I came across these photos again recently and thought you might enjoy them...
Anyway, here's the deal. Back in 2000 we got our Ralt RT-41 painted in a sponsorship deal by a shop in Tucson that was heavily into the import drag scene. Part of the deal was that we'd do some car shows with them to show off the paint (it really was gorgeous!). Well, one day the guy rings us up and says that NOPI are having their big show up at Firebird Int'l Raceway in Phoenix...and would we come make some exhibition runs?
Our long-time crew chief Dave Rich is an old drag racer (so am I...I still have my big-block Mustang) assured me on the phone (I was commander of the US air base in Ecuador at the time) that he had everything under control, so I said yes. Dave ran the show and it all came off without a hitch or any damage except for tearing up the "diaper" a bit.
According to all who were there the crowd loved it, even if the announcer did describe the car as a "Toyota Indy Car"...
My sister-in-law Michelle was in the grandstands and snapped these pics. Enjoy!