Wild was crashed at Wilkesboro NC with Danny Dunn driving, we put the fuel pump, clutch and transmission into Sasquatch and it ran 5.74 at 259 at the Funny Car Reunion at Englishtown on it's second run with the combination.
The car was built by many volunteers after hours in my back shop. The chassis was started as an altered that I bought unfinished up north. We finished it, mounted the body, painted in Joey Burton's back yard. Lettered and air brush work by Chris. The motor in that picture was mostly Richard's. Just a bunch of extra miscellaneous parts that a lot of people put into the project. The truck and trailer in the picture that we were using there was borrowed.
The car on the right was the first appearance of Sasquatch. The chassis was/is owned by Steve Allred who is standing in the middle of the picture right behind John Smith. It had a motor made up of my pieces, a direct drive unit of Steve's, and again a bunch of extra miscellaneous parts from several people.
After Runnin Wild was crashed at Wilkesboro NC with Danny Dunn driving, we put the fuel pump, clutch and transmission into Sasquatch and it ran 5.74 at 259 at the Funny Car Reunion at Englishtown on it's second run with the combination.
