Famoso TNT - Saturday - February 15th 2014

[jhwalker]

The thought of getting a strong bike after not riding for 35 years never crossed my mind, but that might have been fun. And maybe deadly for me. I thought that the SPF Replica was very well-behaved at the strip for a car with a 90 in wheelbase, although I have seen vids of these cars doing 180s right after the launch. The fun of having it at the drag strip was very short-lived when Bernie was the only owner who would let me run it.

[Tetge]

Those safety rules have some basis in reality, and, I'd bet that if you entered the car in one of those road races in Mexico that you have spoken of in the past, they'd require upgrades to your current set up too. At least, any serious organization would want all the restraints and roll bar/cage heights, and such, in place. Events such as the Mojave Mile are very strict and demanding about safety, down to steel valve stems and tires and all. And, they are not self tech.

That was another feature of bikes since all one needed was leathers and they were good to 10 flat and 140. Very cost effective to run 10's at 135 and still have a perfectly good daily rider and a bike set up for maximum handling in the canyons. The Busa even ran on regular grade fuel and it got decent fuel mileage. But, in reality, it was too good and too fast for the street since it never broke a sweat until 150+ and it handled a lot better than most people would think. It even held its resale value, so a year of racing, until LACR closed, was really not too expensive. But, now, I appreciate the finer points of riding a slow, DR-Z, supermoto and, other than a desire, now and then, to feel tremendous power at work, I do not miss the Busa.

[jhwalker]

Those safety rules have some basis in reality, and, I'd bet that if you entered the car in one of those road races in Mexico that you have spoken of in the past, they'd require upgrades to your current set up too. At least, any serious organization would want all the restraints and roll bar/cage heights, and such, in place. Events such as the Mojave Mile are very strict and demanding about safety, down to steel valve stems and tires and all. And, they are not self tech.

That was another feature of bikes since all one needed was leathers and they were good to 10 flat and 140. Very cost effective to run 10's at 135 and still have a perfectly good daily rider and a bike set up for maximum handling in the canyons. The Busa even ran on regular grade fuel and it got decent fuel mileage. But, in reality, it was too good and too fast for the street since it never broke a sweat until 150+ and it handled a lot better than most people would think. It even held its resale value, so a year of racing, until LACR closed, was really not too expensive. But, now, I appreciate the finer points of riding a slow, DR-Z, supermoto and, other than a desire, now and then, to feel tremendous power at work, I do not miss the Busa.

Not really. I could run at Big Willow at very high speeds, cornering, threshhold breaking, but not run a 1/4 mile in a straight line?

Stupid, but probably insurance-driven, and carried over from long long ago. But not worth bitching about now, just stupid at the time.
And of course, still stupid. What are they doing with the hot Vert Vett?? It has to run a fast 1/4...

[Tetge]

Actually, I did not mention tech at WIllow Springs on purpose. If you took the replica to a track day, it was self tech, and, as far as I could see, they really are super lax, and, they only have you sign a self tech statement to relieve themselves of liability. Famoso, on the other hand, can be quite strict. I only saw you at Willow on once occasion and you were ultra conservative, so I missed your other visists when you were getting big G's and all. I must have seen you early in the game before you became confident about the handling. Ryan and I watch from the grandstands that day, so, I have a witness to back me up. There was also another replica belonging to old yella that day taking it easy as well. As witnessed by the in car video that Brakelate made where the Cobra replica lost it right in front of him, this might have been the prudent way to act, in any case. I wouldn't know, since I am not a road racer.

I do not know what the NHRA's stance on the new Vette would be, or, for that matter, what their stance on some of the exotics which easily can better the 13.5 mark where the rules require roll protection for verts. But, for the Vettes, at least, and most of the exotics as well, it is really no issue, since they never race those cars anyway. One thinks that most serious racer would not want a vert even if it did not weigh anymore due to the generally stricter safety requirments that seem to apply to verts.

However, there are, or were, since I can not find a current place that verifies the rules still exist for 2014, a set of rules for pure stock late model performance vehicles that are in 100& pure stock trim (and some say this precludes using drag radials). Under these rules, even verts can go as quick as 11.5 with no safety mods at all other than a proper helmet. The best explanation I could find is here, and, the rules did pass back then: http://www.nhra.net/2004/news/june/062202.html

[jhwalker]

Actually, I did not mention tech at WIllow Springs on purpose. If you took the replica to a track day, it was self tech, and, as far as I could see, they really are super lax, and, they only have you sign a self tech statement to relieve themselves of liability. Famoso, on the other hand, can be quite strict. I only saw you at Willow on once occasion and you were ultra conservative, so I missed your other visists when you were getting big G's and all. I must have seen you early in the game before you became confident about the handling. Ryan and I watch from the grandstands that day, so, I have a witness to back me up. There was also another replica belonging to old yella that day taking it easy as well. As witnessed by the in car video that Brakelate made where the Cobra replica lost it right in front of him, this might have been the prudent way to act, in any case. I wouldn't know, since I am not a road racer.

