My Weekend Drag Racing Results (and vids)
8/4/07, 06:18 PM
#141
Thread Starter
1/8-Mile Drags, Qualcomm, August 3, 2007
About the only good thing I can say for this night was that we had a lot fun hanging out at the track with our friends, because the racing wasn’t that great. The humidity was pretty bad, and traction was virtually non-existent. We made 11 runs total, but spun on the launch on 8 of them. And to top it off, my left front tire went flat which ended our night early. At least it happened back in the pits, and not on the track at 95mph.
As noted, the air was pretty moist and it was about the worst DA we’ve seen at this track. The temperature stayed in the 70s and the humidity almost 80%. The dew point was in the mid-60s all night.
I was reasonably consistent on the tree. Out of my 5 runs, my slowest was 0.539. My other two greens were a 0.507 and 0.509, for an average of 0.518. I also had a couple near-miss reds… but that’s what happens when you are trying to drill the tree.
Here are the videos from Friday, August 3 at Qualcomm. My favorite videos are marked with the asterisks (**).
**Video #1, Time 6:41 pm, DA = 1,554 ft:
Donna made the first three runs, and the traction issues started right away. After a major burnout (which literally covered the whole car in rubber… what a mess!), she black-tracked it out of the hole. With all that spinning, all she could run was a 7.395 @ 92.59, with a 1.700 60-foot time. The Honda in the other lane ran a pedestrian 10.538 @ 68.49, 2.516.
Video #2, Time 6:48 pm, DA = 1,436 ft:
Her second run was even worse. The car spun hard and bounced off the rev limiter. A bad 1.777 60-ft time resulted in the slowest ET of the night, 7.521 @ 92.40. Her opponent ran 8.736 @ 84.75, 1.775.
**Video #3, Time 6:59 pm, DA = 1,389 ft:
On this run, she was paired up against Dan and his Camaro. Even though they both left early and spun on the launch, it was a good even side-by-side run, with Dan taking the stripe by 0.027 seconds (less than 4 feet). Donna ran 7.428 @ 92.98, 1.716 and Dan went 7.359 @ 95.54. Dan’s car usually runs very low 7’s, and has run in the 6’s. His best run of the night was a 7.24, so you can see how the track and weather conditions affected performance.
**Video #4, Time 7:19 pm, DA = 1,256 ft:
Now it was my turn for some tire spin, but it wasn’t as bad as Donna’s. I ran 7.311 @ 96.77, 1.682… but I left about 0.031 early. The 96.77mph trap speed was the highest of the night. My opponent aborted early, coasting to a 15.421 @ 46.44. You can’t really see the whole thing, but a funny thing happened on this run. As you may know, there are two side-by-side tracks here. Over on the right track, a couple of cars were lined up at the same time. They left about the time we were getting staged… you can hear them squeal the tires right before the tree came down for us. So, they had about a 2-second head start. The funny part is that I was able to catch and pass the winner on the other track before he crossed the finish line.
**Video #5, Time 7:27 pm, DA = 1,213 ft:
Finally, on the fifth run of the night, the tire spin was minimal. After cutting a 0.539 RT, I clocked the best ET of the night, 7.247 @ 93.55, 1.619. The BMW ran 9.276 @ 77.45, 2.391.
**Video #6, Time 7:36 pm, DA = 1,299 ft:
On this run, I was racing Mike (aka mdcorny) in his 2007 Mustang GT/CS. Mike’s car is N/A and runs pretty darn strong. He made a very good pass with an 8.462 @ 81.96, 1.865, with a 0.552 reaction time. I spun on the launch (what a shock, huh?) and slowed to a 7.379 @ 92.21, 1.678. I also had my best RT of the night on this run… a 0.507. And it appears to lift the front tire on this run, too.
Video #7, Time 8:24 pm, DA = 1,188 ft:
Donna was up against Mike’s Mustang GT/CS on this lap, too. Even though she spun again, Donna made her best run on the evening, and Mike improved on the run he made against me. She ran 7.290 @ 93.95, 1.678 vs Mike’s excellent 8.410 @ 81.81, 1.824.
Video #8, Time 8:54 pm, DA = 1,088 ft:
After yet another slippery launch, Donna ran 7.320 @ 93.74, 1.692. The popping import ran 8.774 @ 82.27, 2.209.
Video #9, Time 9:05 pm, DA = 1,088 ft:
Donna’s last run of the night was against an S2000. For the 6th time in 6 tries, she spun on the launch. After a 1.753 60-ft time, she ran 7.421 @ 93.55. The Honda ran 9.632 @ 73.76, 2.303.
**Video #10, Time 9:48 pm, DA = 1,079 ft:
I was running against a Camaro on this run, and we both drilled the Christmas tree. He cut a 0.505 to my 0.509. But, I pulled away with a 7.287 @ 93.55, 1.650, to his 7.972 @ 87.38, 1.797.
Video #11, Time 10:03 pm, DA = 1,079 ft:
The Camaro and I lined up again on this run. I was little quick on the tree (0.465) and he was way late (0.831). But, I equaled my best ET of the night with a 7.247 @ 93.94, 1.635. He ran 7.926 @ 86.04, 1.720. It was after this run that my left front tire went flat as I was driving around the staging road by the pits.
About the only good thing I can say for this night was that we had a lot fun hanging out at the track with our friends, because the racing wasn’t that great. The humidity was pretty bad, and traction was virtually non-existent. We made 11 runs total, but spun on the launch on 8 of them. And to top it off, my left front tire went flat which ended our night early. At least it happened back in the pits, and not on the track at 95mph.
As noted, the air was pretty moist and it was about the worst DA we’ve seen at this track. The temperature stayed in the 70s and the humidity almost 80%. The dew point was in the mid-60s all night.
I was reasonably consistent on the tree. Out of my 5 runs, my slowest was 0.539. My other two greens were a 0.507 and 0.509, for an average of 0.518. I also had a couple near-miss reds… but that’s what happens when you are trying to drill the tree.
Here are the videos from Friday, August 3 at Qualcomm. My favorite videos are marked with the asterisks (**).
**Video #1, Time 6:41 pm, DA = 1,554 ft:
Donna made the first three runs, and the traction issues started right away. After a major burnout (which literally covered the whole car in rubber… what a mess!), she black-tracked it out of the hole. With all that spinning, all she could run was a 7.395 @ 92.59, with a 1.700 60-foot time. The Honda in the other lane ran a pedestrian 10.538 @ 68.49, 2.516.
Video #2, Time 6:48 pm, DA = 1,436 ft:
Her second run was even worse. The car spun hard and bounced off the rev limiter. A bad 1.777 60-ft time resulted in the slowest ET of the night, 7.521 @ 92.40. Her opponent ran 8.736 @ 84.75, 1.775.
