When the universe tries to tell you something...

[zhc]

Maybe listen to the signs. This last race weekend, I got to do a little racing in a "Cheseburger" heavyweight class at Texas Motorplex.

Here are all the problems that hit me.

Thursday

1. Truck and trailer stuck in mud

Friday

1. Generator wouldn’t stay running under load.
2. The generator our pit neighbor let us borrow would not start
3. The fans stayed home back in Houston
4. Broke another belt on 2nd pass attempt, the spare I bought was too large

Saturday

1. Bought new generator, but wouldn’t start
2. Could only find a small blower fan to buy, it was cute at least
3. Found new belt at OReilly’s but it started fraying after a couple passes
4. Diff’s LSD borked, lasted 2 weeks this time
5. BOTH laptop chargers stopped working

At this point, we were thinking maybe I should stop for the day and go home.

But of course, I pushed onwards with the next race. I asked the wife to open the bottle but nitrous line wasn’t connected. After that was fixed, I started getting nervous so asked her to close the bottle so that I could make a blower only pass.

Can’t really see what actually happens on the big end but here’s the view with announcer from the stands.

What happened was a diesel truck that ran in my lane before me blew a trans line on the big end but no one caught it because… it was a diesel race truck. Well, around the 1000’ mark, my car got sideways and was about to cross the center line but I saved it. I crossed the traps at 141 mph still trying to gather the car back up. I’ve been trapping 157-158 that day on my blower only passes. Later I come to find out the truck in the other lane, did not lift… crazy! He went for it. My pass was a 9.0 @ 141 to his 9.3 @ 146.

I can only imagine what could have happened if I had the bottle for that run.

My luck started turning around after that. I got my new generator started, I drew the bye for round 2, made a clean a-b 8.50 nitrous pass and then I ran my best blower only pass with an extra 150 lbs of weight in the car. Oh, and I went on to win the Heavyweight class while still making it fun for everyone because my intention was to slow the car down enough to where the next fastest guys would have a chance. Basically I added weight and promised to not spray unless I lined up with someone who had been mid 8's already.

Will post up more vids later.

 

[BULL]

Getting squirrely on the big end and not buying the farm...


Good job!

 

[Magnified]

Maybe listen to the signs. This last race weekend, I got to do a little racing in a "Cheseburger" heavyweight class at Texas Motorplex.

Here are all the problems that hit me.

Thursday

1. Truck and trailer stuck in mud

Friday

1. Generator wouldn’t stay running under load.
2. The generator our pit neighbor let us borrow would not start
3. The fans stayed home back in Houston
4. Broke another belt on 2nd pass attempt, the spare I bought was too large

Saturday

1. Bought new generator, but wouldn’t start
2. Could only find a small blower fan to buy, it was cute at least
3. Found new belt at OReilly’s but it started fraying after a couple passes
4. Diff’s LSD borked, lasted 2 weeks this time
5. BOTH laptop chargers stopped working

At this point, we were thinking maybe I should stop for the day and go home.

But of course, I pushed onwards with the next race. I asked the wife to open the bottle but nitrous line wasn’t connected. After that was fixed, I started getting nervous so asked her to close the bottle so that I could make a blower only pass.

Can’t really see what actually happens on the big end but here’s the view with announcer from the stands.

What happened was a diesel truck that ran in my lane before me blew a trans line on the big end but no one caught it because… it was a diesel race truck. Well, around the 1000’ mark, my car got sideways and was about to cross the center line but I saved it. I crossed the traps at 141 mph still trying to gather the car back up. I’ve been trapping 157-158 that day on my blower only passes. Later I come to find out the truck in the other lane, did not lift… crazy! He went for it. My pass was a 9.0 @ 141 to his 9.3 @ 146.

I can only imagine what could have happened if I had the bottle for that run.

My luck started turning around after that. I got my new generator started, I drew the bye for round 2, made a clean a-b 8.50 nitrous pass and then I ran my best blower only pass with an extra 150 lbs of weight in the car. Oh, and I went on to win the Heavyweight class while still making it fun for everyone because my intention was to slow the car down enough to where the next fastest guys would have a chance. Basically I added weight and promised to not spray unless I lined up with someone who had been mid 8's already.

Will post up more vids later.

If you ain't breaking you ain't racing.... lol, so much for the cliches. I'll tell you what, you kept it together if you're starting to pivot at 130+ and held it together. Honor where honor is due.

 

[Marc W]

Yikes! Unknown stuff on the track is serious business. I crossed the centerline and booted a timing block over the wall. Fortunately the car in the other lane was far enough behind me it didn’t result in something worse. If you want to fix those lsd problems.... I got a DSS 9” with a spool that is available 🤔

 

[zhc]

Yikes! Unknown stuff on the track is serious business. I crossed the centerline and booted a timing block over the wall. Fortunately the car in the other lane was far enough behind me it didn’t result in something worse. If you want to fix those lsd problems.... I got a DSS 9” with a spool that is available 🤔

But I would need a driveshaft that fits?

 

[Mean Cat]

Glad you saved it @zhc, Good Job persevering !!

 

[MurderCat]

Hell of a driver, nice save!

 

[vortecd]

If you would have packed it up, you would not have won. You didn't give up when things kept happening, that is what make a winner a winner

 

[2fast4u]

Congrats Z...great job of gathering the situation and keeping it together. Goes to show that perserverance works!

 

[Matt someone with an SRT]

I’ve gotten squirly before near triple digits before and saved it.. it’s a scary feeling. Especially when there’s other drivers near you. Nice save though. Must of been a total WTF moment hah.. going all out down the strip and then slipping in like 4th gear.. was the same for me a bit.. I was just going to do a tunnel run and didn’t notice runoff from an earlier rainstorm at the entrance of the tunnel from a gutter 🤷.. sometimes sh&t happens fast and you have to be ready and prepared.. definitely when you hit the pedal to WOT.

 

[Marc W]

But I would need a driveshaft that fits?

Got one that would be included. I ran the 9” with the hp90 for a short time before switching to the 400. I ran that on the half mile and went 184mph in 7th gear with no vibration so it’s a good one.

 

[zhc]

Got one that would be included. I ran the 9” with the hp90 for a short time before switching to the 400. I ran that on the half mile and went 184mph in 7th gear with no vibration so it’s a good one.

One that works for a Charger? Challenger and Chargers have different lengths.

 

[zhc]

I’ve gotten squirly before near triple digits before and saved it.. it’s a scary feeling. Especially when there’s other drivers near you. Nice save though. Must of been a total WTF moment hah.. going all out down the strip and then slipping in like 4th gear.. was the same for me a bit.. I was just going to do a tunnel run and didn’t notice runoff from an earlier rainstorm at the entrance of the tunnel from a gutter 🤷.. sometimes sh&t happens fast and you have to be ready and prepared.. definitely when you hit the pedal to WOT.

I’ve had a few scares before but this was the most dramatic and at higher speed.

 

[Marc W]

One that works for a Charger? Challenger and Chargers have different lengths.

Oh duh 🙄. I know that. The one I have is a DSS that came with the conversion, so they do custom make them. Another option that nobody here in Hellcat world knows about is Raven manufacturing. They make the shafts for the DragPaks and according to MPR, they are the best. Period! They are also less money than a 4” DSS.

 

[FlyByU]

Another eventful weekend, its what keeps the drive alive. Congrats