Clif Bakx and Gord Gingles are living the dream in the tough TAD class.

Discussion in 'Alcohol Racing News' started by News Editor, May 30, 2012.

  1. News Editor

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    Clif Bakx and Gord Gingles are living the dream in the tough TAD class.

    bakx press shot.jpg Every once in a while you find a race team that is playing in a class where you don’t think they fit. The Bakx A/Fuel team is one of those, but they have proven everyone wrong!

    They are just too laid back. The prairie lifestyle is one of hard work and long hours, and getting away from the hours at the race track is just the tonic for this unassuming race team.

    After a successful start in 2012 at the Indy Divisional where the team qualified and went to the semi finals, a solid accomplishment against the 13 cars in attendance, they decided to see what all the hype was about at the West Coast’s premier Canadian NHRA track that boasts sea level conditions. Mission Raceway has long been established at the finest NHRA facility in Canada, and the May weather usually produces career performances.

    That is the goal for the “Wild Cow” Racing team. Bakx owns two dragsters that are polar opposites. His original car is a blown rear engine hemi that runs low 6’s at 220mph.

    But the latest car is the new A/Fuel dragster (named “The Bull”) that debuted in 2011. The car has a lot of history in NHRA drag racing, starting out as a Top Fuel car for Shelly Anderson. It was then sold to Rick Henkelman, then finally to Bakx a few years ago. Clif and the team front halfed the car and built new body panels and put together a engine they felt would work for what is a very tough class. Gord, who had spent most of his racing on a drag bike made a few laps in the blown dragster adapted real well and got licensed in the A/Fueler. With Davenports tuning help they went out and ran 5.4’s right off the bat at the Dallas Divisional. They went to the semi finals at their first race. From there, the team went to four other events, and had another semi final finish. Fast forward to 2012, and first race they ran at was the Indy Regional event. They qualified #5 in a tough field of 13 and went to the semis again. This weekend he head to Mission Raceway, sea level conditions and the hope to run in the 5.30’s or better and of course advance past the semi final round. The NW is a hotbed for Blown dragster in the class, but they feel they can compete with either style of car in TAD. Qualifying at this event is a three round affair, so it gives Gord the opportunity to adapt to the track and Clif to get the tune-up dialed in for the 24 feet of actual elevation. In testing on Thursday they smoked the tires in their first lap and then bettered their career best with a 5.41/265. On Friday Gord smoked the tires in the lone qualifier, so the team went back to the pits and made adjustments for Saturday’s two session. In the first Saturday session, the car ran a 5.44/266.48 to move into the #3 spot in the field. In the warmest part of the day, the final session saw the car run a 5.50/264. No improvement but none of the other teams picked up either, and they stayed #3. “The Bull” would run Greg Hunter in round one of elimination’s.

    Sunday was much cooler air so the team had to be careful not to overpower the track but they also had an opportunity to run in the 5.30’s if the track would hold. The track was perfect, the tune-up was right where they wanted to be and Gord ripped off a 5.399 at booming 270.81 mph.

    They were off to the semi finals again, and were ready to take on one of the top drivers in TAD racing.

    The semi final was possibly one of Gord’s toughest match-up, as he faced the #4 driver from 2011. Joey Severance was the #1 qualifier and ran low et of the meet in round one.

    Gord was a bit too amped up in the semis and went red, handing the win to the Oregon driver. While it was not what the team was hoping for, they left Mission with a number of goals accomplished not the least of which was running their first 5.3 et and hitting 270 mph. They leave the West Coast and will head to the opposite of sea level. Their next race is the mile high Denver Regional at Bandimere Speedway June 15-17, 2012 and then they will try and hit three or four more Regionals and Nationals in the Mid West

    The crew who works the long hours includes Clif and Gord as well as Rob Schultz, Todd Bruce and John Vermeer. For this weekend friend Richard Roy lent a helping hand. A/Fueler racer Larry Miersch is also a consultant on the team and he was at Mission this weekend. Clif extends thanks to both Ken Murray and Doug Doucette (both from Manitoba), and both of whom are well known Top Alcohol tuners.
     
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