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The Challenge of ECTA Participation

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  • The Challenge of ECTA Participation

    Arkansas. A place to run. There are so many folks so deep into land speed, it's amazing it went this long (a year?) without a track on the eastern half of the nation to do it on. I didn't know anything about it at all when Matt took us to Maxton as spectators. We found out quick it's not a spectator sport. Not much to watch, cars going by, some fast, some not-so-fast. But one thing there, we got to see Bill Warner go through the time trap at 260 on that motorcycle. DAYUM. Good grief. Did you SEE that?!?!?! GYAH.

    We didn't even last all day there at Maxton, maybe because we didn't even know what we were watching really. We didn't know enough to walk around and talk with the folks who were doing it, to get a feel for what everybody has going on to get there. The most open folks in the world if you just say hey, they love to talk about their car, whatever it is. Found that out later.

    Enter Red. And Maxton gave way to Ohio. A crazy thought on my part - We can run Red on the Ohio Mile. Inaugural event. A crazy thought, like kids who do amazing things because they don't know enough to know that they can't do those things, so they do them without knowing they are not supposed to be able to do them.

    And Red did all he could. And it was a record in class, since everything on that day was a record. Bone stock. Somebody would have to build a car on purpose to beat that speed, with a roll cage and all of that stuff. And eventually they did, beat it by about 16 or 17 MPH. That may have happened no matter what, but I like to think that Red's speed on that day made somebody spend a huge amount of money to beat it later on.

    There was a gap in the records right there. Folks do that, study the records for each class and go after that to get a record. As Lohnes said on the PA at Ohio, "That's part of the game."

    We've got a bone stock Ford Fusion. Unit's grocery getter. Bluebelle. 3.0L six cylinder. Since Red was maxed out at Ohio (don't go faster than 139.999 without a roll cage) I took Bluebelle up there for fun and giggles. Well, her computer was set on a speed limiter, 111.8 MPH. That's all she would do, over and over.

    The next year, I got an idee. That's Southernese for a profound revelation. I got a tuner for Bluebelle. I had the tuner folks program in 93 Octane, shift HARD, and speed Limiter Off. With that setup, Bluebelle went 131.6 MPH.

    She will do more, I'm sure of it. Add a CAI and some Mangaflow exhaust (good money after bad), I'll have to pedal it to stay off of 140. And it's so funny, folks asking, "What do you HAVE in that car?" Four door sedan, 3.0L six cylinder. At the Ohio starting line, Al the Starter made made me roll down the window so he could say, "Five dollars and I won't tell the rental company you're racing their car."
    Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

  • #2
    That's close enough a couple of my friends and I might make it.... That's a good line about rental cars. Apparently some old salt dogs do that at Bonneville just for giggles.
    Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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    • #3
      Originally posted by studemax View Post
      That's close enough a couple of my friends and I might make it.... That's a good line about rental cars. Apparently some old salt dogs do that at Bonneville just for giggles.
      June. I'll be there in June. Unit doesn't want to go, it's not a spectator sport and I understand that. Would love to see ya there Stude.
      Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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      • #4
        You KNOW I'll be there. The only question: Do I run Truck as well as Mutt? 2 records right there.

        Dan

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        • #5
          Originally posted by DanStokes View Post
          You KNOW I'll be there. The only question: Do I run Truck as well as Mutt? 2 records right there.

          Dan
          3 records - run Truck PULLING Mutt. A new category
          Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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          • #6
            Originally posted by pdub View Post
            run Truck PULLING Mutt. A new category
            I can already hear Keith now .....

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Monster View Post

              I can already hear Keith now .....
              It's gotten too expensive to deliberately get yourself thrown out!

              Dan

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              • #8
                Originally posted by DanStokes View Post
                It's gotten too expensive to deliberately get yourself thrown out!
                The next thing you know, somebody will show up with a propeller-driven vehicle wanting to pass Tech ...

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                • #9
                  The next thing you know, somebody will show up with a propeller-driven vehicle wanting to pass Tech ...
                  Not Franklin Ratzlaff..... PLEASE, NO!

                  Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Monster View Post

                    The next thing you know, somebody will show up with a propeller-driven vehicle wanting to pass Tech ...
                    Or tracks. 190 mph. Not with me on it. Nossir.

                     
                    Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Monster View Post

                      The next thing you know, somebody will show up with a propeller-driven vehicle wanting to pass Tech ...
                      On no you didn’t
                      "Somewhere the zebra is dancing". Garth Stein's The art of racing in the rain.

                      Matt

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Pumpkin View Post
                        Oh no you didn’t

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                        • #13
                          Swamp boat with wheels... Why not?

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