Hi All,
My tuner fArtie "Lahaie" Paltz (master of getting cars down hot and greasy racetracks) headed to Etown tonight to do some further tweaking on Newman, the Rich's Autos "other" stage 2 car.
After some minor problems 2 weeks ago, we thru the Rich's Auto technology center went back over much data, video, super slo mo, in car camera and various interviews with Parker Johnstone and reading between the lines were able to correct our launch boost problem.
With new data inputted we headed to Etown for the afternoon session.
1st run out of our technology center we went 10.07@ 132 with a 1.392 60' foot at 24-25 psi. We were happy and thinking that with some tweaking and a couple more pounds of boost we can get her to single digits.
fArtie went to work on the data, while I signed autographs at the ropes for all the fans and met with our various Powerade and Checker Shucks Kragen sponsors.
Next couple runs were all in the 10.1 range with boost staying around the same and fArtie tweaking the FAST. fArtie Lahaie noticed that according to our short times it appeared that the track was starting to go away as the next couple runs I was noticeably frying the hot dogs off the line. He confered with starter Rick Stewart that in fact track temps had gone up and getting a handle on this tricky track with the new tires was gonna require all that fArtie had.
We played with boost a bit and was only able to get another pound or so, we are thinking we may have an exhaust leak as we tried tightening the wastegate spring to no avail.
fArtie plays with the tune some more and confers with Lee Beard and Alan Johnson and we go out again as it is getting late and staging lanes are about to be shut down.
We had noticed that the NHRA track maintenance folks were out with the cleaners and brooms and it appeared that a fresh coat of VHT was laid down as the large amount of street radial tire cars there and their propensity to cause oil/rubber purlolation can ruin a track.
fArtie states "Richie I think the track is gonna come around for us and in the nick of time". I told him lets give it another shot. fArtie Lahaie says "Keep an eye on the boost as we do not want to put a cyclinder out nor cause the burst panel to rupture at half track". I told him I would and if I saw any signs of danger I would get out of it but if all was well I was gonna keep my foot in it as I wanted to win the Wally.
Next to last pass car leaves hard at a 1.39 60' and we go 10.04@133.........oh so close but no cigar. I did everything right, left hard on transbrake, I hit all my shift points which you can see in the in car camera and she was moving good as I can see all the C16 just a belging out of the tailpipes and all candles were lit. So it wasn't to be.
After the mandatory interview at the top end and yet another Powerade hat and drink I told Parker I had to get back as we were already on the 75 minute turnaround clock. My crew and fArtie Lahaie were already hard at work as we knew we were only gonna get one more shot at single digits.
I gotta thank my crew for all their hard work and dedication as we made the turnaround and headed out for one more shot, only yet again it was not to be. Car went 10.04@133 yet again with a 1.40 60's. It was at that point we knew the Wally wasn't going to be ours tonight and we would have to try harder next time. I thanked all our sponsors and promised we'd try to do better next time so we can get into the single digits and get our competition license.
Overall fArtie and I can't complain, we got some good data to work with and the car was able to drive on and off the trailer at the end of the night, that in itself is a victory.
We will try to do better next time for all our sponsors and fans, we want to thank all our fans for their support because without it we would not be where we are today. Like Artie and I said....."We don't do this for ourselves, we do it for all the young kids out there". So you kids remember that "Stay in school and listen to your parents".
My tuner fArtie "Lahaie" Paltz (master of getting cars down hot and greasy racetracks) headed to Etown tonight to do some further tweaking on Newman, the Rich's Autos "other" stage 2 car.
After some minor problems 2 weeks ago, we thru the Rich's Auto technology center went back over much data, video, super slo mo, in car camera and various interviews with Parker Johnstone and reading between the lines were able to correct our launch boost problem.
With new data inputted we headed to Etown for the afternoon session.
1st run out of our technology center we went 10.07@ 132 with a 1.392 60' foot at 24-25 psi. We were happy and thinking that with some tweaking and a couple more pounds of boost we can get her to single digits.
fArtie went to work on the data, while I signed autographs at the ropes for all the fans and met with our various Powerade and Checker Shucks Kragen sponsors.
Next couple runs were all in the 10.1 range with boost staying around the same and fArtie tweaking the FAST. fArtie Lahaie noticed that according to our short times it appeared that the track was starting to go away as the next couple runs I was noticeably frying the hot dogs off the line. He confered with starter Rick Stewart that in fact track temps had gone up and getting a handle on this tricky track with the new tires was gonna require all that fArtie had.
We played with boost a bit and was only able to get another pound or so, we are thinking we may have an exhaust leak as we tried tightening the wastegate spring to no avail.
fArtie plays with the tune some more and confers with Lee Beard and Alan Johnson and we go out again as it is getting late and staging lanes are about to be shut down.
We had noticed that the NHRA track maintenance folks were out with the cleaners and brooms and it appeared that a fresh coat of VHT was laid down as the large amount of street radial tire cars there and their propensity to cause oil/rubber purlolation can ruin a track.
fArtie states "Richie I think the track is gonna come around for us and in the nick of time". I told him lets give it another shot. fArtie Lahaie says "Keep an eye on the boost as we do not want to put a cyclinder out nor cause the burst panel to rupture at half track". I told him I would and if I saw any signs of danger I would get out of it but if all was well I was gonna keep my foot in it as I wanted to win the Wally.
Next to last pass car leaves hard at a 1.39 60' and we go 10.04@133.........oh so close but no cigar. I did everything right, left hard on transbrake, I hit all my shift points which you can see in the in car camera and she was moving good as I can see all the C16 just a belging out of the tailpipes and all candles were lit. So it wasn't to be.
After the mandatory interview at the top end and yet another Powerade hat and drink I told Parker I had to get back as we were already on the 75 minute turnaround clock. My crew and fArtie Lahaie were already hard at work as we knew we were only gonna get one more shot at single digits.
I gotta thank my crew for all their hard work and dedication as we made the turnaround and headed out for one more shot, only yet again it was not to be. Car went 10.04@133 yet again with a 1.40 60's. It was at that point we knew the Wally wasn't going to be ours tonight and we would have to try harder next time. I thanked all our sponsors and promised we'd try to do better next time so we can get into the single digits and get our competition license.
Overall fArtie and I can't complain, we got some good data to work with and the car was able to drive on and off the trailer at the end of the night, that in itself is a victory.
We will try to do better next time for all our sponsors and fans, we want to thank all our fans for their support because without it we would not be where we are today. Like Artie and I said....."We don't do this for ourselves, we do it for all the young kids out there". So you kids remember that "Stay in school and listen to your parents".
