I think Dave is embellishing a bit with a few of his statements. My car is currently undergoing restoration, and I am doing a few things different now "because" of the shootout, but I'm not "building it from the ground up for the shootout". I had plans to restore the car anyway.
This will do nothing to put the BUICK/HEMI rivalry to rest, as you know. It will never be laid to rest. Hot Rod called Dudek late last year about doing a shootout with a Buick and his HEMI at Drag Week, for publication in HR. He asked around for takers, but found none. After a few weeks of watching him ask for takers and finding none, I couldnt take it anymore and went ahead and put my foot in my mouth. I didnt want the HEMI camp thinking the BUICK camp was running scared. Plus I think it will be fun.
This shootout was never to be an attempt to show what these cars were capable of from the showroom. This is an attempt to show what F.A.S.T. cars will do on slicks, but meeting ALL other F.A.S.T. rules. And throwing a Buick up against a HEMI has always created controversy, which also means magazine sales. I thought it would be fun because I have never built a F.A.S.T. car, but have followed them since the beginning of the class. Plus I thought it would be a challenge. If it were going to be easy, everyone would be doing it, right? :shifter:
Soooo, here we are. HR is excited about it, Freiberger is a clothset Buick guy, and it should be interesting and a heck of a lot of fun, though it won't really prove much at all. Wish us luck.:beers: