New Best Time & Track Story

[Zack]

I have waited for a weekend like this for far too long. I woke up this morning at 7 after getting in at 3 a.m. but it doesnt matter, the adrenaline is pumping and Im going to the track!!
I arrive at about 10 and Im happy to see the place is not that crowded, being the first day open this season. Im ready to beat my previous time of 12.67 and Im confident it will happen because Ive done the cooling mod and 295/35/18 BFG G-Force Drag Radials are on the widened rims. These tires are not tall enough to drive around on (26" tall vs. 28" tall stock tires) but are wicked for the track. They also set the ABS and Brake light at highway speeds.
I started out with 20 lbs of air and I was one of the first cars to run so the track was not warm yet. The tires broke loose bad and I ran a 13.1. Ok, Ill wait a little while. Dropped the pressure to 18 lbs, did a nice smoky burnout and staged with an 03 Cobra that made 407hp to the tires. Now Mac is behind the staging lanes with about 10 guys and from what I heard, money almost changed hands on this race. This pass I flashed the Torque converter (held the brake and gunned the motor to about 3 grand for a second). By this time, the light is green and I stab it. Tires hook up like full drag slicks and Im gone. It was the most exciting 12.506 seconds Ive had in a long time, and I beat the Cobra. From what I heard, fans in the stands were cheering and exchanging high fives with each other. My 60 ft. was 1.831 and mph was 108.99. The mph should have been around 110-111, but everyone was driving right into a 10-15mph headwind today.
I went back to try for the 12.40's, but got a good scare. I do my burnouts in first gear and switch back to drive at the tree. Well, I must not have engaged drive because the car took off in 2nd and I thought I blew the trans from the lack of power.
After that, I chalked my times and experience up to one hell of a good day and headed home.
This car rocks.

[Zack]

One more thing...
The temperature was 60 degrees.
My air intake temperatures were 70-73 degrees, thanks Dennis!

[Long Live #3]

Very nice Zack!

[JamesHecker]

Awesome! Sounds like you had a GREAT time!

[Smokie]

Zack, congratulations, great time and I am sure that if you were not running as Bob Seger sang "against the wind" your 12.4 would have been reality.:beer:

[gilby04]

Way to go, Zack...a "landmark" in time.
A great way to remember Leap Year 2004 !

[jgc61sr2002]

Zack - Congrats. That time was fantastic. You are the man. :beer: :up:

[CRUZTAKER]

Great time man, keep on keepin' on.:up:

[SergntMac]

Zack, congratulations, great time and I am sure that if you were not running as Bob Seger sang "against the wind" your 12.4 would have been reality.
It was the proverbial "double edged sword," Javier. Running dead into the 20 MPH wind wasn't a good thing for our lovely BBWs. They're sleek to a point, but still a "blunt instrument" in head on wind resistance. The up side here, was that it was chilled air. Track temps may have hit 60 degrees, but the wind was strong enough to make it a 45 degree day, wind chill wise. I captured some highly consistent 12.90/12.91 ETs, which I am pleased with in light of my street tire launch.

Y'all should have seen the 100 or so crowd, it was a Marauder moment y'a would have loved along with me! 100 may have been a light turnout for an opening day, but E V E R Y O N E was watching this line up. Here's the view from the pits.

"Cobra I B" (Illinois license plate), repleat with Snell 2K full face helmet, fire suit, shoes, gloves, ect, pulls into the water box. He does a decent warm up, and clean off before staging. IMHO, I may have worked this a bit more, but it's not a Marauder and I've never driven a Cobra, K?

Now Zack pulls into the water box, and warms them up real nice I mean real nice. I've watched Zack drive through a hundred water boxes, and I can tell he's wanting this real bad. This is a real race to watch, y'all, a "generational" face off, know what I mean? Not just for me, but for everyone here at this track. Both impecable gleaming black cars too.

Zack's on the job with an impressive burn out and clean off. "Cobra I B" should have paid more attention here, but they are both staged now.

