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View Full Version : Silver State Classic Challenge - We're heading back for more!



James OLC
08-20-2009, 08:11 AM
With 30 days to go and hot on the heals of Steve Rupp's awesome article "Road Warriors" in the September issue of Camaro Performers magazine I'm excited to announce that we're heading back to Ely, NV next month as part of Team Optima for the Silver State Classic Challenge! Optima Batteries was kind enough to invite us back for another blast down Highway 318 and, like last time, I jumped at the chance. Unfortunately, the Silver State Classic will be held the same weekend as the Run Through the Hills so my crack navigator Steve won't be available (he'll be busy hammering on BP down east) so Jimi Day from FM3 Performance Marketing will be in the passenger seat for the weekend. Jimi's run the event a few times as a driver and will be a great help in keeping me on time and focused for the 45 minutes it should take to run the course.

We'll be running the Optima Half Mile Shootout on Friday, trying to better our 136 mph run from May and then the Optima High Noon Shootout on Sunday where we'll find out if we've fixed our 148 mpg engine cut-out issue. On Sunday we'll probably be running in the 120 mph class with a 140 tech speed - we could probably go higher but there's been a lot of work done on the car over the last month and I want to push our luck.

On that note the car has been spending some time over at Turn Key Engine Supply where they have been working on calibrating the ECU and giving us a new tune up that should be pretty awesome when it's all said and done. They found a couple of issues on Tuesday that were working on now and we'll head back next week for some power runs. We think that the 148 mph cutoff was ECU related and should have that issue resolved and we're hopefully going to have a closed loop program that should help us at altitude. We're also changing the transmission out to a new Magnum T-56 from Classic Motorsports which I hope helps on the gearing a bit and gives me a little better comfort in the cockpit. All that combined with some more optimization on the suspension side of things should put us in a really cool place.

If you haven't checked it out yet, Steve's article in this months Camaro Performers does an excellent job in capturing the spirit of the event from our rookie perspective in May. As always, Steve was able to put together a story that gives you a sense of what it was like to be there that speaks really well of the whole event. Like Speed Week out on the Lake, the Silver State deal is really like a grass roots event that brings a lot a characters together for a short but intense few days. It's a lot of fun and I hope that we can represent the Pro-Touring guys well.

If anyone is interested:

Friday September 18th - Half Mile Shootout, Z1Z (0-100-0) and Z2Z (0-200-0) Challenges
Saturday September 19th - High Noon Shoutout
Sunday September 20th - Highway 318 - Lund to Hiko (woo hoo)

and just 'cuz I love this picture:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/08/NORC20Mile20800-1.jpg

dipren443
08-20-2009, 08:14 AM
Any chance we can get that pic in high res? I could sure use a new desktop. :yum:

SicMonte
08-20-2009, 08:39 AM
I stopped in Ely last monday on our way from Vegas to Wendover. I went throught the car wash at a gas station there. Pretty nice little town!!

James OLC
08-20-2009, 08:57 AM
Nick - I's sure Steve can hook us up when he stops in (which I assume he will eventually do).

Doug - It is a really cool little town. I was amazed that the Hotel Nevada was the tallest building in Nevada when it was built 80 years ago. It was really something on Friday night when they have all the participants drive a parade route through town - it seemed like the whole town came out to watch. It's a great host town who really gets behind the event.

buickfunnycar.com
08-20-2009, 09:58 AM
Best of luck to you James,hope you got all the bugs worked out.

Twentyover
08-20-2009, 11:41 AM
Ely NV- known for it's prisons and bordellos...

Don't worry, i won't tell any wive's.... Although i was there with mine about 20 years ago w/ a timing and scoring team when Ward ran the program.

camaro2nv
08-20-2009, 12:30 PM
Best built 67 hands down.

TonyHuntimer
08-20-2009, 01:26 PM
Hey James,

Have fun and good luck. When I was navigating a few years back we took first in our class. It's definitely a team effort between driver and nav. We posted 139.985 average. Not bad with a cheap Radio Shack stopwatch and a digital (Dakota Digital) tach...no speedo. I got a second place plaque for being second most accurate with a handheld "timer".

