Finally won a Main Event last night!!!

[PKRWUD]

Well, it's about time! As the reigning VRA Sr. Sprint Car champs, alot of weight was placed on our shoulders this year, and the Race Gods have been frowning on us! Our car and driver have been great, but our luck has just sucked. Some of you may remember our last race two weeks ago when Christine (TNT) was here to help, the car ran great, but in an incident that wasn't our fault, another car hit us and ripped out a brake line. That was typical of the season, until last night. We went into the night tied for second in the points, and driver/owner Jim Porter let me make all the decisions for setting the car up for the changing track conditions. I didn't let him down. I set up the car for a dry-slick track, because the tide was low, and the breeze coming in off the ocean was picking up. I ran 6.76:1 gears (instead of the usual 6.86's) so that Jim could stay in the high groove, where the only moisture would still be (moisture=tacky mud, which=great traction). It worked like a charm, and was one of the best races I've seen. We dueled it out with the points leader, who happens to be the same jerk that took out our brakes two weeks ago. His crew chief hadn't seen the way the track was going to change like I did, and set up their car for the middle and lower grooves. For those that don't know, the advantage of the lower grooves is a shorter track, but the advantage to the upper groove is a higher speed coming out of the turns. Plus, like I said, that was the only place the mud was still tacky.

Anyway, we won, and it was awesome. Great driving, and a great car, got us our first win of the season. Hopefully it was just the first of many!

A side note worth mentioning is that everybody was so impressed with Christine, and the hard work she did for us two weeks ago, that the night was dedicated to her since we didn't win when she was here.

I will post some pics when I get them in a week or two.

Take care,
-Chris

[Rev]

Congratulations on the win. I bet your team was wondering when it would happen. Sounds like everyone did a great job and it paid off.

Can you really tell the difference in 6.76 and 6.86 gears? Seems like a small difference, but then I know that you know what to do.

Rev

[lx mike]

Thats Great Chris!

[Crazy Horse GT]

coooooollll, way to go my brother man , kick a-- & take names heheh

[Mr 5 0]

Congratulations, Chris!

I love to see a race crew out-think as well as a driver out-drive the competition - and win. No bad luck, no accidents,

Sounds like that describes your win Saturday night. Nice job.

[Unit 5302]

Nice! Gotta feel good about being the man making the calls and then have it work out so well!

Hope the victories keep piling up.

[Topless In Texas]

HEY Chris!
Congradulations on ya'lls victory! I know HOW bummed out you were for the last race...Tell Jim that I said 'congrats' and send him and Dave my best wishes! I hope to continue to hear that ya'll are stacking up the wins, keep up the good work!
Thanks so much for thinkin bout me at the race. It wasn't his fault he didn't win...like I said, the way he was driving, if it weren't for that guy running him over, he'd prolly won the race! Looking forward to when you post the pics....

AGAIN, CONGRADUTLATIONS!!!! Give everyone my best....CC
TNT

[1969Mach1]

CONGRATS!! Makes me want to jump on a plain and come watch one of your races. If you weren't so far away I'd fly on down. hehe... one day though.
Sounds like Christine (TNT) should come down more often, she seem to have inspired your team. hehehe....
Best of luck for th rest of the racing season.

Take Care,
§am.

[PKRWUD]

Thanks guys!

Rev-
Yeah, actually it makes a big difference. With the 6.86's, in the high groove, the car would be taching out at close to 8k, which is a little higher than we like. 6.76's kept it under 7600 rpms. The other problem is that if he decided to drift down to a lower groove, like he usually does, and the track went dry slick, like I suspected it would (and did), the 6.86's would have spun too freely, and he wouldn't have been able to hook up. There really is a lot to setting up the car just right. The goal is to place the weight on just the right spot, at different times during the race. Things that need to be adjusted for a specific track condition include the height at which we block the frame, the amount of tension placed on each of the 4 torsion arms (each different), the rise and fall rates of the 4 shocks (also different for each), the distance out from the body that the right rear tire sits, the amount of stagger (difference in diameter) between the two back tires, and the air pressure in each tire. Our winning set up was basically blocking the frame at 4.5" across the back, and 2.5" on the right front, and 2.25" on the left front. We used easy up shocks across the front (6/2 & 5/3), a 5 shock on the right rear, and a 1/9 shock on the left rear. That last shock compresses with hardly any effort, but is a MF to get back out. This keeps the frame pitched just right so that the right rear doesn't overpower the turns, like you need for the lower groove. We had the right rear out 18.5" from the body, and had 11.25" of stagger. We also made a last minute adjustment on the right front torsion arm, adding a turn into it (raising up the right front about a half inch). The tire pressures were average, with the left front at 10psi, the right front at 11psi, the right rear at 8psi, and the left rear at 4psi. He was running it so hard, though, that when I checked the rear pressure as soon as he came off, both tires had gone up 2psi, and that was with bleeders in!!!

Then there's the changing track conditions. The track is made up of a dirt/clay mixture, and is watered down frequently. The outside factors that change things are the breeze coming in off the ocean (drys out the track), and the tide. The track is 150 yards from the ocean, and when the tide is high, the track stays damper. When the tide is low, the track dries out quicker.

There really is alot more to it than just the gears, but they are critical, too!

Christine-
I spoke with Jim again tonight. Check your email. BTW, EVERYBODY wanted to know when you'd be back! LOL. You made quite an impression!

