Pass 5. The heat didn't subside much and at this time of the day the DA was 2690. I felt good but wasn't sure the car was going to keep getting any quicker, but I kept my dial in the same at 10.52. *Shocks, tires, everything stayed the same, and I picked the left lane again. The only thing that was different is that I had to switch datalogging duties to write files to my SD card because the USB/CAN link from the holley sniper to the ECU stopped responding. I am certain that it was due to the laptop heating up since it was ultra hot every time I touched it. I know that I need to fab up a laptop mount/bracket for it because typically I just toss it onto the pass side carpeted floor which has the 4' exhaust pipe directly below where the latop sits. One day I'll weld some mounting system up for it so it stays in place and runs cooler. Anyways, I footbraked to 1204 rpms, converter flashed up to 4055 rpms. First gear was a quick one (a little too short) and I shifted at 5316 which dropped rpms to only 4790. Took second gear to 6192 rpms and dropped to 4962 rpms. Third gear at 6250 is when I crossed the finish line, and somehow, surprisingly, another freakin win light. As I was in 3rd gear nearing the finish line is when I saw the needle start dropping down on the nitrous system pressure so... I knew that I was now into territory that I wish I had brought a second bottle along for.
Timslip:
Datalog:
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC4s363rb1I
Pass 6 semi-finals
Kept things the same, and despite slowing down in ET and knowing I'd be even slower coming up, I even decided to keep the same dial-in, probably for luck. In the staging lanes, I joked with a buddy that I should change the "5" to a "9" in my dial in so it would be a 10.92 , but I just kept it at 10.52 afterall. Rounds were coming quicker, so it was almost hot-lap situation. *Here is where I should have been a "bracket racer" instead of just a goof ball, but I know better for next time. Foot-braked to 1553 rpms and converter flashed to 4003 rpms. I was great on the light and as I left, I saw the red light in the other lane turn on. Looking back, I wish I had just coasted the rest of the pass instead of wasting basically all nitrous left in the tank and putting more heat into the drivetrain but instead I just hammered down for the whole damn run, even despite seeing lower than optimal AFR numbers and running rich. I shifted 1-2 a bit early again at 5262 rpms, which dropped to 4627 in second gear. Took second gear to 5842 rpms and dropped to 4853 in third gear. Went across the finish line at only 6004 rpms running rich and slow. Got lucky here with the win light being decided on the tree.*
Timeslip:
Datalog:
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNIWWSKPcmE
Pass 7. Final Round !
Well, all of a sudden, I was in the finals with Brian, a buddy of mine who has a very low-10 second 2nd gen trans am, and he comes to the group rental as well. Larry and a few of the guys here know Brian and his car. I kept tire pressures and shocks the same. Told Brian I was out of nitrous and told him I was probably going to run 11.10 or 11-teens because of this and I couldn't genuinely ive him a side-by-side finish. He was looking to make a good pass in the left lane so I took the right lane. Launched from basically a dead idle which is 980rpms (target hot idle is 920 rpms). Converter flashed at 4013 rpms and I could tell it was a slower launch than the previous ones. First gear was shifted at 5187 (very low) and it dropped to 4531 rpms. I stretched second gear out to 6255 rpms and it dropped to 4942 in third gear. Watched Brian get the win light as I crossed the finish line at 6012 rpms. AFR numbers were unhappy, mph was low, probably causing unknown issues with running such low bottle pressure, but I just was thrilled to be able to still at the wheel. Grabbed my timeslip, and it was obviously my slowest pass of the day.*
Timeslip:
Datalog:
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNxBUuk2FQ0
Packed up the car in a hurry after collecting my first ever "racing" trophy and took some photos with Brian. Steve Bell took this photo below and even if I never get back into a winners circle again, I'm thrilled I got to do it just once. Drove the hot car home with zero issues that I am aware of and parked it in the garage where it sat until this past Friday when I washed it, reinstalled the sound system, and got it back to street driving duties for at least the next month. Also of note, the rear wheel vibration has almost all but subsided as I took the wheel/tire to be re-balanced one last time and it didn't move "that" much on the rim bead (white paint-pen lines in photo) after 7 launches in the 1.39-1.46 range at 19 psi.*
