Last night was my first time on a prepped track with the air bag and swaybar. Also only my forth time at a track. Only got one run in before the bracket races started. I rolled into the throttle because I have been fighting wheel spin. No spin!!. Ran a 14.76, best at this track, but slower than my 14.63. So now I have no idea what to dial in at. So I put a 14.7 on the window and drop the gas pedal. Minor wheel spin, .074 R/T, 2.12 60' The car is running great. Then I lost my mind. The car has been shifting early so I decide to shift it into 2nd and run it out a bit. You guessed it, I found first. I get it back it to third and something starts banging. So I hit the key and get out of the groove. Ran a 17.79 wondering how bad I hurt the car and how much of a mess I am making. Ended up braking the alternator belt. Drove home 25 miles on the Optima battery. This could have been a 14.5 run, but because of my stupidity and greed I got a learning experience. Governor mods are next! I sometimes wish I wasn't so good at learning by my mistakes. John
John, Good thing it wasn't anything 'spensive! Being a bracket racer (cause I ain't got much money), I started the cring the moment I read you did something "different" on your elimination run. The rule of bracket racing is dial and leave it alone. Test n' Tune is for making changes. The important thing is that you have fun, of course. I just have more fun when I go rounds. Hopefully you'll get your governor set up so that you can just leave it in drive and go. You need some sticky tires!
race track John Glad you did not hurt anything worse then a belt. Your car looked good, I saw your run that you pitched the belt, car left good. Maybe Ill see you at Speedworld this weekend. Tom
You can be even more thankful. I had an alternator belt snap in my '70 convertible (mid-12 second car) racing at Englishtown back in the eighties. The broken belt came around like a bullwhip and whacked a huge hole in the oil filter. There was oil on the track from the eighth-mile to the finishline, not even mentioning how much oil coated the underside of the car! You did ok in my book! :TU:
Yeah, I was really happy with the car. It would have been a shame to hurt it. Good thing it had an AC belt to run the water pump. I was in the market for some sticky tires, but the way it hooked last night I think I'll hold off. Plus the fact that the tires slid across the track instead of hooking up may have saved a big failure. It is a convertible so I want to stay in the 14s. Still kicking myself in the pants. I would have broke out anyway. Johnou:
