Atlanta Night of Fire

Okay, so now we have been on the road for so many days, I have lost count. It gets bad when you forget what hotel you are staying at.

But the up side is we have had a BLAST racing up and down the country. We pulled into Commerce for Atlanta Dragways Night of Fire on Thursday afternoon. Chris now calls me a princess, as I changed our hotel plans when the hotel pool had green sludge growing on the top. I moved us over to a beautiful brand new Best Western which we both enjoyed the pool on Friday morning before we had to go to work at a display in the afternoon.

Kroger was one of the sponsors of the event, so we set the car out front for a few hours. Then it was time to pack it up and head to the track. This as kind of a combo weekend as we were doing a race along with a photo shoot for a new sponsor soon to be announced. We hired a great photographer to come out for the weekend and shoot us in action. Friday night, was just the beginning. We finished up about 12:00 a.m. and headed to get something to eat. Taking pictures makes you very hungry. I was happy to have one of the newest members of Larsen Motorsports, Russ Glover, come out for the weekend to help us with all of the set up. Russ really loves drag racing and I can see a bright future for him with us. Look for his crew bio coming soon.

Early the next morning we were up and getting ready to go to the track. I had rented E. Lowe a car to drive in and had called to check his progress as we were getting ready. Not long after we arrived at the Atlanta Dragway, E. Lowe pulls up in his rented PT Cruiser convertible. I wave and pull him in. He gets out of the car and we start talking, I feel someone rubbing my shoulders and turn around to see that the some of our other crew has snuck a ride up with E. Lowe. Chuck and Chris Foster decided late on Friday night that they wanted to come up and have some fun. You could have blown me over. I was shock but sooooooo happy as the race was going to be hectic and we really needed their help.

Marc, the photographer took some awesome photos. I will post some when he gets them all cleaned up, and me looking good. I was racing the Danchuck jet funny car driven by Paul Miller. We were scheduled to make three passes for the evenings events. They had a full points race as well as some great looking pro-mods. We made our three passes without any problems and then pulled up on the return road to enjoy the best fireworks display that you can see anywhere.

We cleaned everything up and was too tired to even eat after the race. We went back to the hotel to get 2 hours of sleep before hitting the road for our next event in Kansas City, MO. In route we received some very sad news. Bob Motz, who drives one of the jet semi trucks, had a problem on the starting line at his race on Saturday evening. He was burned and was taken to a hospital nearby. If we can keep him in our thoughts and prayers along with his son Scott that was also burned trying to get him out.

It always puts things in perspective when you hear of one of our best racers having a problem. It is important for us all to stay on our toes. Bob has entertained so many people over the years, that it is easy for us all to take it for granted.

Well we are Kansas bound for a display that Embry-Riddle set up. It is called Skills USA. I will give you more information the next time.

Luv ya,
e

Traveling Tbrough the Country

Well, we hit Hershey, PA and let me tell you, chocolate does make everything better. We had so much fun at Chocolate World. We went to the Kit Kat Lounge to have some lunch and make our own sundaes. All of us left with a smile.

We decided to spend a little time and explore. We went to a campground to see if we could rent a canoe. The water level was so low, that we just decided to wade through the streams. Andrew and Nitro had so much fun. It was a day to remember.

Now time to get back to work. We headed out for the 13 hour drive to Bowling Green. It was through some beautiful country side but we could not take time to enjoy work was calling. We kept up and finally made it. The problem was, I started to not feel well. I just thought it was the flu at first, but after a couple of days of running a fever and laying in the hotel bed, it soon became apparent that I had to get to the Dr. Thursday morning, I found out that I had a really bad Kidney infection. After a couple of antibiotic shots and some strong medicine, by that evening I had to pull it together to do a radio show.

The next day I was feeling much better and we decided to go to Splash Lagoon at the race track. It was a fun relaxing day to enjoy.

The next morning it was time to head to the race. Beech Bend Dragway is such a family fun race track, it is hard to not have a good time. We were hired to be there for Match Race Mania, along with 30 other exhibition race cars. The track and facility was wonderful, but unfortunately the crowd was not. But we all made the best of it, and made one pass and loaded up to head for home.

We dropped our trailer at a friends business in Atlanta, and drove the rest of the way. I couldn't tell you who was the most happy to be home. Nitro just ran from room to room rolling on the ground. We all enjoyed an evening at home. Chris and Andrew had also become very run down on the last couple of days, so we all visited the Dr. on our first day home. They both have sinus infections.

We will try and all get better in order to head to Commerce to head up the Atlanta Dragways Night of Fire. I am racing Paul Miller in his Danchuck funny car. This is my third year back to this event, but the first for the Embry-Riddle jet dragster. I will be a great race!!!! I have some special guests coming, so we will rest up and get ready to have some fun.

See you all at the races.

e

Rain Rain Go Away!!!!

Okay the title says it all. I knew it was too good to be true. We woke up on Saturday morning to rain, and after breakfast, more rain, then the fateful phone call from the track, the race has been canceled. It continued to rain for the rest of the day and into the evening.

I felt really sorry for New England Dragway. They put in a lot of work to make this event a nice one, to just have it rain out. For us, well we had an enjoyable drive, and saw some areas that we have always wanted to visit. I can't complain. Okay so I can, but it won't make it any better. I was really looking forward to the race, but the good news is, E. Lowe is now considered a very very spoiled crew chief. We can say that we flew him in for an official New England Clam Chowder bowl of soup. He arrived in time for breakfast at the hotel, when we found out the race was canceled, we went to have some soup, and then we relaxed at the hotel for a nice dinner.

An Embry-Riddle representative, Gretchen, also flew in for the race. Everett and her both flew out on Sunday morning, and we hit the road to head to our next race. We are making a small pit stop in Hershey, PA to drown my sorrows in chocolate. I think a chocolate massage would make me feel much much better.

I will check back with you when we hit the next stop.

e.

P.S. Nitro is afraid of his shadow.

Hitting the Road!!!

Back from vacation and now it is time to work. I am telling you, I think I need a vacation from vacation. We filled our seven days as full as you could. I finally on the 6th day took a much needed nap. We snorkeled with stingrays, kayaked in the ocean, jumped on water trampolines, climbed water glaciers, explored Mayan ruins, dune buggied through Costa Maya, and finally hung out with friends and family. It was a blast!!! I am ready to sign up for the next one. It went much too quick, but well worth the money. I did try my hand at the slots, but ended up on the loosing end.

