By Jok Nicholson

Part 2
Drag Racing Online brings you the "second edition" of "Nine Races in 16 Days". Now also known as the Drag Racing Online Busman’s Tour. This update covers the $50,000.00 race Saturday night at Mid-Michigan Motorplex and the Sunday $5,000.00 race. I will give you my first impressions of our first trip to the Mackinaw area of Northern Michigan. THAT’S RIGHT... we actually went somewhere to relax and there isn’t a dragstrip within 150 miles (I don’t think!!)

THE $50,000.00 RACE!!!! I’ll tell you what. It was easily one of the more exciting to watch bracket races I have seen in years. Why? Well for one thing there were seven rounds of absolutely photo-finish racing to get to the semi-finals and when the semi-finals rolled around there were two door cars and two dragsters trying to get to the finals and a chance at $50K. The 150 racers sitting at the finish line including Barb and I were surprised that two door cars made it that far!

Here is the "kool" part. Every time one of the door cars would win during eliminations they would get a standing ovation. One car in particular became the crowd favorite, it was a ‘ 70 Nova from Ohio. The driver deep staged and drove the "stripe" like he was telepathic! In his last four rounds he won by .005, .006, .008, .003! The "buzz" among racers in the finish line bleachers was this guy was from Norwalk and that he ran the "No Box" races there. Was he using a delay box or NOT????? After he put a finish line job (and start line job to for that matter) on Scotty Richardson, Mark Cmar he was well on his way to becoming a "Legend".

The semis were ran and a door car vs. dragster would go to the final. One of those lucky guys would be Aaron McCaulla, of Tiffin, OH in the ’70 Nova who would face a local dragster racer Dwayne Lindeman of Kaleva, MI.

Before I tell you who won I have to tell you a little about each racer. I interviewed both of them right after the race and just to see the "glow" in the eye after accomplishing so much was exciting. I found out that Aaron normally ran No Box at Norwalk and that he also carried one of those "blue bottles" in the trunk. That’s right his 7.70 Nova has Nitrous Oxide (just in case!!) He said he used it a few time during the evening. He would burp the throttle a couple of times so the nose of the driver of the car chasing him would see the nose of the Nova dip and then he would hit the "spray" and drive the stripe. Who says you can’t bracket race with nitrous?

On the other side was Dwayne Lindeman who had the more preferred race car for big money events, the rear engine dragster. He had been having terrific lights all afternoon and into the evening. His motivation was he was dedicating this event to his brother, Duane Lindeman, who had recently passed away. Dwayne also wanted me to thank a few people who supported his efforts. His wife Bonnie and Steve and Sheryn Eadie.

The finals were lined up and the wagering on who would win was happening pretty fast at the finish line. Even dragster owners were betting on Aaron’s door slammer. Another terrific job of judging the finish line by Aaron McCaulla resulted in the $50,000.00 win!