Godspeed , Joe Mondello..........

It was an honor to know you Joe, thanks for all you gave................

New owner for the dragster

Due to my work schedule at my new job and the new yearly rule requirements (expensive) by the NHRA I have sold my entire Nostalgia Top Fuel racing operation. The car won't be far away as the new owner lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His name is Paul Shultz and he will give the car a very good home. I will try to go with his team to the races whenever I am off work and things work out.
I appreciate all the help that I have had for the last few years. I appreciate those of you who have followed along here with my little adventure. I had a lot of fun with my friends, learned a TON, and there are no regrets from me.

So I guess this will be my last Speed Merchants blog post.

THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!

Brad Green

Plans for the future........

Sorry it has been so long since I've updated the blog but I do have some news for you.
We are parked for 2010. I'll have the car ready for 2011 with new chassis mods and rule updates. Starting in 2011 and going forward the plan is to race Goodguys Indy in June and Goodguys Bowling Green in October each year.
I have started buying and selling used industrial machinery in my spare time to fund my racing. It's going very well so far but I need a year head start so that the 2011 racing money is available by the end of 2010 and so on.
The search for sponsorship was taking a toll and not yielding results so I decided to take matters back into my own hands and come up with a plan that would work for us financially and mesh with my crazy work schedule.
My team has been supportive of the decision and Susan and I are very comfortable with it as well.

Thanks for viewing my blog!

Brad

We wait....................

Here are current pictures of the race car. It is together and ready to go for the most part - what is left is the safety items and things that have to be SFI certified in order to pass technical inspection at a race. That includes: the seat belts, blower restraint/bag, engine diaper, fire bottles, bellhousing and clutch. The reason I haven't sent these items off for re-certification is that I am not 100% sure that I will be able to race the car in 2010.That will depend on several things - mostly sponsorship/finances and my work schedule. SOOOOO, we are in a holding pattern to see what time brings.
You will also notice in the pictures that the car has a different nose piece and fewer body panels on it. This is the alternate short body that I have for it. If we do run the car this year we'll most likely use this shorter and lighter body.
That's all I have for now. Thanks for checking my blog!!!

Brad

Chassis fixed and back home.

David and I took the car to Indianapolis over Halloween weekend and got the top tube of the chassis replaced and a few other minor changes. Keith Burgan, otherwise known as "Rooman" because he's from Australia, did a great job and let David and I help where we could. Rooman is a master craftsman and did a GREAT job on the car.
I am putting the car back together now as I have spare time. I'll take some pictures soon and give another update.
Thanks for checking in!
Brad

Update

Here's a couple of pictures of the damage in the upper frame rail and the chassis in the shop after I have Scotchbrited it and rubbed it down with penetrating oil.

Brad

Stripped chassis

Susan and I went to Tulsa today and dropped the chassis off at Blasting Specialties where they blasted the paint off of it with a plastic bead media that removes the paint without damaging the thin wall chromoly tubing. Now that it is back home and in the shop I will take scotch-brite pads and rub down all of the tubing and then rub it down again with penetrating oil to keep it from rusting. Here are some before and after pictures of the chassis from today.

Brad