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My Last Drag Races at LACR

davidathans

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
703
Location
San Fernando Valley, California
LACR opened in 1964 in palmdale and is usually open every wednesday night and friday night for "Run what you Brung" drag racing and many times they are open on saturdays and sundays as well. The track gives many men and women a place they can go to legally race their cars and now its closing...and that is because the track leases the land it was built on from Granite Construction and they need to dig up their land under the track...so yesterday was my last time racing there.

My first time ever racing my car at LACR was 11/29/02 and my best time was 14.814 at 93.974mph this was with the first 347 engine i had built that made 250RWHP and 275 Torque at the wheels with my 2.79 gears and stock automatic and shifter with 3500rpm TCI torque converter and stock 205/70R14 tires...

My previous best race at LACR was 12.685 @ 105.675mph on April 30th 2006 on a really hot day

LACR has an elevation of 2710 feet

I got to borrow some 26x7.5x15 Bogart rims with mickey thompson skinnys to try racing with for the first time...previously i have only raced with my 245/45R17 Dayton's on 17x8 chrome Cobra R rims on the front.

The goal was to see if the skinnys made my car go any faster than the Cobra R's with street tires. The skinnys weigh approx 30lbs tire and rim each...my cobra R's with tires weigh approx 50lbs with tire and rim each

initially when i tried to mount the skinnys on the car, my wheel studs were not long enough, so i had to go out and buy Moroso 3" wheel studs and have them pressed in...then i had to get new lug nuts..i also bought a K&N air filter top plate $72!

anyways i got that taken care of and made it out to the track and here are my race results:

First 3 races i left on the Cobra R's to try and get consistent runs to establish a baseline

first run was at 6:17pm about 90 degrees F
12.889 @ 107.546mph with a 60' of 1.831

this is now my fastest speed ever at this track (i had 13psi in the slicks before the burnout and race, and they heated up to 14psi measured after the race) i had 45psi in the street tires

second race was at 6:52pm it cooled down a little and i took the tire pressure down to 12psi before the race (13psi measured after)
12.686 @ 95.032mph with a 60' of 1.779
note: i think something must have tripped the first sensor in the traps and started it too soon because i hit 6100rpm through the lights which is approx 105-106mph so the speed here is wrong

third race was at 7:23pm
12.622 @ 106.931mph with a 60' of 1.779 again (my new fastest e.t. at LACR)

then i took off the street tires and put on the skinnys and low and behold

the next race at 7:56pm was
12.552 at 107.277mph with a 60' of 1.761
(this is now my best e.t. at LACR)
the skinnys made .07 seconds difference and about .3mph difference

My goal in going out there was to hit a 12.5 and i did it!!

my next race i lost traction in 2nd gear and shut down for a
19.215 at 48.251mph haha! no it sucked, but at least i didnt crash

i got in one more good race at 9:17pm
i pulled a 0.046 reaction time and ran a 12.639 at 106.719mph with a 60' of 1.779 again! (3 times i hit 60' in exactly 1.779 seconds) consistent at least

other cool stuff that happened that night...

a lady ran a perfect reaction time 0.000 after running 0.007 and 0.005, she won a prize for it too and her husband couldnt be more proud

a guy had a 351 Windsor stroked out to 397ci in a 65 mustang.. he was running low 12s at about 109mph

a guy with a 68 mustang and 347 stroker blew one of his slicks during his burnout for his first run on his birthday and didnt get to race (he has run 11.98 at famoso in bakersfield)

the fastest car of the night was a fox body mustang that ran 9.32 at 141mph!

im definitely sad to see the track be closed, especially because Fontana is only open maybe 5 times a year...but at least i set new records my last time there and met my goal with that 12.552 at 107.27mph and finally got to see that YES the skinnys do make a pretty good difference...not as much as people said they would, but still a good enough difference where it is definitely worth it to buy them and try racing with them at California Speedway on August 11th!!

Here are some pictures of the timeslips and skinnys...and i have some cool burnout videos and the 12.55 video on www.myspace.com/gtcs347
 

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davidathans

davidathans

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
703
Location
San Fernando Valley, California
more pictures
 

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TheBlkPearl

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2005
Messages
153
Location
Boise
Super job David - it is sad to see any race track close because they do so much for the local area. Firebird Raceway here in Boise does a great job in providing high school and street race nights - keeps a lot of young people out of trouble and they stay interested in cars. Good luck in your future racing.

Randy
 
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davidathans

davidathans

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
703
Location
San Fernando Valley, California
are you using late model spindles on that car?

No they are original 1968 California Special spindles...haha it actually feels good to say that something is still original

thanks shaun and randy

im trying to figure out how im going to go faster now...august 11th is the next available street legal race day at California speedway in fontana...i want to run 11s on the 11th...but i talked to B&D and they dont think going bigger on the cam is going to yield its fruits for the money spent with that torque converter i have in there....power braking at 2500rpm coming off the line is not enough....im looking to contact Continental and see what they say...possibly going to a smaller converter or loosening up the one i have in there...and then there is always changing from 4.11 to 4.56 on the gear in the rear and fiberglass on the front of the car...
 

joedls

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2005
Messages
1,980
Location
Lake Forest, CA
Great job, David!! You're an awesome ambassador at the dragstrip for the GT/CS. I'm going to try to make it to Fontana on Aug 11 and try out my car. I doubt if I can keep up with you, but I'll give it my best. I'll expect some tips from you since I have never run at the dragstrip before.
 

