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[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 10/15/06 8:25pm Author: inside TPSA racing Subject:  *****SEASON FINALE @ HOUSTON MOTORSPORTS PARK*****This was an absolutely outstanding event! The weatherman had teased everyone early in the week with the promise of some cool temps, low humidity, and high barometer. Of course this is the Houston area, and weather predictions often aren't taken seriously. At the Friday nite test-n-tune it was cool and the track was bitin' hard until about 10pm when all of the imports show up. Terry "Mr T", Ashabranner, was out making some progress on his new set-up and DH, AH, Crownover, Eddie Conrad, Larry Pearce, and Otwell were all in attendance but Mr T was the only one to make laps. The rest of the TPSA posse rolled in to HMP Saturday morning, and the weather was more Houston like. For the first TT, temp was 80*, humidity @ 59%, sunny with a low barometer. The racers resigned themselves to the fact that the season finale would not be blessed with "fall" weather conditions, but they all knew the Baker family and staff would have the track in optimum shape. The second TT featured slightly cooler temps with higher humidity but the track was suprisingly fast...or the teams had done a bunch of work since the last race, or both. When the qualifying sheet was posted, team HE&B members Hubbard (4.864 @ 142.63)was #1 and the Pigford/Costales team checked in at #2 with a 4.87 @ 142.45. The call went out for first round with some interesting pairings. The well publicized "bounty" on the "Dude" Conrad (posted by the Boxman) had the pits buzzing and Naylor will collect the Outback Steak dinner via a 4.88 to 4.91 victory over the "Dude". Naylor said "make that steak medium rare". In other action, Costales took out Crownover, Worley over Williams (first race back for the Williams team), Hubbard advanced when Otwell's trans brake didn't hold, Pearce joined the 4.80 club with a victory over "Dandy" Elliott, Mr T took out Aaron Hubbard, Staiger flexed his muscle with a 4.87 lap to put the "Rookie" Hanson on the trailer, and Rigmaiden, in his first race with the BBC combo, drew the bye. Second round saw Pearce's 4.87 stop Naylor's 4.91, Mr T, with his new HE&B combo and a holeshot, trailered the #2 qualifier Costales, with a career best 4.95 @ 140.01 to Les' 4.88 @ 143.31. Pigford said it was his fault...he missed the setup and the car stumbled hard at the hit which affected the rt and the leave. DH's 4.809 victory over steadily improving Staiger (4.87) was just short of the TPSA record et of 4.790. Finishing out the round was Rigmaiden aka "Mr Mad" posting a 4.93 to advance over Worley's shut off pass. For the third round, the temperatures had continued to drop a few degrees but the humidity was rising. Mr Mad made it to the final round with a 4.92 over another one of the new guys, Larry Pearce's 4.91. Larry is making the class notice the performance of his Team Conrad's Cavalier and with more laps he will only improve. DH drew his HE&B teammate, Mr T, and when Ashabranner pulled the trigger early, Hubbard carded his 2nd straight 4.80. Mr T's performance improved greatly over the weekend and he surely is wishing the season was just starting! In the final, it would be Rigmaiden vs. Hubbard...one was looking for his first TPSA win and the other was in the final for the 9th time this year. The tree came down, it was green on both sides (advantage Mr Mad) but AD had to lift when he got a bit loose, and DH closed the deal, and the season, with his 7th win of 2006. He couldn't reset the record set earlier in the year (when the air conditions were more favorable) but the ticket showed a 4.81 @ 143.91. Our thanks to the Baker's, John Mandabach, and the staff of Houston Motorsports Park for a great season. The track prep has been flawless all year and the finale was no exception. Thanks for allowing the TPSA to be part of your program and we're looking forward to 2007. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Replies: [> Winner's Circle .....top photo (W) David Hubbard; bottom photo....(RU) AD "Mr Mad" Rigmaiden  [Edit] [> TRACK CONDITION,S WERE OUTSTANDING FORTHE SEASON FINALE OUR CAR HAD 2 -1.08 60 FT. AND 1-1.09 60 FT. -- CONRAD, 10/16/06 9:54am [Edit] [> [> 60 ft -- keith wells, 10/20/06 5:48pm what type of transdid you use on the 1.08 60 ft? was it an auto? converter? i am having trouble with my car leaving. it is a haas cutlas and it runs 7.70s@175with only 1,13 60 ft. it feels alot slower than that [Edit] [> [> [> Keith, all of the cars in TPSA run auto's (it's the rules) and converters. At HMP, there were a bunch of our cars that ran sub 1.10 60 ft, with the best being a 1.051. -- statistician, 10/21/06 12:02am [Edit] [> [> [> [> 60ft times -- keith wells, 10/21/06 5:41pm what brand of converter do you recommend? part numbers? just wondering what i could do to improve my 60 ft times. that is where the car feel a little slow. i am running a ptc 10 inch conv. andbte glide with 180 low. stalls about 5800. also i am running 97 jets in a stock 1250hp holley. is that normal? looks a little lean but not bad.i am from olive branch ms and run mostly in memphis tn [Edit] [> More pics from HMP....     --     , 10/16/06 8:57pm [Edit] [>   -- ., 10/16/06 10:56pm [Edit]
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