MrAngry
08-20-2009, 01:52 PM
Awesome, have fun guys and be safe.

454bug
08-20-2009, 04:57 PM
GOOD LUCK James! :drive:

Steve1968LS2
08-20-2009, 05:00 PM
Wish I could go nav for you again but I'll be at the RTTH event..

Will be routing for you though!!!

Scott Parkhurst
08-21-2009, 12:31 PM
Those Optima guys are nuts- You WILL have fun!!

justimagine
08-21-2009, 01:08 PM
Hey Scott, don't divulge too many more details - remember what happens on the road stays on the road!!! :wasntme:
It is guaranteed fun and I'm looking forward to holding down the right side seat and working closely with James to see if we can bring home the coveted "Silver Plate"! We've got a bunch of media coverage planned so there should be plenty of above-the-board details afterwards!

Damn True
08-21-2009, 01:10 PM
Next up?

http://targacanadawest.com/index.php...&id=2&Itemid=1

Steve1968LS2
08-21-2009, 01:43 PM
Hey Scott, don't divulge too many more details - remember what happens on the road stays on the road!!! :wasntme:
It is guaranteed fun and I'm looking forward to holding down the right side seat and working closely with James to see if we can bring home the coveted "Silver Plate"! We've got a bunch of media coverage planned so there should be plenty of above-the-board details afterwards!

So a friendly bet of $5 if you can beat our previous best of .377 seconds??? ;)

It's a great event.. I encourage people to do it at least once.

slowcamaro
08-21-2009, 02:39 PM
Next up?

http://targacanadawest.com/index.php...&id=2&Itemid=1


broken link.

James OLC
08-21-2009, 03:27 PM
Here (http://targacanadawest.com/) is another link for the Targa Canada West Rally.

But no - I can't see doing that one next year. IF I can swing it I'll be pushing it to run the One Lap of America which will be from April 30 to May 8th (and is going to nearly 4000 miles next year) and then get to Ely for the Nevada Open Road Challenge two weeks later. That will make for a crowded May as is.


I'm really looking forward to taking on highway 318 again without the first time jitters. Your rookie year you really have a lot of stuff thrown at you quickly and the four days is just a blur. You're at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on the road course at 6 am Thursday and then it's go - go - go until you cross the finish line on Sunday. Knowing where everything is and knowing where you're going will make things a bunch easier.

TonyHuntimer
08-21-2009, 04:13 PM
Hey Scott, don't divulge too many more details - remember what happens on the road stays on the road!!! :wasntme:
It is guaranteed fun and I'm looking forward to holding down the right side seat and working closely with James to see if we can bring home the coveted "Silver Plate"! We've got a bunch of media coverage planned so there should be plenty of above-the-board details afterwards!

Hey Jimi,

Don't get your right and left mixed up! Oh, and don't do the rookie mistake of thinking your a minute too slow when you're really a minute too fast. :)

Have fun! Drive fast! Be safe!

Scott Parkhurst
08-21-2009, 04:38 PM
Hey Scott, don't divulge too many more details - remember what happens on the road stays on the road!!! :wasntme:



You're preaching to the choir here Amigo...LOL!!! Mum's the word...

James OLC
09-05-2009, 10:27 AM
Two weeks to go... and we have a long way to go...