We came home on Sunday, and it was time to get to work to prepare for the next month of racing. T-shirts to fold, trailer to pack and laundry to do and then repack. It was time to hit the road

We took off Tuesday mid-morning, made our first stop in North Carolina, and then didn't plan our travels very well, we hit New York at 6:30 p.m. but to our surprise, the traffic wasn't as bad as Orlando traffic in rush hour. We made our next stop in Connecticut. Something funny happened, it turned COLD. I am talking really really cold. It got in the low 50's overnight. Talk about an adjustment, we were in the tropics just days ago, and now the temperature was totally the opposite. We pulled into Epping, NH on Thursday mid-morning and dropped off the trailer. Met up the the Interceptor team and went to the Hampton Falls to have some lunch. Very very cool. We then found our hotel and got some sleep. Friday morning and it is bright and sunny. I think the sun comes up earlier here. 6:00 a.m. and the sun is coming through the drapes. We decided to play tourist today. We went to the Hampton beach, and walked the boardwalk. Chris and Andrew wanted to try all of the different food, I just had the fried dough!!!! Andrew wanted to run and jump in the ocean, well that all changed when he put his baby toe in the water. I think ice is warmer than the water was. BURRRRRRRRR!! But the sun was out and it was a wonderful day. We decided to do a little house shopping while we were here. HAHAHAHA

Tomorrow is race day. The forecast doesn't look good, but we are thinking positive. When we get to our next stop, I will tell you how the race went. Thanks for checking.

P.S. Nitro is afraid of the dandelions.

e

Summer is here!!!!

Well today was Andrew's last day of school. I remember the feeling of walking through the doors for the last time of the school year, hearing the song "Schools out for the Summer" Man do I feel old sometimes. These last few weeks have been crazy. There is so much behind the scenes organization that has to go on, I wonder if I will ever get things done. We are leaving on vacation this Sunday, we come home for one day and then leave for Epping, New Hampshire for Jet Wars. Then it is off to Hershey PA to eat some chocolate, YUMMMMM. We will roll down the highway and head toward Bowling Green, KY for Match Race Mania. We are going to come home for 3 days and then back on the road to Atlanta, GA to run their Night of Fire. We can't go home yet, Kansas City here we come. We will be home for the first of July!!!

So hang in there with me, I will try and post as many updates as I can.

On a business note: Keep checking back as we have some really cool news to post soon!!!

Now it is time to pack and relax for one week before the craziness begins. If you happen to see us on the highway or if you are in the area where we are racing, make sure you stop and say HI.

C ya,
E

Jet and Truck Nationals

It was time to head back to south Florida to Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach. On Friday morning April 27th Chris loaded up the trailer and headed south to set up the Embry-Riddle Jet Dragster. I had to stay home for an extra night so that Andrew could play his baseball game on Friday evening. The kids tried, but unfortunately they didn't win the game, but they had fun, so that was good.

Crew Chief Everett stopped by early Saturday morning to pick up Nitro, Andrew and myself so that we could make be there when the gates opened. We did have enough time to stop and eat breakfast in Okeechobee. I was looking forward to this weekend, as there was going to be a lot of jet cars performing. When we arrived, it is always nice to see some of my fans that come out to see me. Chuck and Chris Foster were also on hand to help crew the car this weekend, which I greatly appreciate as it was Chuck and Ellen's 25th anniversary. We were scheduled to make two passes each day. On Saturday evening the Embry-Riddle Jet Dragster made both laps with no problems. We packed up and headed to the restaurant and was in bed by 12:oo, which is a pleasant treat.

Sunday morning we were up early and back at the track, as we had two more passes to make. We lined up and blasted down the quarter mile both times with no problems. It is so nice to have a race car that just motors down the track, my husband and the students from Embry-Riddle designed and built an awesome car.

We have a couple of weeks off, which we will be able to get caught up on all of the day to day stuff. Keep checking back, as we have a lot of exciting news coming up in May.

Stay safe.

Elaine

SUN N FUN 2007

Okay, I have the greatest life. First I get to drive two awesome jet dragsters, which is an amazing job, but I get to meet some amazing people on the road. You never know when you open the door, who is going to be on the other side. I guess you have to grab life by the horns and go with what ever is put in front of you and never look back. I can't list all of the people that have made such of an impression on my life, because I will for sure forget someone, but just know it means something to me.

Okay enough of the mushy stuff, on to the good stuff. Sun-N-Fun is always fun for me, because it is so close to home and I get to sleep in my own bed every night which is a BIG plus!!!! That being said, it is always nice to see the people that always go to all of the shows. For me racing is my only social life, sad but true. So we connected with some of our old friends, and pretty much just had a wonderful time enjoying the daily airshows and entertainment. We talked to many perspective students which is always great for my sponsor Embry Riddle, and some that just had a lot of questions about the car. By the end of the week, I couldn't tell you how many thousands of people stopped by, but it made the week go fast.

I had the chance this year to watch the night-time airshow. This was my first time and let me tell you I was impressed. To see these pilots fly during the day is amazing, but at night....WOW!!! The Aeroshell guys are always amazing. They rock and just have their act down to perfection!! It was very windy and they had to cancel the skydivers, which was a good decision, safety first. I can't wait until next year, I will be front row center.

Now I have been to a lot of airshows, and it would be impossible for me not to be curious about flying. Chris has his pilots license, but I have only flown commercial or with him in small planes. I was invited to go up and fly a fully aerobatic, competition, "Skybolt" from Steen Aero. Now for those of you who do not know what this plane is you can go to http://www.steenaero.com/ and see a photo and stats. She is a little hot rod with wings. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. WAY WAY cool. The pilot Barrett had me doing loops and rolls. I felt like I could conquer the world when I got out. It is life changing to be up there and feel like you are one with the plane. I didn't want it to end, but Chris was scheduled to go up after me, so reluctantly we had to head back. Chris also enjoyed the ride. I won't tell you which one that Barret said was the better pilot.....but needless to say, it was an amazing ride for both of us.

After working the week long event, I was ready to stay at home for the day, but Polk County Florida, where I live, had other ideas. On Monday I was called in for jury duty. Everyone was hoping I was going to get to sit on a speeding violation. After spending the day at the court house, my services were not needed. Thinking that I was going to get at least one day off to put my house back in order, I was mistaken. Chris had a Doctors appointment early Tuesday morning to help repair his knee. He fell back in December hard on the kneecap. Fluid has been gathering since then, and being a typical man, he wouldn't go to the Dr. until now. As it turns out, all they had to do is drain the fluid out and give him a cortisone shot. We will see if the fluid comes back for further treatment.

We have only a few days to get ready to head for Moroso Motorsports Park. Rest is not on the schedule yet....but watch out for next week. PJ's all day long.

Take Care,
Elaine

Back to Douglas

Miss Ta Fire is back in action!!! We tested the Miss Ta Fire at Gainesville Raceway to blow out the cobwebs. I hadn't raced my girl in a few months, and she was needing some attention. So we decided to race her back at Douglas Motorsports Park. It is located in Douglas, GA and the Miss Ta Fire had a lot of fans that were ready to see her back in action. I was scheduled to run Paul Miller with the Danchuck funny car.