**Video #3, Time 6:59 pm, DA = 1,389 ft:
On this run, she was paired up against Dan and his Camaro. Even though they both left early and spun on the launch, it was a good even side-by-side run, with Dan taking the stripe by 0.027 seconds (less than 4 feet). Donna ran 7.428 @ 92.98, 1.716 and Dan went 7.359 @ 95.54. Dan’s car usually runs very low 7’s, and has run in the 6’s. His best run of the night was a 7.24, so you can see how the track and weather conditions affected performance.
**Video #4, Time 7:19 pm, DA = 1,256 ft:
Now it was my turn for some tire spin, but it wasn’t as bad as Donna’s. I ran 7.311 @ 96.77, 1.682… but I left about 0.031 early. The 96.77mph trap speed was the highest of the night. My opponent aborted early, coasting to a 15.421 @ 46.44. You can’t really see the whole thing, but a funny thing happened on this run. As you may know, there are two side-by-side tracks here. Over on the right track, a couple of cars were lined up at the same time. They left about the time we were getting staged… you can hear them squeal the tires right before the tree came down for us. So, they had about a 2-second head start. The funny part is that I was able to catch and pass the winner on the other track before he crossed the finish line.
**Video #5, Time 7:27 pm, DA = 1,213 ft:
Finally, on the fifth run of the night, the tire spin was minimal. After cutting a 0.539 RT, I clocked the best ET of the night, 7.247 @ 93.55, 1.619. The BMW ran 9.276 @ 77.45, 2.391.
**Video #6, Time 7:36 pm, DA = 1,299 ft:
On this run, I was racing Mike (aka mdcorny) in his 2007 Mustang GT/CS. Mike’s car is N/A and runs pretty darn strong. He made a very good pass with an 8.462 @ 81.96, 1.865, with a 0.552 reaction time. I spun on the launch (what a shock, huh?) and slowed to a 7.379 @ 92.21, 1.678. I also had my best RT of the night on this run… a 0.507. And it appears to lift the front tire on this run, too.
Video #7, Time 8:24 pm, DA = 1,188 ft:
Donna was up against Mike’s Mustang GT/CS on this lap, too. Even though she spun again, Donna made her best run on the evening, and Mike improved on the run he made against me. She ran 7.290 @ 93.95, 1.678 vs Mike’s excellent 8.410 @ 81.81, 1.824.
Video #8, Time 8:54 pm, DA = 1,088 ft:
After yet another slippery launch, Donna ran 7.320 @ 93.74, 1.692. The popping import ran 8.774 @ 82.27, 2.209.
Video #9, Time 9:05 pm, DA = 1,088 ft:
Donna’s last run of the night was against an S2000. For the 6th time in 6 tries, she spun on the launch. After a 1.753 60-ft time, she ran 7.421 @ 93.55. The Honda ran 9.632 @ 73.76, 2.303.
**Video #10, Time 9:48 pm, DA = 1,079 ft:
I was running against a Camaro on this run, and we both drilled the Christmas tree. He cut a 0.505 to my 0.509. But, I pulled away with a 7.287 @ 93.55, 1.650, to his 7.972 @ 87.38, 1.797.
Video #11, Time 10:03 pm, DA = 1,079 ft:
The Camaro and I lined up again on this run. I was little quick on the tree (0.465) and he was way late (0.831). But, I equaled my best ET of the night with a 7.247 @ 93.94, 1.635. He ran 7.926 @ 86.04, 1.720. It was after this run that my left front tire went flat as I was driving around the staging road by the pits.
That was me in video #6 & #7. I have watched a bunch of your race vids, and figured what better way to see my car run, and get beat by Don & Donna.
8/5/07, 02:19 PM
#143
Thread Starter
I'll edit the write up now.Anyway, I have to say how impressed I am with how well your car runs. Even in the bad air, you're already quicker than I ever was N/A.
8/20/07, 11:20 AM
#144
Thread Starter
1/8-Mile Drags, Barona, August 11, 2007
As bad as the weather was on our last trip to the track, it was a little worse this time… in fact, it was the worst we’ve seen at the track all year. The high temperature was 94 degrees, and the density altitude was over 4,500 feet at the time of the first few runs, and only dropped to 3,400 feet by the time of our last run.
We stopped early, and only made 9 runs. With the exception of two runs that spun on the launch, all of the runs were in the 7.30s. The average for the seven clean runs was 7.37 @ 93.
Here are the videos from Friday, August 11, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
**Video #1, Time 3:47 pm, DA = 4,523 ft:
Inexplicably, my first run turned out to be the quickest and fastest of the day, even though the weather was at its worst. Go figure. I was lined up against a Z06 Corvette, and his street tires were no help. I missed a perfect reaction time by 1/1000 of a second (-0.001), and ran 7.341 @ 94.722, with a 1.615 60-foot time (also the best of the day). The Vette ran 9.662 @ 82.765, 2.818.
Video #2, Time 3:58 pm, DA = 4,451 ft:
On this run, a different Corvette was in the other lane. The car slowed down a tick to 7.380 @ 94.654, 1.651. The Corvette went 9.118 @ 79.642, 2.124.
**Video #3, Time 4:23 pm, DA = 4,385 ft:
The Z06 was back for a second time, and his traction problems were even worse on this run. He spun bad and basically clicked it off early and coasted through. Donna was in a good camera position to get a nice view of my front tire lifting, and the car stayed consistent running a 7.372 @ 91.474, 1.626. My opponent rolled through with a 12.827 @ 50.779, 3.217.
Video #4, Time 4:53 pm, DA = 4,339 ft:
Because I was planning on running in a Late Model Shootout bracket race later, Donna passed up her seat time to give me a few extra runs before it started (I guess she figured I needed the practice). I managed a decent 0.045 RT, and once again, the car was very consistent, recording a 7.361 @ 94.379, 1.639. The Fox Mustang in the other lane ran 10.440 @ 66.918, 2.298.
Video #5, Time 5:05 pm, DA = 4,326 ft:
My 5th run was a solo pass. I rolled in a little deep, and went red by 0.007 seconds. The car spun on the launch, and bounced off the rev limiter on the 1-2 shift. The lack of traction resulted in the slowest ET and 60-ft times of the day, 7.469 @ 91.756, 1.708.
**Video #6, Time 5:31 pm, DA = 4,200 ft:
This was the last run made prior to the start of the bracket race. I was running against our friend John in his ’07 Vista Blue Mustang. And once again, the car ran in the mid 7.30s… five of my first six runs were between 7.34 and 7.38. I ran 7.372 @ 92.209, 1.653 to John’s 8.936 @ 80.427, 2.102. Donna had a good camera angle on this run, too.
Video #7, Time 6:58 pm, DA = 3,754 ft:
In the first round of the Late Model Shootout bracket, I was paired up against John. We had tried to not draw each other, but the random pairings put us together anyway (if there had of been an odd number of cars, I would have had the Bye). John dialed in at 8.90 and I decided to dial in at 7.40, figuring I could brake at the top end if I had to. But, I rolled in too deep in the beams, and threw it away with a redlight foul. I ran 7.393 @ 91.889, 1.619 to John’s 8.805 @ 81.132, 2.060.
