Caught a race car at the dragstrip!

[Fred 86 GN]

It was the third run of the evening. I had lost in the previous two runs to race cars -- a mid-80s IROC and a nice Dodge Dart -- both sixty-footed me by three tenths, then held pretty even the rest of the way since my GN mph'd the same as them.

On the third run I was paired up with yet another race car, this one a green mid-80s Buick Regal with what I guess was a Chevy engine. No interior, big slicks, skinnies in front, pins on the hood and trunk, caged, about ten switches sitting on his tranny inside, a fuel pump shut off switch on the trunk, no exhaust, etc. I had been getting faster each run and planned to continue that trend! I turned the boost up from 18 to 19psi and planned to manually shift the 2-3 at 5500rpm or so with the TCC locked.

We did our burnouts -- his being deafening and mine creating enough smoke with the 255 radial tires to cover the car. I "lit them on fire" to try and get a little more traction. I pulled up to the lights, turning on my TCC switch and starting my DS recording on the laptop. We staged. I brought the engine up against the stock D5 convertor (about 2500rpm) while his car revved up and drowned out any sound from mine.

I left a tick early (.476 light), so his two-tenths better sixty-foot was offset some by my two-tenths on the tree. He had about 1/2 a car on me at 330ft. I was revving second gear way out, and he was pulling away slowly at the time to a full car length, when I shifted to drive. With a bang and a loud squal from the tires the GN lurched forward and I started reeling him in. I looked over as I passed by at the finish line. He was looking over, and seemed surprised.

I was happy. My 111mph covered his 104mph just enough to make up for his slicks. Next time I will run on some stickier tires!

 

[tim87tr]

Fred, that's a good story. I am going to focus more on the 60' times with my cars also. I raced my Turbo T for the second time and it hooked up, I still can not believe the results, especially on drag radials. The 60' time makes a huge difference in your et, see my sig for comparing identical mph versus better 60 foot times. And that is in the eighth, it should make more of a difference in the quarter.

 

[WhiteT78Supra]

Good kill. Great reaction time!!!

I need to work on my short times some.



Bob



White 93 6spd Supra, targa top, no wing, GReddy T78 turbo, GReddy 4 row intercooler, GReddy/BLITZ shorty D.P. combo, DEI thermal turbine wrap, DEI thermal header / D.P. wrap, GReddy Type R wastegate, GReddy Type R BOV, HKS fuel rail, 720cc injectors, Aeromotive FPR, dual in-tank pumps, APEXi N1, GReddy BCC, GReddy Profec B, HKS VPC, APEXi S-AFC, Greddy 52mm boost gauge, GReddy 52mm EGT gauge, Unorthodox cam gears / underdrive pulleys, GReddy turbo timer, B&M shifter, TRD pressureplate, Arizona clutch, TRD strut bar, 255/45 front and 315/35R17 Nitto drag radials out back, Redline Water Wetter, Brembo cross drilled rotors, and Brembo pads.

 

[blackbuick87]

Good kill, too bad it had to be another Buick. I'd be pissed if my car was gutted, caged, etc and only ran 104. Maybe he is dialing in a new motor.

 

[Fred 86 GN]

It is a little odd...

That other buick ran more mph in the 1/8th than me --- 88.25 vs 87.87 mph -- but obviously did not carry it thru the traps.

All three of the cars I lined up with were low to mid-12 second rides. That is unusual for this dragstrip. Most of the cars either run 11's or faster or 13's and slower. Guess running against cars about the same speed or faster is better than running against 16+ second riced imports.