2023 Fall Havana
We closed out our season with bang at Central Illinois Dragway with our largest car count of the year eighteen, yes that’s right eighteen! What a way to finish out the 2023 season.
Bob Wilkiewicz and I were the first to arrive on Friday at 2pm. Our early arrival enabled us to get our pit parking under control from the get-go. We were assigned 18 spots right in front of the tower. Was told that area is planned to have asphalt done in the near future. By Friday evening we had a dozen of our cars in place. Didn’t have many people trying to steal our real estate assigned to us other than spectators on Saturday. We all monitored that and kept it under control with only one spectator vehicle called out to move from the tower announcer to enabled us to get our last trailer into place.
Saturday’s weather was picture pretty. Morning wakeup temp in the 50’s and was only to get better as the day went on. Temps would reach around 80 for a high and drop off as the sunset would occur. Humidity was relatively low which kept everyone comfortable.
Our first run was just before noon and our fourth run finished up a couple minutes after 9pm. I was the final car of our group to go down the track and was the 756th car to go down the track on Saturday and many more followed until about 11:30 pm. The track did an excellent job getting this many cars down the track. In session number two we ran against the Brew City Gassers. It was 17 NSS cars Vs 17 BCG cars. They had tree choice and selected the sportsman version. We got lane choice and took the left lane to try keeping the confusion down. We had five people to get this setup in the staging lanes. Bob Wilkiewicz, Howard Crull, Rich Berlisk and Wendy Rittenbach, Mark Davis from the BCG group. A little confusion but was handled nicely by the five mentioned above.
This put on a spectacular show of gasser Vs super stock. Very pleasing to say our guys did it again 11 to 6 in our favor. Good job to our team for another victory for our group. By the way these were paired up prior to the run by Bob Wilkiewicz and Rich Berlisk for our team and John Rittenbach and Mark Davis for their team. ETs were matched as close as this group could get them.
Thanks to the following for manning positions on the track water box etc. Sherm Devening, Jaynie Heuton, Larry Brennan, Amy Lowis and anyone I missed.
Thanks to Bob Wilkiewicz for running the roster and collecting the time sheets.
A huge thanks to the Durlings, Heutons, Eikels, Hendersons and ones that I may overlooked for the cookout and food that took place on Saturday evening. It was super!!
Drivers in attendance; Dennis Sherer, Paul Eikel, Mike Sypien, Doug Henderson, Chris Kuhl, Chris Heuton, Rich Berlisk, Bob Durling, Craig Pfohl, Milt Schreindl, Joe Szydlo, Ike Andrews, Larry Quinn, John Rousset, Mike Singleton, Paul Rittenour, Howard Crull and Gene Devening.
Crew in attendance; Dan Hradisky, David Sherer, Justin Eikel, Alicia Henderson, Pam Kuhl, Diana Durling, Rich Pfohl, Joe Steinus, Miley Lack, Rick Mortenson, Bill Berry, Gabriel DeLuna, Larry Brennan, Ghordan Gobel, Liama Singleton, Ava Crull, Amy Lowis, Sherm Devening, Betty Devening, Dianne Devening.
Also, a thanks to any friends and family not mentioned. We appreciate all your support.
Great to have Larry Quinn out and running again as he made three passes on Saturday. Also, if you haven’t done so, please wish John Rousset a Happy 79th Birthday today on the 11th.
Not much more to say, great year, great people and adios amigos and see you down the road………….
-Rich