NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

After running a pair of career-best passes at the season finale in Pomona last November, Bob Bode couldn’t wait to get back on the track this season. He had no idea it would be late April before that happened.

“We always go to Pomona [for the Winternationals] and Las Vegas to start our season, but this year real life set in and we couldn’t make it,” said the plastic-bag manufacturing entrepreneur. “Business was good, plus we still had the car at [chassis builder Murf] McKinney’s shop getting the new rollcage padding and knee braces [as required by the rules].

“We’d already decided not to go to Pomona, and I’m glad we made that decision,” he added with a laugh. “The week were supposed to load this thing, it was 25 below in Illinois. It was miserable. But we’ve missed being out there and couldn’t wait to get here, especially after Pomona."

In Saturday qualifying at last year's Auto Club NHRA Finals, Bode’s Mustang -– which he purchased early in the 2018 season from Tim Wilkerson –- clocked a 4.00 in Q3 then gave him his first official three-second pass, a 3.981, later that day. [Bode had run a three at Indy earlier in the year but the run was disqualified when his headers nicked the finish-line timing blocks.]

Bode was justifiably proud of the three-second time ticket, but more thrilled with the car’s new-found consistency.

“We ran career best numbers and no one would really care about this –- except us -- but that was the first time we’ve ever run two good passes on the same day in 19 years of racing. That just shows you how much better the car and the parts are. No one else probably cares, but that’s phenomenal for a part-time team like ours.

“Before we’d make a run and just throw it back together and tow up there and think, ‘It’s close enough; maybe we’ll get lucky,’ but we were always out in left field and something would go wrong. Now Tim tells us, ‘This is your window; stay in it. If you can’t be there, don’t take your car up there.’ It’s just been Tim beating us over the head; he’s so smart in knowing what’s going to work and what’s not going to work.”

During his six-month hiatus, Bode stocked up on parts, including a new clutch hat and cylinder heads, and now has four engine blocks – including one new one – all fitted with brand-new crankshafts – and extra racks of rod-and-piston assemblies all primed and ready for battle.

“I’ve never been this good on parts –- ever,” he said. “It’s fun to bring the car out now. It’s exciting. This is the best we’ve ever been.”