Got a text from Steve earlier while I was at a local A & W Cruise night
They went through tech , but had a couple of issues, things that weren't in the rulebook ?? (no explanation of what the issue(s) were, but I've asked for details, will edit if I get word back....
Anyways, by the time they got things resolved, it was too late for Steve to make his "Rookie Run", so that will take place first thing tomorrow.
Edit: Sun, 13th Aug/17: The issues that had to be fixed yesterday were: Addition of a rollover switch for the fuel pump, adding padding to the roll cage (despite the SFI seat already having it), and sealing the firewall a bit better.....
James F
That's really good for a new car. The rollover switch is new in the last couple of years as electric fuel pumps became more popular but the rule is in the general safety rules and not in the class rules (at least in the ECTA book). Not to feel badly about this - there are SO many rules and it takes time to get used to the layout of the book (I'm still working on it!).
I'm pleased that they were able to resolve these issues on the salt and get ON with it! Cheering from the sidelines!
Well, just got a text from Steve.
On his Rookie run, knowing that the way it's geared, 7000 RPM should be 142 MPH, he went downcourse, ran the car up to 7000, and clocked 138..253 MPH
next run turned out to be a disaster, as the Shifter piled up, and he couldn't get any gears
They have already removed the trans (Doug Nash Torsion Tube 5 spd) from the car, and will pull the trans apart in the morning.
Oh yah, and IIRC, The little 257 C.I. SBF revs to 10K
James F
Last edited by Tubbed Pacecar; August 13, 2017, 09:18 PM.
Well, being as there are no stores out on the salt stocking Doug Nash parts, they ground the sliders and put it back together, so they're going to try it and see if it works...........
Well, I was eating my breakfast (late), and still had not received a text from Steve....so I texted him
My question was, did they get a pass in yesterday?
His response was, yes, he did get a pass, but one of the Charge Tubes blew off, and he coasted through @ 139.643 MPH
I guess the good news is, on this pass the trans was not the problem, and the charge tube problem is an easy fix, so we'll have to see how they make out today.....
I use turnbuckles across the connections to secure mine when the boost gets high - works great. We started doing this on our dyno engines and made blow-off a thing of the past.
Well, I got another text from Steve while I was out (~3:35PM AB time), here's what it said:
Well, we made a decent pass, but I could not hook up. Ran 144.243 MPH on the two mile course, so we moved to the three mile in hopes of being able to get a more gradual build up of speed."
Almost sounds like they're lined up in the que for the three mile, so here's hoping they get another pass in today, because Friday is rapidly approaching!
Oh yah, almost forgot to mention, for anyone who's listening to the Radio Broadcast from Mile Two, which tells you who's lined up, and gives their MPH at each mile marker, as well as out the back, Steve's competition number is 7010
And here's the link to the radio broadcast, which the Bangshift guys posted a couple days ago....
Well, todays BRIEF text from Steve only stated the following:
"Set the record @ 156, will be back next year for the red hat"
If I'm looking @ the right document on SCTA-BNI, the existing record was set in Aug/99 @ 152.351 MPH
Speaking with someone up north, it sounds like that record run was all the trans had in it (until they have parts on hand to "fix it right"), so my source tells me they've packed up & left the salt.
I'm hoping that once Steve & crew stop along the way somewhere that has internet service, that he may make a post (or two or three) and expand upon what has been relayed to me in his brief text messages.
GOOD for Steve and crew!!!! Any record is a great thing but I'm sorry they got TOO broke to run more. Sounds like a re-evaluation of trans will be needed.
First time I've been near a computer since we left home. I qualified for the record with a 157.156 in the 3 mile. I entered the 3 mile at 146.842 mph. went to impound and only had 1 hr to check the car out. The back up run was almost a disaster as the tranny popped out of gear in 2nd so I went for 3rd and it popped out again. It wouldn't go into 4th so I tried 5th and that pulled the motor down to 3000 rpm and I was doing about 80 mph. I couldn't give it much throttle at that low an rpm but I was gaining speed slowly. I entered the 3rd mile at 120.27 mph down 26 mph from the qualifier but I was starting to get into the power band and was picking up speed. I was spinning and fish tailing but was determined to come out as fast as possible. If you do the math I exited the 3rd mile around 172 mph to get an average of 155.582 mph. I'll be back next year with more weight for traction and a properly rebuilt tranny.
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