Returned to the strip...this time with slicks and a few other changes!
One of the main events to be staged at Crail Raceway, is the 'Banzai Bonanza' event, as hosted by Banzai Magazine.
Having won the FWD class back in 2004, which I did again in 2007 and 2009, I decided to go for broke and see if I could be the first to break into the 11's at Crail Raceway in the FWD class, while winning the class again (yes, the track is notorious for it's surface, hence high terminals and poor times).
After months of work on the car, including a full strip down of the interior, some aerodynamic modifictaions and a few tweaks here and there, I returned to the strip for some action.
This time out with a new ClutchMasters twin disc and a set of M&H 23" slicks, I was feeling confident that I could improve on my previous best of 12.86 @ 124.3.
A few photos of the event -
Me in the process of changing to the slicks...
In the queue, waiting to line up on the strip...
Just before the burnout...
Yeehaw...
On my first run, I had an issue with staging. This was caused by my seriously low splitter extension playing with the lights and I couldn't tell what was happening. It was like being at the strip for the first ever time again, not knowing what to do. Apart from the staging issues, the 1st run was an eye opener to say the least! I knew that using 1st gear was going to be pointless, so I decided to select 2nd gear gear, rev the shit out of the engine and just dump the clutch and see what happened. I couldn't believe how well it hooked up off the line in comparison to previous runs through the years at Crail Raceway. However, even though it hooked up better than ever before, I was still spinning the tyres pretty badly and it caused me to change too quickly into 3rd, causing the engine to bog down coming off boost for a second. None the less, I still managed to run a 12.12 @ 128.9 mph!
That bettered my best ever time in the Almera and even better, it beat my PB in 'Little Bandit', my SR20DE+T powered Nissan Micra (R.I.P.)
YouTube - 12.126 secs @ 128.9 mph
In order to try and get a bit better launch on the 2nd run, I decided to give a more prominent burnout. After a longer more efficient burnout on the tyres, I did something that I never expected and actually got too much traction...a myth for a FWD car at Crail Raceway.
Even with a 7000 rpm launch in 2nd gear, it fell flat on it's face and I nearly stalled the engine!
So in desperation, I slammed it into 1st gear, roasted the tyres, went into 2nd gear and drove as normal. However, I had simply too much ground to make up and didn't have enough time to pull in the turbocharged Mazda MX5!
YouTube - 13.206 @ 125.7
The 3rd run, well, I'll let the video do the talking...
YouTube - 12.092 @ 128.6
So, with a new PB for myself and a new national record for an N15 chassis, I was over the moon for joy and had easily made it into the eliminators later in the afternoon.
After watching some racing, I was called upon and placed against an EK9 chassis Civic. Not knowing what he had run in the day (but still cautious none the less), I decided to give an extra long burnout and then launch like I did previously and try and balance the clutch, as opposed to just dumping it...
YouTube - Dave Bull's Almera GTi wins Banzai Crail Thrash Shootout Eliminator Round 2011 (FWD class)
On that run, I managed to almost do the same again and bog the car down, but luckily I quickly punched the clutch back in and out again and I was safe.
The run was clocked at 12.18 @ 127.9 mph, but with a slower 2.2 60 ft time.
In the final, I was placed against an EP3 chassis Civic, running a fully built K20A with a Garrett GT37 turbocharger. Due to issues with fueling, he was only running low boost (10 psi), but even at that, was still making in the region of 470 BHP.
YouTube - Dave Bull's Almera GTi wins Banzai Crail Thrash Shootout 2011 (FWD class)
On the final run, I decided to go for broke. Usually running a maximum of 18 psi in 3rd gear, I decided that I was going to take a risk and select high boost in 3rd, going straight for 22 psi. Unfortunately, even with the best 60ft of the day (2.014), I didn't hold onto 2nd long enough and yet again, it came off boost going into 3rd gear. With the extra power in 3rd however, it soon made up for it and the car went on to run a best of 12.091 @ 129.3 mph, bettering the 3rd run at 12.092 @ 128.6 mph.
Me being presented with my trophy for 'Fastest FWD' by Joe Clifford, editor of Banzai Magazine...
and the winners of the classes on the day...
