It was a good night for Racing but a bad night
for the track. I got there at 7pm when they were supposed to start racing, but they were not ready until almost 8pm. Then
they said there computer was down and the time slips were not printing and to come back later and pick them up.
After four runs at 13 seconds with 72 Volts
in the Chevelle, I came back to collect my record breaking time slips and they told me they had a complete crash and there
were no time slips.
I already had the Chevelle on the trailer
and the best they could do was to write a note saying I had some 13 second runs. I have the video's to prove it but
don't know if that will be good enough for NEDRA.
To get ready
for the races, I aired up the tires to 40psi, put full synthetic tranny fluid in the Powerglide and changed the field weakening
cables from 4/0 to 2 Ga.
The runs went
like this, turn the key on and 6V is applied to the motor, press the pedal lightly and 12V is applied to the motor. These
batteries are used to get to the staging lights. Once staged, I hold the brake and the motor is pulling 300 amps while 6V
is applied. Once I see the first yellow light, I press the pedal and apply 12V to the motor, pulling 600 to 800 amps. When
I see the last yellow light before the green light, I floor it and the 12V contactor releases and the 48V contactor pulls
and away I go. This is if I have the Voltage Selector in the 48V mode. As soon as the amps drop back, a couple of seconds,
I move the Voltage Selector to the 72V mode and a little tire squeal is heard and the speed picks up. Then I press the Field
Weakening button on the dash with my finger and the speed picks up more. Then I shift to drive and more acceleration, and
then the Field Weakening button on the dash to the end of the run.
