'08 racing wrap-up |
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MarkGubinski
Senior Member Joined: 17-March-2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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Posted: 04-January-2009 at 4:18PM |
We had another good year flying the Ford flag with our Torinos. Had to wait for our banquets to be done because I was expecting some surprise awards. First here's a couple of shots of our cars at the IHRA Div.3 bracket finals at Pittsburgh. By markgubinski at 2009-01-04 By markgubinski at 2009-01-04 We got a chance to meet board member Jim Wiliams there, which was cool. Also you can see our rig in the background with my wife standing at the fence. Edited by MarkGubinski - 04-January-2009 at 4:19PM |
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72 Gran Torino Sport 557
10.12 @136 @3600lbs. 2 Time Milan Dragway Track Champion. 2012 IHRA Div. 5 No-Box Champion. 97 career wins. |
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MarkGubinski
Senior Member Joined: 17-March-2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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My son Chris drives the white one powered by a 472. Best pass was 11.42 @ 120.5. He cleaned up in '08 taking home the Nostalgia Super Stock title with the Ontario Nostalgia Drag Racers Assoc. Finished third in Mod ET points at the Grand Bend Motorplex & won the IHRA Summit Super Series No-Box title at Grand Bend. At the banquet GBM awarded him "Rookie of the Year".
My blue '72 is powered by a 514 crate motor. Best pass was 10.33 @ 133.7. I finished second to my son in the NSS ONDR. We were tied going into the last ONDR points race. I blew my engine up big time across the finish line on a morning time trial run. That was the big one, Chris. That's also when it ran the 10.33. Wouldn't you know it. The air was great that day in Oct. & if I had gone some rounds I'm sure that I would have beat Frank's 10.28. Anyway, I was time trialing against my son so I was infront of him. The engine just shut off across the finish line. No noise or shutter but the back of the car was swaying at 130+. My son had to swerve all through the shutdown area to aviod all the shapnel. One hole in the back of the pan from a rod, broke the back of the crank, shattered the C6 bellhousing, broke the headers & cut down my brand new slicks. So as soon as Chris staged for the first round he got the title. No one else could catch him.
At Grand Bend I was fighting for first place all year. Going into the last points race weekend of the year I was in second. After Saturday I was back in first but the other guy took it back on Sunday. So it finished, 1st-Mopar, 2nd-1972 Ford Gran Torino, 3rd-1972 Ford Gran Torino, 4th-Chevy powered Pontiac. Not Bad. At the banquet I was one of a group that was awarded "Sportsman of the Year".
So, that was my year.
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72 Gran Torino Sport 557
10.12 @136 @3600lbs. 2 Time Milan Dragway Track Champion. 2012 IHRA Div. 5 No-Box Champion. 97 career wins. |
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GranTorinoMan
Senior Member Joined: 14-August-2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 920 |
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Outstanding, a 10.33 you have to be happy with that plus your season results. I'd like to see pictures of your broken engine if you have any, what do you think caused it to let go? Chris's 472 doing 11.42@120.5 is amazing for a non-stroked engine, what is his cars total weight with driver? Hopefully I can squeeze a few more 1/10's out of my 472 next season to get close to Chris's time.
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MarkGubinski
Senior Member Joined: 17-March-2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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Hey, Chris. Ya, the 10.33 was nice but it came with a hefty price. Don't have any pics yet. Don't know why exactly or what happenned first. But alot of racing & double classing every weekend takes its toll, I guess. Mine weighs 3600 with driver & Chris' is 200 pounds more. The 472 just has the alum. CJ heads, mild hyd. cam, 4:11 gear & a 950 HP carb. We were happy with that one because we were only expecting 11.75 at best, but we were expecting more out of mine (10teens).
Edited by MarkGubinski - 05-January-2009 at 4:30AM |
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72 Gran Torino Sport 557
10.12 @136 @3600lbs. 2 Time Milan Dragway Track Champion. 2012 IHRA Div. 5 No-Box Champion. 97 career wins. |
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GranTorinoMan
Senior Member Joined: 14-August-2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 920 |
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What size engine are you going to build to replace the 514? I hear 533 stroker kits are very reliable with low stress on a stock block.
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MarkGubinski
Senior Member Joined: 17-March-2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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Actually I am looking at a 557 with P-51 heads.
Now for the real bad news.
As you probably know the automotive economy has sucked in Windsor for the last three years & my auto glass business with it. If we weren't winning races we would have been done long ago. Fuel the last two years has been a killer as that is our biggest expense. My son is 20 & has moved into a small house with his girlfriend & are starting a family. He also has a new full time job working 6 days a week. So he's done for now. He's been racing since he was 8, but it's nice that he went out big.
I have no more money for a new drivetrain, so my quest to put my stock frame, narrow tire, '72 Torino into the 9s will have to wait untill things pick up. So for now I'm taking his drivetrain & putting on my alum. SCJ heads & a spare roller cam to pick it up abit. I'm looking for 10.90 in my car with that 472 combo.
But I'm not even going to start untill we get back from Florida. Yes, even though I'm broke, I'm still going to warm my buns on a nice warm beach in the Florida Keys. We are taking the motorhome down there from Jan. 30th till Feb. 17.
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72 Gran Torino Sport 557
10.12 @136 @3600lbs. 2 Time Milan Dragway Track Champion. 2012 IHRA Div. 5 No-Box Champion. 97 career wins. |
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stuck
Senior Member Joined: 23-December-2007 Location: michigan Status: Offline Points: 279 |
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you have done real good. your hearts are there. i hope it works out sooner than later.
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michigan
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GranTorinoMan
Senior Member Joined: 14-August-2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 920 |
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The weight of Chris's car is almost 300lbs less than mine including driver. That's the 3/10's difference in our time slips right there. I might be able to pull another 100lbs out of my car, but that means I'm going to have to go on a diet big time, no more Tim Hortons for me. Have a great time in Florida Mark.
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