Great story, but you left out the chapter on how to spin a car at 220+ & get one
of those nasty red stickers on your windshield ;-)
Ed
John Beckett wrote:
> List
>
> WOS adventure, Part 2
>
> OK, its now Thursday and we have another D/GCC record under our belt. Time
> for my nitrous ride in D/FCC. Hook up the bottle and go right?...wrong. The
> first run netted us 1,600 degrees on the EGT and a turn out at the 1/4 with
> a 198 MPH time slip. Hmmm...Joe ran a 208 MPH 1/4 speed NA...so what's up
> here. Back in the pits we make some adjustments and try again. Even worse
> 189 MPH in the middle mile...did the engine go away? Didn't think we hurt
> anything...plugs look good. Been following Dave Dahlgrens recommendations
> (who was kind enough to pass on his knowledge).
>
> It's Friday, frustration sets in, throwing up our hands we retune back to NA
> specks and gearing...lets see if we hurt this puppy or not. Nope, not hurt
> as we comfortably run a 227 MPH pass. Guess we better pay a little closer
> attention to Uncle Dave's pearls. So we re-tune to Nitrous spec.'s and
> gearing again, following Dave's plan, and a 100 HP hit, we roll off a 225
> MPH run. 10 MPH shy of the record but at least were running over 200 MPH. OK
> now were getting into this. Now upon further investigation, based on Dave's
> urging, we discover we have the whole system wired wrong...followed the
> directions I thought. Damn this thing needs a relay to power everything
> correctly. Feeling very stupid now, but praise the Lord, Keith Turk has an
> extra relay and harness. With Dave's help again we wire it in and get ready
> for Saturday. By the way the Amo brothers have blown the side off their bike
> motor by now and are offering extra nitrous and spare solenoids to help make
> this thing happen.
>
> Saturday, after return runs, we warm the bottles in the truck, charge the
> battery...Dave wants a 200 HP hit I opt for a 125 and head to the line. New
> plan this run...won't hit the nitrous until the 4 mile (had tested it at the
> 1/4 on the previous run and it dramatically upped the speed and carried the
> speed through the first mile. Power dropped off in the last mile...weren't
> sure why at the time). Anyway I start the run everything is working
> perfectly...feels very strong, even with nitrous gearing...hit the button
> entering the last mile...the tach jumps 500 RPM...WOW...did the math the
> night before...that's 240+ MPH.
>
> Talk about excitement...little did I know that the timing computer took a
> nap and didn't spit out any time for that run, NOTHING. Maximum frustration.
> Had to have been our qualifier. How many runs like that does this thing have
> in it before its toast? Well nothing left to do but try again. OK, fill the
> bottle and warm it, charge the battery check the plugs. Now the motor is
> getting tired by this time...and I should have upped the nitrous at least 25
> HP to compensate, (should have gone with Dave's 200 HP hit in the first
> place), but I didn't think to do it. Dave recommends I hit the button a
> little sooner...maybe 3.5 mile instead of 4 (another lesson to be learned
> here soon).
>
> In the mean time Adrenaline TV installs a camera in the car to record the
> run, and follows along. Now the adrenaline is definitely flowing and not
> cause I'm on TV. The pass feels good...I'm on the nitrous at the 3.5...tach
> jumps...gains 400 RPM this time...still feels like a great run...feeling
> confident we qualified I wave to the camera during shut down. Results...well
> it was our best timed run ever for the Chevette...234.352 MPH, but .04 MPH
> shy of the record. Disappointment to be sure. The course was closed..no more
> runs for us, and Tom keeps his record, until next year.
>
> An experienced racer once said "There ain't no easy records at Bonneville".
> Hmmm I think he's right.
>
> Goals for next year...well I really, really want the E/FCC record. Will have
> the little
> engine back together for Speed Week and with lessons learned this year I
> believe we have a good shot at it.
>
> John Beckett, LSR #79
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