Good time at Hallsville

[WA 2 FST]

Enjoyed hanging out with the group today, even though I was in my Brand X car. This group is by far one of the best out there. I'm sure most of us here have been in several circles of car enthusiasts. I have to say all the guys I meet here are classy, and have a good perspective on what this hobby is about...most of which is the camraderie you experience (after all, vehicles come and go, hopefully people/friends don't).

Here's my report. I had a great time, but I'm disappointed in myself. It's not the car, its the driver who is 1) not willing to bolt on some real tires and make some banzai passes and 2) no longer skilled enough to shift the darn thing aggressively enough to wring out its potential. Wish I could run all those 10-second cars from a 20mph roll. Maybe I could hang then. :rll:

I am really embarrassed to say that I've lost most of my skill at the dragstrip. Back in the early-late 90s, I campained a 5.0 Mustang in several shootout classes and did fine. I raced a couple of times a month.

Now I go once a year... and it shows. http://www.z06vette.com/forums/images/smilies/icon_puke.gif

This was my first trip with the LPE Stage 2 TT setup. I was running drag radials, which with this kind of power do not hookup unless you roll out off-idle. I knew this going in. We had decent air today, however we did have a 10+mph headwind at times. How often does the wind blow from the EAST?!

1st pass I was trying to take it easy and ran 11.45 @ 132. Bumped the rev-limiter on 2-3 and 3-4 shift. 2nd pass, I pull through the burn box, spin the tires, pull forward to do the burnout. It didn't look like there was much water in the box when I went through it. Took the revs up in 2nd gear, dumped clutch, engine bogged I tried to give it more gas... it finally pulled up but... you guessed it. I spun the clutch. Clutch smoke all over inside, stunk like crazy. I went ahead and ran the 1/8mile and then shut it down b/c I didn't want to load the clutch in 4th gear under power since I knew it was really hot and possibly hurt. Turns out the 1/8th mile was my best time of the day... 7.55 @ 104mph. Should have run it out in hindsight.

So I let the car cool for an hour+ and made a few more passes. It was just a bog, spin proposition all day. Clutch _seemed_ ok and on the 2+hr drive home. But I was frustrated. Leave the line easy (so as not to break anything and get the car moving without spinning), then even 1/2 throttle in 1st brings some tirespin. Short-shift into 2nd and the car would hook fine, but it would be a bit out of its powerband (rpms too low since I shortshifted).

Ran three more 11.4xx passes with a best of 11.42 @ 133.1mph (7.63 @ 102mph 1/8th, 2.07 60'). Should have run out that one I aborted. http://www.z06vette.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif Probably would have been at least an 11.3 @ 134+. I wasn't expecting to hit 10s running these tires and purposefully walking it out at a low rpm so as not to bust anything.

Anyway, I don't blame the car at all. It performed fine. Ran perfectly, got 26.5mph averaging 75-80mph on the trip. But I was hoping it would run at least 135mph. Slight head-wind, short-shifting 1-2 and bumping the limiter in at least one gear on EVERY pass, granny-shifting big time (full power upshifts with the tires spinning is a big NO-NO), plus the potential that my clutch is hurt a bit certainly lead to slower traps. I am going to re-dyno it shortly. My car is a bit heavier than the average Z06 with the turbo kit, sport seats and slightly larger/wider tires, but 133 is really only showing ~560-570rwhp used... considering the air conditions today which were good. If indeed it is making ~600rwhp, then it will confirm my thoughts that the relatively poor times are a direct result of _DRIVER ERROR_.

I'm glad BC Lightning liked his black taillights. I think they look really good on the black trucks. Makes the red and white lights really stand out. Next up is Adam's set in DSG. Hope to have those done by the end of next week.

[BC Lightning]

Wes,

First i had a blast today with you, as well as all the other guys.

Second, 11.4 at 130+ mph is moving.

Third, you cant expect to run perfect the first time you take it out. You really didnt know how it was going to react out of the hole with drag radials, like you said yoo havent raced it so the shifting wasnt where you wanted it to be, but 11.4 at 133 mph. :eek2: It was moving today. Maybe not where you wanted it to be, but the way it sat and ran today, it is a 10 sec car. More racing and I'm sure you can hit 10's even on drag radials.

Anyways I had a blast today guys and cant wait to go back, or to another track. I had fun Wes and the lights look awesome. I washed my truck when I got home it looks awesome.

[02BOLT]

Glad you guys had a good trip. Also worth mentioning....no one broke.http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/beerchug.gif

Wes, don't be so hard on yourself bro. Even the most seasoned of drivers would have a time getting that monster to hook up. Especially at Hallsville, where it's generally touch and go at best, out of the hole. There's nothing wrong with playing it safe. Sure, we all want that "one" elusive timeslip, but is it worth shattering your rear end all over the track, with no ride home?....He!! no.

At the end of the day, you still have one of the most ridiculously, sweet and fast cars on the planet, and there ain't a damn thing wrong with that!http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

Just look at it this way, next time you'll have a better idea as to what it's gonna take to get the number you want.

