Driver Blog - Jeff Ashwell - TAFC? TAD?

May 17, 2013, at Woodburn Dragstrip, was the start of something different for Ashwell Racing and driver Jeff Ashwell: switching from a Top Alcohol Funny Car to a Top Alcohol Dragster. Plans to switch classes were in the works late in 2012. It wasn’t until the former Hillary Will/Shawn Cowie chassis was delivered in the newly expanded Ashwell race shop that it became a reality. Over the winter the team worked day and night to get the dragster race ready as they had to build the dragster basically from the ground up, aside from the chassis. All the plumbing, wiring, driver compartment, and parts and pieces had to be either ordered or made since most of the former funny car parts couldn’t be transferred.   

On May 5, 2013 the dragster was completed and the crew fired the motor for the first time with no complications, a true testament to the talent of the race team. Testing the dragster and getting Jeff’s license cross graded was slated for May 17-19^th, 2013 at Woodburn Dragstrip.

One might wonder about the difference between driving an alcohol funny car vs. an alcohol dragster? Jeff only got to make two passes - Saturday was rained out - but in those 2 passes he noticed some definite differences.  

“In the funny car, right before you stage, and you bring the RPM’s up, you can hear the thunder (motor) and when you swap your feet all this violence happens, though visibility does get better as the rear tires start to grow. You definitely have to man handle the funny car. In the dragster the first thing I noticed, when you bring the RPM’s up, you hear this high pitch whine from the blower and when you launch it’s like a sling shot - fast and straight. Also in the funny car it feels like you are being pulled down the track, while the dragster feels like you are being pushed down the track. In terms of visibility between the two I still look far down track to try and keep the car in the center of the groove; that hasn’t changed. I’m sure as I get more seat time I will notice more changes but these are the ones I noticed in the two passes I made. All in all, though, I am having a great time learning the dragster, as well as my crew, and I’m looking forward to finishing the cross grade process so we can get out there and start competing.”

The team hopes to finish the cross grade process in early June to get ready for the Lucas Oil West Region race in Mission, BC, Canada. Thanks to our great sponsors: Wilson’s NAPA Auto, Walery’s Pizza, Covanta Energy, and White Family Racing.

Jeff Ashwell is the driver of the Ashwell Racing/Wilson's NAPA Top Alcohol Dragster. Follow @AshwellRacing on Twitter and visit www.ashwellracing.com to keep up with the team.