Hey Dan Stokes - A Land Speed Technical Question

[silver_bullet]

Divine intervention.

Thank GOD!

Kinda like abruptly letting off the throttle of a 1973 Honda 750Four at 135

[RockJustRock]

Car and Driver was the epicenter of Automotive Civil Disobedience. They grew weary of dragging test cars all the way to Nevada so they found a house with a REALLY long paved private driveway. The house was owned by a little old lady with a funny sounding name so it was called something like the "Mrs. Kravitz Driveway Speed Test". They'd bring her flowers or a pie every time they defied and defiled physical and state laws on her property and she was good with it.

[silver_bullet]

I was not nearly as responsible back in the day.... blew out both rear tires on my chevy truck on the way to college....doing over 100 on Firestone 721s

[pdub]

I drove Red's left front tire flat at 125 mph at Road Atlanta for about 3 miles, trying to stay out of the way. I pulled into the paddock area and a guy stuck his head in the window and announced, "Your tire is flat." Yeah, no shit Sherlock. I've still got that tire on one of the street rims.

[RockJustRock]

Tire ratings relate to the centrifugal force they can withstand without coming apart, rather than handling characteristics.

Handling is usually better on a tire NOT about to tear itself up. But Drag Racing had it's wake up call on speed ratings when it lost Dick Harrell. Almost got Shirley and Big Daddy too. The tiny front dragster tire idea folded when Big realized half the diameter meant twice the RPM and centrifugal force. He WAS using aircraft landing gear rubber, but planes seldom touch down at 300+.

[pdub]

I'm guessing that right now the limiting factor is Bluebelle's tires ... which will probably only pass tech inspection for 125mph.

Then the next hurdle will be PW's current ECTA license class restriction of 135mph.

Yes, I'm going to have to start over from scratch because it's been more than 2 years since I've run. I'll have to attend the rookie meeting on Friday and make a first run of 125 on Saturday to qualify me and the car. It's what can happen after that that I'm unclear on, more so about Red when I take him in September. Red will haul ass, but I don't know how much ass. Is the legal barrier 135 or is it 149 (fire suppression/roll cage)?

Bluebelle, not so much. She went 131 with the stock setup and that was the absolute, that's all she would ever do. With the CAI she should be faster. And if 135 is the limit I may have to pedal her to stay off of 135.0 and that's next to impossible to do if you're me at that kind of speed. When Red went 139.447, that was cosmic blind luck that I didn't break out at 140. I say nobody is that good, that precise at that speed. I thought I was going 138 per the GPS going into the trap. Man, that was close. And lucky.

[RockJustRock]

Cruise Control?

[RockJustRock]

LSR Porn

http://www.speedhunters.com/2018/05/go-346fts-c6-corvette/

http://www.speedhunters.com/2018/05/best-best-never-lift-half-mile/

Not a lot of cage in these. Drag Race Tires. A lot of street clothes. I can actually imagine a purpose built 1/2 mile track. Wouldn't want bleachers past 1320 though. Multiple scoreboards.

[Monster]

I'm going to have to start over from scratch because it's been more than 2 years since I've run. I'll have to attend the rookie meeting on Friday and make a first run of 125 on Saturday to qualify me and the car. It's what can happen after that that I'm unclear on, more so about Red when I take him in September. Red will haul ass, but I don't know how much ass. Is the legal barrier 135 or is it 149 (fire suppression/roll cage)?

Once you get your E license by completing your 125mph run, then you will need to qualify for your D class by making a pass between 135-140mph showing control. Once you have earned your D, you can make runs up to 149mph, since from what you've said RED will tech for. Once you go 150mph or greater, you won't be allowed to run that vehicle again, until it passes tech for 150-174mph.

[pdub]

Ok, thank you Steve. Much appreciated. I still can't see where we have to run open lug nuts like we used to. I've got them and I'll put them on, but I have to read the rule book with a magnifying glass so it gets tiresome. Maybe I should compare the old rule book to the new one, page-for page, while keeping the new MS rules on the computer screen for reference. It's layered and there's some overlap. Much simpler just to be there but I'm one to need to find out what I'm going into.

And I don't know if F/FSS is the best choice for Bluebelle, but we'll see.

[pdub]

Cruise Control?

Yes. That's fun and unique to set the cruise control at 125.

[RockJustRock]

I keep trying to wrap my head around all these airport runway events. I guess the airport owners figure if people don't do anything sketchier than taking off or landing in a private plane (QUITE sketchy) all is good. That leaves the promoter as the one concerned about liability. A lot of promoters going for it. The racers only get SERIOUS when trying to build a business around their racing, otherwise it is just a lark. A lot of EXPENSIVE larks out there too.

One of the things that levelled off the Pro Street thing is people getting bumps on their noggin' cruising their creations without a helmet. No fun in that, but no fun in not racing either. Personally I think the halo cages hurt the sport more than ANY number of unfortunate incidents would have. Give me a good 6 point cage. The sidebar is a pain, but at least the extra weight is regained in chassis stiffness. Of course a modern tube frame is a whole 'nuther thing. They build an entire car worth of stiff within a foot of the drivetrain then sling seats along the side. Makes you wonder how raggedy they would get if allowed.

But to me it looks like you're required to build a 5 second frame to go 8s when the old school guys went 8s with a 6 point.

[pdub]

I keep trying to wrap my head around all these airport runway events.

That's a natural thing. Everyone bases their thought process around what they've already seen. And I haven't seen drag racing but for a very little bit of it in person.

Enough to know that land speed is a different animal. Totally different.

[RockJustRock]

Hopefully Tom Bailey will bring Sick 2.0 out soon and go faster than they have even INVENTED safety equipment for.

[Monster]

Ok, thank you Steve. Much appreciated. I don't know if F/FSS is the best choice for Bluebelle, but we'll see.

I was reading through the new online rulebooks and this nugget is buried in the LSR Vehicles section:

3B Roll Cages and Roll Bars"
All cars in competition over 135 MPH, must be equipped with a roll bar or roll cage structure.
All closed cars between 135 MPH and 150 MPH must have a 4-point roll bar.
For 2004 and newer street legal production vehicles, refer to Street / Super Street Category.

In the Street Category rules, it states;
2004 through 2008 cars will require a ROLL BAR for speeds above 150 MPH.
2009 and newer cars do not require a roll bar BUT IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

So, It looks like you want to stick to the Street Category as long as you stay under 150 mph.