**Video #8, Time 7:18 pm, DA = 3,670 ft:
My last run of the day started with some tire spin and the car slowed down. Even though the car (an Anglia??) in the other lane was slightly quicker, I took the stripe by 0.017 seconds (about 2 feet). It was a fun side-by-side race. I ran 7.447 @ 91.488, 1.690 to his 7.400 @ 94.565, 1.659.
Video #9, Time 8:00 pm, DA = 3,439 ft:
Donna’s first run turned out to be her only run. The big Chevy in the left lane went red by a bunch (-0.261), turning on Donna’s win light. She ran 7.384 @ 92.537, 1.676. The bowtie went 6.730 @ 104.581, 1.574. When Donna returned to the staging lanes after this pass, the car battery died (still not sure why), and we had to push it out of the lanes to jump start it. At that point, we just decided to call it a night and go home.
As bad as the weather was on our last trip to the track, it was a little worse this time… in fact, it was the worst we’ve seen at the track all year. The high temperature was 94 degrees, and the density altitude was over 4,500 feet at the time of the first few runs, and only dropped to 3,400 feet by the time of our last run.
We stopped early, and only made 9 runs. With the exception of two runs that spun on the launch, all of the runs were in the 7.30s. The average for the seven clean runs was 7.37 @ 93.
Here are the videos from Friday, August 11, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
**Video #1, Time 3:47 pm, DA = 4,523 ft:
Inexplicably, my first run turned out to be the quickest and fastest of the day, even though the weather was at its worst. Go figure. I was lined up against a Z06 Corvette, and his street tires were no help. I missed a perfect reaction time by 1/1000 of a second (-0.001), and ran 7.341 @ 94.722, with a 1.615 60-foot time (also the best of the day). The Vette ran 9.662 @ 82.765, 2.818.
Video #2, Time 3:58 pm, DA = 4,451 ft:
On this run, a different Corvette was in the other lane. The car slowed down a tick to 7.380 @ 94.654, 1.651. The Corvette went 9.118 @ 79.642, 2.124.
**Video #3, Time 4:23 pm, DA = 4,385 ft:
The Z06 was back for a second time, and his traction problems were even worse on this run. He spun bad and basically clicked it off early and coasted through. Donna was in a good camera position to get a nice view of my front tire lifting, and the car stayed consistent running a 7.372 @ 91.474, 1.626. My opponent rolled through with a 12.827 @ 50.779, 3.217.
Video #4, Time 4:53 pm, DA = 4,339 ft:
Because I was planning on running in a Late Model Shootout bracket race later, Donna passed up her seat time to give me a few extra runs before it started (I guess she figured I needed the practice). I managed a decent 0.045 RT, and once again, the car was very consistent, recording a 7.361 @ 94.379, 1.639. The Fox Mustang in the other lane ran 10.440 @ 66.918, 2.298.
Video #5, Time 5:05 pm, DA = 4,326 ft:
My 5th run was a solo pass. I rolled in a little deep, and went red by 0.007 seconds. The car spun on the launch, and bounced off the rev limiter on the 1-2 shift. The lack of traction resulted in the slowest ET and 60-ft times of the day, 7.469 @ 91.756, 1.708.
**Video #6, Time 5:31 pm, DA = 4,200 ft:
This was the last run made prior to the start of the bracket race. I was running against our friend John in his ’07 Vista Blue Mustang. And once again, the car ran in the mid 7.30s… five of my first six runs were between 7.34 and 7.38. I ran 7.372 @ 92.209, 1.653 to John’s 8.936 @ 80.427, 2.102. Donna had a good camera angle on this run, too.
Video #7, Time 6:58 pm, DA = 3,754 ft:
In the first round of the Late Model Shootout bracket, I was paired up against John. We had tried to not draw each other, but the random pairings put us together anyway (if there had of been an odd number of cars, I would have had the Bye). John dialed in at 8.90 and I decided to dial in at 7.40, figuring I could brake at the top end if I had to. But, I rolled in too deep in the beams, and threw it away with a redlight foul. I ran 7.393 @ 91.889, 1.619 to John’s 8.805 @ 81.132, 2.060.
**Video #8, Time 7:18 pm, DA = 3,670 ft:
My last run of the day started with some tire spin and the car slowed down. Even though the car (an Anglia??) in the other lane was slightly quicker, I took the stripe by 0.017 seconds (about 2 feet). It was a fun side-by-side race. I ran 7.447 @ 91.488, 1.690 to his 7.400 @ 94.565, 1.659.
Video #9, Time 8:00 pm, DA = 3,439 ft:
Donna’s first run turned out to be her only run. The big Chevy in the left lane went red by a bunch (-0.261), turning on Donna’s win light. She ran 7.384 @ 92.537, 1.676. The bowtie went 6.730 @ 104.581, 1.574. When Donna returned to the staging lanes after this pass, the car battery died (still not sure why), and we had to push it out of the lanes to jump start it. At that point, we just decided to call it a night and go home.
8/20/07, 01:54 PM
#146
Thread Starter
8/20/07, 05:59 PM
#148
Thread Starter
Whatever the limit is... I haven't reached it yet. 
10/11/07, 06:35 PM
#149
Thread Starter
1/8-Mile Drags, Barona, October 5, 2007
After a nearly 2-month hiatus away from the track, we were stoked to be able to go back. The weather was very cool (in the 50s), so we hoped for some much improved results. Unfortunately, that’s not what we saw. All it would run was 7.30s and 7.40s. Yuck.
We arrived with two new tunes from Adam (a new street tune and a new race tune). Before the first lap, I dumped 5 gallons of 110 in the tank, loaded up the race tune, and packed the chiller box full of ice, fully expecting the car to run like a scalded dog. It didn’t. In fact, it didn’t matter which tune I ran… the car wouldn’t respond. We even made a bunch of runs using my “old” street tune (which has gone as quick as 7.0 before). Not much better.
I’m not sure exactly what is going on here, but something just isn’t right. I don’t see how it can be tune related (since my old “proven” tune was just as slow), but I have a couple other ideas. First, the fuel I used had been sitting in a 5-gal jug in my garage for a couple months. So it may have gone sour. Second, maybe my plugs were no good, although I never heard any missing or sputtering. Both of those issues will be corrected before I hit the track again (fresh fuel and new plugs are ready to go). The third possibility is that maybe the motor is just getting tired, and needs to be freshened up. It has 17K miles and 600+ runs on it.
Anyway, we got in a total of 16 runs. The track was pretty slick at times… both on the launch and down track. It was just a wee bit too cool out there I think, there wasn’t much heat in the track. With the exception of one run that spun really hard on the launch, all of the runs were in the 7.30s and 7.40s. The average for the other 15 runs was 7.42 @ 93.
