Word: dragster
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...antipodal summer begin to fade in February. The big blows alternate with periods of gentle breezes. The day after Conner won the challengers' finals two weeks ago, the wind dropped from 25 knots to 15. That was unfortunate for Stars & Stripes, which Conner has likened to a "fuel dragster" since it was specifically built to excel in winds above 18 knots. The more maneuverable Kookaburra was expected to gain an edge in lighter breezes. But that prediction too may not hold in the water. Subdued winds marked the boats' first confrontation, but did not help Kookaburra...
...according to rival USA Skipper Tom Blackaller, who lost the semifinals to Conner in four straight three weeks ago. That set the stage for a neat matchup of opposites last week because New Zealand was designed for maneuverability on high seas. The result, says Conner, is "like a fuel dragster vs. a turbocharged Porsche. While the dragster might have more speed in a straight line, he doesn't want to go 24 hours at Le Mans." The series was also a classic duel of wily veteran vs. brash youth. Conner has some 10,000 hours on 12-meter boats...
Thus when Connie Kalitta wrinkles one of the main struts supporting his wing in a qualifying run at 3 p.m. Friday, he takes only a moment to study the damage. He props a two-by-eight board under the wing, lifting the dragster a couple of inches off the ground. A crew member goes to work on the wrinkle with a welding torch...
Suddenly the dragster sags, except for the propped-up side of the wing; the wrinkled strut has heated up and stretched out. Kalitta jams another two- by-eight between the struts and throws his weight against this lever to fine tune the straightening. After considerable additional work, he steps back to examine the results, which aren't wholly successful. But then, a normal start tends to lift the opposite side of the car anyway. Maybe a crooked wing will counteract that. He raises his hands in a papal blessing and grins. "The torque'll lean it just right," he declares...
...engine is taken apart. The makeshift caps some crews use to keep debris out of the headers may also look familiar: they're soda cans sawed in half. Finally, a newcomer will be appalled to see Garlits flip a lighted match into a pool of alcohol under his new dragster. It's a makeshift Sterno to heat up the oil pan so the engine doesn't have to start cold...