Good luck tomorrow Jackie!! Definately get out there tonight (so long as track prep is worth a crap-if not dont waste your time and gas since you will learn nothing and will not be able to set up/change the car to perfection since traction is not there like on race day. But the more seat time the better!!

I remember my first year stepping up, mentally I knew I could give them guys a run for their money, but the first 3-4 races I had butterflies and over pyched myself. Once I felt comfortable with the new group in the lanes I got back to business and started rollin and never looked back. You know your better than that fool staging next to you and know your going to win every round your in so there's nothing to be nervious about!! Why did anybody else show up that day since they're just pawns in your way as you make your push to the pay out window.

You are now about to see how shadey/cagey some of the older guys are, some will try to play head games with you and it will take a few races to figure out who those cagey fockers are, then you'll know what to do next time you pair up. Pay VERY close attention to who dials what and how they run throughout the day so you can judge how much their holding on you or if their dialed honest, this will help you at the stripe. My advise is most guys bag .01-.02 to compensate for a bad R/T or a slight drop in their 60' so they have room to "catch up", once you get better at driving the stripe you will be able to implement this same tactic. I can probably count on both hands over the past few years how many races I've been in (win or lose) that were under power at the finish line. Just the way it is, but once you see/catch a bagger and you know you own the tree...dial it tight and push'em out, works everytime Tactic works great for me when running stupid dragsters as well, they come up on me at 170+mph to my 120mph and there is noo way they can judge anything coming up that fast-same with me the slow guy. So if I know they're bagging .01-.02 I dial either right on or .01 under so I can run it out back and force them to break out.

You'll have fun, just know your only as good as your competition. You either step up or are left behind.

Good luck tomorrow!!!

Josh

 

Jax, you'll do fine. Running PRO at ATCO is a piece of cake. Competition isn't so good. Sort of like running with the hitters of a $10k race or the Division 1 finals every weekend. Just take each round as they come. All you got to do is win that round. You have a killer car and a great crew. Relax and just do it. IMO Atco has the deepest list of hitters around. They will push you to become a better driver. I'll be running at RP in the corvette challange on Saturday and running PRO at the Grove starting 2/28. Good luck to you all. Better yet, knock 'em on their a$$ and make your own luck. I'll let you know when I have an "off" week and plan to run at ATCO.

 

Most all tracks have tough competition around the country, and my local track is no exception. I believe we were ahead of Ennis Texas last year in the division bracket points and Ennis is a really big facility. Tomorrow is the first race of the season, then the next two weekends as well (3 races in a row). So, we’re starting hard early season and after those first three, I should have some indication how I’ll do this season. (No-E Street).

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2189634

 

Dial'er tight and kill'em on the tree and push'em out the back. Good Luck


Jim, I thought you were going on the box this year?

Steve

 

Running 37 Races this year, some of them Sat / Sun races.
Competing in the IHRA Summit Racing Series. Our season does not get started until April 1st, (A fools day for sure).

I do like Steve's saying "Dial'er tight and kill'em on the tree and push'em out the back" need to put that on T-Shirt.

 

Steve, I was going to borrow the box from Jax's crew chief but need to upgrade a few things to be competitive in superpro. I reallocated assets to a 99 'vette so the only upgrades for the bird this season was a new set of rear tires. They also dropped the cut in street to 11.50 so I can now double enter the bird in 2 classes each week (Street and Pro). I do have the option of using the box later this season. We'll see how the points thing goes.

 

Jim,

Don't you just love that asset reallocation stuff! I bought my C5 vert brand new in 2000 and it's still absolutely bone friggen stock. The temptation is there to start tweeking but I'm gonna try to trade it for a C6 Z06 in about 2 years, so I don't want to dork it up with stuff that will not add value.

Steve

 

Well, I'm out of here for the day. We dropped the car off last night but the track was too dang crowded to make any passes. I'll get at least 2 time shots today - 3 if I'm lucky.