Here are the videos from Friday, October 5, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
Video #1, Time 6:33 pm, DA = 1,991 ft:
My first run was with the race tune loaded, and was against a late model Mach 1. Even though the car launched well (lifted the front tire), it nosed over at higher rpms (right before the shifts), and generally did not run strong at all. It also spun at about the 60’ cone. I ran 7.425 @ 94.760, with a 1.644 60-foot time. The Mach 1 ran 9.570 @ 77.901, 2.404. The 94.760 mph trap speed was the highest of the night.
**Video #2, Time 6:45 pm, DA = 1,977 ft:
On this run, I loaded the new street tune in. Even though the car made a hard move to the left on the launch, it still cut the best 60’ of the night (1.629). My opponent was a quick 1967 Mustang. I ran 7.379 @ 94.284, 1.629. The ’67 went 7.050 @ 96.577, 1.540.
Video #3, Time 6:54 pm, DA = 1,958 ft:
Before this pass, the “old” street tune went in. And even though it was my best pass of the night, I was still a long way behind the Corvette in the other lane. My 7.370 @ 94.643, 1.670 was no match for his 6.706 @ 106.891, 1.694.
**Video #4, Time 7:32 pm, DA = 1,927 ft:
I was up against the â€67 Mustang again on this run. And this one turned out to be a wild ride for me. The car spun on the launch, and then just past half track, it got pretty loose. It felt worse than it looks… but it definitely got my attention! Ed also got a video of this run, which shows the top end wiggle better (Ed’s video). All I could run after all that was 7.479 @ 93.071, 1.704. The other Mustang ran 7.075 @ 96.691, 1.568.
Video #5, Time 7:39 pm, DA = 1,927 ft:
Run #5 for me was a good chance to see a parachute blossom at the finish line… I was running against a low 5-sec dragster. haha. My 7.379 @ 93.929, 1.650 was no contest for his 5.231 @ 131.944, 1.179.
Video #6, Time 8:26 pm, DA = 1,793 ft:
On this run, I decided to try the race tune one more time. The result was about the same for me, 7.421 @ 94.004, 1.629. The Buick Grand National in the other lane had nitrous on top of his turbo-6, and laid down a very nice 6.639 @ 109.939, 1.639.
Video #7, Time 9:37 pm, DA = 1,785 ft:
My last run of the night was the first round of the Gambler bracket race. I put the old street tune back in, and dialed in at 7.37 (I should have dialed higher… and I knew it when I did it, too). The Duster in the other lane was dialed in at 7.29, so it was pretty close to a heads up race. I managed to snooze at the tree (0.128 to his 0.053), and then the car only ran 7.460. I was done for the night. The numbers: 7.460 @ 93.554, 1.704 to his 7.335 @ 87.032, 1.635.
Video #8, Time 10:21 pm, DA = 1,805 ft:
This was the first of Donna’s nine runs (note: all nine of her runs were done in less than an hour! The “hot lap” queen! hehe). She was running against a Subaru (with a pink roll bar). She spun hard on the launch, which slowed the car way down. She ran 7.572 @ 92.473, 1.784 vs 7.677 @ 91.041, 1.930.
Video #9, Time 10:27 pm, DA = 1,805 ft:
On this pass, Donna was paired up with a Mini Cooper. Talk about a mismatch. The margin of victory was 3.426 seconds… about 30 car lengths. Donna ran 7.455 @ 94.051, 1.715. The Mini ran 11.122 @ 66.527, 2.729. The Mini’s ET at the 330-foot mark (1/2-track) was 7.410… just slightly quicker than Donna’s 660-foot time.
Video #10, Time 10:31 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
Donna was on a solo run this time. She ran 7.435 @ 92.699, 1.698.
**Video #11, Time 10:37 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
Donna’s 4th run was against a very quick motorcycle. The car launched pretty hard (you can see light under the left front tire again), but the run was just average. She ran 7.406 @ 94.069, 1.711 to the bike’s 6.315 @ 111.942, 1.574.
**Video #12, Time 10:51 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
This pass was also a solo for Donna. She got pretty loose early in the run, but she kept the loud pedal mashed and drove through it. Nicely done! The timeslip read: 7.469 @ 92.806, 1.708.
**Video #13, Time 10:57 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
This turned out to be the quickest run of the whole night. I was standing even with the tree for this camera angle. Donna was running the Mini Cooper again on this pass. She went 7.326 @ 93.329, 1.634 vs 10.801 @ 68.848, 2.718.
Video #14, Time 11:10 pm, DA = 1,802 ft:
Before this pass, I reloaded the “new” street tune in the car. Donna was supposed to have raced Paul in his Ford-302-on-the-bottle Miata, but his car died on the line (it turned out to be a loose connection on the distributor). So, she ended up with a bye run. Too bad, because Paul had been running in the 7.3-7.4 range, so it would have been a fun race. Donna ran 7.446 @ 92.897, 1.662.
Video #15, Time 11:14 pm, DA = 1,802 ft:
Another solo run for Donna netted a 7.455 @ 92.412, 1.649.
Video #16, Time 11:18 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
Donna’s last run of the night (and 9th in a 57-minute span!) was also a solo, and resulted in her equaling the best 60-ft of the night. She ran 7.419 @ 92.672, 1.629.
After a nearly 2-month hiatus away from the track, we were stoked to be able to go back. The weather was very cool (in the 50s), so we hoped for some much improved results. Unfortunately, that’s not what we saw. All it would run was 7.30s and 7.40s. Yuck.
We arrived with two new tunes from Adam (a new street tune and a new race tune). Before the first lap, I dumped 5 gallons of 110 in the tank, loaded up the race tune, and packed the chiller box full of ice, fully expecting the car to run like a scalded dog. It didn’t. In fact, it didn’t matter which tune I ran… the car wouldn’t respond. We even made a bunch of runs using my “old” street tune (which has gone as quick as 7.0 before). Not much better.
I’m not sure exactly what is going on here, but something just isn’t right. I don’t see how it can be tune related (since my old “proven” tune was just as slow), but I have a couple other ideas. First, the fuel I used had been sitting in a 5-gal jug in my garage for a couple months. So it may have gone sour. Second, maybe my plugs were no good, although I never heard any missing or sputtering. Both of those issues will be corrected before I hit the track again (fresh fuel and new plugs are ready to go). The third possibility is that maybe the motor is just getting tired, and needs to be freshened up. It has 17K miles and 600+ runs on it.
Anyway, we got in a total of 16 runs. The track was pretty slick at times… both on the launch and down track. It was just a wee bit too cool out there I think, there wasn’t much heat in the track. With the exception of one run that spun really hard on the launch, all of the runs were in the 7.30s and 7.40s. The average for the other 15 runs was 7.42 @ 93.
Here are the videos from Friday, October 5, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
Video #1, Time 6:33 pm, DA = 1,991 ft:
My first run was with the race tune loaded, and was against a late model Mach 1. Even though the car launched well (lifted the front tire), it nosed over at higher rpms (right before the shifts), and generally did not run strong at all. It also spun at about the 60’ cone. I ran 7.425 @ 94.760, with a 1.644 60-foot time. The Mach 1 ran 9.570 @ 77.901, 2.404. The 94.760 mph trap speed was the highest of the night.
