UPDATE Sept 2023: Land Speed Trials at Loring AFB, Limestone ME

[2ndAmend]

Any other tips from @2ndAmend or @BULL? I'm likely doing the No Fly Zone in Gila Bend, AZ this October. Standing 1/2 mile side by side...

https://www.omegamotorsport.com/copy-of-noflyzone-arizona

Speaking of tires should I ditch my street drag radials and put the stockers back on? And as far as PSI goes what should they be "cold", considering that ambient air that time of year can be 100?

I've LSR'd @ Bonneville and the Maxton Mile with a motorcycle and it's a whole different experience than 1/4-mile drag racing, that's for sure! Since it'll be my first time doing so with the Hellcat I'm really looking forward to it, I'm thinking I should be good for 150-ish MPH. I heard the runway in Gila Bend is pretty rugged (like Maxton) and the run off requires getting on the brakes HARD AF after the traps, so I'll likely take it easy-ish the first pass. It's side by side there too and getting sandblasted by faster cars (and there will be plenty of them there) is par for the course, so I'll need to tape up...

I am not an expert by any means, but that has nothing to do with me having lots of opinions!

It'll take many posts and here is the start:

Huge difference between .5mi and 1.5mi. You will get to around 150 in the .5, but the extra 1mi is good for maybe 40mph. You are doing a long drag race, I would highly recommend sticky tires, maybe even DR's. Even the guys doing 1.5mi do a hard launch. The only concern is you have a starter (human) near the car and you don't want to go sideways into him.

At the local Street Nights the clock doesn't start until you break the beam so I often wait 5 sec after the start to put distance between us. Your event is only looking at trap speed, you could probably do the same if you think the other guy will sandblast you.

Watch "The World's Fastest Indian" a couple times before you go. (I just watched it again last night! )

 

[2ndAmend]

Drag is square of the velocity so at 200 you have 78% more drag force than 150. I would focus more on launch than drag.

I would imagine the HC will shine in the .5mi, no concern about 4wd’s getting the jump, the 60-140 pull is where it shines!

One thing I noticed in the few 1/4’s I did, when I sat and spun I ended up with an embarrassing ET, but my speed was very high. I never got a good explanation for this but my theory is that the spinning at launch assures you are in your power band before you waste precious distance. I have done 130 in the 1/4 with a poor ET, I think this is a formula for top speed.

If you have .5mi to slow down, I don’t expect it will be much worse than a 1/4. The energy your brakes need to dissipate is a function of the square of the velocity. At 150 you have 44% more energy than 125, but you have what, double the distance to slow? (1/4 vs 1/2?) Besides, the HC’s have very good brakes, especially the RE’s.

Let me know if you want more.

 

[Ronin]

I LSR’d a motorcycle @ Bonneville so watching The World’s Fastest Indian was kind of mandatory before going, like eating the salt if it’s your first time there.

That’s as disgusting as it sounds by the way…🤮

 

[2ndAmend]

I remove the wipers only because Adrenalin Rush told me he saw them levitating when he got near 200 in his Charger. Not sure it's worth it for you but I guess it can't hurt. We just remove the blade from the arm and put tape on the tip of the arm to protect the windshield.

I remove the splash guards, not only for drag, but I don't want them pulling off and leaving screws on the runway for the motorcycles coming by at 210.

I think Bull was spot on with the higher tire pressure, I got the 191 with 34 cold, I will be experimenting with higher pressure next time. You will need to balance traction vs high end rolling resistance. I had no control probs with all 4 at 34 cold, probably about 38 hot.

We bring tarps and take everything out of the trunk and leave it all behind.

 

[BULL]

I remove the wipers only because Adrenalin Rush told me he saw them levitating when he got near 200 in his Charger. Not sure it's worth it for you but I guess it can't hurt. We just remove the blade from the arm and put tape on the tip of the arm to protect the windshield.

I remove the splash guards, not only for drag, but I don't want them pulling off and leaving screws on the runway for the motorcycles coming by at 210.

I think Bull was spot on with the higher tire pressure, I got the 191 with 34 cold, I will be experimenting with higher pressure next time. You will need to balance traction vs high end rolling resistance. I had no control probs with all 4 at 34 cold, probably about 38 hot.

We bring tarps and take everything out of the trunk and leave it all behind.

I like the blade removal only idea, I took the whole damn thing off.

PITA!

 

[Marc W]

Any other tips from @2ndAmend or @BULL? I'm likely doing the No Fly Zone in Gila Bend, AZ this October. Standing 1/2 mile side by side...

https://www.omegamotorsport.com/copy-of-noflyzone-arizona

Speaking of tires should I ditch my street drag radials and put the stockers back on? And as far as PSI goes what should they be "cold", considering that ambient air that time of year can be 100?

I've LSR'd @ Bonneville and the Maxton Mile with a motorcycle and it's a whole different experience than 1/4-mile drag racing, that's for sure! Since it'll be my first time doing so with the Hellcat I'm really looking forward to it, I'm thinking I should be good for 150-ish MPH. I heard the runway in Gila Bend is pretty rugged (like Maxton) and the run off requires getting on the brakes HARD AF after the traps, so I'll likely take it easy-ish the first pass. It's side by side there too and getting sandblasted by faster cars (and there will be plenty of them there) is par for the course, so I'll need to tape up...