Thanks for the words of wisdom guys. I have had my share of old (and young - though the youngs ones are, for the most part, very accepting of women in the sport) guys trying to spook me out.

The one that stands out most in my mind was at a Philadelphia Modifiers Race. I used to run my dad's 67 Camaro Convertible in that every spring and fall (runs 14's). I end up in the staging lanes next to a Falcon Wagon and some old guy gets out. He looks at my car and then back his dial on the window - 24.XX. He walked over to me and said in a creepy voice "look out for the SLOW cars!!!" Thanks pal. We stage. That 10 seconds on the starting line looking at his brake lights was the longest 10 seconds of my life! Regardless, he couldn't run the number (who could at that speed?) and lost. I went to the final that race...

Anyway - I'm leaving. Hope ya'll have a great day. It's supposed to be around 65 and sunny all day!!!

 

good luck Jacki.... Let us know how you do. You have a great car and an awsome crew cheif. Atco has a tough crowd but in the end its all about having fun isnt it? I only ran 1 race last year but 8-9 points races the year before. I still have not won a round in Heavy, lol. I'll go at it again later this year.

Thanks to the hook up w/Rick. Tell him I really appreciate him taking the time out of his day to introduce me to the machince shop. I dropped off the block last week. Hopefully I'll have a running motor in a month or 2. Rick offered to help put it together, I might take him up on it since Liz just enrolled into college again to get her Masters...

Good luck, B

 

Rick said "no problem!" He loves hooking up friends with other good people. I'm sure he would be thrilled to help you put it together when it's done. And good luck to Liz. I completed my MBA in April last year - I couldn't be happier with my decision to get a Master's degree. I'm sure she'll have some tough times with studying and making some sacrifices but be supportive of her - help her see the big picture when it gets tough for her. She'll need it!!!! When all is said and done, she'll be happy she stuck it out.

Yesterday I lost first round. I ended up next to Brian Mullaney - former Street points champion. He stepped up to Heavy this year and is very well respected at the track. I blocked him out and went into the "zone" after pulling through the wall. I was less nervous first round than I was for my 2 time shots!! I forced myself to hit the tree as hard as I could because I normally lose first round by NOT hitting the tree and handing the race over. Instead, this time I went .049 red. The car also ran .04 under my dial!!! I dialed a 10.11 after making a throw away 1st time shot (11.13 missed 1st gear) and a so-so 2nd time shot (10.12 bad traction due to a bad burnout). I think my first round pass is where the car will be this year though - it was a good pass b/c I was relaxed. Not sure how, but I was!!

Today I have that giant lump and bruise on my lower back that hurts like heck but it's a good hurt (need more padding in my seat). I'm looking forward to next week.

The guys in Heavy aka Pro, are great. Brian Mullaney gave me a hug before we ran and said "don't kick my *** too bad Jacki." Since most of the guys have known me forever (including Brian Mullaney) they were very, very supportive.

 

Jax, you got the first time out done and over with. Its a long season. I would advise not to "step" up to cut a better light. The driver needs to be the same and change the car to "step" up (raise the launch rpm a little). Easy to say I did the same error Saturday. I cut a bad light but won it on the top end then "steped" up next round and went .035 red. With a bad light you have a chanch to work the top end, red is dead. Bud's words of wisdom. Kicker is I went .010, dropped 100 rpm and went .018, 016, 079 woops, and -.035. I heard that Rick held his own in his first Super Pro appearance.
After my burnout I stop before the prestage line, shift all the way up into neutral give a short rev (to be sure I'm in neutral) and one click back into first. I too forgot to put the car back into first gear and launched in second.
What kind a light did Brian cut? .020-.029 ??? If that's the case their (the group of atco killers) going on their safe consertivative settings and not on "full kill" against you. You don't always need to go .00x to win.

Put some ice on your boo-boo and see what you did right Saturday. Build from there. Relaxed is the key (ok controlled panic), keep a clear head and just do it. Things will fall into place with seat time.