alfradio
Member +
WHEW!!! The more passes you make, the more data you
accumulate and the longer it takes to 'tell it like it was'!
Well, I talked Greg (Malibuguy) into coming out to Capitol
Raceway today for the Jasper Shoot Out and to be quite honest,
it didn't take much talkin'! (It's always more fun to go to the
track with a friend...
After getting teched in it was the two usual suspects that
were first in line, ready to start the show!
While I was quite confident Denys' (boostjunkies) old M/T
ET Slicks would help put TERCEL1 into the 12 sec. bracket...
...TERCEL1's transmission might hold it back! For the past
several days I've been noticing the 3rd gear synchros getting
worse and worse... grinding more and more when attempting
any sort of power shifting... and sure enough, the first several
runs proved that point all too well... I knew a personal best
for TERCEL1 was probably just a dream on this sunny
Sunday in Maryland!
The Jasper Shoot Out is an annual event sponsored by the
folks who make Jasper rebuilt engines & transmissions. The
day of racing is limited to the first 150 or so cars (limited
number of cars = more passes per car) plus a gamblers race
and even an "Hard Charger" award for the car which makes
the most passes.
Well, with TERCEL1's transmission, not doing a very efficient
job of transmitting all the power of the boostjunkie built
engine to the pavement, my only chance at any type of
'feel good' was to win the "Hard Charger" award!
On hand were some folks from 98Rock, Baltimore's Classic
Rock station, including part of their morning team, Amelia, with
her 2010 Chevy Camero which ran her personal best on this
day, a 13.55 (almost a couple seconds quicker than TERCEL1)
I was standing by her car (that's her reflection in the window...
she's wearing the yellow hat) when I heard talk about some
guy in a new Dodge Challenger wanting to have a go at her and
the next thing I see is Malibuguy shooting a video of the
race...
Back in the staging lanes after our respective runs, I found
myself right behind that nice lookin' Camero of hers... Seeing
that we'd both just made a pass, it would be several minutes
before we'd be up again so, I approached her and started
talking racing and radio... In the course of our conversation, I
asked her if she'd like to race an ex-Smooth Jazz boss-jock to
which she said, "sure!" We were ON! It was going to be a
battle of the radio station formats (Ha-Ha-Ha!)
Gotta put my GAME FACE on:
Malibuguy was ready to record this history making event...
...and I knew that, if nothing else, Amelia would bring out the
best in me... I was determined to POWER SHIFT the entire
1320 feet! I did NOT want to lose to another radio station and
I was even prepared to launch TERCEL1's transmission all over
the track if that's what it took... and YOU ARE THERE!
and of course, we mustn't forget the day's "report card":
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Denys (boostjunkie)
for helping me realize my dream of making TERCEL1 one of
the quickest little Tercels in the area. It was his Denys who
built the heart of TERCEL1 which beats so strong... 16 passes
in a single afternoon and it hardly broke a sweat. Thanks
Denys, I'm proud to call you "friend"
PS:
YOU DID WHAT!?!?!? You heard me...
"I attempted shifting into 2nd gear, using my cup holder..." :drive:
When running Test 'n' Tune, you never know what's going to
be in the next lane... anything from a dragster or 8 second
outlaw class car to a stock 1954 ford sedan so it brings out
the best (in ME, anyway) when it's a car which you feel might
be a 'race'... this was the case in Run#116, TERCEL1's 10th
pass of the day!
The Camero beat me off the line by .095 sec...
at the 60' mark, TERCEL1 was trailing by .075 secs
and fading by .122 sec at the 330' mark!
I continued pouring it on...
at the 1/8 mile TERCEL1 closed the gap but,
still trailed by .093 secs...
I was running out of real estate as the 1000' blocks went
zooming past with TERCEL1 now only behind by .031 sec...
I could actually feel my self rocking in the seat as if THAT
would help move TERCEL1 ahead in the final 320 feet...
...and in the end...
Click HERE to come along for this ride and notice the
attempted shift to 2nd gear!
alf :homer:
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