Is there a reason why we do dry burnouts for the PSMCDR?? Has there ever been a discussion for the use of water in the burn out box?? Racing at other tracks for their bracket programs, I always back into the water for the burnout. It doesn't take any more time than now because we're still waiting for the pair in front to stage and leave. Also, my 60' times drop when I get to do a water burnout 2.06 -> 1.96. Is there any possible interest in getting water in the box at PSMCDR this year?? Have Dan and Bob ever considered this?? What are your thoughts on this subject?? I just got off the phone with another PSMCDR buddy and this topic came up in our conversation so I thought I would toss it out there.
Tim, Are you rolling thru the box, or backing up into the water box?? The fronts hold the water if you roll straight thru the box. I have never had a problem with water in the treads if I back into the box. If backing into the water keeps water in the treads, then explain why my 60' times are better wet, than dry? Or does my Amphicar preform better in the water?:Brow:
For some reason, it's always bothered me when I see guys roll through the burnout box. I learned my drag strip etiquette from beginner articles in Hot Rod and Car Craft, and they always suggested -- no, admonished -- readers to back into the box, because front tires would hold and drip water to the starting line. This is what I've always done, and will continue to do. However, when I'm at the track, perhaps 75%-90% of the guys there will drive right through. I wonder: is it that big of a deal, or do most guys simply not know what they're doing when they drive through the box?
There is plenty of room to drive around the water at Mid-Michigan. I was thinking that the PSMCDR entrant was smarter than the average bear, and upon seeing the first 10 or 15 drivers go around the water box and back into the water, they would follow suit. :idea2: If they drive thru the water and carry the moisture to the line.............. ou:
I would think that between informing the participants before racing starts, and with cooperation of the track personnel to enforce it, you could manage to keep drivers from driving THRU the water.
The track personnel are used to this as it happens with every regular bracket event they run. As for informing the PSMCDR faithful, that would be easy. Just have the tech inspectors remind every driver to drive around the water, not thru it. I have been at a track where they want EVERYBODY to back into the box (including the slick tire cars). They just put orange construction saw horses blocking the burnout boxes thereby forcing ALL to drive around.
Frank, would it not be easier for you to just build a faster car, so you can turn the back tires on dry land :bla: http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=2istf1w&s=4
It may vary from car to car depending upon how you launch and how hard you hit the tires. Stick shifts can't preload the suspension like an automatic with the foot brake (except apparently JJ, but then again, there's a lot of things he does that the average bear can't.....cowboy boots? I hit mine quite hard to avoid the bog (when I had the no hop bars on it)...Let it rip at 5000 at Norwalk (1.90 60 foot), not quite so high at Stanton and Martin...didn't matter what at beaver at the Nostalgia Nats (York reunion)....car rolled backwards all the time at the line. One time I just let it keep rolling and went a full length backwards before stopping. Other times were either a big red light, or horrible light.. Tom and I both loved it when we were there........Murdoch saved the day for me as a human line-lok. :laugh: :laugh: I think the water would really affect that on a treaded street tire. Would be an interesting thing to try.....A to B on the same car, same conditions.......
I will admit that I am the one that Frank was talking to. Here is my thought process.. When showing up at Martin and Stanton, the rubber in the burnout box is not much of an issue as all of our tires have pulled it clean as a baby's hinney. As many of you know, I finally put polyglas on my car and believe me, my car acts a lot different than burning the old radials in the box. I went to the local track last October for the killer time slip. I was attempting to do my 'dry burnout' and the tires grabbed on the rubber in the burnout box and went into violent wheel hop, snapping my axle. I am now going with stronger axles but, I do not want for this to happen again. I NEVER have wheel hop issues on the track, but burnout with the polyglas have been like practicing for the Globetrotters. I think that water in the box and drive around will be something to look at. You can still do your dry burnouts, but give the option. Put the barrels, blocks, sawhorses in back to limit access and then tiptoe back in the water and pull out. Just enough to help, not take a bath in!!!
I'm going to take a wild guess here Rusty, but I think the problem isn't the Polyglas or a dry burnout box. My guess would be that in your rear control arms you either have 40 year old rubber bushings, or maybe they were rebuilt with OEM type rubber bushings? I would guess you don't have urethane control arm bushings and the rubber is deflecting causing your wheelhop issue. If you DO have urethane bushings, then I don't know what your issue is, I can only relate an issue Brian McDowell had with his 300 deluxe, and switching to Urethane fixed the problem 100%.
Polygraphite bushings (unless Casey used rubber ones in the top of the pumpkin). I am going to pay attention to the frame crossmember and make certain that everything is right. Thinking of no-hops as well.
And even if there is room, the line guys spray and broom it all over the place. It's bad enough driving around the moisture dumped from the full exhausts. Keep it Dry!
By the time you finish you burn-out, the back tires aren't carrying any water. And by the time you roll forward to the starting line, your fronts have lost all, or certainly most, of the water they were carrying. I drive straight through the water and have never had a problem. I agree with the comment about Polyglas vs modern street radials. You guys running modern radials are screwing yourselves -- water or no water.
I took off the nohops last year along with the gear and trans change. Never got a full run in at Martin (trans troubles), but at Byron at the Olds Nationals, it was just like Rusty described. When we ran the Ramrod match race, I really didn't want to run it again, but agreed to on a soft launch without spin. He had shifter trouble on the return road coming back, so we only ran once. Put the nohops back on for Stanton, and it seemed to take care of it again. Only got one run in and it stayed calm. Wheelhop scares the bajeeshus out of me with the "GM of Canada" 12 bolt :laugh: :laugh: with Cclips. Rusty, good decision to stay with the type O axle, or that could have been a mess. The axles don't come out when you break one. I do have the poyurethane bushings and frame stiffeners.....It did the same thing before we put the no hops on years ago. I think it's related to pinion angle. My suspension hardly moves as I drive it old style, let it spin a little and drive it out of the hole. Was a lot easier with the 4.56 than this 4.10
