Goin' bracket racing tonite...

[Fordboy]

I haven't done the bracket thing since the summer of 1996 at Hampton. Etown has a gamler race most friday nites for street muffled cars, so I'm goin'. If anybody gets off work early and wants to join in, I'll be in a 1966 Shelby GT350 Mustang in red. I don't really know if this car will make a good bracket showing, but I guess I'll find out. I'll also see if I have the ability to cut lites like I used to. I hope so. I'm an old fart now so maybe I've lost it. :(:confused:

[chevymadman]

Come on Fordboy thats no way to be talking now. Go and have fun brother it like riding a bike have happy 4th.

[mikelbeck]

Good luck!

[82GT]

How did you do?

[Fordboy]

How did you do?

Well. Pull up a chair and I'll tell you the story. I left my house at 12:15 and after the usual crappy trip thru the BQE, (thats the road from HELL) , I arrived at 3:45 PM, a 3.5 hour trip. Thayts actually not bad because I've made the friday trip before and ran into accidents on "the road from HELL" which resulted in a 5.5 hour trip. Ahhhrrrggg!! I borrowed a friends TAG weather station and so i took it out and began clearing the database, etc. I noticed that the temp was reading steady 92 degrees. This didn't seem right so i checked with others and sure enough it was 72 degrees. Oh crap. I knew i should have brought my own weather instruments. Anyhow, as I said, the last time i did the bracket thing was 1996--result was a track footbrake season points champ. So, it was time to race and I wrote "DEEP" on my windows and went to the line. First time run-- .038 lite, 12.67 at 111.11.
second time run-- .005 lite 12.62 at 111.57.
3rd time run-- .014 RED 12.63 111. I pushed a little too hard.

I paid the $20 to enter the gamler race and went to the lanes. As they pulled the lanes for the 1st round, I was asked to pull my car over. I thought Oh shit. What's leaking NOW????? Turned out there were 13 cars and I was chosen at random to get the 1st round bye. Yahoo! Had a lazy .075 lite and went a 12.60.
Second round i was paired up with a Malibu that dialed a 12.86 and he went a 12.88. However, you cant turn the RED on and expect to win. I went a 12.66 on a 12.58 dial with a .050 lite. Alrighty then. 2 rounds down and 2 to go. Bracket racing is a combination of being good AND having a little luck. Thays what happened in the 3rd round. I was paired up with a newish 350 Camaro, slicks etc. He dialed a 13.54 and I dialed a 12.60. His lite was .058 and mine was .061. At the stripe we both broke out but he broke out by a little more. The magin of victory (MOV) was .0034. Phew!!!!!!! What bothered me about this race was I THOUGHT I hit the stripe BEFORE him but the time slip said he was there 1st by .0064. I guess my finish line skills need some work. Maybe i think the nose of my car is longer than it is. This was simply a lucky round. The final I was paired with a real race car. Another Chevy. That makes 4 Chevys in a row. He dialed a 10.70 and I dialed a 12.57. I left the line with an .055 lite and he started his charge. I could see him coming hard and knew he was going to catch me but at about 900 feet he just got out of it. I didn't want to take too much win so I hit the brakes hard and went a 12.616 at 102. Not being familiar with the etown lighting, I didnt even know he went .029 RED and I didn't see the win lite in my lane until after i passed the finish line. DOH!!!!! LOL. So there you have it. I got $135 for the win and he got $65. WOW! Its been a long time. 10 years to be exact. My average lite was .047 not counting the RED one. Before I condemn myself for that average, I think the carb, an original Shelby 715 cfm with LeMans bowls was a contributor. It definitly didn't feel as crisp as the Holley D.P. I used years ago. The Shelby carb didn't exactly COUGH when whacked, but it was slower than the D.P. Also, the convertor is a 2200-2400 stall and it should be higher.
That was fun. Winning always is fun. It could just as easily have been a horrible nite with a 1st round loss.

My head finally hit the pillow at 2:15 AM. The trip home was every bit as bad as going. The expressway was closed and there was an accident on the service road. Result? A 4 hour trip home. It really sucks when the total day is 14 hours long and the racing part of the day is 4 hours. They start time trials at 6 PM and end the nite at 10 PM. No wonder people race on the street. How many people are going to go to Etown on a regular basis facing this kind of traffic bullshit? Even so, I will go again in 2 or 3 weeks, so if anyone wants to go, maybe we could get a group together. Right NOW, it's good to bracket racing ----- again.

