Who droped the ball

[2camaroracing]

Hey what happened tonite the track was the worst i've seen it in along time yea made to the semis & i'll take luck any time we can get it don;t get mad now because when ya do good you get praised for it i don't like to be negative but if ya do good ya want praise so take the flip side because it was fair at 60 but after that it was sh--------------------- lets do better next week where i can praise ya some more :sleeping:

[Mike Bradley]

To be honest I don't know. We switched traction compounds last week prior to the PTRA race on April 7th. We saw the cold weather moving in before the PTRA race and after talking with Jeff Miles, Carolina Dragway, about the VP Racing Fuels LC6 traction compound in cold track temps we elected to scrape the LC6 off and go back with VHT the entire track. Jeff uses LC6 and got bit with the LC6 during a ORSCA race last season when the weather turned cold in the afternoon. The track was, in my opinion, so-so for the PTRA race until the track got stone cold and had gotten hosed with oil, water, gear oil you name it and then it went south. The new drum of VHT we got in and using now is an strange, very odd color. VHT typically has been clear and this drum is antifreeze green. I've called the supplier and quite honestly haven't gotten a good answer as to why the color change in product.

I'll confess this business with traction compound and track prep is one of the most puzzling things I've ever experienced. I can't see how or why it should be rocket science. We'll get to the bottom of it and find the correct compounds for *our* track. Each track is a little different so we'll keep at it until we find the secret formula for Pageland Dragway.

[Rick Rafferty]

Yeah, my car got way loose:nailbite: after the 60' mark on each time run in the right lane. So come first round I was more than uncertain on what to dial. Then in round 2 the track seemed to come in for me and I broke out by a tenth - yes, a tenth. Sorry others had trouble but good to hear it may not have been just me.
Hope to see the track improve in the coming weeks.

[staginglt]

Granted, I don't make a lot of power, only 1.62 60' and run 7.3x's, but my car went right down both lanes all day. I was running 20-21psi in my 9x29.5 M/T bias plys, with stock type shocks, S/S leaf springs and a pinion snubber. Just seems to be certain cars or setups.

Your car was yanking the wheels nice at least, Rick! One of these days when I've been relegated to the fence I'll have to get some pics. Looks like a Stocker! :)

[Rick Rafferty]

Yeah, MB - the launch & 60' was OK then got way loose right after that.
Adding PSI to tires did seem to help. I've never ran as much air as you.:confused:
I'm going to test some this Friday to check things out, but track conditions
are not usually in race form on Friday's.
I need a few good shots of my launch. The few times we've had a
photographer at the track they did not get any good shots of me.
Please get a few shots for me when you/gf can.
Congratulations on your repeat win! U da Man!:cool:

[furr980]

hey rick, the track is actually pretty good on friday nights. i went 3 wks ago, and my first three runs were 7.47, 7.47, and 7.46. the last two were crappy because they retreated the track which made it slick. the third run was around 9-9:30. so i think you will be surprised if you go friday. and by the way ive gone up 3lbs on my rears from 12 to 15psi. i wanna try higher to see if that will make the car 60' better and more consistant.

allen furr
62 chevy II black FB/No-Box

[Rick Rafferty]

10-4 Allen - Thanks for the note!

Billy Jackson - check your PM

[2camaroracing]

Hey Mike thanks for taking the time to try an explain what is going on i have faith inyou guy's i know ya'll will get it worked out hopefully it will be by this weekend if not do'nt be suprised by what you read on Sunday morning:laughing: but on the flip side if it is good then we can start with something thanks:biggrin2:

[2camaroracing]

Thank you thank you thankyou when we made the 1st pass tonite i sawsomething i've not seen all year it appeared to be 7.06 on the score board then i thought well some of the bulbs are out again but when i got back to the trailer got the time slip it had a 60ft that i've not seen all year either well not to get my hopes i said if it backs it up i''ll believeit & backed it up it did what do you say when the car runs 5 pass'es within 3thoundth's of one other :biggrin2: i know your asking your self if it was that good why did we loose 2nd rd well it's called just getting beat or maybe a crew man error like i said 7.06's but i did'nt listen dial'ed 7.05 ran 7.06 lost by 007 either way i'm not argueing track was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hey guy's execlent job tonite if Mike being away let's you guy's make the track work this way then maybe he should stick to Friday only LOL:laughing: just having fun Mike keep it up so we may continue praiseing the staff i know they worked hard on this today an if no one else say it then i'll tell you the word in the pit's was the track has never been better once again THANKS have a great week & now i look forward to coming back next week Timmy i just thought about what you said you were going to nick name me and i'm not calling names so i'll tell the other half an she'll take care of this matter for me next week

