Note: I originally posted this over on the 500E.com forum. It includes a report from three separate days at Firebird Raceway in Boise, ID. The link to that thread is here

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August 28th, 2004:
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I just got back from my first night at the track. Overall I'd say it went very well! I had no idea what to do and just kind of followed the crowd, and luckily figured it out fairly quick. Only bad news was a couple cars had failures that put liquid on the track, requiring lengthy cleanup times. So I only got four runs in five hours (ugh). This had a side benefit of allowing *plenty* of engine cooling time between runs. I ran the car in 100% street trim, including spare tire in the trunk, and 35psi in the tires. The reserve light came on 10 miles prior to reaching the track so I had about 4 gallons of 92 octane pump gas in there. Track elevation is somewhere around 2400-2600 feet (need to bring my GPS next time).

So, what you've all been waiting for - howdiddit do? Well.... not too shabby! First two runs were in 75-80F ambient temps and were within a hundredth of each other - 14.47 @97.11, followed by a 14.46 @ 97.75. I think I left the ASR on for the first run and turned it off after that.

I had a long wait for the third run and the engine was plenty cool - 50-60C - by the time I staged. Ambients had dropped to 65-70F and the sun had set. I had not messed with burnouts at all but this time tried a little one ahead of the water box - didn't want to mess with wet tires. (The track recommends NOT using the water box with street tires at all.) I'm not even sure if the tires spun or not. Anyway the third run was great, just the right amount of wheelspin at launch, and nailed a 14.28 @ 98.47! I was pretty stoked about that. I was THIS close to getting entry into the coveted '100 MPH Club'.

For the last run, after another loooong wait, the ambient temps were down to about 60F. I could smell the 100.00 in the cool air. I did another short/weak burnout ahead of the water box - this may have been my downfall, I'm not sure. I think the tires got too cold and with the sun gone, the track temps were probably lower too. At launch one or both tires started to light up and I think they spun for half of first gear, d'oh. The cold temps and cool engine made for one HELL of a trap speed even with the abysmal launch... 14.87 @ 97.40. That was better than my first trap speed despite being FOUR TENTHS slower! Sheesh.

For the record, the performance mods on my car at present are:

1) Silver Carbon high-volume airbox
2) 1992 'Euro' LH module (WOT enrichment, +7hp)
3) Resonator replaced with 'Y' pipe (30lb savings?)
4) Remus muffler (sounds nice, probably no power gain)
5) B/W ASR defeat and FGS kit (both enabled at the track)
6) Trunk ICE adds about 75lbs (?) weight penalty

Also, I ran with the lower engine splash/sound shield removed. IMO, this allows better "convection" when parked with the hood open, allowing cool air to enter more easily from underneath as hot air escapes out the top. I'd want this shield in place for aerodynamic reasons over ~100mph on the freeway, but at the strip I think it's probably happier with it removed.

Comments / Observations:

1) Dammit - I think I'm hooked. (Damn you, Gerry!)

2) Going back next weekend, I hope... minus the spare tire, with the lighter stock wheels/tires mounted, 20psi in the rear, no subwoofer in the trunk, no rear seats, and 94 octane (or better) race gas in the tank. Considering yanking one of the headlights to provide ram air intake.

3) Firebird Raceway gives out decals if you break 100mph (and 110, 120, etc) and I really need to get one of them. AND, they post the list of 'club' members on their website, where there is a conspicuous lack of ANY Mercedes... something I'd like to rectify.

4) I saw a lot of cars that were a whopping 0.5-1.0 seconds quicker than my 500, but had trap speeds right around 100... damn, they must be getting out of the hole HARD. (And not have much for the other end.)

5) There was a Viper SRT with NOS and a license plate that said "MY VIGRA". It was running, IIRC, low 11's at 120-something. (Update: 2 weeks later I saw it run an 11.08 @ 129.xx! Wow.)

6) There was a Mustang Cobra with a supercharger (stock!) with minor mods - race tires, etc - that was running insanely fast high 11's. Wow.