We left town on Thursday afternoon after I picked Andrew up from school. We arrived in town later that night and was up early in the morning ready for the display at Walmart. We set-up and hung out at Walmart. Later it was off to do some radio shows and then it was time to head to the dragstrip to make some passes down the dragstrip.

My crew had the car out and ready to go by the time I arrived at the track. As we were listening to the weather reports for the weekend, it was starting to look a little like we were going to have problems Saturday night. The track manager, Tim Pafford, made the decision to run us twice on Friday and only once on Saturday because of the weather. It felt great to be back in the Miss Ta Fire. She did me proud, and never let me down. We made two amazing runs down the track and off to the Waffle King. YUMMMM I think.

Saturday morning and we had some time to spare. We hung out at the hotel and then finally we left for the track. It was hot and humid, and we were worried about the weather. We were scheduled to run at 8:00 and it had rained a few times slowing down the racing progress. Finally, at dusk, it was time. I hit the track and heard that rain was 10 minutes out. We quickly pulled out on the track and I was amazed to find the stands full and people lining the fence. This is why we do this. The Miss Ta Fire never let me down and she made a great pass. As we pulled back to the trailer and not a minute later the skies let loose. Just in time!!! We quickly loaded up and hit the road.

Thanks everyone. We will see some of you at Sun-N-Fun.

Elaine

Flying with the Big Boys

Thunder in the Valley Airshow was the stage for this weekends event. As Andrew put it "On the Road Again!" The Embry-Riddle Jet Racing Team headed to Columbus, GA to perform at their 10th annual airshow. We arrived in town on Thursday morning in order to speak at a wonderful organization Girls Inc. This is a program that gives young girls a place to go after school. For more information go to http://www.girlsinc.org/

We returned back to the hanger and were invited to join a local flying club for dinner. Then came the one of the best parts of the weekend. ICE CREAM. This place was called the Marble Slab. Holy Cow. If you have ever been there, you know what I am talking about. You get to pick from so many types of ice cream, but here is the good part, they have available more things to add in ice cream than I have ever seen. Now lets start with some plain vanilla ice cream, then add cookie dough, Girl Scout cookies, Snicker Bar, Heath Bar, chocolate chips, nuts, and put it all in a cone dipped in chocolate. The Airshow committee was worried that they may have hired a 50 mph jet dragster with all of the ice cream I ate.

Friday morning, and it is rainy, windy, and very cold. Not good. We went to the performer meetings and found out our schedule for the weekend. The big event for this day was RIBS!!! National award winning ribs were on the menu for later that evening. All of the performers were invited to enjoy these wonderful ribs. Later that evening I fired the car up and tried to warm things up for our own special show.

Saturday morning and the show is on. Windy and bitter cold is what greeted us as we pulled up to the airport. I just knew that it would keep the crowds away, boy oh boy I couldn't have been more wrong. This event is something that people look forward to every year, and they all came out and braved the weather. We fired the ERAU Jet Dragster up to make two passes down the runway. Later that evening, the airshow hosted a catered dinner along with a silent auction to help the Boy Scouts of America.

Sunday morning and it is cold, but the weather report looks better. The wind was down, and it was warmed up fast. We again made two passes down the runway. It was awesome to be taxing down the runway while they were pulling out the perectly restored war birds for the final flight of the day. I can truly say that my job is the best.

At the end of the day we headed home. On the road, Chris and I talked over the weekends events. It was amazing. We were treated so wonderful and with such down home respect. It makes you realize that moments like this don't come along often and you better enjoy them while you can. Thanks Columbus, Georgia.

Love ya,

Elaine

Getting Older

Well, since the last blog. a lot has happened. Andrew played another baseball game. They did a great job, but unfortunately they lost, better luck next time. My friends took me out for my pre-birthday lunch, which was really nice. On my official birthday, we had to head to the next race, so Chris took me out for a quick lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant, we picked Andrew up from school, and hit the road.

The Embry-Riddle jet team headed down to Moroso Motorsports Park this weekend for their Chevy Show. We arrived and set things up, we had the opportunity to meet Mike and Maria that run the Interceptor jet funny car. Chris and Andrew had planned to take me out to a nice place for dinner, but we started watching racing and talking, we ended up eating at the track.

We headed back to the hotel to check in and get some rest for the next day, but there were others who had bigger plans. I was racing the Thriller jet dragster, the crew was staying at the same hotel, so we decided to go down to the lobby and talk racing.

Saturday morning and the sun is shining, and I mean shining. This was the first heat of the spring, and man it got hot. E. Lowe was of course on hand to help with the car this weekend, Chuck and Chris Foster came out to make sure everything ran smooth. George DeWees from Embry-Riddle brought out some students to help crew the car as well. Our pit area was full, and we had a lot of fun.

Nitro again was the hit of the race. He dazzled everyone that walked by. Of course I could be a little bias. We were scheduled to make two passes, the Embry-Riddle jet dragster powered down the quarter mile just like a bracket car.

On the final run of the evening, Chris had planned a surprise Birthday party for me at the track. The crew had decorated my pit with black balloons to celebrate my 40th birthday. They also had a huge cake for everyone to enjoy. I was very surprised, and we all had a great time. It made turning 40 a lot easier.

Sunday, with the time change we didn't get a lot of sleep, but it is back to the race track for another day of fun. The Embry-Riddle jet dragster made her final two passes without a problem, and ended the weekend on a high note. Peas & Carrots, the concessions at the racetrack, supplied us with food to get us home, which was great as I was too tired to cook.

We have a couple of days off, and then we hit the road again for Columbus, GA for the Thunder in the Valley airshow this weekend, March 17 & 18. I am going to meet back up with my buddy from the Aeroshell team who was so kind to give me on ride at Oshkosh last year.

Thanks so much for everyone who came out to the races last weekend. I hope to catch you on the road real soon.

Luv ya,
Elaine

No Problem!!!

Larsen Motorsports headed to No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, LA for the NHRA division 4 race. We left home on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday there were tornado's all over Alabama, but luckily we missed them all. When we pulled into the track on Thursday, the trailer was ready for a good washing. We washed the rig, and headed for the hotel. Friday morning, E. Lowe was flying in to help us for the race. We all headed to the track, and the place was packed. There were a lot of quality cars, and the racing action was awesome.


I was scheduled to make one pass on Friday evening to close the show down. This was my first pass since I ran at the Snowbirds in December, so it felt really really fast, but man was it fun to be back in the drivers seat.


We were invited to some of the racers trailers to have some crawfish. I had never eaten it before, but the 20 foot table was overfilling of crawfish, and they kept piling it on. My lips were on fire after the third one, but they were tasty.

