At The Track
As mentioned in the last two shootouts, the weather was very conducive to good performance. We registered a maximum temp of 71.1 degrees F, a mean temp of 55.7 degrees, a mean wind of 13.46 mph, and 0.08-inch total precipitation. Couple that with expert track preparation by the experienced staff at Norwalk Raceway Park and traction was abundant. Like the previous two shootouts, we also experienced some personal best records.
Linda "The Pontiac Lady" Spidel
Her driving style is cool and confident--strictly business. As a result, she knocked-off her five runs with machine-like consistency; there was only a .046-second difference between the quickest and slowest 60-foot time and .089 seconds between her quickest and slowest runs.
Linda pretty much echoed everyone's opinion of the conditions at Norwalk. "The track was great," she said. "I was able to put down better 60-foot times than usual, and the car was faster too. It was a little slick toward the top end but not really bad."
Jamie Taylor
While Jamie's Grand Prix showed great potential, it was pretty obvious that it wasn't running right. With her mods, it should have been running a lot better than a 14.7. Then with a break, Jamie ran a 13.37 at 103.4 but then backed it up with a way-off 14.92 at 95.82. Something was definitely amiss.
A trip back to the pits revealed a large vacuum leak. While they were in there, they re-gapped the plugs and pulled out the fuse for the traction control. A little bit of cooldown time and voila--a 13.17 at 105.64, her best e.t. The best trap speed was 105.84 mph, which came on her last run, with a 13.25 e.t. Vindication was Jamie's. One thing that she wasn't able to determine at the track was the operation of her limited-slip differential. "I had problems getting the driver's side to burn out," she explained. "I'm not sure if it was car or track-related."
Amy Richcreek
Amy's experience at the sticky Norwalk track was a great example of how a tuning log can make a big difference in performance. Though her '65 GTO was tuned right and double-checked, as she put it, "There was a bad bog off the line and some hesitation." So what was the problem? By analyzing the numbers on paper, she found her answer. In a nutshell, the track was hooking up so well that the 406 was bogging off the line. Her first run was a 12.47 at 112.44, way off the mark for a car that can run high 11s with ease.
The solution? Upping the launch rpm from 1,600 to a full 2,000 worked--essentially eliminating the problem. The car responded with an 11.74 at 118.62, finally culminating in a best run ever for both car and driver--an 11.69 at 115.10 mph.
Vanessa Heckaman
We could have sworn that Vanessa's Grand Prix GT was packing a supercharger or at least a big nitrous shot, but it wasn't. This normally aspirated 3800 was making use of more traditional hop-up methods, cam, compression, and more displacement--most notably in the form of the new ZZP 3800 stroker kit. Vanessa's problem wasn't lack of power, it was traction. In her first run, she let the transmission shift automatically and ended up with a 14.25 at 99.64 mph. The computer shifted at a rather short 5,200 rpm. She gradually upped the shift points until she was revving to 6,400 rpm. At that point, the V-6 started making more usable power. Trap speeds increased to a high of 102.21. Interestingly, while the trap speeds only varied 2.57 mph, the e.t.'s dropped by 1 second. This indicates that the power was not being put to the ground, a common malady for a front driver.
"I'm still learning to be a consistent driver," Vanessa explained. From the looks of her reactions times, she's in very good shape already.
Mary Beth Hess
Like Linda and Amy, Mary Beth is an experienced and tough competitor who knows how to get a car down the track. She also can quickly spot a problem. Her first two runs were fairly uneventful, but the car didn't feel quite right. On the third run, Mary Beth noticed that the GTO was lifting unevenly and pulling to the right, a problem exacerbated by the sticky track. Things got worse on the fourth run. "Looking at the 60-foot times, you wouldn't think it was so bad," she said. "But if I was in the left lane, I would have had to lift to avoid taking out the tree." Rather than risk a mishap, the GTO was put on the trailer.
Once at home, Roy, Roy Jr., and Mary Beth carefully studied the videos of each run, and, with the information from their tuning log, they were able to determine that the solution was to add new rear springs and an airbag. Coupled with a trans brake and two-step, the GTO now launches straight and even. Once again, real-world testing and applying the information learned from the runs solved the problem.
Babe Dyer
Babe's Grand Prix was running very strong all day and with a better level of consistency than one normally sees from a street-driven, front-drive Grand Prix. Part of that can be attributed to two things. First, she was able to lay some very good 60-foot times, no doubt due to the sticky Hoosier slicks. The other factor she had that really helped was in the form of a DHP "Happy Knob," an in-car device that allows driver control of timing. She was easily able to dial in advance or retard to counteract the knock.
"I actually needed to hit the throttle more; the traction was that good," Babe reported. "The track was sticky; it hooked well when the tires were heated up." The GTP's performance was indicative of her assessment, as the 60-foot times were the best of any of the front drivers competing. Babe was able to post a best 60-foot of 1.86 seconds, a number that is sufficient to carry any car well into the 12s. With a trap speed range of 106.00-108.24, the little V-6 was making some pretty impressive power.
Conclusion
It is pretty obvious that talented racers come with and without Y chromosomes. Our six women racers came from a wide range of age and experience levels, from beginners in early adulthood to a grandmother who has a "take-no-prisoners" driving style with a few others somewhere in between sprinkled in for good measure. Their racing and life experiences gave a great range of approaches, and it really seemed like everyone learned something new by participating in this event. One thing's for sure, this group of women are all extremely competitive, yet very gracious about it. We were very happy to be a part of this high-speed display of girl power--or should we say girl horsepower?