Midnight Special

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Messages
3,713
Location
Grass Valley, California
Great job, David!! You're an awesome ambassador at the dragstrip for the GT/CS. I'm going to try to make it to Fontana on Aug 11 and try out my car. I doubt if I can keep up with you, but I'll give it my best. I'll expect some tips from you since I have never run at the dragstrip before.

Cool Joe! Can you arrange to go down together? or is the line up based soley on qualifying times?? I've never done that either ('cept in a way CALIF GIRL would disapprove;-)

'Black w/ white vs white w/ black... What a photo op!
 

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joedls

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Joined
Mar 12, 2005
Messages
1,980
Location
Lake Forest, CA
Cool Joe! Can you arrange to go down together? or is the line up based soley on qualifying times?? I've never done that either ('cept in a way CALIF GIRL would disapprove;-)

'Black w/ white vs white w/ black... What a photo op!

I sure hope we can, but I'll have to defer to David on this one. Like I said, I have no experience.

You should come down and take pics!!!
 
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davidathans

davidathans

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
703
Location
San Fernando Valley, California
I sure hope we can, but I'll have to defer to David on this one. Like I said, I have no experience.

You should come down and take pics!!!

funny picture tim!

Joe...as far as lining up against eachother, we need to be in the same group of 100...they dont open the gates until 6am...prior to 6am you and i should meet up, say at the jack in the box on Cherry just north of california speedway, at 6am we can head to the gate...once we're inside and pass tech inspection, we can pit next to eachother and when the time comes to line up, it can be arranged so that we'll race eachother

make sure that you have a battery tie down...and a return spring on your carburetor...and a radiator overflow can....go to www.californiaspeedway.com/dragwayrules

you should wear pants and a current copy of your registration and insurance in case they ask...and bring a cooler with some water bottles or some cash to buy some drinks because it will probably be pretty hot

you'll need a helmet
 

CALIF GIRL

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Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
643
Way to go David, great times. Sorry I could not make it, work was just too busy.

Cool Joe! Can you arrange to go down together? or is the line up based soley on qualifying times?? I've never done that either ('cept in a way CALIF GIRL would disapprove;-)

'Black w/ white vs white w/ black... What a photo op!

Tim,

Since I am pretty sure you were not in my county when you were doing "whatever it is I would disapprove of" I won't put you on my most wanted list right now.
 

Midnight Special

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Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Messages
3,713
Location
Grass Valley, California
Way to go David, great times. Sorry I could not make it, work was just too busy.



Tim,

Since I am pretty sure you were not in my county when you were doing "whatever it is I would disapprove of" I won't put you on my most wanted list right now.

CG, Where in So.Cal are you? The family & I will be in San Fernando this weekend. Maybe we can get together & say hello if you're not too far away. 'Spoke w/ Joe who will be in a car show at "John Force". TJ & I may try to see him there if we can...

I may want to bribe a "get your car out of impound FREE" card from you ;-))
 
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CALIF GIRL

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Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
643
Tim,

I am in Palmdale. For this weekend I work Friday 130 Pm - 10pm, Saturday I work 6 am-10pm.

I will PM you with more info
 

Mustanger

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Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Messages
1,974
Location
So Cal
CG, Where in So.Cal are you? The family & I will be in San Fernando this weekend. Maybe we can get together & say hello if you're not too far away. 'Spoke w/ Joe who will be in a car show at "John Force". TJ & I may try to see him there if we can...

I may want to bribe a "get your car out of impound FREE" card from you ;-))

Tim,

How was your trip down here in So Cal? Did you meet up with Calif Girl and/or Joe?

Joe,

How was the John Force Show? I was planning to go, but there were some last minute changes in the line-up ...
 

joedls

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Joined
Mar 12, 2005
Messages
1,980
Location
Lake Forest, CA
Joe,

How was the John Force Show? I was planning to go, but there were some last minute changes in the line-up ...

The show was great. Perfect weather, good folks, and even a couple of GT/CSs. Lisa had her car there and there was also a blue S code. Sorry you didn't make it.
 

Midnight Special

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Joined
Nov 5, 2005
Messages
3,713
Location
Grass Valley, California
Tim,

How was your trip down here in So Cal? Did you meet up with Calif Girl and/or Joe?

Joe,

How was the John Force Show? I was planning to go, but there were some last minute changes in the line-up ...

As it turned out, I didn't get to meet up with them, but had two nice phone conversations w/ Joe and one w/ Marion. CALIF GIRL had to work and Joe had the John Force show.

Sadly; my father-in-law has terminal cancer and his 93 yr. old mother lived nearby. My brother-in-law is moving them to Hawaii to spend their last days and we had only the weekend to clean out and prepare their two homes for sale, plus move a whole bunch of stuff up here... Joe and CALIF GIRL were each about 1-2 hours from Sylmar and I just couldn't devote the time away...

CALIF GIRL was real sweet - saying that she would come down & help us load if she didn't have to work and Joe was his awesome character as always:) TJ & I would've loved to go to the show if we weren't so overwhelmed...

We're all looking forward to the BBQ at Mike & Robinette's though! So far; DD, Joe, Don, CALIF GIRL, (and anyone else who wants to) are staying here or nearby for an organized procession to the BBQ Saturday (8/18) morning! :))
 

Mustanger

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Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Messages
1,974
Location
So Cal
Tim,

I'm sorry to hear about your tough situation with your family, they're important and they should come first ... I'll say a prayer for you and your loved ones so that their final times can be happy times ...
 
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