First time running my '97 Cobra at the track tonight (Orlando Speedway)

[Craig Mack]

I got two runs in tonight. First run was horrible, ran a [email protected] with a 2.4 '60. I had NO time to revv up and get a proper launch, by the time I was staged the light turned green. I spun through second gear, so I let off the gas and shifted at 5500rpm. Obviously this and the fact I was discombobulated the entire time killed everything. I ran against an '03 Cobra that ran a 13.7@104 with a 2.1 '60....maybe he let off the gas at the end?

Anyways, so I went back and got a second run in before they closed the gates. I ran against a Trans Am with a LOUD exhaust. I got a horrible '60 once again, with no time to prepare a good launch. I ended up just revving up and slipping out the clutch, trying to modulate them. The Trans Am killed me off the line, but by the time I shifted into third I literally pulled him like he was standing still and beat him by about 9 cars. It was amazing how much I pulled after the 1/8th mile after I finally hooked up. I got a worse '60 than the first time, yet got my best run. I short shifted again, but at 6200rpm instead of 5500rpm. I spun horribly the entire 1/8th mile half way through 3rd. Anyways, here are the stats directly from my timeslip:

R/T --- 1.156
'60 --- 2.565
330 --- 6.493
1/8 --- 9.555
MPH --- 81.46
1000 --- 12.172
1/4 --- 14.368
MPH --- 101.15


If I got some drag radials, practice, and shifted at redline instead of short shifting before the peak power, I was told I could nail low 13's all night long. Both my runs were extremely sloppy, in every way possible.


So....there you have it. I had a blast and am going back first thing next wednessday, and will try to get at least 6 runs in. My brother said people in the crowd kept whispering about my Cobra and when the Trans Am killed me off the line they all said "wooo looks like that Cobras gonna get nailed" or something like that. Then as soon as I got traction and rocketed past him, they were all like Ohhh *****!! Anyways, great experience....its now in my blood.

Mods are:

UPR O/R X
2 Chamber Flows
Anderson Powerpipe
Steeda T/A @13*
4.10 Gears

But none of this mattered becuase the track was like Ice, and I have had a much easier time hooking on the freakin' street.

 

[Black_Cobra]

Sounds like you had a blast! Next time you'll be ready big-time, cut a half second off your 60' and do 13's

 

[Craig Mack]

Sounds like you had a blast! Next time you'll be ready big-time, cut a half second off your 60' and do 13's

I had a great time. ~70%+ of the cars there were ricers. I had a chick run past me in the staging lanes to her boyfriend shouting "baby! guess what I ran!?...16.3@82mph!!!!!" Then he goes "ahhh great run baby!" and they hugged. Me and my bro laughed our @sses off.

There werent really many fast cars. Two 03 Cobras, both ran high 13's at @104-106mph. The track conditions were really subpar. One Fox body mustang spun out and crashed, he was ok though. I hope they get to prep it better next time.

 

[03gtmustang]

Yeah those 60' times are pretty bad. The best 60' times on stock tires that Ive heard of are 1.8 and 1.9, get some of those and you will be in the 13's easy. Practice makes perfect.

 

[stangman]

glad you had fun, but it looks lke you just need a little more preactice, more so than new tires. just a little more track time & i'm sure you will see those times start coming down dramatically

 

[Craig Mack]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. Yeah, I am running 295/35/18 Kumho Z rated MX's out back, which are supposed to be a step below drag radials. I did this for looks and I know it's overkill, so I can't imagine MORE rubber helping, and only going with DR's would be an improvement, but I can't afford them. (they wear like butter, and my stangs a daily driver)

 

[GinoGT]

18's suck for drag racing, there's no sidewall to them. I have some 17" drag radials for the track, and they still leave plenty to be desired.

With practice that car will easily go 13's all day long. It does sound like the track sucked though....03 Cobras running high 13's

 

[Craig Mack]

18's suck for drag racing, there's no sidewall to them. I have some 17" drag radials for the track, and they still leave plenty to be desired.

With practice that car will easily go 13's all day long. It does sound like the track sucked though....03 Cobras running high 13's

The track was like Ice....I slipped the clutch to spin my tires when I was up to run, and kicked up a bunch of gravel...I could hear the little rocks ping off the bottom of my car....I was like wtf? I guess the maitenance guys got lazy tonight.

 

[Jackie Chan]

you cant expect the track to hook this time of year at night too well. The humidity out there is disgustingly high and they definately dont prep the **** out of the track. To put it in perspective, right now i am only good for low 2.0s out there on the khumos I run, 2.0s are always possible there on street tires.