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Wednesday, 10 March 2010
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Welcome to the Frantic Fueler
Winter Blues, Not a Chance
Contributed by Scott Anderson   
Thursday, 21 January 2010
ImageHere we are in the Windy City, the middle of January and baby it's COLD outside.

It's easy to see why people get depressed, but being an eternal optimist, I'm looking forward to putting 2009 behind me.

The 2009 season didn't deliver many of the expectations the Frantic Fueler team had hoped for, today is a new day and as we prepare for 2010, I'm reminded of the fact that we RACE a Front Engined Fuel Dragster. If it was easy everyone would have one, truth is it's NOT easy. Yes, traveling the country, meeting the best fans in the world and enjoying our outings is a blessing.

Let's not forget the countless hours at the shop going over every inch of each part, trying to find a thousandth of a second, it's mind numbing sometimes.

On occassion, it's easy to let expectations get the best of you, and we are way harder on ourselves over lack luster performances than anyone could imagine.
That's what makes our particular illness great, each member of the Frantic Fueler team takes it personally and have the determination and drive to improve.

With Dragster Dave leading the charge, and the team behind him we race into 2010 working to make the Frantic Fueler one of the countries finest AA/FD.

We are looking forward to a rewarding season, seeing some old friends, making some new ones and hopefully getting back the on track performance we know the Frantic Fueler is capable of.

 

C'ya out there.

Scott

Last Updated ( Thursday, 21 January 2010 )
Tri-fecta fabulous
Contributed by Scott Anderson   
Wednesday, 23 September 2009

ImageThe Spectrum Illumination Frantic Fueler spent three days, Seven hundred miles and a truck load of team members traveling the roads of Michigan.  We started with our annual trip to Frankenmuth's Autofest and let me say, IF you think the automotive hobby is dead, you haven't been to Frankenmuth. They registered over 5500 custom cars on Friday ALONE! The block party Friday night drew over 180,000 people along with a bunch of bands, lots of beverage and 5 front engined fuel dragsters.

We kicked off the party with a drive down Main, one by one the Fuelers headed out. The Probe, Green Gang and John Logghe's beautiful dragsters took the lead, with Al Bergler and the Frantic car following behind. Bergler and the frantic car stopped at the Brewrey in the middle of town while the other continued to the park at the bottom of the hill. All the teams did "between round" prep and got ready for the 9 pm fire up. Since Main street is closed to traffic from 5 to 10 pm, LOTS of people spent the evening wandering the street finding some of the coolest cars in the country along side. As 9 pm approached a lot of folks started milling around near the Frantic Fueler, all shined up and ready for some night time flame throwing.

Sarge did a spectacular job keeping everything under control, and supplied us with a pizza dinner to boot!
Al lit up the night sky first, the weed burner headers shooting fire and glowing with heat.
Then the Frantic car, Dragster Dave leaned on the barrel valve some and soon the flames were shooting out of the pipes and a loud WHACK got the crowd reved up.  After all the fun the team went to work, loaded up the trailer and hauled to Flint for some sleep, well after some well deserved cocktails.

6 am, good morning sunshine!

The team meets in the lobby for breakfast and we head over to Martin for the Funnycar Nationals. Once in our spot we get setup for a planned motor change, everything is going to plan. As the day goes on alot of friends and fans stop by to see the new paint and watch as we button her up for our warm up. Pretty standard stuff as we head up for the 7 pm show, Jason and Stephanie do a great job with this large scale event, there is something for everybody at this event.  We are scheduled to go against Joe Hendrix Old Style racing dragster, fresh off a victory at the Blue Suede Cruise, Joe and Randy set a personal best of 5.97 there and are always a tough opponent. Both cars head to the line, as burnouts are being done I see something shoot from Randy's header and very shortly after we watch as the the car completely melts down.  Randy's ok and out of the car which the track team moves off to the side. Dragster Dave is back at the line and I wave him in.  A flash and Dave mashes the gas, the Frantic car lauches straight and true then suddenly starts sounding like the motor is being pulled down, WAY down.  Dave lifts for a moment then hammers it again, legging out a 6.40 ET. Several pistons were pinched so we changed a whole rack full, within an hour we are putting the final touches on the motor. During the torque sequence AA Dale notices a pulled stud, we tried to get it to hold but it just was not going to happen. We decide not to make the second run, a difficult way to end the season.  The team breaks camp and we head down the road for a short night's sleep.

Sunday morning and the team is together having breakfast ready for the last leg of the three day tour.   Dragster Dave, Betsy and the family head West for some well deserved R&R. The rest of the Frantic Fueler team and I head East to the Gilmore Museum, one of my favorite stops in MIchigan. Needless to say if you are a car guy, you NEED to get there.  A short trip thru the country and we arrive, we are greeted with open arms pull in and unload the car. By sight about 1500 or so Muscle Cars enjoyed the car show as we did. It was a fabulous day hanging out at the Gilmore and all in all a terrific weekend for the Spectrum Illumination Frantic Fueler. Sure, there are things to work on, it's NITRO, there is ALWAYS something to work on.

As we close out our 10th year of Nitro racing, I would like to say how PROUD I am of our entire team.   All who work tirelessly to bring the Frantic Fueler to life, and to our families who allow us the time to chase an uncatchable foe, THANK YOU all. Stay tuned for our 2010 schedule and happenings,
C'ya out there....
Scott

 

 

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 23 September 2009 )
Time Flies when your having FUN!
Contributed by Scott Anderson   
Thursday, 10 September 2009

ImageThe Spectrum Illumination Frantic Fueler team has had it's share of disappointments this season.

We attended the Night of Fire at Cedar Falls, Iowa along side our old friends the Orange Crate.

Needless to say it wasn't one of our best outings, we left the track feeling lost. We tried to soften up things to get down track and the car responded by turning left hard at 800ft and giving Dragster Dave a handful of greif.

Hoping for a rebound we went into Cordova for the 56th annual World Series of Drag Racing.

We left out on Friday to put a test squirt on the car. The car was hoped up with a fresh blower and everyone was feeling pretty good about the car. We get in the lanes and fire her up, sounding real strong Dave jams down on the loud pedal and HUGE flames shoot out of both headers. Very quickly things go bad and Dave lifts and shuts it down. Back in the pit we find a mess of busted valve trane parts. Working into the night the team gets everything ready for Saturday.

Saturday brings some cold weather in and everyone questioning their tuneups. We get the Frantic car ready to match up with our old friend the Orange Crate. Everyone is in and ready for the big show. Dave and Radar do the burnouts and get back to the line. A flash and they blast down track, Dave has to pedal it at 300 ft and Radar is flying. Suddenly a large bang and a HUGE fire ball erupt from the Orange Crate at 1000ft. We all haul ass to the top end, Dave is ok and Radar is out of the car but suffered burns to his face an hands. Later Radar headed to the Hospital for a quick check up but otherwise ok.

This was the beginning of a difficult night at the track, our friend Jim Crownhart and his son Dan also got together at the top end with their Jet Cars both suffering major damage, but luckily both drivers are fine.

We left Cordova feeling lucky the car was in one piece and we can race another day.

The Next stop will be this weekend as we head for our Michigan tri-fecta, Frankenmuth on Friday (11th)

then on to Martin for the Funnycar Nationals (12th) and finish up on Sunday (13th) in Hickory Corners at the Gilmore Musuem for a static display. This weekend will conclude our scheduled events for 2009, we would like to Thank all of our families, friends and fans for your continued support.

Stay tuned for updates on the Frantic Fueler.

 

C'ya out there.

Scott
Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 September 2009 )

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