The car is back from Southern California and a bunch of progress has been made - after three days at Turn Key Engine Supply we have a properly caliberated ECM and a pretty decent tune from idle to WOT - although we'll have to run without the wideband for now. That's not a big deal for the Silver State Classic and I've always run open loop to this point anyways so that's not going to slow us down at all. Best of Show installed our new Magnum T-56 (thanks to some help from Classic Chevy 5-Speed and Tremec) with a new driveshaft from Inland Empire Driveline. Our charging gremlins have been tracked down and chased out so we should be locked and loaded for the Optima High Noon Shootout on Saturday. The steering upgrades seem to be working and we're darn close to being ready... or at least we were until yesterday...

we've been chasing a driveline vibration since day one and think that we might have found it last night. When the new driveshaft was going in David noted what felt like some excess free play in the rear end so he pulled the center section yesterday. His first indication that things were amis came when he unscrewed the (huge) drain plug... and nothing came out. A little bit of fishing around yeilded some huge blobs of metal shavings... not good a good sign... When the center section came out the carnage was immediately obvious - the differential was completely pooched - to the point that it was actually cracked. Shoot... not a great start to the long weekend.

We should have time to get it fixed - and broken in at least a bit - before we hit the road on the 17th... I hope.

Steve1968LS2
09-05-2009, 02:20 PM
Didn't I tell ya the diff sounded bad back at the open road race? ;)

We will get Currie to fix it up on a rush next week. The TrueTrak will server you well and cost you less.

You should see if the black gold guys will repair what you have and what it would cost. Might be good to have as a spare.

James OLC
09-05-2009, 05:09 PM
Yeah... I know... we talked about getting it to Currie on the drive home. But that was 75 autocross laps ago - lol.

It's bad... real bad... I'll get some pictures and send them to DPI and see if it can be salvaged. It's too bad but ultimately I think that I'll find that my driveline vibration will be gone once it's replaced.

I hope.

a73formula
09-06-2009, 10:19 AM
good luck, I can't wait to have my firebird done for this.

David Pozzi
09-06-2009, 02:29 PM
first, out came the plug
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Then no oil came out!
It came out after I poked a hole in the metal shavings.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Then I got the diff out
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Steve1968LS2
09-06-2009, 02:46 PM
Oh the CARNAGE!!!!!!!

I thought those black gold diffs were supposed to be super strong?

I wonder what caused such a failure?

With all that metal I bet the gears are toast as well.

streetk14
09-06-2009, 03:18 PM
Oh the CARNAGE!!!!!!!

I thought those black gold diffs were supposed to be super strong?

I wonder what caused such a failure?

With all that metal I bet the gears are toast as well.


My question is where did all the oil go? Seems to me that is what caused the failure.

James OLC
09-06-2009, 03:22 PM
The oil was there - it just couldn't make it past the mind boggling wad of shavings packed around the drain hole...

Yeah Steve - it's ugly. I think the gears are 50/50 - we'll see what Currie says once they get the center section. If they are toast I'll have to decide if I'm going to stick with the 3.89's or if I'm going to change the ratio as well.

Steve1968LS2
09-06-2009, 04:10 PM
The oil was there - it just couldn't make it past the mind boggling wad of shavings packed around the drain hole...

Yeah Steve - it's ugly. I think the gears are 50/50 - we'll see what Currie says once they get the center section. If they are toast I'll have to decide if I'm going to stick with the 3.89's or if I'm going to change the ratio as well.

The 3.89 is a sweet ratio with the .62 6th gear of the Magnum..

I get gears at a pretty good deal, so I can help ya out on that end too.

We'll get it serviced and back asap.

David Pozzi
09-06-2009, 04:44 PM
The Ring gear looks OK, back lash is .010" I think spec is .008" to .012" Didn't tear it apart enough to get a really good look at the pinion gear, but it seems OK. But a new R&P isn't all that much extra money, - unless it's ME paying it! :) I think we ran an oil analysis on the diff in addition to the trans prior to Silver State, so it's weird nothing showed up.
David

James OLC
09-06-2009, 04:44 PM
Yeah... the 3.89's seem to be the best ratio - there isn't enough advantage to any other possibilities. It seems to be about the best balance for the variety of events that we'll face on the One Lap next year (which looks like it will include a 3/8 mile oval at Chemung Speedrome in New York). The Silver State guys make it sound so easy - 2.20's with an open diff and call it a day.

