Any Houstonians want to go to Texas Mile?

[ZR1dogan]

Folks,
I am going to run at the Texas Mile this weekend and virtually all my work and personal buddies are tied up such that they can't spare both a Sat and a Sun.

If anyone in the Houston area is interested, I am headed out of Friendswood on Sat morning around 8 to 9 (trailering), getting to Goliad about noon. Spending the night in Victoria and back to Goliad on Sun morning to get in line by 9:00.

It would be great to hook up with one of the Z Brothers. I could adjust the time leaving on Sat or returning on Sun if that made a difference. Just looking for a good time and wanting to see what the car will do in the Mile.

If interested in going, give me a PM.



BTW,
Any pointers from the folks that have run a mile? This will be my first attempt.
I work so much I don't have time to do this, but I decided to quit watching and reading,take a couple of days of vacation and just go do it - not getting any younger.
I didn't get in the original list, but I was very early on the waiting list and paid, so they said I would be able to get in line about noon on Sat.


Robin
'94 Dark Red - Almost Stock
'94 Adm Blue - Not Stock

[Kevin]

i've got a few friends who will be there, i'll see if they have have advice

[ZR1dogan]

Thanks Kevin,
Any help would be great!

[PhillipsLT5]

Get rid of any extra weight, spare tire, jack floor mats etc
Inflates all tires to aprox 40
See Tire Rack High Speed Chart
Play with FX3 settings
I have seen some guys go back and forth a bit to try to make it longer than 1mile to increase speed, I do not do this
If they give you a 20 ft start box, start in back of box
I doubt you will get into 6th, depends on mods, if you do car may slow down
Good luck, lets us know how you did
When you get into 5th enjoy the pull to ?
Air quality will play a role in your speed

[QB93Z]

I really want to do this some day, but just like you, I keep putting it off because of my schedule.

So, glad to hear that you are going to run.

:fahne:

Good Luck.

Jim

[Kevin]

just heard back from a friend of mine:

well, he will have to register the car as they have only a limited amounts of spots to run the mile.


the event starts on a thursday which involves teching in, safety meeting etc. friday/sat/sunday are all race days. you have the option of just running one day or every day.



TAPE is important. As much as it looks like **** and people harass others for it, the tape is for the protection of the car and for aero. Cars have pulled off fenders and other various parts due to wind getting under and pulling out body panels. Plus, nobody likes rock chips @ 160+ mph.




Go with a crew/friends. THis still isn't the most spectator friendly sport, but having people to hang out with makes it 98750398475948 times better. If you know somebody with an RV, that is the best situation as you have sleeping and restroom quarters. There ARE port-a-potties, but that is up to your mood of dealing with public restrooms.



Other than that, it is like any other race event. Make sure you have a way home is something breaks and enjoy the rides, weather, and some brews.

[PhillipsLT5]

You can try blue painters tape
not much to tape up on C4, for aero maybe the turn signal lights area
Run 1/4 to 1/2 tank of gas, no more

[ZR1dogan]

Thanks Guys,
I just got to the house from my out of town job asignment. I have taken a day of vacation Friday to get prepped.

Got to get some shut eye. Big Prep day tomorrow.

Thanks for the pointers.

[mgbrv8]

Im not from Houston Im heading up from mcallen. Ill be there saturday

Dave

[Kevin]

if you have splash guards on the car take them off
if you have floor mats, take them out....dunno about you but mine tend to move around and get under the gas peddle
dump weight

[rhipsher]

Id leave Katy to join you Robin to run the mile. Unfortunately my water pump went out and I wont have the new one installed in time. I to wonder what my 90 with top end porting/Fidanza/Spec stage 3+ clutch and stiff poly bushings would do in the mile.

[Kevin]

Id leave Katy to join you Robin to run the mile. Unfortunately my water pump went out and I wont have the new one installed in time. I to wonder what my 90 with top end porting/Fidanza/Spec stage 3+ clutch and stiff poly bushings would do in the mile.

mid to high 150s

[rhipsher]

mid to high 150s That sounds about right.

[mgbrv8]

176.4 was his best run!!

Dave

[rhipsher]

Damn! That car must have more serious mods than I have to run that kinda mph in the mile. Sanjays 415 did 185mph. Your not far behind that. Or im just seriously under estimating what mine would do.

