Track Day

[Becciasm]

This past Saturday, I met my parents up at Maple Grove Raceway for a day at the track. Anticipation mounts as we make our way though the ticketing gate.. I haven't driven the car in over a year, so I was pretty amped the entire ride up.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622130920.jpg

We got our pit area set up along the fence near the finish line. Pretty good spot for viewing races, not the best spot, if you've ever been there, for use as an actual pit, when my 'crew chief' (dad) had to walk literally a quarter mile to the staging lanes when my bracket was called :)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131149d.jpg

Semi-perfect weather. It was sunny with few clouds, so that made the track temps really high, plus the air was a touch humid, so none of the cars were running at their peak performances.

A few sun shots of the beast :)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131145b.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131146.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131145f.jpg

Proper stance:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131146f.jpg

Little guy helping out with the race prep...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131050.jpg

NOT THE PAINT!! NOT THE PAINT!!!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131050c.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/0622131050e.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/60685)

All good.. reflections remain intact.. not too shabby for original steel and paint.. :) 41 years old and looking strong.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131147g.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131147e.jpg

Now, on to the results.

First run. I was sleeping on the light, and must not have had my foot in it completely. Right lane.. 0.197 reaction time (snore), 11.268 et @ 119.52.. I've not been in the car for a year, so both car and driver had to wake up :P

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131027.jpg

Time run two.. Left lane

Overcompensated at the light... -0.097, but the ET and MPH was better. Adjusted tire pressures a bit lower for this run, getting it where we wanted it..

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131235e.jpg

Eliminations, round one:

WIN!!!! Haha... :) It's pretty cool to get the win, even on a small event like this. 0.058 reaction time.. there we go :)

Right lane: 11.086 ET @ 121.26

the car that i 'took out' was a legitimate 9 second car (remember, ambient conditions were not the best for peak performance), dialing in at 10.04.. yeah, he's going to be fast. Black SS camaro.. He had chutes on the back of his car, so that means he's gonna go fast. He literally passed me on the track, then had to slam on the brakes to avoid going too fast.

Talking with him afterwards, he was sleeping on the line, and with my reaction time he had to push it to try and catch me - broke out of his dial-in time by 0.011 - not much, but it gave me the win.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131424.jpg

Eliminations, second round...

*sigh*, this is where my day comes to a close. I red lit the start, -0.093..

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131522.jpg

She was consistent though, right lane 11.262 @ 120.91 mph.. I guess i was just amped up to get going. They say to 'Leave when you see the third Yellow' on the tree.. practice, practice, practice :)

It was fun, and it is always a great day when you can get to the track.

I had this to come back to as a consolation prize:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/0622131832a.jpg

:) wife got this for me a the celtic festival, held at the PA Renaissance fair this weekend.

Hopefully it won't be another full year before i get more seat time.

[Becciasm]

bump for the late crowd

[Setec Astronomy]

Man, I'm getting old, I couldn't even remember the name of the Pontiac version of the Nova until I zoomed in on one of your pictures. Glad you had a fun day.

[Becciasm]

Ventura II, 1972

chevy powered. :)

[Flash Gordon]

Nice job man. I love that body style :props:

[daveinsweethome]

thanks for the post. when does the younun take over?

[Becciasm]

well, this was his first time @ drag strip, at least, the first time where he was cognizant of what was actually going on (he's been a few times when he was younger), and I've never seen a three year old lose his mind so much as he did when ANY :) race car drove by our pits!!! It didn't matter if it was our car starting out or what, he loved every second of it.

So, if this attitude continues he'll get himself a jr dragster in a few years :) (don't tell his mom) :P

[Becciasm]

bump for the afternoon crowd :D

*shameless promotion of my fun* Can you tell i'm still excited?! :P

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Man those panels and paint looks great for an old girl.

Nice runs BTW.

[FUNX650]

*shameless promotion of my fun* Can you tell i'm still excited?! :P
Yes I can!!
(I would be too...with the runs you had after a long layoff from the track...and with such a nice 'dragster'!!)


Side Bar:
Did some drag racing myself this past Saturday down in Somerset, Ky. out on US Hwy 27...
I just love the smell of burning rubber.


:)

Bob

[Becciasm]

it's addictive. I don't know who was more excited.. my 3 year old or me. :)

the plans for the car are either to keep it on the track as long as possible and add some power adders over time - say, 250 shot of nitrous and a diet... would love to see 9 seconds.. :)

or convert it to street legal for cruises, whatnot.. :) either way, it's addictive.

[Flash Gordon]

it's addictive. I don't know who was more excited.. my 3 year old or me. :)

the plans for the car are either to keep it on the track as long as possible and add some power adders over time - say, 250 shot of nitrous and a diet... would love to see 9 seconds.. :)

or convert it to street legal for cruises, whatnot.. :) either way, it's addictive.

Are you planning on racing anymore this season? Maybe you could put Autogeek.net stickers on your car for free wax/polishers

:) :) :)

[Becciasm]

Man those panels and paint looks great for an old girl.

Nice runs BTW.

they do. the body is original except for the front/rear bumpers (fiberglass), side windows (lexan), and hood and decklid (also fiberglass).

One 'rule' that we are trying to follow is 'no stickers on the paint'.

"But how will people know what you're running?!!!"

Unless MSD, Moroso and Edelbrock are providing us with parts every season, the stickers stay off the paint.

Now the glass, well that's a different story....


Are you planning on racing anymore this season? Maybe you could put Autogeek.net stickers on your car for free wax/polishers

:) :) :)

Sadly, i don't plan on heading up there to race anymore this season - *plan* - but we've been known to make spur of the moment road trips back home so one never knows...

I think Bruno has got that one already wrapped up! haha....

But if anyone at AGO is listening (reading?), I will gladly rep PBMA for free stuff..

maybe we can start a PBMA racing club...