Later,
Rob

[StormShadow]

I love that car! The thing is awesome and just looking under the hood at it you would never know how badass it really is (except for the valve covers.) Its awesome that he can "feather" it to a low 11 second pass at over 130mph and I don't even hear a thing!!!! The vet is just as quiet as it is running down the highway. Awesome car Wes. My dad was telling everyone about it yesterday.

[00Bolt]

i had a blast guys.... as I think everyone else did.... gotta do it again sometime soon. Congrats to everyone. We all ran new personal best times today...


Wes, my vocabulary cannot express my thoughts on your car... :bows



OHHHHHHHH, i almost forgot there is one more thing worth mentioning....

00BOLT vs Stormshadow

1 - 0

:evil

[SpeedyBolt]

I really wish I would have went to Hallsville instead of going to Temple. There were only three L's show up! Plus, the track was slick. I think every car I saw launch spun like a Bitch. Oh well, maybe I can get to Hallsville before the cool weather leaves us! Good runs guy's, I'm very envious!

[BC Lightning]

00BOLT vs Stormshadow

1 - 0


:rll:

[StormShadow]

00BOLT vs Stormshadow

1 - 0


:rll:

:rolleyes: I think its 1-1 biatch. He redlit on me at Fall Classic.

[03LightningRocks]

OHHHHHHHH, i almost forgot there is one more thing worth mentioning....

00BOLT vs Stormshadow

1 - 0

:evil


Say it isn't true Adam.........:eek: ......... :o.

[StormShadow]

I spun out of the hole to a blistering 2.2 60' time. Still ran a 12.7 or so at 113mph. I tried to run it out because I thought I could run him down but it turned out that I needed a little more room. I ran 4 times down the track, didn't see him but once. Scott, tell him about the 12.0 that I ran spinning (the only time that i semi hooked up). Either way, a win is a win, so chalk that one up in his win total. No ricer excuses here.

[00Bolt]

2.026 60' not 2.2 sucka

ya, a win is a win, but i give the 11sec mofo credit... i got lucky

[03LightningRocks]

:cool:

[00Bolt]

still feels good puttin ya down bro!! as of right now, the "rivalry" war is in my favor :tongue:

[BC Lightning]

I guess my war is with TrueBlueAggie,

Me - TrueBlue
RT .873 - .570 :flaming:
60' 1.70 - 1.80 :tu:
1/8 7.78 - 7.91 :tu:
MPH 88.51 - 87.83 :tu:
1/4 12.21 - 12.37 :tu:
MPH 112.65 - 109.87 :tu:

But he won by .1388 :flaming:

[StormShadow]

I guess my war is with TrueBlueAggie,

Me TrueBlue
RT .873 .570 :flaming:
60' 1.70 1.80 :tu:
1/8 7.78 7.91 :tu:
MPH 88.51 87.83 :tu:
1/4 12.21 12.37 :tu:
MPH 112.65 109.87 :tu:

But he won by .1388 :flaming:

This is a good matchup. It was fun watchin you two run. I even told my dad on the way down there that Ya'll were going to be pretty close.

[BC Lightning]

i had my camera ready for your 11 sec pass, but when i heard your tires breaking loose on your lauch, i knew you would be pissed, although a 12.0 spinning is still movin :tu:

[StormShadow]

i had my camera ready for your 11 sec pass, but when i heard your tires breaking loose on your lauch, i knew you would be pissed, although a 12.0 spinning is still movin :tu:

Yep sorry to let you down bro. Truck is goin under the knife pretty soon. Its making a noise when i shift into drive. Terry is going to check it out when he does the suspension for me. He looked at it for a minute today and it might be the rear end. He said that there is a little play in where the driveshaft meets the rear end and that I may have broke a spider gear. Hope I got that right Terry. Anyway I probably won't be racing the truck as much as I have been since I'm starting to break things here and there. ( please help me stick to this plan, I'm addicted to racing my truck) My plan is to purchase a relatively cheap Fox body to mod and race. Hopefully this will add a few years to the life of my truck. My truck is right about where I had originally set the goal performancewise. My original goal was a mid 12 second truck. I remember telling Terry that the first time I met him and he and Jimmy kinda laughed at me. I think this was just after Terry had blown his motor. Now I'm going to be concentrating on making the truck look nice.

[BC Lightning]

mine is going under the knife tomorrow :eek: . ive been meaning to get it dyno tuned and get some odds and ends fixed. hopefully i havent broken anything. im sure terry will find out tomorrow.

[J.D. Blackwell]

DAG NABBITT!!!!!!!!!!!!


I missed out on this past Saturday. I didn't know anything was going on until a minute ago when the owner of Hallsville track, Chuck, stopped to talk to me. He said there were about 6 Lightnings there the other night. Guess I will have to check the boards more often.

And I so happened to be out driving my L in Longview that evening, but didn't think nothing of it. Guess I will try to catch you guys next time.