[Kevin]

is that a Siamesed plenum i see?

[Demps]

LPE 385

[rhipsher]

I knew there was a catch. Lol!

[PhillipsLT5]

176 will not be a 350 and probably not a 368
looks siamese

[ZR1dogan]

Well guys.

First I would like to thank you guys for the posts and help and mainly to my buddy Stacy as well as Dave (mgbrv8) for their help at The Mile. Stacy drove down from Port Lavaca and Dave came up from McAllen with his family to watch and spent most of the day helping me - The Brotherhood in action.


Executive summary:
First time to do this. First time to take the car out. Wasn't as prepped as I would have liked, but I was as ready as I could get.
First pass: 168 but got our of it due to loud noise at the end
Second pass: 176.4 170+ Club - Met my goal
Starter problems and already meeting my goal, I called it an event after the two passes.
Successful event, I'll be back, better educated and better prepared. This time looking for 180.


Details (if you want to read my blabbing): :blahblah:
As I stated in my original post this was my first attempt at the mile. In fact it was the first time I had done any kind of competition with the car and it was the first time I had hauled the car in my new trailer (which took prep of its own). I work out of town so I can't get prepped during the week. So I was wore out pushing to get ready, and there were a number of details I just didn't have time to get to (like draining some gas, cleaning the air filter, etc). Heck I didn't even have time to wash it and it was covered in pine pollen. But this trip was just to quit watching and reading and start participating, so the fact that I made it there at all was half the battle.

As Ted said - the car is an LPE-385 which Corey did a tune on 2 years ago. So I knew if I could get on the track and I didn't do anything stupid, the car would make a good showing. I was going to be real disappointed if it didn't go over 160 (would have meant I was the problem), but was hoping to get into the 170 club.

The first run almost didn't happen as I stopped the car for a few minutes to cool it off while waiting to get on the starting grid. The good ole LT-5 starter has given me trouble maybe 4 times in the last 2 years - whines at first and then cranks on the second or third try. Well, as Murphy would have it, the starter wouldn't pull in and this time for about a dozen tries. Finally it caught and I was up on the grid (whew - got past that dumb mistake).

I took off medium hard till I got on a roll and then hammered it. I didn't speed shift since this was my first try, my driving skills aren't what the used to be, and speed shifting never was my strong point. I'm in 5th gear and pulling strong and almost at the lights I hear a LOUD WHISHING sound. Kinda like the exhaust from a relief valve popping. I'm thinking - Holy Cow! What is that? Am I dropping stuff on the track? It was essentially too late to pull off the track as I was almost at the end and sudden turns at that speed are not an option. Past the end, as I am decelerating, the noise goes away, oil pressure is good, temperature is good, idle rpm is good, I can tell tires are up. I literally look back to try to see if I'm smoking - none. Hmmmm?? I get my ticket - 168. Well, 160+ club - met my first goal.

Got back in line to get a spot while we check out the car. Tires are good. No fluids escaped. We can't find anything wrong, but Dave keeps looking and feeling. "I found it", he says. At top speed, the rt rear wheel well plastic had apparently been pushed back up against the tire and there was an oblong wear spot. We checked the tire - no problem. So, lets go again, and hmmmmm, did I let off before the end, and I was already at 170 if I had just stayed in it? The loud rub definitely happened before the end.

So in line, at the end of the 5 lines across, as I was being called to get in the single file line, I try to crank and the starter acted up again. This time it caught after about 4 or 5 tries - I'm not killing again until after the run - I'll have to live with whatever the Ron Davis radiator will cool to, from now till the run.

I took off a little harder this time, still no speed shifting, but it is pulling pretty good. This time there is no loud noise and the shift light came on near the end (I think it is set for 6800). Pull around get my ticket - 176.4 - I'll take it!

With the starter problems, and already making it to the 170 club, and odds of getting to the 180 club pretty low-without additional prep, I decide to call it an event and drive back home. That was probably a good decision as I needed the rest - I've been a zombie all day today after the adrenalin wore off. Didn't even get the car off the trailer till about 5 this afternoon. Thank goodness I have a vacation day tomorrow.

