It was almost too cool for words.
When Don Wootton climbed out of his nitro-injected ‘69 Camaro after its
maiden voyage he stopped for a moment to find the right words to say.
“It’s hard to explain in words how cool this is,” said Wootton. “It
makes a tremendous amount of power. When you leave the starting line it
doesn’t quit.”
Despite having lasted a mere 70 feet, the debut run of the National
Guard ADRL’s first nitro-injected Pro Extreme entry went according to
plan.
The team had discovered the cause of Friday’s problem that led to the
engine shutting off after the burnout and after a nearly four hour wait
in the staging lane on Saturday, it was show time.
It was almost too cool for words.
When Don Wootton climbed out of his nitro-injected ‘69 Camaro after its maiden voyage he stopped for a moment to find the right words to say.
“It’s hard to explain in words how cool this is,” said Wootton. “It makes a tremendous amount of power. When you leave the starting line it doesn’t quit.”
Despite having lasted a mere 70 feet, the debut run of the National Guard ADRL’s first nitro-injected Pro Extreme entry went according to plan.
The team had discovered the cause of Friday’s problem that led to the engine shutting off after the burnout and after a nearly four hour wait in the staging lane on Saturday, it was show time.
Things didn’t go as smooth as planned. The team discovered immediately that there were still several issues to be addressed.
They had some difficulty in getting the engine to start. Nitromethane-fueled engines traditionally are started using an electric starter that turns the crankcase. But, in order to qualify as a Pro Extreme entry, Wootton’s car must start using a starter that turns the flywheel.
Therein lies the rub.
“It (starter) just doesn’t seem to spin the motor fast enough,” said Wootton. “There is so much fuel going into the engine, that if it doesn’t turn fast enough while you’re starting it, the engine will hydraulic. We think it’s (the problem) the batteries.”
It took a few tries, but the engine fired to life and Wootton did his burnout, staged and took the greenlight.
In just a few seconds, it was over. This was designed to be just a launch and nothing more.
Wootton’s immediate reaction?
“The first thing I thought? ‘It’s gonna be crazy,’” Wootton said. “It’s hard to explain it in words how it is. It doesn’t quit.”
His 60 ft. time was a very modest one-second. Then, the car took a turn towards the wall and Wootton shut it down.
“We knew we would generate a lot of power. Were trying to take power out of it,” said Wooton. “We knew it wasn’t going to run. We were trying to baby it out of the gate. It did exactly what we wanted it to do.”
“We figured it would make a move,” he continued. “The horsepower is so different. The blower car goes straight, but it loses power off the line. This car keeps making power.”
The team, headed by chassis expert Joe Monden along with nitro-motor wizard Tom Conway knew there would be a few issues they would have to address after the car’s initial run down the track, including fine-tuning the suspension.
As with any Pro Extreme car, if the suspension isn’t spot on, the car will go left or right after the launch.
Wootton expressed confidence afterwards that the suspension issue was expected and that it would be resolved.
The team is planning to make another run or two on Sunday at Houston Raceway Park during the final day of the Goodridge Spring Stampede. It will be their last chance to chase down the gremlins.
Wootton is pleased with the progress of new car during its first weekend on the track.
He said there were three goals going into the weekend.
“Our first goal was get it through the burnout,” Wootton began. “The second was get it off the line. The third is go to the 330 (ft) and shut it off and check it out.”
Wootton says the team will be ready for the first of two practice runs this Friday at the season-opening Safety-Kleen Dragpalooza V.
“By qualifying on Friday, we’ll be OK,” said Wootton. “I know that’s cutting it close but I’ve got Joe (Monden).”