Zack waxes his azz right out of the gate, but by the time they wind out 2nd, the little guy is coming back hard and fast. This is when I see that people are standing up in their seats, stretching and stepping around each other to watch it all. One dude starts trotting down the return lane...What?

Zack hits 3rd gear (which we could all hear/see from his healthy chirp) and it's race over. Zack's long-leg stride delivers his 12.50 to the Cobra's 12.74.

AIRI, the "woof-woof" cheering started at Zack's 2-3 shift, and never stopped. Odd thing about this, Zack and I were both at Mike's High Speed Performance earlier in the week when this Cobra dropped by for a dyno. His dyno numbers looked good, it's an impressive Mustang indeed. Just not quick enough Mustang, ya know? Remember this, there is "quick," and there is "fast."

While watching them stage, I thought I had an ace in the hole here, and could make a few bucks on a side bet. I'm an old time street race gambler, I knew how this Cobra could run against Zack and I thought I knew how most people would expect a Marauder to run against any Cobra. For the life of me, I couldn't make dime one on the side, no takers for the obvious "sucker's choice" bet.

It's now my impression that this audience has seen enough of Mustangs over the past 40 some years, because even another "old guy," Race Manager Norm, clapped whole-heartedly over Zack's win. Maybe I should have bet with him? Nah...

Could it be that everyone favored the "grown up" here? I don't know.

OTOH, this was opening day at Route 41, test and tune stuff with a lot of wild stuff driving in. Not much "even matched heads-up" racing going on, so, the thrill factor here is "double edged" as well.

It took me back to my "old days," for sure.

Zack...Thanks for the entertainment, nice job my man! Sorry I could not make any side money on you.

"Cobra I B," if you're listening, come back again?

Once I get my '04 tires in place, I'd love to step up with you myself. The side money may buy me a helmet. BTW...How does it feel to be beaten by a "blunt instrument?" I've met a few homicide victims who would like to discuss this experience with you...

[JET]

Way to represent guys. Sounds like you had a lot of fun. I was at the track too but it was jammed packed. I only got 3 runs in 5 hours. Best was a 12.687 @ 110.18.

[Glenn]

Thanks Zack and Sarge for a terrific story. I read it three times and going back for a fourth.

Glenn

[Lidio]

Sweet Zack!!!

Any chance you and the other Chicago boys might hit some of the FFW or NMRA races this summer??

I'm planning on all the NMRA races that are around or less then 5-8 hour drives with my MM. Except for the Florida NMRA race in two weeks. Can’t miss out on that one.. Always a good time in FL with the NMRA or the FFW guys!

I've never looked so forward to not racing one of my Mustangs this summer. Like your self and others here. Drag racing the MM for me has (as gown up as the MM and me are supposed to be) never been so fun.


Cool...

[MI2QWK4U]

Those are some nice numbers Zack.
Hey Lidio, you know that Milan is opening the first week in April! First chance of the year to try some new stuff. I can't wait for summer. Indy will be a nice chance to have some fun at the IRP with all the people on MM.net.

[Fourth Horseman]

Haha! Great numbers and a killer story and excellent delivery from both Zack and Mac! Nicely told!

[Bigdogjim]

Zack you and Mac make a great team!!

Great run!

Congrats!!!:)

[JET]

I can't understand why racing threads get so few post.

You guys did a great job representing all of us

KODOS TO USE GUYS

:bounce: :up: :argue: :up: :bounce:
:banana2: :banana2: :banana2: :banana2:

[2003 MIB]

Proud of you Zack- Awesome!

Sarge- You have the soul of a poet-Reading that post was almost like being there. I wish I had been.

:up:

[TAF]

I can't understand why racing threads get so few post.

You guys did a great job representing all of us

KODOS TO USE GUYS

:bounce: :up: :argue: :up: :bounce:
:banana2: :banana2: :banana2: :banana2:
I'm still in shock...:eek: