My Firebird Formula on the Drag Strip

1999 DRAG STRIP RESULTS:

10/29/99
Englishtown, NJ, Raceway Park
Temp: 53
Humidity: 74
Barometer: 30.13
60 foot: 1.991
1/4 mile: 13.162
speed: 106.32 mph
mods: NONE!
rear tires: 255-50-16 BFG drag radials
miles on car: 2000
oil: Mobil 1 synthetic
launch: dropped clutch at 2500 rpm
driving style: powershifted right before fuel cut-off
comments: Damn, this car is fast. Damn, I'm a good driver. Can't wait for this car to get broken in.
predictions: I'll race the car at atco and break into the 12's. That track is always quicker than e-town.

UPDATE....2MCHPWR has broken into the 12's!!!

11/19/99
Englishtown, NJ, Raceway Park
Temp: 54
Humidity: 67
Barometer: 30.41
60 foot: 1.959
1/4 mile: 12.933
speed: 107.70 mph
mods: NONE!
rear tires: 255-50-16 BFG drag radials
miles on car: 3500
launch: dropped clutch at 3500 rpm
driving style: powershifted right before fuel cut-off
comments: I knew I could do it. This is the quickest stock F-body I have ever heard of, except for the one featured in GMHTP and driven by Evan Smith (12.89 @ 109.2 mph).
Here's my proof:


2000 season:


Now the car has been modified with a Random Technologies Cat-back exhaust system and a Direct-flo lid. After these mods, the car made 307 hp and 321 ft-lbs (5000 miles on the car), but after some additional break-in miles, the car now makes 312 hp and 327 ft-lbs (9000 miles on the car).
Read about the installation and see pics here.

3/5/00
Englishtown, NJ, Raceway Park
Temp: 41
Humidity: 40
Barometer: 30.47
60 foot: 1.975
1/4 mile: 12.844
speed: 108.97 mph
mods: Random Tech cat-back and direct flo lid
rear tires: 255-50-16 BFG drag radials
miles on car: 8000
launch: dropped clutch at 3500 rpm
driving style: powershifted right before fuel cut-off; slightly letting off the gas between shifts.
comments: my short time was not too good because this was the first time the track was open in 2000. i expect 60's times to improve as the track's launch pad gets better prepared. i'd like to see a 12.7 in the near future with no other changes.

2000 mid season update:


my last mod was the GMS MAF meter and it gave me around 7 hp. last time i dyno'd, i was making 318 hp. i no longer have the 16 inch drag radials, and i use 17's all the way around. that is no good for finding a new best e.t., but for now, that's all i got. the 17 inch drag radials do not hook up nearly as good as my old 16 inch drag radials. regardless, i set a new mph record for myself, but did not beat my previous best e.t. (i attribute that to the bad 60 foot times that resulted from the 17 inch drag radials): 10/28/00
Englishtown, NJ, Raceway Park
Temp: 56
Humidity: 37
Barometer: 30.03
60 foot: 2.042
1/4 mile: 12.875
speed: 110.04 mph
mods: Random Tech cat-back, direct flo lid and GMS MAF meter
rear tires: 275-40-17 BFG drag radials
miles on car: 14000
launch: dropped clutch at 2500 rpm
driving style: powershifted @ 6k rpms
comments: this run was made with heavy 17 inch rims all around. 16's all around would have been lighter and made me faster; i'll do that next time. my short time was not too good because the 17 drag radials aren't working for me that well. i think that it's sidewall is too stiff to work well with a manually shifted car. i still think 12.7's are attainable, but i'll need better tires to achieve that. i may do the free ram air mod soon to see if that helps any.

yet another 2000 update:


WOW!!! my car is bookin' now. for the entire run down, please click here. To sum it up, please read the following:
11/11/00
Cecil County Dragway, MD
Temp: 60
Humidity: 63
Barometer: 31.31
60 foot: 1.955
1/4 mile: 12.591
speed: 112.72 mph
mods: Free ram air mod (FRAM), Random Tech cat-back, direct flo lid and GMS MAF meter
rear tires: 275-40-17 BFG drag radials
miles on car: 15000
launch: dropped clutch at 3500 rpm
driving style: powershifted @ 6k rpms
comments: wow. i figured that this may be the last time that i get to drag race in the 2000 season, so i did everything that i could to get a good time. my friend rented out cecil for a private test and tune session. the track was hooking and there was a slight tailwind. i totally emptied out my car; no floor mats, no gas (as a matter of fact, on this run, the gauge was below "E"), no spare, no jack, etc. i think it weighed about 3520 lbs with me in it. i backed up this run with a 12.65, 12.66, and a few 12.7's (see all the cecil runs here).

2002 Update:

See "My Dyno Tests" for latest mods. On 4/6/02, i took my new combination to the GMHTP shootout at e-town drag strip. My car was in full street trim and weighed 3600 lbs. with me in it.
temp: in between 45 and 50, light snow!!!!!!!
60 foot: 1.90
1/4 mile: 12.04
speed: 118.25
rear tires: 255-50-16 BFG Drag Radials at 22 lbs.
miles on car: 28000
launch: dropped clutch at 2500 and bogged
downdriving style: power shifted at 6400-6500
comments: BUUUUWAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! damn. this thing is fast. i intentionally launched the car soft so i would not break the rear. The atap log shows that the car is still not making full timing and there may be fuel starvation. We will have to finish the tuning session to see where the problem lies. I may need a bigger fuel injector. Can you imagine what this car will run when these small issues are all sorted out? can you imagine what it will run with an aggressive launch and slightly higher shift points? As it stands now, 118 mph with stock heads, catalytic converters, 17 inch rims up front, autocross sway-bar and shocks is very impressive. Obviously, the car is capable of 11 second passes in it's current combination, but i don't want to risk breaking the rear. You need a roll-bar to legally run in the 11's and i don't want to install one. So my performance goals are met.....for now....Here is a pic of me humbling a Z-06 corvette owner. I ran a 12.10 on this pass vs. his 13.0 ET.

2003 Update:

3/27/2003

We rented Atco for a private session. Tires were 26 x 10.5 x 16 MT ET streets on stock rims (14 psi, no tubes). Skinnies (thanx james!!), no front Sway bar. Full accessory belt, no cutout, full interior with all seats. No jack/spare. Probably weighed 3550 lbs. The DA was +400 and temp was 70 degrees. Just couldn't sneak an 11.5. If it was 20 degrees cooler... My last run was at 2:10, but it seems like the track got quicker later on in the day and it was hooking even better. If I stayed I'm sure I could have gotten an 11.5. oh well. Here are my runs in order:

I was launching between 4000 and 5000 as per atap. No KR to speak of. The poly tranny mount cured that (by stopping my Y-ipe from hitting the underneath of the car).

Here is a short vide of me racing to a new best: http://www.ponycars.net/video/atco.wmv

2004 Update:

Went to Atco for a private track rental day. ran 11.54 at 120 mph with a 1.59 short time on 16 inch x 10.5 x 16 ET Streets. Best short time of the day was 1.57. There is more in the car with more practice. Read about my runs, see video and pics here:

ATCO 11/29/2004

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