Midnight Mayhem? Options

[Mark@ams]

I have been thinking about coming down for next fridays midnight mayhem in my galant.

What are the rules? How lienant is the track? Good prep? I have never raced at cordova why I ask.. Anybody gonna be there?

Mark

[awd4kicks]

Hey Mark, since I've got the Talon back together now I may be going to the Midnight Mayem on the 31st as well. Really depends on the weather.

Cordova has always seemed to be relaxed in their tech screening. Not to take away from their expertise, I just think they have a few key factors they look for and are otherwise, unconcerned.

It's been 3-4 years since I've been to a MM event, so I don't know about track prep. I heard the last MM had little or no track prep. Normally there is plenty.

AS far as the rules...heres what's on their site (Beyond these generalities they follow standard NHRA rules):

Midnight Mayhem
Street Legal, DOT Tires & Mufflers (Cars Only)
Grudge Racing, Class Racing & Instant Green Starts, Flag Girl Contest
Gates Open - 10:00pm
Racing - 11:00pm - 4:00am

General Rules:

GR-1. NHRA rules are the basic and minimum standard for safety and competition. CDP track and class rules compliment these, and in some cases, supersede. See the current NHRA rulebook and direct any questions to a track official. We strive to promote fair competition & the enjoyment of Drag Racing.

GR-2. No fighting, vandalism, filthy language or theft. Any action or behavior deemed detrimental by CDP towards CDP will result in disciplinary action and/or suspension.

GR-3. No selling or soliciting on the grounds without permission of management.

GR-4. Dispose of litter in designated barrels. Waste oil should be put in totes provided for this purpose. Trash bags are available at the ET Booth. Please help keep the grounds clean.

GR-5. Keep water faucet areas clean for everyone’s use. No car washing please! Turn off water faucets when not in use. Please make sure your car is dry before returning to the racing surface.

GR-6. Curfew will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of racing. There will be no loud noise such as engines or parties and all motorized pit traffic shall cease.

GR-7. Pit Parking - CDP has a number of reserved pit parking spaces. All asphalt spaces are reserved. On Friday nights anyone may use those spaces is the renter is not using it and there is not a cone in the space.

[black92_tsi_awd]

I would go to the Friday Fun Night earlier that day if you can make it. The track prep is a lot better than the midnight mayhem events.

How fast is the Galant?

As far as Tech, it's usally based on how fast the car is/looks. The faster the car, the more they check. Make sure you have the basics, helmet, overflow (gatoraide bottle passes), battery tie down etc.

I usally just get a Tech Card at the beginning of the year and you don't have to tech the rest of the year. Saves a ton of time waiting in line...and it's free.

[Trent@revhardinc...]

I should be there But I wont be Competing . But I will be running. Goint to be a site to see..

[Booztd 3]

Wanting to go, but waiting on another shift fork for the trans....Might have a few new goodies on the car by then as well.....

[Mark@ams]

Thanks for the info guys.

As for how fast the galant is. Will have to wait and see =) It's a 4-dr automatic =) we'll see..


Hope to see some of you guys next friday.

[awd4kicks]

Haha... Mark it's going to be nearly impossible to pass off the Galant as slow, being that you are from AMS.

I can understand not wanting to say anything until you've run it to feel it out and work out the bugs (if that's the case). I would bet you've got a dyno sheet or two laying around for it though.

[Mark@ams]

Oh I know believe me =) I am not trying to pass it off as slow at all..

Ive made 580 AWHP through the auto which is damn good considering it soaks up a lot more HP then the 5 speed. It's a full weight car w/ a/c still.. So it's pretty heavy..

[natedogg]

Quick and comfy...nice!

[awd4kicks]

Yeah...that's my kind of style! Excellent number Mark.

[Mark@ams]

Here is a small video ive changed a few things since then.

http://media.ams-evo8.com/videos/mgalant/Mark10Vid.wmv

[awd4kicks]

If everything holds together like it has I plan to make it to Cordova Friday night after work. Anyone else up for the trip?

