2006 High Altitude Flathead/Inline Nationals

Bandimere Speedway

Morrison, Colorado

 

This yearÕs Flathead/Inline Nationals were held in conjunction with the Inliners International Convention, so there were plenty of inline cars in competition and some were in classes that only inliners participate in. The track was also having The Scotchman Drive-In Reunion. The Scotchman was a locally famous gathering place for hot rodders. You can read about it here. On Sunday, the concession stand duplicated their menu and the races took a decidedly nostalgic turn.

I took the easy way out this year in posting the pictures. I just divided Saturday and Sunday and lumped everything into a big pile just as it came out of my camera. IÕm no more organized than last year. There is one difference in this yearÕs pictures Ð no trackside starting line stuff. Bob ÒWhiteyÓ McDonaldÕs wife and pit crew Val couldnÕt make it this year and his grandson Montey wasnÕt quite old enough to drive the support vehicle, so I helped out a little in the pits. It cut into my picture taking freedom, but IÕd do it again in a heartbeat. Tragically, Val died in a work-related accident a little over a month later. She will be greatly missed.

SaturdayÕs Photos Saturday was the first day of action this year Ð nothing on Friday except a little fellowship. Among the random assortment of images are Whitey McDonaldÕs new primer for starting the nitro-buring dragster. It it worked OK to fire it up, but there was too much fuel in the lines dribbling out when the valve was shut off. He went back to the squirt can. WhiteyÕs take-apart heads for cooling are once again pictured. This is a very clever way of cooling a dry block flathead.

There were three twin-engined cars in attendance. One was a modern ÒnestalgiaÓ front motored overhead valve dragster, one was Garry LightÕs twin four  cylinder dragster, and one was Wes Wix and his sonÕs twin flathead. YouÕll find them among the pictures.

Not every shot is of a flathead or inline car. There were other interesting vehicles there that caught my attention. My usual assortment of dragster details and trailers are in the mix as well.

At the end is the barbeque hosted by the local Early Ford Club. Also, take the time to review the sponsor poster and see who is supporting this race.

SundayÕs Photos Saturday was qualifying and timed runs, but Sunday was one last chance at a time trial, then the big race. Since it was the Scotchman Reunion, the was a car show and, as I mentioned, a lot of nostalgia about the Scotchman Drive-In.

Whitey didnÕt see much sense in just putting more runs on the olÕ flatty since smoke puffed out on the big end, so I had a chance to shoot some starting line pictures from the stands during the morning time trial session. Then I wandered around in the car show. There were many more cars than I photographed, but I concentrated on flatheads and a few others of interest to me.

Shots from the actual competition are kind of slim, but there are a few of Whitey and Jerry Hall from my position as a crew  member.

Among the competition was the altered of the late Kay Sissell who was famous for racing six cylinder engines competitively in mainstream NHRA and AHRA competition back in the day. There are a series of photos of that car and a trophy from the NHRA Nationals.

Jerry Hall and Whitey McDonald had the only two cars entered in the unlimited flathead/early inline class. Weird stuff kept happening to them all weekend such as unexplained fouls and so on. Jerry fouled on their official run, giving the win to Whitey, but them they decided to do a two out of three series. Jerry took the second round, which was expected since the overhead six was running quicker than the flathead. Unfortunately, WhiteyÕs motor was a little too wounded to make the final call, giving Jerry the well deserved win. Whitey did run his personal high altitude best elapsed time of 9.13.

The winner and runner up pictures close out the series.

I had a great time as usual. I hope all of you reading this will show up for next yearÕs event.

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