2012 Texas Mile - October 26-28, 2012

[samiam44]

I heard some rummblings on another thread. But are there interested ppl here in doing this?

http://www.texasmile.net/

Has anyone run this here? need2speed?


Michael

 

[gerryvz]

I registered for an account and am making early/preliminary plans to do this. Beeville is about 4 hours from my house and is a straight shot out US-59 from Houston, south of San Antonio.

 

[samiam44]

I'm considering this. Not sure if the car will be ready as there is lots of little things to be done=)

4 things of concern:

1) It says all brakes need to be >50% lining.
2) There is a requirement which reads about seatbelts being factory or aftermarket. I believe they are saying that all aftermarket equipment needs to be less than 5 years old or does that include OE seatbelts?
3) Never done a highspeed event.. my highest speed was a short stent @ 144 in a modified lancia. Never drag raced. Only SCCA road rallies.
4) what else?


Gerry any chance you'll make it up toward Plano this year? The next MBCA tech event is at Plano Mercedes in July. I've never walked on PM's property so no comments from me on how good it will be. Last event at grapvine, there were 3 techs dedicated to the 1/2 day. The lift and SDS access is great for $10. Some are quite brave and do all times of bigger repairs requiring factory tools.

 

[gsxr]

My $0.02:

1) If needed, install new pads about 1000 miles prior to the event (to allow bed-in time)
2) Contact them about the seatbelts, I'm 99.99% sure your original OE belts are fine
3) Your 6.0 will probably be in the mid/upper 150 range, and it's over much too quick. Then you get back in line.
4) Your new Conti DW's should be well within the tire age limits even if the date code is a few years old.
5) Check the clothing & helmet requirements carefully, particulary the helmet certifications needed. I'd recommend a Snell SA2010 rating.

Gotta be some more Texans down there who'd like to go! How about that supercharged TGA car? Oh yeah - anyone find out the cost of the Texas Mile? They seem to hide that pretty well on their website. Via Google the price looked similar to Mojave but I couldn't find anything official.

Do's and Don'ts list:
http://www.texasmile.net/pdf/TexasMile_Dos_Donts.pdf

 

[gerryvz]

Why don't you fly down and at least hang out/consult, Dave?

 

[gsxr]

It would be mighty tempting, Gerry... but I may not be available on those dates. I'm not sure yet, may not know for sure until Aug/Sept.

 

[samiam44]

How much does it cost?

 

[gsxr]

Mojave Mile (1.0 mile) = $349 for two days, or $199 for one day only.
Mojave Magnum (1.5 mile) = $499 for two days, or $279 one day only.

Texas Mile (1.0 mile) = ~$350 for three days, or ~$250 for two days. (Per info in post #13 below.)

 

[gerryvz]

It's $200 for one day, I've learned. I'm getting official pricing from them. Registrations sell out pretty quick so I'm going to jump on this as soon as they allow signups.

Dave, seriously, would you consider coming down for a long weekend? You would be welcome to stay in our guest room, and you would have your choice of 126s or a 107 to drive all you wanted You could even work at the Houston site if you made the trip a bit longer ...

Gerry any chance you'll make it up toward Plano this year? The next MBCA tech event is at Plano Mercedes in July. I've never walked on PM's property so no comments from me on how good it will be. Last event at grapvine, there were 3 techs dedicated to the 1/2 day. The lift and SDS access is great for $10. Some are quite brave and do all times of bigger repairs requiring factory tools.

I don't have as much business in Plano as I did last year, so haven't been up there all year. However, I should be around in July and would definitely come up for the tech event -- my family will be gone so I'll be around and alone to do this sort of stuff.

Why don't you come down to Centerville (halfway between Dallas and Houston) this coming Saturday for the All-Texas Mercedes Meet?

More info here and here

If you come I'll drive my E500 rather than my 560SL that I've been planning to....

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[gsxr]

Again, I'd love to go, but I will be traveling out of state in that time frame... most likely won't be able to attend. Now if it were in wintertime (Dec-Feb), then yep, I could probably go! Bad timing. Bummer they only seem to have one per year at this location.

 

[samiam44]

Gerry,

I'd love to come down Saturday.. but I've been ill with some virus for the past 6 days. I'm not contagous, but not up for a day trip either. Haven't lifted a finger around the house this week..

I may come down and observe the Texasmile.. but me thinks I need to put $350 toward parts instead of the mile. I'm sure it would run it just fine.. but there are definately some things that need attention which come first.

If you don't make the July event- there are 2 more this year in Dallas. The november tech session is a full-day instead of a 1/2 day. That one is at a very fancy shop- so there is ussually exotics on side of the shop and we get the other=) They have a 2 dyno's, alignment equipement etc.

Do let me know if you can come. We can put you up and feed you a nice dinner.

 

[gerryvz]

Bummer they only seem to have one per year at this location.

Nope, they have one in March, same location, too. And there's one here at Ellington Field (just a few miles south of downtown Houston) every once in a while, but IIRC it's only a half-mile....

 

[gerryvz]

I registered earlier this week for the October Texas Mile. The fee was ~$250 for two days; ~$350 for a full three days. The registrations are limited to 200 cars, and as of last night there were fewer than 20 openings left.

I am looking forward to doing this and will certainly provide full photos and reports on the event.

Any folks in Texas are welcome to be my rooting section I am planning to use nitrous-oxide as part of my runs.

Really looking forward to it!

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[gsxr]

I am planning to use nitrous-oxide as part of my runs.

Sweet! Will you do a couple of non-NOS runs along with the NOS runs, to compare the difference? Also, have you checked with Steve (L, not V) about extended NOS usage? I think their kit manual indicated a maximum spray time of something like 15 seconds. The standing mile will take something like 40+ seconds in an E500E... if you had the NOS going for the full mile it would still be approx 30 seconds. Hmmm, you might need a bigger bottle...

 

[jano]

Dude, you are going to have a lot of fun. Enjoy!!!

See if you can get a video in the car, too. Dave used a suction cup thingy, and I borrowed a clamp-on tripod which I attached to the passenger seat head rest poles. The safety inspection was concerned about mine, in that they would allow me to run with it, but wouldn't recommend it - I put a cloth between the headrest pole and clamp to keep it from scratching, so it was a little loose. In heavy braking, the concern was that it would swing and smack me in the head.

 

[J-Sauce]

Bottle size is not the limiting factor in that 15 second rule. The solenoids get very hot during usage (even with colder-than-ice nitrous flowing through them) and can melt into the open position. Good way to fry an engine!

 

[gsxr]

Some MB results courtesy of GVZ:

2008 E63 AMG
164.6 MPH full mile
138.8 MPH half mile


2003 SL55 AMG
155.1 MPH full mile
136.2 MPH half mile


2012 CLS63 AMG (biturbo)
178.7 MPH full mile
149.6 MPH half mile​

 

[samiam44]

GVZ-

What was your best time/speed?

 

[gerryvz]

I didn't end up attending, due to business travel commitment