James OLC
09-06-2009, 04:52 PM
Yeah... we had the oil analysis done on June 3rd and there was nothing major in the results. Total solids was less than 0.1% and nothing was close to being in the warning zone - viscosity was a little low and silicone was high but that was attributed to being new (the silicone, not the vis). Nothing stood out as being out of the ordinary. Maybe that means that we ate it at the AAS weekend? I don't know. She's done now though...

Mean 69
09-08-2009, 07:21 AM
Holy CRAP!!! The metal is defintely coming from teh differential, correct? How did the axle mating surfaces look, etc? That is really ugly. That Black Gold piece was a complete work of industrial art. Will be very interested in hearing what happened. How could that have happened??!

Mark

James OLC
09-16-2009, 02:00 PM
Well the news right now is mostly good... Currie Enterprises was able to salvage our third member and replaced the blown up differential with a new True-Trac. It's in and David took it for it's first test drive yesterday. Indications are that we are good to go and with that being said...

We're Off!!!

As a test run for the One Lap of America in the spring I am going to try to maintain the OneLapCamaro Blog live through the Silver State Classic Challenge - there might be a glitch or two as we go but it should be interesting.

You can follow our progress "live" through the weekend on The OneLapCamaro Blog (http://onelapcamaro.blogspot.com/)

Cheers!
(and you guys have fun at RTTH5!)

nvr2fst
09-16-2009, 02:15 PM
Good luck James!
How are you live video. Handheld by a passenger companion or are you mounting front and rear cameras.

Steve1968LS2
09-16-2009, 04:13 PM
Given the weather predictions for where I'm going I'm sure I will wish I was in Nevada... lol

Good luck and a six pack of beer says you won't beat our variance of .377 seconds from last year ;)

dogz67chevelle
09-16-2009, 05:55 PM
Good luck James, hope everything goes smoothly for you and Dave! Looking forward to watching the progress.

deanna

mpozzi
09-16-2009, 07:36 PM
Dave just left with the OLC and is on his way to Sacramento looking to meet up with James later tonight. He's fueled with oatmeal raisin cookies and a Mountain Dew ...

That .377 off true time will be hard to beat, Steve. I wouldn't bet against you and think your $$ is safe.

Wish I was going ... sigh!!!

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

John Wright
09-17-2009, 03:30 AM
Well the news right now is mostly good... Currie Enterprises was able to salvage our third member and replaced the blown up differential with a new True-Trac. It's in and David took it for it's first test drive yesterday. Indications are that we are good to go and with that being said...


Let us know how that TrueTrac works out...I ...almost...put one of those diffs in my car, but didn't know enough about them at the time, so I ended up with an Eaton posi instead.

James OLC
09-17-2009, 04:59 PM
Thanks guys (and girls) - we just rolled in to Ely and will get the show on the road in the morning. Long drive but the weather looks perfect for the weekend!

Scott Parkhurst
09-18-2009, 06:51 PM
You WILL have fun! I'm looking forward to seeing how you do!

Fill it up at the starting line- I hear from a good source that it SUX to run out of gas...and you'll use up a LOT.

David Pozzi
09-18-2009, 09:33 PM
Hi guys! Juist figured out how to get on line from the motel. OLC is runing great and james likes the new shifter feel. Tech is done, and Sat at Noon he runs the 1 mile "Shootout". ECM voltage is staying up, so top speeds should be much better this time. Lots of entrants this time, so we expect some added competition. The cell service here is awful and I can only send text messages from my phone. I'll try and upload some pics from this computer tomorrow night if I have the time.
Gotta get some sleep now, so goodnight.
David

Vegas69
09-18-2009, 10:01 PM
Good luck guys!

Rick Dorion
09-19-2009, 02:43 AM
Simply awesome. Looking forward to updates.

David Pozzi
09-19-2009, 08:15 PM
Too many users on the motel system to upload pics tonight. James ran the 1 mile run today and turned an unofficial 161mph! - According to his GPS. There was an awesome Twin Turbo Viper with a reported 2000 hp that ran but I didn't hear how fast it went.

