2007 GT/CS vs. 1968 GT/CS Historic Racing Results

[davidathans]

Joe De Los Santos and I met out at California Speedway today to drag race. As far as I know, this is the first time a 1968 California Special has raced against a 2007 California Special.

However, this race almost didn't happen...

Joe got to the track less than ten minutes before i did, somewhere around 6:45am. We were lined up in the parking lot waiting for our opportunity to buy a tech inspection card. When the line started to move, i hopped in my car and it would not start!

After a few frustrating, nail biting, "what the hell is going on" moments...i jacked up my car and discovered that my starter was not in place. There are two bolts that hold the starter to the automatic transmission and the top bolt had rattled out somewhere on the freeway on the way out to the track. Luckily, my family was on the way and they stopped at a place and bought a starter and the bolt and washer i was missing. I was delayed until 10am fixing the problem. It was nearly impossible to get a wrench on that top bolt (i have long tube hooker headers) so i hand tightened it and used thread locker. By 10:31 am i was making my first pass against a friend with a 2004 Mach I mustang. After the race, i found Joe in the pit area and had him pit next to me so that we could race eachother...

The first picture is of the timeslip for our race.
Joe ran a 13.204 @ 108.67mph with a reaction time of 0.341 and a 60' time of 2.120.
I ran a 12.272 @ 105.53mph with a reaction time of 0.044 and a 60' time of 1.810 (only 105mph because i forgot to turn on my electric fuel pump and my engine starved for fuel on the top end and i had to back out of it).

Joe had to leave by 12 noon, so that was the only race we had against eachother.

Afterward i had the best race ever! ...

A guy, named Rick, with a 2002 Trans Am Ram Air WS6 (license plate PHATWS6) had 26x11.5-15 Hoosier Slicks on the back of his car with Hoosier Skinnys on weld racing rims with a 12 bolt rear end with 3.73 gears with aftermarket heads, bigger lunati cam than me (.600 lift), injectors, intake, open dump exhaust and a 6 speed stick had just raced his best race ever: 11.945 @ 115mph (his first time breaking out of the 12s)...

some of you might remember that the last time i was out at the track, August 11, 2007 i ran 11s for the first time with a 11.989 @ 111.79mph

but this time out at the track i didnt have the skinny rims for the front of my car, instead i was racing with my 17x8 Chrome Cobra Rs with 245 tires pumped up to 51psi...so i knew i was really going to have to race well to beat Rick...

The second picture shows the timeslip for that race:
The WS6 ran 12.278 @ 116.50mph with a reaction time of 0.161 and a 60' of 1.976 (he spun his tires and hit the rev limiter)
I ran a 12.087 @ 112.81mph with a reaction time of 0.019 and a 60' of 1.775

This is my all time fastest speed, 112.81mph(previous 111.79mph)...if i would have had the skinny rims i might have run 11s again at 113mph.

What a great day at the track...despite the starter problem and 100 degree F temperature, i set a new record and won some impressive races.

Enjoy the pictures! and i will have a link to the video of the race in a few days

 

[davidathans]

more pictures

 

[davidathans]

more pics

 

[davidathans]

more photos

 

[joedls]

I didn't do very well, but I had a blast!!! This was my first time to ever run on a drag strip and I have alot to learn. My 60' times sucked, because I spun too much at the start. Then on the run with David, I hit the rev limiter in 3rd gear right before the end of the track. I had to leave early for my kids' piano recital, but I'll be back and I'm sure I'll improve.

 

[GTCS07]

Win, lose or draw, a bad day racing is better than a good day at work Joe. You did great for your first time out. What psi did you use in the Nittos?
Dave, you have a nice solid set-up going it seems. Nothing like changing out a big block starter with headers though. I don't miss that job. I can't wait to get to the track this year. Thanks for posting the pics.

 

[@Holmes]

My heart started racing as I was reading this - mecanical failure, drama, combat - nice. BTW David, how do I get all that rubber off my quater pannel?

 

[Midnight Special]

...You guys are the best! What fun!!!

David - they should include a padded Monte Carlo bar as part of the replacement starter kit ;-)

Joe - Not bad at all

This is a most enjoyable thread - Great Pics!!

 

[case12]

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did anyone get video? Casey

 

[390cs68rcode]

fantastic!

 

[davidathans]

Yes there is video, but it will take me some time to convert to DVD from tape then to .mpg or .avi...i promise i will have a link to it sometime next week

as far as getting the rubber off....i just rub it off because my paint is all messed up anyways...alot of the times it just stays on there for weeks after the race haha

o and just to clarify...my family bought a spare starter just in case my other one failed, but i didnt have to swap it out, i just had to bolt it back up...and its a small block not a big block, GTCS07...i could only imagine it being even harder to tighten that top bolt if it was a big block

 

[joedls]

Win, lose or draw, a bad day racing is better than a good day at work Joe. You did great for your first time out. What psi did you use in the Nittos?
Dave, you have a nice solid set-up going it seems. Nothing like changing out a big block starter with headers though. I don't miss that job. I can't wait to get to the track this year. Thanks for posting the pics.

You're absolutely right. Like i wrote earlier, I had a blast!!! I was running 20 psi in the run with David, but I didn't get a very good burn-out. I'm sure that will help next time.

Also, as I said, I had the rev limiter set at 6625 RPM and hit it in 3rd gear before the end of the track. By my calulations, that means I was doing ~111 MPH when I hit the rev limiter. A slightly taller tire would have been better, but I think I'll get 4.10 gears for my rear-end and just grab that 4th gear before the end of the track.

Can't wait till the next time. :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[joedls]

Joe - Not bad at all

Thanks, Tim. I agree it wasn't too bad for my first time out, but there's definitely lots of room for improvement. That's what makes it fun. :wink:

 

[davidathans]

Yes Joe 4.10s Yes! drop those drag radials to 20psi or less and hold that line lock in the wet box until you smoke out the tree...get those babies hot enough where you can drop your clutch at 5000rpm and hook and you'll be in the 12s...you might want to research some light weight aluminum 15" rims and get some Hoosier or Mickey Thompson Slicks mounted and even some skinnys rims for your front...that will help you the most

for the rest of the year available street legal drags at CA speedway are:
Saturday July 12
Saturday July 19
Saturday August 16
Sat. Nov 1
Sun Nov 2
Sat. Dec 6
Sun Dec 7

i'd like to go again when its cold and i have my skinnys

 

[GTCS07]

Oh, my bad, I thought I read big block somewhere. Still not easy with a small block and long tubes though. Have you wrapped the starter to keep heat off it? I've cooked some in the past.
Joe, I'm getting 410s as my next mod.

 

[HappyHour]

Man those are some sweet "take-off" pics. Thanks for sharing first ever 68 CS against 07 CS!! Another day of me staring at the forum versus working!

Luvit!! :icon_ecst