sailsmen
11-24-2013, 07:55 PM
State Capitol Raceway Test-n-Tune
I have been watching the weather for the winter cold fronts. There is a cold front due thru either Friday or Saturday. They frequently slow down when they hit the warm Gulf air. The forecast for cold dry air or warm wet air keeps changing back and forth. Looks like Saturday maybe a go to the track if not then on Sunday.
Saturday is here and it starts raining. I check the weather again for Sunday, in the 50’s with the humidity in the 40’s. Yahoo, cool and dry air.
I decide to go ahead to Test-n-Tune at State Capitol Raceway in Port Allen, LA early Sunday morning to make the gate opening for 10:00am.
I drive for an hour and a half in full street trim, the same as I drove her off the lot new. The only prep at the track is to let the air out the rear tires to 14.75 psi.
I walk the launch area to find the grove and there is a good one on the left side. I make note of where the water box is.
I pitt behind the grand stands so I can easily walk over and see the cars run. The parking spots are double long for the cars that are on a trailer. I check my tires to make sure there are no nails in them from the ride up, rear axle for leaks and engine for leaks. I notice all the street cars are pitted near the staging lanes.
I pull behind a line of street cars in the staging lanes. There are Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes. I see several non-street cars running and a few street cars. I don’t know why these guys are in a lane because they are parked. I go around them into the front of the staging lanes.
I am next to a Camaro. The track official signals me to pull up to near the launch area and I do. The Camaro elects to stay put. Behind me is a Mustang and he elects to stay put. The track official then signals me to get on the launch pad.
Still no one pulls up next to me. I think they must think I don’t know what I am doing and are afraid I will crash into them. This ticks me off, I will show them they are wrong.
I drive around the water box, back up into it and wait for the track officials signal to do my burn out. He signals and I pull up slightly out of the water box, jam on the brake and stab the throttle until I see a large amount of smoke billowing out of both rear wheel wells. I then ease up to the starting line exactly on the groove.
Since no one is next to me I decide to concentrate on the launch for the fastest time in lieu of the reaction time for fastest start. I hold hard on the brake and bring the revs up to 2,800 rpm. On the third yellow I mash the accelerator and let off the brake.
I feel a spin of about a ¼ turn of the rear wheels and then it hooks, launching the Marauder sling shot style, for a 60’ of 1.667. An all time fastest 60’ out of 270+ runs and 10 years!
The 330’ comes at 4.766 and I start to feel my stomach in my throat, which lets me know this is a fast run. Then comes the 1,000’ and I begin to feel the Marauder getting light due to the wind and the track being slick. I just hold on with the finish in sight.
I cross 11.542 @ 121.19! A new personal BEST! 10 years, 170,000 miles, 270+ Runs and this is the Fastest Time!!!
R/T - .154 / 60’ – 1.667 / 330’ – 4.766 / 1/8 – 7.360 / MPH – 92.70 1,000’ – 9.636 / ET – 11.542 @ 121.19.
I pull into to the pitts to check everything. I check the tire pressure, after a run they heat up, to see if I can drop it. I note my left rear tire has moved 1 1/8” on the wheel. I mark the wheel and the tire with a red grease pencil. This is too much so I will not let any air out.
I pitt and go over to see what others are running;
Mustang Cobra Convertible – 12.47
Mustang Coyote – 12.03
Chevelle 454 – 11.67
Corvette – 11.975
Corvette Z06 – 12.48*
Camaro SS – 11.87
Corvette – 11.57.
Now I see why they would not line up next to me. THEY HATE TO LOSE!
I pull into the staging lanes and line up next to a Mustang. As before he and no one else will run next to me!
This time I notice the grove is mostly gone in the left lane. With a new best personal time I got nothing to lose by trying to better it. On the starting line I rev it up to 3,000 rpm but I can’t hold it and I creep past the start red lighting. No worries I will still get a time posted on the board.
I let off the brake and I have some spin. My 60’ is 1.868. I cross at 11.750 @ 120.28.
I have now gotten tired of beating myself, so now I head home.
