Jennifer White (1 Viewer)

Thanks Cliff! We are finally playing with the new carbs we had built to test at Vegas last year .... lots of beneficial changes as the nitrous stages come on, but we basically toasted the slicks the first hit because I wasn't expecting all the extra power.

The car reaction time issue seems to still be "fixed" we had two test runs on Thursday (to baseline an almost new motor on the old carbs), and 3 q's so far, her reaction times (in order) are .015 .008 .016 .014 and .013 .... if we can keep that going, life will be much different for us.

Now, if you folks remember from last year's national, HRP remains a very tricky track. Past the 1/8th mile in an unsuspended car is a handful every pass. The dips and humps have the tires spinning from about 700 ft on, and while she's held on to 1000ft most passes, she hasn't made it to 1320 under power. That said, she is extremely competitive, so I have no doubt what she'll put up with once we get to elims Sunday morning. .... Yes, I have been on the phone with a chassis builder today, I would really prefer to not sort out another chassis, but I'd also strongly prefer the NHRA photogs not be sending me texts about seeing both sides of her car so close to the finish line.

Right to left wind component is pretty strong and not making driving any easier, our Q4 is in the more wind protected right lane and we'll try to race from that lane as much as possible. All of our 1000ft times indicate sub 6.10 runs so I'm still working on that facet too. Four races in 4 weekends, and now all the divisionals are live streamed on YouTube (link on CompPlus I think).

Thanks for the kind words. Goal is to win round 1 at this point!

Jeff
 
Well we made some progress in Q4. The string of awesome reaction times ended with an .039 ... asked her what she expected at the top end and she said something about wondering whether or not she'd remembered to put the steaks out to thaw or not .... evidently removing that thought from your head takes about .025 when you see the amber flash. Oh well .... good to get the "no random thoughts" focus going before elims. Took it out the back door on what looked like a really clean run .... 6.093 @224.21mph .... oh well, track was only 84 degrees and tomorrow is not supposed to be as cloudy so we should have a set up we can tune from (right now the third stage of nitrous is only on for 2 seconds (middle of the run) so I can manage entirely with that timer, everything else is going as soft as I've ever set it up).

Jeff
 
Hi Jeff. Well, I guess they threw out the 6.09. Heh I was kinda wondering how quick you could run, especially with that 6.12 at only 200. I really like the info you give us. Next best thing to being in the pits with you guys. Stay safe and W I N. :) Oh, am watching Div 4 race on You Tube channel. They have some pretty good camera angles, plus they put up the screen with the driver info, etc. Really great to see that.
 
Well our day is over .... successful overall, but not without its grunts, groans, and humor. I'll give a bit of detail for those who care enough to click on this thread (its that or run the valves on the motor and pack up .... so this seems like more fun at the moment!).

Rd 1 Dial 6.10 ... .023 r/t and 6.206 @ 219.97 ET for a win by .0057 over Robert Cool (a great LA bracket racer). Got really lucky against Cool, He was his typical .006 r/t .... We roll .005 more in delay for Rd 1 (essentially always) because we have a history of being .015 jumpy in the first round. So .023 seems fine .... but I see the headers spitting flames mid track (not the usual blow torch, but 6 ft of flames) and panic. Jenifer hits the mike and says it feels like the car shut off for a moment, but she legged it out. Turns out the bumpy track and it being early in the year had her treating the throttle pedal too gently and that turned off the nitrous (Wide Open Throttle switch not activated) twice in the run. She didn't like me showing her the throttle pedal sensor on the Racepak, but we got lucky and past round 1. I didn't mind the silent treatment until we were in the lanes for Rd 2 (what's the saying, don't shoot the messenger?).

Rd 2 Dial 6.10 to Jon Bradford (one of four CA transplants we now get to race with) and his 6.10. Well stupid me, I didn't see the scoreboard say 6.12 until she's lighting the fully stage beam. Jon did and his team is pissed. I reacted incorrectly thinking this mistake was going to make use go red (it was really Jon at risk, but he caught it) .... so the radio chatter was all kinds of wrong. I won't make this mistake again! Oh well, .037 r/t and a 6.098 @ 223.80 ET. Jon was .016 and 6.102 at 221.67. Jenifer took the stripe by .003, but of course broke out by both the intended and actual dial. Ugh!

