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What would make a racer drive 2100 miles across the United States of America to make a couple of runs at a National Open event? It could be to prove once and for all that he has the quickest car in the country, or that he enjoys long stretches of endless interstate highways. There are some things that are hard to explain to the casual fan of the sport, but sometimes a racer needs to travel far to make a point. That was the case this past weekend when A/ Stock Automatic record holder Bobby DeArmond from Gallup New Mexico drove his rig east to Maple Grove Raceway home of this past weekends Division 1 National Open.
The race long known as the "Dutch Classic" has provided for some great record runs over the past couple of years due to a great race track and cool, fall, east coast conditions. DeArmond, a 49 year old Optician, took a shot that the weather would give him a chance to prove once and for all that his car is quick at sea level. His record of 10.07 seconds came this year at the Division 6, Boise Idaho points race where record runs are corrected back to sea level due to altitude. DeArmond decided to make the trip hoping "not to do anything stupid", with the chance to try and run as quick as possible with his unassuming ‘69 427 Camaro. Even though DeArmond wanted to show he could run at sea level much attention has been paid toward the race to break the 10-second barrier with a Stock Eliminator car. The race to break into the nines has received much press as of late. NHRA.com for example has had several columns about the conditions necessary for a stocker to run quicker than 10-seconds flat. Maple Grove Raceway even posted a bounty of $5,775 dollars if anyone could break into the nine’s. Even though at a non-altitude corrected NHRA event no one had even been quicker that 10.12 seconds. This run, the quickest of all time, came last year at the Dutch Classic by the rarely seen ‘67 427 Ford Fairlane of Cobleskill, New York’s Richard Todd. Just like DeArmond another car that runs in A/ Stock Automatic. Right behind him last year at 10.13 seconds was Blue Point, New York’s Tom Baird in his Gary Hettler powered 427 ‘69 Camaro. The two quickest cars from last year's event came back to the Grove to see if anyone could possibly run a nine or a first ever sub 10.10 second pass. When DeArmond, Joe Aluise, Tom Baird, Richard Todd, Steve Calabro, Steve Ficacci, Ed Koziol and Paul Mercure’s Checkmate team lined up for the first round of record runs you knew something big was about to happen. Maple Grove Raceway is located about one hour west of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, in an oxygen rich valley surrounded by miles of trees. It is to start off 550 feet above see level and now has one of the smoothest surfaces in the country. The track record for Top Fuel is a 4.53 second blast by Tony Schumacher from this years Keystone Nationals, the quickest run on the new 90% Nitro rules. The locals know the track has a very good starting line and can give a racer the necessary hook for a great run. That is why guys like DeArmond made the trip. The only player missing this weekend was Robert Pond who has the factored record of 10.09 seconds in A/ Stock Stick with his west coast based 1967, 427 Ford Fairlane. At sea level DeArmond had previously been as quick as 10.16 seconds at last years National Open at the Orlando Speed World in Florida. Unfortunately for DeArmond he broke early in qualifying and lost his chance to maybe run the first "0". He thought it would have been possible as most of the stockers went faster later in qualifying at that event. DeArmond, a National Event winner at Denver in 1994, just one week before the Dutch was concerned about making the trip east even though he had been thinking about making the trip to Maple Grove for over six months. Last weekend he was concerned about making the trip as he checked out the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend. It also rained at his home in New Mexico and he thought that was a bad omen. With some encouragement from his crew (Rich Ahrens and engine builder Gary McGlasson) and his wife he decided to make the trip. He wanted to get as close to his record as possible and show how well his car could run at sea level. Arriving Wednesday night at Maple Grove the team prepared for test and tune on Thursday. DeArmond an 11-time class winner right off the bat caught the attention of the early arrivals at Maple Grove with an off the trailer run of 10.15. This coupled with a monster 1.31 60-foot time had even the Super Stock racers checking out his ‘69 Chevy. This would be enough and the team prepared for the first round of record runs on Friday morning. With the air around 1100 feet above sea level DeArmond came up to the starting line at the Grove on the right side of the race track. He took the tree and left with the wheels up, typical of his racecar. The 60 foot time showed on the computer to be 1.334, the front end came down and with the automatic transmission in high gear DeArmond got what he wanted an incredible run of 10.110 seconds, as of this time the quickest Stock Eliminator run at sea level, ever. He would later say, "I thought it was decent, from my seat it felt like a 12, I was elated when I saw my time slip, and content with the 11". For students of the game here are the numbers from DeArmonds time slip: 60 foot 1.334 330 foot 4.016 "Amazing" were the words DeArmond used to describe these numbers. 660 foot 6.332 Quicker than Aluise’s 1/8 e.t. record by .13 seconds. 1000 foot 8.366 1320 foot 10.110 Speed 128.25mph The numbers proved that his car is a killer off the line but does not have the back half numbers as some of his fellow competitors. He has 330’s better than some Super Stock cars. Later on that session Todd would come close with his Ford running a great 10.128. Todd who spent a lot of time talking to DeArmond said he had not had a motor since last season and had no dyno time, and was very impressed by the Camaro’s run. Later on in the day with the weather station reading 1700-feet he took his car out one more time looking to possibly go even quicker. This time the car made a smooth run with a slightly better 60 foot time. Unfortunately the lack of good air gave him a 10.19 second time slip at over 127.50 mph. The third run of the day came after the sun had set with cool temperatures starting to set in. Along with that came a lot of moisture and on this pass he only ran 10.21 seconds at 127.37 mph even though the weather station read 857 feet. DeArmond said " We made a jet change and it was wrong". In the same session Baird brought out his A/ Stock Stick car and made a stout run of 10.172. Just like on Friday morning DeArmond knew the Saturday morning session would be another good chance to run fast. This would also be his last run with the long drive back to New Mexico looming in his future. The weather would warm up quickly on Saturday morning with the corrected altitude at 1221 feet. DeArmond made another great run with a final pass of 10.16 seconds at over 127.88 mph. This would be it and the team packed up to head back home. Later that session Baird would make an excellent run with his stick car at 10.160 at 130.43 mph. Before leaving DeArnond came up to the tower and took some photos of scenic Maple Grove Raceway to show his wife back home. He really thought it was a "good battle" with a lot of good cars at the race track, and "true test." He proved that his altitude car could run at sea level. He also feels the factor for his car is correct according to the numbers from his 10.07 record pass at Boise in 300 feet below sea level air. DeArmond left Maple Grove with the 10.110 second time slip and a pretty good impression about the fans and racers on the east coast. His appearance and performance was the talk of the event. The fact that no one ran a nine or even a 10.00 pass still does not take away from his awesome performance. According to him Pond’s incredible A/ Stock Stick car has the best chance to run in the nine’s in the future. Pond recently ran 10.16 seconds at 133 mph at Sears Point Raceway in 2000 feet of air. DeArnond feels if Pond could get the clutch right he could be the first one to go into the nine’s.
Nevertheless Bobby DeArmonds appearance at the Castrol GTX Dutch Classic all
the way from New Mexico is one, most stock fans, will never forget.
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