Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

  1. #1
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff contraption22's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Havertown, PA
    Posts
    9,517

    Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    With a little bit of free time I have had over the past few weeks, I started stitching together the runs of TeamSDAC at Drag Week 2019.

    Enjoy!



    Last edited by contraption22; 04-17-2020 at 05:29 PM.
    Mike Marra
    1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
    Project Log:
    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=

  2. #2
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff contraption22's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Havertown, PA
    Posts
    9,517

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    For a few years now, I have enjoyed watching from home and work as my friends from the Shelby Dodge community raced in the event. I had wanted to participate with them, but was unable for one reason or another. When the announcement came on Day 5 of last year that DW would be coming to my area of the country, I knew that would be the best opportunity I would ever get.

    In the months leading up to the event, I worked to get the car ready for tech inspection, and had a cage installed by my buddy and fellow competitor, Brian Slowe. Some personal matters in the spring really but a damper on my motivation to do anything really, but eventually I made Drag Week prep my focus to get through the weekends and nights.
    My Drag Week adventure began on Friday afternoon 9/6, a day and a half before tech. During the 40 mile drive from my brother’s Joe’s house where we were to load it on the trailer, the turbocharger locked up solid without warning. At that point, I was so dejected, as it seemed unlikely I would be able to find a suitable turbo to make the event, nor would time allow for the modifications to the turbo plumbing to make anything else fit.

    I started making phone calls, and as luck would have it, Brian Slowe had a Precision BB 6262 belonging to another friend of ours, Steve Menegon, sitting on the shelf at his shop. I made arrangements to purchase the turbo, and Brian offered to get it fitted that night. Mike O’Connell and wrenched to get the turbo and downpipe off, Brian donned his TIG helmet and hero cape, and in a blur of a few hours, the new turbo was fitted, and hope was restored.
    The following day, my brother and co-pilot Joe and I packed up and headed to Virginia.

    Sunday was tech in, and the line moved along well considering the number of cars. Kudos to the staff at Hot Rod and VMP. I was reasonably sure I had addressed everything to be legal to 10.00, but was still nervous. Thankfully all went well.I wasn’t planning on making any test passes initially, but after the turbo swap, I figured it would be a good idea. I made a single pass, spun all the way into 3rd gear for a mid 11 at 143, but the A/F showed pretty lean. At that point, I wasn’t sure if the lean out was due to the new turbo, or because of what we discovered the following day.

    Monday, Day 1. We drove the car to and from the hotel, and when we got to the track, we heard what sounded like an exhaust leak. A look around revealed a crack in the tube on the header for the wastegate. I knew I couldn’t run all week like that, and wasn’t sure if I should make a pass, or throw in the towel. My SDAC team mates convinced me to hang in there. A rain delay had pushed back the racing schedule, and officials made the call that that all racers would get one pass. The one-and-done program put on some extra pressure, and I decided, rather than making an easy pass, to go for it. I made a 10.10 pass which put me as the #3 qualifier at the end of the day.
    We packed up and made the trek towards Cecil with the cracked header tube. My brother’s house is only a few miles from the track, and by the time we got there, the wastegate had all but broken off. Brian again coming to the rescue, welded it back up and added a support that should prevent it from happening again. We crashed for a few hours and were off to Cecil in the morning.

    Tuesday, Day 2. Cecil is pretty much my home track, and I had never seen it that packed other then YellowBullet. Race days are a blur of changing tires, changing fuel, changing calibrations. I added some more fuel into the tune, backed the boost down a little bit to avoid breaking 10.0 and hit the lanes. After a long delay following the nasty Opel crash (thankfully he walked away from it), and the day getting much hotter, I ran 10.29 @ 143 which kept me well into the field. She was still leaner than I’d like. Seems like the new turbo really moves more air. Perhaps it’s the silver lining to the old turbo seizing up.
    The drive to new Jersey was very familiar. All local roads to me, and we actually passed within about 3 miles of my house.