Saturday morning and it was cool outside. We went back to the track, and made our two passes for the day. The crowd at No Problem was on it's feet and that makes it so much more fun. On the last pass of the night, I decided that the guys in the tower needed to wake up, so wake them up I did.

Sunday morning and it is now freezing, which if you are sitting around the pits, not so much fun, but if you are running a race car, man did she fly. The guys at the track thought I needed to eat some more local food, jambalaya hear we come. All I can say is YUM!!!! The last pass was great, and after giving a lot of hugs goodbye, it was time to hit the road for home. I followed the rules that are posted at No Problem:

1. Have Fun
2. Make a Friend
3. Go Home Happy






We had to be back home for Andrew to be back in school, and I was co-hosting on ESPN radio again. So it was time to pull an all nighter!!! We arrived back home at 6:00 a.m. which was great except Nitro was all wound up from being cooped up in the truck all night, he was not going to let me get even a hour of sleep. So as Chris and Andrew were sleeping, Nitro was running around the house glad to be home. I took Andrew to school, and came home to catch 45 minutes of sleep. Back up and on the road in order to be a Disney World to co-host on the ESPN show. This was my second time back at the ESPN club, and it was a lot of fun. This time we were talking motorsports, my favorite sport!!!! Ashley Force was our call in guest. Talk about a great way to end a wonderful weekend.

Wait a minute, my day isn't over yet.....Elaine the racecar driver is done, but now it is time for mom. Andrew had his first baseball game. So there is no time to sleep yet, it is time to be the team mom. Andrew was AWESOME!!!! I was so proud. This was his time to shine, and he did. He struck 3 kids out, and just had so much fun. Well that about does it for me. I am going to get some sleep. But not much, cuz it is time to go racing this weekend. Life is great!!! Thanks to everyone at No Problem Raceway. This is how a track needs to be. Family fun for everyone. I hope to see you all again real soon.

Luv ya,

Elaine

A Wild Week

This past week was amazing. I was very excited about the Women in Aviation international conference which was to be held at Coronado Springs in Walt Disney World. It did not disappoint. But we need to start at the beginning of the week. I was excited to receive an invitation to be a co-host at the ESPN sports club there at Disney. It was so exciting, and a lot of fun. I hope to be invited back to do it all over again.

The next day, the show began. Our booth received a lot of attention, and I was honored to meet many great women doing some amazing things. We were scheduled to be at the booth from Thursday through Saturday. On Friday evening after the show, Embry-Riddle honored the Alumni with a party.

Saturday morning I was up at 3:00 a.m. in order to fulfill another obligation. The Miss Ta Fire jet dragster was schedule to be at career expo to help out one of Embry-Riddle's World Wide Campus's in Ft. Lauderdale. Chris was in Orlando with the one dragster, while the rest of the crew went with me to the other show.

On the way home from the expo, Everett (crew chief) and I pulled into a rest area to get something to eat, as we were pulling out, a very nice man asked me to stop. I rolled down the window, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was a father of two women who had graduated from Embry-Riddle. I signed a couple of photos for him and we were on our way.

Sunday I watched the Daytona 500 with the rest of the world. It was an exciting finish, we were rooting for Mark Martin, but I guess you can say "That's Racing!"

On a family note, Andrew is starting baseball. This is his favorite sport, beside racing. I have volunteered to be the team mom. Nitro is growing bigger everyday. Andrew is having so much fun with his new puppy, even the chores that come with a new dog.

Now it is time to gear up for the start of the racing season. I am scheduled to be in Belle Rose, LA for a division 4 race and then back in Florida at Moroso Motorsports Park we will finish up March at an Air Show in Columbus, GA. We would love to see you at one of the shows. Check out the schedule for updates as new dates come available.

See ya at the races.

Elaine

Busy Busy Busy

Wow, it is time to get back to work again. I don't think my family got the memo about the off season, we just kept right on working. Since the last Blog. a lot has happened, where to begin. First, Larsen Motorsports would like to welcome Synergy Coatings to our team. They are a premier coatings specialists. You can find more about their product by visiting the website at www.coat-this.com

We had a photo shoot with Mike from Gotcha Pics. He is an amazing photographer that loves to get that perfect shot. He came out to get pictures of if both jet dragsters, Miss Ta Fire and Embry-Riddle. We fired up both cars, and had a wonderful time.

My sister and brother-in-law from Michigan came down for a visit. During this time, Andrew tried out for little league baseball, we are still trying to train a new puppy and getting two race cars ready for the 2007 season. I wonder what we did with our spare time before racing!!!!

Well I decided that we didn't have much going on, so we went to the track to test the ERAU car. We are hitting the road in two weeks to start the racing season, so we thought it would be a good time to make sure everything was running in tip top shape. Well my baby fired right up and didn't disappoint. I am pumped and ready to go.

My family left for home, not looking forward to the cold weather that they were going to go home to. It is always sad to see family go, but there wasn't much time to think, it was more work. ESPN at Disney gave me the opportunity to co-host their Wednesday evening show. It was a lot of fun and a great opportunity.

I guess that brings up to date for now. We are heading back to Disney for the Women In Aviation conference. I will keep you posted.

Getting ready for the 2007 season!!!

Well, it is time to get back to work. Wait a minute, when did we stop working. This off season has been really really busy. We will have some major announcements in the up coming days. Things are going really well for the LMS teams.

On February 3rd we are doing a photo shoot with both teams. A friend at a local airport has given us permission to fire both cars up and hopefully take some awesome photos. Also that weekend we will be trying out a new driver. I am still going to drive both cars at this point, but there are times that we need a second driver for the cars. I will keep you updated.

Now on to the new puppy. Nitro has been a wonderful addition to the family. It has been hard to get any work done since he has come into the house, but he is very very entertaining. I won't bore you will all of the little details, but we think he is the cutest, smartest, and bravest puppy who ever lived.

Well it is time to get to work. We have BIG plans for 2007. We are going to be stopping at some new tracks this year as well as going back to some of my favorites. I will be posting my schedule very soon. I am looking forward to seeing everyone back at the track.

Keep it safe and between the lines.

Elaine

A new addition to the family!!!

Well we have been really busy in our down season. First to catch you up, Christmas was very restful, but it wasn't long until we were back to work. There is a lot of maintenance to be done on the cars, trucks and trailers to keep them in top shape for the season. With the help of Everett, Chuck, Chris and John, the crew jumped in and we have a great start.


Now for the new addition. We had a wonderful dog named Chippy, who was 19 years old. She passed away a year ago and it has taken us this long to get over the loss, but we made the decision to add a member to the already crazy Larsen family. Enter Nitro. He is a pug who is only 6 weeks old. We went for our first visit today and he has won us all over, even Chris. We can't pick up Nitro until January 23rd, Andrew is already counting down the days. I am sure that we will have plenty of fun stories to tell in the days to come.

