Got Some New Track Times

Little Background:

Went this weekend to the NMRA Event at Route 66 in Joliet, IL. Cruised up there for the day with my stang and a few buddies with their cars too. Had a good time there...will most likely hit it up next year as well.

Racing was basically wrapped up there by 5pm so we headed back to Indiana. Local track we go to (US41 Dragway) has Saturday night Bracket racing and also Test-n-Tune throughout the summer. Weather was pretty decent...mid 60's with average humidity...so we decided to stop by and get some runs in.

I wasn't expecting crap as I haven't touched my car since the last time I ran it and if anything, it seemed to have been running worse and I'm still trying to track down why its burning oil so bad. Anyways...we get to the track at about 7pm.

I tech in and immediately get in line basically right after driving 2 hours to get there. Car is still hot and I still had all my crap in the car (tools, spare/jack, weekend gear etc...). I wasn't expecting anything better than low 13's...I really didn't think I'd even get in the 12's again this particular night.

First pass felt good...but that means nothing. Track seemed to be hooking well and I still have some life left on my 2+ year old 10,000 mile Nitto DR's.

I get my time slip: 12.95 @ 108.79 (1.95 60'). Hmmm...that's my fastest MPH ever (108.69 before), and this was my first pass of the day. This got me feeling a little better and more optomistic about the night.

To make a long story short...I got 6 more passes in the whole night and left pretty happy considering I didn't expect anything close to my last time out.

Runs:

12.95 @ 108.79 - First pass right off the road
13.36 @ 107.87 - Missed 2nd bad, got back into it and finished the run
12.95 @ 108.96 - Fastest MPH to date
13.14 @ 107.42 - Tried different shift points...they were evidently bad choices
12.86 @ 108.49 - Best 60 foot ever - 1.860
12.84 @ 108.96 - Fastest ET and MPH (Best Run)
12.85 @ 108.88 - Beat a LS1 with a cocky driver Nice way to end the night

On my best run (12.84 @ 108.96), the stupid 60ft and 330ft timers were messed up, so I dont' know what I pulled, but I'm sure it was simliar to the 1.86 the previous run. Worst 60' all night was a 1.99...the 1.86 was my first even under 1.9 and it still bogged on me. I was surprised my old Nitto's were hooking so well...track was prepped good though, that helps a ton.

I think my car is pretty darn consistent...maybe I should of bracket raced it ?

Tons of LS1's there...only one which was on N20 was running faster than me though. The last run was some young punk who kept starring me down in the staging lanes. We both a good even launch and he was still hanging within a car and half by the 1/8th...then I pulled him hard the top half. He ran a 13.4 @ 105 to my 12.8. Had a really good race with a tubbed Malibu (he ran 12.99 @ 109 to my 12.95 @ 108). Also got to line up next to an EVO (14.2 @ 103...he was about 15 cars back at the traps ), and another H/C/I Stang that I took...he was running low 13's.

I really wanted to hit 109mph...but I know that will be cake with cooler weather. In fact, when I plan on going in the Fall...I'm going to get it as light as possible, run a short belt...and borrow a friend's ET Streets We'll see what she can do then. And while I'm still running 100% stock tune and box stock Cobra Intake...I might have plans for those 2 items before the end of the year.

Thanks guys. I guess I'm so happy because the car has exceeded my goals so much from where I ever thought I'd be in just my 2nd time to the track with it. More importantly, I KNOW there is a lot more in it...the fun part will be squeezing all of it out

zenboy99 said:

Nice times, what were you shifting at?

I was at NMRA all weekend, raced Wild Street on Saturday.

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Cool man...I totally saw your car in the WS lineup, had no idea it was you though. What were you running? I didn't remember exactly since there were so many cars.

As for the shift points...that's a funny story. I have my shift light set at 6100rpm. The first few passes I was shifting right around that...maybe a little higher on the 1-2 since it comes so quick. I was told by someone on here that I need to be shifting the 3-4 much lower...like 5600rpm or so to take advantage of the torque curve according to their "shift point analyzer program". Well...after running basically a 12.9 @ 109, I made no other changes other than dropping my shift point according to that analyzer and had the 3-4 shift occur at @ 5600rpm. Result? I lost over a mile and half in trap speed and hurt my ET. I ended up actually shifting HIGHER than my shift light at the end of the night and it kept going faster. Probably 6300-6400 for the 1-2, 6100-6200 for the 2-3, and about 6000-6100 on the 3-4.

Hope this helps.

Grn92LX said:

94Dream- Our cars are like near identicle in terms of track times. Yours was tuned pretty dead on though and mine wasnt (you've seen my a/f graph). If you want a little more power, you have a few thigns you could do. Either port that cobra lower and port match the inlet and run a 75mm tb or buy a new intake and run the 75mm TB. Funny, my best time was a 12.84 as well and my best mph was 108.95, basically 109. I just looked at my time slip, I had a 1.869 60' on that 12.84 pass as well!

Zenn, you made some track passes? How did that TW headed best do?? Get any 12.50's @ 110 yet?

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Well...I'm currently debating how soon I will be obtaining a tuning device (most likely a TwEECer)...but as far as engine mods, my next step would be to look at the Intake.

Now...I was thinking just porting the lower would do me good...or maybe even swapping to a Performer. What I wasn't aware of it that the inlet to the upper is a restriction? Is the 65mm TB not enough? I can't really see that on just a NA 302.

As for me bolting on ET Streets this Fall...I have no doubts the car has the potential to go much deeper in the 12's as it sits. What my doubts do lie with is how much longer the stock T-5 can hold up to abuse and the stock rear-end live against 5000rpm launches.