[mikelbeck]

Wow. Not bad for not having raced in 10 years!

I'd like to do that, but I don't think my mufflers would pass inspection... they're not exactly "street" mufflers. ;-)

[mikelbeck]

I borrowed a friends TAG weather station and so i took it out and began clearing the database, etc. I noticed that the temp was reading steady 92 degrees. This didn't seem right so i checked with others and sure enough it was 72 degrees. Oh crap. I knew i should have brought my own weather instruments.

Would you be interested in something like this... once it's done, of course?

http://www.elite-computing.net/images/tws/tws3.jpg

That's the Tek Weather System, connected to a Compaq iPaq. Reads temperature, humidity and pressure, then calculates density altitude and a bunch of other items. Also will predict ET and keep track of your previous runs.

[Action ED]

That is a long day!,but at least you had fun and a good day racing,:D,I go to island almost every weekend sometimes saturday sometimes sunday and it usually takes 2 hours there and 2hrs back even with a little traffic,you might want to try that sometime,track hooks hard and is pretty organized.I will be going tommorrow:D

[Fordboy]

That is a long day!,but at least you had fun and a good day racing,:D,I go to island almost every weekend sometimes saturday sometimes sunday and it usually takes 2 hours there and 2hrs back even with a little traffic,you might want to try that sometime,track hooks hard and is pretty organized.I will be going tommorrow:D

Island is about the same. 3 hours at least. It's actually about 12-15 miles further than Etown. Either way, it's a royal pain in the ass.


Nice weather station Mikel. Did u make that for yourself?

[mikelbeck]

Nice weather station Mikel. Did u make that for yourself?

It's one I've been working on for a while. One of these days I'll finish it and will start production...

[Action ED]

Island is about the same. 3 hours at least. It's actually about 12-15 miles further than Etown. Either way, it's a royal pain in the ass.


Nice weather station Mikel. Did u make that for yourself?

I forgot to mention I live in WestIslip,I dont know where you live but It never took longer than 2hrs to get there W/ light traffic.It might be further than e town but you dont have to go thru Staten Island.And I agree IT IS A PAIN IN THE ASS!!

[mikelbeck]

I forgot to mention I live in WestIslip,I dont know where you live but It never took longer than 2hrs to get there W/ light traffic.It might be further than e town but you dont have to go thru Staten Island.And I agree IT IS A PAIN IN THE ASS!!

2 hours to get to Island? What do time do you leave, 5 AM? ;-)

Last time I went to Island it look almost 3 hours to get there and close to 4 coming home... I hate that trip.

E-Town takes me about 2 hours, 2-1/2 if we stop for breakfast. Coming home can be anywhere from 2 to 3 hours depending on the traffic at the Verrazano.

[Action ED]

8 am, im there 10 just as the gates open,maybe ive been lucky so far but ive been going there regular since hamptons closed,believe me if it took 3 hrs I wouldnt be going I hate driving,Im going tommorow and now that I opened my mouth I probably jinxed myself.:(

[Fordboy]

I live in Ridge, so that is a little further than you. Exactly how do you go? I assume your are towing a trailer. Also, what time do they start racing on Sat? I went there once many years ago and I think they start late as I remember racing well after dark. I would try Island once.

[Action ED]

on sundays its test and tune ,sometimes nostalgia events,or car clubs, track opens at 10,saturdays is raceday and they dont start until 1 and yes well into the night,its a well organized track,security, and they dont let kids under 16 in the pits,but tech is very strict(sometimes too strict).I jump on the LIE at 231 and take the clearview to throgs neck to cross bronx to GW bridge to 80 west to exit 19 make a left to the traffic light make a right track will be on the right hand side .And yes with a trailer. http://www.islanddragway.com/phpBB2/index.php http://www.islanddragway.com/

[Action ED]

just got back from Island,Mikelbeck you should of gone,today was MOPAR national day,4 lanes full of mopars from nostalgia super stockers to the 07 chargers.the only downside was if you didnt have a mopar you were only allowed 3 runs,other than that it was a nice day out.1hour and 50 minutes there with 0 traffic the whole way,2 hrs and fifteen back light traffic on the gw.Sorry I forgot the camera,:( no pics

[mikelbeck]

just got back from Island,Mikelbeck you should of gone,today was MOPAR national day,4 lanes full of mopars from nostalgia super stockers to the 07 chargers.the only downside was if you didnt have a mopar you were only allowed 3 runs,other than that it was a nice day out.1hour and 50 minutes there with 0 traffic the whole way,2 hrs and fifteen back light traffic on the gw.Sorry I forgot the camera,:( no pics

Aw, that figures. Nobody told me about it. ;-)

[mikelbeck]

I only go to Atco or Island and once a year to Maple grove. My car has never seen Englishtown. I only go there for the nationals to watch.