Now looking forward to 2007. There are BIG things on the horizon for Larsen Motorsports. We just finished our new promo video and are currently booking the dragsters for the 2007 season. If that wouldn't keep us busy, we are working on the third dragster and a funny car. Like is said BIG plans.

Well I hope you all enjoyed your holidays. It is time to get back to work and look forward to all that 2007 has to offer for the new year.

See ya,
Elaine

Performance Racing Industry

The Performance Racing Industry Trade Show for the second year in a row was held in Orlando, Florida. It is a great opportunity for people in the industry to walk around and meet the companies that we do business with on a daily basis. For me it is great way to put a face with a name.

We attended all three days and it is awesome to walk around with people who have the same passion for racing. A few of our sponsors were on display at the show. Swiss Trax, which just came on board this fall, was showing off their wonderful flooring.

Something that was huge for me was that I had the opportunity to not only meet Kenny Youngblood, but he colored in a picture that he had drawn. Mr. Youngblood is one of the most famous motorsports aritists in history. I have been a HUGE fan of his work, and it was a honor to finally be able to see a him in action. Our artist, Glenn Ferguson, came out to walk around with us and also had the opportunity to speak with him. That made my weekend.

Now it is time to get ready for Christmas. Cookie baking and Christmas shopping with the rest of America. I hope all of you have a great holiday. We are putting together a great racing schedule for 2007. Make sure you check back and see if I am coming to a town near you.

See ya,
Elaine

Already Missing the Track

This is sad, I am counting down the days until my next race already and it hasn't even been two full weeks. It is going to be a long off-season. I feel as if we just got the new Embry-Riddle car up and running, and we put her away already. Well I guess that is how it goes. We have been working on the Miss Ta Fire getting her ready to be put back in action. I am going to make some test laps in her the first part of next year, and then it is off to the races.

This week, I have getting things done for Christmas. We have our tree up and some Christmas lights up outside. We are going to attend the PRI show (Performance Racing Industry) which is held in Orlando, FL. It is only 20 minutes from our house, so it is easy for us to go every year. Now it is time for the business end of racing. That is the hard part. Give me a race car and I can put her down the track, meetings can be challenging.

Well I will let you know how the show goes and the race team sightings.

Check back next week.

Elaine

The Last Race of the Year!!!!

Bradenton Motorsports Parks Snowbird Nationals was the scene for the final race. For the past 3 years, this race has ended the racing season for the Larsen Motorsports Jet Racing Team. This race gets bigger and better every year!!! Chris took off first thing on Friday morning to drop the trailer. E. Lowe (crew chief) decided to take the weekend off from jet racing to do some bracket racing at the same race. It isn't often that he gets a weekend off to enjoy himself and race, so we were very excited to be able to watch him have fun this weekend.

I stayed home in order to do an interview, as well as allow Andrew to go to school. We couldn't take it knowing that everyone was at the track, and by 2:00 we were on the road. When I pulled into the track, I couldn't believe how packed it was, I am talking every inch of space on both sides was filled with racecars. We arrived just in time to watch Freddy Sibley make a test run in his new jet funny car. After we walked around and said Hi to the racers, and caught up on old times.

We headed out to dinner and then back to the hotel to get a good nights sleep for the big weekend ahead. Saturday morning and it was beautiful warm and sunny, not bad for December in Florida. We were lucky to have Chuck and Chris Foster fill in for E. Lowe to crew the car. We all arrived at the track and set up for the weekend. It was so much fun to be back at Bradenton Motorsports Park. There were several people who showed up with Miss Ta Fire shirts on (fans from the past 3 years), and others that took time to stop and say HI.


You know when you just know that it is going to be a good day?? Well I just had a great feeling about this weekend and it did not disappoint. The race track was busting at the seems with racecars and fans. The caliber of cars was amazing. We had several guests with us this weekend, our sponsor Glen Ferguson and JoAnn from Ferguson Racing Art and George DeWees from Embry-Riddle.

Okay now on to the racing...Saturday night we lined up and blasted down the quarter mile twice. The crowd went wild. It was so much fun. When the crowd gets into it, it really makes a difference. We hung out signing autographs for a couple of hours after the last pass of the night, and then headed to Applebees for dinner. It is kind of bitter sweet to know that this is the last race of the year. Moments with the crew like this are so much fun, just going over old times, and replaying the evening is why we do what we do. But it was getting late, and we had to get up early to race, so back to the hotel.


Sunday morning, and it is HOT!!! We pulled into the track and got ready for the last pass of the year. Great racing action, and then it was time for us to line up. Freddy and Paul had a staging duel and it got the fans excited. But when Mark and I pulled out on the track, there was no way we were going to let them have all of the fun. We had the burner pop war that got the fans on their feet!!! When we crossed the finish line and coasted to the end of the track it was a perfect way to end a GREAT 2006 season.

I want to thank everyone that has taken time to stop and say Hi this past year. It is what keeps us going from track to track. There are BIG things on the horizon for Larsen Motorsports. Hang on because 2007 is shaping to be an exciting ride.

2006 Citrus Nationals at Moroso Motorsports Park

Well if you read the previous blog. you read that we were rained out from our last pass of the evening. But before that, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Memories from last year were the topic of conversation. I had am emergency appendectomy a few days before Thanksgiving, and was not able to cook Thanksgiving dinner, so in the spirit of last year our wonderful neighbor, said that she would cook it again this year. With our stomachs full of turkey and dressing, we packed our bags for the up coming weekend. First we had to make a quick stop at the airport to pick up Miss Peggie Horton, a good friend. She flew in to help us out at the race this weekend.

We caught up on old times on the way to the track and met up with Miss Frannie (rock n roll thunder) when we pulled in. After grabbing a quick dinner, we hit the bed to get ready for the big weekend to come.


When we pulled in the track, it was PACKED!!! The news was this was the biggest turnout in Citrus Nationals history. We had a bunch of special friends come out to see us, first the great fans that always take time to stop and say HI, and then some new friends that we met last weekend from the NASCAR race. Michael the "Cookie Man" baked Andrew some great cookies to help celebrate his 10th birthday. We all enjoyed them and so did my hips!!!

The weather was a little hit and miss at first, looked good, but when it was time for our first pass, the skies were clear and the car ran great. But when it was time to run the second pass, the rain started and it was time to pack it in for the night.


We all went out for dinner, and back to the hotel and was in bed by 11:00 for a change. The next morning the skies were grey and things didn't look great. We stopped a Publix to pick up Andrew's birthday cake. After hitting an armadillo on the way to the track (gross) we pulled in to drizzling rain showers. The skies cleared just enough to give us false hope, but in the end, it was just too much and the race was called.


