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I'd say it sounds like a shifter problem, when you've got the shifter in low is it actualy engaging the low gear detent? Try unhooking it, manualy put the lever on the tranny into low than see where the shift linkage lines up with the arm.

There is.  In fact there was about 2 quarts overfull when we started the night.  Drained a bit out.

I'm hoping to eliminate all the other possibilities before moving to the obvious "first gear is blown"...

In my racetruck I have a Powerglide.  3.08 gears in the rear, supposed to run in 1st gear.

Went out for first race weekend and it basically felt like it was in the wrong gear.  I'd only get 4800 rpm or so at the end of the straight.

In terms of gearing, it feels like I'm stuck in 2nd.  And of course everyone's whizzing by me like I'm standing still.

The shifter definitely gets P-R-N-2-1.  On the very last restart of the Feature, I came out of turn 4 and put it to the floor and for a BRIEF moment, it suddenly came alive and kicked me in the ass, before dropping back down.  It FELT basically like a kickdown, from 2nd to 1st.  It just didn't last long.

The transmission made a weird high-pitched howling noise for the first few minutes the truck was driven around in the pits.  The sound eventually went away.

At no point did I feel anything you could describe as slippage, there were no other weird grinding noises or anything that felt out of the ordinary the rest of the night.  Fluid looks good.

This is my first time using a Powerglide in any vehicle.  It's used, previous owner said it would run, etc etc...

So my first two questions are:

1) Are there any Powerglides that were P-R-N-1-2?  I suppose it's possible it's had a shift kit put in it but I was told it was "stock."  If so, I'm an ass for simply not trying to put the shifter up one tick...

2) When the shifter is in 2nd, does a Powerglide act like a more modern automatic, starting in 1st and then moving up to 2nd?  Or does it start in 2nd gear.

Also, I removed and plugged the vacuum modulator, as I'd heard plenty of other circle track racers do.  Is this somehow involved?  I thought it only controlled when the transmission shifts from 1st to 2nd...

Any help appreciated!