I realize it has been awhile since I’ve done a blog update, but there has been a lot going on for a guy who doesn’t have a job.

Where do I start? I’ll try and keep it simple so not to confuse everyone. First let me say congratulations to my sister Wendy and brother-in-law Mike Childers for the arrival of my second nephew, Zane. He was born on July 21. He was a big boy at 9 pounds and 11 ounces. If he continues to grow like that I think he might be cut out for football instead of racing. Now his big brother Gage has someone to teach all about drag racing and I have another nephew to spoil then send home to his parents.

Melanie and I have both been busy racing lately. We went to the Denver race and spent the week with Melanie’s family. After Denver we took the next two Western Swing races off. Very weird feeling since we’ve been on the swing for the past 10 years. We didn’t stay home long though as Melanie and I drove the motorhome to Canada with the dogs to attend an IHRA race. Mel raced Pro Mod there and did OK, but not as good as they wanted. She qualified 6th but lost in the first round. They stayed and tested on Monday then we drove home Monday night.

As many of you already know I am getting back behind the wheel although it not in a Funny Car. I left Thursday morning and headed to Columbus for the divisional event driving Bill Evans' A/Fuel car. I had a blast that weekend. It brought back a lot of old memories and got to see a lot of old friends. The weather didn’t help us out much. We smoked the tires our first run on Friday and then had to sit and watch it rain all day Saturday. We got one more qualifying run Sunday morning and got in the show with a 5.57. I had a good light first round but my 5.57 wasn’t quick enough to beat Robin Samsel’s  5.45. I would have liked to done a little better but we got behind with all the weather. I am going to get a chance to do a little better this weekend as we are racing the Division 5 event in Cordova. I can’t wait. I don’t care what it is as long as I get to compete again. It got the competitive juices flowing.

Last weekend I took off as Melanie was racing in Martin, Mich. She had a great weekend with the Pro Mod car qualifying No. 4 and going all the way to the semifinals. She even broke into the five-second zone for the first time second round, running a 5.98. They did some more testing on Monday in preparation for the Get Screened America Series Pro Mod race coming up in Indy. She is getting a lot more comfortable in the Pro Mod car now. Those cars are a handful and coming from a Funny Car to a Pro Mod car the driving styles are completely different. I think they are happy with the team’s progress and she will definitely be a threat to win Pro Mod at Indy.

Speaking of Indy we both will be racing this coming Labor Day weekend. I can’t thank Bill Evans enough for giving me the opportunity to drive his car. I wasn’t looking forward to Indy this year with neither of us racing, but now we both will get our shot at an Indy Wally. As of today I have one other race on the Alcohol Dragster schedule with the race in Charlotte. Who knows, we might even be able to add a couple more in there before the year is over.

Melanie and I won’t be going to Brainerd next week, but we are going on a trip. We are going to Europe with Roger Burgess and his wife for a little vacation. It is going to be a great trip, a once in a lifetime experience, but what I am mostly excited about is that we are going to attend the Nitrolympx while we are in Germany. I have always wanted to go to Europe and attend a drag racing event over there. I have been to New Zealand and watched drag racing, but now I can check another one off the list. I can’t wait and I’ll post a few pictures of our experience once we get back.