My day started at 6:30 this morning when I headed out to the Woodburn Dragstrip Car Club Challange in Woodburn, Oregon. Ten members, including myself, of PDXCGP (Portland Club Grand Prix) showed up to form two five member teams (Team Red and Team Black). I got in three time trials before eliminations started. I was shocked at the times I pulled:

Time Trial #1
R/T: .132
60-foot: 2.211
1/4 mile: 14.922
MPH: 91.69

Time Trial #2
R/T: .070
60-foot: 2.191
1/4 mile: 14.917
MPH: 91.82

Time Trial #3
R/T: .280
60-foot: 2.188
1/4 mile: 14.902
MPH: 92.40
NEW PERSONAL BEST BY .001 SECONDS (OLD P.B. WAS 14.903)

After my last time trial I dialed in at a 14.89 because I was getting better with each run. The last thing I wanted to do was to break out. Eliminations started and as I'm waiting to run, I hear that three club members have already been outted. It's my turn so I need to stay in the game. I pull up to the line and see my third amber come on and I take off.

Round #1
Dial: 14.89
R/T: .057
60-foot: 2.217
1/4 mile: 14.891
MPH: 92.07
A NEW PERSONAL BEST! If I were just .002 seconds faster I would have been out. I beat the other vehicle's dial in time by .047 seconds.

I'm pumped up now. Two personal bests and I've made it to the next round. After the first round of eliminations are over, only three members of PDXCGP are moving on to round two. Two Team Red and one Team Black. I change my dail in time to a 14.88 since I've been getting better each run.

Round #2
Dial: 14.88
R/T: .247
60-foot: 2.202
1/4 mile: 14.952
MPH: 91.95

ICK! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED! I'm out in round two with my crappy time. But I wasn't the only one in the club to not make it, Jeremy (Team Black) with his 70 Chevelle broke out of his dial in. Dan (Team Red) with his 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix lit up the red light and was out. Well, that's all she wrote for us being in the CCC. So we all decided to run just for times only (T/O).

T/O #1
R/T: .017
60-foot: 2.221
1/4: 14.941
MPH: 91.93

T/O #2
R/T: .091
60-foot: 2.180
1/4: 14.815
MPH: 92.41
WAHOO ANOTHER PERSONAL BEST! THIS IS MY BEST TIME EVER!

T/O #3
R/T: -.022 (red light)
60-foot: 2.194
1/4: 14.87
MPH: 92.69

T/O #4
R/T: .085
60-foot: 2.222
1/4: 14.818
MPH: 92.90

T/O #5
R/T: -.021 (red light)
60-foot: 2.244
1/4: 14.887
MPH: 92.96

The staging lanes closed and everyone started packing up to go home. I was in a fantastic mood, grinning from ear to ear beacuse of how well I did. Who cares that we didn't win the CCC, it was a personal best day for practically everyone in the club! I scored my best time ever with a 14.815 so I'm damn happy and nothing could possibly take that away from me... right?

So we all packed up and said our farewells until our next club meeting. I get onto I-5N heading back to Portland. Club member Doug with his red GP gets on behind me and I take off up the highway doing 75. Club member Clint stopped at a gas station in Woodburn before heading back for Portland. I'm cruising along, both my windows open, the music playing on my stereo and I'm happy... still grinning ear to ear because of my achievement. The I-205N junction comes up, which is my turn. Doug blasts by me and takes the same junction. I ended up passing him and he's about 1/4 mile behind me now. I'm doing 70.


(Please note that the following events is similar to ones I encountered two days ago. My MSD-6A ignition box started frying coils so a replacement MSD-6A box was installed and the problem was solved... or so I thought.)

Then without warning... PUTT PUTT and then nothing. My car dies so I quickly pull off to the side. Doug see's me and pulls off about 300-feet up and runs back. I'm already out with the hood popped looking for loose connections. Nothing. I crank the car, she tries to fire, but nothin

 

Clint is a good guy, I could tell that the little amount of time I hung out with you guys. How did Jeremy's Chevelle do? Did he break 13's like he expected?

Congrats on the PB, it was a blast watching you spank car after car last year at PIR. Hopefully you get your Monte up and running again and get your spark problem solved once and for all.

 

Sounds like you had a blast even though it knocked out at the end...

 

Dustin, those are some great numbers. Sorry[X(] that you had a problem on your return trip. What was the problem ? Be thankful that it wasn't a accident that delayed you : ( I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks,Space

 

No, Jeremy still needs to adjust the tranny's shift points. He was kinda babying his car, afterall it was his first time out to the track with it. He didn't break past a 14.9 I don't think. I know he didn't get into the 13's. A little tweeking and he'll definately get there.

 

I seen pics of him at the track, his car is beautiful.

 

HURRAY! Today I went out and bought a brand spankin Distributor, popped it in and fired her up. She's alive again! All the MSD box junk has been 86ed from my car. Never again!



You know, that's exactly what the announcer kept saying everytime Jeremy got to the line. I thought it was all over for him when he first parked his car next to our pit area. His upper radiator hose popped off. Luckily that's all it dis. Imagine if it burst, or worse still, it be the lower hose. I had a lower hose pop off on me while I was at work. I just came back from a break, parked my car and walked away. One minute later one of the guys told me I just dropped coolant everywhere. Man was I pissed.

 

I decided to run one more time for the year. I went to the Street Warriorz show last night at Portland International Raceway just to see if, in fact, the MSD-6A Ignition box really provided additional performance. I can safely say now that it did not. I performed just as well w/o the box last night as I did w/ the box at Woodburn. My first pass last night was a 14.828 @ 92.27, my second pass a 14.967 @ 92.01 and my last pass a 14.877 @ 92.27. The only thing hindering better times was traction. I spun on all 3 passes. If I hooked up and had a good 60-foot, I am certain that I would have nailed a 14.7.