I went over an apologized to Jon for not catching our wrong dial (note that our car has 6.10 on it and the delay box says 6.10 for both of us ... so really just a track mistake, but my responsibility to catch it prior to staging).... now to make the to do list for the next race and give the engine a very good once over. The tranny will come out and get looked at .... still don't trust having our issued fixed. It's hard to get back into all the things that have to be done after being off since October, I'll do better in two weeks (Ennis double divisional and regional).
 
Hi Jeff. Well, you did get past the round one and that was most important. Round 2 - arghhh I think you guys are doing good. It's a new season, still have a lot of races. By the way, Jon Bradford is an Arizona guy, from Tucson. I noticed he has been running Div 4. He's a good racer, have seen that car go 5.89 in the heat at Wild Horse. Bob Button is another former AZ racer, used to be out of Payson, then moved to Los Angeles area and now Louisiana. My mom was from Kaplan, LA, so I am officially half Cajun. Bonjour, y'all. Heh Thanks for letting us know what was going on. I was following you guys on Drag Race Central. That was a wild race, Maybe they should drop the index to 5.90...... I was astonished at how many cars were 6.10 and how many racers were dialed at 6.10. By the way, how many T/D are nitrous and how many supercharged (one form or another)? Just curious. I see more blown cars in Div 7 than nitrous, but they can all run quick. OK, will be following you guys at the Plex. Thanks for letting us know what went on.
 
Hi Jeff. Well, you did get past the round one and that was most important. Round 2 - arghhh I think you guys are doing good. It's a new season, still have a lot of races. By the way, Jon Bradford is an Arizona guy, from Tucson. I noticed he has been running Div 4. He's a good racer, have seen that car go 5.89 in the heat at Wild Horse. Bob Button is another former AZ racer, used to be out of Payson, then moved to Los Angeles area and now Louisiana. My mom was from Kaplan, LA, so I am officially half Cajun. Bonjour, y'all. Heh Thanks for letting us know what was going on. I was following you guys on Drag Race Central. That was a wild race, Maybe they should drop the index to 5.90...... I was astonished at how many cars were 6.10 and how many racers were dialed at 6.10. By the way, how many T/D are nitrous and how many supercharged (one form or another)? Just curious. I see more blown cars in Div 7 than nitrous, but they can all run quick. OK, will be following you guys at the Plex. Thanks for letting us know what went on.


Cliff,

I would wager that there are not 3 cars on the sheet that are legal to go 5.90, that's a BIG part of the reason the floor was raised to 6.10, so you can break out and still be legal. As it was before a car that ran 5.99 should not have been allowed back on track until it was legal to run that fast, and that's the rule now. If you run 5.99 you are DQed from the event.

Just as if you are out at your local event and run 9.99 your car needs to be updated before it's back on the track.

Does anyone even remember that this class was started because a bunch of guys had 6.80 to 7.20 cars who wanted to bracket race and not throttle stop race? Then the racer in everybody took over...... LoL

Alan
 
Cliff,

As it was before a car that ran 5.99 should not have been allowed back on track until it was legal to run that fast, and that's the rule now. If you run 5.99 you are DQed from the event.
Alan
I didn't until yesterday that if you run a 5.99 on a bye you would be D.Q.ed from eliminations. It got quiet in the booth after that popped up on the scoreboard yesterday in Houston.
 
Cliff,

I would wager that there are not 3 cars on the sheet that are legal to go 5.90, that's a BIG part of the reason the floor was raised to 6.10, so you can break out and still be legal. As it was before a car that ran 5.99 should not have been allowed back on track until it was legal to run that fast, and that's the rule now. If you run 5.99 you are DQed from the event.

Just as if you are out at your local event and run 9.99 your car needs to be updated before it's back on the track.

