Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday

Posted By: PHJ426

Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/04/14 11:14 PM

Opps forgot to mention Mitch won his class on the High speed autocross on Saturday. He is the pace car for the Sunday W2W class racing.

Finally made it out to Joliet Autobahn when Mitch was the pace car today. Mitch let me drive and put my kids in the back seat during the touring session.

I must say I have driven his Challenger on the street around town some and now on the closed track. Granted I am not at all accustom to his car and don't want to push it as if it were my own with plenty of seat time on and off a track.

Those 1.24" torsion bars are nothing to be afraid of. Too bad it was raining during lunch so I really didn't want to get after it too much even though I did kick it coming out of a corner just to get a chuckle out of the kids......

Here are a few pictures of the Pace car.

Attached picture 8133981-DSC08315.JPG

Posted By: PHJ426

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/04/14 11:15 PM

Pic 2

Posted By: PHJ426

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/04/14 11:15 PM

Pic 3

Posted By: PHJ426

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/04/14 11:29 PM

When I dig that old 71 Challenger I have buried in my garage out....might have to try some C body "Sized" bars in it.

1.24" is where handling begins, kinda like how boost begins to gets exciting at 30 pounds.

Posted By: nd65

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/05/14 02:18 PM

Congrats Mitch!! Cool car and a great guy.

Posted By: challenger70

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/05/14 03:51 PM

I was there to witness Mitch's domination on Saturday, he was clearly in a class of his own!

Posted By: PHJ426

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/05/14 04:07 PM

Saturday was the definitely the day to witness Mitch carve up the course at Joliet Autobahn. Too bad my schedule didn't allow it. Would have been cool to meet up with Ron and the other Mopar crowd at the track.

When is the next event?

Posted By: amxautox

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/05/14 04:26 PM

Congrats to Mitch.

What would the spring rate be on those bars when compared to coil springs? I know it's been mentioned/compared before, but I'm not going to look thru 100s of threads trying to find it. lol

Posted By: challenger70

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/05/14 04:34 PM

Quote:

Saturday was the definitely the day to witness Mitch carve up the course at Joliet Autobahn. Too bad my schedule didn't allow it. Would have been cool to meet up with Ron and the other Mopar crowd at the track.

When is the next event?

I would have traded driving his car for watching him drive

I almost got to until a Corvette decided to test the safety barriers and they had to fix it during the lunchtime touring.

Stupid Chevy's ruin everything.

Posted By: Mopar Mitch

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/05/14 05:29 PM

My T/Anks to Ron, Pat, Paul, Dan and others who came to watch this weekend... I had a blast and you guys helped make it better for me. I'll post pics soon from my own camera (thanks for taking the pics for me, as well as to Paul for posting the initial pics).

My next championship points event is Monday, May 26, 2014 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, just north and west of Rockford, Illinois. (There will be an HPDE on Sat, then W2W racing on Sunday; I'll only be at the track and competing that one day/Monday.)

Posted By: ademon

Re: Mitch's Challenger - 05/05/14 06:32 PM

Nice job Mitch!!!

Posted By: dustergirl340

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/05/14 06:54 PM

He is indeed a very nice guy, and I have been lucky enough to see that beautiful Challenger in person.
Congrats Mitch!

Posted By: boydsdodge

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/05/14 11:33 PM

Very Cool Mitch, Congratulations.
Great guy great car.

Posted By: brads70

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/05/14 11:49 PM

Nice Mitch!

Posted By: dangina

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/06/14 01:25 AM

Congrats mitch!!!

Posted By: keyser soze

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/06/14 01:27 AM

Short 30 sec. video from phone on Saturday. Second practice run.

Mopar Mitch at Joliet Autobahn

And picture of Mitch and Corvette culprit that kept Ron and myself from a trip around the track.

Attached picture 8135248-MitchandVet.png

Posted By: 5spdcuda

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/06/14 03:30 AM

Congrats Mitch, well deserved.

Posted By: AlexP

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/06/14 05:53 AM

Dang! I was in Joilet at the beginning of April for work and I had a day to wander. A few guys at the plant mentioned there was a racetrack close to Joilet (Otherside of the intermodal actually) and If I would have put the pieces together, I would have made the effort to see Mitch...

Posted By: challenger70

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/07/14 03:47 PM

Quote:

Short 30 sec. video from phone on Saturday. Second practice run.

Mopar Mitch at Joliet Autobahn

And picture of Mitch and Corvette culprit that kept Ron and myself from a trip around the track.

The 'vette owner might want that pic for posterity, last know pic of his car alive...

Posted By: TC@HP2

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/07/14 03:57 PM

Quote:

Congrats to Mitch.

What would the spring rate be on those bars when compared to coil springs? I know it's been mentioned/compared before, but I'm not going to look thru 100s of threads trying to find it. lol

1.24 T-bars is 400# wheel rate. By comparison, the common 2nd gen Camaro will require roughly twice the spring rate to achieve the same 400# wheel rate, so this would be around a 800# spring to a GM guy.

Posted By: Mopar Mitch

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/07/14 04:25 PM

My TB records show the 1.24 TB as 425 lbs. I know there is a multiplier for ~conversion of TB to coils. Coil springs at ~600-700-800 and some higher are not uncommon for GM and Ford.. for the serious setups.

Posted By: TC@HP2

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/07/14 07:11 PM

Actually Mitch, that sounds right because I recall the 1.22 bars I have are rated at 400#, so it stands that the .03 difference would be a skosh heavier.

I forget the exact motion ratios on the 2nd gen Camaros I used to run but it was either 45 or 55% of rate because of spring pocket location to pivot location. Suffice it to saw for a swag, its was half the springs rate was actually applied to the tire. Fords would be a bit different on top of that. When I was running high banked ovals, we routinely ran 1000-1100# springs in the right front with 800-900# in the left.

Posted By: cudazappa

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/07/14 07:50 PM

Good Job Mitch!

Looks like a slot car in the video.

Also what's weird is the chassis book lists the 1.22" bars at 350#
Firm Feel lists their 1.18" bars at 338#

Posted By: amxautox

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/07/14 08:49 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Congrats to Mitch.

What would the spring rate be on those bars when compared to coil springs? I know it's been mentioned/compared before, but I'm not going to look thru 100s of threads trying to find it. lol

1.24 T-bars is 400# wheel rate. By comparison, the common 2nd gen Camaro will require roughly twice the spring rate to achieve the same 400# wheel rate, so this would be around a 800# spring to a GM guy.

Good thing I don't have a chevy.

Thanks.

Posted By: roadracecuda

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/08/14 04:28 PM

Congrats Mitch! Wish I could have been there but I was spinning wrenches getting ready for Road America next week. Mitch has been the lone flag bearer for mopars on the track here as of late as my Barracuda did not make it on track last year. There is another event at Autobahn the first weekend in October that Mitch plans on running and pacing again. I have committed to having my Barracuda racing that Sunday and it would be great to get a mopar paddock together so anybody within driving distance please give October 4th/5th your consideration. I know it sounds far away but you know how that goes.

Attached picture 8138049-LRcuda6.jpg

Posted By: jcc

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/09/14 12:58 AM

Mitch you are the Man!

Better check them spot welds.

Posted By: edco440

Re: Mitch's Challenger takes the win and Paces Sunday - 05/10/14 04:32 AM

Awesome Job Mitch, the Challenger sounded and looked Great!