theoretical top speed

[gennyshovel]

How true,
I've always argued that a small engine combo in the same weight class in drag racing should always win,
A smaller motor makes more Hp per Cube than a bigger motor so a good small motor in a lighter/ more streamlined vehicle has a traction advantage with the same Pounds per Cube Ratio...
Go Forth and Multiply, to Go fast you Divide

Go Postie Bike,,,GOOO000oooo
Tiny

[David Leikvold]

Dr Goggles said that traction on the salt can be a limiting factor, so here's my question. I saw a video at Don Noble's get together of the track being scraped flat with a piece of railway track that was leaving a lot of loose salt lying on the track surface. Would this be part of the problem or do cars rip enough salt off the hard surface anyway to generate their own high speed wheelspin? If they don't would it be worth the effort of removing the loose salt crystals somehow? So the next question obviously has to be, if it is worth removing on a frequent basis how do you do it? A jet blaster like they use at Willowbank Raceway? Or a street sweeper vacuum cleaner truck perhaps? Or build something that scrapes and sweeps in one pass? By the way, my thanks to Don for putting on the get together and thanks also to Bob and Paul and everyone else for answering all my questions.

[BOB ELLIS]

David , the track is "graderised" with an extremely heavy bit of iron.This piece of BHP is a RSJ (or UB to the under 35's) is dragged up & down,up &down,for many times.It cuts the high spots off . and to a point fills in the lows.The old Dodge does many trips up and down the course to cut the track , and the returnroads , pit area , approach roads etc.Salt is our friend and enemy.as to removing salt crystals , do that and no more salt.No jet dryer could improve track either.We race on a natural surface and the salt gods make it good , or bad. Putting up with questions is easy,providing answers is a bit more difficult , but will always help when ever possible.Glad you enjoyed the meet. Cheers Bob #66 C/GCC.

[momec]

G'Day David
To add to Bobs reply the salt is quite a strange surface, because it is like a crystline structure that grows and changes with moisture content. Its can change as the day changes. It can range from wet and sticky through to rock hard with a dry dusty surface. This can all happen on the same day. It can change from run to run or morning to afternoon.
If you can imagine 36 drag strips end on end the natives would be restless by the time the jet drier had done one run let alone its full 80 feet width.
All the Dodge and blade can hope to achieve is smooth out the rough lumps (which it does very well).
It does about 1000kms for the week in track preparation.
For a majority of competitors traction is not a major problem most years. (Bikes not included)
As Bob says we are working with mother nature.
Seeya Chris

[David Leikvold]

Bob and Chris, thanks to you both for your responses. I'm from a circuit racing background so I had imagined that dry, hard salt would be like concrete and not change until it got wet. So I was thinking that something that just removed the scraped up loose salt crystals would leave a surface that was hard and strong and a bit grippier, especially as I've seen many photos of long streaks of rubber on the surface. Obviously, I'm very wrong. I'll be at the salt in 2008 (this year we made it to Renmark before we heard!) so if you need someone to drive the Dodge for a few hours I'm in. See you at the Hot Rod Show.
On a completely different subject, can anyone tell me what engine Graeme de Courcy Cann runs in his H/GL?
Thanks
David

[DON NOBLE]

Bob and Chris, thanks to you both for your responses. I'm from a circuit racing background so I had imagined that dry, hard salt would be like concrete and not change until it got wet. So I was thinking that something that just removed the scraped up loose salt crystals would leave a surface that was hard and strong and a bit grippier, especially as I've seen many photos of long streaks of rubber on the surface. Obviously, I'm very wrong. I'll be at the salt in 2008 (this year we made it to Renmark before we heard!) so if you need someone to drive the Dodge for a few hours I'm in. See you at the Hot Rod Show.
On a completely different subject, can anyone tell me what engine Graeme de Courcy Cann runs in his H/GL?
Thanks
David

Gday David
Graeme ran an early Toyota Corolla engine 1200 cc i think , and had a 2 speed Toyoglide auto . The 1st yr he ran the auto got stuck in low and he ran his best speed in that gear me thinks .