Hello 9 second club (2 weeks worth, NHRA license runs and radial runs)!!!
Thread Starter
7 Second Club
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,834
Likes: 1
From: Gainesville, Florida # of drag strips runs: ?!?!?
Hello 9 second club (2 weeks worth, NHRA license runs and radial runs)!!! After 2 good weeks of getting laps on my ’70 Nova to shake out any problems (including a little sand from the restoration process), I had the big goal left before the season competition begins in about a month: get my NHRA competition driver license. 
Part one was getting the car NHRA certified (legal to run between 8.50-9.99 1/4 mile times), and that was completed Thursday Jan 22nd.
Part two is getting a NHRA-ok’d physical, which I managed to get scheduled and completed on Thursday Jan 29th.
So now just to make six laps on the track witnessed by 2 licensed drivers and the track manager. The run order is one half track pass, three moderate passes and two full passes. They must be in order, and you must make 2 nine second passes on your full runs to complete your licensing. No pressure right? 
January 31st Saturday TNT at Gainesville Raceway was decently busy, and the air was good to start with (-1100 DA at 8:30 a.m.).
The half pass was N/A off the transbrake at 3800 rpm launch - 1.544 60 foot, 7.14 @ 95.77 mph 1/8-mile then lifted to a 12.20 @ 79 mph.
The three moderate passes I also ran N/A to save the juice for later (the DA is between 300-150 negative at this point).
#1 was footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.559 60 foot, 7.11 @ 96.61 mph 1/8-mile, 11.199 @ 119.27 mph.
#2 is off the transbrake at 3800 rpm - 1.527 60 foot, 7.091 @ 96.51 mph 1/8-mile, 11.174 @ 119.39 mph.
#3 I tried a new MSD delay timer to run the nitrous off a full throttle hit coming on at 3-1/2 tenths after launch. It came on a for a second (guessing on the amount of time it was on) then clicked back off so the run was finished N/A. 1.470 60 foot, 6.956 @ 97.06 mph 1/8-mile, 11.037 @ 119.50 mph.
#1 was footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.559 60 foot, 7.11 @ 96.61 mph 1/8-mile, 11.199 @ 119.27 mph.
#2 is off the transbrake at 3800 rpm - 1.527 60 foot, 7.091 @ 96.51 mph 1/8-mile, 11.174 @ 119.39 mph.
#3 I tried a new MSD delay timer to run the nitrous off a full throttle hit coming on at 3-1/2 tenths after launch. It came on a for a second (guessing on the amount of time it was on) then clicked back off so the run was finished N/A. 1.470 60 foot, 6.956 @ 97.06 mph 1/8-mile, 11.037 @ 119.50 mph.
Okay, so now for the 2 full passes. Air is getting close to 0 DA, so I know I’ll have to get on the button quickly. Jetting was a 78 nitrous and 71 fuel (about a 175-200 shot depending on whose chart you look at).
#1 full pass (fifth pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.438 60 foot, 6.365 @ 107.68 mph 1/8-mile, 10.044 @ 131.88 mph.
A new best (previous from last week was a 10.08), but not a 9 second pass. Bottle pressure was good, she hooked well, but no dice!
#1 full pass (fifth pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.438 60 foot, 6.365 @ 107.68 mph 1/8-mile, 10.044 @ 131.88 mph.
A new best (previous from last week was a 10.08), but not a 9 second pass. Bottle pressure was good, she hooked well, but no dice!
So my engine builder decided to get out the bigger jets! We stepped up to a 78 fuel/85 nitrous (about a 200-225 shot depending on whose chart you look at) to crack the nines. I still needed 2 full passes, so here we go again.
#1 full pass re-do (sixth pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.476 60 foot (spun and chattered the tires), 6.406 @ 108.37 mph 1/8-mile, 10.054 @ 133.41 mph.
Better mph, but still no nine second pass.
#1 full pass re-do (sixth pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.476 60 foot (spun and chattered the tires), 6.406 @ 108.37 mph 1/8-mile, 10.054 @ 133.41 mph.
Better mph, but still no nine second pass.
So I moved from the right lane to the left lane and decided to try again.
#1 full pass re-do (seventh pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.440 60 foot (better!), 6.364 @ 108.16 mph 1/8-mile, 10.058 @ 130.95 mph.
Yep, you guessed it, bottle was down to 700 psi at the end of the run.
#1 full pass re-do (seventh pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.440 60 foot (better!), 6.364 @ 108.16 mph 1/8-mile, 10.058 @ 130.95 mph.
Yep, you guessed it, bottle was down to 700 psi at the end of the run.
Now I’m frustrated! 
