When I was looking through my record papers for Rob I happened across a story I did on the 2011 race at Kearney that was supposed to go into a new edition of the Racing News that never materialized. I only have a hard copy and it's not on any computer that is currently on line but if some of you who were there want a copy I will send it to you. Just send me a PM with your address.

_________________
If you didn't drive it there, it's not a street car.

I can scan it and possibly post it if you want to send it to me.

_________________
Rob

I’m Mater
The Kentucky Poser

I'd enjoy reading it!

_________________
2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

That would be great, Seymour. Sending to Rob is the best way and he can scan and get it posted here. Thanks, Seymour and Rob!

Lou

_________________
Home of Slant6-powered fun machines

Thanks Seymour!

_________________
Hyper_pak

I'd love to read it.

_________________
“Buy the ticket, take the ride.”
― Hunter S. Thompson

Sorry for the delay. Here is the article Seymour found from 2011.

I have it scanned as a PDF as well.

I am slowly scanning all of the SSRNs to have available as PDFs. I will ask Chuck about posting them here, but there are a bunch of pages.

Mike Jeffrey Makes it Three, then Four in a Row at Kearney

The third annual Slant Six Race at Kearney Raceway Park in Kearney, Nebraska was held on June 4-5. After three years, Nebraska native Mike Jeffrey has taught us all to pronounce it Carney, and he has also taught us how to win races sweeping both the Saturday and Sunday events in both 2010 and 2011!

Located toward the center of the country, the Kearney race was established in the hopes of attracting Slant Six racers from both the east and west. The first two years we had competitors from states on both the east and west coasts. This year the west coast contingent failed to show but we still had representatives from Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa as well as Nebraska. This year the race was moved from August to June in hopes of avoiding some of the heat and humidity of a Nebraska summer but it was still hot. Clouds on Saturday and a nice breeze on Sunday made it reasonably comfortable.

In the week before the race, two racers were hard at work getting their cars ready. Dennis Schumers (Slantzilla) from the Chicago area had to replace a transmission in his red 66 Valiant and Lou Madsen (Dart270) was putting the finishing touches on the turbocharger installation in his 68 Dart. Lou and his co-pilot Neal Hines left Neal's garage in Minneapolis about 3PM on Friday and had to miss the traditional Friday night get together at the Pizza Hut. Lou and Neal spent the night at George Harris' (Gun Pilot) place in Chapman, NE about 50 miles east of Kearney. Dennis Schumers, Mike Evans (mickeysmopar) from Mason City, IA, Seymour Pederson (Exner Geek) from Minnesota and Mike Jeffrey from nearby Lexington, NE were the only ones who made it to the Pizza Hut this year. In contrast to some of the pizza eating orgies of past years we managed to get along on one large deep dish Meat Lover's and a few other tidbits.

On the way from Illinois, Dennis' Dakota pickup developed air conditioner compressor problems. After dinner, Mike Evans dazzled us by using his smart phone to track down the parts necessary to fix Dennis' truck and repairs were made in the motel parking lot under the lights.

Saturday morning we staked out some pit space close to some trees that would really come in handy when the sun came out on Sunday. The six of us where there by noon, and began preparing for time trials that would start about 3PM. Neal strung up a hammock between two trees while Lou put the final tweeks on his new turbo installation. We each got three or four runs before the first round which was run about 7PM. Dennis was the low qualifier with his red 66 Valiant affectionately known as "Piggy" at 14.19. We all gathered in Mike Jeffrey's trailer where we drew numbers to put together a six car ladder.

In the first round Seymour and Mike Jeffrey squared off with Mike leaving first with a stout .014 light, Seymour had a pretty good .036 but couldn't run his 14.50 dial in and Mike won easily at 15.01 on a 14.94 dial in while slowing to 77MPH. Lou Madsen dialed the turbo car in at 15.55 and left with a .110 light against Dennis who dialed 14.19 but left late with a .147 bulb. Dennis' car slowed un-explicably like Seymour's had, but he kept his foot in it and turned a 14.412, meanwhile Lou was way in front and backed off, but too late and broke out with a 15.532 at only B0MPH giving Dennis a second round bye into the final! The final race paired Mike Evans and George Harris. George is a once a year racer but really runs his old Duster hard. George's car is mostly stock except for a Megasquirt fuel injection system. He dialed in at 18.45 and left with a nice .058 against Mike's tardy .175 on a 15.30 dial in. George could only run an 18.57 giving away his starting line advantage but Mike broke out with an oh so close 15.294 to give George the win in the closest contest of the day.