Justin

P.S. Oh and Chuck told me that he is making sure that the track will be more sticky then in the past.

[StormShadow]

P.S. Oh and Chuck told me that he is making sure that the track will be more sticky then in the past.

Starting when? Not flaming I'm just asking. One time we go and hook really good and the next we are ice skating.

[03LightningRocks]

Starting when? Not flaming I'm just asking. One time we go and hook really good and the next we are ice skating.


http://www.svtgalleries.net/gallery/data/500/226109.gif

[J.D. Blackwell]

He said he has already started working on doing a better prep. He hasn't been at the track much in the past 2 years, cause of other things that he has had going, but he said he is already working on it. I told him there were a lot of people that had given up on coming back since it isn't worth it to come to a slippery track. But he told me it will be a good year at the track. He is redoing some things at the track like both lanes themselves, and some bleachers and such.


Just passing on the info,
Justin

[SpeedyBolt]

I hope I can get out therre pretty soon. Looks like this month is booked for me though!
12th, nobody wants to go (Valentine's day)
19th, Swap Meet in Conroe
26th, Swap Meet Decatur

Maybe March will still be cold!

[J.D. Blackwell]

At Hallsville track, it is usually cold at night at times til April and in May it is cool at night (60-65*) and it will be back on Summer schedule then. Glad I only live 40 minutes from there. :)

[MadNess]

At Hallsville track, it is usually cold at night at times til April and in May it is cool at night (60-65*) and it will be back on Summer schedule then. Glad I only live 40 minutes from there. :)

Yea if they get the track sorted back out, I want to make another few runs up there, I was depressed as hell about how the track was last time. Its my original home turf... glad to hear they are going to get back on the track and get it back up to par.

[03LightningRocks]

Yea if they get the track sorted back out, I want to make another few runs up there, I was depressed as hell about how the track was last time. Its my original home turf... glad to hear they are going to get back on the track and get it back up to par.

The bad part of this story is that Chuck thinks his present prep technique is good. Three months ago he told Adam and I the same thing he told you J.D. I did a little checking on his track prep reputation. It seems when he was in control of the Denton track, track prep there was at a historical low. It was like launching on greased owl sh!t. Now Hallsville is getting the same "special" treatment.

He needs to simply use VHT, and have his dip sh!ts that work the line use the mop and fire technique. I have a real bad feeling that he thinks he is doing good by using that cheap sh!t instead of VHT. Translation....not gonna change...IMHO.


Rocks:eek:

[WA 2 FST]

They were using the "mop and fire" technique on the line last weekend.

However, when they were spraying the VHT down it was like they were trying to set a track record for how fast the truck could make it down the track! There was a breeze and you could just see most of the VHT just blowing off the track.

At Ennis or Houston they drive really slow so the sprayers can actually get the stuff on the track.

[03LightningRocks]

They were using the "mop and fire" technique on the line last weekend.

However, when they were spraying the VHT down it was like they were trying to set a track record for how fast the truck could make it down the track! There was a breeze and you could just see most of the VHT just blowing off the track.

At Ennis or Houston they drive really slow so the sprayers can actually get the stuff on the track.


I may be wrong here, but I don't think he is using VHT. It is a cheap substitue he is spraying down. I have been to alot of tracks around the country and you can always smell the sweet, sweet smell of VHT, while it is being sprayed. I dunno...maybe he found an odorless VHT:rolleyes: ...yeah...that's it.

The other problem may be the old tires he uses to "drag" the track with. I have yet to see them "scrape" the track out there.

Another big issue, that I don't know if they can fix, is the amount of water they put in the water box. It is like a dad gummed pond. There is no way to go around it, so everyone has to roll the water right up to the starting line.

[WA 2 FST]

I thought I smelled some VHT while I was out there... maybe not. I agree, its an unmistakeable smell.

As far as the water goes... I guess it depends on who's doing it. I spun my clutch on one burnout b/c the dumb*ss didn't have enough water in the box as I rolled through. :mad:

[03LightningRocks]

What really makes me crazy, is to be out there spinning my arse off, and then some guy in a souped up Camaro will pop a fricking wheely on his launch. I guess us "truck" guys need special prep...:tongue: .

I don't know how to explain your Vet spinning on the launch....that shouldn't happen.

Maybe you had a point earlier. Maybe they are wizzing down the track so fast with the spray truck, the VHT is just blowing up in the air before it hits the track...

I know this, the last three out of four times I went to Hallsville, the track prep sucked. That causes me to be a bit hesitant to drive way the heck out there. I hate wasting 6 hours driving on a dry run to the track.

Rocks

[WA 2 FST]

The Vette didn't spin at the initial launch. I was easing into the throttle, though. Didn't shock the tires at all.

However, once it was moving ~30' out, I couldn't even give it half throttle. But that's not the fault of the track. No DR is going to hook up that kind of power... at least not a short-sidewall (305/35-18) DR. Slicks is another story. I have seen video of several Vettes at H-ville running slicks and they are hooking ok.