Top Gun has test-and-tune before main drag races

The blacktop at Top Gun Raceway bore a strong resemblance to an R.V. dealership on Friday.

That's because drag racers from all over the West have come to Fallon for the NHRA Pacific Division Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the signature event of Octane Fest.

Participating are many of the top professional drag racers in the region, and they travel in expensive, well-built motor homes, towing large trailers containing not only their race cars, but also all the equipment, parts and tools they need to keep their cars running at peak efficiency.

Many of those drivers were out and about on Friday for test-and-tune, a warm-up event for today's races where they get familiar with the track and make any needed adjustments to their cars.

"Test-and-tune is where the cars come out prior to the actual qualifying sessions for the races, to see how their cars are running and what condition the track is in," said Top Gun track director John Stauverman. "For cars that run on a direct index, they try to adjust their cars to run on those numbers exacty."

The roar of engines could be heard all over as drivers prepared for today's races. While some drivers were busy testing their cars on the track, others were with their crews as they worked on the cars, while still others were relaxing and enjoying some down time. They spoke about coming to Fallon and competing in this event.

Mike Austin of Medford, Ore., watched as members of his pit crew worked on his Top Alcohol Dragster, a 3,500 horse power machine that runs on methanol rather than gasoline. This is his fourth appearance at Top Gun. Medford's proximity to Fallon factored in his decision to enter the races here.

"This is one of the closest division races to my house," Austin said.

"It's only about a five hour trip from Medford to Fallon. We're a smaller team with a lower budget, so we try to go to more of the races that are close to home."

Austin's team is Ladd Automotive Racing, named after an auto repair shop that Austin owns. Austin's been drag racing for 24 years and in the alcohol class since 1991. One of the challenges he faces is getting his car ready for the summer heat here in Fallon.

"The track's quite warm," Austin said. "The weather here is into the hot summer now, so the heat poses a problem with trying to get the cars hooked-up on the track. The hotter it gets, the less traction the tires have, making it harder to get the tune-up right."

That aside, Austin is enjoying his visit to Fallon.

"The people here in Fallon are very nice people," Austin said. "We went to Oasis Bowl on Thursday night, and the people in there were just great. They were nice to talk to."

While Austin found the early Fallon June weather hot, Jim Momjian of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., found it cool compared to that of his home, where the temperature reached 108 on Friday.

"We love it here in Fallon," Momjian said. "This our fourth year coming here to Top Gun. This track is awesome. It's a good community track. Something we don't see a lot of anymore is a community sponsoring and supporting the track. That's big time for us, to know that everybody in Fallon is behind it, instead of like Pomona where people complain about the noise more than they cheer for the racing."

Momjian travels in a posh 2003 Freightliner motor home, towing a 90-foot trailer big enough to hold three racing cars. The whole thing cost him over $400,000. He prefers that over staying in local motels.

"I'm on the road quite a bit, racing a lot," Momjian said. "I've had it for over three years, and it's been great. Instead of going to a motel room, I have a safe haven."

Momjian spent the day doing maintenance on his race car, but decided not to take it out on the track until today.

"There's a difference between Test and Tune and race day,"Momjian said. "On Test and Tune, the track is prepped by the track personnel. On race day, it's prepped by the NHRA, and they do it a little differently. What you run on Test and Tune day gives you some good numbers, but it won't be compelely consistent with what you run on race day."

Parked two spaces east of Momjian are Mera and Wayne Silvia, a father-daughter team from Upland, Calif. They're both race drivers, but only Mera will be racing this weekend while Wayne provides support. Wayne Silvia has raced for 13 years while Mera began just over a year ago. Mera is racing at Top Gun for the second time. She describes drag racing as lots of fun, with lots of speed and good times.

"I love Top Gun Raceway," Mera Silvia said. "It's a very nice track with very nice people."

The look on Wayne Silvia's face showed how proud he is of his daughter.

"She's a natural," Wayne Silvia said. "She's been doing real good. She runs top dragster and super tops. She pulls her own numbers and does all of her own stuff when we're racing. If I'm racing she helps me, if she's racing I help her. We pretty much do the team work thing."

Wayne Silvia is also a Top Gun veteran, having raced here three times before. He likes coming back to Fallon.

"You couldn't ask for better people than the people here in Fallon," Wayne Silvia said. "They treat the people here great. It's like you moved to another country. The tracks in good shape and they really take care of you."

Dragsters aren't the only thing the Silvia's plan to race while they're here. They also plan to partake in the golf cart races.

"Golf cart races are a blast, even more fun sometimes than drag racing," Wayne Silvia said. "They set-up golf carts and handicap one-another, then race to the line. We donated some money to the track last year to help put it on. It's really cool."

While most of the people out and about on Friday were either drivers or crew members, a few were there for other reasons. Walking about and greeting people were Jim and Linda Jack of Gilbert, Ariz. Jack is a former drag racer who is now an ordained minister and is a chaplain for the NHRA. He and Linda travel to races all over the west to conduct non-denominational church services at the tracks and provide spiritual support to the racers and their families. They are members of Racers for Christ, a Christian Motorsports International Family of Ministries. For them, it's a full-time job that often includes 80-hour work weeks.

"We come out to the race tracks to walk, talk, share, pray, council and spend time with the people," Jim Jack said. "We'll do two services here at the track on Sunday morning, one at 7:15 and one at 8:15. Everybody's welcome, racers, spectators, anyone who's out here."