OLC is now prepped for the Silver State run tomorrow morning with helmet communication system, and all the stop watches etc. David

Larry Callahan
09-19-2009, 08:18 PM
Way to go! Thanks for the updates.

John Wright
09-20-2009, 07:46 AM
WTG James!..

mpozzi
09-20-2009, 10:46 AM
Just heard from James and they finished without incident!!! The OLC ran great, drove "like a dream," and they're waiting patiently at the finish area for everyone else to take their trips down Highway 318. The 150+ to Unlimited go next (they're on a break now) and all should be done by about 2pm or so. The highway will be sweeped to make sure everyone's finished or accounted for and then James and Jimi Day will drive back up to meet Dave P.

I asked how close they were to perfect time and James said "it looks good ..." Hopefully, "good" means just that but with the overall times being separated by hundredths, who can tell?? To me, just finishing is good.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

Steve1968LS2
09-20-2009, 01:39 PM
so long as they beat .377 seconds.. :)

<-- patiently waiting

batman
09-20-2009, 03:13 PM
Mary,
Thanks for keeping everyone up to date. We just parted ways with James who is headed in the opposite direction. James won't be able to pick up his trophy at the banquet tonight:) That's OK since team OPTIMA will be present to accept for him.

Steve Kepler and his brother Mike also have high hopes for a trophy. they think they were within .5 seconds of a perfect time in the 150 class driving a 2006 ZO6.

Unfortunately for Steve, I was also in the 150 class with my navigator Craig Wibbert. We think we are within .25 seconds and I cannot live a normal life if Steve beats me.

Jim McIlvaine is out here with us taking some great photos. I will try to get something on the forum soon.

Cam

Damn True
09-20-2009, 03:46 PM
Well?

Well?

Well?

mpozzi
09-20-2009, 04:39 PM
Mary,
Thanks for keeping everyone up to date. We just parted ways with James who is headed in the opposite direction. James won't be able to pick up his trophy at the banquet tonight:) That's OK since team OPTIMA will be present to accept for him.

Steve Kepler and his brother Mike also have high hopes for a trophy. they think they were within .5 seconds of a perfect time in the 150 class driving a 2006 ZO6.

Unfortunately for Steve, I was also in the 150 class with my navigator Craig Wibbert. We think we are within .25 seconds and I cannot live a normal life if Steve beats me.

Jim McIlvaine is out here with us taking some great photos. I will try to get something on the forum soon.

Cam

Dave told me all about your car and I'm still in awe. Can't wait to hear more about everyone's adventures in Ely and the great beyond, and to see some photos. And hope you get that win in the 150mph class. Poor Steve ... LOL. Can't believe those times are sooooo close to perfect zero.

TSD rallying back in the late '70's had the Curta's and Halda's, plus the programmable calculators, and used them all trying to get a zero for every leg. I still have a copy of the Larry Reed's Rallye Tables somewhere around here and should dig it out for old times sake.

You guys all did great and congrats again!!!

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

Scott Parkhurst
09-20-2009, 07:25 PM
I want to see pics from the PARTY...

David Pozzi
09-20-2009, 08:54 PM
Just found out James and Jimi Day finished second in class!

TonyHuntimer
09-20-2009, 09:21 PM
I want to see pics from the PARTY...

We know Cam Douglass loves dessert's at Pro-Touring dinner parties. He also likes beer. Here's a spy shot of Cam at the Silver State awards party.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

J/K :)

Congratulations everyone and I'm glad everyone made it through the race safely.

dogz67chevelle
09-21-2009, 03:43 AM
Congrats James. You did awesome!!!!

deanna

David Pozzi
09-21-2009, 09:37 PM
Here are pics from the Silver State
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

One Mile Shootout on Saturday
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
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https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
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https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Sunday Silver State
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
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https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

David Pozzi
09-21-2009, 09:38 PM
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
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After the run you can see all the Grasshoppers that were hit!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

John Wright
09-22-2009, 03:55 AM
Wow, that TT Viper looks very intimidating under the hood. Wonder if all that heat wrap helps....LOL

I hadn't noticed where the exhaust exits on James' car before...pretty neat.