**Video #2, Time 6:45 pm, DA = 1,977 ft:
On this run, I loaded the new street tune in. Even though the car made a hard move to the left on the launch, it still cut the best 60’ of the night (1.629). My opponent was a quick 1967 Mustang. I ran 7.379 @ 94.284, 1.629. The ’67 went 7.050 @ 96.577, 1.540.
Video #3, Time 6:54 pm, DA = 1,958 ft:
Before this pass, the “old” street tune went in. And even though it was my best pass of the night, I was still a long way behind the Corvette in the other lane. My 7.370 @ 94.643, 1.670 was no match for his 6.706 @ 106.891, 1.694.
**Video #4, Time 7:32 pm, DA = 1,927 ft:
I was up against the â€67 Mustang again on this run. And this one turned out to be a wild ride for me. The car spun on the launch, and then just past half track, it got pretty loose. It felt worse than it looks… but it definitely got my attention! Ed also got a video of this run, which shows the top end wiggle better (Ed’s video). All I could run after all that was 7.479 @ 93.071, 1.704. The other Mustang ran 7.075 @ 96.691, 1.568.
Video #5, Time 7:39 pm, DA = 1,927 ft:
Run #5 for me was a good chance to see a parachute blossom at the finish line… I was running against a low 5-sec dragster. haha. My 7.379 @ 93.929, 1.650 was no contest for his 5.231 @ 131.944, 1.179.
Video #6, Time 8:26 pm, DA = 1,793 ft:
On this run, I decided to try the race tune one more time. The result was about the same for me, 7.421 @ 94.004, 1.629. The Buick Grand National in the other lane had nitrous on top of his turbo-6, and laid down a very nice 6.639 @ 109.939, 1.639.
Video #7, Time 9:37 pm, DA = 1,785 ft:
My last run of the night was the first round of the Gambler bracket race. I put the old street tune back in, and dialed in at 7.37 (I should have dialed higher… and I knew it when I did it, too). The Duster in the other lane was dialed in at 7.29, so it was pretty close to a heads up race. I managed to snooze at the tree (0.128 to his 0.053), and then the car only ran 7.460. I was done for the night. The numbers: 7.460 @ 93.554, 1.704 to his 7.335 @ 87.032, 1.635.
Video #8, Time 10:21 pm, DA = 1,805 ft:
This was the first of Donna’s nine runs (note: all nine of her runs were done in less than an hour! The “hot lap” queen! hehe). She was running against a Subaru (with a pink roll bar). She spun hard on the launch, which slowed the car way down. She ran 7.572 @ 92.473, 1.784 vs 7.677 @ 91.041, 1.930.
Video #9, Time 10:27 pm, DA = 1,805 ft:
On this pass, Donna was paired up with a Mini Cooper. Talk about a mismatch. The margin of victory was 3.426 seconds… about 30 car lengths. Donna ran 7.455 @ 94.051, 1.715. The Mini ran 11.122 @ 66.527, 2.729. The Mini’s ET at the 330-foot mark (1/2-track) was 7.410… just slightly quicker than Donna’s 660-foot time.
Video #10, Time 10:31 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
Donna was on a solo run this time. She ran 7.435 @ 92.699, 1.698.
**Video #11, Time 10:37 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
Donna’s 4th run was against a very quick motorcycle. The car launched pretty hard (you can see light under the left front tire again), but the run was just average. She ran 7.406 @ 94.069, 1.711 to the bike’s 6.315 @ 111.942, 1.574.
**Video #12, Time 10:51 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
This pass was also a solo for Donna. She got pretty loose early in the run, but she kept the loud pedal mashed and drove through it. Nicely done! The timeslip read: 7.469 @ 92.806, 1.708.
**Video #13, Time 10:57 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
This turned out to be the quickest run of the whole night. I was standing even with the tree for this camera angle. Donna was running the Mini Cooper again on this pass. She went 7.326 @ 93.329, 1.634 vs 10.801 @ 68.848, 2.718.
Video #14, Time 11:10 pm, DA = 1,802 ft:
Before this pass, I reloaded the “new” street tune in the car. Donna was supposed to have raced Paul in his Ford-302-on-the-bottle Miata, but his car died on the line (it turned out to be a loose connection on the distributor). So, she ended up with a bye run. Too bad, because Paul had been running in the 7.3-7.4 range, so it would have been a fun race. Donna ran 7.446 @ 92.897, 1.662.
Video #15, Time 11:14 pm, DA = 1,802 ft:
Another solo run for Donna netted a 7.455 @ 92.412, 1.649.
Video #16, Time 11:18 pm, DA = 1,795 ft:
Donna’s last run of the night (and 9th in a 57-minute span!) was also a solo, and resulted in her equaling the best 60-ft of the night. She ran 7.419 @ 92.672, 1.629.
10/12/07, 03:56 PM
#150
Real nice Don. Def. Looks like the surface was a bit slick.
10/12/07, 05:56 PM
#151
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Join Date: January 9, 2005
Location: New Carlisle, Ohio (20 miles north of Dayton)
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Hey Don,
David is right.
I kept looking at your vids thinking it looks like the track was wet or something. No wonder you were having tractions issues. You know what I what to see? You and Donna paired together in equally matched cars!!! Want to know who my money would be on?? 
Hint... Hint... I think she would kick your hiney!!!
Scott
David is right.
I kept looking at your vids thinking it looks like the track was wet or something. No wonder you were having tractions issues. You know what I what to see? You and Donna paired together in equally matched cars!!! Want to know who my money would be on?? Hint... Hint... I think she would kick your hiney!!!Scott
10/13/07, 05:50 PM
#152
Thread Starter
Hey Don,
David is right. I kept looking at your vids thinking it looks like the track was wet or something. No wonder you were having tractions issues. You know what I what to see? You and Donna paired together in equally matched cars!!! Want to know who my money would be on?? Hint... Hint... I think she would kick your hiney!!!
Scott
David is right.
I kept looking at your vids thinking it looks like the track was wet or something. No wonder you were having tractions issues. You know what I what to see? You and Donna paired together in equally matched cars!!! Want to know who my money would be on?? Hint... Hint... I think she would kick your hiney!!!Scott
10/13/07, 05:53 PM
#153
Thread Starter
1/8-Mile Drags, Qualcomm, October 12, 2007
This turned out to be a fairly short night… we only got in 6 runs. As I was getting ready to make the 7th run, a car crashed on the tracked. It hit the K-rail that divides the two tracks, and ended up facing the wrong direction. One K-rail was knocked over on its side, and another was moved at about a 30 degree angle. Plus, there was glass all over both tracks. It was going to take a long time to get the mess cleaned up, so we called it a night.
The on-track woes continued for my car. Four of the six runs were in the 7.30s. The other two were… well, not good at all. Traction was hit and miss, but the poor ETs can’t be totally blamed on that.