PS: I keep forgetting to check out the vid when I'm home.

[Booztd 3]

I *doubt* my car will be back together in time to head up for this, but I am defiantely going to try and stay optimistic.

[black92_tsi_awd]

Hmmm, might be able to go. Wife's has made some plans due to the Holiday weekend.

[awd4kicks]

We have :
Mark from AMS
Trent from Rev Hard
Black92_tsi_awd
Myself

We possibly have:
Spy
Natedogg
Boostd 3

[black92_tsi_awd]

Looks like I'm in.

Kicks, are you driving or trailering? If anybody's getting together and going down lets me know.

[awd4kicks]

I plan to trailer just incase the normal happens.

[kapoosh]

maybe....but i doubt it....

[Mark@ams]

There is also going to be a bunch of galant vr4 guys going and a sick evo3..

I plan on also trailering just "incase"

[awd4kicks]

This ought to be a crazy night of DSM/Mitsu racing!

[black92_tsi_awd]

When does everyone plan on getting there?

[Mark@ams]

i am leaving chicago about 800.. Only takes about 2 hrs to get there I believe..

[treydawgs4g63T]

me and my bro are going! of course not with our cars though, he is waiting on shift forks and im waiting on a shift cable bracket! We will be headin up around 9pm.

[awd4kicks]

I plan to take advantage of the the 'Better' track conditions of Friday Fun Night. I will be leaving the Sunnyland area about 4:30PM for the 6PM race time If things go well I may race during Midnight Mayhem. Either way I'd like to stick around and watch the AMS boys tear it up!

[black92_tsi_awd]

Kicks
Sound good to me. I was thinking the same thing. Might pack a few beers for after racing and hang out with everyone and the Midnight Madness.

Call my cell when you're on the road. You pretty much have to drive by my house on the way down. Could meet you guys at the Knoxville exit.

[Mark@ams]

Ive never been to cordova.. How is the paddock area?

if anybody gets there earlier then usual is it possible for you to save me a few spots?

[awd4kicks]

The parking area is pretty large and where the asphalt runs out there is additional parking in the grass. I've only seen people parking in the grass on VERY large events. Some MM events get fairly big, but I think you will be able to find a spot fairly easy.

I have lost my second tow vehicle this morning. I will make a few other calls though.

[black92_tsi_awd]

Parking is decent. There's a good amount of concrete and some electrical hookups. There's plenty of grass parking. Some concrete spots are researved but for Midnight Madness, if there's no one parked there by then you'll be fine.

I'm sure Marcus and I can try to save something.

EDIT***apparently Marcus and I were typing at the same time....

Are you still going if you don't get a tow?

[awd4kicks]

I can chance it, but it's not wise for me to go to the track without a trailer knowing my breakage history.

[black92_tsi_awd]

Maybe the trailer is the curse, no trailer...no breakage. Sounds like you got the bugs all worked out so you should be safe. Just don't push it to the max!

Well, you guys let me know. I was going just to make a few runs in the nice cool air and then hang out. If there's no one to hange out with, it doesn't make much sense to go. I've got a bracket race next weekend so it's not like I won't get a chance to go soon.

If you guys decide not to go, let me know before 3:30-4:00. If we're not going, I'll leave with the wife to the in-laws tonight.

[SCCA Stang]

that seemed to be the way to go when I was autocrossing the GSX.... if I brought a truck full of parts and tools, it would break every time..... the time that I just had me, the car and some luggage.... everything went smooth... do it marcus... have some fun.

Just don't push it to the max!

kinda hard to do once you get there.... I have always said that I was going to take it easy, but in the moment when victory is close, you will always push it to 110% for the win.

how many people have an A/F ratio guage and fuel pressure guages an say that it is there so that you can shut it down in case you go lean???? how many people accually shut it down if it does past the 1/8th mark????