Thanks for posting the pics David(BTW, they are very nice nice pics).

David Pozzi
09-22-2009, 08:47 AM
Thanks!
The Viper reportedly made 2000 hp on the dyno but was detuned to 1000 for this event. They are Pro-Mod racers who are playing with this new car. It was hampered by using treaded street tires I don't know why they chose those. The first run was WILD! Nearly left the course due to wheel spin. The next two were pretty tame, the engine tuner took more hp out.
David

David Pozzi
09-22-2009, 08:57 AM
Here are a few more pics. Some are from the one mile even on Saturday. The starter had a pistol Sat.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

buickfunnycar.com
09-22-2009, 09:23 AM
Great pics Dave...like the starter,looks like he meant business,lol...:machine:

Scott Parkhurst
09-22-2009, 08:19 PM
AWESOME

I gotta get back out there...

James OLC
09-23-2009, 06:05 AM
Wow - what a great weekend!

Over the last six weeks we have been preparing for this Silver State Classic Challenge and this weekend we finally got our chance to try out some of the changes that we had made and I could not be happier with the results. With less than a week to go before we had to leave for Ely, NV Currie Enterprises built us a new 3rd member with a True-Trac replacing our(well and truly blown up) old differential. David was able to get a few miles on it before loading up in the trailer but there were still some unanswered questions as we hauled the car across "The Loneliest Road in America" to our destination.

Friday morning we prepped the car for tech:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC201JPG-1.jpg

and spent some time drooling over Cameron's ride for the weekend:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC202JPG-1.jpg
it's a former Mark Martin road course car that made it's way through Borris Said who used it for driver training before winding up with Cameron. Yes... it is the real deal and yes... it is awesome!

Since the transmission and rear end were still new most of Friday was spent on the highway outside of Ely - breaking in the new parts. We managed to put a hundred miles or so on the drivetrain and brought the car up to speed a few times - and it felt great. Friday night was the cruise through town which is a lot of fun - nothing like 135 badass cars snaking their way down Ely's quiet main street.

Saturday morning saw us preparing for the Optima High Noon Shootout - a standing mile competition which is made all the more challenging given Ely's 7000 foot elevation. When we ran in the spring we encountered an issue with the engine cutting out at 148 mph - we had spent a lot of time working on that issue so my fingers were crossed in the staging lanes as we waited for our chance to run. In May we were the oldest car in the competition and this time was no different, the competition consisted of a V8 Porsche, a couple of Vipers, two NASCARS and a whole lot of Corvettes...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC203JPG-1.jpg
...including a couple of new ZR1's.

As soon as we got there we got the familiar feeling that we had (once again) brought a knife to a gun fight
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC204JPG-1.jpg

We new that we weren't a serious threat to win the event but wanted to see what we could do in the standing mile. We were the first car to hit the track (really a two and half mile stretch of 2 lane highway) which means that we had the fastest pass... at least for a while
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC205JPG-1.jpg

Our second run yielded another 160 mph run so we decided to park the car and safe ourselves for tomorrow. At 161 we were still pulling hard at just under 7000 RPM in 5th...

James OLC
09-23-2009, 06:09 AM
Sunday morning started with a 35 mile cruise from Ely to the pre-stage grid at Lane's Truck Stop in Hilo, NV at the start of Highway 318. It was just before 6 am and still dark when we set off... which would have been less of an issue if we hadn't taped the hide-aways shut for the speed runs the day before. It only took a couple of minutes to figure out the problem and fix it but it was a big distraction first thing in the morning.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC207JPG-1.jpg
7 am - Lane's Truck Stop. It's hard to imagine a greater cross section of cars in any one place...