Atco is 3 hours or so, going home is a nightmare 4-5 hours alsways seems to me traffic.

I go to Atco at the end of the season, they have a weekend of big $$$ footbrake races. Last year we went to Atco on Saturday, then went over to E-Town for Sunday. We usually go to Atco Friday night and stay for the weekend.

Last year my shifter cable broke on my 2nd time run at Atco, by the time I got it fixed they were already done with first round. So that day was pretty much wasted. :-(

[82GT]

Man when you’re hot you’re hot...

I just remembered we were suppose to line up once at LID. It was a week when they had both points and a mustang eliminator.

I got to the final in the Mustang eliminator but they never ran it because the sponsor, Automotion, took off with the money. They got pissed cause old man Bill kept playing up PCHS and McCarville ford over the PA on there day. They did pay me my split after the fact. I worked right down the road from them at the time.

In the regular brackets it got down to 5 cars. If I remember right we were paired up but they called the race cause of curfew. Would have liked to run ya. I always preferred running someone good. I never hung out at the back of the lines looking for easy prey.

[Fordboy]

Man when you’re hot you’re hot...

I just remembered we were suppose to line up once at LID. It was a week when they had both points and a mustang eliminator.

I got to the final in the Mustang eliminator but they never ran it because the sponsor, Automotion, took off with the money. They got pissed cause old man Bill kept playing up PCHS and McCarville ford over the PA on there day. They did pay me my split after the fact. I worked right down the road from them at the time.

In the regular brackets it got down to 5 cars. If I remember right we were paired up but they called the race cause of curfew. Would have liked to run ya. I always preferred running someone good. I never hung out at the back of the lines looking for easy prey.

Yeah! When you're hot you're hot. You know, bracket racing is part skill and part luck. You could have a great pass (package) and lose because your opponent just got lucky. That weekend you mentioned is stirring some memories. I do remember something about Automotion not coming thru with the money. Do you remember what year that was?

I might go to Island in 2 weeks on Sat. Why don't we get a few guys and meet up there? Jimmy, are you a footbraker or delay box guy? How about it? Mikelbeck, Andy, anyone else? Lets go to Island in a few weeks.

[mikelbeck]

I might go to Island in 2 weeks on Sat. Why don't we get a few guys and meet up there? Jimmy, are you a footbraker or delay box guy? How about it? Mikelbeck, Andy, anyone else? Lets go to Island in a few weeks.

What date?

[Fordboy]

How about July 14th? What do you guys use? Electronics? footbrake?

[82GT]

I'm a footbraker, trouble is I got nothing to foot brake right now. My heap.. er jeep has 200k miles on it and I want it to last through next winter (man do I love not having a car payment, plus it's my station car) The Mustang is still in pieces (man am I slow) but I'd go and spectate. Let me know when and where.

[mikelbeck]

How about July 14th? What do you guys use? Electronics? footbrake?

July 14th is no good, that's my wife's 40th birthday party...

[Fordboy]

Well then..... How about a friday nite gambler at etown, july 13th? Maybe even this friday coming? And then we could go to Island the following Saturday, the 21st.

[mikelbeck]

Well then..... How about a friday nite gambler at etown, july 13th? Maybe even this friday coming? And then we could go to Island the following Saturday, the 21st.

July 13th is no good, I'll be setting up for the party... 80 people or so will be at my house on Saturday, my wife will kill me if I go racing the night before!

[Fordboy]

Then I'm going on the 14th. If anyone wants to go later in the month, just post here and we'll get a group. If there is anyone else out there that wants to go on the 14th, let me know.

[mikelbeck]

I just had a look at E-Towns schedule... Doesn't look like I'll be going there for a couple of weeks...

July 22: VW Waterfest
July 29: Old Time Drags & Rod Run, Funny Car Reunion
August 5: Van's Warped Tour

August 12th is back to regular racing, that might be the next time I go there.

