A 30 year journey, and a 2nd chance.

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I had red light itis the entire 4 races plus I ran from September forward to the end of the year in E1 except adjusting to a single day of .030, .031, and .033 lights at Bakersfield Q1, C1, and E1, then next day went red again in E2. Pomona was off the trailer .020 Q1, .010 Q2, and -.008 again red E1 (though - .666 to -.797 under index in lower elevation and good air). (The absolute bane of a locked stock ECM/PM with virtually zero tuning capabilities...So far).

But, I long ago grew up racing at my night owl time of day, not many early morning races. It was afternoon time trials, night racing, and I wake up after the sun sets (no matter how long I have been up!) A natural born night owl here.

Coffee, and a lot of it is my wakeup juice. So, experience tells me I am close, but get away from coffee as a prelude to class racing. It was killing me. Then I found a legal cure, as I stopped taking my coffee pot to the track, but then also too shell shocked from many E1 red-light, I swung the as bad opposite direction to .060-.098 greens that will not also win many rounds/races. Though a few more than leaving first reds will.

Long story short, I finally found an easy (and legal), cure, and though it took a while, it took. Last race was Q1 .005, C1 was .012, E1 (still not yet fully convinced, I came up on the converter in E1, then before staging said nope, I backed off 200 rpm, staged and lazed out a .059 just to make sure it was not red), and banged off what I thought was my best run yet, followed by E2 .018, though both on the brakes at the big end I took just a bit too much stripe...OK, the car has been in the zone, though very slow at Vegas, very consistent when I am not attempting to push it the 3 tenths plus faster it is absolutely very capable of running, and just driving it the same, and the drivers head is finally out of his butt and in the game also, at the same time.

Ok, let me take a pic of 6 time slips, and resize the pic and post it. All are at Las Vegas, altitude struggle bus track w/that lousy DA. 1 from E1 November 2023(cold out), 5 from April 2024 (98 Degrees out), pay no attention to R.T.'s I covered that already. Pay little attention to the final ET's 5 of the 6 were somehow on the brakes, a lil' or a lot, leading or following. 2 different shifters, many tiny or large changes, and a major class change and change back, all are either E1, E2, C1 competitive races.

But, struggle or not, as a lifelong bracket racer ...7 thou between November 2023 E1, and April E1, and look at all the 1,000' ET's and MPH. The car has been in the game, the driver was just needing to catch up, and quit worrying about going fast. The super fat air, with the stock ECM/Power Module is doing its job, even if phat and rich as can be. The dial in's are not all equal.

That is super perplexing to the guy who rarely ever faces anyone in his class and is a bracket racer at heart.

I am going to, but would you touch that? Go ahead Billy, Yac, and anyone else...Yes, I need to laptop tap, tap tune. But, I am going to both document everything, every lil' thing I can first before we put that Holley EFI System it needs on it. It will be changed a lot before October.

It is still hard to go that route when it can run that consistent in present form.

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Next up, a Holley EFI System & Harness w/a wide band 02, a 2 Step, convert the brakes to manual, get that converter loosened to 5,000 & refresh the Transaxle while it is out (as those bands and clutches are the 1984 originals), and get the cam I started the car with a year ago (or 1 like it and updated closely with it to today's technology back in the car). If I am going to risk screwing up a decent thing to go faster, we might as well go all the way. At least I know it is a good starting point, the turtle can run 8 tenths under, just not at Las Vegas. (-134 under a factored index on a 17.61 dial in in EF/S (17.75), against a -726 under 9.65 dial in in FS/C (10.47), just does not feel that comfortable at the outset, but it can be very rewarding if the car does its job, and you do yours). Dead 6 will put a big smile on your face...And followed by Dead 0-in the other lane, a round later can take it away too!

It's all fun and games I would not trade for anything right now, even when it was the struggle bus.

Then there are other considerations, wheels, tires, bearings, brakes, alignment changes, etc....all in good time.

So, most of the plans I had last Winter at least for the car, are still the plans I have again now. With all that completed, we will again later attempt to test it in DF/S trim again. Until all is, I wouldn't even for kicks attempt it unless it was a sea level track. The California Car, just loves California air. It liked FL, air, and Houston Air too though.