Last weekend was the first time in about 5 years that we got to Drive the MOONEYES Dragster!! It’s been 3 years since it got a completely new chassis and finally, we got to run it.
We ran it at the Barona Drag Strip near the San Diego area for an event Mooneyes was invited to. They said we could run under one condition, “As long as you don’t run it seriously hard, then it’s OK.” So we got to make a couple passes.
Along with the brand new chassis built in 2007 by original Dragmaster Chassis founder Dode Martin and Jim Nelsen, the MOONEYES Dragster has a new clutch, brand new drag slicks, and lastly we made the change from pump-gas to alcohol fuel. With this new setup and our first official run, the results were not what we wanted, unfortunately but still exciting.
The initial plan was to simply smoke the tires real good but that didn’t happen as both times we ran, the front wheels came up (wheel stand).
Until I personally was able to drive the MOONEYES Dragster, I had always thought about what could happen. Will I hit something? How will it perform? How will I handle the run? The consequences. One can only pile on experience with driving.
The MOONEYES Dragster was built in 2007, faithfully to the same specifications as the original MOONEYES Dragster built in early 60s. The result, unfortunately, is the safety equipment on that Dragster doesn’t meet the current safety rules and that usually means it doesn’t pass inspection and I cannot run the Dragster on that track.
One of the current (2010) safety rules set by NHRA is an 8-point roll cage and the Dragster doesn’t pass. About 45 years ago, a simple hoop was enough and interestingly enough, Dean Moon insisted on the double-hoop which in old photographs is usually only seen on the MOONEYES Dragster.
However, I am grateful and really appreciate the Barona Drag Strip staff allowing us to drive the MOONEYES Dragster last weekend. Thank you very much!
