[coverattach=1]It has been one wet weekend at NHRA’s Route 66 Nationals. The rain that washed out one of Friday’s qualifying sessions and lingered again Saturday, returned Sunday, too, creating what
Al-Anabi Racing Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith dubbed “Lake Joliet” at Route 66 Raceway.
It precipitated an unlikely scenario that plagued Smith during qualifying and in Sunday’s opening round loss to Steve Johnson.
“Our pit area is at the end of a row,” explained Smith, “and right next to us was an area that collected a lot of water, so I called it Lake Joliet. Every time we went to the starting line, we had to run through it. We were careful and thought we went through the water slow enough, but some of the water splashed into the belly of the battery carrier, and it sat there all Friday night.
“Saturday when we went to start the bike in the first session, the wet batteries shorted out. We pulled off the body and I tried to get the battery out. It was real hot.”
So hot, in fact, that 25 minutes later, the battery temperature was still 200 degrees.
His first Friday run of 7.027 seconds at 189.66 mph held up for 11th best and put him against Johnson.
“I think the battery problem affected something in the electrical system because it didn’t run like it should have,” added Smith. Johnson covered the quarter-mile in 6.896 seconds at 193.52 mph to Smith’s 6.984 at 187.11.
“We plan to change motors and test Monday, weather permitting,” Smith concluded.
The team won’t have long to wait to resume Full Throttle Drag Racing Series competition. The SuperNationals begin Friday at Englishtown, N.J.
Al-Anabi Racing Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith dubbed “Lake Joliet” at Route 66 Raceway.
It precipitated an unlikely scenario that plagued Smith during qualifying and in Sunday’s opening round loss to Steve Johnson.
“Our pit area is at the end of a row,” explained Smith, “and right next to us was an area that collected a lot of water, so I called it Lake Joliet. Every time we went to the starting line, we had to run through it. We were careful and thought we went through the water slow enough, but some of the water splashed into the belly of the battery carrier, and it sat there all Friday night.
“Saturday when we went to start the bike in the first session, the wet batteries shorted out. We pulled off the body and I tried to get the battery out. It was real hot.”
So hot, in fact, that 25 minutes later, the battery temperature was still 200 degrees.
His first Friday run of 7.027 seconds at 189.66 mph held up for 11th best and put him against Johnson.
“I think the battery problem affected something in the electrical system because it didn’t run like it should have,” added Smith. Johnson covered the quarter-mile in 6.896 seconds at 193.52 mph to Smith’s 6.984 at 187.11.
“We plan to change motors and test Monday, weather permitting,” Smith concluded.
The team won’t have long to wait to resume Full Throttle Drag Racing Series competition. The SuperNationals begin Friday at Englishtown, N.J.