I do not know what the NHRA's stance on the new Vette would be, or, for that matter, what their stance on some of the exotics which easily can better the 13.5 mark where the rules require roll protection for verts. But, for the Vettes, at least, and most of the exotics as well, it is really no issue, since they never race those cars anyway. One thinks that most serious racer would not want a vert even if it did not weigh anymore due to the generally stricter safety requirments that seem to apply to verts.

However, there are, or were, since I can not find a current place that verifies the rules still exist for 2014, a set of rules for pure stock late model performance vehicles that are in 100& pure stock trim (and some say this precludes using drag radials). Under these rules, even verts can go as quick as 11.5 with no safety mods at all other than a proper helmet. The best explanation I could find is here, and, the rules did pass back then: http://www.nhra.net/2004/news/june/062202.html

Yes, when checking out a "new" car in ANY situation, I always believed that it is prudent to see that the car actually slows, stops, turns left and right before doing more with the car. It has been observed that some people don't subscribe to that philosophy. I approached the SPF as a "long game", with nothing to prove at any point in time.

And the Rep never cut great G's. Anything over 1 g was a miracle when it was new. It was (then) just a fun beast. The mods that have been made to it over the years should get it into the 1.2 G range, and a bump steering issue has been resolved which makes high speed cornering a lot more predictable. The Radical could cut 1.5 G's in my hands, and 1.7 in a better driver's hands. I have heard of 2.0s but ehhhhhh I'd have to see it.

The drag strips never had a problem with my 11.5+ runs in the SPF, but it was hard to not run faster than that -- I would shut off too late. The capper for me was when Fontana, on a PRIVATE DAY, said the SPF was too fast, and would not let me sign up -- they said, based on reports from Famoso. They did have the same top management at that time. That seemed pretty chicken.

But that was a long long time ago... and does not have a lot of relevance in 2014

[Tetge]

You were a legend at all the tracks..... lol

[jhwalker]

You were a legend at all the tracks..... lol

??? of course that is not true, but I enjoyed time at the tracks. Especially road race tracks. Drag strips were more about the people, and the shenanigans involved in waiting around for long periods of time for a very brief period of fun.

[Tetge]

You were a legend at all the tracks..... lol

??? of course that is not true, but I enjoyed time at the tracks. Especially road race tracks. Drag strips were more about the people, and the shenanigans involved in waiting around for long periods of time for a very brief period of fun.

I never have appreciated the supposed joys of road racing, although canyon carving on the street is fun at times. Interesting that there appears to be a philosophical schism between drag racers and road racers, even if they tolerate the others. I actually got bored within a few laps at the Streets of Willow since the only challenge that I could see was a marginal decrease in lap times, until one approached the limits of their skills and/or machine. And, there were fairly long waits between runs on the tracks as all the groups cycled through. On top of that, the rules on passing and on track behavior actually precluded getting to run hard for very long at all. At least at the drag strip, I am free to drive to my maximum. If there is a slow Prius out there, it will be in the other lane, not holding me, and a long line up, for 3/4 of a lap on the Streets, and, yes, this happened the day I went to the Streets. It also seems that at the hobby level, drag racing is more of a common man's sport in terms of costs, and road racing seems to cater to the more affluent crowd, as it is clear that road racing costs more as a rule. In any case, I do not see too many road racers, and their machines, drag racing, nor do I see too many drag racers, and their machines, road racing. Carlos, of course, is an exception, but, as we have noted already, Terminators are natural switch hitters when it come to handling multiple disciplines.

But, posting at 2:46 am? Partying again, we see.

[Brakelate]

I always believed that it is prudent to see that the car actually slows, stops, turns left and right before doing more with the car. It has been observed that some people don't subscribe to that philosophy.

Lets leave me out of this.



Not that I am actually reading through all of this banter.

[jhwalker]

I always believed that it is prudent to see that the car actually slows, stops, turns left and right before doing more with the car. It has been observed that some people don't subscribe to that philosophy.

Lets leave me out of this.



Not that I am actually reading through all of this banter.

you wussy