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View Full Version : Vette's first time out to the track



Blackbird96WS6
06-29-2013, 04:51 PM
Thursday night was Monika's and the Corvette's first time out to a drag strip. She loved it and had fun and wants to go to Dallas Raceway with me once we get her idle surging issue resolved. First, a little explanation of why the night sucked:

We went to North Star Dragway in Denton, TX (1/8 mile track) for a RiceKiller.Com / Test and Tune night. This is the first time I've been out to this track, and it didn't make a great impression on me... They spent an hour and a half prepping the track before letting the first runs go down (they originally announced an hour prep time when the gates opened). Then, all night long, every car was having a horrible time trying to get any traction. All the automatic cars did better than the manual cars, but there was still a lot of excessive wheel spinning going on all night. Some of the higher powered cars were getting dangerously sideways trying to hit 2nd and 3rd gear as they went down the track and having to let off to avoid the walls. These are cars that I know would have no issue with that at Dallas Raceway. Dunno what was going on, but I wasn't happy with it.

I made 3 passes for the night (it was pretty packed) and Monika made 2 passes for the night. I couldn't get a hook for shit, so I lost my first race to a 2014 Mustang V6 automatic that I could have probably squeaked out a win on if I could have gotten any traction, but oh well. I'll get him some other time lol. He's a friend of a friend who set the race up for us just for fun. I was car #272 for the night and Monika was #271. #294 here was the Mustang V6.

http://imageshack.us/a/img153/6641/30j3.jpg

Then Monika was ready to go and lined up with me. I told her the track was really slippery, so to skip revving up to 1300 RPMs while standing on the brakes and just launch from idle. It worked out great for her, as this was her best run of the two and she beat the pants off me while I sat and spun lol.

http://imageshack.us/a/img9/3002/11q8.jpg

And then the last run for the night before we left for food, we lined up and the RiceKiller.Com owner, Jared, was the announcer for the track for the night. He started giving a little back story on us to the crowd about how we're a husband/wife duo lined up to race and how we got her the Vette not too long ago and such. During this, Monika was listening to him instead of tuning everything out and accidentally rolled past the staging lights, so she had to back up. She put it in Reverse and got into both staging lights, but I saw a flaw about to happen... As soon as the lights dropped and hit green, I just sat still and watched Monika jump backwards, still in reverse lol. She hit the brakes real quick and pulled back up to the lights while I waited. :lol: Everyone in the crowd was confused and wondering why the hell we weren't going anywhere haha. Jared then started making comments like "Aww, what a great husband, he didn't take off without her" and such :lol: They reset the tree and dropped the lights again for us. This time, I finally got a not-facepalm-worthy launch and spun for a half a sec and finally hooked. Monika's concentration was way off from listening to Jared's comments and she was slightly embarrassed about her little reverse mishap, so she didn't make a great pass the 2nd time around. I managed to finally break into the 9s for the night :frustrated: barely just...

http://imageshack.us/a/img20/1060/ev6z.jpg

After this, we were starving and it was almost 11:30pm, so we headed out.

Now, I'm really anxious to get the Corvette to Dallas Raceway for a PROPERLY prepped track to see what it can really do. I know I ran a best of a 9.4s in the 1/8th at Dallas Raceway and I was a half second slow at this crappy track in Denton. I figure the Corvette might be able to get out a 1/4 mile time real close to 14 flat or even break into the 13s if she's lucky. If anything, this track night only disappointed me and gave me even more curiosity to see what the damn thing will really run. :lol:

popo8
06-29-2013, 05:17 PM
I hate to say it.. but I think the vette will spank you in the quarter...

Great write up man.. thank you for sharing, and even while reading it...I visualized exactly what was about to happen after she backed up... lol

Just so you know.. my AGED TPI vette pulls a 14.9 in the quarter and it def has a bit more in it (in 85 it was good for 14.1)

So look out with the LTX powa!

You need some sticky tires...(and stronger rear)

Blackbird96WS6
06-29-2013, 05:23 PM
Haha yeah, to be honest I do expect her to be able to beat me. If I'm still beating her at Dallas Raceway at all, then she's doing something wrong and leaving time on the table. Just means I have to drive my baby that much harder to keep up hehe. :) But since I already spent the pile of mod money I had going on the vette, the next pile I build up will actually go into the TA and even the field. ;)

popo8
06-29-2013, 05:36 PM
Get "two of the big bottles."

firebird_1995
06-29-2013, 05:37 PM
And harry, I need em by tonight

popo8
06-29-2013, 09:33 PM
And harry, I need em by tonight

I was hoping someone would catch it!

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