Final Summit Race of 2010

Well...September 11 and 12 marked the last two Summit Series races for Central Coast Autohaus-Flying Pig Racing.  Having worked our way up to 10th in points at mid-season, before slipping back to 14th, I had high hopes for goin' rounds in the last two chapters and recapturing a top 10 finish. 

A couple days prior, my man Dan at Central Coast Autohaus (above) installed a new pair of Rancho 9-way adjustable shocks in the rear.  According to Calvert Racing these are the recommended shocks to go along with my Caltracs traction bars.  I had been experiencing some wheel hop and spin and "porpoising" on launches.  We set the shocks to the softest setting, theoretically dampening the rebound to decrease body separation to eliminate the crummy launches.  It worked like a charm!

On Saturday we ran a 10.600 first pass, which was the quickest run ever (by about .009), and then followed that up with a 10.587, and a 10.567.  The 60 foot times dropped as low as 1.568 Saturday and a low of 1.552 on Sunday.  When compared to previous runs in similar weather conditions, the benefit of the new shocks works out to over .05 second in the 1/4 mile.  That's a huge gain in quarter mile talk! 

Saturday's first round loss was one of my strangest races ever.  I mean, I have found a million ways to lose a race, but his one was just weird!  I dialed 10.60 vs. his 10.21.  When the lights came down I red-lit by .003, that's 3 thousandths of a second.  So I glanced up at the far end scoreboard and saw the win light on his side.  I proceeded to "run it out the back door" just for fun.  When I stopped at the timing shack and picked up my time slip, I couldn't believe it!  He red lit by .116!  I had run a 10.567, .033 too quick, and he ran a 10.163, .038 too quick.  So, essentially his red light was worse AND his breakout was worse!!  But NHRA rules state "first or worst" when it comes to fouls.  Since a red light is considered a worse foul than a breakout, it is the one that counted,  and since my red light was first, that put me on the trailer!  And that's drag racing in the Summit Pro Class!  On Sunday, I lost in a not-so-close race when I cut a .091 light against his .013.  Giving up .078 at the tree is typically an insurmountable deficit in this type of  racing.  I ran a 10.62, but I could not overcome the difference at the tree and he whipped me by .03.   Not the weekend I was looking for!  But as they say... The worst day drag racing is better than the best day __________ (fill in the blank!)

With that wrapping up the Summit Series at Famoso, and with the Flying Pig team still ready for more, we are looking into racing at the ANRA finals on October 23-24.  We'll run in the "Hot Rod" class, which is pretty much identical to the Pro class in Summit Racing.  Can't wait.
SloRacer. Out.
p.s. don't forget to scroll down and click "older posts" to read more fun stuff!