* Let's have a test and tune day in So. Cal.

[400Eric]

I linked that because it backs the fact that ALL of these factors effect performance. Some more than others, but everything has an effect. It's about the bigger picture.

The 92 LH ECUs run slightly rich anyways, which does give us a little safety margin.

Stevo, Sauceman, Jano, what are we supposed to make of this date discrepancy?
Regards, Eric

 

[szvook]

what are we supposed to make of this date discrepancy?

Are you sure the flier is not for the Redline Track Events, scheduled on October 8-9?

If not, then I guess we need to get someone from the track to get back with a confirmed date. Did you leave a message when you called them? I was gonna ask if you emailed them, but you don't believe in using email - I can email them and see if they reply. If it's on the 8th vs. the 15th, I can make it regardless.

 

[400Eric]

Far be it from me to be the one to briefly bring this thread back on topic but there is a discrepancy in the dates for our drag racing. The flier that they handed out to us says the next date is 10/08 while their web site says it's 10/15. Remember, their flier was right about the last date saying it was 09/18 while the site said 09/17. I've called them twice, still waiting for a return call. What a poorly run track! In the meantime, you all keep both dates open!
Regards, Eric

Stevo, did you miss the above post? Most of your questions are answered there.

You got that flier too Steve, that's how you knew that the most recent date was 09/18, not 09/17 like the site said. It clearly shows 10/08 and 10/29 as the street legals dates for October.
Regards, Eric

 

[400Eric]

I see they finally fixed the September 17/18 date! http://www.autoclubspeedway.com/Tickets-Events/Events/2011/Auto-Club-Dragway/Street-Legal-Drags.aspx When did they do that?

 

[szvook]

Actually, I got the 9/18 date from their site. I have not kept any of their flyers nor have I read them, I just use their site for dates. I'll email the track and confirm.

 

[szvook]

Ha, you beat me to the punch. They must have done the update recently. So the 15th is the listed day; should we just roll with that, or should I email them anyway?

 

[400Eric]

This page, which still shows the error date of 09/17, also shows a 10/15 date. http://www.autoclubspeedway.com/Articles/2011/06/Dragway-schedule.aspx

 

[400Eric]

Ha, you beat me to the punch. They must have done the update recently. So the 15th is the listed day; should we just roll with that, or should I email them anyway?

We need some sort of positive confirmation. I'll keep calling and you keep E-mailing.
Regards, Eric

 

[szvook]

I'll keep calling and you keep E-mailing.

Done.

 

[gsxr]

I linked that because it backs the fact that ALL of these factors effect performance. Some more than others, but everything has an effect. It's about the bigger picture.

That's been my exact point. Ambient temp is just one of many different factors. People get way too hung up on temperature and ignore a lot of other factors which are equally, if not more, important.

 

[szvook]

We need some sort of positive confirmation.

I got an answer to my email - "The flyer you saw is incorrect. The next Street Legal event is Saturday, October 15. Our website is correct on the dates. Gates open at 6:30am and Racing begins at 9am".

 

[400Eric]

They've also updated the recording on their phone number. (My bitching about the dated state of the recording might have had something to do with the update.) Now, rather than telling us about an event that already happened LAST WEEKEND, it is telling us about what is happening this weekend (nothing) and next weekend. ("Bugorama" on Sunday. Call the exterminator!)
Regards, Eric

 

[400Eric]

Trade one of my M103 cars for some aluminum oil tubes Dave? That's a good one!
Regards, Eric

 

[J-Sauce]

I'd rather have the tubes.

 

[400Eric]

You've got a short memory son.

[youtube]dMjzDEVJYtY[/youtube]
[youtube]qTsbVdSvsxM[/youtube]

Regards, Eric

 

[J-Sauce]

It's still slow. And my wagon is strictly a utility. And its worth about 7x your car, as in, it's actually SOLD for.

 

[400Eric]

It's still MUCH S-L-O-W-E-R than Benzer1 is!

Benzer1 is more reliable too despite having over 100,000 more miles!
Regards, Eric

 

[400Eric]

Our next date is this coming Saturday. Forecast high is low 80s. Who's going?

 

[szvook]

Still trying to come to terms with the early call...

 

[400Eric]

Besides Steve and me, Justin, Jano, and another guy whose name escapes me at the moment were all also committed to going to this one. Come-on! Where are you guys?

 

[gsxr]

Maybe Jano could haul out the ol' E500 for a spin!

 

[jano]

The 200 went to the mechanic this week, the backfiring at high RPMs was beyond my abilities . I told the mechanic to take his time, may take him several weeks, hope it'll be ready for next time. I aims to do a spanking.

