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Perfect weather for the Drag stip - Car ran great


iceman

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I started thinking about the drags for Wed. night street noight about Sat. last week when I saw the weather report of a high of 70 for Wed. I figured it would be even cooler by the 5pm start for Street night at the Muncie Drag strip. I looked forward to this night all week....really it was about all that got me through the work days sometimes. Anyway I shot an e-mail to a couple of members and invited them to come up (5.4 Shelby actually did since he lives up there). I rolled in a little late and changed the tires and got into line for my first run. The line was longer than I've ever seen it at this drag strip. It's not that nice of a place but $20 and you run all night and no rules for the most part. I was 2 cars back lined up against a lightly modded corvette (not a Z06 but a vette anyway....with slicks and aftermarket exhaust at a min.) Then they stopped us!!! Moved over to the bikes and let a bunch of them go and announced no more new cars into the staging lanes. I was going to get 1 run then they would start the stupid bracket racing. They still do time trials/testing with the bracket racing but clearly I would not get a lot of runs this night. I had a buddy in the stands with a video recorder and 5.4 & his son there watching and after what seems like an eternity I was finally in the burn out box. Here's where I start to fall apart.

 

I was pretty calm for my first run of the night. i usually have nerves until after the first run but not tonight. I start a nice smokey burn out and then realize the guys in front of me are still not staged so I stop and wait. I felt like a bit of a moron but no big deal. The 2 in front take off and I warm up the tires again. They were good and sticky now and I could tell. This track is really hard to find the starting line on since there is really no line to look for - you just kinda have to know where it is and get there. The vette pre-staged and then I did and then he staged and I finally got there too. Not sure what happened here (maybe I fell asleep for a minute) I lokked up and saw the 3rd yellow light up and didn't even have the car reved so I quickly hit the gas and dropped the clutch (reaction time in the .040 so not terrible but not what I normally do). well with the sticky double heated tires and low rpm's (2200 or so) the thing hooked like it was shot out of a cannon......sadly that cannon only had about 1/2 of the gun powder needed and I bogged badly.....real badly. I was not willing to give up with a vette next to me and stomped on the gas and was off. I had him in reaction time by 5 hundredths but at the 60' mark he was up on me 1.93 to 2.031. From this point on Driver actually got it together and the car was alive. By the 330' mark I had pulled back in front by a bumper and had him 5.354 to 5.407. Normally this would be the end but at this track the right lane gets extremely bumpy at the end (I have had to lift many times). The left lane has a few dips but does not require lifting usually. At 1/8 mile my lead had increased a bit 7.96 to 8.158. The telling tale was the MPH. I was at 97.16 and he was at 89.24. at 1000' I was at a 10.237 and he was at 10.522. Sad to admitt I crossed the line in 12.103 seconds on this run because of such a poor start. I had a trap speed of 124.36 and he was 12.489 at 115.25.

 

I won the race and beat the vette but had a lousy time for the car and conditions (even on this track). I did learn something though and that was that the shift points really make a difference as I ran it out a little farther in the RPM range and thought it helped make up some time.

 

Next race was a bracket race (I hate this crap) but wanted to run and I could run this and get eliminated and then roll back into the time trial lane and get another run in with out the 2 hour wait. I matched up against an old camaro with a 12.25 dial in time so I knew I could beat him. I was sitting with an 11.7 dial in time for this bracket race. He took off and I sat and then went on my light. Blew the reaction time and spun off the line but mustered an 1.833 60' even while spinning (oh there was a car that dumped oil about 7 before me and they took a decade cleaning it up so that probably helped me spin too). I made the stupid choice to try short shifting and see how my theory of running the car higher in the rpm range panned out. I probably could have had a decent run here if i just drove it right instead of dicking around but ended up with an 11.9 at 118 mph. The better start clearly made a difference but the MPH suffered big from the short shifting.