[awd4kicks]

YEAH! Dont say quit yet guys! Dayum. I am a pretty hard guy to talk out of something once my mind is set..regardless of the circumstances. If there is a way, I will be going.

[black92_tsi_awd]

Hey, real cars are driven to the track anyway prod...prod....

[black92_tsi_awd]

worst case, I break... tow her home... That would suck.

Hmmm, worse case, I break and Marcus trailers me home.

Thanks again Marcus for getting me home, especially considering it was over a half hour out of your way.

Had a good time all things considered. Did get to see a Marti-gras style flag girl contest...no beads through, stange. I feel like a dirty old man

[Mark@ams]

I want to say the event was something like ive never seen before however was cool.

I also want to thank everybody who helped out when my car blew the upper hose especially (trent? @ rev hard) who gave me his upper coolant hose im sorry i was so frazzled i forget names.

i had so many gremlins. the upper hose, the temp sensor the the lower hose.

However I did manage to run a 10.5 @ 126 i believe it was.. Never had that many issues with the car before i guess it was just not my night.

[kapoosh]

sounds like a good time overall. Sucks i couldnt make it, had some family things to do.....

[awd4kicks]

I had a good time Friday night at the Fun Night and at Midnight Mayhem.

The wait time in the staging lanes made me really appreciate no waiting at the days that I rent the track...

It took me a bit to get a truck lined up and get everything together. So I got there a little late. I did get in about 5 runs, all on 93 octane pump gas. Most of the runs I was driving like ass. Either I would bog my launch or miss a gear. I managed to get a best of 12.07 at 120 mph. I already had a 12.04 under my belt, but the 120mph was a new best.

The driving and crappy 60ft. times weren't good enough. So I paid the extra money to run in Midnight Mayhem and replaced the pump gas with 118 octane so I could turn up the boost. I was aiming to get booted off the track and I thought this would put me faster than an 11.5 for sure. I admit the launches and raw acceleration seemed to nearly pour me out the back of my seat! It was a new experience for me...and I LIKED IT! A LOT! Somehow my frustration continued as I hit a couple more 12 second runs with a driving error here or there.

Then on my third run into MM I finally got a respectable launch and I hit all the gears the way they should be. My time slip read 11.83 @ 122 mph! I also had a new thumping noise from the back of the car like my drive shaft hitting the exhaust!?! How could I bend a drive shaft with an 11 second run? With some help from Black92 and a neighboring racer I found the my 3" exhaust slip connection had merely slipped apart. Whew! No biggie and we had it fixed in no time. I took this as a good note to call'er quits for the night. Thanks to Chris, Spy and Evan for all their help and comradery!

I FINALLY broke into the 11's!
I am a bit befuddled and surprized that the race gas and boost above 30psi did not translate into faster times. The only thing I can attribute it to is having to launch below 5500RPM because it bogs off the two step and possible slipping street tires after the boost comes on... With these results I don't see much need to add race gas or turn up the boost since 25psi netted only two tenths and 2 mph slower than everything I had to throw at the track.

By the Ol' Horse Power calculator 122mph translates into roughly 465whp and over 550 crank HP. So I'm happy about that and having an 11 second full weight, leather interior street car!

I will be posting up a commemorative video soon with a scan of the time slip.

[awd4kicks]

Oh and Mark, I'm sorry I never got a chance to catch up with you. The one time I went over to your camp you were still working pretty intently on the radiator hose situation. Good runs man.

How in the heck are you laying down the power? I have a greater respect now than ever before for those that can get into the 11's and beyond. It's been a long battle for me and I have only scraped in by 2 tenths!

Here's to you man!

[black92_tsi_awd]

The 11 second run was a beautiful thing to see! The look of accomplishment on your face was even better! Next stop...11.2's!


Had a good time hangin out with everybody, even after I blew up. I'm just trying to remember the quote, was it "The whore look became popular in the 90's"???

[natedogg]

Congrats Marc! You deserve it!!

Wish I coulda been there to see it.

[awd4kicks]

Thanks fellas