Again, I don't want to run my e500 hard, sorry guys.

By the way, just watched those two videos, benz vs. the station wagon.. that has got to be the most anticlimactic race Maybe I could race the '84 300sd, use the rear billowing smoke screen to thwart my opponents. Woohoo!

 

[J-Sauce]

I'm out for this one too guys. Haven't had the time to drop in my new timing guides. Sorry!

 

[szvook]

Well it looks like we have flakers amongst us...tisk, tisk. Eric, I'll make it this Saturday...as early as it is, I want to race. Btw, what car are you going to bring?

 

[400Eric]

Isn't this the way it went down last time Steve? With just us 2 being the only 2 from this site who went? We are surrounded by flakers!

I'm going to bring Benzer1 one last time. I'm still determined to better my previous best before I call this car "done". If the 10/29 date finally has us back in the cooler weather I intend to bring Benzer3 back into action. Still gotta get that window installed. (Luckily, I was prepared for that freak early in the season storm and was able to keep the water out of B3.) This also needs to be the season that Benzer4 makes his grand debut!

By the way, just watched those two videos, benz vs. the station wagon.. that has got to be the most anticlimactic race Maybe I could race the '84 300sd, use the rear billowing smoke screen to thwart my opponents. Woohoo!

Don't blame me, blame Justin for not making a better effort to make his Bimmer more competitive. Do you remember in the first Rocky movie how Apollo was on the phone making promotion deals when he should have been in training for the fight? It's like that! I even offered to help Justin make his car faster that day at the track! Justin just wasn't into it. He just didn't feel it was worth the effort. He didn't care. "It's just my slow car anyway" he said. OK Apollo.

There are plenty of other awesomely close races that we have posted here for you to watch if you want to see close races Jano. To name a few: the races between the S70 and Benzer3, the race between the S70 and Steve, and the race between Benzer1 and Justin's Dad's Titan.

Better yet, come to the track and watch the races in person!
Regards, Eric

 

[szvook]

just us 2 being the only 2 from this site who went?

Are the Swedes or the Miata going? Come to think of it, we hardly see anyone from other Benz boards run their cars.

So we'll let our bros slide due to needed repairs.

If it's just you and I, maybe one bag of loose ice will be enough and I'll bring less drinks. At least the weather for the first races will be in the mid 60's. If something comes up, just call or text me. I'll try to be there by 8am. Btw, have you attended any of the day races, I'm just curious if the turnout is smaller then?

 

[400Eric]

Have I attended any of the day races? I was attending when that was all they had!

The turnout is dictated by weather more than anything else. Most everybody (except for Dave) is quicker when the weather is cooler so those days that are cooler tend to be the days that have high turnouts. This is because most everybody has the same goal: to get a great E/T that they can post and brag about online. (The fly in that ointment is when it is too cool and the idiots that run the track don't keep it dry.)

The Miata guy was supposed to bring his Volvo wagon this time, (Don't you remember?) but he hasn't answered my updated thread over there yet. Nobody else over there has answered me yet either except for Coupe and he hasn't given me a definitive answer yet.

Casey isn't really a participant on that site, he's a childhood friend of Justin's who used to have a Bimmer but now has a Volvo. (He does hang out a bit on the front wheel drive Volvo site though.) I usually just call him to find out if he is going or ask Justin if Casey is going or I do both. This time around he was planning on going but he now has a new problem with a wheel bearing and he is not sure if he will have it fixed in time. He said he won't know for sure until literally the last minute, as he figures his new one will show up right on race day. So, as is usually the case, we won't know about Spacey Casey until halfway through the day itself. I keep telling folks that the rear wheel drive Volvos are much stronger and more reliable than the front wheel drive ones are but you know how kids are, they have to find out for themselves.

I told him to bring his woman's Mustang but he has about as much interest in doing that as Justin has in bringing his Bimmer. Which brings me to another rub: I don't want to let our bros slide because when your first string car isn't up to the task for whatever reason, you are supposed to bring your second string car, just like I have been doing!
Regards, Eric

 

[J-Sauce]

Eric, I also have work Saturday. And the wagon has been sold. Can I get a pass now?

 

[gsxr]

Eric, I also have work Saturday. And the wagon has been sold. Can I get a pass now?

Probably not... you could still rent a car, right?

 

[J-Sauce]

The rules specifically say no rental vehicles. :-/

 

[szvook]

Eric's approval is just tough love...speaking of which, I do remember the Miata guy mentioning the wagon, just did not get all of the gist.

