Went to the Drag Strip for the First Time!

[Branomano08BlackBullitt]

Hey guys went to Irwindale last night. I drove all the way from Santa Monica took me about an hour and a half since I hit traffic. The temperature was in the high 80's possibly low 90's not really sure. Anyway I was able to make quite a few runs since I got there pretty early and stayed late I actually was able to make 9 passes! I will give you a quick rundown of each one but I did improve quite a bit from race to race. I will post pics of the slips once I figure out were my damn camera is at.... also I was power shifting and the car has everything in it including floor mats and a 280lbs driver.

Run#1: Just got there and the car had just driven 1 hour and half and was heat soaked to hell. I ended up just sucking... bogged like NO OTHER.... I forgot to turn Traction Control Off. It sucked...

3:54 PM
R/T ... 1.055
60' ... 2.601
330 ... 6.549
1/8 ... 9.724
MPH ... 78.00

Run#2: I turned Traction Control off and I ended up spinning about a third of the way down the track.... it was just stupid...

4:11 PM
R/T ... 1.306
60' ... 2.373
330 ... 6.892
1/8 ... 10.593
MPH ... 68.68

Run#3: I ended up red lighting and my times were bogus but what pissed me off was the run felt really good.... but the slip just had these bogus times...

4:29 PM
R/T ... LB3A
60' ... 7.498
330 ... 11.478
1/8 ... 14.655
MPH ... 77.75

Run#4: I was starting to get the hang of everything how the lights worked and more comfortable with the whole thing. Also I believe I had dropped my tire pressure to about 30 in each tire which was really nothing but I didn't have enough time to finish bringing them down since I was in the lane and they started moving on me....

4:53 PM
R/T ... 1.353
60' ... 2.179
330 ... 6.082
1/8 ... 9.241
MPH ... 78.13

Run#5: Getting even more comfortable with everything and getting better with how to launch....

5:14 PM
R/T ... 1.307
60' ... 2.153
330 ... 6.023
1/8 ... 9.162
MPH ... 78.78

Run#6: Ended up spinning too much... since I didn't do a burnout the way they were doing the water it was unavoidable.. pretty lame...

5:31 PM
R/T ... 1.435
60' ... 2.296
330 ... 6.247
1/8 ... 9.407
MPH ... 77.98

Run#7: My best run of the night. I had finally got a chance to drop both tires to 25PSI the car had cooled for 30 minutes with the hood up and the weather was cooling a bit. I was ready to go I just wanted some 8.XXX time I didn't care at that point....

6:02 PM
R/T ... 1.167
60' ... 2.081
330 ... 5.891
1/8 ... 8.990
MPH ... 79.58

Run#8: I was addicted for sure at this point... just couldn't stop... lol. I was having fun and had finally gotten a bit more solid with the whole thing. Car was able to cool again also not fully but better then not.... also ended up beating Camaro on this run by a bit. It was one of the ones from around 2000 I think.... Z28 he had a better 60' but I caught up to him at the end and he had gone a half second in front of me.

6:38 PM
R/T ... .754
60' ... 2.163
330 ... 5.972
1/8 ... 9.066
MPH ... 79.73

Run#9: It was dark out and the line was long so I figured why not 1 more? I let the car cool down for a bit made sure it was all good and was hoping for this to be my best and final run... it wasn't but it was yet again another pretty solid one... also I noticed everything about this run was better then my best one... except for the actual time... must have been my 2-3 shift... I think I did it just a bit early..... oh well I got way better over the span of 3 and a half hours it probably had to do with the temperature... although it stayed kinda humid until I left the temp went down a few degrees.

