Images: DodgeCharger.com

Admit it, when you see a TV show link PINKS where supposedly “real” people bring their “real” cars out for heads up racing, you assume that the drama in the TV show is fake, or at least enhanced in some way. You also likely think in the back of your head about how much fun it would be to do something like PINKS, if it were only as cool as it seems.

Ron's monster 572 Wedge showed it had plenty of oomph to propel the big '68 B-Body down the quarter with ease, knocking out a low 11-second pass during his second trial pass for the show. Some electrical gremlins and a missed shift cost him his place on the show which aired this past Black Friday.

Well, guess what? It isn’t fake, it is fun, and Ron Wilson’s run in his ’68 Charger R/T is proof! Ron participated in the Pinks All Out edition of the show in Bristol, TN, and he shared his story of the experience with his friends at the DodgeCharger.com forums. This story is a recap of Ron’s trip!

To begin with, Ron’s car of choice for the event was his black ’68 Dodge Charger R/T lovingly called the “Black Pig.” Like a lot of us, real life kept Ron from being able to meticulously go through the car before heading to Bristol, so his runs would have to be made with the new and untested 572 big block.

He was allowed to make two runs during the test and tune session on Friday and though he would have liked to have had more the sheer volume of cars there prevented it. He made his first pass with a “gentle” 12.50 @ 88mph. All seemed well. On his second pass he went for a hard launch and things looked great, but for some reason he pulled off the throttle at the 1000-foot mark and ran an 11.01@117mph. There was enough there to feel good about though, and he was ready for race day to start the next morning.

A few fuses and a load of patience later, the electrical gremlins are solved.

All contestants were given two runs during time trials, and unfortunately Ron smoked the tires on launch during his first pass and ran a 11.70.

Ron knew there was more in it and lined up for pass #2, determined to make this one the best one. Murphy’s Law had different plans though, and as soon as he lined up for his second pass an electrical problem killed his gauges, including the all important tach. He decided to go for it anyway and shift by ear, but as soon as he got on it the engine started missing terribly.

He aborted the pass and headed to the pits. His buddy Doug found the engine problem; the distributor cap was coming off! They locked it down and went to finding the gauge killing electrical gremlins, finally isolating the issue after ripping the wiring harness apart. He was now ready for the real thing.

Car guys everywhere know that what makes PINKS famous is that the racing is launched not against a Christmas tree, but with the drop of Rich Christensen’s arms. Ron lined up for his arm pass and Rich threw him a grin and thumbs up. The time was finally here.

Rich put one arm up, then the other. Both drivers nodded their ‘ready’ signal. Rich dropped his arms, and Ron launched the Black Pig like a rocket. He ran it all the way through 1st gear, then slammed to second. The big ol’ pig ran up to red line and Ron slammed it into third, only it slipped passed third and went to neutral!

The rev limiter was pegging and in an instant Ron realize the problem and dropped back into third to finish the run, but it was too late. No damage was done, but the race was over, and so was Ron’s chance to continue racing for the win. He left the track with the Pig and headed to the trailer.

Despite all of the setbacks he encountered, Ron commented that the experience was a wonderful one and one he would do again in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. The other racers at the event were positive people to be around, and Ron felt the show hosts were as real and personable off camera as they are on. It’s nice to know that not everyone and everything you see in the media is fake, right?