Just a few videos from last weekends final Division race of the NHRA season. Made it to the semis where I broke out. Went 11.023 on an 11.05 index. I have an issue with the car when we hot lap it. It will pick up ET but we have never been able to put a number to it. I rolled out 4 numbers but still went to fast. Was a stripe hog all day. Something about my wifes voice in the back of my head saying take the stripe Ya see two weeks before I gave the stripe away at the Jegs Sportsnationals in the final Anyway enjoy will try to ad a little description of each round. Oh yeah I am sure my competition will use these against me at some point but thought you guys might enjoy them. I know throttle stops are boring.

This was round 2. Ran againt a car that used to belong to my buddy Dave Hall. Dave is also a mentor of mine, not surehe knows that but when he starts talking S/ST I listen. This car is a 136 MPH car I was on the brakes about the 1100' mark here as he dumped me a tad at the end and I tightened it up scrubbing 4mph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbX0SAIK6Xs&feature=youtu.be

Round three. This was I think my closest race of the day with a .004 stripe against Gary Thompson a multi time winner and Div Champ. I was .003 on the tree he was .005. Was on the brakes from about the 1100'. Not hard just riding it til right before the stripe and then off the throttle trying to keep it close scrubbed 5mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqbaGSgiBcQ&feature=youtu.be

Round 4 was against a fixture in D7 S/ST. This car has won a number of divison titles and numerous races with just about every member of the family behind the wheel. I knew it was going to be a very tough race and needed to be on my game. The Downings are awesome folks and outstanding racers to boot. I was .002 on the tree set up to run an .05. Pretty basic S/ST pass here nothing real exciting at 11.05/153+ v a 130 mph car.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EF0S1QF7d4&feature=youtu.be

Round 5 was the semi final. Once again another former Div Champ, last years #2 car as well as our Jegs All Stars rep. This round was one of those deals for us. As my car gets a bit of heat in it it always picks up. Never been able to put a number to it or quantitate it, but we know it will speed up. I added 4 numbers to the box and felt safe. After my previous .003 and .002 I felt I was getting a little to cozy with the tree so backed off a tad and was .017. He went .002 on me. I had noted he went fast both of the previous rounds as well. But I felt confident I was not going ot be fast. Once I let go of the button the car kicked to the side a bit so I felt it spun a tad maybe and felt even more confident I was ok. So I leged it out and broke out with an 11.022 to his 11.032, once again my wifes voice saying take the stripe playing in my head. I had commented to Jay just before the pass I knew he had been fast, shoudl have listend to my own advice and cut him loose but felt I was ok. Oh well, last round of the year for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5fqIK39o08&feature=youtu.be

Lastly here is a time trial pass against Chris'sBarracuda and his sweet black beast. Although they were a tad fast on this pass I am sure it was just so they could be me across the stripe. I think they went 142 on this pass I was 154 and change I think Hopefully we will see a lot more of this car next year...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN_mO4GvR4s&feature=youtu.be

Thanks I enjoyed the rides!
Bill

Congrats on your performance this year. Impressive!

Al, gotta say my heart was pumping !! Awesome quality. Yopu are truly a machine. Congrats and thanks. Are you cahnging anything with the engine for next year?

Nice Ride

Rickster

nice vids, thanks 4 the ride. ur car hauls the mail. the closing rate on the other car is awesome.

Very cool, Sweet to watch em drive away and get reeled right back!

Nice work Al! Great job driving!
I hope my ride is as consistant as yours when I finish it.

I would hate to be in the opposite lane as you!

Wow Al, that is really reeling them in, even for a Barracuda.

Congrats man.

good job, and in the points also!

Nice,Al! Man...That thing really comes on fast!

Cool video's

What time do you shift it at? it sure gets in to high quick

Also is that the rear end making a little noise?

You make it look boring, Al! You are an absolute machine in the drivers seat. Every vid looks exactly the same exept for the poor soul in the other lane.... You've got it down to an art. Congrats on your performances this year matching the obvious hard work you put into it!

Vern I shift into high between .50-.75 looking for 60' in the 1.95 area. The whine is from the transmission. Assume the straight cut gears in the glide. I put new planetaries in it this year and it has been that way ever since. IT really is not that bad but I think the camera exaggerates it. Kinda like the fuel pump in the other car.

Glad you guys enjoy the video. I know throttle stop racing is boring to most but to me it is about the most challenging thing I have done in a drag car. For the most part everyone can hit the tree and run the number. Plus the challenge of running the given number that around here differs from track to track. This year I have run 10.90, 11.05, 11.15 and 11.35 from sea level to 4000'+.

As for next years plans. Well we want to go Top Sportsman racing. My car will barely make the field with some changes and not really looking to worrying about qualifying as I assume guys will just get faster and faster. Out here it is a kinder gentler Top Sportsman with basically all run and you have to just be able to rn the minimum. Since we have not had any luck finding a car that wont happen. Said I was not gonna run S/ST next year unless we had a 1 or a 2 on the window. Was not really expecting to improve that far in the last two races. But we did so.....

Thanks for the SST fix Al! My brother and I love watching your runs. He always calls me and say's, "Boy, that gets the blood flowing! Love the way that thing comes alive as the RPMs start climbing!"

James, Yep it is a BTE 1.80 gear set. Yes I have an override for my stop in the car. I rarely use it as generally speaking a Divisional prepped track is usually pretty good. In fact I woudl say more often that not guys are picking up in 60' more than loosing it. I leave so soft it is really not usually an issue. But when the engine gets some heat in it we are making more power.

Billy, You are another of those guys who when you talk I listen. I tell people all the time I learned a very valuable piece of information from you. To know your opponent and their tendancies. So I am kind of an information [Edited by Moparts - Family Friendly Site - Keep it clean] at this stuff. Dont be surprised to see me looking at run sheets or a note to myself in the lanes about my opponent and their tendencies. Which has led to another important point for me. I change things up at about every race. I try not to fall into a routine on track with the way the car performs. Tried a new one at the Jegs Sportsnationals that served me well. Now if I can only quit over thinking things on track in the final.

Wish I could get a better view of my feet. I am on the brake pedal most every pass. The thing charges so hard at the last couple hundred feet I try to be prepared. NO throttle whomping in these either and I am pretty habitual about that too. But we were dialed honest all weekend so not much need. Just used the brake pedal to whoa it up a bit.

Thanks Al, I know what you are talking about wnen you say the camera exaggerates it, Mine makes it sound like my fuel pump is 10 times louder than it really is.
Also my planets are really loud in low and reverse but I have never noticed them in high.

Very cool video's