They put a full bodied (3600+ lb) Buick into the 8's on pump gas and alky. You all know I am the one that should be called grumpy because I despise so many of the jerks that strut around bragging about their professionally built engines, lightweight cars etc who don't want to run more than an 1/8th mile because they might hurt something. Same ones that are online talking crap about everyone else who cannot afford to play in their league badmouthing them about their paint jobs or less that immaculate cars even if they run as fast as the Big Dawgs with their flown in tuners, and so on... 8.93@ 150 mph
But here are Grumpy's (Dan's) daughter and son-in-law -Melissa and Russ Merritt blowing everyone else away once again. Melissa drives and Russ does the wrenching, the tuning, the fixing, the hauling, etc. all the while working full time. But what sets them apart from the crowd in my books is that they are genuinely nice! I mean really nice!
They are what epitomizes real racing at the hobbyist level except there is nothing "hobbyist" about their performance, the car, or anything else they are associated with! Real people doing real good!
Congratulation
s, Dan! I know how proud you are!
Here is Melissa's write up that she posted on FB because Russ never says much!!
"He flipping did it! He doesn’t like it being posted this way, but I am the one with the Facebook account, so yeah 😛. His version: We finally got it! A few weeks ago, at Cecil, when we loaded it into the trailer with the winch, a lifted head, and a block filled with water, as frustrating as it was, I knew we weren’t done. He busted his ass to get us back up and running the next weekend, so we were ready for the N/T race. We raced smart that day. Today we raced stupid, and it worked, plus we drove it into the trailer! Of course, Grumpy was watching us from his favorite spot in the stands.
Russ makes it seem easy, but few see all the time and work he puts into that car. His dedication got us here. 109 block, pump gas and Alky, PTE SLIC, 2004r, a foot brake and rolling over the scales at 3610. 🤘 We have a flipping great time doing what we do and consider ourselves lucky for every safe pass we make.
And after the excitement came the tears.💔 There is such a big part of our team missing. Mom, I am so sorry that we are a year late. I heard every song you sent me today, and we all appreciated those clouds you sent for that last pass. You would have been the most excited one! When the lights do down, I know that you are never far away.
No cake till 8’s!! Bring on the cake!! Cupcakes count."
Yep, your Mom is definitely smiling down!