1969Mach1-
You are more than welcome to join us anytime! In fact, a guy and his buddy that I know (but had never met) through F150online came down and joined us last night. They kinda wondered around the pits most of the night, but after we won, they didn't drift very far away from us. LOL. They didn't actually do anything, unlike Christine, and were never a part of the team, but they still had a great time. I invite anyone that wants to, to come on down! We have a lot of fun, and it's an experience you will never forget!

Take care,
-Chris

[mustangman65_79]

Originally posted by PKRWUD
Thanks guys!

Rev-
Yeah, actually it makes a big difference. With the 6.86's, in the high groove, the car would be taching out at close to 8k, which is a little higher than we like. 6.76's kept it under 7600 rpms. The other problem is that if he decided to drift down to a lower groove, like he usually does, and the track went dry slick, like I suspected it would (and did), the 6.86's would have spun too freely, and he wouldn't have been able to hook up. There really is a lot to setting up the car just right. The goal is to place the weight on just the right spot, at different times during the race. Things that need to be adjusted for a specific track condition include the height at which we block the frame, the amount of tension placed on each of the 4 torsion arms (each different), the rise and fall rates of the 4 shocks (also different for each), the distance out from the body that the right rear tire sits, the amount of stagger (difference in diameter) between the two back tires, and the air pressure in each tire. Our winning set up was basically blocking the frame at 4.5" across the back, and 2.5" on the right front, and 2.25" on the left front. We used easy up shocks across the front (6/2 & 5/3), a 5 shock on the right rear, and a 1/9 shock on the left rear. That last shock compresses with hardly any effort, but is a MF to get back out. This keeps the frame pitched just right so that the right rear doesn't overpower the turns, like you need for the lower groove. We had the right rear out 18.5" from the body, and had 11.25" of stagger. We also made a last minute adjustment on the right front torsion arm, adding a turn into it (raising up the right front about a half inch). The tire pressures were average, with the left front at 10psi, the right front at 11psi, the right rear at 8psi, and the left rear at 4psi. He was running it so hard, though, that when I checked the rear pressure as soon as he came off, both tires had gone up 2psi, and that was with bleeders in!!!

Then there's the changing track conditions. The track is made up of a dirt/clay mixture, and is watered down frequently. The outside factors that change things are the breeze coming in off the ocean (drys out the track), and the tide. The track is 150 yards from the ocean, and when the tide is high, the track stays damper. When the tide is low, the track dries out quicker.

There really is alot more to it than just the gears, but they are critical, too!

Christine-
I spoke with Jim again tonight. Check your email. BTW, EVERYBODY wanted to know when you'd be back! LOL. You made quite an impression!

1969Mach1-
You are more than welcome to join us anytime! In fact, a guy and his buddy that I know (but had never met) through F150online came down and joined us last night. They kinda wondered around the pits most of the night, but after we won, they didn't drift very far away from us. LOL. They didn't actually do anything, unlike Christine, and were never a part of the team, but they still had a great time. I invite anyone that wants to, to come on down! We have a lot of fun, and it's an experience you will never forget!

Take care,
-Chris

WOW, most of that was greek to me. Sounds like sometime I need to wonder down south and visit u. Would u rather I brought the '65 2+2 fastback, or the '89 Bronco pastered with Ford stickers?

[PKRWUD]

Originally posted by mustangman65_79
WOW, most of that was greek to me. Sounds like sometime I need to wonder down south and visit u. Would u rather I brought the '65 2+2 fastback, or the '89 Bronco pastered with Ford stickers?

LOL, whatever you prefer to drive, Kaspar! Our next race in Ventura is July 13, and then August 31. We have a race down in Perris August 3rd, but we don't know that track very well, so it's going to be a crap-shoot. We also have 2 races in September, and 2 in October. Let me know when you want to come down, and I'll give you the specifics.

Take care,
-Chris

[mustangman65_79]

How far away are u from me, plus I don't know when I'll be here, I was just told that I might get deployed tommorrow, or sometime in August, for two months. Hehe, good ole' Air Force.

Also, since I'm a broke Airmen, money whould be really tight for me, so it might not be till next year, when I put on more rank.

CONGRADULATIONS CHRIS, what great news. And it only the beginning. Good luck for the rest of the year. Odie

[PKRWUD]

I'm about an hour west/northwest of Los Angeles.

Just let me know when you think you want to go, and I'll let you know the schedule.

Take care,
-Chris

[PKRWUD]

Thanks Odie!!!

Take care,
-Chris

[mustangman65_79]

So that would be about a 8-9 hour drive for me, ouch, same as going home, it costs me $150 one way to go home, 10 miles to a gallon-hehe.

Congrats!!

[PKRWUD]

Thanks Rick! See, if I hadn't gotten off the phone when I did, the whole night might have gone different! LOL.



Take care,
-Chris

P.S. BTW, Rick, check out my first attempt at video editing, and tell me what you think (see link below)

You did THAT?!?! This is freaking OUTRAGEOUS!!

I never saw a sprint car race. I thought it was big go-carts going around in a circle!! I GET IT!!

Man!! GREAT work on that clip!! It blew my mind!! Talk about an awakening!!

[PKRWUD]

Thanks Rick! That's the whole idea... Most people don't have a clue, and I'd like to educate them! I'm telling you, you go to a Sprint car race, and you'll never forget it. I have some more clips to edit into that, but then I have to do the music all over again. It's been fun, though, but it's too short! I'll let you know when I change it.

Take care,
-Chris