    Wednesday, Day 3. While Atco is about an hour from home, and I had been there a few times, I don’t think I had ever actually raced there before. It was really hot, and she slowed down a bit to 10.443… well it was either the heat, or the aero drag from the hatch flying open. Not as great as I’d liked, but plenty good to stay in the show. We packed up to leave, but heard a nasty sound from the engine bay when I fired it back up. Brian was under the car in a blur and found the torque converter bolts had loosened up. A few minutes later, we were on the road to MIR.
    The drive to Maryland was quite picturesque and pleasant, even if it was hot. We rode along the coast of the Delaware Bay and our first checkpoint was in a park with the Salem Nuclear Powerplant towering across the water.

    Thursday, Day 4. It was the hottest day yet, Joe and I were really feeling the effects of it. Everything went went smoothly up until I was about to about to make my pass. As I was about to pull into the burnout box, I realized I had forgotten to turn on my C02 bottle for the boost controller. Luckily Warren Hall was there and was able to reach in and open it. After my burnout, the car stalled, and after getting it started, I was flustered and had neglected to switch on the launch limiter and intercooler pump. The pass was not a total loss. I ran a 10.334, which was good enough to maintain 12th qualifying position.
    Changing tires and packing up in the heat was rough, and the ride back to VA started off so as well. It certainly seemed like the longest, although one stretch down a divided highway through with trees on either side offered some relief from the sun and heat.
    Arriving at the hotel brought a huge relief as the road portions of the events were over. We all celebrated with a dip in the pool and dinner at Texas Roadhouse.

    Friday, Day 5. The morning of Day 5 brought with it some rain that set racing back several hours. SME is moved to the front of the schedule on Day 5 so that racers can find their place in the ladder for eliminations. I still had the boost turned up due to the heat at Atco and MIR, and the track hooked harder than I had expected. The result was a 9.86@ 143. The reaction from the tower was great, and I am told the crowd cheered as well, but unfortunately, it was a great pass at the exact wrong time. It was too fast to turn in and I had not yet completed the event. I got back in line, and turned down the boost some for another pass. Unfortunately the intercooler pipe popped off around mid track and I coasted to an 11.35@97mph. Before I could get back to the pits, I received a message from DJ Elford, that my calculated average was 10.50, which I felt was good enough to complete the event, and hopefully maintain a spot in the 32 car field for eliminations. As it turned out, I was qualified 20th.

    More rain delays has pushed back eliminations to late in the day. I ended up paired against a ’67 Camaro that had been running consistent 10.1’s all week. He nailed me on the tree, so my only hope was to drive around him. I ended up breaking out big with a 10.09 on my 10.40 dial. I was out.
    So that concluded my first DragWeek. What an adventure it was! My goal was just to finish, and beyond that, finishing with a 10.xx average would have been a great. Making the 32 car qualifying field was a huge bonus. The icing on the cake was to take home a plaque for Quickest 4 Cylinder of the event.

    There is a long list of people that helped make participating in and completing this event possible. I couldn’t have done it without them all. A great group racer friends made this experience one to carry with me for the rest of my life. Congratulations to all TeamSDAC for a great showing!
    Last edited by contraption22; 04-20-2020 at 08:20 AM.
    Mike Marra
    1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
    Project Log:
    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=

  3. #3
    Garrett booster Turbo Mopar Contributor
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    221

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    Great job all around, Mike! Drag Week, video and write up.

  4. #4
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff contraption22's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Havertown, PA
    Posts
    9,517

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan H View Post
    Great job all around, Mike! Drag Week, video and write up.
    Thanks, Dan. I hope everybody finds time to add their stories here.
    Mike Marra
    1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
    Project Log:
    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=

  5. #5

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    Mike, Great story and great video! I watched all of it. Just wish I could run with you guys sometime.
    What you Turbo Mopar Drag Week contingent do for our cars reputations is a BIG deal.
    Keep up the good work.
    best 1/8 ET-6.16 sec. best 1/8 speed-119.70 Best 1/4 MPH 145.5, Best 1/4 ET 9.65 sec. 8 valve NO NITROUS!!