Does anyone even remember that this class was started because a bunch of guys had 6.80 to 7.20 cars who wanted to bracket race and not throttle stop race? Then the racer in everybody took over...... LoL

Alan

Thanks Alan. So, are you saying that to run T/D, the chassis is legal to only, say, 6.000 seconds? And if a car breaks out at 5.99 or quicker, if that car is certified to, say, 5.500, then it would just be a break out? I dunno, I'm just askin' based on what you are saying. I know that in Rd 2 of T/D at Houston, Derek Purvis was on a single & ran 5.991. Also noticed that he was not in rd. 3, so am assuming he was DQ'ed from the race. By the way, what happened to Derek? Did he lose any points he had at that race? Can he come back to the next Divisional? What is the penalty? Haven't seen anything about Brian Fitzpatrick since he ran that 5.84 at Pomona. What happened to him?
Edit. I didn't read your post correctly. So Derek has to re-certify his car as a 6.000 car? Then he can race the next race? I guess the same thing for Brian. Sorry, just a bit confused. If you break out at 6.09 or even 6.00, the car has to be certified to run that quick, is what I'm reading.
Thanks, Cliff
 
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Cliff,

Just having a conversation, Brian wanted to run the record for the 2JZ and was willing to get tossed from the event for it. Many of the chassis are certified to go into the 5's but that's only part of the issue. Once you are in the 5's you are basically a TAD and that rules package is much different from TD.

For instance, unless I'm mistaken you cannot certify a car for 5 second runs with an automatic transmission. You can have a torque converter car, (Bruno or Ty-Drive) but it must have a planetary or Liberty type trans.

I might be wrong about that, but I believe that is the rule. And also as I understand it any run under 6.000 will DQ you from the event. I wasn't in Houston, but I would think that's why Purvis didn't return for Rd. 3.

Alan
 
Thanks Alan. That clears up a lot of stuff. I have seen a few former T/AD cars that are now T/D. One car still had the blown Hemi (but w/ roots blower), but now had a glide trans & a mono wing. This is why I thought that some of the T/D cars had 5 second certification. Didn't realize that running a 5 puts the car into a different set of rules. OK, so just to make conversation (heh), will Purvis have to recertify his car as a T/D? Or just slow it down. Really curious about that cuz I am aware there are a number of T/D that can run into the 5's. I really like the T/D class, cuz it reminds me in a lot of ways when T/AD was running low 6's. This class is also getting so hi-tech. Man you look into the drivers compartment and all the bells & whistles in there..... That is why I enjoy reading what Jeff White has to say. He gives so much info as to what it takes to running these cars, especially with a nitrous car. You too Alan. I learn all the time reading this site.
 
Well we made some progress in Q4. The string of awesome reaction times ended with an .039 ... asked her what she expected at the top end and she said something about wondering whether or not she'd remembered to put the steaks out to thaw or not .... evidently removing that thought from your head takes about .025 when you see the amber flash. Oh well .... good to get the "no random thoughts" focus going before elims. Took it out the back door on what looked like a really clean run .... 6.093 @224.21mph .... oh well, track was only 84 degrees and tomorrow is not supposed to be as cloudy so we should have a set up we can tune from (right now the third stage of nitrous is only on for 2 seconds (middle of the run) so I can manage entirely with that timer, everything else is going as soft as I've ever set it up).

Jeff
Noticed they. Had good showing in Comp Class, are they pretty strong in Div 4 with extra money Roger Brogdon bringing in.
 
