After some rough racing a couple of races with some worn out slicks and a bad outing with new slicks I spent the week really checking over my Duster and addressing some issues. With so many big races going on with limited time trials it really messed up my racing for the last month. Rain-outs haven't helped either. At last weeks three 10,000.00 races Fridays race was rained out and I decided against racing in 2 races on Saturday and one on Sunday so I entered the early race Saturday. With the car hooking again I redlite 1st round and gave it back in the buy-back. Sunday with zero time trials I dialed a 6.07 and went into a giant wheelstand and couldn't cover my dial running a 6.09 against my compititions dead on with a zero. I didn't buy-back and called it a day and went back and tightened up the shocks for next weeks divisional race at Keystone. 4-5 three day races is hard on this oldman. LOL


Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr


Video.



Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr

Should have spent less, had more fun and no rain at Norwalk.
Dont say i didnt tell ya.... lol

Should have spent less, had more fun and no rain at Norwalk.
Dont say i didnt tell ya.... lol

What the heck was up with all the wrecks this weekend. Looks like some nice cars hit the walls during that race. That was a bummer to see.

Three that i remember. One was steering issue, another kicked a rod, the other one i am aware of not sure what happened.
One newer 3gen hemi car spit out two driveshafts on different days. Few other misshaps as well

Glad its coming around for ya John! Now don't wear yourself out!

Lol. I sure missed my motorhome over the weekend. I woke up at 5am to drive up and be ready to race at 9am. Raced and watched Racing till 11pm and slept on an air mattress in my car Trailer. The band must have played till 2-2:30am so it was a short night then back at it in the morning

at times I can still enjoy a night like that I'm glad the cars coming around

" I spent the week really checking over my Duster and addressing some issues"

Pittsburg racer, besides the new slicks what issues did you address to get the car to 60 ft. again.
Thanks Mike

Wow long story and you may not believe it but I think it was a small water leak. I usually pull and freshen my engines every 2-3 years but since I had a few health issues I left it go this past winter because of less racing. With a front engine plate my water pump gaskets usually start to seep water after 2-3 years from stress. When this issue started it was pulling to the right so I checked the ladderbars, new slicks, and just gave things the once over. It appears water was spraying slightly out the water pump gasket and possibly caused one slick to spin slightly causing it to pull. Either that or it took a week for my new slicks to come around and that happens too. I know I also am up to 12 pounds of tire pressure and backed way off on my burn out. I had a couple of 1.27 sixty foots so that’s pretty good for the summer heat. 1.25’s should be back in the fall when the good air lets us make more horsepower

I know after talking to the Mickey Thompson tech if I don’t switch to a radial my next set of slicks will be stiff walls. My buddy picked up .20 going to a radial on his low 9 second Cameo.

Glad you found that leak!!! I have also had those gaskets leak but I usually put new ones in every year when the motor is out.



"my next set of slicks will be stiff walls."

I seem to be having great luck with a set of stiff sidewalls I put on for the first time this year. My car is heavy and would ruin the sidewalls on regular slicks.

That and a set of double adjustable shocks all around were my changes for this year and so far I am very pleased.
Mike

Friend of mine runs a light weight small block mustang...used to run normal 28x10.5 MT slicks. Switched to stiff sidewalls and car picked up a bunch, about .04 in the 60'. Wasn't expecting that from a car as light as his is. 5 sec 1/8 mile car.

Ethe guys running the small radials are very happy. The bigger tires (radials) can be hit or miss. If they spin, they really spin with zero recovery unlike a slick. I also had two friends that had floating issues down track with the big radials. Mickey Thompson will get that issue resolved I’m betting as they have lots of volunteers testing for them.

Hate it when you loose your baseline.. Seem like it takes forever to get it back at times.

Not only on the car but I changed my driving style to compensate for the car issues and was even going rounds. Hopefully Friday’s test n tune gets good weather so I can take a few more hits before Saturday’s 10,000.00 race and Sunday’s 5000.00 payout races.

John, On the radials, I tried them back in 2004, M/T 14.5 x 15. Went better by .15, ran 8.77 at 153. I had such bad "radial rock" I was aborting every other pass. And some of the good ones, including the cars all time best, people that saw the run asked why I didn't lift on that pass too. So do a lot of research to save yourself some possible grief. If they haven't figured it out in fourteen years, well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

John...know any super stockers in your area? Talk to them since it seems almost every big tire super stocker runs the radials. My transmission guy has always run those big radials, but I've never asked if he had any issues w/ them. He's been running them for over 10 years though. He had a low 10 sec 3rd gen Camaro running SS/GT w/ a 400 Pontiac mill.

Appreciate the info guys. I have time now since I just installed new slicks 2 weeks ago so I will keep my eyes and ears open.