Post by Dave Schultz on May 15, 2011 9:51:45 GMT -5
Yesterday, I made the first three hard passes on the Whale -- each a little harder than the one before. I was shooting for the 10.0 Index for this first event (while I get use to the car, ensure nothing falls off a completely new car that has never been raced, and to break in the motor) and felt like short-shifting it at 6500 would get me there.
The first pass was a Time Trial. The above photo is of that pass. I launched off the footbrake at 2500 and shifted at 6500. I have a lot of gear in the car -- and the car started breaking up at the 1000' when I hit 7000 RPM. I lifted enough to stay just under 7000 -- which gave me a 10.6 at 120MPH. Despite a hard burnout to break in new slicks -- I had a crappy 60' at 1.47.
In the its I find that the top end chip is a 7000 chip and change that out to a 7500.
For my only qualifying run (I missed the first of two NSS was given), I lowered my launch to 2300 -- and the wheels came up much higher and my 60' improved slightly at 1.43. I shifted at 7000 (so I wouldn't be crossing the line as such a high RPM) and did a 10.10 @ 133mph.
That made me #6 qualifier out of 14 -- and matched me against my son Dallas who was #9 on the ladder.
I lowered the launch even more to 2100 and wheels came up much higher (but didn't really carry them very far) and I again shifted at 7000. Dallas was the faster car and I was in the right lane -- making it harder to see him. I've had a terrible crick in my neck for the last couple of weeks, and can't turn my head at all. I could hear Dallas coming up on me -- but couldn't look over my left shoulder to see him. He thought I was going to breakout (by more than I did, most likely because the difference in our lights -- his not being a very good one) and he lifted.
I screwed up. I was a little distracted by a bad cross wind that moved my car just pass clearing the stands, and I just couldn't see where Dallas was. I honestly didn't think I could break out, and so I didn't drag my brakes. I gave him the round by breaking out by 2/100.
That's my story -- and I'm sticking to it.
All in all -- I don't think the car or I did too bad in our first three passes, especially considering I went a full second faster than I have in the last 18 months. To me -- the difference between 11.0 in the Vitamin C and 10.0 in a cross-wind with a wagon is a big one.
The car feels good. I'm using Doug Duell's old Dynamic convertor -- and he sets his car up to launch at 1900 and he shifts at 6500 for his 9.75 Index. Damon has the horsepower band in my engine in a higher RPM Range (it feels like it starts pulling hard at 5500 and is still pulling very hard when I'm shifting at 7000 -- making me think that for the car to go as fast as its potential -- it wants to shift at closer to 7500) -- so I think I need to get a new convertor that flashes higher as my power is made higher.
I also need to experiment with shock settings, launch RPMs, and 4-link adjustments.
That said -- I think I can right now consistently make the car dependably run 10.0s for the NMCA (not wearing stuff out as fast -- plus the comfort of no neck brace, no net, no 3-ply suit, and an open helmet), but be able to turn up the wick for 9.5s-9.75s for non-points races that pay more for the FX classes.