  6. #6
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    I really enjoyed reading that Mike. Thanks for taking the time to post it. The video was terrific also.

  7. #7
    Slugmobile & MeanMini Caretaker Turbo Mopar Contributor wheming's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Raleigh Area, NC
    Posts
    4,809

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    Good read Mike!
    Thanks for sharing that, and for your work on stitching the video recap together!
    It makes me miss dragweek reliving it through your recap!
    I do wish I had organized a write-up from our perspective to share.

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6000 using Tapatalk
    Wayne H.

    '91 Dodge Spirit ES 2.5L turbo 5spd
    '05 PT GT 2.4T HO autostick (RIP)
    '89 Plymouth Acclaim 2.5L turbo auto, "Slugmobile" yes, THE Slugmobile!
    '89 Dodge Caravan SE 2.5L turbo auto, "Mean Mini" yes, Gus' Mean Mini! (Current best 11.699 @ 114.43 mph! - Oct 15th, 2022 Cecil County Dragway, MD)
    MeanMini dragracing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...URZLB1RxGYF6vw
    and other cars, trucks and motorcycles
    https://www.youtube.com/user/SlugmobileMeanMini

  8. #8
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff contraption22's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Havertown, PA
    Posts
    9,517

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    Quote Originally Posted by wheming View Post
    Good read Mike!
    Thanks for sharing that, and for your work on stitching the video recap together!
    It makes me miss dragweek reliving it through your recap!
    I do wish I had organized a write-up from our perspective to share.

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6000 using Tapatalk
    Thanks, Wayne! You should write something too.
    Mike Marra
    1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
    Project Log:
    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=

  9. #9
    Supporting Member Turbo Mopar Contributor GLHS60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Sherwood Park Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    1,640

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    Good reporting and vid!!

    Thanks
    Randy


    There is no logical reason to call an Engine a motor.

    Randy Hicks
    86 GLHS60
    86 GLHS 373 : SOLD, but never forgotten
    89 Turbo Minivan
    83 Turbo Rampage : SOLD
    Edmonton,Alberta,Canada

  10. #10
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff contraption22's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Havertown, PA
    Posts
    9,517

    Re: Video: TeamSDAC at DragWeek 2019

    Quote Originally Posted by Warren Stramer View Post
    Mike, Great story and great video! I watched all of it. Just wish I could run with you guys sometime.
    What you Turbo Mopar Drag Week contingent do for our cars reputations is a BIG deal.
    Keep up the good work.
    Thanks, Warren. It's a great group of SDAC people that do this every year. Was happy and proud to be a part of it at least once.

    Quote Originally Posted by GLHS60 View Post
    Good reporting and vid!!




    Thanks, Randy!

    Quote Originally Posted by cordes View Post
    I really enjoyed reading that Mike. Thanks for taking the time to post it. The video was terrific also.
    Thanks, Cordes!

    Mike Marra
    1986 Plymouth Horizon GLMF "The Contraption" < entertaining sponsorship offers
    Project Log:
    http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?69708-The-Contraption-2013-14&highlight=

Similar Threads

  1. Drag week 2019
    By shadow88 in forum Events, Racing, & Results!
    Replies: 32
    Last Post: 10-03-2019, 12:44 PM
  2. 2019 Mopar Nats
    By BadAssPerformance in forum Events, Racing, & Results!
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 06-26-2019, 10:49 PM
  3. Dragweek prep help! Strut Cartridge Assembly Question
    By wheming in forum "I need help!"
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 08-26-2018, 03:33 PM
  4. forcefedmopar's omni @ drag week 2011 pictures and video, video.
    By Sundance 6g72 in forum Events, Racing, & Results!
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 01-15-2012, 12:06 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •