After going to Houston to pick up my new hardtop....I swung by a track I'd never been to before for a test-n-tune night at Pine Valley Raceway in Lufkin TX. I had some friends tell me how neat it was so I decided to see for myself.

First run with the new Hoosiers was awful slippery and all over the place. Thought I had burned them in pretty well...but they didn't like the higher RPM launch. Ran a 9.95@148MPH.

I came back around with only a little cool down and the engine temp showing 200*. I came out a little softer and it did a whole lot better and straighter with a 9.10@158 MPH. Even had a .007 light! So not an 8 sec pass yet...but a new best and not too bad for a warm/muggy evening in TX.

Sadly, that was the best pass of the evening. There were a couple of oil downs that slowed things but I still got in a couple of 9.30's.

I had backed off the clutch pressure some but this proves I can take out some more. It will sometimes get air under the front tires on the 1-2 shift...but last night it was seriously doing it...much more than ever before with the new slicks....which got a lot of comments from the spectators but not the quickest way down the track. Makes for great pics off the line and down track...but I think I may tighten it up the front suspension some before next weekend when I take another crack at it.

I think it's time to crank some boost into this thing!! Seems pretty consistent speed wise lately. Now getting the first part of the run right will make the difference.

They did tell me I was the "fastest MPH" car there last night even against a big block dragster!

Anyway...I REALLY liked the track. It's in the woods of SE TX, but the owners are super friendly and everyone was great. It has a nice long shut down area, smooth and they were prepping well even for play night.


JIM