The BME Bulletin
#7 A RIDE ON THE WILD SIDE The Bill Miller Engineering Top Fuel team's best laid plans to finish the 2006 season with a flourish in the final four events went awry when the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals in Richmond, Va., were rained out and rescheduled. Consequently the next date on the BME team's dance card was the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, contested at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 27-29. The BME/Okuma/Red Line Oil Dragster continued to be the surprise of the season, qualifying with a 4.584-second elapsed time at 326.24 mph and running a strong 4.613/321.35 mph in eliminations. It was another sterling performance by the scrappy team from Carson City, Nevada. "Considering the track's 2,100-foot altitude, the 4.58 we ran on Friday night was more impressive to me than the 4.55 we ran in Indy," said driver Alan Bradshaw. "That kind of performance at a high-altitude track is a testament to how well Bill and the team are getting a handle on this new engine program." Bradshaw faced Hillary Will in the first round of eliminations. With a string of quick reaction times in qualifying, Bradshaw was a good bet to upset the No. 4 qualifier. He had .038 seconds in the bank when the pair left the starting line, but Bradshaw had to wrestle with the dragster when it made an abrupt move toward the centerline on the slippery track surface. The BME machine was edged by ten thousandths of a second at the finish line. "I think we drove 1380 feet to go a quarter of a mile," Bradshaw laughed. "It was definitely a wild ride. Had we been able to get a clean, straight run, I think we could have beaten her, but you can't change history. We just haven't caught a lucky break yet in eliminations, but we're earning respect one run at a time." Team owner Bill Miller had the best seat in the house to observe Bradshaw's heroics. "Alan was driving his butt off," Miller noted. "The data showed that he had the steering wheel cranked 95 degrees to bring her back to the middle of the lane." TECHNICAL NOTES Bill Miller Engineering continues to use the BME Dragster for development of its proprietary blower, the Gibson-Miller Mk II Supercharger. The Mk II designation is a reminder of Miller's days as a Navy submariner when he worked with Mk II torpedoes. "We're testing superchargers on the blower dyno every day, and we took two Mk II prototypes to Las Vegas," Miller revealed. "The rotor seals are critical to a supercharger's performance, and we're continuously improving the efficiency of the seals. We'll make another revision and run the Mk II again at Pomona." Efforts to reduce the weight of the BME Okuma dragster have also paid off. New carbon fiber spars in the front wing and a titanium wheelie bar pared 20 pounds. "We're now able to race at 2,315 pounds with Alan in the car," Miller explained. "Even though we're still 90 pounds over the minimum weight for a Top Fuel dragster, the car used to be 140 pounds over, so we've made a substantial improvement. The weight reduction is making a noticeable difference in the 60-foot times, and we'll put the car on a diet over the winter." ROOKIE OF THE YEAR COMPETITION Bradshaw is one of four rookie drivers who have been nominated for the 2006 Automobile Club of Southern California "Road to the Future Award." Other candidates for the Rookie of the Year title are Max Naylor (Pro Stock), J.R. Todd (Top Fuel), and Hillary Will (Top Fuel). The winner will receive a trophy and a $20,000 prize during the NHRA post-season awards ceremony on Monday, Nov. 13. "I'm excited to represent the BME team in the Rookie of the Year competition," said Bradshaw. "I think that J.R. Todd is probably going to win and he deserves it. But just to be nominated puts Bill Miller Engineering and our great sponsors, Okuma, Red Line Oil, Autolite, Midaco, Infinity Rebuild, and Sandvik Coromant, in the spotlight again. Without the entire crew doing such an outstanding job this year, I wouldn't have been nominated. They put in lots of 50-hour weeks so that I can race for 4.5 seconds." BME BUSINESS REPORT Bill Miller is now serving on the board of directors of the Professional Racers Organization (PRO). He replaced Funny Car champion, John Force, who resigned before completing his term. "I bring a perspective to the PRO that's a little different than the board members who are touring racers," Miller noted. "I have a business to manage, and our team doesn't run the entire schedule. Consequently, on some issues of concern to PRO, I have a different viewpoint than the touring pros." At Las Vegas, the Bill Miller Engineering Top Fuel Team welcomed Sandvik Coromant as a new, associate sponsor. Sandvik Coromant is the world's leading manufacturer of cutting tools for the metalworking industry, with more than 25,000 products sold in 60 countries. Based in Sandviken, Sweden, Sandvik Coromant is part of the Sandvik Group, a global industrial group with 39,000 employees and in 130 countries. "We were pleased to host Sandvik Coromant Director of Marketing Communications, Hakan Hellstrand, and Midwest Regional Manager, Alan Keep, with us in Las Vegas," Miller said. "They were amazed to see the BME crew tear down and rebuild an engine in the pits. We're planning to display the BME Okuma dragster at an upcoming Sandvik Coromant corporate meeting in Orlando which will be attended by thousands of employees from around the world." THE FINAL ACT The curtain will come down on the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., on Nov. 9-12. "Our game plan for Pomona is put in the same tune-up that ran 4.58 in Las Vegas and then run the car down the race track," Miller revealed. "I'd like to run 4.55 or 4.54--but who wouldn't? We ran that quick in Indy, so I know what the clutch curve needs to look like to make it happen. The motor is running really well, and when we take out the bearings and spark plugs, they look brand new." "I cannot wait to get to Pomona!" Bradshaw declared. "I'm as amped up about going the Finals as I was for the season-opener--maybe even more. The only thing I hate is that it's the last race of the year. I told Bill, 'If you want to take this thing out every three or four weeks, I'm happy to come to Las Vegas. It's only time and money--if you've got the money, I've got the time.'"
BME RACE RESULTS ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas, Oct. 26-29 Qualified: No. 13 at 4.584/326.24 mph Round 1: Hillary Will (4.565/324.12) defeated Alan Bradshaw (4.613/321.35) NEXT RACE Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Pomona, Calif., Nov. 9-12
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