Here are the videos from Friday, October 12 at Qualcomm. My favorite videos are marked with the asterisks (**).
**Video #1, Time 7:50 pm, DA = 560 ft:
My first run was a waste. After the launch, the car drifted out of the groove to the right, and I was trying to bring it back. But it wasn’t responding, and then it made a hard move to the left. Rather than doing something stupid, I just lifted and let it straighten out. The result was a crappy ET, 8.047 @ 87.88, 1.683. The other car ran 8.429 @ 83.33, 1.806.
Video #2, Time 8:00 pm, DA = 555 ft:
Run number two was my best of the night. It launched clean and stayed straight. I ran 7.345 @ 92.78, 1.629. The Chevelle in the other lane cut a great 0.501 light, and ran 8.408 @ 85.54, 2.001.
Video #3, Time 8:08 pm, DA = 548 ft:
This run was a couple ticks slower than my previous pass. I went 7.369 @ 93.74, 1.680. The Evo (or whatever it is) in the other lane ran 8.992 @ 81.08, 2.060.
**Video #4, Time 8:43 pm, DA = 503 ft:
Donna’s first run was the best of the night. Even though she got up on the converter a little too much and the car was wiggly on the launch, she still clicked off a 7.332 @ 96.35, 1.693.
Video #5, Time 8:56 pm, DA = 463 ft:
Her next run was against an Evo (I think), and she ran 7.375 @ 93.95, 1.704. The opponent went 9.607 @ 73.88, 2.197.
Video #6, Time 9:15 pm, DA = 432 ft:
This run was kind of weird. Donna did a 2-step on the gas pedal (or maybe it was a 3-step or 4-step… haha), and rolled the beam going red. But, the clock had already started before she got back on the throttle again, which resulted in a bizarre timeslip: 7.692 @ 96.56, 2.032. The SRT4 Neon in the other lane ran 7.887 @ 93.17, 1.909.
My friend Ed took these pics using the continuous shot mode on his camera. I think they are pretty cool. Thanks Ed!!
This turned out to be a fairly short night… we only got in 6 runs. As I was getting ready to make the 7th run, a car crashed on the tracked. It hit the K-rail that divides the two tracks, and ended up facing the wrong direction. One K-rail was knocked over on its side, and another was moved at about a 30 degree angle. Plus, there was glass all over both tracks. It was going to take a long time to get the mess cleaned up, so we called it a night.
The on-track woes continued for my car. Four of the six runs were in the 7.30s. The other two were… well, not good at all. Traction was hit and miss, but the poor ETs can’t be totally blamed on that.
Here are the videos from Friday, October 12 at Qualcomm. My favorite videos are marked with the asterisks (**).
**Video #1, Time 7:50 pm, DA = 560 ft:
My first run was a waste. After the launch, the car drifted out of the groove to the right, and I was trying to bring it back. But it wasn’t responding, and then it made a hard move to the left. Rather than doing something stupid, I just lifted and let it straighten out. The result was a crappy ET, 8.047 @ 87.88, 1.683. The other car ran 8.429 @ 83.33, 1.806.
Video #2, Time 8:00 pm, DA = 555 ft:
Run number two was my best of the night. It launched clean and stayed straight. I ran 7.345 @ 92.78, 1.629. The Chevelle in the other lane cut a great 0.501 light, and ran 8.408 @ 85.54, 2.001.
Video #3, Time 8:08 pm, DA = 548 ft:
This run was a couple ticks slower than my previous pass. I went 7.369 @ 93.74, 1.680. The Evo (or whatever it is) in the other lane ran 8.992 @ 81.08, 2.060.
**Video #4, Time 8:43 pm, DA = 503 ft:
Donna’s first run was the best of the night. Even though she got up on the converter a little too much and the car was wiggly on the launch, she still clicked off a 7.332 @ 96.35, 1.693.
Video #5, Time 8:56 pm, DA = 463 ft:
Her next run was against an Evo (I think), and she ran 7.375 @ 93.95, 1.704. The opponent went 9.607 @ 73.88, 2.197.
Video #6, Time 9:15 pm, DA = 432 ft:
This run was kind of weird. Donna did a 2-step on the gas pedal (or maybe it was a 3-step or 4-step… haha), and rolled the beam going red. But, the clock had already started before she got back on the throttle again, which resulted in a bizarre timeslip: 7.692 @ 96.56, 2.032. The SRT4 Neon in the other lane ran 7.887 @ 93.17, 1.909.
My friend Ed took these pics using the continuous shot mode on his camera. I think they are pretty cool. Thanks Ed!!
9/9/08, 05:31 PM
#154
Thread Starter
We're Baaaaaaaack!!
1/8-Mile Drags, Barona, September 6, 2008
After a nearly 11-months, we were stoked to be able to go back to Barona. The weather was hot and humid… almost 100 degrees when we arrived at 3:00pm. When racing started at 5:00pm, it was still in the mid 90s and the density altitude was around 5,000 feet.
Even with the bad weather, the results were very good. Better than I expected, to be honest. Having done no better than 7.20s the night before at Qualcomm, I wasn’t anticipating great numbers considering the heat and humidity.
Bottom line is that of the six runs that we made, five of them were new personal bests! And by the end of the night, the car was quite consistent.
Here are the videos from Saturday, September 6, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
Video #1, Time 5:42 pm, DA = 5,075 ft:
My first run was with the 91 octane pump gas tune loaded, and running the street pulley set-up (stock dia crank pulley and 3” blower pulley). My opponent was a Fox Mustang. I cut a decent 0.059 light, but did not launch it hard. I ran 7.153 @ 97.027, with a 1.624 60-foot time. Since the DA was over 5,000 feet, I was pretty encouraged by the 7.15 on the street set-up. The Fox struggled to a 9.700 @ 64.524, 2.404.
Video #2, Time 6:28 pm, DA = 4,370 ft:
Run number 2 was with the race tune loaded, but still running the street pulley set-up. This time I lined up against a classic Challenger muscle car. The setting sun was brutal and I went in a couple inches too deep, making me a tad early on the tree, going red by 0.035. But, I ran a new personal best of 7.035 @ 97.957, with a 1.576 60-ft. My previous best had been 7.084. The Challenger was about a car length in front of me at 6.815 @ 100.146.
Video #3, Time 7:38 pm, DA = 3,828 ft:
Now it was time to see what it would do. Adam and I installed the 10% OD crank pulley to go along with the track tune. As I was staging, I tried to get up on the converter as high as I could, but when I looked up from the tach to the tree, I had already lit the bottom bulbs. So I knew I was in deeper than I wanted to be, and fully expected to red light (-0.071). The Vega in the other lane is owned by one of the track operators, and he told me before the run that it was running 6.70s. So, when I was right on the Vega’s rear bumper at the stripe, I thought I had a good shot at picking up my first ever 6-sec timeslip. And I was right… 6.839 @ 101.528, 1.559. Another new personal best!! … and with a 3,800 foot DA, too. The Vega ran 6.64 @ 101.910, 1.433.