On the way home, we stopped and picked up pizza and was home watching CARS by 6:00. Peggie had a early flight home the next morning and it was Andrew's official birthday Monday. We had a party with family and friends in the evening. Andrew likes a cake made by me, and decorated by Chris. This year it featured the new Embry-Riddle jet dragster.

This week will be spent getting ready for the Snowbird Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park this weekend. If you are in the area, make sure and stop by and say HI.

See you at the races!!

Elaine

Saturday night racing at Moroso Motorsports Park

Hey, I am sitting at the hotel on Saturday night, we were rained out for the final pass of the evening at Moroso Motorsports Park. It was a record crowd on had for their 25 anniversary. The Embry-Riddle jet dragster ran down the quarter mile with no problems. We are looking forward to our 3 passes tomorrow. Cross your fingers for sunny weather. Lots of great friends and fans came out to see us. I will post a full spot later time for bed.

Love ya,
Elaine

HOW THE OTHER HALF PLAYS!!!

Saturday November 18th the Embry-Riddle Jet Racing Team headed south. We were invited to be a part of the NASCAR experience and display the jet dragster in the Fan Zone before the final race in Homestead, Florida.

We arrived in Miami on Saturday afternoon then met up with the rest of our crew. I was given six credentials. It was real easy to find someone that wanted to go with us. Of course Chris, Andrew and myself, then George and Jeff from Embry-Riddle, that left us with one extra. My first thought was my friend Holly. She is a 3rd grade teacher at Andrew's school, and the BIGGEST NASCAR fan I know.


At dinner we tried to quiz each one to see which of them knew the most about NASCAR....I am going with Holly for the gossip, Jeff for technical NASCAR stuff, but the surprise hands down winner came from the "dark horse" George, when he pulled out all of the stops to take the checkered flag.

We had big plans to stay up and have fun, but the practical side of me said we had to leave for the race track at 4:45 a.m. so we were off to bed early.

Sunday morning was chilly, but otherwise a picture perfect day. Our display location was right on pit road in front of Dale Jr. Not a bad spot. We unloaded the dragster and set-up the display by 6:45. I was wondering how many fans would arrive so early since the race wasn't starting until 3:00, but by 8:30 a.m. the place was hopping.


I signed autographs from about 8:00 until 1:00. It was amazing. Race car fans are the best in the world. Talk about dedicated to their passion. I was overwhelmed by their welcome and genuine interest. Sadly the time came to pack the car up, but the main event was just getting started.

We didn't have a place sit to watch the race. Luck was on our side and we were invited by Jim from Jeldwen Corporation to share a suite right behind Jimmie Johnson's pit! To return the favor we invited the Jeldwen staff, at the race, to be our guests at our next race at Moroso Motorsports Park on November 25 & 26th. Andrew was even set up with headsets so he could listen to the drivers and crew during the race, pretty cool. By the end of the race, we were all NASCAR fans. It was great to watch Greg Biffle win the race and Jimmie Johnson take home the championship right in front of us.


Our team headed home on Monday morning stopping at Moroso to position the trailer for the upcoming race this weekend.

We are honored to have a special guest this weekend for the race. Peggie Horton is flying in from Texas to join us for the weekend. For those of you that may not know who she is, she is the late Ancel Horton's wife. Ancel was instrumental in helping Chris and myself when we were first getting started in jet racing. He passed away a year ago and we are happy that Peggie is coming down for a visit.

The next few weeks are going to be very hectic, with Moroso this weekend (Citrus Nationals) and Bradenton Motorsports Park (Snowbird Nationals)the following weekend. Then to cap off up the year, we will be attending the Performance Racing Industry show that is in Orlando, Florida. Keep checking back, I will try and update as much as possible.

See you all at the races!!!

Elaine

NASCAR here we come!!!!

A few weeks ago we were invited to display the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Jet Dragster at the final NASCAR race of the year in Homestead, Florida. It is a true honor for us to be able to do this. I am taking my camera, and am ready to have some fun. We have to be at the track at 5:30 Sunday morning November 19th. We will be on display from then until 1:30 right before the race. Andrew (Sparkplug) is busting at the seam with excitment.

Check back and you will see lots of action photos.

See ya,
Elaine

Becoming an Alumni

On Friday October 27th, Chris and I headed over to the Daytona Beach Embry-Riddle campus to take care of some business as well as have fun at their homecoming event. Their theme was Super Hero's this year, and it was pretty cool. There was a 15 foot tall Wonder Woman and Superman walking around the campus as well as Batman and Cat Woman. We stayed and watched the parade. It is hard for me to pick a winner, but I have to say that the SCAT club's helicopter was pretty cool.

Later was a special event. Chris and I were scheduled to receive an honorary alumni certificate. This was amazing. To be a part of such a prestigious institution, and in the highest of company, we really appreciate this honor.

After we headed home to pick up Sparkplug at my friends house. This was going to be our first weekend off in a few weeks. It was time to get things ready for the busy weeks to come. See you soon.

Elaine

Gulfport Mississippi

Back on the road. The team didn't get much rest this week as it was time to hit the road again. We had a tire blowout just on the north side of Gainesville. It was so nice to have E. Lowe riding with us so he could help Chris change the tire and get us back on the road. We arrived in Gulfport on Saturday morning. I didn't watch the weather report, and a cold front had pushed its way through, and of course I didn't have a thing to wear. It was off to the store. Chris dropped me off at Walmart to get some supplies while the guys went off to get the tire fixed.

We had a little time to spare, so we decided to head down to the beach to see how they were rebuilding after hurricane Katrina. You could see signs of the damage inland, but that did not prepare us for what we were to see when we drove closer to the beach. Leveled doesn't even describe it. There was an aquarium that was just twisted metal. How anything could survive is amazing. But the best part of all of this was the hope that things will get back to normal. You could see that they will rebuild, and it will be better than ever.

We were here with the invitation of the Ford Performance Club. This is an annual race that we came to in 2004, but they skipped last year because of the hurricane. These guys were ready to race. We were scheduled to do a small show on Saturday night durning test and tune, but mother nature had other ideas. It started to rain, and the track had to cancel the racing for the night. We hung out for a while to see if it would clear up enough for us to do a line show of smoke and fire for the racers and their families that had come to camp for the weekend. The rain cleared and we pulled out the dragster out on the line and fired her up. I did a full track fire show and had a great time.


The next morning we woke up early to go grab some breakfast and head to the track. When we walked outside, it was disappointing. The skies were grey and it had rained A LOT in the night. When we pulled into the track at 8:00 a.m. our pit area was flooded and the track was really wet. But the Gulfport Raceway team and the guys from the Ford Performance Club got it done.


