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(6-27-2008) FARMINGTON, NC – If the third time is the charm, Charles Carpenter hopes to put that luck to use during his third trip to Farmington Dragway this Friday and Saturday. The Quick 8 Racers Association was forced to reschedule their June 14 race when strong thunderstorms rolled trough the North Carolina piedmont, and this make up race was inserted into the schedule.
Coming off a somewhat successful outing at Orangeburg Dragstrip in Orangeburg, SC last weekend, Carpenter is looking to get a handle on his trick new Terry Murphy ’55 Chevy. This weekend’s race will serve as the final opportunity for Carpenter to get everything sorted out with the new ride before it makes its national event debut next weekend at the Shelor Motor Mile Independence Drags in Radford, VA.
“We ran well at Orangeburg, but it was more of the same story,” Carpenter said. “The car is ultra-quick in the front half of the track, but we are having trouble keeping traction down-track. We have a few ideas as to what may be causing the problem, and we are going to try them all this weekend.”
Carpenter qualified second at Orangeburg with a 4.07 elapsed time on a pass that was anything but pretty. “This car is so quick off the line,” Carpenter explained. “It feels like a Mack truck is hitting me when I let the clutch out compared to my old car. It goes sub one-second 60-ft. times all day long, and even went a 2.57 to the 330-ft. marker on that run. I had to pedal it after that, and still ran an .07.”
In the first round of eliminations, Carpenter dispatched Robert Sellers and his turbo-powered machine with another 4.07, this time using only two nitrous systems. Carpenter also lifted well before the finish line, clocking only 170 MPH at the stripe.
“The car is still so new to me, I’m making rookie mistakes out there,” Carpenter admitted. “When you do the same thing over and over for ten years, it’s hard to break some old habits and form new ones. It’s becoming more familiar to me as we get more runs on the car, though.”
Couple that increased familiarity with a car that has 3-second potential written all over it, and the Pro Mod legend is excited about his chances this weekend and at next weekend’s national debut despite a few setbacks.
“I’m going to be without my son and crew chief Mike on Saturday due to a prior engagement he has,” said Carpenter. “He is a major cog in the wheel for this operation, but Paul Albino has flown in from Connecticut to crew chief this weekend, and we’ll also have help from my friend and fellow Pro Mod racer Rick Moore, so we’ll be fine. We are going to get this Shoebox ironed out, and we look to be a major factor when we roll through the gates at Radford next weekend.”
Carpenter is actively seeking primary sponsorship for 2008. For more information about Charles Carpenter Racing and the World’s Fastest ’55 Chevy, or for a copy of the team’s 2008 Marketing Partnership Guide, visit Charles Carpenter Racing.
Carpenter makes final tune-up in preparation for national debut
(6-27-2008) FARMINGTON, NC – If the third time is the charm, Charles Carpenter hopes to put that luck to use during his third trip to Farmington Dragway this Friday and Saturday. The Quick 8 Racers Association was forced to reschedule their June 14 race when strong thunderstorms rolled trough the North Carolina piedmont, and this make up race was inserted into the schedule.
Coming off a somewhat successful outing at Orangeburg Dragstrip in Orangeburg, SC last weekend, Carpenter is looking to get a handle on his trick new Terry Murphy ’55 Chevy. This weekend’s race will serve as the final opportunity for Carpenter to get everything sorted out with the new ride before it makes its national event debut next weekend at the Shelor Motor Mile Independence Drags in Radford, VA.
“We ran well at Orangeburg, but it was more of the same story,” Carpenter said. “The car is ultra-quick in the front half of the track, but we are having trouble keeping traction down-track. We have a few ideas as to what may be causing the problem, and we are going to try them all this weekend.”
Carpenter qualified second at Orangeburg with a 4.07 elapsed time on a pass that was anything but pretty. “This car is so quick off the line,” Carpenter explained. “It feels like a Mack truck is hitting me when I let the clutch out compared to my old car. It goes sub one-second 60-ft. times all day long, and even went a 2.57 to the 330-ft. marker on that run. I had to pedal it after that, and still ran an .07.”
In the first round of eliminations, Carpenter dispatched Robert Sellers and his turbo-powered machine with another 4.07, this time using only two nitrous systems. Carpenter also lifted well before the finish line, clocking only 170 MPH at the stripe.
“The car is still so new to me, I’m making rookie mistakes out there,” Carpenter admitted. “When you do the same thing over and over for ten years, it’s hard to break some old habits and form new ones. It’s becoming more familiar to me as we get more runs on the car, though.”
Couple that increased familiarity with a car that has 3-second potential written all over it, and the Pro Mod legend is excited about his chances this weekend and at next weekend’s national debut despite a few setbacks.
“I’m going to be without my son and crew chief Mike on Saturday due to a prior engagement he has,” said Carpenter. “He is a major cog in the wheel for this operation, but Paul Albino has flown in from Connecticut to crew chief this weekend, and we’ll also have help from my friend and fellow Pro Mod racer Rick Moore, so we’ll be fine. We are going to get this Shoebox ironed out, and we look to be a major factor when we roll through the gates at Radford next weekend.”
Carpenter is actively seeking primary sponsorship for 2008. For more information about Charles Carpenter Racing and the World’s Fastest ’55 Chevy, or for a copy of the team’s 2008 Marketing Partnership Guide, visit Charles Carpenter Racing.
