Finally got some decent weather to get back onto the track
yesterday (only 6th time this season).
The TMP track had a rain date for a sponsored Ferd event.
I was able to make 5 time trials between 10:30 a.m. and
2:30 p.m.
First run was in 59F temp., 74% humidity, 29.4" baro. and into
a 15-20 mph N wind (arghh!). Because I was in the first dozen
or so cars to run, the launch pad wasn't too great ... was seeing
more cement than rubber. I spun badly (2.26 60' time) and
wound up with a 14.83@92.44 doing a 1-2 shift at 5400 and
a 2-3 shift at 5700.
During the next 4 runs, temps rose to a max. of 68F, humidity
fell to about 40%, baro. must have risen, wind lightened to
about 10 or so mph, and the launch pad became better and better.
I adjust the 1-2 shift rpm point dropping it from 5400 to 5300
and raised the 2-3 shift to 5800. Run 2 resulted in a 14.62
@93.23 with a 2.18 60'. Much better :-)
I moved over the left lane for runs 3 and 4. Run 3 was
a 14.60@92.49 (2.11 60') shifting 1-2 at 5200. Run 4 was a
14.51@93.87. I was impressed :-)
Went back to the right lane for the final time trial and
ran a 14.52@93.93.
Last season, I would not have been running these times and
trap speeds against this type of headwind when I did not have
the diy ported heads.
I pitted, had something to eat and waited to be called for elimination
rounds. During this wait, a spectacular crash into the wall
occurred. In the left lane, a rustang bounced off the wall a couple
of times, did a couple of 360s before backing into the wall at about
135 mph. Fortunately, no injuries ... just going to be sore for awhile!
Unfortunately, this crash closed down the track for about 2 hours :-)
When racing restarted about 4 p.m., 1/2 of the cars in the Top Class
were breaking out. Then there was another big-time crash. A camaro
got out of shape at about the 1/8 and lost it into the wall just before the
finish (probably hitting about 150 mph) and shut down the track again.
At 4:30, I decided to call it quits for the day. I found out later that night
that racing ran late into the night with classes above the Street Class
rescheduled for today. Shortly after 7:30 and just before the Street Class
semi-finals, there was another crash. One of the OSCA cars, a Camaro,
broke an axle off the line (right lane), shot to the left mounting the divider
wall and 1' farther it would have sheared the tree off. They had to lift the
car off the concrete lane divider!
There are 8 more scheduled open dates but the two next weekend
look now to be rainouts (90%). Arghhh!
Need just one day of cool/dense/clean air with no headwind :-)
Bob Tom Burlington, Ont., Canada
97 CC Dakota, 5.2L, 4x2, 44RE, 3.92SG, 4,075 lb (truck, driver, 3/8 tank)
Pre-ported heads: RW: 231.2 hp 340.0 torque PB: 14.313 @ 95.05
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