Let the 2012 racing season begin

[Steve Wood]

Good luck!

[Pyro6]

Thanks Steve, we need all the luck we can get!

[$1987 GN$]

I would wish you luck but . . .

I believe in causality, hence I know you will be on the top of the heap.

AJ___

[Pyro6]

Good news/bad news race day. About 300 cars. The reconned trans worked flawlessly but the convertor adjustment messed us up a little. We had a bad storm Friday night which pushed the starting time back an hour and a half. Time trials cut to one, we sure coulda used two. Adjusting a car 1/4 mile at a time is hard enough. Here's the good news/bad news: the bad .083 red light, the good is the fastest the car went yet. 11.36 @ 119 mph. So first round I cut the boost back thinking we'll be safe in the 11.5xx's and it comes in at 11.43. Short race day but efffective as a test and tune. I feel we are winding down the season with a healthy car and am looking forward to next year (after this next race, of course!!)

[Steve Wood]

That is too bad...but, if memory serves me correctly, you have made a ton of progress since the early days of taking it to the track and trying to get it right!

[Pyro6]

You have an excellent memory. I am always cautiously optimistic everytime the car makes a a pass. We are finally at the point we were aiming for years ago, Thomas driving plus being able to adjust the boost to make the car run it's number. We leave the line with zero boost but continue to put up 1.6x 60 ft times. I like it that way, it doesn't seem to beat the car up as much and I don't worry about wheel spin.

[Steve Wood]

yeah, I remember some things....

I know someone else that leaves at zero boost and does the same.  Does not twist the car out of shape and helps keep both tires planted properly.  I really believe the converter is the secret that most of us ignore.  Not all are created equal.  Spending 10k on an engine and $199 on a converter does not make much sense to me.  I like a good unlocked converter for racing.  Amazing how many old guys out there still run the original AC 9".  I guess the PTC is the modern successor.

And, understanding how boost affects the time and controlling it precisely is not something easily taught, I think.

[Pyro6]

I have my convertors done by a local guy, racing only, Jay Heckman owner of C2. After the trans crapped I had him open it up, clean, inspect, and re-stall it a tick looser. Seems the car likes it and Thomas trees better with it. As far as adjusting boost to race, it takes alot of passes in alot of different weather. Each year I log more and more info which helps build a database. I feel I am getting close to being "right on". This weekend I didn't give enough for the weather change, and neither did most people because there was an excessive amount of breakouts.