7) Firebird requires helmets at 13.99 and faster, and roll cages at 11.99 & faster - changing to 11.49 & faster for next year, I'm told. So Gerry's car would be safe to run here on the bottle. (My car is slow enough that they even allow passengers. :p )

8) I ran my AP-22 computer for all 4 runs, and the G-Tech for the last three (forgot to start it for the first one). I'm still digesting that data and will post it in the 'G-Tech' thread elsewhere on the forum. Short version - the G-Tech was consistently 2-3mph optimistic while being very close on the ET's. The AP-22 was at first pessimistic but after I started messing with the adjustments it was getting really, REALLY close - I need another half-dozen runs to dial it in fully. Check the other thread for more details if you're interested in more (ETA- tomorrow or Monday.)

9) I will upload an Excel spreadsheet with my complete timing data, track conditions, notes, etc as well. Oh yeah, 60' times were in the 2.2-2.4 range.

10) I'm thinking my 'low power' issue may not be as bad as I originally thought, although I still find it very odd that on the street the car won't spin the tires. I am getting an intermittent idle miss that is VERY annoying which I can't trace down (separate thread).

11) This was basically just timed runs, no actual bracket racing. You could get in line near someone and tell the starter you wanted to race him or her ('grudge match'), but that's it. Which was just fine with me.

12) They ran three 'classes' - 14.0 and slower, 13.99 and faster, and streetbikes. So by default I was one of the faster cars of my group. There were a handful of people in the 16-18sec range with mostly stock cars.

13) There was ONE other Mercedes. An older gentleman with a leased 2001 E320, running it bone stock other than yanking the air filters. He bracket races and was only there to work on his reaction times. He got one red light at -0.003 which he was happy about, means he's right close to where he wants to be. His car was running 16.2 at 80-something. I kinda hung around him since he was willing to share his knowledge on how things work at the track. Really nice guy! (His W210 was silver too, btw.)

14) My first 'race' was against a Chevelle 396 SS, who beat me out of the hole, but around half track I started slowly walking by (just like Gerry said). He ran a 14.61 @ 93.15. Second race was a ricer, something or other SE Type R, I think? He probably thought he'd school grandpa's sedan as he came up afterwards with "Hey, great race, what did you do to that thing?" His time was 14.68 @ 93.28. BOTH of those cars beat my 60' time by a full two tenths. Third time was forgettable, he ran 15.69 @ 87.84, and was slower than me at launch - maybe he spun the tires or bogged. Last race was screwed up - we both staged, then the other guy redlighted without launching, then only my half of the tree started (which confused me), and I went down the strip solo after an embarassing RT of 0.727 and a crappy launch. Oh well.

15) The car seems strong with the engine cool (60C) but I still think it loses a lot when at normal operating temp (85-90C). I wonder if that's how they all are, or if I have a sensor out of spec or something? Or if it's somehow related to my hot idle misfire problem. (Fuel octane & spark retardation does NOT seem to be the issue, btw.)

16) Firebird has a huge area at the end, no need to brake quickly. Seems like another 1/4 mile to the return road. Plenty of time to coast down.

17) The burnout area is REALLY short/small at Firebird! I should take a photo (or see if they have one at their website). If I try to stay out of the waterbox I'm practically staged, sheesh... guess I just need to learn how to deal with that.

18) Snow chain switch: RENNtech said to use it on their 600E to improve the launch. I want to experiment on wet pavement sometime and see exactly what it does. I believe it disables the ASR at first, but then re-enables it when the tires reach about 20-25mph. (??) Theortically, it should allow a great launch, and may prevent the 'smoke the tire halfway down the strip' problem from the lack of LSD, in case one tire breaks loose and 'runs away'. (???)

19) Static or adhesive numbers are a must - using the 'shoe polish' white marking liquid is a PITA!

Data files (Excel spreadsheet with complete timing light data, and text file with full AP-22 data) are at this link:
http://www.meimann.com/docs/dragstrip/

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