I'll be back later this year to get into the 11's, I promise!!!
Cheers
Dave
Having won the FWD class back in 2004, which I did again in 2007 and 2009, I decided to go for broke and see if I could be the first to break into the 11's at Crail Raceway in the FWD class, while winning the class again (yes, the track is notorious for it's surface, hence high terminals and poor times).
After months of work on the car, including a full strip down of the interior, some aerodynamic modifictaions and a few tweaks here and there, I returned to the strip for some action.
This time out with a new ClutchMasters twin disc and a set of M&H 23" slicks, I was feeling confident that I could improve on my previous best of 12.86 @ 124.3.
A few photos of the event -
Me in the process of changing to the slicks...
In the queue, waiting to line up on the strip...
Just before the burnout...
Yeehaw...
On my first run, I had an issue with staging. This was caused by my seriously low splitter extension playing with the lights and I couldn't tell what was happening. It was like being at the strip for the first ever time again, not knowing what to do. Apart from the staging issues, the 1st run was an eye opener to say the least! I knew that using 1st gear was going to be pointless, so I decided to select 2nd gear gear, rev the shit out of the engine and just dump the clutch and see what happened. I couldn't believe how well it hooked up off the line in comparison to previous runs through the years at Crail Raceway. However, even though it hooked up better than ever before, I was still spinning the tyres pretty badly and it caused me to change too quickly into 3rd, causing the engine to bog down coming off boost for a second. None the less, I still managed to run a 12.12 @ 128.9 mph!
That bettered my best ever time in the Almera and even better, it beat my PB in 'Little Bandit', my SR20DE+T powered Nissan Micra (R.I.P.)
YouTube - 12.126 secs @ 128.9 mph
In order to try and get a bit better launch on the 2nd run, I decided to give a more prominent burnout. After a longer more efficient burnout on the tyres, I did something that I never expected and actually got too much traction...a myth for a FWD car at Crail Raceway.
Even with a 7000 rpm launch in 2nd gear, it fell flat on it's face and I nearly stalled the engine!
So in desperation, I slammed it into 1st gear, roasted the tyres, went into 2nd gear and drove as normal. However, I had simply too much ground to make up and didn't have enough time to pull in the turbocharged Mazda MX5!
YouTube - 13.206 @ 125.7
The 3rd run, well, I'll let the video do the talking...
YouTube - 12.092 @ 128.6
So, with a new PB for myself and a new national record for an N15 chassis, I was over the moon for joy and had easily made it into the eliminators later in the afternoon.
After watching some racing, I was called upon and placed against an EK9 chassis Civic. Not knowing what he had run in the day (but still cautious none the less), I decided to give an extra long burnout and then launch like I did previously and try and balance the clutch, as opposed to just dumping it...
YouTube - Dave Bull's Almera GTi wins Banzai Crail Thrash Shootout Eliminator Round 2011 (FWD class)
On that run, I managed to almost do the same again and bog the car down, but luckily I quickly punched the clutch back in and out again and I was safe.
The run was clocked at 12.18 @ 127.9 mph, but with a slower 2.2 60 ft time.
In the final, I was placed against an EP3 chassis Civic, running a fully built K20A with a Garrett GT37 turbocharger. Due to issues with fueling, he was only running low boost (10 psi), but even at that, was still making in the region of 470 BHP.
YouTube - Dave Bull's Almera GTi wins Banzai Crail Thrash Shootout 2011 (FWD class)
On the final run, I decided to go for broke. Usually running a maximum of 18 psi in 3rd gear, I decided that I was going to take a risk and select high boost in 3rd, going straight for 22 psi. Unfortunately, even with the best 60ft of the day (2.014), I didn't hold onto 2nd long enough and yet again, it came off boost going into 3rd gear. With the extra power in 3rd however, it soon made up for it and the car went on to run a best of 12.091 @ 129.3 mph, bettering the 3rd run at 12.092 @ 128.6 mph.
Me being presented with my trophy for 'Fastest FWD' by Joe Clifford, editor of Banzai Magazine...
and the winners of the classes on the day...
I'll be back later this year to get into the 11's, I promise!!!
Cheers
Dave
Be the first to like this post.
Back to top