Thanks Billy

[Mike Bradley]

Thanks for the good track conditions report. We held an 11th hour track owners meeting Friday night and decided to trash can the drum of "GREEN" VHT we had been using. I talked with Mr. PJ Harvey the owner of VHT this week and he's aware of the odd batch that was made and shipped across the country. He claims NHRA has received some of the green VHT traction compound as well and not had any real problems with it. I'll confess he didn't really convince me there wasn't an issue with the new batch. So, we went back to the new VP Racing Fuels Lane Choice LC6 Saturday morning. We may end up having to scrape back the top end to remove the VHT glue that is there and start over with the LC6.

I want to thank Brad Hargette, Hargette Body Shop Monroe, NC, for bring his tractor out and helping work the LC6 back in Saturday morning. Having two tractors dragging the rubber back in made things go much faster. Brad is a customer of mine who circle track races.

Well you may have your wish not having me around for next Saturday either. I have been informed that we, yes Melinda and myself, will be at a wedding next Saturday. It had conveniently slipped my mind but I guess I'll need to go seeing how this is here employer (Doctor) who's daughter is getting married.

Good luck next week to all the racers.

[2camaroracing]

come on Mike don't be like that we will let you come back on Sat's just leave the track working up to Timmy & Jeffhey thank's for the hard effort you put in this week to find out what was going on i was impressed been a long time since the car has ran that well

[staginglt]

Yep, I agree... I had my best 60' (unfortunately! Leading to a breakout) :eyeroll: LOL (Had a 1.58 in the Duster) The pics on the homepage tell the story, too. MAN! Plyler's car leaves awesome.

Having Myron there was a good testimony as well. A Stock Eliminator car on 9" Radials can be pretty unforgiving. All of his 60's but two were 1.50's, and the other two were 1.49's. (Pretty good for a 3,550 pound 7.30 car!)

Good job this weekend, y'all.

[Rick Rafferty]

Kudos the the track staff on the track prep last race.:smile:
Definately got things back on track. I had my best 60's ever with
a 1.48 and a couple 1.49's and down track was much better, which
is where several racers were skating last week - including me.
Way to Get r Done!:cool:

[2camaroracing]

what do i do:nailbite: :nailbite: :nailbite: no it was'nt all there but between the car & driver doing there job & what was there we made it work out i'll say it was fair & yes we won the race 1st of the year it was our anny today tried to take Anne some where else but she said JPD is where i want to be so i'll take this as my anny gift
Thank's Billy

[staginglt]

Anne did a great job last night! Congratulations to both of you. It was cool to see her grinning every time she pulled away from the time slip booth. :biggrin2:

I was at Piedmont Dragway yesterday morning, made two qualifying runs for the Pro-Am race, packed up and drove 2-1/2 hours to race at Pageland. As always, it was worth the trip! My Stocker's not much faster than my Duster, but it's more fun yanking the wheels! :cool: After the first time shot, the Volare was printing time slips on 9" radials, just like Myron's last week!

Congrats to Dannie Haigler for his win in Modified! :biggrin2:

[2camaroracing]

To the staff well as we all know it was a hot one on SAT but for temp to be as high as it was hats off to the sensor man after the 1st couple off pairs went down the track did go to work 60ft times stayed where it should & for the heat the car was where it should be also had a great time even though we lost in the 3rd rd due to a 490red which came from the 60ft time picking up 1Hth (Tim):laughing: i blame you for that :biggrin2: but rather have it hooking & the cars going straight than it not working & having to complain try & repeat next wk it should be as good if not better with start times being pushed back a couple of hrs just my thoughts
Thanks to the JPD STAFF
Billy

[Mike Bradley]

Billy I'll second that. Tim and Jeff have been tweaking the new generation of traction compounds to get the track tune-up pretty dog gone good for both Friday and Saturdays. Fridays are a little more temperamental due to all the street cars. The method to the madness is starting to come together.

Good luck this weekend and try and keep Anne on the straight and narrow this week. I realize that's a pretty tall order but I think you're up to the job.:helmet:

[furr980]

i had a bad first pass, but after that the car was on a rail. driver was a lil eratic. i noticed a number of cars getting loose from start to mid track in that first practice round as well. do you think that had to do with a lack of rubber and the heat or either or something else different. just wanting ur thoughts as to that

[staginglt]

When I've been there, I've noticed that cars sometimes have trouble on the first time shot, but after that the track is very good. From 2nd run of the day on, both my cars have been right on the rest of the day -- and the Stocker's on 9x30" radials with 18-19psi!

