Rapid Randy and Virgil Hartman

Rapid Randy joins Virgil Hartman Racing in Joliet, IL

About a week ago Virgil put the word out. He needed a couple of extra crew members for the next few races to finish out the year. I didn’t think I could work it out. Virgil found some guys, so I thought I had missed my chance. I emailed Virgil telling how cool what he was doing was. He responded and wondered why I hadn’t asked to be one of the guys. I told him I was sure I was too late. He told me to show up, and he would put me to work. I did re-arranging and was able, at the last minute, to work out a trip to Joliet. So, I joined Virgil Hartman’s Top Fuel team for the weekend.

I was talking to my friend Dan Brown from Chicago a few days earlier when he told me he was also one of the guys. Dan has come to a number of my races just to hang out and chat. It wasn’t that way on Virgil’s team. Let me be the first to tell you, for those who have never worked on a Top Fuel Nitro team. The whole team works very hard to make everything happen.

I left my house around 4:45 AM and arrived at the track around 10:00AM. My ticket was to be at the will-call window. I asked a track employee where the will call window was. He said, in this gate and up near the other end of the track. Ok, cool. The parking available was about ½ mile away in the field north of the track. I walked to the will-call office. No ticket. The lady said, “well your ticket will be at the NHRA credential office. It is all the way around on the other side of the track.” So, a long walk back to the car, drive around to the South side of the track. Easy deal, the ticket was right there in an envelope marked Rapid. Now, drive back to the North side for parking as I was too late in the game to get a parking pass. Parking was now even further away. I am a firm believer, God made feet for pushing pedals in a car. This walking stuff is WAY over rated!

I made it to Virgil’s pit at 11:20 AM after arriving at the track at 10:00 AM. Did I mention this is a BIG PLACE!

I met the team and got signed in, received my crew shirt. That ended the easy part of the weekend. Dan started Thursday afternoon, so he and the rest of the team were in full swing. Let me introduce the team.

John Bodie Smith-Driver, computer and supercharger service

Ray Murphy-Cylinder Heads and Left top end assembly

Brent Fanning-Cylinder heads and Right side top end assembly, along with being the transporter driver

TJ Thomas-Bottom end

Justin Sturgill-Clutch and Rear End

Megan Smith-Bolt Checker

Rhonda Smith-Team Manager

Karen Hartman-Cook and Team Mom

Virgil Hartman-Team owner and Crewchief

Dylan Smith-Future Top Fuel racer in training

As you can see the whole family is very into this racing business.

I thought I was just going to be an extra wheel in the cog of the machine, since I was late getting everything in place to come over. Virgil had other plans. He set me up with Ray and it was off to the “full speed ahead” world of Top Fuel Racing. I am telling you it was the coolest time ever. I was at an NHRA event, working a car I have watched and cheered on for a number of years now. I was treated great by the crew. Dan and I were not cut any slack for being new guys. It was flat out from early morning thru late at night when everything was done. We had a great weekend. The car qualified on the first shot. It was Number 5 after the first session. It was very cool being in line with all the stars of our sport. To be standing there as part of a fuel team going to make a run was as cool as you could ever imagine. I have been on the starting line for a lot of races. Nothing in the world compares to standing on the line watching two Fuelers roar away from you between the U-shaped grandstands at Route 66 Raceway. It echos, vibrates, and attacks all the senses in your body. The Nitro and tire smoke drift out and cover the crowd. If you need a Nitro fix this is the track for you! For a drag racer like me, it was nirvana. Virgil decided to sit out the night session. We serviced the car, and put everything away. Day one was over.

Saturday we warmed up the car, drained the oil, and re-torque the heads, adjusted the valves, set up the clutch air gap, programmed in the fuel and management systems, and went up for the first session. Dan worked with Virgil mixing the Nitro and fueling the car. I helped Brent Fanning on the cylinder heads. We kept preparing extra heads so we would be ready if we needed them. I also did the spark plugs, and flowed the nozzles for the tune-up the John and Virgil wanted in the car. I went ahead and flowed a bunch of the nozzles from past tune-ups also and put them back into the correct locations. My area of interest is the fuel injection system so I really enjoyed that part.

It is neat how everything works on the team. Everybody had a job to do, and when they give you a project, they just go away and let you do it. There is no micro managing going on. If you have a question, you ask the guy who gave you the job. However if you have any issues on the car, Virgil is right there and will take over and fix it. He lets the guys do their thing, but make no mistake about it; Virgil talks the talk and can walk the walk.

I got to discuss our nostalgia program with Virgil and we talked some about the correct way to run a program and keep the fans energized and having fun. Of course with Dan there, the “put a funny car body” on your altered was going hot and heavy all weekend. Ray was “zero” help, as he has his own Alky funnycar that he runs when the time permits. I just told them if they weren’t so afraid of fresh air they could run an open body like mine. I am pretty sure the funny car guys close their eyes during the run, and just don’t want anybody to see it. LOL

Brent was good humor, and had a bunch of funny racing stories. The best one of the weekend was this: He was running his own car somewhere, and a fan came up to him and told him if he needed any help tuning his car the fan would be glad to help him out. Brent said, “Thanks, but no”. The fan said I am really serious, I can help you. He then went on to explain to Brent that he was able to go 4:40’s “all the time” on a Drag Racing computer game and would give Brent his tune-up!!! LOL I can’t fill you in on all the rest of the conversation, but let’s just say, the guy didn’t join Brent’s team even with those impeccable credentials!

TJ’s goal other than working on top fuel engines is to know the names of all the “Dance hall girls” along the NHRA trail. It would appear he has a good start on the job. His second true love seems to be putting his engine parts in Justin’s way. Just for the record, Justin doesn’t think so much of the second part. LOL

Justin, well let’s just say. With the girls he was checking out, he will need a raise just for date nights. He definitely has an eye for the “High Maintenance” type of girl. Now he needs to find a rich girl who loves the smell of rear end lube and thinks clutch dust is a “must have” accessory.

Bodie, John Smith, kept his eye on me whenever it was time to start the car. I think he just wanted to make sure Virgil hadn’t promised me the seat between rounds. I can’t understand why he was nervous, just because I was standing there with my helmet and driving suit on. Geez!! I didn’t get the chance. Even though, I tried to send Bodie on numerous errands out of the pit area just before time to run the car. He always made it back in time, Darn it! LOL

Some of you might have chuckled at Megan being called a “Bolt checker”. She is very good at it and takes it as serious can be. She grabs a few wrenches and just goes over the car checking for loose nuts and bolts. She doesn’t quit until she is sure everything is ok. On my team we just have a nut and bolt session, where we all go over the car tightening everything. Megan is on it all the time.

Karen and Rhonda did an excellent job of making sure the team had what we needed when we needed it. I am not sure if Karen cooked all our meals, but if she did, she is a wonderful cook. I enjoyed having some time to talk to her on Saturday night. She is a neat lady.

Rhonda was busy keeping John in line and keeping us drag racers from picking up the new baby and trying to get him to say “Hemi”. She was as nice you believe her to be after seeing her interviewed on TV all the time.

Dan and I were the guys your wife is always saying must be crazy. We cleaned the slicks off after the burnout. It was cool to be in the mix of all the starting line excitement.

I know there is a bunch of stuff I left out. I had a great time, and would do it again in a second.

Thank you Virgil for giving me the chance of a lifetime!!

I hope you enjoyed my latest “What I did last weekend” story.

Rapid