*Corvette Z06 - First time down the ¼ mile. Came in on a trailer. I gave him some pointers after his first run. He said – “but I am afraid I will break something” . I responded – “then don’t race!”.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00038_2_.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00039_2_.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00040_2_.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00037_2_.jpg
I have been watching the weather for the winter cold fronts. There is a cold front due thru either Friday or Saturday. They frequently slow down when they hit the warm Gulf air. The forecast for cold dry air or warm wet air keeps changing back and forth. Looks like Saturday maybe a go to the track if not then on Sunday.
Saturday is here and it starts raining. I check the weather again for Sunday, in the 50’s with the humidity in the 40’s. Yahoo, cool and dry air.
I decide to go ahead to Test-n-Tune at State Capitol Raceway in Port Allen, LA early Sunday morning to make the gate opening for 10:00am.
I drive for an hour and a half in full street trim, the same as I drove her off the lot new. The only prep at the track is to let the air out the rear tires to 14.75 psi.
I walk the launch area to find the grove and there is a good one on the left side. I make note of where the water box is.
I pitt behind the grand stands so I can easily walk over and see the cars run. The parking spots are double long for the cars that are on a trailer. I check my tires to make sure there are no nails in them from the ride up, rear axle for leaks and engine for leaks. I notice all the street cars are pitted near the staging lanes.
I pull behind a line of street cars in the staging lanes. There are Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes. I see several non-street cars running and a few street cars. I don’t know why these guys are in a lane because they are parked. I go around them into the front of the staging lanes.
I am next to a Camaro. The track official signals me to pull up to near the launch area and I do. The Camaro elects to stay put. Behind me is a Mustang and he elects to stay put. The track official then signals me to get on the launch pad.
Still no one pulls up next to me. I think they must think I don’t know what I am doing and are afraid I will crash into them. This ticks me off, I will show them they are wrong.
I drive around the water box, back up into it and wait for the track officials signal to do my burn out. He signals and I pull up slightly out of the water box, jam on the brake and stab the throttle until I see a large amount of smoke billowing out of both rear wheel wells. I then ease up to the starting line exactly on the groove.
Since no one is next to me I decide to concentrate on the launch for the fastest time in lieu of the reaction time for fastest start. I hold hard on the brake and bring the revs up to 2,800 rpm. On the third yellow I mash the accelerator and let off the brake.
I feel a spin of about a ¼ turn of the rear wheels and then it hooks, launching the Marauder sling shot style, for a 60’ of 1.667. An all time fastest 60’ out of 270+ runs and 10 years!
The 330’ comes at 4.766 and I start to feel my stomach in my throat, which lets me know this is a fast run. Then comes the 1,000’ and I begin to feel the Marauder getting light due to the wind and the track being slick. I just hold on with the finish in sight.
I cross 11.542 @ 121.19! A new personal BEST! 10 years, 170,000 miles, 270+ Runs and this is the Fastest Time!!!
R/T - .154 / 60’ – 1.667 / 330’ – 4.766 / 1/8 – 7.360 / MPH – 92.70 1,000’ – 9.636 / ET – 11.542 @ 121.19.
I pull into to the pitts to check everything. I check the tire pressure, after a run they heat up, to see if I can drop it. I note my left rear tire has moved 1 1/8” on the wheel. I mark the wheel and the tire with a red grease pencil. This is too much so I will not let any air out.
I pitt and go over to see what others are running;
Mustang Cobra Convertible – 12.47
Mustang Coyote – 12.03
Chevelle 454 – 11.67
Corvette – 11.975
Corvette Z06 – 12.48*
Camaro SS – 11.87
Corvette – 11.57.
Now I see why they would not line up next to me. THEY HATE TO LOSE!
I pull into the staging lanes and line up next to a Mustang. As before he and no one else will run next to me!
This time I notice the grove is mostly gone in the left lane. With a new best personal time I got nothing to lose by trying to better it. On the starting line I rev it up to 3,000 rpm but I can’t hold it and I creep past the start red lighting. No worries I will still get a time posted on the board.
I let off the brake and I have some spin. My 60’ is 1.868. I cross at 11.750 @ 120.28.
I have now gotten tired of beating myself, so now I head home.
*Corvette Z06 - First time down the ¼ mile. Came in on a trailer. I gave him some pointers after his first run. He said – “but I am afraid I will break something” . I responded – “then don’t race!”.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00038_2_.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00039_2_.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00040_2_.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG-20131124-00037_2_.jpg