And from Lane's it's a short 2 mile drive to the final staging area on 318

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC208JPG-1.jpg
This is most of the 115 mph class - starting with the 2006 Mustang at the top of the picture we were joined by a 2003 350Z, a '69 Olds Cutlass, an '08 Subaru WRX-STI and a '65 Shelby clone. I think that our class probably had the oldest average age of any group running.

Team Optima was there representing:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC209JPG-1.jpg
The OneLapCamaro running in the 115 mph class with Jimi Day handling the navigator duties.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC2011JPG-1.jpg
Cam Douglass was driving the 2006 NASCAR Chevrolet with Craig Wibbert navigating in the 150 mph class.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC2010JPG-1.jpg
and the Kepler brothers driving this awesome 2006 Z06 - also running in the 150 mph class. Steve was driving while his brother Mike was navigating; Mike is also drives the incredible Optima Batteries rig.

Cam and Craig were the first of the three to hit the open highway...
followed by Steve and Mike...

We weren't far behind...
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC2013JPG-1.jpg.
90 miles... 115 mph average... 46 minutes 57.39 seconds...

Our strategy was to put 25 seconds in the bank heading into the narrows which meant spending much of the first half hour somewhere between 120 and 130 mph. When he banked our time Jimi told me that I had to drop down to our target... it was tough... the car was great at 125 and I could have stayed there for the whole race. We took the narrows at a comfortable 95 - 100 mph, exiting 8 seconds or so fast. With 10 miles to go we were withing a second of our target and with 1 mile to go we were only 0.07 seconds away from our goal.

When it was done the car had performed perfectly and the only problem we had was a couple of bugs on the front of the car...
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC2014JPG-1.jpg
other than that the car ran flawlessly and it was a comfortable drive.

As soon as we were done Jimi and I drove down to the gas stop as Ash Springs where I filled up with gas for the return drive to Lund while Jimi and Cameron and the rest of the Optima crew headed to Las Vegas. The return trip was 115 miles of desert at what seemed like a painfully slow 70 mph(ish). I admit that I did speed up a bit through the narrows but that was about all.

James OLC
09-23-2009, 06:09 AM
Some of the other cool cars at the event...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC2016JPG-1.jpg
Tom Ciancitto's 1937 Ford runs in the 180 mph class

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC2017JPG-1.jpg
Blaine Spendlove runs his 1963 Ford Galaxie in the 145 mph group

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/SSCC2018JPG-1.jpg
and this awesome twin turbo Viper was on hand to run 200 plus in the mile shootout!

James OLC
09-23-2009, 06:10 AM
When it was all over, as you know, we finished a respectable 2nd in the 115 mph class. We were 1.2 seconds off our time (fast... my fault - I must have misjudged the hill beween the final mile marker and the timing lights) but still managed to bring home the hardware. This was Jimi's first time navigating although he had run the event six times before as a driver. This was Jimi's first podium finish (and obviously mine as well) so we were both stoked despite being slightly off the pace.

Steve and Mike wound up finishing 4th in the 150 mph class, only 0.197 seconds off their target; Cameron and Craig wound up 8th, 0.443 seconds off the pace. Most importantly, everyone finished safely and without issue. We all ran the High Noon Shootout (results are not officially out yet) and completed the 90 mile run without a hick-up so that is a success in itself.

I have to thank Cameron Douglass and Optima Batteries for their support over the weekend and Jimi Day for his awesome navigating and advice. Most of all I have to (once again) thank David Pozzi for his support and great car preparation. A lot of effort went in to getting the car ready for the event and David was there every step of the way. Thanks everyone - It was a great time and a great result.

Next time we'll shoot for the 130 mph class (or so) and see how we do... should be fun!

:woot:

John Wright
09-23-2009, 06:16 AM
Awsome thread...with lots of great pics and dialogue to boot!

Steve1968LS2
09-23-2009, 06:19 AM
Congrats on the win Jim.. We need to go back in May with Penny so I can finnaly get one of them damn plates! lol

Glad all the parts worked out... hey, you might as well leave your car down here for the winter.. not like you can drive it in the frozen north.

dogz67chevelle
09-23-2009, 06:28 PM
So is there any chance of finally getting the Bad Penny-OLC autocross shootout at the Great America autocross? Hint Hint!

deanna

James OLC
09-23-2009, 06:34 PM
LOL - nobody wants to see that Deanna. Besides, the two cars can't coexist in the same place at the same time.

