The following tims are from my 1979 Dodge Li'l Red Express (or Li'l Red Truck). The R/T (reaction) times are not spectacular, I don't race enough to really bother getting my R/T times lower and consistent. I usually only run to see how changes are reflected in track times. I'm not a bracket racer or a professional.

These times are from my first outing in the truck at a track.

Date: 10/24/98
Location: Navasota Raceway
Car Number: 17
Temp:
Humidity:
Pressure:

Old 360 w/600 cfm AFB and a tune up (new plugs, rotor, cap, and wires), lockup 904, 3.23 8-3/8 open rear.

Well, those suck in just about every way possible. Only positive out of that is the et dropped and mph went up consitently.

Date: 03/03/99
Location: Navasota Raceway
Car Number: 63
Temp:
Humidity:
Pressure:

New Magnum 360 w/600 cfm Edelbrock, non-lockup 904 (2.74, 1.54, 1.00).

Well the night started off ok. The 3rd run had bad tire spin, something didn't seem right. The 4th run confirmed it, the engine seemed like it was being held back some how until it shifted into 2nd and then it ran "normally" again.

Overall the new engine with only a few carb rod changes prior to going to the track seemed to do better. The 1/8-60' numbers are considerably lower, with the exception of runs 3 and 4. I think it might have been an ignition problem. I did replace the coil at a later date and found the coil terminal was extremely rusted, I don't know how it even ran. MPH's is up and ET's are down. To be honest I expected higher MPH and lower ET's than I got.

60' times still suck.

Date: 04/21/01
Location: Navasota Raceway
Car Number: 119
Temp:
Humidity:
Pressure:

MPH is up over last time out, new exhuast manifolds (correct for 1979 truck), and new down pipe on driver's side exhaust manifold, 727 (2.45, 1.45, 1.00), and a 3.55 LS. Starting ratio is roughly the same as the 904 (2.74 1st gear): 2.74*3.23 = 8.8502, and 727 (2.45 1st): 2.45 * 3.55 = 8.6975, slight advantage to 904 in ratio and lower rotating weight.

The 1/8-60' times are a little better than previous run, mph is up some. I'd guess weather and a better exhaust helped, and the 727 slowed it down some.

60' times still suck.

Date: 05/02/01
Location: Navasota Raceway
Car Number: 095
Temp:
Humidity:
Pressure:

Replaced 600 cfm Edelbrock with 800 cfm Demonsizzler modifiied Thermoquad (1983 model year). Had a slight bog off the line Air door tension: 2.5 turns.

Good improvement in MPH and ET. 1/8-60' dropped as well.

60' still suck.

Date: 05/27/01
Location: Houston Raceway Park
Car Number: 104
Temp:
Humidity:
Pressure:

First time down the 1/4 mile in the truck, also meet Lee446 (RR) and Brian (Duster) from Moparts. Great guys with really nice cars. 1/8 mile ETs seems to be inline with Navasota times, MPH is about 1 mph higher. 1/8-60' seem to correlate well with Navasota.

60' still suck.

Date: 07/04/01
Location: Navasota Raceway
Car Number: 138
Temp: 80's?
Humidity: Very
Pressure:

All new 2.25" exhaust (Dynomax Super Turbo Hemi mufflers) from manifolds back.

I don't know if it is good to compare the 1/8 mile runs mile at Navasota with those from HRP or not. MPH is up over last runs at Navasota, but about on par with HRP. ET is another story, ET is lower over both HRP and Navasota.
Most of the runs with 60' of 2.3x are with wheel spin.

First sub-10 second 1/8 ET.

Comparing to the best first (Old 360) run in the truck (10.904 ET, 64.447 mph, and 1/8-60' = 8.385) and the best run to-date (9.984, 69.847, 7.715). That is a big improvement in all categories, about 1 second drop in ET and a drop of about 0.67 seconds in the 1/8-60' ET. That suggests an improvement in 60' and 1/8 ET overall. MPH picked up 5.4.

Comparing to first outing with the Magnum 300 (10.277, 66.122, 8.059) and the best run to-date (9.984, 69.847, 7.715). An improvement of just about 0.3 ET, and a change of 0.344 in 1/8-60'. MPH increased by 3.725. Mostly in improvements in engine breathing. No changes in timing. Timing is next.

60' still suck.

Date: 10/03/01
Location: Navasota Raceway
Car Number: 184
Temp: Upper 60's?
Humidity:
Pressure:

Added 2 degree's of total timing, cooler air helped too.

Runs 1 and 3 were in "D", remainder were in "2", run 2 was in 2nd at finish line, all other's in 3rd at finish line. I have no idea why it slowed down in runs 2 and 3
New low ET for the 1/8th.

Run 4 appears to have the best charge from 60' to 1/8.

The adjustment in timing and cooler air temp seems to have picked up about a 0.10 sec.

60' still suck, though they seem to be getting more consistant.

Date: 10/06/01
Location: Houston Raceway Park
Car Number: 501
Temp: 55-60's?
Humidity:
Pressure:

I got caught watching James' (TheOtherDodge) Challenger at the tree on the first run. He let me know about it after the run :).

There was a head wind around 10-15mph (Cold front pushing through).
Shifted into 3rd at about 600 ft, speedo indicated 70mph.
Runs 3 and 4 are nearly identical, only real difference was in 60' times.

New low 1/4 ET, and possibly new best 1/8 ET and MPH.

Date: 2/09/01
Location: Houston Raceway Park
Car Number: 149
Temp: 60's-70's?
Humidity:
Pressure:

Total weight => 4180-4190 (approx) Front weight => 2510 (approx) Weight dist: 60/40

All runs were shifted around 4500 rpm for all gears.

Run 7 was screwed up by shifting into neutral instead of Drive. The engine responded by doing its best impression of a prostock engine.

Dropping the tail gate down after run 2 netted no appreciable change in ET and mph.

Date: 10/5/02
Location: Houston Raceway Park
Car Number: 149
Temp: 60's-70's?
Humidity:
Pressure:

I went into Neutral instead of "D" on the first run, popped it back in "D" pretty quick though. Seventh run the truck had cooled down for 30 to 45 minutes before my class was called. It idled for several minites before I ran, temp gauge was the same as previous runs.