123. The Mopars

This meeting was not on our radar for this year, as it has turned out it was a good job the team went to the Mopars as it looks like Steve can't get the time off for the Hot Rod Drags. After Dragstalgia and the disappointment of the performance of the new parts till the very last run we needed something something more to cheer us up. The last run at Dragstalgia proved we had some horsepower at last and that we were going the right way with the tuning. It was decided at the last minute to attend the Mopars but with a depleted crew as I was back in Spain. Steve and Dave too the car to the Pod Friday morning to do some work on the car before the RWYB session started at 12 O'Clock. A couple of days before this Steve and I decided it was about time to let Dave have a go in the car. Every time we had tried to sort this out in the past something had gone wrong with the car but for now she was running OK, So Friday afternoon Dolly Dave Dream got togged up and towed down for a run.....

Video Courtesy of Santa Pod Live TV to watch the full video click here

No-one expected what came next, the track was good the car was running ok and after a lot of work on her in the last 12 months she now runs straight...ish but Dave's first run was arrow straight and fast he went through in 9.1 seconds and if he had not come off the the throttle early as he only hit 133 mph it would have been an 8 second run, a later  run with a two step off the line resulted in a 9.6 with a faster 137 mph and another run Saturday morning resulted in a  throttle problem so no time or speed recorded but! I bet Dave had a grin so big it could be seen from outer space.

For the rest of Saturday it was back to Steve in the hot seat again the track and air was good and the car was for the most part behaving itself. Without changing too many  of the settings from the previous day the team towed own to the start this time with the lovely Diana doing driving and back up duties. Steve was paired off with a massive pick up truck and the lights ran down and ....well!!

MY PB well and truly beaten with an incredible 8.58 second run wow even I was shouting at the top of my voice here in Spain.I knew it is in the car and I also knew there was still so much to come from that little red and black machine. Steve's next run was a bit of an anti climax as he only ran  8.7 but I found out later that he had a puncture on the front wheel at around half track which slowed him up a bit...! The team missed the last run as they tried to find a replacement inner tube for the car even a trip to Halfords didn't solve the problem but at the last minute they used a BMX bicycle inner tube but it was too late for the run. Sunday morning the team were up ready for another days racing again the track and the car were more than ready they towed down for the first run of the day Steve was paired off with Callum Swinchat who has been consistent in the 8 second zone the lights came down and off went Steve but he left behind a big red cherry as he had forgotten it was a handicap start with staggered lights and he broke out of the 8.4 second dial in he had set...yes you did hear that right he had broke out of the 8.4 second dial in........

Video Courtesy of Santa Pod Live TV to watch the full video click here

I spilt my coffee knocked over the chair and lost my voice Steve had jut run 8.38 at 157.43 mph so both ends of the PB for that car now belong to Steve...for the time being? Wow what a run. The next run something went wrong Steve stepped after the burnout cut the engine and was pushed back, After the tow of shame it was found that part of the throttle linkage had come away under the car which thankfully was easy to fix. Next run resulted in  a 8.4 second run which was good for the dial in but maybe not as fast as Steve wanted to go but it was found that this time both front wheels had punctured so this slowed him up a bit and with no way of fixing the problem on site it  was time to pack up and miss the last run but the team were not too disappointed they have had a record setting weekend Uncle Dave had been int he hot seat and they came away with is trophy.....

All in all not bad team. this however might be the last time the car hits the track this year as some work now needs to be done on her, we will see.