'preciate all your hard work!

[Jamey Abercrombie]

My car hooked hard on the first pass with a 1.41 60' and then had a 1.45 60' on the dash for cash run. The rest of the night it was 1.41. Maybe there was something on the track or just one of those racing things on the dash run. I would like to see one more practice run to dial the car in especially when it is this hot.

Jamey

[2camaroracing]

Well if you weren't there you should have been don't know for sure what was done but i do know that Jeff was back & the track was hooking hard :biggrin2: LOL thanks to the entire staff for their hard work in preping the track & keeping it clean our car worked awesome all night in the right ln hey sensor man (Tim) ya'll keep up the good work see ya'll in a couple of wks
Thanks
Billy /Anne

[Mike Bradley]

Well if you weren't there you should have been don't know for sure what was done but i do know that Jeff was back & the track was hooking hard :biggrin2: LOL thanks to the entire staff for their hard work in preping the track & keeping it clean our car worked awesome all night in the right ln hey sensor man (Tim) ya'll keep up the good work see ya'll in a couple of wks
Thanks
Billy /Anne
Billy you know how much effort we've placed on having the best racing surface we can provide week in and week out. The products and method we're using now is somewhat unorthodox but seems to be working quite nicely. Where I think we'll really shine is when it gets *super* hot and greasy. I feel like we'll be in a little better shape than some facilities but time will tell for sure. Thanks for taking the time to acknowledge the hard work Jeff and Tim put forth each week.

[Joe McCoy]

Let me just say one thing. Last W/E I was at Pageland and it was hot. Every pass I made was a 1.21 sixty ft time. I went to another track yesterday and the weather was about the same as it was last W/E at Pageland. First pass out of the trailer the car ran 5.65 with a 1.29 sixty ft. Best pass I had was second round and it was dark. It went 5.52 with a 1.25 sixty ft. I was jumping sixty ft times and ETs like microwave popcorn in a busted bag. I couldn't even feel the car shift. Now I can't say Pageland is always great cause I only race there a few times a year but I've never seen it bad after the first couple years it was opened at any event I've attended. Everyone at the track yesterday was going crazy, even the regulars couldn't do anything with it. How do you race and be competitive when you haven't a clue as to what the track will do next round? You're very fortunate to have such a decent track close to you. JM

[2camaroracing]

Hey Joe i'll have to say amen to what you posted no we wasn't where you were at but the track prep had to be one of the same it was really bad so i'll have to say thanks to our staff for the effort they put in because it was awsome last w/e

[2camaroracing]

O.K. i'll be the first to admit it here a few w/ks ago i was ready to give up on the guys at JPD but they have proved me wrong all i can say is thank you again & again:biggrin2: with 3 wins out of the last 4 races at JPD i'll have to say they have really stumbled onto to something as for as track prep goes with rd wins in the left & right lanes it appears they have got control on what they are doing & keeping it consistent because the car is right there every pass 60ft times are not moving & as it cools the car runs what it is suppose to for the temp change Tim, Jeff, & Mike for what ever it is worth keep up the great work it is working have a great w/k & we'll see ya in a couple of w/ks:smile:
Anne/Billy

[Mike Bradley]

Thanks Billy for the post. Like I've posted here before the compound(s) we're using now is somewhat of a "home brew". I'll confess it is a pain in the butt to have to inventory all the different agents but hey if it works that's the main thing. We'll see you guys in a couple of weeks and congrats on picking up win #3 Saturday night. I guess those 000 bulbs with a .001 does level the playing field between the faster and slower car.

[furr980]

i just wated to tell everybody how lucky we are to have such a great track surface each and every saturday nite. i went to a track last night, not naming any names but its a NC track, that you couldnt dial the car from one lane to the other. i spun from sun up to sun down except for one practice pass in both lanes. needless to say i wont be going back there, for this is the third time ive been there this year and had the same scenario. ive made air pressure adjustments, shock adjustments, burn out adjustments and nothing came to avail. so i just wanted to thank mike and the staff for such a great and predictable surface, and that i dont have to worry goin from lane to lane if im gonna spin or grip. so since carolina dragway is the 'house of hook' id figure we could call pageland the 'strip with grip'.

[Joe McCoy]

STRIP of GRIP! Catchy and I like it. Better than that is during my trips there it's a true statement. JM