 

As planned i rolled back around to the line for time trials after getting beat on the bracket thing by a few hundredths (he ran a 12.4x so was a bit closer to his dial in than I was - this IMO is not drag racing). Anyway I was once again given plenty of time for the engine to cool on this night and eventually lined up against some NHRA Pro Stock 6-7 second car. I knew the race was not there so the pressure was off - I could just drive. I got my good burn out. Staged easily and got the RPM's up nice for the start. I must have been too busy watching the guy next to me because my reaction time sucked and I was off at .225....Well it got worse from there. I didn't hit the gas hard and bogged bad again. I had a 1.9 60". I took off trying to make up for it letting the RPM's run a bit higher again and was looking OK until I bumped the rev limiter in 3rd and lost a bunch of time with that second mistake. I corrected as fast as I could and finished the run strong but much to my dismay the time was a 12.050 with a 119.56 trap speed. They guy next to me had the bad lane and lifted so he finished with an 8.844. UGLY but if the driver had not made 2 major mistakes would have been a really nice run.....wouldn't they all be with out stupid errors.

 

It was getting late. We couldn't video after the first run because it was too dark. I wanted to let my buddy drive but he didn't want to do it at night in my car. I decided one last run then we'd swap back the tires and go home. I have a history (all 2 times I've been to the track before) of making my best run on the last on of the night. I lined up alone as there were a couple of pick up trucks wanting to run each other behind me. Good burn out and staged.

 

Since there was no race I decided to not mess with reaction time and just try for a decent run to end the night. I reved to about 3700and dumped the clutch. It bit and launched nice. 1.673 60'. I ran it up and shifted just as the light poped on which is 6K for me right now (need to lower it a little for reaction time) and was quick and smooth. I did the same through 2nd and 3rd. has some ass wiggle towards the end but was ready for it so I pushed through it and made a solid run. I rolled back around and picked up my slip and couldn't read it yet because of the dark. and just wanting to get back and change tires. This wun was after 10pm. As I pulled into where the tires were I say my buddy running towards me with his hands up and a big smile. I know I did good at that point. I parked and turned on my lights inside and read the slip and found an 11.393 at 125.92 MPH. Scan coming asap for the time list and pending weather for next Wed. I plan to top this if at all possible. Driver Mod seems to be the biggest issue I am facing but I hope to over come that with power and practice.......the perfect conditions don't hurt either!

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ICE

 

 

 

DAM NICE RUN !!

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getting ready to leave town so this is the best I can do on the slip right now. It's with a phone and e-mailed to myself so sorry for the bad quality. I must go visit the power dr. this week end and will return with a nice new KB and Heat exchanger :) Then next week have to learn to drive all over again. I'll get the video up when i can as it is still a vette and despite my sad time and start it's still a victory that I'm proud of...but I'm easy to please in that way.

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I'm almost afraid to put this up but I guess I may as well let you guys all make fun of my launch:

 

this was the only run I got early enough in the night to tape - 5.4 Shelby can be heard with is son on the video sitting next to my Shelby - they knew I was working for my 11 second pass and blew it with my fantastic driving. We got in the 11's 2 times later but also had the 12.0x with another bad launch and bouncing off the limiter in 3rd - that run could have been the best of the night if I was a capable driver.

 

Next trip included the KB so we'll be shooting for 10's :D

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Was that an elimination run ? Looked like the Vett hit the brakes so he wouldn't break out.

 

What happened at the start looked like you bogged then took off and ran great after that......car sounded good.

 

 

Not a break out run - he had his lihts on - see the start his head lamps are on too. He ran a 12.25 best for the day. As for me - that was the run where I was not paying attention and looked up and the light was green. I would have sat and gone for a good run but the vette was next to me so I just hit it and didn't have enough RPM's at launch so it bogged hard. My 3rd run was the same thing but I also bumped a rev limiter and still pan a 12.0 on that one. The 2nd was the high 11 and the 4th was when i finally rang good all the way with the 11.3. Now I have the KB so I'll have to learn all over but then a bog like that will only cost me a run in the 11's :)

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So what mods did you have at the time of this run? The 2.6 and JLT? What else? Nice runs- thanks for posting for us to enjoy. I would love to score an 11.3 with my vert... haven't taken it to the track yet....

