Nitrous Wrench

What's up everyone? Can you believe it! Two blogs in one week. Working from daylight to dark and then trying to have a little family time makes writing a blog difficult at times. But I do enjoy it. Since I do not race any more, working with Sandy keeps the adrenaline going. Plus it is alot cheaper.



Most of you know that Sandy manufactures a successful line of wheelie bar wheels as well as wheelie bar wrenches. These products are used by many IHRA and NHRA pro stock racers as well as many sportsman racers. Some of Sandy's customers include Jerry Bickle Race Cars, Tim McAmis Race Cars and Rick Jones Race Cars. You can view these products from the home page. Sandy is always thinking of new things and now he wants to introduce his Nitrous Wrench.



This is a 4 in 1 combination wrench that can be used on all nitrous applications. It is made with the same aircraft quality material as the wheelie bar wrenches. Removal and installation of the -12an bottle nut, the -8an blow down tube, and either a -4an or -6an nitrous line can now be accomplished with one tool. It will only be available in blue. Get yours today for $39.99.


If you are interested, give Sandy a call at the shop or email him with your info. He has the first batch of wrenches ready to ship. As quoted by Sandy Wilkins, "Be the first on the block, because the Nitrous Wrench is hot".



Don

Stage 2

Since our last blog, Sandy has been burning up the highways so he can get his car repaired. He traveled to Maryland International Raceway this past Saturday to pick up a front end, tires and wheels from pro stock racer John Montecalvo. With those parts strapped down in the bed of the truck, he arrived back home late Saturday night. With little sleep, he left out Sunday morning for Jerry Bickle Race Cars in St. Louis, Missouri. After a brief hotel stay Sunday night, he dropped off the car around 8 am Monday morning. Once business was taken care of, Sandy departed for North Carolina at 11 am. He arrived home around 2:30 am early Tuesday morning. That would be 2400 miles and $800.00 in fuel at about 11 miles to the gallon. Isn't racing so much fun?

Now that the car is at Bickle's, hopefully their will be a quick turn around. Sandy said Bickle had one jig specifically for repairing cars. Their was one car on the jig and Sandy's would be next. Sandy also said that their were so many cars in his shop, that he should leave his car in the trailer until time to work on it.

It looks as if Sandy will have to have a pair of front struts. If anyone has a line on some good used ones, let him know. Preferably Lamb so his brakes will work. Thanks for every ones help. I will try to blog again before the weekend.

Don

STAGE ONE

Hello everyone. As you can see, Sandy has disassembled the car to get it ready to take to Jerry Bickle Race Cars. He had to take everything off both sides of the fire wall so it could be replaced as well as the front end. It also broke the left lower frame rail at the fire wall which will need to be replaced. The car has more damage than we originally expected, so you know what that means. More time and more money.

Pro Stock driver Jeff Dobbins has helped locate a used front end, front tires and wheels and possibly some front struts. Sandy would like to leave for Bickle's this Sunday so he can be there on Monday morning when he opens. The drive will take around 15 hours. Hopefully Bickle can turn the car around pretty quick and Sandy can start the rebuilding process.

Sandy is still complaining of neck pain that may require a doctor visit. Hopefully just a lot of stress, if that is a good thing. He wanted to thank every one who called and emailed concerning the wreck. The racing family is a truly a great bunch of people. Someone asked, "When will he race the car again"? He would love to have it ready for the fall Rockingham race. As you know this is an expensive sport. If you would be interested in helping out in any way, please contact us.

Also, if you have any questions that you would like answered on the blog, shoot us an email. Sandy's is on the home page and mine is don@carolinatools.com. Thanks again to everyone who keeps up with our web site. Stay tune for STAGE TWO.

Don

Pittsburgh--Home of the Steel Guard Rail.

We finally made it back from our not so exciting trip to Pittsburgh Raceway Park. We arrived home around 1:30 am Monday morning. The sad news is we did not bring back cash, trophies or women. Only a badly damaged race car.

Sandy was racing in the first round of the Sportsmen National Event. His opponent was Chris Nyerges who was coming off of the divisional win the day before. Chris went red while Sandy had a .005 green. Both guys make full passes. After Sandy went through the lights the chutes came out late. Sandy went to apply the brakes and the car began to skid hard left in front of Nyerges.Chris turned right to miss Sandy and went under his chutes, ripping off Chris's hood scoop. Sandy had a hard impact with the guard rail and it sent him back across the track barely missing Chris again. He had another hard hit with the right side guard rail and ended up near the last turn off.

As I watched from the starting line, the only thing I could think was please let him be OK. And just like the pro that he is, he came across the radio and said, " I'm OK buddy". That is all a person can ask for in that situation. We know all to well with what can happen. Our buddy Doug West is going through months of rehabilitation on his arm after his crash. And of course the Kalitta crash. Sandy's car may not look seriously bad for a 190 mph crash. But at that speed, all that has to happen is for the car to hit in the wrong spot and it's ugly. We are very fortunate for the out come.

So what are we going to do now? Sandy is planning on taking the car back to Jerry Bickle Race Cars in Missouri as soon as possible. He unloaded the car tonight and is doing his on evaluation. Sandy is second in the Top Sportsman points with 4 races left to claim. He wants to be on the track somehow, someway. The problem is that this car will probably not see the track again this year. We will see what happens.

Let's talk about the people at Pittsburgh Raceway. The track owners were great to us. Not just because of the wreck. From the day we arrived until we left these guys were super. Sandy had met one of the owners, Carmen Tedesco, at the PRI show this past winter. Carmen and his brothers went out of their way to make sure we were happy this weekend. This is the only race where we left with more food than we came with. Thanks Carmen. After the wreck, everyone was their to help us. Greg and Gina Slack were out pit neighbors this weekend and went above and beyond. Mark Malcuit and crew. Jeff Solyan, Alan O'brien, Shannon Waycaster and many others that I can't remember. Thanks for all your help.

We hope to see you guys sooner than later. If I know Sandy, he has something brewing as we speak. Their are more pics of the car in the photo gallery on the home page. Drop Sandy an email with a word of encouragement if you have the time. Later.

Don