Team Garrett Turbo NMCA West Race Report

Team Garrett Turbo NMCA West Race Report

By Justin Banner

It was scorching. That was the best way to describe the conditions at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Pomona, California. This made for a very greasy track as the heat made it difficult for the cars to keep traction. Saturday was marred by some incidents, but our drivers made the best of it.

It was everything you could do to stay cool or at least out of the sun at Auto Club Raceway. Even in the shade, it was still sweltering. I'm used to heat and humidity back in Virginia, but even a desert heat is still hot! I could only imagine what the drivers were feeling strapped into their cars waiting for their turn down the quarter mile. It had to be miserable.

As you can see, they had no relief except for the shade the interiors of their cars provided. However, with no fans to blow into the cabin it wouldn't be much help. The ambulance is there just in case there is an incident on track and was not there for a heatstroked driver. Thankfully, it wasn't needed for that however, you'll see later it was put into use at least once.

I have to say, when it comes to the aesthetics of racing drag racers have that down to a "T." They are some of the most beautiful looking cars to hit a race track. Flame jobs, intricate sponsor logos, or just very clean cars; you just can't beat the looks a drag car can compete with and is sometimes one of the bigger budget items on a drag car. It's usually because a good paint job on a drag car can not only last a season but sometimes several years! My dad would certainly love the sight as a sign and vehicle painter. It's where I get my love of good looking cars from, no matter what they are.

It also doesn't hurt that the Garrett Turbo Pro Street class, the NMCA West class that one of our Hero Cars, MMR Shelby GT500 Mustang would compete in, also has a very diverse field of cars. You could see blower cars running on pure Methanol...

Big Block Staged Nitrous Cars, as told by the purging and revving before pre-staging...

And of course, you can't forget the turbo cars in the Garrett Turbo Pro Street Class. Garrett wouldn't sponsor the class for nothing, now would they?