2011 results (Supercharged Outlaws)
Round 1 Shakespeare County Racway 30/04/2011 to 01/05/2011
First Round of 2011 we arrived at a windy but sunny track with most of the other racers already set up. After set up we warmed the car up to enable setting the timing and to check if the small fuel leak we had on the shut off was cured, (often after a layoff the O rings can dry out and need lubricating). No such luck the shut off still leaked, this was cured by fitting the new repair kit that we carry with us. Timing set and fuel leak cured we were ready for the weekend.
Saturday arrived sunny but very windy, on track the wind was blowing head on but past the end of the spectator banks it was almost a direct side wind left to right.
Paul, Chris and Cyril arrived early morning and after warming the engine we were set for our qualifying / practice run at 12.00 noon.
Having looked at the start area I made a couple of very minor alterations to the car set up to hopefully get the best from the car.
The run netted an easy 7.884 @ 167.23 MPH. the first run of the year usually means I pull the chute for a couple of reasons, the first of which is it feels quite quick after 7 months of not being in the car, secondly to remind oneself of where the release is. Upon releasing the chute the car immediately got airborne and after several bounces settled down and came to a stop, right in the middle of the shutdown area. I'd only just got out of the car and was gathering the chute, (wind was strong enough to inflate it and start dragging me back down the track), when the fire engine arrived and men with extinguishers were going round the car looking at everything. No fire, no leaks were found and off they went, reassuring that they are there if you need them. I must admit that I had thought that we may have had a fuel leak as when I opened my visor while slowing down I was getting spots of cold liquid on my face, quickly re-shut visor and a second look showed that it was only water the injector hat had iced up due to the amount of air going through is and as the ice melted the water drops were dropping off and being carried back over me..
Decision time, we now had to set our dial in time for the rest of the weekend, we knew the car could go quicker and probably would but what would happen the next day if the wind dropped? We settled on 7.77 as our dial in time and left everything the same. Our second run was at about 5.00 PM and we had a bye, 7.855 @ 166.05, slightly quicker and slightly slower (wind was worse on this run and after being airborne on the first run I left the chute where it was, this is not a problem at this track as the run off area is plenty long enough. No drama's and everything OK with the car, just the usual maintenance that's required, and we were close enough to the dial in time to be happy. This second run was not without a bit of drama, we were scheduled to run along side Richard Davis but there was a problem when we were in full stage and I was kept waiting for a long time, I launched the car and idled through as the engine was way overheated. Due to it being a track problem and not something caused by Richard or myself we were allowed a rerun.
Sunday dawned bright and sunny with a slight reduction in the wind, our first run was at 11.00 am, we were, as always warmed up and ready to go. This run was a side by side with Dave McKenzie in "The Thing" altered. Dave chose the left hand lane. Normal burn out and staged, launched, car started to move about slightly at half track through the finish and coasted all the way to the turn off at the end of the track. 7.772 @ 175.49 must have been a lull in the wind. 0.002 off the dial in time, car was good. We were soon ready for the last run of the day this round not only netted my fastest run but also my fastest 60' of 1.127 and my fastest 1/8th mile of 4.927 @ 140.68 mph.
Last run was with Lee Gallimore in the "Red Mist" altered, Lee is a real racer and he gives no quarter to anyone. Now I hold my hand up to the burnout, I just got it all wrong!! anyway a couple of dry hops to the start and we had plenty of grip, I was really aware that I could not pull a red on this run as we were in the running to win and a red would completely put us out of any chance, I went on the amber and still saw the green so was safe, throttle was on the floor and I snuggled down as far as I could, I don't know why I do that as I can't really move anywhere when belted in, any edge though. I expected to see Lee on my left at any second and was really relieved to get through the finish line without seeing him at all. I coasted off the top end and got out followed by Lee. He had had severe tyre shake which had caused several things to come lose on the car.
Our time was 7.796 @ 169.80.
On to the prize giving in "Team Thing" pit-space, I'd already thought that we were going to be in contention for the win but was really surprised by the "Good Vibrations" Reaction time award for the fastest reaction of the weekend, even more so when I found out that it was on my last run. 0.201, pleasing as they got better all weekend.
On to the Position Prizes, in third a delighted Paul Watts who had a few problems over the weekend. Second was to Richard Davis in the ever immaculate red Willy's and in first Place Team SpeedDemon.
Thanks as ever to Vic Hammond for allowing me to drive The current fastest SBC slingshot in Europe. To Chris Paul and Cyril who make up the rest of the team and without whose help it none of this would be possible. Thanks also to the rest of the drivers and teams who make the Supercharged Outlaw class one of the most entertaining classes to be in. Thanks also to Shakespeare county raceway, surely the friendliest most helpful track in Europe?
SpeedDemon now holds a 2 point lead over Richard Davis going into round 2 at Shakespeare County Raceway on 28th to 30th May 2011.
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25/02/11... More pictures added, slight updates to various pages.
Split Decision, update
Home page, new picture
About me ... updated text
Pictures / Altered page new pictures added.
Various minor updates.
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25th/01/2010.... Pictures added of Vic Hammond, logo's changed.
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24/01/2010.... Sales and wanted page added.
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January 2009.... Website refurbishment, all updated and several new pages including Chris Bishops Split decision and Vic Hammonds Speeddemon ..
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