SSHS7 Runs

[sailsmen]

Grammar Corrections seen in below post.

[sailsmen]

Got to the Commerce Track for 8:15am. The fog was heavy w/ limited visibility. Fitting for a day of racing by mostly black cars. Good that I went to the track last nite and remembered the lay out.

Found the end of the 100 yard line waiting for Tech. Gave us a chance to socialize with fellow car enthusiasts.

Went thru Tech and pulled in the pitts to wait for the track to open. The fog lifts and the track opens. Based on the lack of traction last nite at the Year One Races I decide to try to wait for others to make runs.

It's 38* and I just cannot not wait any longer. First run a .169 R/T, 2.131 60' and I am spinning so much I coast down the track. Think I wil wait a little longer.

Sun is out and it is now 48*, .169 R/T, 1.894 60' and 12.760 @108.45 w/ some spin.

It's now 45 minutes latter and the sun gets it up to 53*. I am going down the pitts headed for the staging lanes when a yellow 4 door pick up truck pulls in front of me. I follow him into the staging lanes still behind him going down lane 3. There is a line in 3 so he jumps over to lane 4 with no line, but realizes lane 4 is closed. He now swerves over towards me in lane 3, good thing I have execellent reaction or both of us would have had a bad day, I swerve to lane 2.

Fate has the yellow 4 door pick up lining up next to me. I am determined to beat him. I back up into the water box and do a good burn out, nothing fancy just enough smoke to come off of both wheels.

I shallow stage and focus solely on the third yellow while counting in my head a cadence to match the .5 second from 1st yellow to 2nd yellow to 3rd yellow. Mash it just as the 3red yellow lites, my .043 R/T to his .271!

I know diesels can have an excellent 60'. My launch is excellent having done the rite burnout and preload of the suspension for 1.769 to the yellow trucks 2.347. My 1/4 12.442 @108.32 to his 15.481 @88.48.

I coast to the time shack with that feeling of total victory that comes from the confidence in being the better driver.:banana2:

The slip from the time shack proves what I already know.

No time to gloat. My next run 1/2 hour latter, .086 R/T, 1.893, 12.654 @107.63. Then 45 minutes latter and the last run before eliminations, the temp is up to 64* ran .112, 1.782, 12.605 @104.07. I let up at the end, this is a slick track, not for novices!

It's now 1:48pm and 69*. My R/T are excellent and I have never run in this low humidity of 28%. I decide to put a low Dial in of 12.28 so as not to break out and win on my excellent R/T.

I am lined up againest a red pick up. His Dial in is 12.40. The track personel signals to do a burn out, I pull out the water box and as I am about to hit the throttle the track personel signals to hold off. He sees liquid on the launch pad and mops it up.

I have visions of wiping out knowing how slick this track is and that there is liquid on the launch pad. My R/T is .247 to his .039. My 60' 2.068 to his 1.793. It spins so much I have to let up twice. He easily wins.

I buy back and get ready for the next race. It is now 2:35pm and 73*. I leave my Dial in at 12.28.

I am lined up againest a Black Marauder, I see it's Merc. Merc and I have been exchanging some info over the past year. I know he is a serious racer and I will need my best effort to beat him.

I follow my procedure to the t, around the water box back up into the water box, wait for the burn out signal, pull out the water box, nail the throttle 1/2 way, increase the throttle until I have the rite amount of smoke, let off/on the break to lurch the car and keep the tires clean. Then creep in to the stage.

Merc has a Dial in of 12.69 to my 12.28. He gets .4 head start.

Merc has a good R/T of .093 to my .087. His 60' 1.784 to my 1.787. His 330' 5.250 to my 5.158. The problem is he is .3 ahead of me! The 1,000' approaches his 10.637 to my 10.455, now he is .182 ahead of me.

There are 320' to go and I realize I am reeling him in too fast. Merc has hit the brakes so he does not break out. Merc crosses .1741 in front of me.

I ran a 12.558 @106.90.

I follow Merc into the pitts to congratulate him on the win.

The irony, I helped several set their Dial in, had they shown me my own time slips I would have told them to set it at 12.442. My previous best that day.

You may wonder why the 12.28. Last year at SSHS6 I had never run in weather that cold, ran a personal best 12.287. Last year at SSHS6 my Dial in was 12.44 ran .065 R/T, 12.511 @ 109.78 beating a Maruader with a 12.4 Dial in who broke out 12.353 @112.07. The next race my Dial in was 12.32 and I lost breaking out 12.287 @109.74.

I still smile about beating the yellow four door truck who is so lucky that I am a better driver and avoided a collision.:D

[sailsmen]

I attended the Year One races on Friday. It is limited to the first 200 cars.

Tech asked if I had a flame retardent jacket. Isaid yes, it's the same color as the helmet.

My reaction times were .154 and .164. I could not get any traction so I coasted down the track.

There was a break down. A guy in a p/u w/ a 383 and a Vortec lined up near me. He said the whole track is always slick and they are suppose to resurface the whole track next year.

[merc]

Drag racing takes time to understand and practice to hone your skills. You need your A game when dealing with sailsman because he understands how to win. From my perspective one of us was going to win and I was going to give it my best. When it’s crunch time you have to be one with your car and focus on the beginning and end. He had the fastest car, but so did everyone I raced that day. When the light turn green we were off. His reaction time was slightly better but I know I would pass him on the sixty foot time and 330. Once ahead I keep an eye on sailsmen in the right view mirror. At the 1000 foot mark he was closing ground but not enough. My car was capable of a 12.40 that day but I never got to used it because I found myself on the brakes on the big end most of the day. Trick number 1, don’t’ let the dail-in fool you. I have raced many 10.00 cars with 12-second dail-ins on the window. A good driver can own you all the way down the track and edge you out in the end. The sad thing is one of was going home. I didn't want to race another Marauder. I had a taste for Impala steaks.