2022 Pontiac Nationals
Pontiac Nationals 2022
The event was their biggest one to date. Car show and swap meet spaces were sold out months ago. Golf cart rentals were sold out, the owners came by one evening and spoke with some of us, they had 250 golf carts on the facility rented out and had a waiting list pages long to get one If anyone backed out. The track ran out of places to pit race cars as the entire facility was full. I noticed there were several RV’s that were actually parked in the aisles down near where we entered the track. Yet, as always, there were not a lot of spectators in the stands for racing, a few more then years past, but still not like we see at other events.
They allow us to move into the track on Thursday between Noon and 5 pm, which is a great benefit for those that can take advantage of it. At that time only us ScottRods AA Gassers and Kauffman Pontiac performance are allowed through the gates. This year they started letting the general crowd through the gates early about 3:45 pm already knowing it was going to be packed full. We had 9 cars in attendance. We had a shaded spot to sit and lounge with the breeze we had and mild Temps in the 70’s was a great weekend for weather with just a bit of an overnight sprinkle into early Sunday morning.
Friday started out with an unprecedented number of break downs and oil downs for the track. Our anticipated run time of around 11 am was delayed and we ran at approximately 1:25pm. With a few complications, 7 cars made our one and only round for Friday. The breakage etc. cost the track 2 hours and 42 minutes of extra down time and track prep pushing all of the anticipated schedules back as did the large numbers of entrants in every category of racing.
Day two our 9:00 am call actually was 11:23 when we ran with 9 cars as Dave Weslowski had arrived with his Chevrolet and was able to make a pass with us.
Our 1pm call turned into 2:28 pm with 8 cars making a run after the track awards and our first pair were in the waterbox for the National Anthem.
Our 4pm call came and we ran with 8 cars at 4:32pm.
Sunday final day our first scheduled run of 9 am was skipped in their attempt to get their racing programs in during the shortened amount of time they had available. Noon call came about with more awards and again a pair of our cars in the waterbox for our National Anthem to start the show. So we ran about 1:15 pm. with 8 cars completing the run.
One car running without a hood was advised his carbs had to be covered as per NHRA rules with either an air cleaner or a hood with a scoop covering the carbs. Thanks to one of our other members helping him out that issue was quickly taken care of to their satisfaction. At the conclusion of the event Andi and Pete Woodruff came down to the trailers. He was happy with our showing and relayed nothing negative in regards to us and the weekend performance. I thanked them both for having us again. He confirmed this was their largest event across-the-board to date and he intends to invite us back again next year.
Overall great great weekend with Jack Anderson joining us with his beautiful 1963 Pontiac all the way from Delaware. Brad Shoemaker and a few of his friends were guests of the club along with Kathy(Ferris)& Carter Lowry from Virginia. Thanks to those that participated and made the trip. I know there is at least one waitress, who should be a lot happier we were visiting their area. No one ended up needing a diaper for the weekend. I did hear rumor that Craig may be getting called out for a run in the near future as a certain NSS AFX driver has some paperwork saying he is the New Sheriff? ? ?(Low ET and Top Speed Qualifier for Nostalgia Super Stocks.) Ice cream was still $1 and delicious and there’s an opening for a new race coordinator for 2023.
-Howard A. Crull