I figured I’d give the track one last shot in the Fall this year and try to take advantage of the cool air to get some better times. Last time out in July I had a best of 12.84 @ 108.96. Unfortunately, it seemed a warm and humid front decided to hit the Midwest this weekend and it was in the 60’s when I was running. Still good racing weather, but not ideal for Fall when you are looking for that dry 40-degree air.
Anyways…I did not touch a single thing in the engine from my last time out. Not even timing or FP. Only difference in the car as a whole was I pulled the passenger seat out to try to lose a little weight (rears have been out all the time). My 3-year Nitto DR’s are getting worse for wear and I was hoping they’d still hook.
Right off a 2 hour drive to the track, these were my first 4 passes:
13.42 @ 108.42 (2.24 60’) - Spin all the way through first and halfway through second. Didn’t heat the Nitto’s up enough apparently.
12.97 @ 109.00 (1.96 60’) - First time hitting 109mph…nice but still not launching it good.
12.97 @ 109.26 (1.97 60’) – Another good mph…still need better launch.
13.03 @ 108.96 (1.98 60’) – Sucked
This is where I decided I needed to do something since this was the end of the year for racing. I had bought a short-belt earlier in the year but never put it on. I said what the hell and threw it on just to see what it would do. These were my two passes after putting it on:
12.75 @ 109.76 (1.87 60’) - Finally getting a better launch. Short belt picked up about 1mph.
12.72 @ 110.07 (1.84 60’) – Did a healthy 2nd gear burn-out on the Nitto’s. Launched pretty hard from 3500rpm and it bit good. 110mph made me happy.
By now it was getting really crowded and there was a 40 minute wait to get a run in. I knew I’d only have one run left so I decided to go for broke (literally) and put on a set of ET Streets that my buddy had there. 26” x 10.5” x 15” on Weld Draglites.
Bolted them up, aired them down to 12psi and got in line. I knew I was taking a big risk with stock axles and everything, but I didn’t care…end of season. I did a burnout and got to the line. Brought the rpm up to 5000 and dropped the hammer when the tree fell. The thing absolutely jumped out of the hole. Sadly, I was a little unprepared for the jolt and I think I momentarily got out of the gas a little and it bogged a half second later. I got back into it and made a fairly clean run…but nothing special:
12.71 @ 109.54 (1.81 60’) - I knew if I had stayed in the launch it would of easily been a mid to low 1.7 60’, but it was my first time out on Et Streets. Sadly I was only able to cut .03 of a second better than I was on my 17” Nitto’s.
Anyways…that’s it. Best ET/MPH got me a 12.71 @ 110.07. I was happy but I know with cooler weather and really getting a good launch, I could see 12.5 or better. The 110mph is good for it.
And lastly, although I know I sound like a broken record on this…for those who want to know, the car has the following:
Stock 100% computer….no tuning (shift retard and all)
Stock Cobra Intake & 65 TB
3.73 gears (crossing traps at 5200-5400rpm…plenty of gear left)
And with everything out of it including the seat I had taken out, the scales showed the car weighed 3190…which puts race weight at about 3350.
Anyways…I did not touch a single thing in the engine from my last time out. Not even timing or FP. Only difference in the car as a whole was I pulled the passenger seat out to try to lose a little weight (rears have been out all the time). My 3-year Nitto DR’s are getting worse for wear and I was hoping they’d still hook.
Right off a 2 hour drive to the track, these were my first 4 passes:
13.42 @ 108.42 (2.24 60’) - Spin all the way through first and halfway through second. Didn’t heat the Nitto’s up enough apparently.
12.97 @ 109.00 (1.96 60’) - First time hitting 109mph…nice but still not launching it good.
12.97 @ 109.26 (1.97 60’) – Another good mph…still need better launch.
13.03 @ 108.96 (1.98 60’) – Sucked
This is where I decided I needed to do something since this was the end of the year for racing. I had bought a short-belt earlier in the year but never put it on. I said what the hell and threw it on just to see what it would do. These were my two passes after putting it on:
12.75 @ 109.76 (1.87 60’) - Finally getting a better launch. Short belt picked up about 1mph.
12.72 @ 110.07 (1.84 60’) – Did a healthy 2nd gear burn-out on the Nitto’s. Launched pretty hard from 3500rpm and it bit good. 110mph made me happy.
By now it was getting really crowded and there was a 40 minute wait to get a run in. I knew I’d only have one run left so I decided to go for broke (literally) and put on a set of ET Streets that my buddy had there. 26” x 10.5” x 15” on Weld Draglites.
Bolted them up, aired them down to 12psi and got in line. I knew I was taking a big risk with stock axles and everything, but I didn’t care…end of season. I did a burnout and got to the line. Brought the rpm up to 5000 and dropped the hammer when the tree fell. The thing absolutely jumped out of the hole. Sadly, I was a little unprepared for the jolt and I think I momentarily got out of the gas a little and it bogged a half second later. I got back into it and made a fairly clean run…but nothing special:
12.71 @ 109.54 (1.81 60’) - I knew if I had stayed in the launch it would of easily been a mid to low 1.7 60’, but it was my first time out on Et Streets. Sadly I was only able to cut .03 of a second better than I was on my 17” Nitto’s.
Anyways…that’s it. Best ET/MPH got me a 12.71 @ 110.07. I was happy but I know with cooler weather and really getting a good launch, I could see 12.5 or better. The 110mph is good for it.
And lastly, although I know I sound like a broken record on this…for those who want to know, the car has the following:
Stock 100% computer….no tuning (shift retard and all)
Stock Cobra Intake & 65 TB
3.73 gears (crossing traps at 5200-5400rpm…plenty of gear left)
And with everything out of it including the seat I had taken out, the scales showed the car weighed 3190…which puts race weight at about 3350.
. Freak in sucks, there are no 1/4 tracks anywhere near here.
