Re: How fast do you need to be to be competitive in S/ST?
[Re: ChrisJohnston669]
#310550
05/07/09 09:35 AM
05/07/09 09:35 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448 Phoenix, AZ
MoparBilly
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,448
Phoenix, AZ
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Dustyhof, I've raced S/ST for 10 years, over 40 NHRA Divisionals, and 12 or so Nationals. I'm not one of the best, but I know all the best racers, and I know what it takes to win.
The car you use to compete in the class is not important. Knowing how to use the car you have in the class..that's the key!!!
Truthfully, a guy in a 10.80-120 all out car, who's using weight to adjust his ET, and is running at his home town track that he knows well...That guy scares the heck out of the 142+ crowd!!!
The reason Big MPH is an advantage, is that with all the variables that come with trying to hit a set index when you're only getting 2 runs a day, it ends up being a top-end game of trying to take the stripe or give it up. The guy with the most MPH ultimately gets to make the Decision, and impose his will on the other racer. Problem with that is, is the guy with the big MPH smart enough to make the right decision, and is he good enough to execute the manuever once he makes the decision??? Sometimes ignorance is bliss!!!
Now let's get to the nuts and bolts of the situation:
If your car runs between 119-124 (10.90-10.60) it's really not fast enough to consistantly use an air or electric t-stop, so you need a manual stop, and weight.
If your car runs between 124-135 (10.60-9.90) you can run a single action air linkage style stop, or electric under carb stop, and be extremely successfull.
If your car runs between 135-145 (9.90-9.00) First, you have to have a chassis cert, neck collar, gloves, full suit, engine diaper. Then you need a dual action air cylinder linkage style stop, with adjustable bleeders, or an adjustable air under carb stop. The single action slam closed, slam open stuff won't work if you plan to get close to the number.
If your car runs between 145-168 (9.00-8.00) You need everything the above group needed, PLUS, usually dual stops, AND, the innate ability to know to lift 3,4,5, or 6 car lengths BEFORE you catch your opponent!!!
I've help set-up, and dial-in just about every combo there is, and trust me they are all different. If I can help you get a few legs up on the learning curve, I'd be glad to.
"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks"
4 Street cars, 5 Race engines
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Re: How fast do you need to be to be competitive in S/ST?
[Re: camdog440]
#310552
05/07/09 04:00 PM
05/07/09 04:00 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 502 Huron, South Dakota, United St...
dustyhof
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 502
Huron, South Dakota, United St...
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Quote:
Good info MoparBilly!
Thank You. It sounds like I had the right idea. All I can do is go and try it once the car is done. I just wanted some info to know if I was headed in the right direction. All my buddies run either S/C or S/G. The Dart will never work in either of those classes, but I just can't seem to bring myself to go after a tube car or dragster. I really like dad's old Dart. S/ST seemed to be a class that was within my reach. Thanks for all of your comments guys. Much appreciated. I will continue to build the Dart with this as some sort of goal for it.
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Re: How fast do you need to be to be competitive in S/ST?
[Re: dustyhof]
#310553
05/07/09 05:17 PM
05/07/09 05:17 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,987 new jersey usa
11secdart
master
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master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,987
new jersey usa
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I have a 10.50 car mechanical stopped ( and on DOT tires)to run 11.50s in another class. I am having a blast its nice being the faster car. When I ran the other class ( Pro 9.00 to 15.99) I was in the middle of the pack. My buddy runs a big Chevy Biscayne in Pro it runs mid 15s, the 9 second cars hate him,they can`t judge him at the stripe.
68 Dart 410 / 904 92 D150 original owner 21 Ram 1500 Quad Cab, Big Horn , Hemi ,4x4 23 Audi Q5 16 Honda HRV
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Re: How fast do you need to be to be competitive in S/ST?
[Re: 11secdart]
#310554
05/07/09 05:41 PM
05/07/09 05:41 PM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,475 SW Ohio
cgall
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,475
SW Ohio
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I did it for a number of years, tried a few different ways to run .90 with a .60 car. The most success I had was when I shifted into 3rd, I watched the tach and when it got close to 5500, I slowly lifted my foot to hold it there through the traps. The MPH would usually be 112-116.
My friend Frank Luckey won several NHRA events doing something similar, he would set his shift light around 5000, when the light came on in 2nd gear (powerglide), he would take his foot completely off the throttle and coast across at around 100 MPH. He had to quit doing that when some officials said that other racers were complaining of cheating.
These techniques probably sound goofy, but they go to show that you don't need to run big MPH if you know and trust your car, and practice, practice, practice.
One last comment, I went back to brackets for the reasons stated above by Bigdad, a whole weekend used for one shot at the tree on Sunday started to get ridiculous. I always liked the format, though.
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