Drags Back At Air?

[whatsisname]

Come to think of it, I should enter the Caldina in the upcoming 1/8 mile event. It would be quicker off the line than the 33 anyway, considerably quicker (mainly because I suck getting out of the hole in the 33).

[whatsisname]

Mind you, if someone had given me the opportunity to run the 33 over the quarter mile at any stage in the last 4-5 years, I wouldn't have cared if they gave me the details of my run on a piece of toilet paper and written in crayon... as long as it wasn't used toilet paper.

[SLED]

Hey Matty....what's your best 60ft time?

Edit: Just read your sig

[whatsisname]

Hey Pete, yep as per my sig. Mind you, I never had a chance to run with the old 275/40/17 ET Street Radials and put my experience (at the time) into practice with a decent drag radial tyre. I did the 2.051 on the old 275/40/17 Nittos (without doing a decent burnout) which weren't anywhere near as impressive as the ETs.

The 265/40/18 isn't the ideal option for drag racing, but I like to do it the hard way... with the car looking pretty in the process (18's as opposed to 15-16's on the rear). I've also replaced almost all of the original suspension components since those old runs back in 2005-2006.

I'd estimate an 11.XX something at high 120's now.

[MattR]

hey matt, yeah they are the tyres. I remember that day with the torrie

[whatsisname]

The run against the Torrie was without doubt my best launch to date (it's the 2.051) and I even got a good solid shift into 2nd and 3rd. Unfortunately, the Torrie got out of shape at the 1000ft mark and I lifted off the throttle whilst doing some high speed decision making, 'do I nail it and go by the carnage unfolding, or do I hit the anchors and try to pull up clear of it?' I nailed it. Ended up with a mid 12 at 110MPH after completely lifting off the throttle at 1000ft. Still reckon it was the 11 I'd be chasing for 6 months. Fast forward 5 years later and here we are discussing AIR reinventing itself.

[MattR]

yeah, im kicking my self i havnt got anything to run at the moment. i did well, two gearboxes in my S14A plus a clutch, that rear craddle that fell out in the 32 with 25 running gear on avgas and then 11.4 in that at 122MPH or thereabouts

[JETURBO]

i think the whole thing of no one going boils down to

I'm not going to pay good money to go to a facility $20 standard meets and $30 national meets so see a flashing light at the end of the track no score boards light towers nothing what are we a 3rd world country

yep spot on madaz even last weekend at heathcote park the timing system buggered up all day and many ppl were pissed that they paid good money for no time slips or a buggered up one the misses did 4 runs in her wrx and the mph didnt record right and that was 2 runs on the left and 2 on the right and thats just not acceptiable ........so air with just a light is even worse for spectator and drivers

Edited August 31, 2011 by JETURBO

[Luke_ENR34]

Would love to take the 34 down the strip when its a 1/4.

mmmmm 2.9L, GTRS, V-cam, huge rubber and over 400kw.

[Damo_R34]

All you need now is a good driver!

[andz]

Nice

[Luke_ENR34]

All you need now is a good driver!

You can pretend from the passenger seat

[Damo_R34]

As long as i can make the sounds too!

[Madaz]

hmmmm i see Damo going

[Nightcrawler]

I spoke with Rino about the lack of time boards .... back at the end of the AIR street meet days I had it on good authority that the old timing boards from Calder Park had been transported to AIR and were going to be put up. Then the whole thing turned to shit and shut down. Rino has no idea where the boards are these days (they are no longer at AIR), but he did hint that a good solution was in the works - so fingers crossed he is in the process of getting some!

[Nightcrawler]

Ahhhhh the memories ... I was just going through the giant stack of timeslips I still have sitting here in my office window .... my best 60' in the S15 was 1.912 with a run of 12.741 @ 109.01mph - September 2003

and came across these I uploaded years ago under a different username, for your enjoyment

Those were the days!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nightcrawler]

And these

[Martin Donnon]

i think the whole thing of no one going boils down to

I'm not going to pay good money to go to a facility $20 standard meets and $30 national meets so see a flashing light at the end of the track no score boards light towers nothing what are we a 3rd world country

And thats why the viability of drag racing will suffer here in SA. My 2c

[MattR]

hey andrew those were the good old days, damm you and your 12.74:)

[whatsisname]

There's no doubt the attendance level of competitors and spectators at AIR of old declined in the latter years. The substandard track surface and inadequate facilities (partial dirt access road, no timing boards, no spectator stands etc.) all contributed to the demise. However, the biggest factor of all; the venue did not have ANDRA sanctioning. Without ANDRA you cannot draw elite level competition drag racing, the kind of regular events that draw crowds, spectators, and sponsorship dollars. I also recall a number influential drag racing identities actively avoiding AIR due to a combination of the owner/s and the lack of ANDRA sanctioning.

All three potential new facilities are actively seeking ANDRA affiliation and sanctioning, which means basic drag racing standards must be met. I have no doubt all three venues are planning digital timing displays for each lane as well as a host of other features that will enhance the experience for competitor and spectator alike.

And thats why the viability of drag racing will suffer here in SA. My 2c