I ran the standing half at Gila Bend a few years back when I was still running the A8 and the Whipple 4.5. Ran 184 mph. Biggest issue out there is traction. I couldn’t get to WOT until 5th gear. Run your drag radials or you’ll never get going. A problem a lot of the Hellcats were having was IAT over temping and shutting it down before the finish. Chiller or icebox is just about mandatory if it’s even warm out there. The shutdown is short but the Hellcat brakes are up to it. I was using the chute just in case. The end of the track comes up real fast.

 

[BULL]

I ran the standing half at Gila Bend a few years back when I was still running the A8 and the Whipple 4.5. Ran 184 mph. Biggest issue out there is traction. I couldn’t get to WOT until 5th gear. Run your drag radials or you’ll never get going. A problem a lot of the Hellcats were having was IAT over temping and shutting it down before the finish. Chiller or icebox is just about mandatory if it’s even warm out there. The shutdown is short but the Hellcat brakes are up to it. I was using the chute just in case. The end of the track comes up real fast. View attachment 111622

I vaguely remember talking about your short shutdown for that event. How short was it?

 

[Marc W]

I vaguely remember talking about your short shutdown for that event. How short was it?

Yea we’ve been doing this for a while now. Lol. I don’t remember but I would not do it with my car now. Too risky for 200 mph. That pass btw was against WhipCat. He came all the way out from Florida with his dad to throw down. I beat his best speed by a fraction of a mph.

 

[Ronin]

@Marc W, I just look at my IATs now just driving around and can’t imagine what they’d be during an event like that.

I’m super pissed I found out a week after the event that they ran it in March. That’s WAY more preferable to October here, it could easily be near 100 ambient.

It’ll be a learning experience for sure, I’m effectively bone stock so it’s an excellent baseline. I’m hoping @firedude will be there with his Redeye, I have some friends that are planning to run a brand new ZL1, a BMW M4 CS and a Jeep SRT (standard, not a Trackhawk) so it should be a hoot!

 

[Marc W]

@Marc W, I just look at my IATs now just driving around and can’t imagine what they’d be during an event like that.

I’m super pissed I found out a week after the event that they ran it in March. That’s WAY more preferable to October here, it could easily be near 100 ambient.

It’ll be a learning experience for sure, I’m effectively bone stock so it’s an excellent baseline. I’m hoping @firedude will be there with his Redeye, I have some friends that are planning to run a brand new ZL1, a BMW M4 CS and a Jeep SRT (standard, not a Trackhawk) so it should be a hoot!

It’s a super fun event when the weather is cool. But that half mile is a long pull at WOT when it’s warm. Especially when your engine has some heat in it. The long double line to get to the start takes a while. With a interchiller that’s ok because it’s working. But, if you don’t have one 😬. A lot of modified Hellcats going into limp mode on the track. SRT Autoworks sold a lot of ice boxes back then for their customers to run this event. Another thing that should be a concern now if you need to spend the night in town…. Gila Bend being on the border has been overrun with the immigrate mess. I think a while back they were begging for help.

 

[Ronin]

NO fucking way I’d overnight there…it’s just over an hour and a half for me so it’s an easy/straight shot in the morning. A little longer for my friends coming from PHX and Tucson though.

Heat soak is gonna be an issue one way or the other I suppose…they haven’t announced the October dates yet but I’ll run it again in March for laughs, temps are WAY more friendly that time of year!

I’ll run it “cold” (pun intended!) so hopefully I have nowhere to go but up/faster…

 

[2ndAmend]

I ran the standing half... Ran 184 mph.

WOW doesn't even begin to describe that. The best 1mi in the RE was 179!

 

[Marc W]

WOW doesn't even begin to describe that. The best 1mi in the RE was 179!

😎

 

[2ndAmend]

😎 View attachment 111691 View attachment 111692

NICE! But why it is pink? Is it because you are PROUD of it???

 

[Marc W]

NICE! But why it is pink? Is it because you are PROUD of it???

The time slip was placed on the fender to get a picture and it blew off. Right into a puddle of coolant that had been drained out of the ice box. It had water wetter in it and it was pink. 😂

 

[Ronin]

😎 View attachment 111691 View attachment 111692

That was in December? Ambient air temp must have been pretty decent...

 

[Marc W]

Yep. Date is on the time slip. Going on four years now.

 

[2ndAmend]

I was organizing photos today for HCOTM (your vote would be greatly appreciated!) and I noticed something new. In the first photo, it looks like the L&R edges of the hood are high, I first thought it was the angle of the view. But the second photo confirms it, sure looks like the edges of the hood are pulling up at speed. It seems to be held down fine by the latch in the center but the hood looks like it is flexing and pulling up at the sides. If any of you guys have any thoughts, warnings, suggestions, I’d like to hear them, thanks.

 

[BULL]

I was organizing photos today for HCOTM (your vote would be greatly appreciated!) and I noticed something new. In the first photo, it looks like the L&R edges of the hood are high, I first thought it was the angle of the view. But the second photo confirms it, sure looks like the edges of the hood are pulling up at speed. It seems to be held down fine by the latch in the center but the hood looks like it is flexing and pulling up at the sides. If any of you guys have any thoughts, warnings, suggestions, I’d like to hear them, thanks.
View attachment 112465 View attachment 112466

I can tell you it's definitely not unique to yours, mine was at least that bad.

Somewhere in ancient history I have a thread dedicated to the problem, I think it's actually over at that other place.

 

[BULL]

I suspect that hood style (Raisinbran @Hunter) is more ridged than the original style.