In the second round Dennis turned 14.36 at 96MPH on his bye run. George dialed up a bit to 18.50 to face Mike Jeffrey who dialed down to 14.90 in his 80 Dodge Diplomat stock eliminator car. George red lighted sending Mike into his third final in his last three slant six races. The final paired good friends Dennis Schumers and Mike Jeffrey in what Dennis said was his first final round in a slant six race! Mike shaved his dial down to 14.89 and left first with a sub par .115 light, Dennis optimistically kept his dial at 14.19 and left with an .053 but could only eek out a 14.365 at 96.26 giving Mike the win at 14.892 at 84.95MPH.

Towards the end of the day, Lou Madsen made some more runs and set new records for the D/unlimited class at 14.98 and 95MPH. Dennis Schumers' 14.19 at 96MPH was also good for a record in the D/gas class for cars weighing at least 3,200#. Congratulations Lou and Dennis!

Following Saturday's race we all went to town to enjoy dinner at the USA Steak Buffet as Mike Jeffrey treated us all. We missed Glen and Sergio but we all managed to get our fill.

Sunday's program started earlier with the first time trials a little after 9AM. On Sunday we were joined by Ryan Peterson (turbo66valiant) who brought his turbocharged 66 Valiant down from his home in Tolstoy, SD along with his Father and his turbocharged 318 Dart. Ryan brought his whole family with him as well as his brother in law from Lincoln, NE. It was somewhat warmer on Sunday, the sun was beaming, and the cars slowed some, but with a nice breeze and some shade, it was quite comfortable. Ryan Peterson had put a new torque converter in his car over the winter that he hoped would allow him to improve on the C/unlimited records that he set last year. The new converter proved to be too loose for the awesome power developed by the turbocharged slant, and the converter will have to be tightened up for the next time out. Because the car wasn't running up to its potential Ryan elected not to enter the eliminations so we drew up another six car ladder for the second points race.

George Harris faced Seymour Pederson in the first pair. George dialed a 18.48 and left first with a .161 light, Seymour's car was hitting the starting line rev limiter all the way down the track and George won easily with a 18.915. Then Dennis Schumers and Neal Hines driving Lou Madsen's Dart had it out. Neal dialed 15. 75 and left first with an awful .349 light while Dennis left second with a .089 light on a 14.80 dial. Dennis caught up with Neal early and tried to stay slightly ahead but the turbo car's top end charge surprised him and Neal pulled ahead to take the win with a 15. 764 at 92MPH compared to Dennis' 15. 108 at 88MPH. In the final race Mike Jeffrey and Mike Evans lined up. Mike Evans dialed a 15.30 and left first with a .155 light while Mike Jeffrey followed with a .074 light on a 15.04 dial. Mr. Jeffrey was pretty much in control of this one and won with a 15.087 to Mike Evans' 15.424.

George Harris got the second round bye and turned an 18.57. Neal Hines and Mike Jeffrey then raced to see who would get into the final. Neal kept his dial at 15. 75 and redeemed himself with Sunday's best light, an .037. Mike dialed a 15.03 and left with a .094 light. Neal stayed ahead all the way down the strip but opened up too much lead at the end and broke out with a 15.529 at 92MPH to Mike's 14.987 at 87MPH which was also a break out but by less than Neal giving Mike the win.

The final was George Harris versus Mike Jeffrey. George dialed an 18.50 and caught a .106 light, Mike took after him with a .064 light on a 14.98 dial. George's car slowed to 18.614 and Mike was able to catch him for the win at 15.045 slowing to 80MPH. So Mike Jeffrey's consistent car and driving has let him run rough shod over the rest of the Kearney crowd for two years in a row. There was some talk of moving this event further east like maybe Cedar Falls, IA for next year. There is also a possibility that one of the Kearney regulars, George Harris might have to move back to Arizona. How about some of you eastern hot shoes making it to this race next year to see if you can stop Mike Jeffrey's winning streak?

The purse was funded by racer donations and Mike Jeffrey could be found handing out money whenever you turned around. Everybody at least got back his entry plus some tow money. At the end of the day the track photographer took a group picture of all the slant six racers and all the track personnel went out of their way to make up feel welcome. If we don't meet here again we will all have fond memories of Kearney Raceway Park.

_________________
Rob

I’m Mater
The Kentucky Poser

Wow, that was so cool to read. Many great memories from that trip. Thanks for sending that, Seymour, and thanks for posting it, Rob!

Lou

_________________
Home of Slant6-powered fun machines

Thank you Seymour and Rob for posting that. My only final at a Slant race to this day.

I believe my famous last words before racing Lou's turbo car were "never give up on a turbo, they'll drive by on the big end".

_________________
Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.