World Ford Challenge X, Indianapolis, Indiana, Day One – Test and Tune
The weather was cool, mostly overcast and breezy upon arrival at the track before 9 AM. After getting a pit space, registration, unloading the car and changing tires, I proceeded to the long tech line. Over 300 bracket racers along with literally hundreds of racers in other classes had descended to participate in the much heralded World Ford Challenge X.
Finally by about 1 PM, I was in the staging lanes waiting for the first run down the track. After warming the tires in the burnout box it came time to approach the tree. Lighting the first staging light, I held the brake and throttled up against the stall converter and bumped into the second staging light starting the tree. The launch felt OK with no apparent tire spin.
R/T - 0.219
60' - 1.989
330' - 5.765
1/8 ET - 8.926
1/8 MPH - 77.560
1000' - 11.667
1/4 ET - 13.975
1/4 MPH - 97.81
A rather disappointing start, but there wasn’t time to reflect as I went right back to the lanes. Less than an hour later I again had the chance to see what the car would do in the new surroundings.
R/T - 0.003
60' - 1.744
330' - 5.463
1/8 ET - 8.575
1/8 MPH - 78.910
1000' - 11.293
1/4 ET - 13.825
1/4 MPH - 96.80
Whoa! An excellent reaction time but a 1.744 sixty foot time?! Clearly something went amiss in the timing equipment at the launch!
The staging lanes were quite full by now and several breakdowns on the track made for a long wait for another run. After almost 3 hours later I recorded the last run of the day.
R/T - -0.080
60' - 1.924
330' - 5.607
1/8 ET - 8.719
1/8 MPH - 78.630
1000' - 11.428
1/4 ET - 13.719
1/4 MPH - 98.31
My dial-in calculation showed a 13.72 ET so had the run been a true race, I not only would’ve red-lighted, but I would have broken out as well running a 13.719 on a 13.72 dial.
I left the track that evening not quite sure how I would do in the upcoming competition on Saturday and Sunday bracket races. The numbers were all over the map and save for one exception, the reaction times at the tree were not comforting. I learned last year to be competitive here you had better nail the tree and dial the car in close. The test and tune did little to confirm I had what it took in either category.
The weather was cool, mostly overcast and breezy upon arrival at the track before 9 AM. After getting a pit space, registration, unloading the car and changing tires, I proceeded to the long tech line. Over 300 bracket racers along with literally hundreds of racers in other classes had descended to participate in the much heralded World Ford Challenge X.
Finally by about 1 PM, I was in the staging lanes waiting for the first run down the track. After warming the tires in the burnout box it came time to approach the tree. Lighting the first staging light, I held the brake and throttled up against the stall converter and bumped into the second staging light starting the tree. The launch felt OK with no apparent tire spin.
R/T - 0.219
60' - 1.989
330' - 5.765
1/8 ET - 8.926
1/8 MPH - 77.560
1000' - 11.667
1/4 ET - 13.975
1/4 MPH - 97.81
A rather disappointing start, but there wasn’t time to reflect as I went right back to the lanes. Less than an hour later I again had the chance to see what the car would do in the new surroundings.
R/T - 0.003
60' - 1.744
330' - 5.463
1/8 ET - 8.575
1/8 MPH - 78.910
1000' - 11.293
1/4 ET - 13.825
1/4 MPH - 96.80
Whoa! An excellent reaction time but a 1.744 sixty foot time?! Clearly something went amiss in the timing equipment at the launch!
The staging lanes were quite full by now and several breakdowns on the track made for a long wait for another run. After almost 3 hours later I recorded the last run of the day.
R/T - -0.080
60' - 1.924
330' - 5.607
1/8 ET - 8.719
1/8 MPH - 78.630
1000' - 11.428
1/4 ET - 13.719
1/4 MPH - 98.31
My dial-in calculation showed a 13.72 ET so had the run been a true race, I not only would’ve red-lighted, but I would have broken out as well running a 13.719 on a 13.72 dial.
I left the track that evening not quite sure how I would do in the upcoming competition on Saturday and Sunday bracket races. The numbers were all over the map and save for one exception, the reaction times at the tree were not comforting. I learned last year to be competitive here you had better nail the tree and dial the car in close. The test and tune did little to confirm I had what it took in either category.