Island has regular racing on the 21st and 28th, that could work for me.

[Fordboy]

I just had a look at E-Towns schedule... Doesn't look like I'll be going there for a couple of weeks...

July 22: VW Waterfest
July 29: Old Time Drags & Rod Run, Funny Car Reunion
August 5: Van's Warped Tour

August 12th is back to regular racing, that might be the next time I go there.

Island has regular racing on the 21st and 28th, that could work for me.

If Island turns out OK on the 14th for me, I'll go back any Sat. you want.

[Fordboy]

OOPS!!!! The wife just told me we have a wedding to attend on the 14th, so I'm going this Sat., the 7th.

[Fordboy]

I haven't been to Island for about 12 years and can tell you it NEEDS REPAIRS now. The left lane actually has a big bump in it. Not good for my bias ply tires. I guess it works better with low pressure slicks. Anyhow, second round loss that should have been a win. I was using a friends TAG weather station and I am now sure it does not work correctly. I relied on it and paid the price. First round I get paired up with a 9 second roadster. It was a great run. We both had similar lites but I ran right on the dial WITH a ZERO. If anyone wants to go on the 21st or 28th, I'd like to go back.

[Action ED]

I never noticed a bump either?:confused:

[Fordboy]

The only thing I can think of is that my car has G70-14 bias ply tires pumped up to 35 lbs. and stiff leaf springs in the rear. Right where the concrete ends and the blacktop begins there is a sharp bump. I asked around and cars with low pressure slicks don't feel the bump but I did. Anyone want to go to Island in a few weeks??

[chevymadman]

Check this site out http://www.two-laneblacktopdragstrip.com/ check out the story on why it was built.

[Supershafts]

Yeah true, people complained about bumps, but i never felt them....so i gotta go with the 8lbs of air in the tires just conforming to every little irregularity there is in pavement.
I would need a east NY pot hole to feel anything at a track...

[Fordboy]

Check this site out http://www.two-laneblacktopdragstrip.com/ check out the story on why it was built.


Great story. See, something good CAN happen. Good can prevail.

Shafts, why don't you haul that drag car to Island one saturday. I'll bracket race you for a $10 lunch. You're not afraid of me, are you??? LOL

[chevymadman]

Hey Fordboy better be careful Shaft will bring his Jeep lol.

[Supershafts]

Shafts, why don't you haul that drag car to Island one saturday. I'll bracket race you for a $10 lunch. You're not afraid of me, are you??? LOL

I can't do the bracket thing, you would be set out so far i would break out just so i could say but i got there 1st with the car....

The jeep would be better then the car....i don't like losing in the car, the car has a whole nother mind set...

[82GT]

i don't like losing in the car, the car has a whole nother mind set...


I love bracket racing against people with that mind set....

I was up against a girl in a Monte once nice car dial 12 flat (no bar) My wife (kiddingly) said loud enough for her to hear that I better not get beat by a girl...

At about 900 feet she passed me by never looking back took the finish line by about 5 cars. I coasted to the finish line. She broke out by a ton and I went to the next round hehehe.

[Fordboy]

Bracket racing IS a whole other mindset. It is MUCH harder than people think just watching from the stands. As far as racing girls, I guess there are good female bracket racers out there, I just never had the privelidge of racing any. The Wintermeyer women used to race at LID and I raced the mom a few times. Don't remember if I lined up against the daughter. I think, Jimmy, you might have raced a Wintermeyer female as they had a Monte with no bar that ran right at 12.0. It was silver/grey. Actually, it might have been the dad's car, Al Wintermeyer, but the girls have driven it from time to time.

[82GT]

As far as racing girls, I guess there are good female bracket racers out there, I just never had the privelidge of racing any. The Wintermeyer women used to race at LID and I raced the mom a few times. Don't remember if I lined up against the daughter. I think, Jimmy, you might have raced a Wintermeyer female as they had a Monte with no bar that ran right at 12.0. It was silver/grey. Actually, it might have been the dad's car, Al Wintermeyer, but the girls have driven it from time to time.

Most of the girls I raced against have been pretty tough, I'm glad more women aren't out there racing.

This monte girl wasn't a Wintermeyer, I never saw her at the track before.

I have raced both Joey and her mom. The run against Joey was pretty good she was .505 to my .518. Gary was announcing, my wife told me he was like "looks like an easy win for Joey" So we get to about 1000' and she's not coming? I look and look no Joey so I slowed it up She couldn't run the dial in and I was on to the next round.

