RACE REPORT 7.19.14
Leading up to this race we decided to install a fuel pressure regulator, instead of the standard “can” high speed bypass. This should help us better control the fuel pressure. As you all know, this car has a very nasty habit of putting out pipes. Each hole I lose is 25% of the motor - Not good! With that said, we thought we might have a chance of moving forward with the regulator.
Friday rolls around and Tyler Lowe was on hand to help load the trailer. You don’t realize how much stuff you have to support such a car until you have to load it all. 3 o'clock rolls around and the decision was made to pull the trailer out to the race track and leave it for there for Saturday’s race.
Saturday came and we left for the track at about 7 am. The track was pretty empty by the time we showed up. Our Quick 8 race director, Greg Urrutia, was nice enough to make me a bagel and a cup of coffee. We got the car unloaded along with all the stuff it takes to maintain this thing. Gene and Ron showed up and asked if it was ready to roll. Indeed it was. So we spun for oil pressure and got ready to fire. Spark plugs went in and the gas mask was handed to me. We fired it up with the new starter and it roared to life. The nod was made and the nitro pump was turned on. The engine started to cackle and the earth started to shake. Gene and Ron made some tweaks and everything looked good. The signal was given to shut the fuel off and kill it. As I did I saw Gene and Ron ran out of our pit area to get some air. Wish I could say they were crying because the motor sounded so good, but it was probably just the Nitro fumes. When the air cleared, we put the car down and got it ready to roll. At this time, it was time to put on my monkey suit. Now keep in mind, it’s a 20 layer nomex suit and the perfect color for hot weather - Black. Thank god for my cool vest. I got my things and rolled out with the car. 
The start up went good. Burn out was okay - not great but not bad. Rolled the car into the beams and got ready to rock. Tree came down and off we went. Seemed a little soft at the hit but could have been me swimming in sweat from the suit. Waited for the shift light, there it is, bang next gear. It wasn’t laying over, so no pipes were out, but just didn’t feel like it was pulling as hard as it could. Finish line, shoot out, got it stopped before the sand pit. Chaz came over the radio: 7.4 at 177mph. Ok not bad...
Got it back to the pits. and up on the jacks. My crew came in and started the maintenance. Oil out, fuel filled, blow down. It all went smooth. Ron downloaded the RacePak data to see what the engine did or did not do. As I was packing the shoot, I could hear Ron and Gene discussing what went on. We had set the new regulator at 170psi and they saw pressures of 245! Sheesh, way to much fuel pressure. Decision was made to put the high speed back on and take the regulator out. The high speed was set at 150psi which should lean it out. We got ready to roll out again.
Start up went good. Burn out was better than the last. Staged the car, here comes the tree. Got off and man it was definitely pulling harder than the pass before. Shift light came on and next gear. It was pulling. “Oh yeah this is going to be a good pass.” Then about 900ft out, number two hole went out then right after that number 4 hole went out. Ok that’s like 50% of my motor. I could just feel it lay down. Oh well nothing I can do at 150mph. Ran through the light, chute out, brakes on. I don’t remember the time I think is was 7.6.
Got the car back to the pits and I could see Gene and Ron shaking their heads and throwing up their arms. What the hell? So, lots more fuel and no pipes out.. Less fuel and pipes out? What the hell? Gene then made the comment “Hey, that’s Nitro”. Maintenance was done and we came across a massive leak at the front of the oil pump again. So that ended our day.
Thoughts were exchanged as we loaded the car back in its box. A lot of people came out to see this car and the VWs run and I don’t think we disappointed them. The nice thing about quitting early was that I got to watch the finals of the quick 8 and man what a crazy final round it was. I could write a another report on that race as well, but I will let Greg Urrutia tell it.
I do want to thank all the racers that came up and hope they had a good time. I will be taking suggestions for next year on how to get the car count up. In conclusion, we didn’t do great but not bad, we will take what we learned and see what we can figure out for next time. Our next big Race will be Bugorama #74 in Sac.