442OLDS.com Racing

I started driving in the early 1980's,and this 1970 442 convertible is the only car that I have regularly competed in.

This car was originally built to replace the original HIS ‘N’ HERS 1968 Hurst/Olds race car owned by my parents Bill and Judi Bureski.My mother won many events with this car in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

The original HIS ‘N’ HERS was destroyed in a highway towing accident in September of 1976.The 1970 body style was selected to replace the 1968 Hurst,since this was a body style that Oldsmobile kept in production for three years.The three years of this body style gave it flexibility in moving the car with different engine combination into 4 different classes.If one class became too populated,a different engine with different grilles and bumpers would make the car fall into a different class.

This 442 convertible is a very desired car among collectors,since it is one of the few INDY 500 Pace Cars that Oldsmobile produced.Oldsmobile only made 268 Pace Cars with the Y-74 Option on the 442 in 1970.

I was especially anxious to start the 2007 racing season,because I had some major engine problems during the 2006 season.After destroying an engine early in the season,I only competed at a few events in 2006.I had numerous problems with a local area engine shop,which delayed my race program even further.

The 2007 season started out with much more promise.Originally,I did not intend on racing for the IHRA Division 5 Championship.I am known as a cross-over racer,who runs both the NHRA and IHRA events.Due to conflicting dates,its basically impossible to run both santioning bodies.

Instead of going to Norwalk,Ohio for the NHRA Division 3 opener,I decided to go to Byron,IL. For the IHRA Pro-Am Doubleheader weekend.The race was much closer,the payout was better,and the opportunity to race twice in one weekend was there.At race one,I went a few rounds before a .007 redlight ended my day.At race 2 on Sunday,I made some adjustments and ended up winning the race.The following weekend was another IHRA Pro-Am Doubleheader in Martin,Michigan.After rain wiped out Saturday’s event,I ended up getting to the finals in Sunday’s program.While getting ready to pull out for the final,my car was completely dead.I wasn’t given much time to troubleshoot the situation,so I ended up with Runner-Up and withdrew from the second race which was in the process of starting.I left the event with 2 final round appearances in 3 races,and was starting to think that I had a good shot at the division title.

In mid July,I went to another IHRA Pro-Am Doubleheader weekend in Milan,Michigan.These opportunities are really nice with the increasing costs of travel.I figured I would be in good shape in the points if I could just go a few roundsthat weekend.My finish line driving was horrible that weekend and I only won 1 round in the two events.To make matters worse,the only other driver who had a genuine chance to take the points lead did just that by winning the race.The good news was that he had entered his eighth race,and you can only take points at your best 5 finishes.He could no longer improve his score of 367 points.

I had three more races at which to improve my score.With two races coming up at Byron,I was pretty confident that I could get the job done there.If I had to,I was prepared to go all the way out to South Carolina for my last event,but I was really hoping to wrap it up at Byron.

Rain washed out the entire weekend of August 18-19.After one qualifying run on Saturday,the rain never stopped.

Due to scheduling conflicts,the race was rescheduled to Osceola Dragway in Indiana.This was the same weekend as the final Division 2 IHRA Pro-Am in South Carolina.I had never been to this track,but it wasn’t that bad at all.I needed to win two rounds to tie for the Division lead.In the event of a tie,I had the tiebreaker edge,by virtue of head to head competition during the year.

In Saturday’s race,I had a terrible light and lost in the first round.I only had one more chance to earn points in 2007.This would be my 7^th event of the year.I ended up going all the way to the final before a redlight ended my day.It was not a bad day,as I ended up with 389 points,to my nearest competitor’s score of 367 points.It took some real luck and clutch driving,but in the end,it all worked out.For 2008,I will be back with a new engine builder and am preparing for the "BULLS EYE" that generally comes with being a Division or World Champion.