Eric, don't forget the ice. I already got all of the drinks in the car. I don't remember the last time I got up at 5:30am on a Saturday...I usually go to sleep at that hour on the weekends. ......

 

[400Eric]

I'm probably gonna pull another all nighter.

 

[szvook]

I'm probably gonna pull another all nighter.

You're nuts, get some sleep.

 

[J-Sauce]

Eric doesn't wake up until 3PM usually anyway, so it's only like if you wake up at 6am one day, then party til 7am the next morning. He can handle it haha

 

[400Eric]

I was up BEFORE 10:00AM Friday.

 

[J-Sauce]

Ahh well that's good. Now, I would just make sure that if Eric is looking drowsy not to line up next to him. Have fun out there guys!

Oh and Eric, how do you think the all nighter will affect reaction times?

 

[400Eric]

I pulled a .001 R/T today son. THAT'S how it affected reaction times! Stevo has the timeslip. Maybe he can post it! If he can't he can still vouch for it!
Regards, Eric

 

[J-Sauce]

Maybe now you'll see that NONE of that crap has ANYTHING to do with reaction times! Because....It's not a reaction time at all! It's an anticipation of when you think the light will go green. If you can do that half asleep, surely the fact that I had a cheeseburger for lunch that day won't hurt me.

 

[gsxr]

LOL! True, R/T won't change what the car runs... but it does affect who's win light turns on, if you're serious into the racing thing (bracket or otherwise).

 

[gerryvz]

I think you could train a monkey to anticipate green lights, eh?!?

 

[400Eric]

Maybe now you'll see that NONE of that crap has ANYTHING to do with reaction times! Because....It's not a reaction time at all! It's an anticipation of when you think the light will go green. If you can do that half asleep, surely the fact that I had a cheeseburger for lunch that day won't hurt me.

No, all it means is that I'm so good I was able to overcome the handicap of lack of sleep!

There one was race between Steve and I where the tree malfunctioned. All of the amber lights suddenly but very briefly lit up all at once and then the green very quickly lit up. In that case there was no anticipating anything. It was a pure reaction time situation and I out-reaction timed my buddy Steve! (Our R/Ts were both over a full second!)

BTW, for the record, I never said digestion kills R/Ts. I said it adversely effects R/Ts!
Regards, Eric

 

[400Eric]

I think you could train a monkey to anticipate green lights, eh?!?

Yes, but the monkey's reaction time wouldn't be as quick as mine!
Regards, Eric

 

[gerryvz]

Yes, but the monkey's reaction time wouldn't be as quick as mine!
Regards, Eric

You obviously haven't studied primate behavior and anthropology !!!

 

[400Eric]

How could a monkey do better than a .001?

 

[J-Sauce]

.000? Hell, even 0.0009! Or the monkey could be SOOOO good at anticipating that he could get a -.xxx! Oh wait, that would be red-lighting.

If you were TRULY reacting to something, a red light would be inherently impossible.

 

[400Eric]

Aren't we still measuring your reaction times in the hundredths instead of the thousandths like the monkey and me?
Regards, Eric

 

[gerryvz]

If you study the cadence and timing of this

long enough, it will sharpen your times immeasurably !! This is precisely computer-modeled on a REAL tree.

 

[400Eric]

I'm pretty sure our tree moves faster than that. Wouldn't you concur Steve and Justin?

Maybe that's the tree where .500 is the perfect R/T?

 

[400Eric]

Watch our tree in this video:
[youtube]6QDtIV-N7dI[/youtube]
It's quicker! (This is when I ran the .005 R/T.)

Stevo, this is the video you wanted to see again:
[youtube]Y7QYOa0xzW8[/youtube]
(The reason Stevo wants to see this video is because there was another GS400 there on Saturday that looked just like the one in this video but he was stuck in the mid-15s vs. the solid 14s that this one ran.)
Regards, Eric

 

[szvook]

I pulled a .001 R/T today son. THAT'S how it affected reaction times! Stevo has the timeslip. Maybe he can post it! If he can't he can still vouch for it!
Regards, Eric

I can't post the time slip, have not scanned it and the scanner at work is out for service. But I can vouch for the .001 R/T, almost perfect, that and the ET was 16.205 - not bad for a 300E. I did enjoy pushing my car this time. I ran 9 times within 45 minutes, in 89F weather and the car ran like a champ - talk about stress testing the car over and over and not seeing any issues what so ever - plus the 50 mile drive home. I ended up making 15 runs in the day without a hint of any issues with the car...love my tank!

My highlight was keeping a modern Camaro SS behind me up to 1/8 mile mark, from which he pulled slightly ahead and finished a half a second ahead - I got 14.510 and he got 14.002.