Well, I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. I went to the track today for test and tune. It has been something I’ve always wanted to do, so I figured I give it a shot. As I was getting ready to go a few things crossed my mind: don’t die, don’t wreck your car and don’t get hurt, in that order. On the way to the track, the Famous Milan Drag Way (I haven’t been there in 20 years) I was a nervous wreck. But hey I read Rygen’s posts on drag racing 101 and 102 three times each so I knew I’d be an expert. (WRONG). I got semi lost (I hate mapquest). Once I arrived my 101 and 102 education kicked in, Go to tech, go to pits and then stage. But my best bit of info was the water box. My silly A$$ would have run right through it. Getting everyone upset.
As I pulled into staging I’m thinking just think and relax…no red lighting. I got in the back of my head go 80% like the post said and get the feel of it and relax. This is the same track that legends of drag racing used to run, names like Connie Kalittaand Shirley Muldowneyran through my head and I just couldn’t go 80%… I gun it and ran as hard as I could, I was lined up against an 86 GT (I think). I wanted to beat him but I did have the car to do it. He had lifter, head work, cam and piston work done and NO2 but didn’t use it. He ran a 14.596 me a 15.328. Not bad for a first run.
Second run I’m up against a neon he runs a 13.821 and blows my doors off, he’s turbo’d but it still hurts. Bad reaction time on my part.
I averaged 15.40 in the ¼ with my best being 15.3069, my average for speed in the ¼ was 89.81 MPH with my best being 90.52 and my average 60’ was 2.3030 with the best being 2.2301. My reaction times were bad but average was .6114 with my best being .2750.
All together I ran 8 times, and then weather started to roll in but at that point I was all done. I learned towards the end if you keep the auto in 3rd gear longer you’d get a little faster speed. I did one run where I shift manually and it was my worst time. About ½ second worse than my best.
All in all I had a great time but realized I didn’t miss my calling in life. I had lots of nerves at the beginning but relaxed towards the end. I don’t understand why I was so nervous, I fight fires for a living and that is much more dangerous I think.
I got some pics I’ll put in the next post of the cars I ran. No one laugh at the Buick GS he was blown and had a laptop in the front seat.
Let me know what you think and what are some others best times at the track?