We went up for our first pass at 2:30 and made 3 total passes down the quarter mile. The Embry-Riddle jet dragster did not disappoint. All of the passes went well and I now feel like she is ready to fly.

This race is special, it is what drag racing is all about, I am talking about true grass roots racing. The whole family comes out to the drag strip and camps, kids are running around, moms and dads it was great. This was really cool. Frank, photographer, said that it gave him goosebumps to see the dragracing that he didn't think existed anymore. It was an amazing weekend.

We have to give a BIG thanks to the Ford Performance Club, Bobby and Darrell, for having us come out, the Gulfport Raceway staff, Frankie for taking care of me, ALL of the fans that stopped by, and last but not least my husband Chris for giving me the chance to FLY!!!

Race Day

The Embry-Riddle race team headed for West Palm Beach Friday afternoon to Moroso Motorsports Park. We arrived early so we could set up and get things ready for a very busy weekend. Not only were we there to race, we hired a film crew to make a promotional video for the brand new Embry-Riddle jet dragster.

This was the first official race for our new team, and let me tell you it was sweet success. We had a wonderful weekend.

Now for some of the fun stuff. If you read my other blogs. I had put my back out the Tuesday before the race. Of course I didn't think this was going to be a problem, well let me tell you something, I have a new respect for back pain. I have since been to the Dr. and found out that I have a pinched nerve. Saturday was more painful than Sunday, but I made it through the weekend with a smile.


Now for the visitors, from Embry-Riddles Ft. Lauderdales center staff and students came out, as well as many from the SAE club out of Daytona Beach campus. It was so much fun to see them cheer their car on. I have my friends and fans that always come out to see me, which keeps me coming back year after year. This however was an anniversary for me and a special person. I met Chris and Chuck Foster a year ago. Chris was just diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 15. We made a connection right off, and a year later their family has become my family. So it was a special weekend. Thanks to everyone who came out to see us.

For more info about the race, go to the race recaps. Now we are off to Gulfport, MS. Then to the Embry-Riddle homecoming. and it won't be long when we come back to our home track at Moroso for the Citrus Nationals. Take care and see ya soon.

Elaine

Getting ready for the big day!!!

The Embry-Riddle team tested on Thursday at Bradenton Motorsports Park, and I can report that the car is running great. We could only make 1/8 mile passes, and we ran in the 3's at over 200 mph. Momma is very happy.

Now we are getting things ready for our first official race with the new car at Moroso Motorsports Park this weekend (Oct. 14 & 15) If that was not enough pressure, we will be shooting our new promotional video with the ERAU jet dragster as the star.

We will spend the week getting things ready for the weekend. I will post the weekend results as soon as we get back. Chris is gone this evening, over at Embry-Riddle for meetings, and I am home nursing a bad back. (don't ask) check back soon.

Elaine

Getting Ready to Test

Hey guys, we are getting ready to hit the road to test tomorrow night. We are heading over to Bradenton Motorsports Park Thursday afternoon to try and get a couple of test sessions in. We have a race at Moroso Motorsports Park on October 14&15, so we want to make sure the Embry-Riddle car is ready to go.

I am sure some of you have heard about the recent jet car crashes. It is very sad, and my thoughts are prayers are with everyone involved. I had the opportunity to meet Kendall this past July when we were in Wisconsin for the Oshkosh airshow. The Gladiator team was putting on a show at the local dragstrip, and we went to see some of our fellow jet racers. She was very excited about driving a jet dragster, and it is unfortunate that it had to end in this way.

I will keep you posted on the testing, so check back Friday.

C ya
Elaine

Embry-Riddle jet dragster hits the Florida Mall!

September 23&24th the Embry-Riddle team gets a chance to stay close to home. George DeWees with the AMS (Aviation Maintenance Science) invited the team to help them promote the University at Latin Weekend at the Florida Mall in Orlando. This is our second year for this event. Because we live in Central Florida, it is not a surprise that there are people that visit from all over the World, but WOW, I think they were all there last weekend. We had the opportunity to meet people from everywhere. The jet dragster was at the center of attention. We arrived on Saturday morning, and finished up on Sunday evening. There were a lot of people from England asking about their countryman who recently crashed in a jet dragster. I had heard about the crash, and as always it makes you pause, but then you realize that this is a risky business, and things can happen, you just hope that your car handles the situation as best as possible. From what I have heard, the driver is doing well.

Other than the display, it has been kind of quite on the home front. In a previous blog, I mentioned that we were car shopping, well, I purchased a car, and I can cross that item off the list. It was sad to see the PT Cruiser go down the street for the last time. I would own another one anytime, great car.

We are gearing up for a very busy October. We will be testing the dragster one more time before her official debut at Moroso Motorsports Park on October 14&15. Then the weekend after we will be traveling to Gulfport, MS. We haven't been back since the hurricane, and are excited to go back to see how all of the racers are doing.

I guess that is it for now. Catch ya later.

Elaine

Fun on the Beach

Well as I am writing this, we just got home from a great weekend at the beach. George DeWees and his family invited us over for a weekend of fun. We left town Friday when Andrew got out of school. Our first order of business was to check in to the GREATEST cottage in the world. (see attached photo) After hitting the beach for an hour, we met the DeWees's to see their son play a high school football game. After the game we dropped the kids at the house and the adults went out for a night on the town.

The next morning it was back on the beach. The DeWees's met us, and we had a wonderful day. The waves were wonderful, and Andrew is a champion boogie boarder. Later we met up with them again for dinner and a night of fun. We went to the Speed Park in Daytona Beach. It is home of the Nitro Alley, a dragster thrill ride that takes you from 0 - 75 in 3 seconds.

George, Chris and myself lined up in the dragsters, now I must tell you this is my story of how things happened. Obviously George bribed the ticket taker to get the fastest car. Chris and I were left to the dogs!!! When the tree hit, George was off and running, while Chris and I were left in the dust. Now the first time we thought "Wow beginners luck" But on the second time, when we couldn't catch him, we knew something was up. George took the first two rounds of racing, while Chris took the last round. I ended up loosing ALL three rounds of racing. Now I smell a rat!!!

Now I am sure that George and Chris have different versions of the story, but I am sticking to mine!!! We then hit the go karts and had a great time. I rode with Andrew in his go kart and realized that I definitely like to be in the drivers seat.

The next morning Chris and I woke up early and sat down by the beach to watch the dolphins swim in front of the cottages. What a wonderful way to start the day. We then met up with the DeWees's one more time for a picture perfect day on the beach. We loaded up and headed for home. Racing is our life, and we love it, but it is nice to take a time out every once and a while to enjoy family and great friends.

Thanks for listening,

Elaine

Rocking the ERAU campus!!!