So, I am happy with the speed, especially considering a minor head wind, warm motor, 3/4 tank of pump gas, no speed shifting and no special aerodynamic attention. I'll be back and I'll be going for the 180 club next time.


Robin
94 Dark Red - Almost Stock
94 Adm Blue - Not Stock

[Kevin]

that's awesome!

[LGAFF]

Great write up, thanks for taking the time to share!

[QB93Z]

Well done! Great write-up. Thanks for posting.

I hope you will bring your Z to the Gathering at Bowling Green and join us at the Drag strip.

Jim

[PhillipsLT5]

Great run, must be 475+RWHP

[FU]

Excellent write up Robin ! Nice run !
Got to put the mile run on my bucket list !

[Pete]

Nice run and nicer Z.

Man i leave in a sh!tty State. :(
I wanna run the Mile.

Can any of you engineers figure out if a car runs 130MPH in the 1/4
with 3.45 gears what will MPH be in the mile. :)

Pete

[LGAFF]

Pete they do similar runs in NE also, I am in if you want to pick an event and we go....would be a blast!

[LGAFF]

http://www.sorcrace.com/

August

[Pete]

http://www.sorcrace.com/

August


Lee,doesn't look very safe,narrow street telephone poles for guard rails.

[Polo-1]

Big Power Guys Make Sure Your Tires and Wheels are up to it......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtsIBbIPW9A

[LGAFF]

Lee,doesn't look very safe,narrow street telephone poles for guard rails.

I don't think you are supposed to hit the poles Pete!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzrUki3jcbA

[LGAFF]

Wow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtPOI4hkCKA

Get the microfiber and Meguiars out, waxing is not so bad

[Kevin]

glad ya didn't end up like the bloke in the silver z06

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jalopnik/2011/03/c5txmile1.jpg

what we learned here, don't ignore the tire manufacturers recommendation and run drag radials for a mile at over 230mph

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtPOI4hkCKA&feature=player_embedded


another angle (slightly better)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l6TW6OCpc4&feature=player_embedded
shitty vid, but the vette blew out a M/T drag radial @ 200+


Driver survived/walked away.

[Pete]

I'm glad to hear the guy walked away.

Drag Radials?
He spend all that money on mods he got cheap on tires.WTF

Pete

[LGAFF]

The blue tape did a good job of protecting the front end.

[cward]

Thanks for the posts. Glad you had a good time. I have been lucky enough to be allowed to drive 3 cars in the Texas Mile one year several years ago. Bob Hall's beautiful 385, Dewey's 93 Z and his C5. I went 181 in Bob's car, 170 in the 93 and 178 in the C5. Great time and I would always suggest you have good tires.

[rhipsher]

Corvettes don't make good airplanes.

[A1990]

I don't think you are supposed to hit the poles Pete!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzrUki3jcbA

Joe Shown, who use to be a member here, runs the SORC. Several ZR-1's run in the shoot out and the road race. I see he ran his C6Z06 last year. I also see a nice write up on Marc's site about his 415. Maybe he will run that this year.

Lee, I thought you'd find the write up interesting as it compares his cams versus the SGC Stage III's in Dwight's car.

[rkreigh]

I know the drag radials do heat up and fly apart. but I'm surprised they would do it in a mile

the 1/4 boys run speeds over 200 but I guess it's more the cent force that gets them

so a nascar race tire? not sure what the best rubber would be but it obviously better be fresh and GOOD

in the ZR-1 24 hour run they x ray tested all the specially developed tires to make sure they were sound.

ft stockton didn't have no STIIIINKKKKING gaurd rails. the comment from the safety crew was, if you go off the corner, we hope you catch on fire or we might night find you until tomorrow morning

kinda a scarey thought, driving those laps at night must have been just a bit scceeeeaaary.

glad the driver was ok. remember, it's not the speed that kills, it's those sudden stops.:o

[Kevin]

Ron,
Hoosier R6, M/T DR's, Toyo R888's are the tires that are normally run. I think, and this is just me sitting in my living room typing mind you, the problem with the DR's at 200+ for a mile is heat. MT told the guy in the c6 not to use them but he thought he knew better and well we know what happened. there's talk of outlawing DR's next year