**Video #4, Time 8:56 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s turn for a new personal best!! As we rolled into the lanes, we found out it was only open to the “Run for the Money” entries, so we decided to pay the 10 bucks and let her run. Since the air was a little better, we lowered her dial to a 6.80 flat, but it either spun or hit the rev limiter on the shift, because you can hear a slight hiccup. Still, she collected her first 6-second slip and set a new personal best, with a 6.884 @ 101.264, 1.544. Also, if you watch the video closely, you can see the front wheel rotation hesitate at the launch, meaning she caught a little air there, too.
Video #5, Time 10:55 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s second and last pass was again her best ever. Something strange happened during the burnout… the left tire quit turning. But the rear end seems fine. Anyway, Donna streaked to a 6.840 @ 102.108, 1.579. Even though the trap speed was the highest the car has ever ran, she was 0.001 slower than my best ET (see run #3).
**Video #6, Time 11:48 pm, DA = 3,460 ft:
I got in the car for one last pass of the night… hoping for a 6.7x, but it was not to be. It was however yet another new personal best. After cutting a good light (0.026), I ran 1.522 to the 60-ft cone, and then a 6.834 @ 101.475. I can’t complain about ending a great night with a new personal best!!
I seriously think this thing has 6.60s in it someday when the air is better. We shall see. To be continued…
1/8-Mile Drags, Barona, September 6, 2008
After a nearly 11-months, we were stoked to be able to go back to Barona. The weather was hot and humid… almost 100 degrees when we arrived at 3:00pm. When racing started at 5:00pm, it was still in the mid 90s and the density altitude was around 5,000 feet.
Even with the bad weather, the results were very good. Better than I expected, to be honest. Having done no better than 7.20s the night before at Qualcomm, I wasn’t anticipating great numbers considering the heat and humidity.
Bottom line is that of the six runs that we made, five of them were new personal bests! And by the end of the night, the car was quite consistent.
Here are the videos from Saturday, September 6, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
Video #1, Time 5:42 pm, DA = 5,075 ft:
My first run was with the 91 octane pump gas tune loaded, and running the street pulley set-up (stock dia crank pulley and 3” blower pulley). My opponent was a Fox Mustang. I cut a decent 0.059 light, but did not launch it hard. I ran 7.153 @ 97.027, with a 1.624 60-foot time. Since the DA was over 5,000 feet, I was pretty encouraged by the 7.15 on the street set-up. The Fox struggled to a 9.700 @ 64.524, 2.404.
Video #2, Time 6:28 pm, DA = 4,370 ft:
Run number 2 was with the race tune loaded, but still running the street pulley set-up. This time I lined up against a classic Challenger muscle car. The setting sun was brutal and I went in a couple inches too deep, making me a tad early on the tree, going red by 0.035. But, I ran a new personal best of 7.035 @ 97.957, with a 1.576 60-ft. My previous best had been 7.084. The Challenger was about a car length in front of me at 6.815 @ 100.146.
Video #3, Time 7:38 pm, DA = 3,828 ft:
Now it was time to see what it would do. Adam and I installed the 10% OD crank pulley to go along with the track tune. As I was staging, I tried to get up on the converter as high as I could, but when I looked up from the tach to the tree, I had already lit the bottom bulbs. So I knew I was in deeper than I wanted to be, and fully expected to red light (-0.071). The Vega in the other lane is owned by one of the track operators, and he told me before the run that it was running 6.70s. So, when I was right on the Vega’s rear bumper at the stripe, I thought I had a good shot at picking up my first ever 6-sec timeslip. And I was right… 6.839 @ 101.528, 1.559. Another new personal best!! … and with a 3,800 foot DA, too. The Vega ran 6.64 @ 101.910, 1.433.
**Video #4, Time 8:56 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s turn for a new personal best!! As we rolled into the lanes, we found out it was only open to the “Run for the Money” entries, so we decided to pay the 10 bucks and let her run. Since the air was a little better, we lowered her dial to a 6.80 flat, but it either spun or hit the rev limiter on the shift, because you can hear a slight hiccup. Still, she collected her first 6-second slip and set a new personal best, with a 6.884 @ 101.264, 1.544. Also, if you watch the video closely, you can see the front wheel rotation hesitate at the launch, meaning she caught a little air there, too.
Video #5, Time 10:55 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s second and last pass was again her best ever. Something strange happened during the burnout… the left tire quit turning. But the rear end seems fine. Anyway, Donna streaked to a 6.840 @ 102.108, 1.579. Even though the trap speed was the highest the car has ever ran, she was 0.001 slower than my best ET (see run #3).
**Video #6, Time 11:48 pm, DA = 3,460 ft:
I got in the car for one last pass of the night… hoping for a 6.7x, but it was not to be. It was however yet another new personal best. After cutting a good light (0.026), I ran 1.522 to the 60-ft cone, and then a 6.834 @ 101.475. I can’t complain about ending a great night with a new personal best!!
I seriously think this thing has 6.60s in it someday when the air is better. We shall see. To be continued…
Last edited by don_w; 9/9/08 at 05:38 PM.
9/9/08, 05:40 PM
#155
Legacy TMS Member
Join Date: January 9, 2005
Location: New Carlisle, Ohio (20 miles north of Dayton)
Posts: 6,982
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6 Posts
We're Baaaaaaaack!!
1/8-Mile Drags, Barona, September 6, 2008
After a nearly 11-months, we were stoked to be able to go back to Barona. The weather was hot and humid… almost 100 degrees when we arrived at 3:00pm. When racing started at 5:00pm, it was still in the mid 90s and the density altitude was around 5,000 feet.
Even with the bad weather, the results were very good. Better than I expected, to be honest. Having done no better than 7.20s the night before at Qualcomm, I wasn’t anticipating great numbers considering the heat and humidity.
Bottom line is that of the six runs that we made, five of them were new personal bests! And by the end of the night, the car was quite consistent.
Here are the videos from Saturday, September 6, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
Video #1, Time 5:42 pm, DA = 5,075 ft:
My first run was with the 91 octane pump gas tune loaded, and running the street pulley set-up (stock dia crank pulley and 3” blower pulley). My opponent was a Fox Mustang. I cut a decent 0.059 light, but did not launch it hard. I ran 7.153 @ 97.027, with a 1.624 60-foot time. Since the DA was over 5,000 feet, I was pretty encouraged by the 7.15 on the street set-up. The Fox struggled to a 9.700 @ 64.524, 2.404.
Video #2, Time 6:28 pm, DA = 4,370 ft:
Run number 2 was with the race tune loaded, but still running the street pulley set-up. This time I lined up against a classic Challenger muscle car. The setting sun was brutal and I went in a couple inches too deep, making me a tad early on the tree, going red by 0.035. But, I ran a new personal best of 7.035 @ 97.957, with a 1.576 60-ft. My previous best had been 7.084. The Challenger was about a car length in front of me at 6.815 @ 100.146.