All this work to make the car 9 second legal and no 9 second slip in good air. Time to make a decision. Do I switch to my buddy’s ‘71 BBC powered Nova that runs in the 9.30 range on the bottle and get my final two runs in to finish my licensing requirements, or use my spare bottle and try again in my car? I was ready to switch cars, but was talked out of it by quite a few people. After swapping bottles, as added insurance, we decided to yank my passenger bucket seat (52 pounds!!!), and give it another go. Yanking the tailpipes, exhaust or anything else would have taken a bunch of time, and at this point I’m wishing I didn’t fill the gas tank to the top that morning like an idiot!
All this work to make the car 9 second legal and no 9 second slip in good air. Time to make a decision. Do I switch to my buddy’s ‘71 BBC powered Nova that runs in the 9.30 range on the bottle and get my final two runs in to finish my licensing requirements, or use my spare bottle and try again in my car? I was ready to switch cars, but was talked out of it by quite a few people. After swapping bottles, as added insurance, we decided to yank my passenger bucket seat (52 pounds!!!), and give it another go. Yanking the tailpipes, exhaust or anything else would have taken a bunch of time, and at this point I’m wishing I didn’t fill the gas tank to the top that morning like an idiot!Okay, back in the left lane for another try. Video rolling and my fingers are crossed.
#1 full pass re-do (eighth pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.437 60 foot, 6.307 @ 109.18 mph 1/8-mile, 9.929 @ 134.40 mph.
Hell yeah! First nine second pass, and we’re halfway home! That beer in the cooler was looking mighty fine
, but I still needed one more lap in the nines to make it official!
#1 full pass re-do (eighth pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.437 60 foot, 6.307 @ 109.18 mph 1/8-mile, 9.929 @ 134.40 mph.
Hell yeah! First nine second pass, and we’re halfway home! That beer in the cooler was looking mighty fine
, but I still needed one more lap in the nines to make it official!#2 full pass re-do (ninth pass overall), footbraking 2000 rpm - 1.421 60 foot, 6.294 @ 109.15 mph 1/8-mile, 9.925 @ 133.99 mph.
We’re DONE!!!! Took the 15 minutes to get all the signatures and fill out the paperwork, then grab a brew and take a few minutes to try and let it sink in.Check out a six minute video done by a buddy on the ordeal (yes I know I look and act like a dork, and obviously happy in certain spots): http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Derek-Putnam-License_558972.htm
Now that I’ve accomplished a big goal, thanks:
-Jason and Kevin from Rollins for all the hard work and dedication on this "showcar" pig to get it to the 9s
-Darren Stutts and his crew at Darrens Custom for making my street/strip car look like a showpiece (with chips in it already from the 20+ passes in three weeks)
-Mike Griggs for making this thing go straight except when I yank the wheel like a moron
-Thumbs up to Chris at Magnaflow and Ray and the team at SSBC for making great stuff that does the deed!
-Jason and Kevin from Rollins for all the hard work and dedication on this "showcar" pig to get it to the 9s
-Darren Stutts and his crew at Darrens Custom for making my street/strip car look like a showpiece (with chips in it already from the 20+ passes in three weeks)
-Mike Griggs for making this thing go straight except when I yank the wheel like a moron
-Thumbs up to Chris at Magnaflow and Ray and the team at SSBC for making great stuff that does the deed!
Sorry for such a long post, hope everyone had a great weekend (and hope some of you went racing)!
Derek
Last edited by Villain281H; Feb 2, 2009 at 01:53 PM.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?
Pouria Savadkouei
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Consistent as hell on the those last two passes, congrats!
__________________
95 Pontiac Formula- Stock engine with ATI Procharger, Moser 12 bolt w/4:30 gears, Rossler trans, Neil Chance 4000 stall, M/T ET streets, 10.914@ 121.90mph, 1.452 60ft. GMHTP November 2010 Feature Car. Check it out at:
https://www.motortrend.com/features/...ebird-formula/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abZ1z...ature=youtu.be
95 Pontiac Formula- Stock engine with ATI Procharger, Moser 12 bolt w/4:30 gears, Rossler trans, Neil Chance 4000 stall, M/T ET streets, 10.914@ 121.90mph, 1.452 60ft. GMHTP November 2010 Feature Car. Check it out at:
https://www.motortrend.com/features/...ebird-formula/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abZ1z...ature=youtu.be
Thread Starter
7 Second Club
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,834
Likes: 1
From: Gainesville, Florida # of drag strips runs: ?!?!?
Show car in the nines? 
Hey, since David asked for a title change, why not spice it up a little?
Thanks for all the comments, it has been a long time coming and the ride was awesome!
Derek
Hey, since David asked for a title change, why not spice it up a little?
Thanks for all the comments, it has been a long time coming and the ride was awesome!
Derek
David