7:18 PM
R/T ... .932
60' ... 2.126
330 ... 5.927
1/8 ... 9.004
MPH ... 80.33


Anyway thanks for reading if you guys noticed anything or have any advice for me please let it rip I am now officially addicted... first thing I am thinking is to let the car fully cool down next time.... also put it on a diet... just for the runs since it is my DD and I need some comfort haha.. Removing the floor mats, the air compressor in the trunk, the trunk board thingy, the manual in the glove, and all that other crap... Also get on a diet myself =) haha. Also just for some comparisons.... there was a GT500 running 8.5's and a C6 Running 8.2's (Not sure if it was stock or not) also I heard alot of the guys that seemed to know what they were talking about saying the track prep was awful. They were saying Fontana is WAY better... so I might give that a shot when they open in the summer.... anyway just thought I would give you guys something to read. Peace.

 

[Kipp07GT]

Not bad for a damn near stock bullit, my 07 was running 8.80' 8.90's stock. Just get some good tires on there, cut the 60's down and you should see some 8.80 runs out of it. And track prep does play a major roll in the races, if your on street tires it really does not make that much of a difference. Mine never hooked regardless of track prep, stock tires=sucks!!!!!!!! Drag Radials or slicks and track prep are a def. needed aspect. No one likes spinning or skiing down a slick track.

 

[Branomano08BlackBullitt]

Yeah I think the temp had a lot to do with it as well and experience... but I mean overall as it got later which also means the temperature started dropping my times were getting shorter as a whole.

 

[psfracer]

Usually Irwindale is prepped pretty well. Fontana is only better if you go during a PSCA event, then its prepped really well.

I think the street tires were holding you back some, and the conditions this time of year are pretty bad. If you go to Irwindale in January / February, I bet you will easily run a sub 8.80 with no other changes at all.

I have raced at Irwindale many times, I have to come from Valencia so the drive does suck going with the rush hour traffic. But, it is normally prepped very good and I have run my best ever 1/8th mile there.

 

[don_w]

...I have to come from Valencia so the drive does suck going with the rush hour traffic...

Try coming up from San Diego...

 

[Branomano08BlackBullitt]

Hmmm I think Valencia is basically the equivalent of coming from Santa Monica lol I had to come from school and I also forgot to add I had forgotten to eat anything haha I did this all on an empty stomach!! Beat that!! lol j/k you guys seem real cool hopefully I run into you guys at a track some time. I would love to see some real S197 action.. there were only 2 of us last night including me... the other was the GT500 who's owner was actually pretty chill haha actually everyone there was pretty cool overall it was an awesome experience haha.

 

[alloy6ix]

yeah man, once you get those 60' times down you'll be much better... I say this cause my 4.0 is pulling 2.2-2.1 60' times on the same tires (I'm guessing stock BFGs) and I know you're car has the potential to whoop mines ass, my grandpa owns #4676 so I know the comparison compared to mine. haha. Keep hitting the track man!!

 

[Branomano08BlackBullitt]

Got some video up on youtube for your viewing pleasure... none of the good run are in it sadly cameraman had to leave early.... got smoked in both of them also.... :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it0TcP-tZgA&feature=channel_page

 

[psfracer]

Haha, just so you know, I would beat the first car you ran by a couple 10ths........

 

[don_w]

Haha, just so you know, I would beat the first car you ran by a couple 10ths........

We'll definitely need to line up this fall (cool weather at Barona!). I talked to Adam a couple days ago about the trans swap. I'm hoping to get the car up to him in a couple weeks or so.

 

[Branomano08BlackBullitt]

Haha, just so you know, I would beat the first car you ran by a couple 10ths........

I know lol your car is a beast one of my favorites on this board actually. Along with dons_w's. haha

 

[13726548]

Hey Branomano, I'm just curious as to what RPM you were launching at on the last 3 runs? Do you remember?

 

[Branomano08BlackBullitt]

I honestly am not 100% sure I started just going off of feeling since looking at my RPMS was giving me horribad reaction times. I would guess 2500-3000.

 

[Ken3030]

Great runs! Look forward to seeing you at teh track. You should also try Fontana the 1/4 mile is better.