 

also- just wondering- when most people post their e.t.'s, are these "corrected" times?

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So what mods did you have at the time of this run? The 2.6 and JLT? What else? Nice runs- thanks for posting for us to enjoy. I would love to score an 11.3 with my vert... haven't taken it to the track yet....

 

also- just wondering- when most people post their e.t.'s, are these "corrected" times?

 

 

I ran the 11.3 wit all of the mods listed in my sig. other than the KN and Heat Exchanger. Evolution Stage 4 is what I was running as far as a tune. The times posted in that section are what you run - what shows on the slip so it may not be the same for everyone but it is what it is.

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Thanks for the vids! ...and great last run, Chris! Sounding strong!!! :happy feet:

 

Curious what tire pressure were you running in the MTs? I noticed someone else got best 60s w/MTs down at 13# (vs 15-18). Eventually you'll find the best tire-pressure/launch-rpm combo and best shift points -- all dialed-in there might be a 10 in there!!!! :bandance:

 

Give 'em hell!!! ;-)

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Thanks for the vids! ...and great last run, Chris! Sounding strong!!! :happy feet:

 

Curious what tire pressure were you running in the MTs? I noticed someone else got best 60s w/MTs down at 13# (vs 15-18). Eventually you'll find the best tire-pressure/launch-rpm combo and best shift points -- all dialed-in there might be a 10 in there!!!! :bandance:

 

Give 'em hell!!! ;-)

 

I ran them at 18 psi this trip. I liked it there and will likely leave it. I had it at 13 the time before that and was not happy with the way the car felt at speed on them. I may have to drop it a little with the new power i have but the car ran and felt really good at 18. It hooked nice too other than the time I was up after a car dumped oil about 7 runs before me. I spun on that one but that was not the tires. I think as I get more practice I'll know better but I didn't see any negatived from moving to 18 from 13 psi. The vert is heavyier in the rear though and I am nearly 300 lbs too. That may be some of it?

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Thanks for the vids! ...and great last run, Chris! Sounding strong!!! :happy feet:

 

Curious what tire pressure were you running in the MTs? I noticed someone else got best 60s w/MTs down at 13# (vs 15-18). Eventually you'll find the best tire-pressure/launch-rpm combo and best shift points -- all dialed-in there might be a 10 in there!!!! :bandance:

 

Give 'em hell!!! ;-)

 

 

Oh - and there's a 10 there for sure now. That 11.3 was pre-KB blower. I have to learn to drive it all over again. I found that the hiogher the shift point the better really (about 6400) was working best for me prior to the KB. I didn't like driving that way so i think the KB fits my style a little better as I like to shift about 6K - I have the limiter at 6200 now and the shift light at 5800 - I figure that will work out about right if I can work my feet right.

 

I put in a triple pod and the raptor shift light today so now I have fuel pressure to go along with the boost and wideband A/F. I'm special because I like my A/F at the bottom not the top like it seems everyone wants it but I like the light lower so at night it is not in my face. The shift light is BRIGHT so I have a few caps to use for that too. I think the night one will be a must or I may go blind if I use the clear day one at night. I'll try to snap a pic here in a bit and put it on here too.

 

Edit - pic

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That's really nice and functional, Chris!!!

 

I didn't realize that 11.3 was pre-KB! -- oh, yeah ...10s comming for sure :happy feet:

 

I guess these "big heavy pigs" can dance allright :elefant: :hysterical: I remember before they were released when Hau Tai-tang was musing on the possibility of the day when a factory mustang with just bolt-ons would run 10s! Hello, HTT! -)

 

...must feel strange in a 3250# 505HP Z06 getting creamed by 4000# vert :hysterical2:

...oh, yeah... game-on in the black vert!!

:)

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