The Embry-Riddle jet team was invited to come out to take part of the Student Activities Fair. We were there to help represent the SCAT club (Society of Civil Aviation Technicians) as well as the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) club. It was amazing to see everything that is available to the students at Embry-Riddle. To give you an idea, there is a surf club, skydiving club, rock climbing club, Muscle Car Association club, and many many more. The University never fails to just amaze me with how well rounded and how great the student involvement is.

Back to the day. Chris headed out to do the display the day before in order to meet with some of the staff. I arrived there on Tuesday, Sept. 12th just in time for the set up to be complete. Not bad timing. They had the car out on display and were selling t-shirts as well as auctioning off slicks from the dragster. The SCAT club received all of the profits.


This also was a day for the media to come in and see the jet dragster. A couple of news stations as well as a newspaper came out to video and photograph the car and interview some of the students about the car. We fired her up for everyone, and had a great time.

I left for home to pick Andrew up from school (a mom's job is never done) and Chris went on to be a guest speaker at the High Performance Vehicle's course that has just started at Embry-Riddle.

We met back up at home, and called it a day. We have been real busy back on the home front. Chris is repairing the Miss Ta Fire to be put back in action real soon, as well as continuing to build up another jet dragster. I have new car fever bad. We have taken off the graphics on our crew car, the PT cruiser, and I am starting to go car shopping. Any suggestions????

Our next display is going to be at the Florida Mall in Orlando on September 23&24. It is Latin Weekend, and we will be out representing the AMS (Aviation Maintenance Science) Department of Embry-Riddle. If you are in the area, please make sure and stop by to say HI.

Our next race is at Moroso Motorsports Park in West Palm Beach on October 14&15th. Make sure you mark your calenders as they always put on a great show.


SEE YA!
Elaine

TESTING Embry-Riddle Jet Dragster

Okay it is time to get down to business. The weather in Florida has not been on our side. It seems like we have had so much rain, which is good, but not when you are trying to get you race car dialed in. We got the green light to head to Bradenton Motorsports Park last Saturday on August 26th in the morning for their test and tune. We knew the rain would be there in the afternoon, so we arrived at the track before gates opened at 10:00 a.m.

When we were in the line waiting to get in, a fellow racer walked up to me and said "Hey aren't you that rocket lady on TV?" I heard that the spot I did for Horsepower TV back in March has been playing a few times. It is so cool when people say things like that to me. We work really hard and try to do the best job possible, to be able to share this with others is amazing. So after my head unswelled, it was time to get to work.


We were joined at the track with our friends, Annie, Chuck, Chris and Mose. I really appreciate all of their dedication and help. With the help of my crew, we prepared the Embry-Riddle Jet Dragster go head down the track. The first pass with the humidity very high, we pulled in the staging lanes only planning on making an 1/8th mile pass. The et. was 4.17 with a speed of 191 mph. The car ran straight down the track just perfect, but she was starved for fuel. So when we made it back to the pits, Chris changed the tune-up a little. When we lined up the second time the car reacted much better, she definitely like the extra fuel. The 4.07 et. with the 196 mph showed the potential that has yet to be awakened.

Unfortunately, the rain came as we were pulling back through the pits, so it put a stop to our testing. But it gave us enough data to the car tuned up and ready to fly. Keep posted for the next test session to see how the new car is running.

On the Miss Ta Fire front, we are going to put her back together ASAP. She needs very minor repairs, but until we get the Embry-Riddle Car dialed in, she has to take a back seat.

Now we wait for the path of the current hurricane to see if we are going to be in the path or not. I have gone to the store to stock up on all of the supplies, and we will prepare more as the day gets nearer. Wish us luck.


Elaine

HAVING SOME FUN!!

There is a saying "ALL WORK AND NO PLAY" Well we decided to play this weekend. Some good friends, Don and Vera, purchased a beautiful boat about a year ago, and we have not had the time to go for a visit until this weekend. It is a 35 foot sport fisherman boat. They have it docked in Ft. Pierce, Florida. We left home on Friday afternoon and made it there for dinner Friday evening.

Saturday morning we got up, had breakfast, and hit the water. The weather was overcast, but the seas were nice. We didn't go far, but attempted to do a little fishing. After deciding Publix (grocery store) was the best value, we headed back. We made a quick stop at a cove for Andrew to stop and swim. He found a new pet, a hermit crab, he named Crusty.

Pete, the owners brother-in-law, had just purchased a brand new Corvette convertible. We decided that we needed to go for a ride. When he tossed me the keys I said "no way" but got in the drivers seat before he could change his mind. Let me just tell you I now have "VETTE FEVER" so bad I can taste it. I made every excuse to do errands and take the car.

Andrew is now a great fisherman. He caught 6 catfish, and a head of another fish. It was a great weekend of fun and relaxing. Too bad on the way home there was a exotic car dealer that just happened to have a couple of corvettes for sale. BAD NEWS!!! Now I just have to talk Chris into this....any ideas?????

We will be testing the new Embry-Riddle car this coming weekend August 25&26, so it is back to work. I will post et's and speeds and tell you how the car ran. Have a great week

Elaine

RIDE OF A LIFETIME

Okay, so if you read the last blog. you found out things weren't gong our way. Well when things turn around they really turn around. First I was asked to go for a ride with the Aeroshell guys. They fly a T-6 Texan. Talk about COOL!!!!! I rode with Steve and we were the left wing. Check out the Oshkosh recap for photos and a bigger story. Oshkosh is amazing. It is so overwhelming when you realize what some of the pilots can do with these aircraft. Sean Tucker, if you have never seen him fly there is no describing it. Also the wing walkers, Patty Wagstaff, and the list goes on and on. Every afternoon we were right in the middle of the show. Then the vending area. Anything and everything you would ever want to see is there. I can't wait to see what next year has to bring.

We headed south on Monday morning. Our goal was to make it to Chattanooga, but as we pulled through Nashville, we somehow got in the middle of a police chase. Now some of you might ask, HOW??? Well we were minding our own business and this lady goes flying by us and sure enough it started with 4 cops chasing her, and it ended up with over 15 leading the way through Nashville. It did wake us up. The police finally caught her, and we continued on. Paul Miller was coming home from a race and he waited for us on top of Monteagle. There is this nice Best Western with a country restaurant attached. We spent Monday night there and headed the rest of the way to Pauls shop where he was going to help us with the Embry-Riddle jet dragster.

So as things were looking up, we headed to Paul Millers shop. Tuesday, we got things set up, and on Wednesday at 7:30, she really came to life. With the help of Paul and the guys at the shop, Chris and I hopefully have a fine tuned machine. I can't wait to take her down the track and she what she will do.

We pulled into our drive way on Thursday at 3:30 and had to jump in the shower in order to go to Andrew's orientation for school. All in a day's work.

Elaine