Lester and I arrived at Fisher's around 12:30 on Saturday to "show" the SSG (and see if any cops would ticket it as an abandoned car!). First thing we had to do to get the car off the trailer was install a toggle switch for ignition and a push button for the starter. Why not just use the key you ask? Well, when Lester finds it, we might use it again! So after this is taken care of Lester fires it up and it sounds good. Really good.
You see, the previous week we had taken the Ghia to Jax Raceways for the first time and things didn't go so well. Lester managed a 9.39 @ 78mph with locash mike riding shoot gun, but the motor would develope a bad miss around 5000 rpms. This would mean short-shifting to keep going. It was also spinning the tires like crazy. Tracy from tgfab.com offered up an old Mallory Hy-Fire CDI unit he was using as a wheel chock at his shop (you think I'm kiddin...)to try and boost the ignition power. Lester and I installed it over the weekend (tach output is dead though) and got it running, but never got the car off the trailer. I was supposed to take it to the track on Thursday night for street-night and beat -up on all the Fast n' Furious fans. Unfortunatley, I had to work late and this was a no-go.
So here we are on the street in front of Fisher's and I tell Lester to run it down the street to warm it up while I put the ramps on the trailer. He takes off and I listen for the missing to start but it never does! I quickly look up to see Lester powering away and getting a little squirley hitting second gear. Things are lookin' up for Team Lo'cash!
On Lester's return trip he gets in it deep... You can see/hear in the distance he's got it moooving! As he makes the 2-3 shift under full throttle (He's not big on letting off the gas!) the ass end gets a bit sideways! Lester quickly finds the motivation to let off and find the stop pedal.
We park in front of Fisher's and everbody is checking out this turbo-turd. We blow some dollars in Ken's Shop (For anyone who's never been to Fisher's do yourself a favor and visit if you are ever in the area. He and his guys are totaly cool and will be glad to show you around)and and chow on some free hotdogs.
RACEDAY:
Sunday we get to the track around 9:30 and Eric "volksnut" Sorg is already there ready to go. It was decided that Lester would race since he has a lot more track time and the car is far from dialed in. First pass netted a 9.29 @ 81mph. This was done on a set of hard-ass Falkken 195/60s which were spinning up into 3rd gear. Eric turns an 8.60 spinning his tires AND clutch! A couple more dial-ins and Lester knocked-off a 9.026 at something like 85mph.
Now the problem is these guys, who were planning on racing trophy class have to run the sportsman class (9.50 and slower) or pro class (7.50-9.49). It seems there is no more trophy class. It's decided to run sportsman and sandbag like crazy. After all, it's better to chase than be chased!
Lester wins his first round and Eric gets a by-run.
Next round, Eric is plauged by ignition troubles and is elimintaed by a rather interesting glass bodied buggy with a T-4 motor and auto-trans.
Lester ends up in the final round against this very same car. I don't recall the T-4's dial-in, but Lester dialed-in on a 9.50. When Lester's light goes green he comes out and starts chasing down the T-4 buggy who had already left. At the "big end" he back pedals and then quickly gets back on it. ET...9.512 on a 9.50 dial-in for the win and remember, no tach/shift-light output from the CDI and the speed-O doesn't work either!!
I have got to give props to Lester. That was just some kickass seat of the pants racing!
$100 from Ken Fisher and the day felt that much better. It's not much money, but 5 more payouts like that and the SSG will have paid for itself!! How many racecars can say that? Just remember, it's not all about money, it's about fun! See ya