I raced her mom in a blazer, I'm guessing I rolled back out of the light, I was .254 RED, now I had a bit of a red spell but .254?!?! no way I left that early. To make it all the worst she was .786 that's usually easy pickings.

Funny I just went through my time slips 2 nights ago.

[Fordboy]

I heard that Joey was the points leader after I left in '96. She eventually went on to Stock Eliminator when Helen married Jeff Lawrence. A .505 to a .518 is more than "pretty good", it's VERY good. Of course, I always like to remember the great races and reaction times and forget the bad ones. I've had those nasty reds also. I think the best, tightest race I ever had was a 1st round against a 9 sec. Chev., tube chassis car. He went a .501 and I had a .503. At the end, he saw that he was going to be just a few feet short of me, so he dumped it just before the finish line, hoping I would break out, but I didn't. God, I was happy with THAT one. I won't tell you about the numerous "reds" I got as a result of my very aggresive style, in the early 90's. LOL I finally settled down and had very few reds in '95 and '96. Over a 2 week period ( 6 rounds each Sunday) I had a .520 AVERAGE lite. AHHHHH! Those were the days. Jimmy. Get your car back together and lets go to Island, OK?

[82GT]

I won't tell you about the numerous "reds" I got as a result of my very aggresive style, in the early 90's.

DanO (Top Priority) taught me about racing. Now he was a drummer and he would count the beats of the amber. Now while I can keep a beat I'm no drummer and I would anticipate that final beat and bring up the old red eye (a lot). Finally got myself a practice tree and instead of counting beats leave off the last yellow now, much more consistent for me (your results may vary)


Get your car back together and lets go to Island, OK?

Maybe I should invite you guys over for a wrenching party, I've got cold beer in the fridge?!?!

[Supershafts]

What kind of car? and what's the problem?

[Fordboy]

Shafts, you wouldn't like it. It's a FORD MUSTANG!!! Not a Mopar.

[82GT]

What kind of car? and what's the problem?

82GT, has a slight miss... It's missing a motor, tranny, interior, etc…

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/82GT/82GT/brake_job.jpg

Unfortunately I only have weekends to work on it, plus up keep on the house takes a lot of my time, oh ya and I'm lazy.

I'm hoping, have scheduled, putting the motor back in next weekend. That should light a fire under me to get it done.

[82GT]

Shafts, you wouldn't like it. It's a FORD MUSTANG!!! Not a Mopar.

My daily driver is a Jeep if that counts for anything :D

[Supershafts]

While you two play with the mustang, i'll play with his Jeep...

Is the Jeep a 8, or is it cyl handicapped...

After watching tomorrow night you'll have some motivation

[82GT]

While you two play with the mustang, i'll play with his Jeep...

Is the Jeep a 8, or is it cyl handicapped...

After watching tomorrow night you'll have some motivation

Cool that needs a water pump also hehehe

4.0L of ground thumping hampster power

18.50's cant remember the (lack) MPH
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/82GT/82GT/jeep.jpg

[Fordboy]

Anybody up for going to Island this coming Saturday?

[mikelbeck]

Anybody up for going to Island this coming Saturday?

Dang... can't make it this Saturday, either.

:-(

[Fordboy]

All-righty, then. I'm off to Island by myself.

[82GT]

Knock em dead, Don't forget to fill us in afterwards.

[Fordboy]

Sucky day. 2nd round loss. Double oh seven RED. Saw Ken Dickerson, Steve-O (formerly tech guy at LID) , James (don't know his last name, maybe Parente? Asian guy), John ('66 Chev convertible WITHOUT the top.

[mikelbeck]

James (don't know his last name, maybe Parente? Asian guy)

Perone?

:confused:

[Fordboy]

Yea, that sounds more like it.

[82GT]

Hey look what I found

http://www.davemilcarek.com/060907/images/6-9-1D%20020.jpg

[82GT]

I think this is you also, there where 2 red early mustans

http://www.davemilcarek.com/060907/images/6-9-2S%20066.jpg

[Fordboy]

Holy Cow! Where did you find those pics? Thats me. I think the car went 12.14 that day at 113 mph. Weather conditions were poor-- maybe 3000 ft. Its hard getting off the line with those G70-14 tires. Cool pics. Thanks for posting.