For what it's worth I just got finished downloading the IQ3 data and thought I would post some of the telemetry:

In the mile...

Top of 4th gear - 130.6 mph at 6925 RPM (97.7 % throttle)
At the mile - 161.97 mph at 6706 RPM (also 97.7% throttle)
The entire run took approximately 31 seconds and it took 14.6 seconds to go from 130.6 to 161.97 mph.

During the run on highway 318

Cruising at 120 mph was at 3900 RPM with 25.5% throttle

Scott Parkhurst
09-23-2009, 06:44 PM
Awesome! Team Optima are all great guys- I've had the pleasure of running with that pack as well. Your car is dialed in and working great! You've got all the bugs out of it...unfortunately they're smeared all over the front end now..!

Damn True
09-23-2009, 07:46 PM
LOL - nobody wants to see that Deanna. Besides, the two cars can't coexist in the same place at the same time.

For what it's worth I just got finished downloading the IQ3 data and thought I would post some of the telemetry:

In the mile...

Top of 4th gear - 130.6 mph at 6925 RPM (97.7 % throttle)
At the mile - 161.97 mph at 6706 RPM (also 97.7% throttle)
The entire run took approximately 31 seconds and it took 14.6 seconds to go from 130.6 to 161.97 mph.

During the run on highway 318

Cruising at 120 mph was at 3900 RPM with 25.5% throttle



What kind of mpg did you get this time?

Does your ECU record fuel flow rate?

James OLC
09-23-2009, 07:53 PM
The ECU doesn't record fuel flow but I drove straight from the finish line to the gas stop at Ash Springs and filled up... it took a touch over 7 gallons for a calculated average of 16 mpg and change.

buickfunnycar.com
09-24-2009, 08:13 AM
Just awesome James & Dave (and obviously Jimi),those are some great pictures and wow...16+ mpg,that is very impressive indeed.:1st:

Griffith Racing Vipers
09-26-2009, 04:29 PM
Even though we brought a "Bazooka" to this Gun fight we thought your car was just plain cool!!! Our guys have built a lot of race cars and fast street vehicles and are very picky about craftsmanship and functionality. We all found your 67 Camaro to be an awesome piece in the areas of fabrication, fit & finish and functionality. Even though our Viper is a bit over the top for a street car, we really appreciate what you did with your car.

It appears that your GPS and telemetry did not match up with the SSC's radar either. If you car was only going 146 on the run that I witnessed, I would have eaten all the road kill on hwy 318!! 161+ was definitely more accurate. I know our telemetry recorded in excess of 214 MPH, while their gun showed us going only 197. That would have been a Silver State Record but oh well it was fun anyway!! Here is a youtube link to our in-car camera (go to the 3 minute point to see the mile runs as the others were tests being the very first time the car had run). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dkr70J3FQM

In any event, your 67 was a big hit with a bunch of fussy racers from Socal. Hope to see you at future events.

Eric Lenore
Griffith Racing

David Pozzi
09-26-2009, 05:19 PM
Eric,
Great car you have! Thanks for the video.
David

David Pozzi
09-26-2009, 07:55 PM
Here is a video I took of the start.
IYNGm1S-DmY

YancyJohns
09-27-2009, 04:38 AM
Congrats James and Jimi! :twothumbs Thanks for the pics and video, Awesome! Are you bringing the car to SEMA?

YancyJohns
09-27-2009, 04:44 AM
That Viper looks :evil:/Mad Max like w/out the hood. :hail:

James OLC
09-29-2009, 06:43 AM
SplitterVision of the Start of the SSCC:
X3MOdIURaE0

This should approximately sync to David's video above. Data logging has us at about 120 and change when the video ends.