Video #3, Time 7:38 pm, DA = 3,828 ft:
Now it was time to see what it would do. Adam and I installed the 10% OD crank pulley to go along with the track tune. As I was staging, I tried to get up on the converter as high as I could, but when I looked up from the tach to the tree, I had already lit the bottom bulbs. So I knew I was in deeper than I wanted to be, and fully expected to red light (-0.071). The Vega in the other lane is owned by one of the track operators, and he told me before the run that it was running 6.70s. So, when I was right on the Vega’s rear bumper at the stripe, I thought I had a good shot at picking up my first ever 6-sec timeslip. And I was right… 6.839 @ 101.528, 1.559. Another new personal best!! … and with a 3,800 foot DA, too. The Vega ran 6.64 @ 101.910, 1.433.
**Video #4, Time 8:56 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s turn for a new personal best!! As we rolled into the lanes, we found out it was only open to the “Run for the Money” entries, so we decided to pay the 10 bucks and let her run. Since the air was a little better, we lowered her dial to a 6.80 flat, but it either spun or hit the rev limiter on the shift, because you can hear a slight hiccup. Still, she collected her first 6-second slip and set a new personal best, with a 6.884 @ 101.264, 1.544. Also, if you watch the video closely, you can see the front wheel rotation hesitate at the launch, meaning she caught a little air there, too.
Video #5, Time 10:55 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s second and last pass was again her best ever. Something strange happened during the burnout… the left tire quit turning. But the rear end seems fine. Anyway, Donna streaked to a 6.840 @ 102.108, 1.579. Even though the trap speed was the highest the car has ever ran, she was 0.001 slower than my best ET (see run #3).
**Video #6, Time 11:48 pm, DA = 3,460 ft:
I got in the car for one last pass of the night… hoping for a 6.7x, but it was not to be. It was however yet another new personal best. After cutting a good light (0.026), I ran 1.522 to the 60-ft cone, and then a 6.834 @ 101.475. I can’t complain about ending a great night with a new personal best!!
I seriously think this thing has 6.60s in it someday when the air is better. We shall see. To be continued…
1/8-Mile Drags, Barona, September 6, 2008
After a nearly 11-months, we were stoked to be able to go back to Barona. The weather was hot and humid… almost 100 degrees when we arrived at 3:00pm. When racing started at 5:00pm, it was still in the mid 90s and the density altitude was around 5,000 feet.
Even with the bad weather, the results were very good. Better than I expected, to be honest. Having done no better than 7.20s the night before at Qualcomm, I wasn’t anticipating great numbers considering the heat and humidity.
Bottom line is that of the six runs that we made, five of them were new personal bests! And by the end of the night, the car was quite consistent.
Here are the videos from Saturday, September 6, at Barona. The videos marked with the asterisks (**) are my favorites.
Video #1, Time 5:42 pm, DA = 5,075 ft:
My first run was with the 91 octane pump gas tune loaded, and running the street pulley set-up (stock dia crank pulley and 3” blower pulley). My opponent was a Fox Mustang. I cut a decent 0.059 light, but did not launch it hard. I ran 7.153 @ 97.027, with a 1.624 60-foot time. Since the DA was over 5,000 feet, I was pretty encouraged by the 7.15 on the street set-up. The Fox struggled to a 9.700 @ 64.524, 2.404.
Video #2, Time 6:28 pm, DA = 4,370 ft:
Run number 2 was with the race tune loaded, but still running the street pulley set-up. This time I lined up against a classic Challenger muscle car. The setting sun was brutal and I went in a couple inches too deep, making me a tad early on the tree, going red by 0.035. But, I ran a new personal best of 7.035 @ 97.957, with a 1.576 60-ft. My previous best had been 7.084. The Challenger was about a car length in front of me at 6.815 @ 100.146.
Video #3, Time 7:38 pm, DA = 3,828 ft:
Now it was time to see what it would do. Adam and I installed the 10% OD crank pulley to go along with the track tune. As I was staging, I tried to get up on the converter as high as I could, but when I looked up from the tach to the tree, I had already lit the bottom bulbs. So I knew I was in deeper than I wanted to be, and fully expected to red light (-0.071). The Vega in the other lane is owned by one of the track operators, and he told me before the run that it was running 6.70s. So, when I was right on the Vega’s rear bumper at the stripe, I thought I had a good shot at picking up my first ever 6-sec timeslip. And I was right… 6.839 @ 101.528, 1.559. Another new personal best!! … and with a 3,800 foot DA, too. The Vega ran 6.64 @ 101.910, 1.433.
**Video #4, Time 8:56 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s turn for a new personal best!! As we rolled into the lanes, we found out it was only open to the “Run for the Money” entries, so we decided to pay the 10 bucks and let her run. Since the air was a little better, we lowered her dial to a 6.80 flat, but it either spun or hit the rev limiter on the shift, because you can hear a slight hiccup. Still, she collected her first 6-second slip and set a new personal best, with a 6.884 @ 101.264, 1.544. Also, if you watch the video closely, you can see the front wheel rotation hesitate at the launch, meaning she caught a little air there, too.
Video #5, Time 10:55 pm, DA = 3,485 ft:
Donna’s second and last pass was again her best ever. Something strange happened during the burnout… the left tire quit turning. But the rear end seems fine. Anyway, Donna streaked to a 6.840 @ 102.108, 1.579. Even though the trap speed was the highest the car has ever ran, she was 0.001 slower than my best ET (see run #3).
**Video #6, Time 11:48 pm, DA = 3,460 ft:
I got in the car for one last pass of the night… hoping for a 6.7x, but it was not to be. It was however yet another new personal best. After cutting a good light (0.026), I ran 1.522 to the 60-ft cone, and then a 6.834 @ 101.475. I can’t complain about ending a great night with a new personal best!!
I seriously think this thing has 6.60s in it someday when the air is better. We shall see. To be continued…
Hey Don.....I have wondered about you and Donna for a year. I have a million questions for you but........It is great to see you posting and racing again after all you and you family has been thru this past year. You know me early on Sunday mornings.
I will be waiting for you next drag racing post. I want to wish you and Donna the best!!!!!!!!!!!!! So what have you done to the car in the last year to get her over the 100 mph sub 7 second range???Scott
Last edited by 70MACH1OWNER; 9/9/08 at 05:46 PM.
9/9/08, 07:52 PM
#157
Thread Starter
If I had a nickel for each of your million questions, it still would be waaaay less than the amount we were underinsured. Hell, if I had a dime for each one, that might get me half way to making up the shortfall. We've been dealing with more stuff that I could possibly explain. But we're moving forward. Believe it or not, we still haven't even broken ground on the new house. That may still be a couple months away, and then 8 to 10 months build time. So probably another year...
We're planning on going to Fun Ford Weekend at Fontana next weekend (9/19-9/21), and we're really wanting to come home with 10-sec timeslips.
Thanks Lenny!
9/9/08, 07:57 PM
#159
Thread Starter