Thanks Alan. That clears up a lot of stuff. I have seen a few former T/AD cars that are now T/D. One car still had the blown Hemi (but w/ roots blower), but now had a glide trans & a mono wing. This is why I thought that some of the T/D cars had 5 second certification. Didn't realize that running a 5 puts the car into a different set of rules. OK, so just to make conversation (heh), will Purvis have to recertify his car as a T/D? Or just slow it down. Really curious about that cuz I am aware there are a number of T/D that can run into the 5's. I really like the T/D class, cuz it reminds me in a lot of ways when T/AD was running low 6's. This class is also getting so hi-tech. Man you look into the drivers compartment and all the bells & whistles in there..... That is why I enjoy reading what Jeff White has to say. He gives so much info as to what it takes to running these cars, especially with a nitrous car. You too Alan. I learn all the time reading this site.
This might help: http://www.nhraracer.com/content/general.asp?articleid=71348&zoneid=175
The chassis certification is not an issue. Even if a car is certified as a TAD, the rules regarding the 6.00 cutoff still apply. He just has to slow down, but if he planned on competing for points this year, he's basically out of the running. I thought I heard somewhere that two strikes meant done for the season, but I can't find that right now. Doesn't affect me since I'm still one of the "slow" guys in the class :)
 
I think Purvis had a coil issue in round 2, switched it out and then broke out. Thus he was DQ'd even though it was a single.
 
Yeah, Will Hanna (crew chief to Purvis and Kruise) was as surprised as anyone that it picked up that much after the suspected issue.

Cliff, in D4 TD there are 3 or 4 nitrous top dragsters that regularly go sub 6.2 .... the pro charger and blower combo's are making us "bottle babies" fairly rare. That said, this is where all of my drag racing experience is, so personally I feel like I have a pretty good handle on getting this to be a predictable combination .... I make over 50% of my own atmosphere, so my combination is reasonably in my control as long as I can keep the parts together and happy. I didn't talk to one person at the race who wasn't really enjoying the fast field.

That said, I do want the NHRA to restore qualifying points to TD. Now that we've got the insurance guys happy (I've been told by Glendora that a sub 6.0 wreck with a TD chassis would NOT be covered by the NHRA's insurance), let's make the low qualifying positions as much fun as whether or not you make the bump. And to make the national championship more fair, let's only do this where there is a 32 car qualified field ..... we generally get limited to 5 rounds of points paying racing, if you are out west and running 6 rounds for points .... no qualifying points.

Jeff
 
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Thanks Jeff. I'd think your biggest "problem" is slowing the car down. I wonder if it will get to the point where you have a 32 car field and they all Q at 6.10. :) Maybe not as crazy as it sounds....
 
This might help: http://www.nhraracer.com/content/general.asp?articleid=71348&zoneid=175
The chassis certification is not an issue. Even if a car is certified as a TAD, the rules regarding the 6.00 cutoff still apply. He just has to slow down, but if he planned on competing for points this year, he's basically out of the running. I thought I heard somewhere that two strikes meant done for the season, but I can't find that right now. Doesn't affect me since I'm still one of the "slow" guys in the class :)

Brad, if I'm reading your post correctly, then if a racer runs a 5 second ET, & gets DQ'ed for the race, does that affect his / her points for the whole season? Or just that the DQ cost so many points that they won't have a chance for the rest of the season?
Thanks.
 
If you enter a race and don't qualify you get 10 points, if you get DQ'd I think you get 0 points, but yet that is still one of your "points counting" races (keep in mind you get to drop 3 divisionals and 2 nationals, so by no means is all lost). At divisionals, we often have Thursday testing (and did last week), since it was not an official race yet (starts Friday) I saw several people run in the 5.9x without negative impact.

Relative to "slowing the car down" .... when you get below 6.20 every hundredth takes more horsepower/traction/wind change. If you gain .005 in the 60ft (power or traction) you are generally going to pick up .010 in the 1320 all other things being equal. After the 330, most 6.00 to 6.20 cars are going to need more horsepower to speed up. If you leave the main groove at any point during a run you are going to lose ET ... in large part this is because you have just made a 1320 ft race more like a 1322+ ft race, but also because of reduced traction.

We could definitely have what amounts to a 6.10 index race at a variety of events in the country .... if that were to become common, I would personally prefer that a 6.12 or less qualified field also became a pro tree race .... but that is just me! Heck we've got more and more super comp cars tickling 195 mph .... it's not like people don't have choices in going fast in their pipe racks.
 
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